NBA Teams – Page 453 – NBA Blog

Sixers sign Darin Johnson and Cory Jefferson

The Philadelphia 76ers have signed guard Darin Johnson and forward Cory Jefferson.

In related moves, the team has waived guard Matt Farrell and forward DJ Hogg.

A 6-foot-9 forward, Jefferson has spent the last two seasons playing professionally in Italy (Olimpia Milano) and the Philippines (Alaska Aces). This past summer, he participated in both MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018 and the 2018 Utah Jazz Summer League as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. Jefferson also played for the NBL’s Melbourne United when Philadelphia hosted the Australian team in a preseason game on Sept. 28.

Jefferson, who was originally selected with the No. 60 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, has appeared in 58 career NBA games with Brooklyn and Phoenix and posted averages of 3.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game. He played his college basketball at Baylor from 2009-14.

Johnson, a 6-foot-7 guard, was chosen by the Blue Coats with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2017 NBA G League Draft and last season appeared in 44 games (eight starts) with Delaware last season. In 17.2 minutes per contest, he held averages of 6.5 points and 1.9 rebounds.

Beginning his collegiate career at Washington, Johnson eventually transferred to California State University, Northridge. As a redshirt junior in 2016-17, he averaged 13.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Mavs bring back Ding Yanyuhang

The Dallas Mavericks have brought back guard-forward Ding Yanyuhang (pronounced yin-you-hong), re-signing him today.

Ding (6-7, 205) was originally signed by the Mavericks on July 23 and played in one preseason game for Dallas. His only action of the exhibition season was on Monday in Shenzhen, and he was waived on Oct. 10.

Ding has spent the last seven seasons playing professionally for China’s Shandong Golden Stars. In 45 games for Shandong in 2017-18, he averaged 26.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game en route to winning his second consecutive Chinese Basketball Association Domestic MVP award.

Ding played on the Mavericks’ Orlando and Las Vegas summer league teams in 2017.

The Xinjiang, China native has represented the Chinese national team in international competition, including the 2016 Olympic Games.

Thunder waive Abdul Gaddy, Scotty Hopson, Donte Grantham and Dez Wells

The Oklahoma City Thunder have waived guards Abdul Gaddy and Scotty Hopson, and forwards Donte Grantham, and Dez Wells.

Gaddy saw action in four preseason games and averaged 1.0 point, 1.8 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 6.6 minutes per game.

Grantham, Hopson and Wells were originally signed by the Thunder on October 10.

Pelicans waive Darius Morris and Brandon McCoy

The New Orleans Pelicans have waived guard Darius Morris and center Brandon McCoy.

McCoy, who signed with the Pels on September 29, played in three preseason games, and averaged 2.7 points and 2.7 rebounds.

Morris, originally signed on September 4, appeared with New Orleans in three preseason contests, and averaged 1.7 assists per game.

New Orleans’s roster currently stands at 18, including one two-way player (Trevon Bluiett).

Warriors waive Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Ulis, Deyonta Davis and Danuel House Jr

The Golden State Warriors have waived guards Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Ulis and forwards Deyonta Davis and Danuel House Jr.

Nunn saw action off the bench in three games, averaging 2.3 points in 9.6 minutes per game.

Ulis appeared in four games (one start), averaging 3.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 10.2 minutes per game.

Davis who was originally signed on October 11, did not appear in a game for the Warriors.

House Jr. played in three games (one start), averaging 3.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game.

Pistons waive center Johnny Hamilton

The Detroit Pistons have waived center Johnny Hamilton.

Hamilton, 7-0, 230, appeared in one game this preseason with Detroit and recorded six points, three rebounds and one block at San Antonio on October 5.

Preseason for the league ended Friday. Teams must trim down their rosters in the next few days. The regular season for the league begins Tuesday, October 16.

Raptors convert Chris Boucher contract into a two-way contract

The Toronto Raptors have exercised the two-way player conversion option on forward Chris Boucher.

What this means is Boucher will spend the majority of the season playing in the G League.

Boucher totaled nine points, two rebounds, four blocks and 19 minutes in four games during the preseason. He shot .429 (3-for-7) from three-point range.

Boucher, 6-foot-10, 200 pounds, spent last season with Golden State as a two-way player. He appeared in one game with the Warriors and averaged 11.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 22.2 minutes in 20 contests with Santa Cruz, their NBA G League affiliate.

Boucher, who grew up in Montreal, played collegiately at Oregon (2015-17) and was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team and was a Pac-12 All-Conference Honourable Mention as both a junior and senior.

The Raptors open the 2018-19 regular season Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m.

Raptors waive Kyle Collinsworth, Kay Felder, Deng Adel and Eric Moreland

The Toronto Raptors have waived guards Kyle Collinsworth and Kay Felder, forward Deng Adel and centrer Eric Moreland.

Adel averaged 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 12.3 minutes in two preseason games. He recorded 13 points and three rebounds Oct. 5 against Melbourne United.

Collinsworth saw action in four preseason games with one start, totaling three points, four rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes.

Felder averaged 7.7 points, 2.0 assists and 13.8 minutes in three preseason contests. He finished with 15 points and a team high-tying six assists Oct. 11 at New Orleans.

Moreland appeared in three preseason games, averaging 4.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 13.6 minutes. He had 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds Oct. 11 at New Orleans.

The Raptors open the 2018-19 regular season Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m.

Nets sign Shannon Scott and Tahjere McCall

The Brooklyn Nets have signed guards Tahjere McCall and Shannon Scott.

Preseason ends tonight, and the regular season begins Tuesday, so McCall and Scott probably won’t be Nets for long.

McCall (6’5”, 190) joins Brooklyn after playing last season for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate. In 37 games (31 starts) for Long Island, McCall recorded averages of 9.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals in 28.2 minutes per contest. On the collegiate level, McCall played two seasons at Tennessee State (2015-17) after spending his first two years at Niagara University (2012-14). While at Tennessee State, McCall earned All-Ohio Valley Conference first team honors twice and was the conference’s defensive player of the year in both seasons. The Philadelphia native saw action in 117 career collegiate games (93 starts), recording averages of 10.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals in 26.0 minutes per game.

Scott (6’1”, 185) joins the Nets after most recently appearing in seven games with Panteras de Miranda in Venezuela. He also played in 49 games (41 starts) for the Long Island Nets last season, averaging 7.9 points, 4.9 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per contest and finishing the year ranked second in the NBA G League in steals per game (2.3). Prior to joining the LI Nets, Scott spent the 2016-17 season with Doxa Lefkadas B.C. of the Greek Basket League and the 2015-16 season with the NBA G League’s Raptors 905, averaging 9.2 points, 5.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 29.0 minutes per game in 48 games (37 starts). The Alpharetta, Ga., native played four collegiate seasons (2011-15) at Ohio State, where he earned All-Big Ten honorable mention honors as a senior and Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors as a junior. Scott finished his collegiate career ranked second all-time in Ohio State history in steals (211).

John Collins out with ankle injury

Atlanta Hawks forward-center John Collins underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex on October 2, and it was revealed that the young big man has mild inflammation and soreness in his left ankle.

Collins underwent a non-surgical procedure on Monday, October 8. The team says he will be re-evaluated on October 22.

For now, Collins is listed as out.

The 6-foot-10, 235-pound Collins played 24.1 minutes per game as a rookie last season, and averaged 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per outing, shooting a very impressive 57.6% FG.