Dallas Mavericks Blog – Page 24 – NBA Blog

Mavericks sign guard P.J. Dozier

The Dallas Mavericks have signed free agent guard P.J. Dozier.

Dozier (6-6, 205) recently competed for the Los Angeles Lakers’ summer league team in Las Vegas this past July. In two games, he averaged 1.0 point, 1.5 rebounds and 5.0 minutes per game.

A native of Columbia, S.C., Dozier went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft after two seasons at the University of South Carolina. As a sophomore in 2016-17, he averaged 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, a team-high 2.8 assists, 1.7 steals and 28.7 minutes per game in 36 games.

During the 2017 NCAA Tournament, Dozier averaged 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while helping the Gamecocks clinch their first-ever berth in the Final Four. He was named to the 2017 East Regional All-Tournament Team.

Mavericks sign Brandon Ashley

The Dallas Mavericks have signed free agent forward Brandon Ashley.

Ashley (6-9, 230) played on both of the Mavericks’ summer league teams this past July. In two games in Orlando, he averaged 8.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 21.0 minutes. In six games (all starts) in Las Vegas, he averaged 11.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 block in 20.0 minutes while shooting 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the floor.

After going undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, Ashley spent the 2015 preseason with Dallas but was waived by the club on Oct. 24, 2015. He joined the Mavericks’ D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, for the 2015-16 season. In 33 games (all starts) for the Legends, he averaged 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.4 blocks and 31.7 minutes en route to being named a 2016 NBA D-League All-Star.

In February 2016, Ashley signed with Germany’s Alba Berlin. In 14 games for Alba, he averaged 8.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 19.6 minutes.

The San Francisco native was an early entry candidate for the NBA Draft after his junior season at the University of Arizona. He started all 38 games as a junior, averaging 12.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in 27.8 minutes while helping the Wildcats return to the Elite Eight for the second straight year. Ashley was also named Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 and the Most Outstanding player of the Pac-12 tournament as a junior.

Mavericks sign guard Gian Clavell

The Dallas Mavericks have signed free agent guard Gian Clavell.

Clavell (6-4, 185) recently competed for the Miami Heat’s summer league teams in both Orlando and Las Vegas. In five games in Las Vegas, he averaged 12.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 24.6 minutes while shooting 45.2 percent (19-of-42) from the field, 40.6 percent (13-of-32) from 3-point range and 91.7 percent (11-of-12) from the foul line.

A native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, Clavell also played for Brujos de Guayama in the BSN league this summer. He averaged 5.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in three games for the Puerto Rican club.

The former Colorado State standout went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft after earning Mountain West Player of the Year honors as a redshirt senior last season. In 27 games for the Rams in 2016-17, he averaged a MWC-best 20.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.0 steals in 36.6 minutes.

Clavell spent two years at Northwest Kansas Technical College (2012-14) before transferring to CSU. He attended high school in Miami (at Hialeah Gardens HS), as did fellow Mavericks guard J.J. Barea (Miami Christian School), who also hails from Puerto Rico.

Clavell was included on the Puerto Rican national team’s preliminary list for the FIBA Americup 2017.

Mavericks waive Nicolas Brussino

The Dallas Mavericks have waived guard-forward Nicolas Brussino.

Brussino (6-8, 195) averaged 2.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 9.7 minutes in 54 games (two starts) with Dallas as a rookie in 2016-17.

A native of Canada de Gomez, Argentina, Brussino signed with Dallas as a free agent on July 15, 2016.

Mavericks sign Maxi Kleber

The Dallas Mavericks have signed free agent forward Maxi Kleber.

Kleber (6-11, 220) spent the last eight seasons playing professionally in Germany and Spain, including the most recent two with Germany’s FC Bayern Munich. In 37 Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) games for Bayern Munich last year, he averaged 8.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 blocks en route to being named a BBL All-Star, All-BBL Second Team and BBL Most Effective Player.

In 17 EuroCup games for Bayern Munich in 2016-17, Kleber averaged 9.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists while being named All-EuroCup Second Team.

Kleber hails from Wurzburg, Germany, the same hometown as Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki. He has played for the German national team in international competition, including the 2014 Eurobasket qualification rounds.

Heat trade Josh McRoberts to Mavericks

The Miami Heat have traded forward Josh McRoberts, a 2023 second round draft pick and cash considerations to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for center AJ Hammons.

McRoberts (6-10, 240) played 22 games with 14 starts for the Miami Heat last season and averaged 4.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists in 17.3 minutes. He suffered a stress fracture in his left foot on 12/23 and missed the remainder of the season.

The 10-year career veteran has played for six teams (Portland, Indiana, L.A. Lakers, Orlando, Charlotte and Miami) after getting drafted 37th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2007. He has career averages of 5.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 19.2 minutes in 431 games (179 starts) while shooting a clip of 46.4% from the field and 70.5% from the line.

Hammons (7-0, 250) appeared in 22 games for Dallas as a rookie last season, averaging 2.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 7.4 minutes per game.

The 46th overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft also appeared in 15 games (14 starts) for the Mavericks G-League affiliate Texas Legends and averaged 12.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 25.7 minutes.

The center finished his four years at Purdue ranked on many of its all-time lists including rebounds (3rd), blocks (2nd) and scoring (17th). Hammons garnered Second Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors as a junior and was named Big Ten All-Freshman Team in his first collegiate season.

The Gary, Ind., native attended high school at basketball-power Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) where he was named a McDonald’s All-American.

Mavericks re-sign Dirk Nowitzki

The Dallas Mavericks have re-signed 13-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki.

Nowitzki (7-0, 245) will return for his 20th season with the Mavericks in 2017-18, joining Kobe Bryant (Lakers) as the sole members of the NBA’s 20-year, only one-team club.

During his 19-year career in Dallas, Nowitzki has guided the Mavericks to many of the franchise’s greatest achievements. Nowitzki led Dallas to its first-ever 60 win season in 2002-03, its first NBA Finals appearance in 2006, a franchise-high 67 wins in 2006-07 and the organization’s first NBA championship in 2011. He also led the Mavericks to the playoffs 15 times in a 16-year span (from 2001 to 2016).

Nowitzki, who has scored 30,260 points in his illustrious career, is the NBA’s top foreign-born scorer of all-time, the league’s active leading scorer and the longest tenured player with one team.

In addition to appearing in a franchise-record 13 NBA All-Star Games, Nowitzki earned 12 consecutive All-NBA Team selections (2000-12), was named Most Valuable Player of the 2006-07 season and voted MVP of the 2011 NBA Finals. He is a six-time Western Conference Player of the Month, a 17-time Western Conference Player of the Week and has competed in the All-Star Saturday Night Three-Point Contest four times. Nowitzki was also the recipient of the 2014 Magic Johnson Award and the 2017 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award.

The career Maverick holds averages of 21.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 34.9 minutes in 1,394 career games (1,363 starts). He is the franchise leader in several different categories including points (30,260), rebounds (10,893), field goals made (10,688), 3-pointers made (1,780), free throws made (7,104), games played (1,394), games started (1,363) and minutes played (48,673).

In the NBA Playoffs, Nowitzki’s game elevates to averages of 25.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 40.6 minutes in 145 postseason contests (all starts). He has led the Mavericks to three Western Conference Finals appearances and two NBA Finals berths while moving into first place on several of the franchise’s postseason categories including points (3,663), rebounds (1,446), assists (360), blocks (129), steals (149), field goals made (1,220), free throws made (1,074) and games played (145).

Last season, Nowitzki became the sixth player in NBA history and the first international player to reach the 30,000-point plateau against the L.A. Lakers on March 7. He joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387), Karl Malone (36,928), Bryant (33,643), Michael Jordan (32,292) and Wilt Chamberlain (31,419) in the NBA’s exclusive 30,000-point club. Nowitzki also became just the third player in league history to score 30,000 points with one franchise, joining Malone (Jazz) and Bryant (Lakers).

Nowitzki has also served as a pioneer for European players, becoming the first European-born player to earn First Team All-NBA honors (2004-05), start an All-Star Game (2007, Las Vegas) and be named MVP (2006-07).

The Wurzburg, Germany, native was the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft and was acquired through a draft day trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks on Oct. 22, 2001. He then signed a contract extension with Dallas on Sept. 26, 2006, re-signed on July 9, 2010, re-signed again on July 15, 2014 and re-signed once more on July 27, 2016.

Mavericks sign rookie Dennis Smith Jr

The Dallas Mavericks have signed first-round pick Dennis Smith Jr. to his rookie contract.

Smith (6-3, 195) was selected by Dallas with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft after spending one season at North Carolina State. In his lone season at NC State, Smith averaged 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists while shooting 45.5 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from 3-point range and 71.5 percent from the foul line.

The guard was named Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and All-ACC Second Team after leading the league in assists (13th nationally) and finishing sixth in the conference in scoring. Smith also registered an NC State freshman-record with 62 steals (1.94 spg).

The Fayetteville, N.C., native played at Trinity Christian School where he was averaged 22.2 points per game on his way to being named North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year.

Smith is set to compete for the Mavericks’ summer league squad at MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2017 in Las Vegas.

Mavericks sign Johnathan Motley to two-way contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed forward Johnathan Motley to a two-way contract. An explanation of that type of contract is below.

Motley (6-10, 230) went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft after three seasons at Baylor (2014-17). As a junior, he averaged 17.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks per game en route to being named Baylor’s first-ever consensus All-American, taking home second-team honors.

What’s more, Motley was selected as the 2017 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year, becoming first Baylor player to win a major individual award. He was also BU’s first consensus first-team All-Big 12 honoree.

The 6-10 forward is currently competing for the Mavericks’ Orlando summer league team. In two games, Motley is averaging 3.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 block per contest.

A native of Houston, Motley led North Shore High School to back-to-back district championships his junior and senior years.

The 2017-18 season will mark the first year NBA two-way contracts will be implemented. NBA teams are allowed to have up to two players under two-way contracts who will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League and not more than 45 days with their NBA team.

Two-way players are paid a corresponding daily amount based on the number of days they play in each league. Only players with four-or-fewer years of NBA experience are able to sign two-way contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons.

Mavericks trade Jarrod Uthoff to Rockets

The Dallas Mavericks have traded forward Jarrod Uthoff to the Houston Rockets in exchange for cash considerations.

Uthoff (6-10, 220) appeared in nine games for Dallas as a rookie last season, averaging 4.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 12.8 minutes per game.

Uthoff signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Mavericks on March 9 and 19, and then a multi-year deal with the club on March 29.

The undrafted forward out of Iowa also appeared in a combined 37 D-League games (nine starts) with the Raptors 905, Fort Wayne Mad Ants and Texas Legends last season, averaging 11.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.4 minutes per game.

A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Uthoff averaged 18.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.6 blocks per game for the Hawkeyes as a senior in 2015-16 en route to earning First Team All-Big Ten and Second Team All-America honors.