NBA Teams – Page 473 – NBA Blog

Jazz sign center Isaac Haas

The Utah Jazz have signed center Isaac Haas.

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume it is a non-guaranteed contract for training camp.

Haas (7-2, 290, Purdue) competed for the Jazz at the 2018 Utah Jazz Summer League and NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He saw action in four games at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, totaling 15 points, 19 rebounds, four steals and three blocks in those contests.

He appeared in 35 games (all starts) as a senior in 2017-18, posting averages of 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 23.4 minutes per game. A finalist for the 2018 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, Haas also earned an AP Honorable Mention and All-Big Ten Third team recognition following his final collegiate season.

Playing in 139 career games (76 starts) at Purdue, the Hokes Bluff, Ala. native finished his career ranked 20th in points (1,555), 20th in rebounds (643), fourth in field goal percentage (.589), seventh in blocked shots (124) and fourth in games played.

Hornets waive Mangok Mathiang

Yesterday, the Charlotte Hornets waived Mangok Mathiang.

Mathiang signed a two-way contract with Charlotte on Aug. 2, 2017. In 2017-18, the 6-10 forward from Louisville appeared in four games with the Hornets, averaging 2.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 5.0 minutes per contest. He also appeared in 43 games (36 starts) for the Hornets G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, averaging 10.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 assists in 25.3 minutes per game.

Utah Jazz waive David Stockton

The Utah Jazz yesterday waived guard David Stockton.

According to the Deseret News, “this comes after German club Medi Bayreuth announced in early August it had signed the younger Stockton. His brother Michael, who played at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, also plays in Germany.”

Stockton appeared in three games with Utah, averaging 3.3 points in 3.0 minutes per contest in 2017-18. He tallied a season-high five points at Minnesota on April 1.

On Kyle Kuzma getting to play alongside LeBron James

LeBron James is bringing his basketball legacy to Los Angeles. Young Laker talent like Kyle Kuzma is sure to benefit. Here’s Michigan Live reporting:

The four-time MVP has played in the Finals for eight straight years, winning the championship with Cleveland in 2016 after capturing back-to-back crowns with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013.

Now, he’ll be wearing the same jersey as Kuzma, who will literally get to rub shoulders with one of the greatest players of all-time on a daily basis.

“I think it’s going to impact a lot,” Kuzma said Wednesday. “He’s the ultimate professional. He’s a guy that’s one of the first guys in the gym and one of the last ones to leave. Usually I say I’m the first one in the gym but he’s beaten me to the gym a couple times already.

“We’re both excited for the season. It’s going to be a great year for us. I kind of had a good hunch in my stomach he was going to come (to the Lakers). It’s good. Anytime you can play with one of the greatest players of all-time it’s going to bode well for you.”

Full article

On Devin Harris rejoining the Mavericks

Devin Harris recently rejoined the Mavericks. As the team rebuilds, Harris will likely play a backup role, to younger players who may be a part of the team’s future. Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on his return:

It’s doubtful Harris would have returned to the roster had Yogi Ferrell not changed his mind after orally agreeing to a two-year, $5.3 million deal. He will back up both guard positions and serve as mentor in a crowded backcourt that includes starters Dennis Smith Jr. and Luka Doncic, J.J. Barea, Wesley Matthews and Jalen Brunson.

As of opening night, Harris will have played 10 of his 15 seasons in Dallas.

Full article

Heat sign forward Marcus Lee

The Miami Heat signed forward Marcus Lee today.

It’s likely a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings Lee to Heat training camp.

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “the agreement with Lee follows an agreement with undrafted Kansas guard Malik Newman last week and two-way contracts for undrafted forwards Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten, giving the team four players from the most recent draft class.”

Lee began his collegiate career at the University of Kentucky before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley for his senior season where he appeared in 32 games (all starts) with the Golden Bears last season and averaged 11.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.63 blocks, 1.3 assists and 27.8 minutes while shooting 56.3 percent from the field. He finished eighth among the school’s all-time single-season blocks list with 52 and was the only player to start all 32 games. As a junior at Kentucky, Lee shot a single-season school record 68 percent from the field while helping the Wildcats to the SEC Championship. Additionally, he recently appeared in seven Summer League games (five starts) with the Cleveland Cavaliers in Las Vegas and averaged 6.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.57 blocks in 15.9 minutes of action while shooting 70 percent (21-of-30) from the field.

More from the Sun Sentinel: “addition of Lee gives the Heat 17 players under contract, three shy of the NBA offseason maximum.”

Bulls sign Derrick Walton Jr

The Chicago Bulls have signed guard Derrick Walton Jr., presumably just to their training camp roster.

According to the Chicago Tribune, “the Bulls have 14 guaranteed contracts, including two point guards in starter Kris Dunn and backup Cameron Payne. Ryan Arcidiacono, who split time between the Bulls and the G League on a two-way contract last season, also signed to battle for a roster spot in training camp.”

According to the Detroit News, “Walton, 23, faces long odds and could be left battling for a two-way contract with guard Antonius Cleveland and Arcidiacono, with Chicago’s other two-way deal already taken by guard Rawle Alkins.

