NBA News Blog – Page 54 – NBA Blog

Pistons trade Monte Morris to Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves have acquired guard Monte Morris in a trade with the Detroit Pistons for forward Troy Brown Jr., guard Shake Milton and a 2030 second round pick.

Morris, 28, has appeared in 348 regular season games (166 starts) in seven NBA seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Pistons, averaging 10.4 points on 47.9% shooting, including 38.9% from three, 2.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. In 62 games (61 starts) last season with Washington, the 6-2 guard averaged 10.3 points on 48.0% shooting, a career-high 3.4 rebounds and a career-best 5.3 assists. At the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, he ranked second in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.4).

The Flint, Mich. native has appeared in 48 playoff games (10 starts), averaging 9.5 points on 45.1% shooting and 3.5 assists. His best playoff performance came in Game 6 of the First Round of the 2021 Playoffs when in 32:58 minutes of action off the bench, Morris finished with 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting and nine assists. He became the second player in Nuggets history to finish a playoff game with 20+ points and 9+ assists off the bench.

Morris was originally drafted out of Iowa State by the Nuggets with the 51st overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Signed as a free agent with the Wolves on July 8, 2023, Brown Jr. played in 37 games (three starts) for Minnesota where he averaged 4.2 points in 11.1 minutes of action per game. In 334 career games (87 starts) with the Wizards, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Timberwolves, he holds averages of 6.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

Signed as a free agent with the Timberwolves on July 8, 2023, Milton played in 38 games for Minnesota where he averaged 4.7 points in 12.9 minutes of action per game. In 292 career games (45 starts) with the Philadelphia 76ers and Timberwolves, he holds averages of 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Hornets trade Gordon Hayward to Thunder

The Charlotte Hornets have acquired forward Davis Bertans, guard Tre Mann, guard Vasilije Micic, a 2024 second-round draft pick (Houston Rockets), a 2025 second-round draft pick (Philadelphia 76ers) and cash considerations in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder for forward Gordon Hayward.

Hayward (6-7, 225) has appeared in 809 career games (646 starts) as a member of the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics and Hornets and averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.02 steals in 31.2 minutes. During the 2023-24 season, he has appeared in 25 games (all starts) and averaged 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.12 steals in 31.9 minutes.

Originally selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Hayward was named a 2017 NBA All-Star during a season in which he averaged 21.9 points and helped lead the Jazz to a 51-win season. During Hayward’s collegiate career, he was named the 2010 Horizon League Player of the Year as he helped lead the Butler Bulldogs to the 2010 NCAA National Championship game.

Bertans, a native of Valmiera, Latvia, is in his eighth NBA season, which includes stops with San Antonio, Washington, Dallas and Oklahoma City. For his career, he has averaged 7.6 points, including a 39.8 percent mark from beyond the arc, and 2.5 rebounds in 447 games (40 starts). Originally selected by the Indiana Pacers in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft, Bertans has appeared in 15 contests this season, notching 2.9 points in 6.1 minutes per game. He played five professional seasons prior to the NBA with KK Partizan (Serbia) and Baskonia (Spain).

Mann, the 18th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, holds career averages of 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game across 140 appearances (31 starts) with the Thunder. He has recorded 3.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from 3-point range in 13 outings this season. Mann was a McDonald’s All-American in 2018-19 before playing two seasons for his hometown Florida Gators, where he earned All-SEC First Team honors as a sophomore.

Originally selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft, Micic played nine seasons overseas before joining the Thunder for the 2023-24 campaign. In 30 games this year, Micic has averaged 3.3 points and 2.5 assists in 12.0 minutes per contest. His professional experience includes stints with KK Mega Bemax (Serbia), Bayern Munich (Germany), KK Crvena Zvezda (Serbia), Tofas SC (Turkey), Zalgiris (Lithuania) and Anadolu Efes (Turkey). He is a two-time EuroLeague champion, two-time EuroLeague Final Four MVP and was named the EuroLeague MVP in 2021.

