Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Magic exercise contract options on Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Chuma Okeke

The Orlando Magic have exercised their third-year team options on guard Jalen Suggs and forward Franz Wagner, as well as their fourth-year team options on guard Cole Anthony and forward Chuma Okeke.

All four players are now signed through the 2023-24 season.

Anthony (6’3”, 195, 5/15/00) was originally selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2020 NBA Draft by Orlando. He has played in 116 career NBA regular season games (102 starts), all with the Magic, averaging 14.9 ppg., 5.1 rpg. and 5.0 apg. in 29.8 minpg., while shooting .842 (336-399) from the free throw line. Anthony participated in the Rising Stars event during 2022 NBA All-Star in Cleveland.

Okeke (6’8”, 230, 8/18/98) was originally selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Orlando. He has appeared in 120 career NBA regular season games (39 starts), all with the Magic, averaging 8.1 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 1.9 apg. and 1.21 stlpg. in 24.6 minpg., while shooting .813 (87-107) from the free throw line.

Suggs (6’5”, 210, 6/3/01) was originally selected in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2021 NBA Draft by Orlando. He has played in 50 career NBA regular season games (47 starts), all with the Magic, averaging 11.8 ppg., 4.3 apg., 3.5 rpg. and 1.28 stlpg. in 27.0 minpg. Suggs participated in the Rising Stars event during 2022 NBA All-Star in Cleveland.

Wagner (6’10”, 225, 8/27/01) was originally selected in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2021 NBA Draft by Orlando. He has appeared and started in 84 career NBA regular season games, all with the Magic, averaging 15.2 ppg., 4.6 rpg. and 3.0 apg. in 31.0 minpg., while shooting .860 (196-228) from the free throw line. Wagner was named to the 2021-22 NBA All-Rookie First Team, was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December 2021 and participated in the Rising Stars event during 2022 NBA All-Star in Cleveland.

Pelicans exercise contract options on Kira Lewis Jr. and Trey Murphy III

The New Orleans Pelicans have exercised the team’s fourth-year option on guard Kira Lewis Jr. and their third-year option on guard/forward Trey Murphy III.

Selected 13th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Lewis Jr. has appeared in 78 games off the bench for New Orleans, averaging 6.2 points, 2.2 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per contest while shooting.391 from the floor, .298 from three-point range and .841 from the line.

Murphy III, selected 17th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, has appeared in 66 games (two starts) for New Orleans, averaging 6.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per contest while shooting .420 from the floor, .410 from three-point range and .877 from the line.

Pelicans transfer two-way player Dereon Seabron to G League

The New Orleans Pelicans have transferred two-way guard Dereon Seabron to the team’s G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron.

Seabron, 6-7, 180, played two collegiate seasons at North Carolina State, where he averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 56 games. Seabron is coming off of a redshirt sophomore season in which he started 32 games, averaging 17.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists en route to being named the ACC’s Most Improved Player and earning All-ACC Second Team honors.

Seabron appeared in five preseason games for the Pelicans this season, averaging 4.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7.3 minutes per contest.

The Squadron will host the Lakeland Magic at Legacy Arena in their season opener on Sunday, November 6 at 5:00 p.m. CST.

Wizards 2022 ‘Throwback Night’ will include Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison

The Washington Wizards will reunite the “Big Three” of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison to celebrate “Throwback Night” in recognition of the team’s 25th anniversary since rebranding to the Wizards. The game will take place on Friday, November 18, when the Miami Heat come to Capital One Arena. Tipoff will be at 7:00 p.m.

As part of “Throwback Night,” the team will recognize Arenas, Butler and Jamison in a halftime celebration for their contributions to the franchise. The trio played together from 2005-06 to 2009-10 and led Washington to three consecutive playoff appearances (2006-2008).

“Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Wizards brand wouldn’t be complete without honoring the contributions of ‘The Big Three’ and having them all together on the same night makes it even more special,” said Wizards President & General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “Gilbert, Caron and Antawn represent a definitive era for the franchise and they deserve to be recognized for the excitement they generated on the court and the impact they had in our community, both of which led to a new generation of Wizards fans.”

The trio recently recorded an interview with Wizards legend and former broadcaster Phil Chenier, which will be featured during pre and postgame coverage of Friday’s game against the Indiana Pacers on NBC Sports Washington (the pregame show will begin at 7:00 with the game set to tip off at 7:30).

The first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a hat designed by Antawn Jamison.

Following the game, those in attendance can enjoy a postgame concert with R&B artist and producer Teddy Riley. He will be joined by Dave Hollister and Joe. They will entertain fans with classics such as “Stutter,” “I Wanna Know,” “One Woman Man” and “Don’t Leave Me.”

Spurs sign Charles Bassey to a two-way contract, waive Jordan Hall

The San Antonio Spurs have signed center Charles Bassey to a two-way contract, and waived forward Jordan Hall.

Bassey, 6-11/235, played high school basketball in San Antonio at St. Anthony Catholic High School for two seasons from 2015 to 2017. Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft, the 53rd overall pick appeared in 23 games for the Sixers last season, averaging 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 7.3 minutes while also appearing in three playoff games. Bassey appeared in one preseason game this year before being waived by Philadelphia on Oct. 13.

Originally from Nigeria, Bassey played three seasons at Western Kentucky, twice earning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year honors and capturing Player of the Year as a junior in 2020-21. He averaged 15.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.56 blocks in 72 games played in his college career.

Hall appeared in four preseason games for the Spurs after signing a two-way contract with San Antonio on Aug. 11.

The Spurs roster now stands at 17 players.

Cavaliers guard Darius Garland out with eye injury

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland sustained a left eye injury in the Cavaliers season opener at Toronto on Wednesday night.

Garland missed the remainder of the game versus the Raptors.

Additional examination at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute today revealed no structural damage. Surgery was not required.

Garland will be re-evaluated over the next couple of days and his status will be updated as appropriate.

Trail Blazers sign John Butler Jr. to a two-way contract

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward John Butler Jr. to a two-way contract.

Butler, 7-1, appeared in four summer league games for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2022 and averaged 8.5 points (75.0% FG, 66.7 3-PT%, 57.1 FT%), 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 16.7 minutes per game. In a matchup against Oklahoma City at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas on July 17, Butler scored 25 points while shooting 9-for-9 from the field including 6-for-6 from three.

Undrafted out of Florida State, Butler accrued averages of 5.9 points (41.6% FG, 39.3% 3-PT), 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 19.0 minutes per game in 31 games (24 starts) for the Seminoles during the 2021-22 season. The Greenville, SC native became the first freshman in Florida State history to lead the team in 3-point field goals made (33) and 3-point field goal percentage shooting (.393) in a season.