Celtics sign Jayson Tatum to contract extension

The Boston Celtics recently agreed to a contract extension with All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum.

“Jayson is a special person and player, and it’s been a thrill for all of us to watch his entire journey in Boston,” said Brad Stevens, President of Basketball Operations. “He has embraced all that comes with being a great Celtic, and shows consistent and genuine care for every one of his teammates, coaches, and staff across the organization. Despite all the team accomplishments and individual awards, Jayson is committed to constantly improving. He works hard and is extremely driven by the challenges of the game – especially the goal of competing with his teammates for championships. We are obviously ecstatic that Jayson chose to extend his contract and add to his amazing career as a Boston Celtic.”

Clippers sign Mo Bamba

The LA Clippers recently signed center Mo Bamba.

Bamba, 26, appeared in 57 games for the Philadelphia 76ers last season, averaging 4.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots while shooting 39.1% from beyond the arc. The 7-foot center has appeared in 332 career games with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and 76ers, averaging 7.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots. Originally selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of the University of Texas, Bamba was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team, Big 12 All-Defensive Team and Big 12 All-Freshman Team in his lone season with the Longhorns. A native of Harlem, N.Y., Bamba was named a McDonald’s All-American in 2017.

Mavericks trade for Klay Thompson

The Dallas Mavericks last week acquired five-time All-Star Klay Thompson and a future second-round pick as part of a six-team sign-and-trade deal in exchange for guard/forward Josh Green and a future second-round pick. The transaction is part of the first six-team trade in NBA history.

“We’re thrilled to have Klay join us in Dallas,” stated Dallas Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison. “As one of the league’s greatest shooters who competes on both ends, we feel Klay is a perfect fit for our team. He adds a strong, experienced veteran voice that will help us continue to build on the success we’ve seen in recent years. Klay’s championship experience, clutch performances and calm demeanor under pressure exemplify what it takes to win in the NBA at the highest level. He will help us continue to grow towards our goal of winning another championship.”

Thompson (6-6, 220), a five-time All-Star (2015-19), helped the Warriors to four NBA championships (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) in an eight-year span from 2015 to 2022. A former teammate of Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving on the U.S. national teams that won gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain, Thompson holds career averages of 19.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 32.6 minutes in 793 games (742 starts) with Golden State while shooting 45.8% (5,794-12,782 FG) from the field, 41.3% (2,481-6,010 3FG) from 3-point range and 85.8% (1,462-1,704 FT) from the foul line.

Sixers re-sign Kelly Oubre Jr.

The Philadelphia 76ers last week re-signed Kelly Oubre Jr.

“Kelly was one of our most important contributors last season, bringing physicality, energy, and toughness to the table on a nightly basis,” Morey said. “We’re excited to have him back and believe he’ll play a key role in our pursuit of a championship.”

Originally signing with Philadelphia on Sept. 26, 2023, Oubre Jr. boasted the highest offensive rating of his career (114.1) in 68 games (52 starts) with the 76ers last season. He averaged 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per contest, tallying four double-doubles and reaching the 20-point mark on 19 occasions.

Kings sign Devin Carter

The Sacramento Kings recently signed Devin Carter.

Carter (6-3, 193) spent two seasons at Providence (2022-24) after transferring from South Carolina following the 2021-22 season. A Miami, Fla. native, he averaged 19.7 points (47.3 FG%, 37.7 3pt%, 74.9 FT%), 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals in 35.3 minutes per game over 33 games (33 starts) during the 2023-24 season. Carter averaged 7.7 defensive rebounds per game, the seventh-highest mark in the nation, and scored in double figures in all 33 appearances. He led the Big East in scoring overall and in conference games (21.4 ppg) while also ranking third in the league in rebounding and fourth in steals and 3-pointers made per game.

Carter was named the 23-24 Big East Player of the Year by the conference’s coaches and earned All-Big East First Team honors. He was also an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention and a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist.

Carter became the third lottery pick in Providence school history, joining Austin Croshere (1997) and Kris Dunn (2016).

Pelicans sign Daniel Theis

The New Orleans Pelicans recently signed free agent center Daniel Theis.

Theis, 6-8, 245, appeared in 60 games (three starts) with the Pacers and Clippers during the 2023-24 season, averaging 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game.