Hornets waive Ish Smith, Frank Ntilikina, James Bouknight

Charlotte Hornets have waived guard James Bouknight, guard Frank Ntilikina and guard Ish Smith.

Bouknight appeared in 79 games in three seasons with the Hornets, averaging 4.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per contest. He posted 3.6 points in 5.8 minutes per game across 14 appearances this season. The Hornets originally selected Bouknight in the first round (11th overall) of the 2021 NBA Draft.

Ntilikina has recorded 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game across 321 appearances (65 starts) in his seven-year NBA career. He suited up for five contests with the Hornets this season, logging 8.6 minutes per game. Ntilikina, who was originally selected by the New York Knicks with the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, signed with the Hornets as a free agent on Aug. 5, 2023.

Smith, a 14-year veteran who has played for an NBA-record 13 teams, holds career averages of 7.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in 805 appearances (172 starts). He notched 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 43 games (five starts) for the Hornets this season. A native of Concord, N.C., Smith signed with the Hornets as a free agent on Oct. 24, 2023.

76ers trade Patrick Beverley to Bucks for Cameron Payne, draft pick

The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired Cameron Payne and Milwaukee’s 2027 second-round pick in a trade with the Bucks. In exchange, the 76ers traded Patrick Beverley to Milwaukee.

Payne has appeared in 47 games with Milwaukee this season, averaging 6.2 points and 2.3 assists, while shooting 45.5-percent from the field and 39.7-percent from three-point range. He has scored in double figures 13 times, including a season-best 18 points on two occasions (Dec. 2 vs. Atlanta; Dec. 27 at Brooklyn).

Overall, Payne has played in 374 NBA career games (58 starts) across seven-plus seasons with Oklahoma City, Chicago, Cleveland, Phoenix, and Milwaukee. He holds lifetime averages of 7.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 36.7-percent from three-point range. In 2020-21, Payne shot 44.0-percent from beyond the arc, finishing the season 10th in the NBA.

Originally selected by Oklahoma City with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Payne starred collegiately at Murray State. He earned All-OVC First Team honors in each of his two seasons with the Racers, while averaging a conference-best 20.2 points per contest as a sophomore.

Beverley averaged 6.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists with Philadelphia after signing as a free agent this past offseason.

Warriors trade Cory Joseph to Pacers

The Golden State Warriors have acquired a second round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for guard Cory Joseph along with a 2025 second round draft pick (top-55 protected from Charlotte) and cash considerations, the team announced today.

The Pacers then waived Joseph.

Joseph, 32, appeared in 26 games with Golden State this season, tallying averages of 2.4 points, 1.6 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per game. Joseph signed with Golden State as a free agent on July 6, 2023.

Originally selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 29th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Joseph owns career averages of 6.9 points, 3.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 21.7 minutes in 816 games (175 starts) over 13 seasons with the Warriors, Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Detroit Pistons.

Three-team trade sends Yuta Watanabe to Grizzlies, Royce O’Neale to Suns

In a three-team trade today, the Memphis Grizzlies acquired forwards Yuta Watanabe and Chimezie Metu and a future first round pick swap from the Phoenix Suns in a three-team trade also involving the Brooklyn Nets.

As part of the deal, Memphis traded forward David Roddy to Phoenix, and Brooklyn traded forward Royce O’Neale to Phoenix for forward Keita Bates-Diop, guard Jordan Goodwin and three future second round picks.

In a related move, the Grizzlies waived guard Victor Oladipo.

Watanabe (6-9, 215) has competed in 208 games (nine starts) in six seasons with Memphis, Toronto, Brooklyn and Phoenix and has averaged 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.3 minutes since going undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft. The 29-year-old became the second Japanese-born player in NBA history as member of the Grizzlies, where he played the first two seasons (2018-20) of his NBA career following four collegiate years at George Washington. He shot a career-high 44.4 percent from 3-point range as a member of the Nets last season.

