Utah Jazz sign forward Nino Johnson

The Utah Jazz have signed forward Nino Johnson.

Johnson (6-9, 245, Southeast Missouri State) played in eight games (two starts) for the Hamilton Honey Badgers of the CEBL in 2020-21, averaging 7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 17.9 minutes per game.

The Memphis, Tenn., native spent two seasons with the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League (2018-20), where he appeared in 67 games (six starts), owning averages of 5.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 14.0 minutes per contest. He also has other professional playing experience with Joensuun Kataja in Finland (2016-17), Energa Czarni Slupsk of the P-TBL (2016-17), Thor AK Akureyri of the Icelandic League (2017-18) and the Alaska Aces of the PBA CC (2018-19).

Utah Jazz waive Derrick Alston Jr., Marques Bolden and MaCio Teague

The Utah Jazz have waived forward Derrick Alston Jr., forward/center Marques Bolden and guard MaCio Teague.

Alston Jr. (6-9, 230, Boise State) saw action in four preseason games for Utah, posting two points against Milwaukee on Oct. 13. A four-year player at Boise State, he saw action in 104 games (79 starts) with career averages of 14.2 points, 3.9 boards and 1.9 assists in 28.9 minutes per contest and left the program ranked 10th in all-time points (1,479).

Bolden (6-10, 249, Duke) averaged 2.0 points in two preseason games with the Jazz. Bolden has played in seven games with the Cleveland Cavaliers over two seasons (2019-21) during his professional career. Prior to that, he spent three seasons at Duke, appearing in 88 games (24 starts), averaging 3.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 13.6 minutes per game.

Teague (6-4, 195, Baylor) played in four preseason games, posting 3.5 points per contest. During his final collegiate season, he owned averages of 15.9 points on 47.8 percent from the field, along with 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists, helping Baylor to a National Championship. The Cincinnati native garnered 2020-21 All-Big 12 Third Team honors for his final standout collegiate season.

Charlotte Hornets waive Jalen Crutcher and Cameron McGriff

The Charlotte Hornets have waived guard Jalen Crutcher and forward Cameron McGriff.

Crutcher made one appearance during the preseason, totaling three points, one rebound and one assist in 12 minutes vs. Dallas. In four games for Milwaukee at the 2021 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League, he averaged 5.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in Las Vegas. Crutcher played four seasons at Dayton from 2017-21 and averaged 17.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 24 games as a senior.

McGriff did not appear in a preseason contest for the Hornets. He was a member of the Hornets Summer League roster that competed in Las Vegas. McGriff spent the 2020-21 season playing for Okapi Aalst of the BNXT League in Belgium where he averaged 13.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in 27 games. He played four seasons at Oklahoma State from 2016-20, averaging 9.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in 132 career games with the Cowboys.

The Hornets roster currently stands at 18 players.

Rockets sign Armoni Brooks and Marcus Foster, waive Tyler Bey

The Houston Rockets today announced they have signed guard Armoni Brooks to a multi-year contract. And in addition, the team has signed guard Marcus Foster.

In a related move, the Rockets have waived forward Tyler Bey.

Brooks (6-3, 195) originally signed a two-way contract with the Rockets on April 3 after playing for their G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley. He appeared in 20 games with five starts for Houston last season while averaging 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 26.0 minutes per game. The University of Houston product is shooting 9-of-16 from 3-point range this preseason and has the most 3-pointers made (60) through the first 20 games of a career in NBA history.

Foster (6-3, 205) was eligible for the 2018 NBA Draft following his redshirt senior season at Creighton. He spent last season playing for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and Turk Telekom of the Turkish Basketball Super League. Foster appeared in four games for the Rockets during the 2021 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Grizzlies sign Ahmad Caver and Matthew Hurt, waive Sean McDermott and Romeo Weems

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Ahmad Caver and forward Matthew Hurt.

In addition, the Grizzlies waived wing Sean McDermott and forward Romeo Weems.

Caver (6-2, 174) has appeared in 54 games (two starts) in two seasons with the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle following a four-year collegiate career at Old Dominion. Unselected in the 2019 NBA Draft, the 25-year-old competed in 15 games off the bench for the Hustle last season and averaged 16.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.93 steals in 29.4 minutes while shooting 52.5 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from 3-point range.

Hurt (6-9, 235) was selected to the 2020-21 All-ACC First Team and was named the 2020-21 ACC Most Improved Player after boosting his scoring average from 9.8 points as a freshman to a conference-leading 18.3 points during his sophomore year at Duke. The 21-year-old also shot 55.6 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from 3-point range last season. Unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft, Hurt appeared in 55 games (46 starts) in two years with the Blue Devils and averaged 13.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 25.9 minutes.