Over his seven-year NBA career, Theis has appeared in 373 games (151 starts) for Boston, Chicago, Houston, Indiana and the LA Clippers, averaging 7.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.9 blocks in 19.1 minutes per contest. The native of Salzgitter, Germany, holds career shooting averages of .541 from the field, .331 from deep and .718 from the free throw stripe.

Lakers sign rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James

The Los Angeles Lakers recently signed 2024 draft selections Dalton Knecht and Bronny James.

Selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Knecht (6’5”, 212) averaged 21.7 points (45.8 FG%, 39.7 3P%, 77.2 FT%), 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 36 games (all starts) last season at the University of Tennessee. The 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year earned First Team All-America honors and ranked third in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage last season. In 103 career Division I games (79 starts) across one campaign at Tennessee and two seasons at Northern Colorado (2021-23), the guard averaged 16.9 points (46.1 FG%, 38.3 3P%, 76.8 FT%), 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

James (6’2”, 210), drafted by the Lakers with the 55th overall pick, averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games (six starts) in his lone season at the University of Southern California in 2023-24. Born in Akron, Ohio, the guard attended Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles where he was named a McDonald’s All-American following his senior season where he averaged 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals.

Knecht will wear jersey No. 4 for the Lakers, while James will wear No. 9. Both will be in action for the Purple and Gold’s summer league team later this month.

Kings sign Isaiah Crawford and Isaac Jones to two-way contracts

The Sacramento Kings recently signed Isaiah Crawford and Isaac Jones to two-way contracts.

Crawford, a 6-6, 220-pound forward, averaged 16.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game during the 2023-24 season for Louisiana Tech. Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, Crawford became the 18th player in program history to reach 1,500 career points and ranked second in Conference USA (CUSA) field goal percentage (48.5%), while also shooting a team-best 41.4 percent from three-point range. Crawford was named CUSA Player of the Year and CUSA Defensive Player of the Year for the 23-24 season.

Jones, a 6-9, 242-pound forward, averaged 15.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 blocks per game during the 2023-24 season for Washington State. Jones, a Spanaway, Washington native, earned All-Pac-12 Conference First Team honors and finished fourth in the Pac-12 Conference for total rebounds.

Cavaliers sign rookie Jaylon Tyson

The Cleveland Cavaliers recently signed their 2024 NBA Draft pick, guard Jaylon Tyson.

Tyson (6-6, 218), who was selected with the 20th overall pick in last week’s draft, appeared in 31 games (30 starts) as a junior at the University of California this past season, averaging 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 34.3 minutes. Among Pac-12 players this past season, Tyson ranked third in scoring, seventh in rebounding and eighth in assists, earning him a selection to the All-Pac-12 First Team. His 607 total points this past season were the most in a season at California since 2012-13. He was also a Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Top 10 Finalist for the 2023-24 season.

A native of Plano, Texas, Tyson played in a combined 70 games (61 starts) throughout his collegiate career at California (2023-24), Texas Tech (2022-23) and Texas (2021-22), averaging 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 28.8 minutes while shooting .372 from the three-point line.

Tyson became the second player out of University of California selected in the First Round of the NBA Draft in Cavaliers team history (Kevin Johnson, No. 7 pick in the 1987 NBA Draft).

Celtics re-sign Xavier Tillman

The Boston Celtics recently re-signed forward/center Xavier Tillman Sr.

“When we got Xavier at the trade deadline, he came with the reputation of a winner and great teammate,” said Brad Stevens, President of Basketball Operations. “Xavier is a hard-worker who brings grit, toughness, and a team-first mentality that we appreciate. We are excited that Xavier has chosen to come back to the Celtics.”

Tillman Sr. appeared in 20 games (two starts) for the Celtics during the 2023-24 season after being acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies on February 7. In 54 games this season, he averaged 5.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 18.0 minutes per game.

On January 12, Tillman Sr. scored a season-high 20 points on 8-of-10 made field goals and grabbed nine rebounds vs. the Clippers. He recorded 10 multi-steal games this season, including a career-best six steals on January 13 when he became one of seven NBA players to register at least 12 points, five rebounds, five assists, and six steals in a game this season.

The Grand Rapids, Michigan native was selected with 35th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft after playing three seasons at Michigan State. In three NBA seasons, Tillman Sr. owns career averages of 6.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 227 career games (58 starts).