Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Celtics sign Nathan Knight, waive Jay Scrubb

The Boston Celtics have signed forward/center Nathan Knight to a two-way contract.

In a corresponding roster move the Celtics have waived guard Jay Scrubb.

Knight (6-10, 253) has appeared in 108 career games (two starts) with the Atlanta Hawks (2020-21) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2022-23). He owns career averages of 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field.

The Syracuse, NY native was a three-time Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American (2018, 2019, 2020) during his four-year colligate career at William & Mary, where he averaged 17.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 125 games. During his senior year, Knight was named the Lou Henson National Player of the Year by CollegeInsider.com, which is presented annually to the nation’s top Division I mid-major player. He was also selected as the Basketball Times National Mid-Major Player of the Year and 2020 CAA Player of the Year.

Knight attended Nottingham High School in Syracuse, New York and finished his high school career at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire.

Trail Blazers convert Justin Minaya deal to two-way contract

The Portland Trail Blazers have converted the contract of guard Justin Minaya to a two-way contract.

Minaya appeared in four games during the 2022-23 season for the Trail Blazers and averaged 4.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists in 22.3 minutes per game. Prior to joining the Trail Blazers, Minaya played in 27 games (25 starts) for the Mexico City Capitanes of the NBA G League, recording averages of 12.7 points (48.7% FG, 33.9% 3PT), 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.1 steals and 35.1 minutes during the 2022-23 season.

The Trail Blazers have also requested waivers on forward John Butler Jr., center George Conditt, forward Kevin Knox II and center Duop Reath.

Jazz sign, then waive, Isaiah Miller

The Utah Jazz have signed and subsequently waived guard Isaiah Miller.

Miller (6-0, 190, UNC Greensboro) spent the 2022-23 season with Utah’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, where he saw action in 29 games (four starts) and averaged 7.8 points and 4.2 rebounds during the regular season.

The Covington, Ga., native played with the Jazz entries at the 2022 Salt Lake City Summer League and NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, posting averages of 3.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in four games.

The 25-year-old played four collegiate seasons at UNC Greensboro, where he saw action in 132 games (80 starts), tallying averages of 14.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 steals in 25.6 minutes per game. He earned Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors three times (2019-21), and the Southern Conference Player of the Year twice (2020-21).

Trail Blazers add Ish Wainright off waivers

The Portland Trail Blazers have claimed forward Ish Wainright off waivers.

During the 2022-23 season, Wainright appeared in 60 games (two starts) and averaged 4.2 points (37.0% FG, 32.9% 3-PT, 83.9% FT), 2.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 15.3 minutes per game for the Phoenix Suns. In two seasons, Wainright appeared in 105 games (two starts) and holds career averages of 3.4 points (37.8% FG, 32.8% 3-PT, 76.7% FT), 1.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.6 steals in 12.1 minutes per game for the Suns from 2021-23.

Magic waive Mac McClung, Daeqwon Plowden and Brandon Williams

The Orlando Magic have waived guard Mac McClung, guard-forward Daeqwon Plowden and guard Brandon Williams.

McClung (6’2”, 185, 1/6/99) appeared in three preseason games with Orlando, averaging 5.3 ppg., 1.7 rpg. and 1.0 apg. in 10.1 minpg. He was originally signed as a free agent on Sep. 13.

Plowden (6’6”, 216, 8/29/98) played in one preseason game with Orlando, tallying three points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 23:26 played. He was originally signed as a free agent on Oct. 18.

Williams (6’2”, 190, 11/22/99) appeared in three preseason games with Orlando, averaging 6.3 ppg., 1.3 rpg. and 1.33 stlpg. in 11.8 minpg. He was originally signed as a free agent on Sep. 12.

Orlando’s roster stands at 18 players,

Magic convert Trevelin Queen deal to two-way contract

The Orlando Magic have converted the contract of guard Trevelin Queen to a two-way contract.

Queen (6’6”, 190, 2/25/97) was originally signed as a free agent by Orlando on Sep. 12 and played in four preseason games with the Magic, averaging 9.2 ppg., 1.8 apg., 1.2 rpg. and 1.25 stlpg. in 13.4 minpg. Last season (2022-23), he played in seven games with Indiana, averaging 3.0 ppg. and 2.4 rpg. in 10.0 minpg. Queen also appeared in 24 games (15 starts) with Fort Wayne of the NBA G League, averaging 22.6 ppg., 6.5 rpg., 4.5 apg. and 2.13 stlpg. in 34.3 minpg.

