Grizzlies sign JaKarr Sampson, waive Kellen Dunham

Grizzlies sign JaKarr Sampson, waive Kellen Dunham

The Grizzlies signed forward JaKarr Sampson and waived guard Kellen Dunham today.

Sampson (6-9, 214) has appeared in 147 career regular season games (72 starts) over his two-year NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets and holds career averages of 5.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 15.6 minutes. The 23-year-old has also competed in two NBA Development League games (two starts) for the Delaware 87ers and averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.00 steals and 1.00 blocks in 31.7 minutes.

A native of Akron, Ohio, Sampson went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at St. John’s University, where he was named the 2012-13 American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year.

Dunham (6-6, 205) was signed on Oct. 20 and did not appear in a preseason game. The 23-year-old Pendleton, Ind. native went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at Butler University.

The Grizzlies’ roster now stands at 20 players.

Celtics sign Ryan Kelly

Celtics sign Ryan Kelly

The Boston Celtics signed forward Ryan Kelly today.

Kelly, a 6’11” forward, appeared in six games for the Atlanta Hawks during the 2016 Preseason where he averaged 4.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 15.0 minutes per game. Originally drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 48th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Kelly has appeared in 147 career games and recorded averages of 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Kelly appeared in seven games (all starts) during the 2015-16 season for the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League while on assignment from the Lakers and averaged 27.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists while shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three.

Nuggets exercise contract options on Gary Harris, Jusuf Nurkic and Emmanuel Mudiay

Nuggets exercise contract options on Gary Harris, Jusuf Nurkic and Emmanuel Mudiay

The Denver Nuggets have exercised the fourth-year options for both Gary Harris and Jusuf Nurkić and exercised the third-year option for Emmanuel Mudiay, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Harris, 6-4, 210, was drafted with the 19th pick of the 2014 NBA Draft by Chicago and was acquired by Denver in a draft-night trade. He has appeared in 131 games (82 starts) in his first two seasons, averaging 8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.03 steals in 24.1 minutes per game.

Nurkić, 7-0, 280, was drafted with the 16th pick of the 2014 NBA Draft by Chicago and was acquired by Denver in the same draft-night trade along with Harris. The Bosnian center has appeared in 94 games (30 starts), averaging 7.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.19 blocks in 17.6 minutes per game.

Mudiay, 6-5, 200, was selected by Denver with the seventh overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. He played in 68 games (66 starts) as a rookie last season, posting averages of 12.8 points, 5.5 assists (1st among rookies) and 1.00 steals in 30.4 minutes per game.

Magic sign Ramon Galloway

The Orlando Magic signed guard Ramon Galloway today. Though, he may not be around long, since preseason ends soon.

Galloway (6’3”, 180, 2/10/91) spent last season playing in Italy with both OpenJobMetis Varese of the SerieA League and Fulgor Omegna of the SerieA2 League. In 26 games (20 starts), he averaged 11.7 ppg., 4.2 rpg. and 3.0 apg. in 29.1 minpg. Galloway has also played professionally in Germany.

Galloway played collegiately with South Carolina (2009-11) and La Salle (2011-13). As a senior (2012-13), he averaged 17.2 ppg., 4.6 rpg. and 3.7 apg. in 33.3 minpg. in 34 games (32 starts). Galloway was named to the 2012-13 All-Atlantic 10 First Team and led La Salle to the Sweet Sixteen in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Knicks waive Lou Amundson, Cleanthony Early, Chasson Randle, J.P. Tokoto and Damien Inglis

Knicks waive Lou Amundson, Cleanthony Early, Chasson Randle, J.P. Tokoto and Damien Inglis

The Knicks waived guards Chasson Randle and J.P. Tokoto and forwards Lou Amundson, Cleanthony Early and Damien Inglis today.

A few of these players may wind up playing for the Westchester Knicks, the team’s D-League affiliate.

Randle, 6-2, 185-pounds, was signed as an undrafted free agent on Aug. 4, 2016 and appeared in three preseason games, averaging 7.7 points over 15.7 minutes. Tokoto, 6-6, 200-pounds, was signed on Aug. 1, 2016 and appeared in three preseason games, averaging 2.7 points over 12.1 minutes. Amundson, 6-9, 220-pounds, scored two total points over 15 minutes over two preseason games. Early, signed on Oct. 18, and Inglis, signed on Oct. 11, did not appear in preseason action.

The Knicks roster now stands at 15 players.

Pelicans waive Robert Sacre and Shawn Dawson

Pelicans waive Robert Sacre and Shawn Dawson

The New Orleans Pelicans waived center Robert Sacre and guard Shawn Dawson today.

Dawson, 6-6, 205, appeared in three preseason games for New Orleans, averaging 1.7 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists. The Israeli native was originally signed by the Pelicans on Aug. 12.

Sacre, 7-0, 270, appeared in one preseason game for the Pelicans, recording three points and two rebounds. Originally signed by New Orleans on Sept. 22, the Baton Rouge, La. native spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers after being taken 60th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft out of Gonzaga.

New Orleans’ roster now stands at 18.

Nets waive Yogi Ferrell

Nets waive Yogi Ferrell

The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on guard Yogi Ferrell.

Ferrell, who originally signed with Brooklyn on August 5, appeared in three preseason games with the Nets, recording averages of 4.3 points and 1.7 assists in 9.6 minutes per game.

Brooklyn’s roster now stands at 15 players, which means the team doesn’t have to cut any more players before the start of the regular season if they don’t want to.

Hawks waive Jarrett Jack

Hawks waive Jarrett Jack

The Atlanta Hawks have waived guard Jarrett Jack, it was announced today by General Manager Wes Wilcox.

The team roster stands at 17.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “The release of the veteran point guard, who has been unable to practice as he returns from torn right knee ligaments, reduced the training-camp roster to 17 players.”

More from the Journal Constitution: “Jack agreed to a one-year, veteran-minimum contract worth $980,431 this summer after the Nets waived the 6-foot-3 guard and his $6.3 million contract in June making him an unrestricted free agent. His guaranteed salary will count against the Hawks’ cap.”

Grizzlies sign Matt Costello and Kellen Dunham

Grizzlies sign Matt Costello and Kellen Dunham

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced the team has signed center Matt Costello and guard Kellen Dunham. The deals are likely non-guaranteed and only for preseason, which ends in a few days.

Costello (6-9, 245) most recently was a member of the Atlanta Hawks’ preseason roster, coming off the bench in two games and averaging 4.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 9.0 minutes. The 23-year-old Linwood, Mich. native went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at Michigan State University, where he was named Second Team All-Big Ten by the media and Third Team All-Big Ten by the coaches as a senior.

Dunham (6-6, 205) last played for the Grizzlies at the 2016 Summer League in Las Vegas, making four reserve appearances and averaging 2.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 8.9 minutes. The 23-year-old Pendleton, Ind. native was unselected in the 2016 NBA Draft after a four-year collegiate career at Butler University, where he was named First Team All-Big East as a junior.

The Grizzlies’ roster now stands at 20 players.