NBA Teams – Page 264 – NBA Blog

Orlando Magic re-sign Ignas Brazdeikis, to a two-way contract

The Orlando Magic have re-signed free agent forward Ignas Brazdeikis to a two-way contract, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

Brazdeikis (6’6”, 221, 1/8/99) appeared in 13 total games last season with New York, Philadelphia and Orlando, averaging 7.0 ppg., 3.5 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 19.1 minpg. He was originally signed to a 10-day contract by Orlando on May 2, then signed for the rest of the season on May 12. Brazdeikis played in eight games with the Magic, averaging 11.1 ppg., 5.1 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in 29.2 minpg. He scored in double figures three times (all with Orlando) and 20+ points once, including a career-high 21 points on May 14 @ Philadelphia.

Originally selected in the second round (47th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Sacramento, Brazdeikis has played in 22 career NBA regular season games with New York, Philadelphia and Orlando, averaging 4.9 ppg., 2.3 rpg. and 1.0 apg. in 13.7 minpg. He has also played and started in 36 career NBA G League games, all with Westchester, averaging 20.9 ppg., 8.1 rpg. and 3.1 apg. in 33.7 minpg.

Brazdeikis played and started in 37 games during his only season at the University of Michigan (2018-19), averaging 14.8 ppg. and 5.4 rpg. in 29.6 minpg., while shooting .392 (56-143) from three-point range. He led the Wolverines in scoring. Brazdeikis was named the 2018-19 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He was also named to the All-Big Ten Second Team, the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and the All-Big Ten Tournament Team. He was also an honorable mention All-American by Associated Press.

Per NBA rules for the 2021-22 season, a player under a two-way contract will be permitted to be on the NBA team’s active list for no more than 50 games during the regular season, with no limit on practices, workouts or other activities with the NBA team.

Denver Nuggets re-sign Will Barton

The Denver Nuggets have re-signed free agent guard Will Barton III to a multi-year deal, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Per the Denver Post, Barton’s contract is a two-year, $32 million deal.

Barton III, 30, has spent the previous seven seasons in Denver and has been an integral part to the Nuggets ascension up the Western Conference standings, helping the team appear in three straight playoffs.

Last season, Barton III appeared in 56 games (52 starts), averaging 12.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field and a career-high 38.1% from three-point range. He scored 20 or more points on nine occasions and made five or more threes in six games.

The Baltimore, Maryland native was acquired by Denver in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 19, 2015 and since then, has appeared in 408 games in a Nuggets uniform, the second most games of any Nuggets player since the 2014-15 season. He currently sits third all-time in team NBA franchise history with 647 career three point makes.

Barton III has appeared in 408 games (208 starts) over seven seasons with Denver, averaging 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 30.1 minutes per game. Barton III was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers out of Memphis with the 40th overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft.

San Antonio Spurs sign rookie guard Josh Primo

The San Antonio Spurs have signed rookie guard Josh Primo.

Primo, 6-6/190, was selected with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. He became the youngest draft pick by the Spurs since they joined the NBA in 1976, as well as just the second San Antonio lottery pick since 1997. The 18-year-old played one season at the University of Alabama, where he helped lead the Crimson Tide to a SEC Championship and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Primo was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, averaging 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds while starting in 19 of 30 games and shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 38.1 from beyond the arc. A native of Toronto, Primo scored in double figures 12 times, including a career-high 22 points twice, and registered eight games where he knocked down three-or-more three pointers. He was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Jan. 25 after averaging 19.0 points and 3.5 rebounds while knocking down 10-of-13 three pointers in two games. Primo also represented Canada at the 2019 FIBA U-19 World Cup and participated in the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at the 2020 All Star Game in Chicago.

Currently playing for the Spurs Summer League team, Primo is currently averaging 12.0 points, 2.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 26.0 minutes over three games between the Salt Lake City and MGM Resorts Summer Leagues.

Primo will wear No. 11 for the Spurs.

Toronto Raptors sign forward Isaac Bonga

The Toronto Raptors have signed free agent forward Isaac Bonga.

Bonga, a native of Neuweid, Germany, has appeared in 128 games with the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards over the past three seasons. He holds career averages of 3.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 14.1 minutes. Bonga spent the 2020-21 campaign with Washington, averaging 2.0 points and 1.7 rebounds in 40 games.