Not drafted by an NBA franchise, Queen has played in 17 career NBA regular season games with Houston and Indiana, averaging 3.8 ppg. and 1.9 rpg. in 8.5 minpg. He has also played in 58 career NBA G League regular season games (40 starts) with Rio Grande Valley and Fort Wayne, averaging 20.2 ppg., 5.5 rpg., 3.9 apg. and 2.24 stlpg. in 30.8 minpg. During the 2021-22 season, Queen was named NBA G League Most Valuable Player and led Rio Grande Valley to the 2022 NBA G League championship, also earning NBA G League Finals MVP honors.

Queen played in 51 career games during two seasons (2018-20) at New Mexico State, averaging 10.5 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 2.1 apg. and 1.37 stlpg. in 21.5 minpg. He was named WAC Tournament Most Valuable Player in 2019 and earned Second Team All-WAC honors in 2019-20.

Queen will wear #12 with the Orlando Magic.

Thunder exercise contract options on five players

The Oklahoma City Thunder exercised their third-year contract option on forward Ousmane Dieng, forward/center Chet Holmgren, guard/forward Jalen Williams and its fourth-year contract option on guards Josh Giddey and Tre Mann.

Dieng appeared in 39 games (one start) during his rookie season with the Thunder and averaged 4.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 14.6 minutes. He was selected 11th overall in the 22 NBA Draft.

Holmgren is set to make his NBA debut during the 2023-24 season after missing last season with a Lisfranc injury in his right foot. He was selected second overall in the 2022 NBA Draft after one season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs where he received AP All-American Second Team honors.

Williams was selected to the 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after he appeared in 75 games (62 starts) last season and averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.3 minutes. He was selected 12th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Giddey was named to the 2023 Rising Stars team this past season after he averaged 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 31.1 minutes. The four-time Western Conference Rookie of the Month winner was selected sixth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Mann has seen action in 127 games (31 starts) in two seasons with the Thunder and averaged 9.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20.1 minutes. He was selected 18th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Mavericks convert Dexter Dennis and Greg Brown III deals to two-way contracts

The Dallas Mavericks have converted guard Dexter Dennis and forward Greg Brown III to Two-Way contracts.

Dennis (6-5, 210) appeared in all four of Dallas’ preseason games and averaged 3.5 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game.

Dennis went undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft after finishing his college career as a graduate transfer at Texas A&M. In 34 games (all starts) for the Aggies last season, he averaged 9.5 points, a team-high 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 28.7 minutes per game.

Dennis will wear No. 17 for the Mavericks.

Brown (6-8, 217) saw action in two of the Mavericks’ four exhibition games and averaged 2.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 9.8 minutes per contest.

The former Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and Texas Mr. Basketball honoree played one season at the University of Texas, where he was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team for the Longhorns in 2021. Brown was drafted in the second round (43rd overall pick) of the 2021 NBA Draft, spending two seasons with Portland and averaging 4.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 11.5 minutes in 64 games (6 starts).

Brown will wear No. 13 for Dallas.

The Mavericks’ roster stands at 18 players, including three Two-Way players (AJ Lawson, Dennis and Brown).

Timberwolves sign Brian Bowen II and Javonte Cooke

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed forward Brian Bowen II and guard Javonte Cooke.

Bowen II, 25, most recently played in all five games for the Timberwolves entry in the NBA 2K24 Summer League 2023, averaging 4.8 points on 47.4% shooting and 1.6 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game. The Saginaw, Mich. native played in 15 regular season games for the Iowa Wolves, the NBA G League affiliate of the Timberwolves, where he saw action in 15 games and averaged 13.8 points on 46.0% shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists. In two seasons with the Indiana Pacers from 2019-2021, he saw action in 12 total games.

Cooke, 24, appeared in 41 games (nine starts) last season with the Iowa Wolves where he averaged 7.5 points on 42.2% shooting, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 19.5 minutes per game. The Columbia, S.C. native finished his collegiate career at Winston-Salem State in 2021-22 where he saw action in 23 games (17 starts), pulling down averages of 16.6 points on 46.6% from the field, including 39.2% from three, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 29.2 minutes per game.