Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Pelicans sign rookie Jordan Hawkins

The New Orleans Pelicans yesterday signed rookie guard Jordan Hawkins.

Hawkins, 6-5, 190, averaged 16.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in his sophomore campaign at the University of Connecticut during the 2022-23 season en route to All-Big East First Team honors. Hawkins, who was drafted by the Pelicans with the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, shot .388 (109-of-281) from deep and finished just six three-pointers shy of Ray Allen’s single-season school record of 115.

During the Huskies’ 2023 national title run, Hawkins averaged 16.3 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting .500 from deep and .920 from the foul stripe. Hawkins was named to the All-Tournament Team and earned Most Outstanding Player of the West Regional.

In two seasons at UConn, Hawkins averaged 11.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting .376 from deep and .872 from the foul line.

Raptors sign rookie Gradey Dick

The Toronto Raptors have signed guard-forward Gradey Dick to a rookie scale contract.

Dick is under contract through the 2024-25 season, with two team option years to follow.

The Raptors selected Dick 13th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Dick, 6-foot-8, 205 pounds, averaged 14.1 points (12th in the Big 12), 5.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 32.6 minutes in 36 games (all starts) as a freshman at Kansas last season. He shot .442 (174-394) from the field, including .403 (83-for-206) from three-point range, and set the Jayhawks freshman record for three-point field goals made with 83. For his efforts, Dick was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and Big 12 All-Freshman Team.

Kings re-sign Keon Ellis to two-way contract

The Sacramento Kings yesterday re-signed Keon Ellis to a two-way contract.

Ellis appeared in 23 games (all starts) for the Stockton Kings, the G League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings, averaging 16.8 points (51.7 FG%, 44.4 3PT%, 78.4 FT%), 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 30.4 minutes in his first season.

A former Alabama standout, Ellis appeared in 33 games (all starts), averaging 12.1 points (.439 FG%, .366 3pt%, .881 FT%), 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 steals and 30.9 minutes per game during his senior season (2021-22).

During the 2021-22 season, the 6-6, 175-pound guard earned All-SEC Defensive Team accolades, led the SEC and ranked 24th nationally in free throw percentage (.881), finished fifth in the SEC in steals (1.94), eighth in three-pointers made per game (2.03) and 14th in rebounds (6.1).

Kings sign rookie Colby Jones

The Sacramento Kings yesterday signed rookie guard Colby Jones.

Selected with the 34th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Jones spent three seasons at Xavier (2020-23) where he averaged 15.0 points (50.9 FG%, 37.8 3pt%, 65.3 FT%), 5.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 33.9 minutes per game in 36 games (all starts) during his junior season.

Jones, 21, earned All-Big East honors and was one of 10 finalists recognized for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award during the 2022-23 season. While competing at Xavier, he ranked amongst the Top 20 in the Big East in scoring (11th), rebounding (17th), assists (seventh), steals (15th) and field goal percentage (14th).

Kings sign Jalen Slawson to two-way contract

The Sacramento Kings yesterday signed Jalen Slawson to a two-way contract.

Slawson, the 54th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, averaged 15.6 points (55.5 FG%, 39.0 3pt%, 77.5 FT%), 7.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 30.7 minutes per game in 36 games (all starts) at Furman during the 2022-23 season. He led 13th-seeded Furman to a Southern Conference Championship and a 2023 NCAA Tournament win over the fourth-seeded Virginia Cavaliers.

A 6-7, 215-pound forward, Slawson earned SoCon Player of the Year, All-SoCon First Team and SoCon First Team All-Tournament honors during the 2022-23 season.

Pistons sign rookie Ausar Thompson

The Detroit Pistons yesterday signed Ausar Thompson to his rookie contract.

Thompson was drafted fifth overall by the Pistons in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Thompson, 6’7”, 215, averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.1 blocks in 29.1 minutes across 20 games for the City Reapers in the Overtime Elite League in 2022-23. He was named Overtime Elite MVP and later named Finals MVP after averaging 21.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists in the playoffs. In his second year in the league, Thompson led the City Reapers to a 14-1 regular season record and their first OTE Championship while earning Player-of-the-Week honors twice. The combo guard finished second in the league in assists while collecting at least three steals seven times.

A native of Oakland, Calif., Thompson was named the Broward County 5A Co-Player of the Year at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In addition to Overtime Elite, Thompson participated in The Basketball Tournament for Team Overtime in July of 2022.

Utah Jazz sign rookies Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh

The Utah Jazz have signed forward Taylor Hendricks, guard Keyonte George, and forward Brice Sensabaugh to rookie contracts.

Selected 9th overall in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft by the Jazz, Hendricks (6-9, 210, Central Florida) put up averages of 15.2 points on 47.8 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three, along with 7.0 boards, 1.7 blocks, and 1.4 assists in 34.7 minutes per contest during his sole collegiate campaign. He earned 2022-23 All-AAC Second Team and All-AAC Freshman Team honors in a season where he notched six games with 20-or-more points and five double-doubles.

