Raptors sign Eugene Omoruyi to 10-day contract

The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday, January 8 that they have signed forward Eugene Omoruyi to a 10-day contract.

Omoruyi, 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, is averaging 19.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 28.1 minutes in 14 Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games with Raptors 905 in the NBA G League this season. He is shooting .577 (109-189) from the field and .354 (17-48) from three-point range. Omoruyi has scored 20 or more points six times, including a season-high 34 points Dec. 15 at Maine, and recorded two double-doubles.

After going undrafted in 2021, Omoruyi signed a two-way contract with Dallas. He holds NBA career averages of 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 12.1 minutes in 87 games (six starts) with the Mavericks, Oklahoma City, Detroit and Washington. Prior to the NBA, he played three collegiate seasons at Rutgers (2016-19) before transferring to Oregon for his senior year (2020-21) where he earned All-Pac 12 first team honours.

A native of Benin City, Nigeria, Omoruyi and his family moved to Canada when he was a toddler. He attended Orangeville Prep in Orangeville, Ontario.

Sixers rookie Jared McCain out for season

Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain was reviewed today by the surgeon who performed surgery on his left knee on Dec. 17.

Per the Sixers, he is progressing well and will be out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

McCain was having a standout first season in the league. Per CBS Sports, “Prior to the injury, McCain was the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year after averaging 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists, while shooting 38% from 3-point range in 23 games. McCain’s scoring average still leads all rookies. McCain saw an increase in his role after Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey went out with an injury early in the season, which pushed him into the starting lineup. Injuries to both Joel Embiid and Paul George also meant McCain got the offensive freedom to score at will, which he took full advantage of on a nightly basis.”

Lakers trade D’Angelo Russell to Nets

The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired via trade forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets. In return, the Lakers sent guard D’Angelo Russell, forward Maxwell Lewis and three future second round draft picks to the Nets.

Finney-Smith (6’7”, 225) has appeared in 20 games (all starts) for Brooklyn this season, averaging 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 29.0 minutes. On the season, the 31-year-old is shooting a career-best 43.5 percent from 3-point range. In 548 career NBA games (424 starts) across nine seasons with the Nets (2023-25) and Dallas Mavericks (2016-23), Finney-Smith has averaged 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 27.9 minutes. He has appeared in 35 career NBA playoff games (all starts) with the Nets and Mavericks, averaging 10.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steals in 35.7 minutes. The Virginia native went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft before earning an opening-night roster spot with the Dallas Mavericks prior to the 2016-17 season. He played collegiately for Florida (2013-16) and Virginia Tech (2011-12).

Milton (6’5”, 212) has appeared in 27 games (one start) for Brooklyn this season, averaging 7.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 18.2 minutes. In 329 career outings (46 starts) across seven seasons with the Nets (2024-25), New York Knicks (2023-24), Detroit Pistons (2023-24), Minnesota Timberwolves (2023-24) and Philadelphia 76ers (2018-23), the 28-year-old has averaged 8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 19.3 minutes. In 38 career NBA playoff contests (four starts) for the 76ers and Knicks, the Oklahoma native has averaged 4.8 points and 1.2 rebounds in 11.8 minutes. The SMU product (2015-18) was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 54th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft prior to being traded to Philadelphia to begin his professional career.

In 29 outings (10 starts) for the Lakers this season, Russell averaged 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 26.3 minutes. In 600 career regular season NBA games (510 starts), the 28-year-old has averaged 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.0 minutes.

Lewis suited up in 41 contests over the past two seasons with the Purple and Gold. He was drafted by the Lakers with the 40th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft.

Timberwolves waive PJ Dozier

The Minnesota Timberwolves have waived guard PJ Dozier.

Dozier, 6-6, appeared in nine games this season for the Wolves, totaling seven points, five rebounds and five assists.

Prior to his time with Minnesota, he played for Partizan in Serbia last season where he appeared in 33 EuroLeague games, averaging 9.2 points on 48.6% shooting, 3.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals. Prior to playing overseas, he spent the 2022-23 season with the Sacramento Kings, appearing in 16 games, totaling 22 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.

In seven seasons in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Kings and Timberwolves, Dozier has tallied 700 points, 337 rebounds and 204 assists throughout 130 career games (six starts).

Hawks sign Daeqwon Plowden to two-way contract

The Atlanta Hawks have signed guard/forward Daeqwon Plowden to a two-way contract.

Plowden has appeared in 14 games (six starts) for the College Park Skyhawks this season, averaging 14.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 27.8 minutes. He has netted 10-or-more points in 11 of his 14 games so far this season, including 20-or-more points twice. Plowden was signed by the Hawks on Sept. 27, 2024, before being waived on Oct. 18.