McDermott (6-6, 195), signed on Sept. 23, appeared in 18 games off the bench as a rookie for the Grizzlies last season and averaged 2.2 points and 1.1 rebounds in 8.8 minutes. Unselected in the 2020 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at Butler, the 24-year-old also started six games for the Hustle and averaged 17.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 30.8 minutes.

Weems (6-7, 210), signed on Oct. 8, made two appearances for the Grizzlies this preseason and averaged 2.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.00 steals in 13.0 minutes. Unselected in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 20-year-old appeared in 50 games (47 starts) in two years at DePaul and averaged 7.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.30 steals in 29.6 minutes.

Pelicans exercise contract options on Zion Williamson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaxson Hayes and Kira Lewis Jr.

The New Orleans Pelicans have exercised fourth-year options on guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, center Jaxson Hayes, and forward Zion Williamson, and a third-year option on guard Kira Lewis Jr.

Alexander-Walker has appeared in 93 games (14 starts) in two seasons with the Pelicans, averaging 8.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 17.2 minutes per contest. In 2020-21, he raised his rookie averages in points (+5.3), rebounds (+1.3), and assists (+0.3).

Hayes has appeared in 124 contests (17 starts) in his first two professional seasons, averaging 7.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game while shooting .647 from the field.

Williamson has posted averages of 25.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, while shooting .604 from the floor, .333 from three-point range and .683 from the free throw line in 85 career appearances (all starts) with New Orleans. The 2021 All-Star selection is coming off of a sophomore season in which he averaged 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 33.2 minutes per game while shooting .611 from the floor. Williamson became the first player in NBA history to average at least 27 points on .600 shooting for an entire season.

Selected 13th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Lewis Jr. appeared in 54 games off the bench in his rookie campaign, averaging 6.4 points, 2.3 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per contest while shooting.386 from the floor, .333 from three-point range and .843 from the line.

Pelicans sign guard John Petty Jr.

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed guard John Petty Jr.

Petty Jr., 6-5, 184, played four seasons at Alabama in which he averaged 11.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 131 games (105 starts), finishing his career with a school-record 311 made three-pointers. Petty Jr. is coming off of a senior campaign where he averaged 12.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists en route to First Team All-SEC honors. Petty Jr. led the SEC with 77 made threes during the 2020-21 season.

The Pelicans roster now stands at 18.

Cavaliers sign Ed Davis and Justin James

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Ed Davis, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

The Cavs today also signed guard Justin James (6-7, 190) to their 2021 training camp roster.

Davis (6-9, 225) appeared in 23 games (seven starts) for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2020-21 season, averaging 2.1 points and 5.0 rebounds in 13.0 minutes. Over 11 NBA seasons with Toronto, Memphis, L.A. Lakers, Portland, Brooklyn, Utah and Minnesota, Davis has played in 691 games (103 starts) and holds career averages of 6.2 points on .566 shooting from the field and 6.6 rebounds in 19.6 minutes. Additionally, Davis has played in 33 postseason games, averaging 3.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 11.8 minutes. Davis was originally drafted out of North Carolina as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Raptors.

James appeared in 36 games during the 2020-21 season for the Sacramento Kings, averaging 3.9 points in 8.6 minutes. James was drafted No. 40 overall in the 2019 NBA draft by the Kings after spending four years at University of Wyoming.

Fanbo Zeng signs with G League Ignite

Fanbo Zeng, a top international prospect from China, has signed to play with NBA G League Ignite, NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim announced today.

A native of Harbin, China, Fanbo was among ESPN’s top-ranked forwards in the class of 2022. He spent two years at Windermere Prep in Florida before returning to China in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a sophomore in 2019-20, Fanbo averaged 15.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.1 assists to earn Class 3A First Team All-State and Orlando Sentinel All-Area First Team honors.

NBA G League Ignite is a first-of-its-kind program that gives top young prospects a chance to begin their professional careers while receiving mentorship and life skills training in preparing for the NBA Draft.

Fanbo joins an elite group of young talent, including Jaden Hardy, Michael Foster, MarJon Beauchamp, Dyson Daniels and Scoot Henderson on Ignite’s latest roster. The mix of top youth standouts and NBA and G League veterans look to continue the program’s success after its inaugural season, which featured strong debuts by elite prospects Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Daishen Nix and Isaiah Todd, and international standout Princepal Singh.