Metu (6-9, 225) has appeared in 246 games (31 starts) in six seasons with San Antonio, Sacramento and Phoenix and has averaged 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.8 minutes since he was selected 49th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft out of USC. The 26-year-old Los Angeles native averaged 5.0 points in 12.1 minutes for the Suns this season.

Roddy (6-5, 255) has played 118 games (17 starts) in two seasons with Memphis and has averaged 7.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.1 minutes since he was selected by Philadelphia with the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Colorado State. The 22-year-old Minneapolis native averaged 8.4 points in 23.2 minutes in 48 appearances this season.

Oladipo (6-4, 213) was acquired by Memphis from the Houston Rockets on February 1. The 31-year-old has appeared in 504 games (397 starts) in 10 seasons.

Mavericks trade Richaun Holmes to Wizards for Daniel Gafford

The Washington Wizards have acquired center Richaun Holmes and a 2024 first round pick in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks for center Daniel Gafford.

“We welcome Richaun to our organization and look forward to him adding depth and a veteran presence to our frontcourt,” said Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins. “We were also able to add a first round pick in the upcoming draft, which is in alignment with our strategy to continually increase our flexibility and move further toward our long-term goals.”

Holmes (6-10, 240) has appeared in 441 career games (163 starts) over eight-and-a-half seasons for Dallas, Sacramento, Phoenix, and Philadelphia, holding averages of 8.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks while shooting .605 from the field. He has averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting .559 from the field in 23 games (two starts) for the Mavericks this season. The 30-year-old is one of five players in the NBA to have shot .550 or better from the field in every season since 2016-17.

Prior to being acquired by Dallas in a trade from Sacramento in July 2023, Holmes averaged 12.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting .646 from the field and .788 from the free throw line during his first three seasons with the Kings. That stretch included the 2020-21 season, where he posted career highs of 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.7 assists while starting all 61 games in which he played. Holmes was selected 37th overall by Philadelphia in the 2015 NBA Draft.

The Wizards originally acquired Gafford from Chicago as part of a three-team trade in March 2021. He played in 218 games (145 starts) in three-plus seasons with Washington, averaging 9.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting .704 from the field.

“We appreciate what Gaff brought to our organization and our community as a Wizard,” said Dawkins. “The development he made during his time here is a reflection of his work ethic and commitment, and we wish him the best as he takes the next steps in his career.”

Hornets trade P.J. Washington to Mavericks for Grant Williams, Seth Curry

The Dallas Mavericks have acquired forward P.J. Washington and two second-round picks in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets for forward Grant Williams, guard Seth Curry and a top-two protected 2027 first-round pick.

Washington (6-7, 230) has appeared in 44 games (17 starts) with the Hornets this season and is averaging 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. In his 17 starts, he averaged 14.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks per game.

The 25-year-old Louisville, Kentucky native recorded 43 points off the bench against Utah on Jan. 27, the most points by a non-starter in a game in Hornets history and the most points by a player off the bench in the NBA this season. He is one of three players in Hornets history to record at least 43 points in a game multiple times (Glen Rice, Kemba Walker). In his debut game with the Hornets, the 6-7 forward set a franchise record for the most points scored in a debut (27) and a league record for most 3-pointers made in a debut in NBA history (7).

Through 304 career games (236 starts), Washington is averaging 13.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. During his time with the Hornets, Washington recorded the fifth-most 3-pointers made (536) and fifth-most blocks (295) in franchise history.

Washington was selected with 12th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets after playing two seasons at the University of Kentucky. During his collegiate career, he was a two-time SEC Player of the Week winner after averaging 15.2 points (.522 FG%, .423 3FG%, .663 FT%), 7.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.2 blocks and 29.3 minutes in 35 games (33 starts) his sophomore season.