Undrafted in 2022, the 6-6 guard/forward has appeared in 105 NBA G League contests (28 starts) with College Park (14 games), Osceola (49, 2023-24) and Birmingham (42, 2022-23), owning career averages of 10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 24.4 minutes (.445 FG%, .378 3FG%, .778 FT%).

Plowden, signed to a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors on July 16, 2024, and waived on Sept. 24, appeared in eight games (all starts) for the Warriors this past summer during the California Classic and NBA 2K25 Summer League, tallying 14.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.5 minutes of action (.470 FG%, .396 3FG%, .714 FT%).

Named to the 2021-22 MAC All-Defensive Team and 2021-22 All-MAC Third Team, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, native appeared in 154 collegiate games for Bowling Green State University, setting the program’s record for games played.

Kings fire head coach Mike Brown

Sacramento Kings General Manager Monte McNair announced that Mike Brown has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the team and Doug Christie has been named interim head coach.

“This was a difficult decision, and I want to thank Mike for his many contributions to the organization,” said Kings General Manager Monte McNair.

Doug Christie is in his third season as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings. Selected 17th overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Seattle Super Sonics, Christie played 15 seasons in the NBA, averaging 11.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game in 827 career games (708 starts) with seven teams. During his time with the Kings from 2000-2005, he helped the team reach the postseason in each of his five seasons. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2002-03 and All-Defensive Second Team in 2000-01, 2001-02, and 2003-04. Before joining the Kings as an assistant coach, Christie spent four seasons as the team’s full-time color analyst from 2017-21.

Brown was named head coach of the Kings in May 2022 after spending six seasons as assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. During his time with the Kings, he coached the team to a 107-88 record.

Jayson Tatum says his knee is improving

Per Boston.com:

After missing two games earlier this month, Jayson Tatum says his body is healing up.

The Celtics’ star missed a pair of contests against the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 4 and 12 due to right patella tendinopathy. Those are the only games Tatum’s missed all season.

Speaking with reporters on Saturday ahead of Boston’s tilt versus the Chicago Bulls, he chalked the ailment up to playing frequently at the beginning of December.

“That was just a tough stretch. I think we played, like, six games in nine days, or something like that,” Tatum said when asked about his knee. “But it’s definitely getting better.”

Hawks waive Seth Lundy

The Atlanta Hawks have requested waivers on two-way guard/forward Seth Lundy.

Lundy appeared in nine games with the Hawks during the 2023-24 season and 25 contests with the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League. In those 25 games with the Skyhawks (23 starts), he averaged 20.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 blocks in 32.6 minutes (.462 FG%, .400 3FG%, .803 FT%).

Selected by Atlanta with the 46th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Lundy spent the 2023-24 season on a two-way contract and was signed to another two-way contract by the Hawks on July 9, 2024.

Dallas Mavericks name Rick Welts as new CEO

The Dallas Mavericks organization has named Rick Welts the new Chief Executive Officer of the NBA franchise, effective Jan. 1, 2025, following Cynt Marshall’s nearly seven-year tenure.

In his remarkable 46-year career in sports and entertainment, Welts has previously held roles as President and COO of the Golden State Warriors, President of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and the NBA’s Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and President of NBA Properties.

“Inspiring leadership has been a staple of the Dallas Mavericks since Cynt Marshall started leading the organization in 2018 as CEO. I’m extremely proud that her legacy of success and our family’s vision for the future of this franchise will soon be in the hands of another great leader,” said Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont. “Rick Welts is among the most successful executives in the history of the NBA and a member of the Hall of Fame. To have him join us as we continue to build on the successful history of the Mavericks is a clear signal that this organization is serious about both growing its position as an elite NBA team and further positioning the franchise among the most popular sports teams in the world.”

“The chance to lead this organization in this city at this time is both incredibly exciting and unexpected,” said Welts. “I appreciate Patrick’s confidence in selecting me to build upon the culture and success that Cynt Marshall and Nico Harrison have created. My long-standing friendships with them both give me a lot of confidence in accepting this opportunity. I can’t wait to get started learning all I can about Dallas and how best to serve our fans and this community.”

“It gives me great pleasure to pass the baton to my friend, Rick Welts. From the day I joined the Mavs, I’ve benefited from his knowledge and vast experience in the sports and entertainment industry,” said Marshall. “I love our team so much and I’m happy that they will be in such great hands. There is no doubt that Rick and his family will embrace and enjoy the wonderful fans, employees and communities in Dallas.”