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The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed forward Julian Washburn.
Until it is reported otherwise, we will assume it is a non-guaranteed deal.
Washburn, 6-8/210, recently concluded a four-year career at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where he averaged 11.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 34.2 minutes over 130 career games. He finished first in school history in total minutes (4,448), fourth in field goals (592) and sixth in scoring (1,526 points).
The Oklahoma City Thunder waived guards Michael Qualls, Julyan Stone and Dez Wells along with forward Talib Zanna, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.
Stone appeared in one preseason game with the Thunder and recorded one rebound while logging four minutes of action.
Wells saw action in one preseason game and tallied one point and one steal in five minutes of play.
Zanna played in four preseason games for Oklahoma City and averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 5.9 minutes.
Qualls did not make a preseason appearance for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City’s roster now stands at 15.
The Atlanta Hawks have requested waivers on Terran Petteway, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.
Petteway appeared in three preseason contests for the Hawks.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed forward Tristan Thompson, General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.
In a related move, the Cavs have waived forward Nick Minnerath.
According to multiple reports, Thompson’s deal is for $82 million over five years.
Thompson played in all 82 games (15 starts) in the 2014-15 regular season, finishing with averages of 8.5 points on a career-best .547 shooting from the field, and 8.0 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per game. It marked the third straight season he has played in all 82 games, increasing his consecutive games streak to 288 dating back to Feb. 10, 2012. That is the second-longest active streak in the NBA, behind only DeAndre Jordan’s 322 consecutive games played (dating back to March 25, 2011). Last season, the 6-10 forward ranked fifth in the NBA in total offensive rebounds (274) and fifth in offensive rebounds per game (3.3). He recorded 14 double-doubles, while tying for the NBA-lead in double-doubles off the bench with eight. Thompson also led all NBA bench players in total rebounds (511) and offensive rebounds per game (3.2), while ranking second in total rebounds per game (7.6).
During the Cavs’ NBA Finals run in the 2015 playoffs, Thompson played in all 20 games (15 starts), averaging 9.6 points on .558 shooting, 10.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 36.4 minutes per game. He registered nine double-doubles, while grabbing double-digit rebounds in 14 playoff games, including in all six games during the NBA Finals.
The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have waived Jarrid Famous and, in a related transaction, signed free agent Tu Holloway.
Famous (6-11, 240) went undrafted out of South Florida in 2011 and signed with Dallas after competing for the Washington Wizards at the 2015 Las Vegas NBA Summer League. He averaged 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds in five preseason games with the Mavericks.
Holloway (6-0, 190) went undrafted in the 2012 NBA Draft and competed for a roster spot in the Mavericks 2012 training camp. He played collegiately at Xavier University and in his four years as a Musketeer, he played in 134 games and held career averages of 13.7 points, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per contest. As a junior, Holloway was Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and earned Third Team All-America honors from the Associated Press while averaging 19.7 points and 5.4 assists a game.
The Mavericks’ training camp roster remains at 20 players.
The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived guards Jordan Crawford and Marcus Simmons.
The players originally signed with Chicago as free agents on Sept. 28, 2015.
Chicago’s roster now stands at 15.
The Orlando Magic have waived center Greg Stiemsma (STEAM-smuh), General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today. Orlando’s roster now stands at 15.
Stiemsma appeared in two preseason games with the Magic, averaging 1.5 rpg. in 8.3 minpg.
Orlando begins the 2015-16 regular season on Wednesday, October 28 at home against Washington (7 p.m.).
Here’s Michigan Live reporting on what is fortunately a fairly minor Pistons injury:
Small, nagging injuries have been a recurring theme for the Detroit Pistons in the precursor to the regular season.
Well, they’re apparently not over.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was ruled day-to-day by the team Wednesday with a sore left foot after exiting in the first quarter of Detroit’s 99-94 preseason loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Pistons’ starting shooting guard limped off the court with 1:59 remaining never to return. X-rays came back negative, confirming no break in the bone, and head coach Stan Van Gundy said he’ll undergo an MRI on Thursday.
The Orlando Magic have waived forward Melvin Ejim (EDGE-um), General Manager Rob Hennigan announced following tonight’s preseason game.
Orlando’s roster now stands at 16.
Ejim appeared in four preseason games with the Magic, averaging 3.5 ppg. and 2.3 rpg. in 8.0 minpg.
Orlando begins the 2015-16 regular season on Wednesday, October 28 at home against Washington (7 p.m.).
Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting interesting stuff on one of the Timberwolves’ most important young talents:
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In a game gone small, Timberwolves interim coach Sam Mitchell is playing the contrarian.
While playing two point guards in the same lineup becomes more common in the NBA, Mitchell has turned to reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins — all 6-8 of him — to start at shooting guard and be Ricky Rubio’s backcourt partner after an experiment to nurture Zach LaVine at that spot lasted but three preseason games.
While coaches such as Phoenix’s Jeff Hornacek and Dallas’ Rick Carlisle have taken to playing two point guards in recent years, Mitchell likes Wiggins’ move from small forward to shooting guard precisely because of his size and the benefits Mitchell believes it presents on both ends of the court.
“You know the NBA,” Mitchell said. “You’ve got to [create] some matchup problems when you go out there. I like Andrew at the 2 [shooting guard]. I think it gives him an advantage because of his size.”