Bong was originally selected 39th overall by Philadelphia in the 2018 NBA Draft following two seasons with Skyliners Frankfurt in Germany.

Detroit Pistons re-sign guard Rodney McGruder

The Detroit Pistons have re-signed guard Rodney McGruder.

McGruder, 6-4, 205, tallied averages of 5.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists in 12.1 minutes over 16 games (two starts) with Detroit in 2020-21. The five-year NBA veteran shot .529 from the field and .458 from 3-point range a season ago. McGruder was acquired by Detroit from the L.A. Clippers as part of a three-team trade that also included the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 19, 2020.

Following a four-year career at Kansas State, McGruder made his NBA debut for the Miami HEAT on Oct. 26, 2016. He went on to play three seasons for Miami before suiting up for the Clippers for the 2019-20 campaign. He has career averages of 5.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 234 NBA games (118 starts) and has played in nine NBA Playoff contests across two playoff appearances, one with each of his former teams.

Knicks re-sign center Nerlens Noel

The New York Knicks have re-signed center Nerlens Noel.

Noel, 6-10, 220-pounds, averaged 5.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.20 blocks and 1.09 steals over 24.2 minutes in 64 games (41 starts) for New York last season. He ranked third in the NBA in blocks per game and was the only player in the NBA to average at least two blocks and one steal. He was signed by New York as a free agent on November 25, 2010.

Originally selected by New Orleans with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Noel holds career averages of 7.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.51 blocks and 1.28 steals over 425 games (208 starts) with New York, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Philadelphia. As a rookie with Philadelphia, the Malden, MA-native earned All-Rookie First Team honors after averaging 9.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.77 steals and 1.89 blocks over 30.8 minutes in 75 games (71 starts).

He spent one season at the University of Kentucky, averaging 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 4.42 blocks and 2.08 steals over 31.9 minutes in 24 games (24 starts). He earned 2013 SEC Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors and led the SEC conference in total blocks with 106 en route to being named All-SEC first team.

Detroit Pistons re-sign guard Frank Jackson

The Detroit Pistons have re-signed guard Frank Jackson.

Jackson, 6-3, 205, averaged 9.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists in 18.5 minutes over 40 games (six starts) with Detroit in 2020-21. Jackson shot .457 from the field, .407 from distance and .813 from the free-throw line a season ago while under a two-way contract with the Pistons. He had four games with at least 20 points and scored in double figures in 21 contests.

The Duke product was drafted 31st overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2017 NBA Draft and made his NBA debut for the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 17, 2018. Jackson holds career averages of 7.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists in 16.9 minutes over 160 NBA games (24 starts).

Detroit Pistons re-sign guard Cory Joseph

The Detroit Pistons have re-signed guard Cory Joseph.

Joseph, 6-3, 200, averaged 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.2 steals in 26.4 minutes over 19 games (11 starts) as a Piston. Overall, Joseph played in 63 games in 2020-21, averaging 8.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.0 steals in 23.0 minutes with Sacramento and Detroit. He was acquired by the Pistons, along with draft considerations, from the Sacramento Kings on Mar. 25, 2021 in exchange for guard Delon Wright.

The Toronto native holds career NBA clips of 7.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.8 steals in 663 games (134 starts). Joseph has suited up for San Antonio, Indiana, Toronto, Sacramento and Detroit through 10 NBA seasons. He was drafted 29th overall by the Spurs in the 2011 NBA Draft following his freshman campaign at Texas.

Thunder sign rookie forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

The Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday signed rookie forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.

Robinson-Earl (6-9, 230) spent two seasons at Villanova and during his sophomore season he posted averages of 15.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 34.4 minutes per game. As a sophomore, he led the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding.

The Thunder acquired the rights to Robinson-Earl (No. 32 overall pick), from the New York Knicks on July 30, 2021 in exchange for the rights to the No. 34 and No 36 picks.

Pelicans sign rookie Trey Murphy III

The New Orleans Pelicans announced yesterday that the team has signed rookie forward Trey Murphy III.

Murphy III, the 17th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, was acquired by the Pelicans from the Memphis Grizzlies on August 7, 2021. He appeared in 25 games (20 starts) for the University of Virginia last season, averaging 11.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 43.3 percent from three-point range. In his first two collegiate seasons at Rice University, Murphy III appeared in 61 games (25 starts) for the Owls and averaged 10.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in 25.2 minutes per game.