San Antonio Spurs Blog – Page 8 – NBA Blog

Spurs re-sign Joe Wieskamp

The San Antonio Spurs have re-signed guard Joe Wieskamp.

Wieskamp’s Spurs contract is reportedly a two-year, $4.4 million deal.

Wieskamp played in 30 games for the Spurs last year in his rookie season, averaging 2.0 points in 6.8 minutes with San Antonio. As a two-way player, Wieskamp also appeared in 28 games for the Austin Spurs, where he averaged 15.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.11 steals in 32.4 minutes in the NBA G League.

Originally drafted by San Antonio with the 41st overall selection in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft, Wieskamp played three years at the University of Iowa. He was named Second Team All-Big 10 and was one of five finalists for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award in his junior season in 2020-21. Prior to joining the Hawkeyes, he graduated as the state of Iowa’s all-time high school leading scorer.

Spurs and Heat will play a December, 2022 NBA regular season game in Mexico City

The NBA and Zignia today announced that the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and the three-time NBA champion Miami Heat will play a regular-season game at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Saturday, December 17, marking the first NBA Mexico City Game since 2019 and the league’s 31st game in Mexico overall, more than any country outside the U.S. and Canada.

The Spurs are led by five-time NBA champion head coach Gregg Popovich, who during the 2021-22 season became the winningest coach in NBA history, and currently feature 2020 Olympic gold medalist Keldon Johnson, 2022 No. 9 overall pick Jeremy Sochan, and 2021 No. 12 overall pick Joshua Primo.

The Heat are coached by Erik Spoelstra, who has led the franchise to two NBA championships, and currently feature six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler, 2020 NBA All-Star and three-time All-Defensive Second Team member Bam Adebayo, and 2021-22 Kia Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro.

The NBA Mexico City Game 2022 will air live in Mexico on ESPN, TUDN and NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service. The game will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories around the world on television, digital media and social media.

The Spurs made their debut in Mexico in October 1994 with two preseason games at the Palacio de los Deportes. Overall, the Spurs have played six games in Mexico, most recently a 121-119 overtime win against the Phoenix Suns as part of The NBA Mexico City Games 2019. The matchup will mark the Heat’s second game in Mexico, after defeating the Brooklyn Nets 101-89 as part of The NBA Mexico City Games 2017.

The NBA Mexico City Game 2022 will also mark the 30th anniversary of the league’s first game in the country, which featured the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks playing a preseason game at Mexico’s Palacio de los Deportes in October 1992. Overall, 22 NBA teams have played preseason and regular-season games in Mexico.

San Antonio Spurs sign Jordan Hall to a two-way contract

The San Antonio Spurs have signed rookie forward Jordan Hall to a two-way contract.

Hall, 6-8/220, wrapped his sophomore campaign at Saint Joseph’s averaging 12.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists in 50 career games (47 starts). In 2021-22, he led the Hawks with 14.1 points, 5.8 assists and 1.23 steals and ranked fifth nationally in assists per game on his way to All-Big 5 First Team.

A native of Wildwood, New Jersey, Hall became the fifth player in program history to record a triple-double when he posted 22 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists on 2/20/21 vs. La Salle. The former Hawk also registered 113 total assists during his freshman year to lead the Atlantic 10 Conference and was named 2020-21 Big 5 Co-Rookie of the Year, All-Big 5 Second Team and Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.

Suiting up for the Spurs Summer League team, he averaged 3.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists over five games in Las Vegas

Hall will wear No. 30 for the Spurs.

Heat and Spurs will reportedly play a 2022-23 regular season game in Mexico City

Via the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

There will be a south-of-the-border element for the Miami Heat when the NBA schedule is released in coming days.

The Heat, under current NBA plans, are scheduled for a Dec. 17 game in Mexico City, one that will count against the San Antonio Spurs’ home schedule.

It will be the Heat’s first regular-season game outside of the United States or Canada since defeating the Brooklyn Nets 101-89 on Dec. 9, 2017 in front of a listed 19,777 in Mexico City.

The game at Mexico City Arena is part of the Spurs’ expansion beyond their AT&T Center home.

San Antonio Spurs sign Dominick Barlow to two-way contract

The San Antonio Spurs have signed forward Dominick Barlow to a two-way contract.

Barlow, 6-10/220, spent the 2021-22 season playing in the Overtime Elite League with Team Overtime, averaging 14.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.08 steals over 25.2 minutes per game. Originally from Dumont, New Jersey, Barlow logged 371 total points after scoring double figures in 22 of 25 games, including a season-high 27 points (5-6 3PT) against DME Academy, ranking him third in the league. In OTE’s inaugural season, the forward shot 53.0% from the field, 33.9% from three and 76.4% from the foul line.

During his senior year at Dumont High school, he was named the 2020-21 North Jersey Boys Basketball Player of the Year, averaging 27.6 points, 17.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.6 blocks.

Currently playing for the Spurs Summer League team, Barlow is averaging 6.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in 23.1 minutes over two games in the NBA 2K23 Summer League.

Barlow will wear No. 26 for the Spurs.

Spurs add Isaiah Roby off waivers

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have claimed forward Isaiah Roby off waivers from Oklahoma City.

Roby, 6-8/230, most recently appeared in 45 games with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2021-22, averaging 10.1 points, along with 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 21.1 minutes while shooting 51.4% from the field, 44.4% from three and 67.2% from the foul line. In three seasons with the Thunder, the forward appeared in 109 games, averaging 9.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 21.9 minutes.

Roby was originally selected by Detroit with the 45th overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft before being traded to Dallas.

San Antonio Spurs trade Dejounte Murray to Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have acquired All-Star guard Dejounte Murray and center Jock Landale in a trade with the San Antonio Spurs. In exchange, the Spurs receive forward Danilo Gallinari, a conditional 2023 first round pick (from Charlotte via New York), Atlanta’s 2025 and 2027 first round picks and a 2026 first round pick swap.

“The opportunity to acquire a player of Dejounte’s caliber, just entering his prime, doesn’t come along too often,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk. “He has developed into one of the elite two-way guards in the league and we’re thrilled to add him to our group. I’d also like to thank Gallo for his professionalism and his contributions to the Hawks over the last two seasons.”

Murray appeared in 68 games (all starts) during the 2021-22 season, averaging career bests in points per game (21.1), assists per game (9.2), rebounds per game (8.3) and steals per game (2.0) in a career-high 34.8 minutes of action (.462 FG%, .327 3FG%, .794 FT%). The 6-4 guard became the first player in NBA history to average at least 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 2.0 steals in a single season. Murray totaled 1,438 points, 563 rebounds, 627 assists and 138 steals, becoming just the eighth player since the 1973-74 season to tally at least 1,400 points, 600 assists, 500 rebounds and 130 steals in a single season.

A 2022 NBA All-Star, Murray led the league in steals per game (2.03), while finishing fourth in assists per game (9.2) this past season. Per Elias Sports, Murray and Hawks All-NBA guard Trae Young will be the first pair of teammates in NBA history who each averaged at least 20.0 points and 9.0 assists per game in the previous season.

The University of Washington product recorded 13 triple-doubles during the 2021-22 season, the second-most in the NBA. Per Elias Sports, Murray is one of only six guards in NBA history with 13-or-more triple-doubles in a single season within his first five NBA seasons, joining Oscar Robertson (five times), Magic Johnson (twice), Michael Jordan, Fat Lever and Luka Doncic. He owns 17 career triple-doubles, the most in Spurs history. Against Houston on January 12, 2022, the Seattle, Washington, native recorded a triple-double of 32 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists and zero turnovers in 37 minutes. Murray became the only player in the NBA this past season to record a 30-point triple-double while registering zero turnovers and became one of just seven players in NBA history to do so.

Over his five-year career, Murray has appeared in 320 games (249 starts), owning averages of 12.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 25.8 minutes (.455 FG%, .330 3FG%, .771 FT%). He became the youngest player to be named to an All-Defensive Team, after earning the nod in 2018.

Landale saw action in 54 games (one start) for San Antonio during his rookie season, chipping in 4.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.9 minutes (.495 FG%, .326 3FG%, .829 FT%). The former Saint Mary Gaels center poured in 10-or-more points on 10 occasions during the 2021-22 season, including a career-high 26 points on 12-15 shooting from the field against the Indiana Pacers on March 12.