Walton (6-1, 189) was undrafted in 2017, but signed with the Miami Heat on a Two-Way contract on July 24, 2017. In the 2017-18 season, he played in 16 games for the Heat and averaged 1.8 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 9.2 minutes per game. Walton posted a season-high seven points and five assists in a win against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 22, 2017. During his time in the NBA G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Walton started in all 27 games in which he played, and he posted 16.1 points, 7.1 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.48 steals in 32.4 minutes per game.

The Detroit native played four seasons at the University of Michigan, where he holds career averages of 11.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.15 steals in 31.9 minutes per game. Walton is the only player in Wolverine history to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 400 assists in his career. As a senior in 2016-17, he was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team and the Big Ten Tournament Most Valuable Player.

Raptors sign center Greg Monroe

The Toronto Raptors’ signing of center Greg Monroe became official today.

Per multiple reports, it’s just a one-year deal.

“Greg is a proven big man in this league,” said Raptors General Manager Bobby Webster. “We believe Greg’s experience will be a great addition to not only our frontcourt, but to our team culture as we continue to build towards our goal of an NBA championship.”

Monroe is capable of delivering some instant offense, but isn’t known for his defense. He will likely play backup to starting center Jonas Valanciunas, and perhaps play some limited minutes as a backup to power forward Serge Ibaka.

Standing 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Monroe averaged 10.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 20.4 minutes in 51 games (14 starts) with Milwaukee, Phoenix and Boston last season. He shot .565 (218-386) from the field and recorded nine double-doubles. Monroe appeared in 11 postseason games with the Celtics, averaging 4.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 9.5 minutes.

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Monroe owns career averages of 13.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 28.9 minutes in 589 NBA games (415 starts) with Detroit, Milwaukee, Phoenix and Boston. He has averaged at least 10.0 points in each of the last seven seasons.

Monroe was originally selected by the Pistons with the seventh overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. He played collegiately at Georgetown, posting averages of 14.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 32.6 minutes in 65 career games (2008-10). Monroe was named First Team All-Big East as a sophomore and selected Big East Rookie of the Year his freshman season.

The big Raptors story of the summer was their trade of DeMar DeRozan to the Spurs for Kawhi Leonard. And one of the biggest stories entering the season will be if Leonard is healthy and if he’s as effective as he was prior to injury.

Thunder sign Tyler Davis to two-way contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday signed center Tyler Davis to a Two-Way Contract.

In three seasons at Texas A&M, Davis (6-10, 266) appeared in 102 games (100 starts) and averaged 13.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 26.0 minutes. At the end of the 2017-18 season, Davis was named to the All-SEC First Team after leading the conference in field goal shooting (58.5 percent) for a third consecutive season.

Davis led the Aggies in scoring this past season (14.9 points per game) as he helped lead Texas A&M to the Sweet 16 for a second time in three seasons. He is one of five players in school history to amass 1,000-plus points, 500-plus rebounds and 100-plus blocks. Davis was formerly named Mr. Basketball in the state of Texas following his senior season at Plano West High School.

Each team is allowed to have two players signed to Two-Way Contracts. This is in addition to the standard league maximum of up to 15 players on the roster. Players on Two-Way Contracts spend most of the season in the NBA G League, but can be called up to their NBA team for a maximum of 45 days.

Ty Ellis named head coach of G League team Stockton Kings

The Sacramento Kings today named Ty Ellis as Head Coach of the team’s NBA G League affiliate Stockton Kings.

Ellis arrives in Stockton having spent the previous 20 years involved in basketball as a collegiate and professional player and coach at the NBA G League, USA Basketball and NBA levels. He takes the helm ahead of the Kings 2018-19 debut season in California’s central valley after relocating from Reno, NV where the club played for 10 seasons.

The opportunity marks Ellis’ second instance as a head coach for an inaugural NBA G League campaign after being tapped to lead the Northern Arizona Suns (Prescott Valley, AZ) in 2016. Under his direction, Johnny O’Bryant and Elijah Millsap earned Gatorade Call-Ups and subsequent multiyear contracts with NBA teams.

Most recently, the Dallas native served as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns (2017-18) after spending the summer working under Jeff Van Gundy as an assistant during the 2017 USA AmeriCup Team—helping guide the American squad to a 5-0 record and the FIBA Americas Gold Medal. Additionally, Ellis was among only four NBA G League coaches invited to participate in the 2017 NBA Draft Combine tasked with aiding prospects through scrimmages and drills.

Ellis entered the coaching ranks in 2012 after an 11-year playing career domestically and abroad. In 2001, Ellis was drafted by the Huntsville Flight to play in the inaugural season for the NBA D-League. He spent the following decade playing overseas in the top European leagues, including stops in Germany (Frankfurt Skyliners), Turkey (Besiktas Cola Turka), Basket Napoli (Italy), and six years in Spain’s first league (Liga ACB). His international resume also features four years as a member of the Georgian National Team (2006-09), highlighted by 16.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists during the 2009 Division B Eurobasket tournament.

Following his retirement from the court in 2012, Ellis accepted his first coaching position with the Tulsa 66ers (NBA D-League), where he served as an assistant for one year before taking similar roles with the Reno Bighorns (2013-14), Grand Rapids Drive (2014-15) and Bakersfield Jam (2015-16).

Ellis enjoyed a four-year collegiate career at Southern Nazarene University (1997-2001), ranking fourth all-time in Crimson Storm history with 1,822 career points and second with 248 3-pointers made.