Washington will wear No. 25 for the Mavericks.

Williams appeared in 47 games for the Mavericks this season (33 starts) and averaged 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 26.4 minutes per game while shooting 37.6% from behind the arc. In his first 20 games with Dallas, Williams shot 42.5% from 3-point range and later set a career-high 27 points against Sacramento on Jan. 27. He was acquired by Dallas from Boston on July 12, 2023, in a three-team sign-and-trade. Prior to joining the Mavericks, Willams averaged 6.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists through 288 games (58 starts) over four seasons with Boston.

Seth Curry appeared in 36 games this season (3 starts), averaging 4.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game while shooting 36.3% from three. Against the Wizard’s on Nov. 15, he recorded 15 points while shooting a 6-of-6, the first time in his career he has been perfect from the field (min. 5 FGA). Curry signed with Dallas on July 14, 2023, his third stint with the team.

Three-team trade sends Buddy Hield to 76ers, Marcus Morris to Spurs, Furkan Korkmaz and Doug McDermott to Pacers

Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey announced today that the team has acquired Buddy Hield in a three-team trade involving the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs.

To complete the trade, Philadelphia sent Furkan Korkmaz, a 2024 second-round pick ((a) most favorable of Toronto’s own and (b) most favorable of (i) Indiana’s own and (ii) least favorable of Utah/Cleveland), Portland’s 2029 second-round pick and cash considerations to Indiana.

The 76ers also traded Marcus Morris Sr., the LA Clippers’ 2029 second-round pick and cash considerations to San Antonio. The Spurs sent Doug McDermott to Indiana.

Over the past five-plus seasons, Hield has made a league-leading 1,240 three-pointers, shooting better than 39-percent (39.3% 3FG) from beyond the arc over that span. Since his NBA debut in 2016-17, Hield has connected on 1,842 three-pointers, joining Golden State’s Stephen Curry as the only two players with 1,800-or-more.

In 52 games (28 starts) this season with Indiana, Hield holds averages of 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 25.7 minutes per contest, while shooting 44.3-percent from the field and 38.4-percent from three-point range.

Hield posted a season-high 31 points (12-17 FG, 7-12 3FG) against the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 22, marking one of his nine games this season with five-or-more made three-pointers. Hield’s 142 career games with at least five triples are third in the NBA since his rookie season.

Originally selected by New Orleans with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Hield holds career averages of 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, while shooting 40.1-percent from three-point range in 600 games (398 starts) over seven-plus seasons with the Pelicans, Sacramento, and Indiana.

Following his rookie season, Hield was named to the 2017 NBA All-Rookie First Team. Three years later, he captured the 2020 NBA Three-Point Contest crown at All-Star weekend in Atlanta. A native of The Bahamas, Hield starred collegiately at Oklahoma where he was twice named Big-12 Player of the Year. Following his senior season, he earned the Naismith College Player of the Year, John R. Wooden Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy, and Sporting News Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year in 2016.

Korkmaz was drafted by Philadelphia with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and went on to play 328 games (49 starts) across six-plus seasons with the 76ers, averaging 6.8 points and 2.0 rebounds. Acquired as part of a seven-player, three-team deal with the LA Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 1, Morris Sr. averaged 6.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 37 games with the 76ers.

Trail Blazers sign Ashton Hagans to 10-day contract

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard/forward Ashton Hagans to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Joe Cronin.

In 29 games (25 starts) during the NBA G League regular season and Showcase Cup, Hagans has averaged 13.3 points (45.2% FG, 33.3% 3-PT, 78.3% FT), 4.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 2.0 steals in 28.8 minutes per game. He currently ranks second in the G League in total assists (144), second in assists per game (9.6) and tied for 11th in total steals (27) for the regular season. On Jan. 29, Hagans was selected to compete in this year’s NBA G League Up Next Game at All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, receiving the most fan votes. He previously appeared in two games with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a two-way contract in 2021.