A native of Melbourne, Australia, Landale suited up for the Hawks during the 2018 Summer League in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. In nine total Summer League contests with Atlanta (six starts), he averaged 5.0 points and 5.8 rebounds in 18.3 minutes.

Acquired by Atlanta on November 24, 2020, Gallinari appeared in 117 regular season games (22 starts) with the Hawks over two seasons, averaging 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.7 minutes (.434 FG%, .392 3FG%, .915 FT%). The Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, Italy, native also saw action in 23 postseason games with Atlanta (three starts), compiling 12.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 24.1 minutes of play (.420 FG%, .384 3FG%, .952 FT%).

San Antonio Spurs hire Brett Brown as assistant coach

The San Antonio Spurs have hired Brett Brown as an assistant coach.

Brown joins Mitch Johnson and Matt Nielsen on head coach Gregg Popovich’s staff.

“I’m thrilled to be able to hire such a good coach, human being and dinner partner,” said Popovich.

Brown most recently served as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers from 2013 through the 2019-20 season. With Brown at the helm, the 76ers posted three-straight 50-win seasons from 2017-20 and made three straight postseason appearances.

Prior to leading the 76ers, Brown served as assistant coach on Popovich’s staff in San Antonio for 11 seasons from 2002-13. He was a member of the Spurs organization for their first four championship seasons (1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007). He originally joined the Spurs as a member of their basketball operations department in 1998-99 but left after the season to become the Head Coach of the Sydney Kings of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He rejoined the Spurs in July of 2002 as the team’s Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development and was moved to the bench as an assistant coach prior to the 2006-07 season.

In addition to his time with the Spurs, Brown has a wealth of coaching experience in Australia. He started as an assistant coach with the Melbourne Tigers before being named head coach of the North Melbourne Giants in 1993 and earned NBL Coach of the Year honors in 1994 after leading the Giants to the National Championship. Brown also served as head coach of the Australian National Team from 2009-2012, leading the Boomers during the 2012 Summer Olympics, and again from 2019-20.

With 9th pick in 2022 NBA draft, Spurs selected Jeremy Sochan

The San Antonio Spurs yesterday selected forward Jeremy Sochan with the ninth overall pick along with guard Malaki Branham with the 20th overall pick and guard Blake Wesley with the 25th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

It was the first time in franchise history the Silver and Black had three first round picks.

Sochan, 6-9/230, is the highest draft pick by the Spurs since they selected Tim Duncan with the first overall pick in 1997 NBA Draft. The 19-year-old played one season at Baylor University where he helped lead the Bears to a 27-7 record and to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Sochan was named the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year and was selected to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team, averaging 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.27 steals while appearing in 30 games. A native of England, Sochan averaged 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in four games across the Big 12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament. Sochan became the youngest player in Polish Men’s National Team history when he competed against Romania in a FIBA EuroBasket qualifier in February 2021 at the age of 17.

Branham, 6-5/180, played one season at Ohio State University where he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the Kyle Macy Award winner and to the Kyle Macy Freshman All-America Team. The former Buckeye averaged 13.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 32 games while shooting 49.8 percent from the floor and finished second in the Big Ten in free throw percentage at 83.3 percent. Prior to Ohio State, Branham was named Ohio’s Mr. Basketball in 2021.

Wesley, 6-5/185, played one season at University Notre Dame. In 35 games, he led the Fighting Irish in scoring with 14.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 29.4 minutes as a freshman. He finished with the fourth-most points (504) by a freshman in Notre Dame program history. The first-year guard helped the team to a first round NCAA tournament win over Alabama on his way to All-ACC Second Team and ACC All-Rookie Team honors in 2022. Wesley became the first Fighting Irish player selected in the first round since Jerian Grant in 2015 and Notre Dame’s first player to leave for the NBA draft after one season.

San Antonio Spurs waive guard Tomas Satoransky

The San Antonio Spurs have waived guard Tomáŝ Satoranský.

Satoranský appeared in one game with the Silver and Black. He was acquired from Portland, along with a 2027 second round pick from Utah, in a three-team deal with the Trail Blazers and Jazz on Feb. 9.

The move is reportedly a buyout agreement, with Satoransky reportedly expected to sign with the Washington Wizards, the team he began his NBA career with and played for from 2016-19.

The Spurs roster now stands at 15 players.