George (6-4, 185, Baylor), drafted 16th overall by Utah, appeared in 33 games (all starts) in his lone collegiate season last year, averaging 15.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 28.7 minutes per contest, garnering 2022-23 Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors. The 19-year-old also earned 2022-23 All-Big 12 Second Team, All-Big 12 Newcomer Team, and All-Big 12 Freshman Team accolades. In 2022-23, he posted 12 games with 20-or-more points, knocking down multiple threes in 22 contests.

Sensabaugh (6-6, 235, Ohio State), selected with the 28th pick, appeared in 33 games (21 starts) during the 2022-23 season, where he averaged 16.3 points. 5.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 24.5 minutes per game, garnering 2022-23 All-Big Ten Third Team honors. The native of Orlando, Fla., also received 2022-23 All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors, ranked third nationally in scoring average among freshmen, and was the first Ohio State player to lead the team in scoring since D’Angelo Russell in 2015.

Trail Blazers sign Scoot Henderson to his rookie contract

The Portland Trail Blazers yesterday signed rookie guard Scoot Henderson and forward Kris Murray.

Henderson, 19, spent the past two seasons with NBA G League Ignite and accrued averages of 16.1 points (44.5% FG, 76.2% FT), 5.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks in 46 games (28 starts). During the 2022-23 season, Henderson averaged 17.6 points (44.4% FG, 32.4% 3-PT, 75.0% FT), 5.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 25 games (24 starts). A native of Marietta, Ga., Henderson competed in the Rising Stars game at NBA All-Star Weekend in both 2022 and 2023.

In three seasons at Iowa, Murray, 22, averaged 12.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals in 77 games (29 starts). Murray was a 2022-23 All-Big Ten First Team honoree and consensus All-America Third Team selection, while also being named a finalist for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year, and a semifinalist for the John R. Wooden, Naismith Trophy and Lute Olson National Player of the Year awards. The Cedar Rapids, Ia., native was the only NCAA Division I player to average at least 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while making at least 65 three-pointers during the 2022-23 season.

Henderson and Murray will participate for the Trail Blazers at the NBA 2K24 NBA Summer League 2023 in Las Vegas.

Sixers sign Ricky Council IV and Terquavion Smith to two-way contracts

Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed Ricky Council IV and Terquavion Smith to two-way contracts.

This past season, Council IV appeared in 36 games (29 starts) collegiately with the University of Arkansas, where he ranked fifth in the Southeastern Conference with a team-high 16.1 points to go along with 3.6 rebounds. The All-SEC Second Team selection scored in double figures in 31 of his appearances this season.

The Razorbacks earned a No. 8 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, upsetting No. 1-seeded Kansas in the second round to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

Prior to last season, Council IV spent his first two collegiate seasons at Wichita State University, where he posted combined averages of 9.9 points and 4.6 rebounds. He was voted the AAC Sixth Man of the Year as a sophomore in 2021-22, having led all conference reserves in scoring with 12.0 points.

Smith spent the past two seasons at North Carolina State University, where he averaged 17.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 66 career games (59 starts). The Atlantic Coast Conference’s second-leading scorer (17.9) as a sophomore this past season, Smith also ranked second in three-pointers made (91), eighth in steals (1.4) and 10th in assists (4.1) en route to an All-ACC Second Team selection. He led the Wolfpack to a 23-11 season and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Smith registered six 30-point games during his time with NC State, one of which represented the lone 30-point outing of the 2023 ACC Tournament (March 8 vs. Virginia Tech).

Both Council IV and Smith are currently on the 76ers’ 2023 summer league roster, which will compete in both the Salt Lake City Summer League and 2K24 Summer League 2023 in Las Vegas.

Pistons sign Jared Rhoden and Malcolm Cazalon to two-way contracts

The Detroit Pistons have signed guards Jared Rhoden and Malcolm Cazalon to two-way contracts.

Rhoden, 6’6”, 210, signed a two-way contract with Detroit on December 27, 2022. In 24 games with the Motor City Cruise, the NBA’s G League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons, he averaged 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He saw action in 14 games with the Pistons and averaged 3.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game. Prior to joining the Pistons, Rhoden played for the College Park Skyhawks, the NBA’s G League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks. In 16 games, he averaged 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

Rhoden, a Baldwin, NY native, played four years, collegiately, at Seton Hall University. In 122 career games (72 starts), he averaged 10.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists for the Pirates. In 31 games as a senior, he averaged 15.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 33.1 minutes per game, garnering 2022 All-Big East First Team honors. Rhoden left the program as one of only 12 players to record 1,200 points and 600 rebounds in school history.

Cazalon, 6’6”, 195, played the last three seasons with Mega MIS in Serbia’s ABA League First Division. Last season, he averaged 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 25 games while shooting 46% from the field. He began his pro basketball career with Bourg-en-Bresse in the French Basketball Pro A League in 2018.

Cazalon, a native of Roanne, France, teamed up with current Pistons guard Killian Hayes and won silver with Team France at the 2018 FIBA U-17 Basketball World Cup, where he averaged 16.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists.