NBA Teams – Page 72 – NBA Blog

Pelicans sign Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, waive Kaiser Gates

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed forward/center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a two-way contract.

And in a corresponding move, the Pelicans have waived forward Kaiser Gates.

Robinson-Earl, 6-9, 230, has appeared in 92 games (56 starts) over the past two seasons with Oklahoma City, averaging 7.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.0 assist. The Villanova product holds career shooting averages of .427 from the floor, .344 from deep, and .781 from the foul line.

The New Orleans roster stands at 17, including three two-way players.

Kings forward Trey Lyles out with calf injury

Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles injured his left calf during warmups of the Kings preseason game vs. the Golden State Warriors on October 18.

Multiple imaging studies confirmed Lyles suffered a left calf strain. Lyles continues to progress through return to play protocol.

Lyles will not travel to Houston with the team and he will be ruled out for the next two games.

Clippers trade Filip Petrusev to Kings for Luka Mitrovic

The Sacramento Kings have acquired forward Filip Petrušev and cash considerations in a trade with the L.A. Clippers for the draft rights to forward Luka Mitrović.

Drafted in the second round (20th pick, 50th overall) by the Philadelphia 76ers, Petrušev played two seasons for the Gonzaga Bulldogs from 2018-20, averaging 12.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. The Serbian native then spent three seasons in Europe, averaging 12.8 points, 1.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game.

Warriors exercise contract options on Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody

The Golden State Warriors have exercised the fourth-year contract options on forward Jonathan Kuminga and guard Moses Moody.

Kuminga, 21, is averaging 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.00 steal and 21.6 minutes in three games this season. Selected by Golden State with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, he became the youngest player in Warriors history to reach the 1,000-point plateau last season surpassing, Joe Smith. Kuminga owns career averages of 9.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 18.9 minutes in 140 games (28 starts).

Moody, 21, is averaging 9.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.50 steals and 19.4 minutes in four games (one start) this season. He was selected by Golden State with the 14th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and owns career averages of 4.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 12.6 minutes in 119 games (15 starts). Moody has scored in double figures in eight of his 15 starts.

Under the terms of the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft pick’s contract are guaranteed, while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option.

Sixers will reportedly trade James Harden to Clippers

Per the LA Times:

As teams with NBA title ambitions in Milwaukee and Boston fortified their rosters in recent weeks and days, the Clippers arrived at training camp with a roster virtually unchanged from the end of last season.

That began to change late Monday, when after months of discussions with Philadelphia, the Clippers and 76ers began to move toward finalizing a trade that would see All-Star guard James Harden land in Los Angeles, according to people with knowledge of the discussions not authorized to disclose them publicly.

In addition to Harden, the Clippers are receiving P.J. Tucker, a 38-year-old defensive stalwart forward and career 36% three-point shooter. The cost: Trading away Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris Sr. and Robert Covington — their trio of veteran forwards, all on expiring contracts — as well as young forward Kenyon Martin Jr., who was acquired from Houston during the offseason.

FULL ARTICLE

NBA Players of the Week, Week 1: Nikola Jokic and Tyrese Maxey

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey were named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 1 of the 2023-24 season (Oct. 24-29).

Other nominees:

West: Stephen Curry (GSW), Anthony Davis (LAL), Luka Dončić (DAL), Kevin Durant (PHX), De’Aaron Fox (SAC), Paul George (LAC), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) and Zion Williamson (NOP)

East: Jalen Duren (DET), Joel Embiid (PHI), Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith (IND), Donovan Mitchell (CLE), Kristaps Porzingis (BOS) and Franz Wagner (ORL)

Magic Johnson is reportedly now a billionaire

Per ESPN.com:

NBA Hall of Famer and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson is officially a billionaire, according to Forbes.

Johnson joins Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Tiger Woods as the fourth athlete to earn billionaire status. Earlier this year, he added a minority stake in the Washington Commanders to his portfolio. He also has a 2.3% stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers and minority ownership of LAFC and Los Angeles Sparks.

Forbes estimates Johnson’s net worth to be $1.2 billion as a result of his stakes in teams and investments in a variety of industries.

FULL ARTICLE

Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons out with thumb injury, will undergo surgery

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons injured his right thumb during Wednesday’s game at LA Clippers.

A subsequent MRI conducted Thursday evening revealed a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the right thumb.

Simons is set to have surgery and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Per the Oregonian: “Expected to be the team’s leading scorer this season following the departure of Damian Lillard, Simons scored 18 points to go along with four assists in the Blazers’ 123-111 loss the the Clippers.”

On Klay Thompson and the Warriors

Per the Bay Area News Group:

It seems likely Klay Thompson will be playing out the final year of his contract this season without an extension, but he’s not complaining.

Rather than bemoan the lack of a contract beyond this year, the 33-year-old Thompson sees it as an opportunity to “savor” what could technically be his final season with the Warriors.

“You never know what’s going to happen. I’m going to savor this as much as I can,” Thompson said hours before Friday night’s game in Sacramento. “Especially in this uniform. I was here before it was sweet, before it was four championships.”

FULL ARTICLE

Timberwolves exercise contract option on Wendell Moore Jr.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have exercised their team option on guard Wendell Moore Jr.

Moore Jr., 22, enters his second season in the NBA after appearing in 29 games (two starts) in his rookie campaign last season, averaging 1.4 points on 41.9% shooting, 0.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists. In his first career start during the Nov. 30 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, the Richmond, Va. native finished with seven points, a career-high three rebounds and two assists. In eight regular season games for the Iowa Wolves, the NBA G League affiliate of the Timberwolves, Moore Jr. averaged 19.4 points on 42.0% shooting, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists.