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Cavaliers Waive Seven Players

October 21st, 2023 at 5:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers have released seven players, including three who were just signed, according to the NBA.com transactions log.

Point guard Sharife Cooper, forward Pete Nance, guard Justin Powell and swingman Zhaire Smith all have Exhibit 10 contracts, so they’re likely headed to the Cleveland Charge, the organization’s G League affiliate. They can earn bonuses of up to $75K if they spend at least 60 days with the team.

Also placed on waivers were shooting guard Rob Edwards, small forward Aleem Ford and guard Devontae Shuler, who hadn’t been listed on the Cavs’ roster prior to today. They were likely all signed and waived with Exhibit 10 deals and will be eligible for the same $75K bonus.

Two of the players have brief NBA experience, as Edwards played two games for the Thunder and Ford appeared in five games with the Magic, both during the 2021/22 season.

The moves leave Cleveland with 12 fully guaranteed salaries and all three of its two-way slots filled. Veteran center Tristan Thompson and shooting guard Sam Merrill remain with the team on non-guaranteed deals.

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Cavaliers Sign Justin Powell

September 13th, 2023 at 6:59am CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 13: Powell’s deal with the Cavaliers is official, according to the transaction log at RealGM.com.

SEPTEMBER 12: The Cavaliers have agreed to sign undrafted rookie free agent Justin Powell, agent George Langberg tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Powell played for Auburn as a freshman, Tennessee as a sophomore, and Washington State as a junior before declaring for the NBA draft as an early entrant this spring. The 6’6″ wing was a full-time starter for the Cougars last season, averaging 10.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 33.8 minutes per contest (34 games), with a shooting line of .408/.379/.811.

After going undrafted, Powell suited up for the Heat‘s Summer League team in Sacramento and Las Vegas. A June report indicated that he had agreed to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with Miami, but it appears that agreement either fell through or was reported erroneously.

While Scotto’s report today doesn’t include any additional details on Powell’s deal with Cleveland, it seems likely end up signing an Exhibit 10 contract. That would put him on track to earn a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived before the regular season and then spends at least 60 days with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate.

The Cavaliers currently have four open spots on their 21-man offseason roster, so no one would need to be cut to make room for Powell.

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Heat To Sign Justin Powell To Exhibit 10 Contract

June 23rd, 2023 at 10:53am CST by Rory Maher

The Heat plan to sign Washington State guard Justin Powell to an Exhibit 10 contract, a source tells Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers.com (Twitter link).

Powell, who is ranked No. 21 on ESPN’s best available undrafted players list, had stints with Auburn and Tennessee before finishing out his college career with Washington State. As a junior for the Cougars in 2022/23, he averaged 10.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 2.8 APG while shooting 42.6% from three-point range in 34 games (33.8 MPG).

Powell’s Exhibit 10 deal should give him an opportunity to suit up for the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, as a rookie in ’23/24. He could earn a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived by the Heat and then spends up to 60 days with the Skyforce. Powell’s Exhibit 10 deal could also be converted into a two-way contract if Miami decides it wants to keep him on the NBA roster.

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Draft Notes: Wembanyama, Coulibaly, Lewis, Clowney

June 18th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Although Victor Wembanyama may be the best NBA draft prospect in 20 years, the Spurs understand that his body type carries a certain amount of injury risk, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. McDonald notes that foot injuries have interrupted or even ended the careers of numerous big men, such as Bill Walton, Yao Ming, Arvydas Sabonis and Greg Oden. The latest example is Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, who suffered a foot fracture in an exhibition game last summer that forced him to miss his entire first season.

Wembanyama possesses an agility that has rarely been seen in someone so tall, and he has a team of advisors who have created a specialized training regimen to help him avoid stress injuries. Their prescription includes an all-natural diet with five meals each day, along with 10 hours of sleep.

“When you talk about a generational talent, it often times goes beyond your ability to make a shot or your ability to jump or put the ball on the floor,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said. “As we’ve studied Victor, he’s very in depth with everything he does. It’s all those little details that go into becoming great.”

There’s more draft news to pass along:

  • Wembanyama is advocating for his French teammate, Bilal Coulibaly, to be selected in the lottery, relays NBA reporter Esfandiar Baraheni (Twitter link). “When I see the top 10 prospects announced at the draft, and for example the twins, Amen and Ausar Thompson, whose profile is similar to Bilal’s,” Wembanyama said, “I tell myself, very factually, that if these players are announced in the first five picks while playing in a league, Overtime Elite, whose level is light years away from what we experience here, then Bilal must be at least a top five.”
  • Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis, who worked out for the Trail Blazers on Thursday, views himself as a definite first-round pick, per Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. “In my opinion, after just being in this environment, I feel like I’m a top-20 guy,” Lewis said. “We’ll see. Sky’s the limit.”
  • Alabama’s Noah Clowney is the 20th player to receive a Green Room invitation for draft night, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).
  • Washington State guard Justin Powell has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Rockets and Nets, tweets Adam Zagoria of NJ.com.
  • The Hornets are hosting six players on Sunday for a pre-draft workout (Twitter link). They are Kam’Ron Blue of Coppin State, GG Jackson of South Carolina, Terry Roberts of Georgia, Vincent Valerio-Bodon of Sopron KC, Jalen Wilson of Kansas and Isaiah Wong of Miami.
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Draft Notes: Ausar Thompson, Nnaji, Hornets, Hawks, Wizards

June 17th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ausar Thompson pulled out of a scheduled workout with the Pacers on Friday, according to an Indianapolis Star story. No official reason was given, but it’s possible that the Overtime Elite star has received information that he’s likely to be selected before Indiana picks at No. 7. The article also suggests that Thompson may prefer to be drafted by a team picking later in the lottery.

The canceled workout doesn’t mean the Pacers wouldn’t consider Thompson if he’s still on the board, as he would provide a defensive boost to a team that ranked 29th in that category this season. The Star story notes that president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard is looking for a player with a “high ceiling” in the draft, and Thompson appears to fit that description.

Indiana holds five picks and has brought in more than 60 players during the pre-draft process. Most have been in group sessions, but projected lottery picks such as Thompson have been given individual workouts. The Pacers have already hosted Villanova’s Cam Whitmore, Houston’s Jarace Walker, Central Florida’s Taylor Hendricks and Kansas’ Gradey Dick.

There’s more on the draft:

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Eastern Notes: Hornets, Hawks, Nets, Knicks, Embiid

June 4th, 2023 at 8:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Adama Sanogo, the starting center on UConn’s national championship team, and Julian Strawther of Gonzaga were among the six draft prospects who worked out for the Hornets on Sunday, the team’s PR department tweets. Memphis’ Kendric Davis, Kent State’s Sincere Carry, Butler’s Manny Bates and Marquette Olivier-Maxence Prosper joined that duo. The latter is currently ranked No. 29 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

  • Alabama center Charles Bediako and Gonzaga big man Drew Timme are among the six draft prospects who will visit the Hawks on Monday, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets. They’ll be joined by Miami’s Jordan Miller, Virginia’s Kihei Clark, DePaul’s Javan Johnson and Washington State’s Justin Powell.
  • Nets GM Sean Marks has a history of making aggressive moves either leading up to the draft or on draft night, Brian Lewis of the New York Post notes. Brooklyn has back-to-back picks in the first round at No. 21 and 22. If Marks decides to keep them, South Carolina freshman G.G. Jackson, G League Ignite’s Leonard Miller and Frenchman Bilal Coulibaly could be among the players who will get serious consideration.
  • The Knicks are crossing their fingers that the Sixers will eventually implode and Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid will look to be dealt, Tim MacMahon of ESPN said on The Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to the New York Post’s Bridget Reilly). “They’re not hoping for patience, they’re hoping for The Process. I don’t know if that’s coming, but they’ve looked at that situation in Philly and there’s been a hope in New York that stuff in Philly will go haywire to the point where Embiid will ask out,” MacMahon said. “I don’t know the percentage odds on that, I would say they are slim, but that’s been the hope.”
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Draft Notes: Mocks, B. Miller, Thompson Twins, J. Powell

June 2nd, 2023 at 7:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Following the NCAA’s early entrant withdrawal deadline Wednesday night, Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com updated his top-100 prospects list, adding 17 players based on who remains eligible.

Three players at three different positions — Duke center Dereck Lively II, Metropolitans 92 wing Bilal Coulibaly, and Santa Clara guard Brandin Podziemski — have seen their stock go up over the past few months.

Lively, who was ranked No. 25 on ESPN’s list on May 20, is up to No. 12 overall and goes 14th overall in Givony’s updated 2023 mock draft with Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link). Lively is picked 12th overall in Jonathan Wasserman’s latest mock for Bleacher Report.

A former top high school recruit, Lively had a very narrow offensive role for the Blue Devils, attempting just 3.4 field goals (65.8 FG%) per game and averaging 5.2 points in 34 contests (27 starts, 20.6 minutes). However, he’s an active 7’1″ center who averaged 2.4 blocks as well, making him one of the top rim protectors in a class without many true big men beyond Victor Wembanyama. Lively also impressed during his pro day, per ESPN and Bleacher Report.

Coulibaly is Wembanyama’s teammate with French club Metropolitans 92, and he’s one of the youngest early entrants. Coulibaly, who turns 19 in late July, is considered a strong athlete who has two-way potential, according to Wasserman, who says there are rumors the guard/forward might have a lottery promise, with teams in the late lottery showing interest (he has Coulibaly going 13th to the Raptors).

Coulibaly’s range might be a bit wider than that though — he goes 21st in ESPN’s mock and is ranked No. 22 on their board. Woo writes that Coulibaly has shown flashes, but it’s a small sample size and he has improved his stock by helping the team win in France’s LNB Pro A, as opposed to private and public workouts for college prospects. Coulibaly was No. 26 on ESPN’s list when he declared as an early entrant in April, so he has improved either way.

Lastly, Podziemski was No. 39 on ESPN when he declared in late March (No. 20 at Bleacher Report). He’s up to No. 27 overall at ESPN now thanks to a strong combine appearance, while Wasserman reports that the Rockets (No. 20) like the combo guard’s “creativity, shot-making and playmaking.” Wasserman says Podziemski could go as early as the late teens.

Here are a few more draft notes:

  • Sources tell Wasserman that some members of the Hornets‘ front office view Brandon Miller as a “star wing.” That’s not exactly surprising, as he’s No. 2 prospect on both mock drafts now, but noteworthy that he goes before Scoot Henderson (No. 3).
  • Wasserman has also heard from sources who say Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson, twin brothers from Overtime Elite, are both getting “heavy consideration” from the Rockets at No. 4. Although both Wasserman and Woo have Amen going to Houston, Woo notes that with rumors of James Harden possibly returning to the Rockets, it might not make sense for them to draft another guard.
  • Washtington State guard Justin Powell has had workouts with the Knicks and Thunder, and has upcoming workouts with the Bulls, Cavaliers, Sixers and Hawks, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. Zagoria previously reported Powell had worked out for four other teams.
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NCAA’s Draft Withdrawal Deadline For Early Entrants Has Passed

June 1st, 2023 at 7:56am CST by Luke Adams

Now that we’ve flipped the calendar from May to June, the deadline for early entrants to withdraw their names from the 2023 NBA draft and retain their NCAA eligibility has passed. Prospects had until 11:59 pm Eastern time on May 31 to make their decisions and meet the NCAA’s deadline.

The NBA’s own draft withdrawal deadline isn’t until June 12, but college players typically make their decisions in advance of the NCAA’s deadline so that they’re able to return to school.

[RELATED: 2023 NBA Draft Dates, Deadlines To Watch]

We passed along many last-minute draft decisions on Wednesday, but a few slipped through the cracks or weren’t reported until this morning. Most notably, Ohio State’s Brice Sensabaugh, a projected first-round pick, opted to keep his name in the draft as expected, per Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch.

Washington State’s Justin Powell, TCU’s Damion Baugh, and Demetrius Mims of Gannon University will also remain in the 2023 draft, according to reports from Jonathan Givony of ESPN, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, and Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com (all Twitter links).

Here are some of the players who decided to opt out of the draft:

Our early entrant tracker has been updated to reflect the latest reports and announcements. However, we’re still awaiting clarity on a number of players, and it’s worth stressing that our list is very unofficial.

The NBA won’t issue a full, final list of early entrants in the 2023 draft until after the June 12 withdrawal deadline. But last year the league provided an update following the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, so we could get a similar announcement on Thursday or Friday.

By our count, at least 100 of the 242 players who initially declared for the draft as early entrants have pulled out.

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Draft Notes: Tshiebwe, Kings, Powell, Domask, Kaluma

May 10th, 2023 at 11:11pm CST by Rory Maher

The Kings hosted a pre-draft workout on Wednesday featuring six prospects, including Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe, a league source tells James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com (Twitter link). The other five players aren’t yet known.

Tshiebwe was named AP Player of the Year in 2021/22 for the Wildcats and followed that up with a spot on the All-America Second Team in ’22/23 after averaging 16.5 points, 13.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.0 block in 32 games (33.6 minutes). He is expected to attend the draft combine next week.

Sacramento controls the 24th, 38th (or 37th, if Washington picks ahead of Indiana in the lottery) and 54th picks in the 2023 NBA draft. Tshiebwe is currently ranked No. 66 on ESPN’s big board as he tests the draft waters while maintaining his final year of college eligibility.

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

  • Junior guard Justin Powell, who has played for three college teams – most recently Washington State this past season – has worked out for the Warriors, Celtics, Jazz and Mavericks, reports Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (via Twitter). Powell has converted an impressive 41.9% of his three-point looks during his college career. Like Tshiebwe, he’s testing the draft waters.
  • Forward Marcus Domask has withdrawn from the draft, he tells Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). After a standout four-year career at Southern Illinois, Domask will be transferring to Illinois for his fifth and final season, per Rothstein.
  • Creighton sophomore Arthur Kaluma, another combine invitee, is focused on staying in the draft, but he plans to transfer if he returns to college for his junior year, a source tells John Fanta of Fox Sports (Twitter links). Kaluma confirmed the news. “I am thankful for the chance to participate in the draft process and showcase my skills in front of various NBA teams,” Kaluma said, per Fanta. “After taking part in the NBA Combine and my agency’s Pro Day, I will discuss the feedback I’ve received with my family and advisors. Ultimately, I will decide whether to remain in the Draft or return to college based on what’s best for my career long-term. I want to express my gratitude to Coach McDermott and the entire Creighton community for two amazing years in Omaha.” The forward is currently No. 90 on ESPN’s board.
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Draft Notes: Hawkins, Shead, Lawrence, Sharavjamts, Powell, Mitchell

March 28th, 2023 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Illinois power forward Coleman Hawkins will enter the 2023 NBA draft while maintaining his remaining NCAA eligibility, he tells Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today.

Hawkins is currently the No. 49 prospect on ESPN’s big board, so he’s a good candidate to be drafted if he doesn’t return to school. However, he’s undecided about going pro, telling Rothstein that he likes the idea of contending for an NCAA championship.

“I want to be on a roster that has a chance to do something big — win a national title,” Hawkins said. “I hope if I do come back that we will have a more veteran team and a chance of being a really great team.”

Hawkins became a full-time starter in his junior season, averaging 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 32.5 minutes per contest (33 games).

Here are a few more draft-related updates:

  • Houston guard Jamal Shead will test the NBA draft waters, he tells Jon Chepkevich of Rookie Scale (Twitter link). Shead averaged 10.5 PPG, 5.4 APG, and 3.0 RPG in 37 games (32.6 MPG) as the Cougars’ starting point guard in his junior year. His shooting percentages (.415 FG%, .310 3PT%) weren’t strong, but they did represent an improvement on his numbers as a sophomore. He was also the AAC’s Defensive Player of the Year, as Chepkevich notes.
  • Vanderbilt junior guard Tyrin Lawrence announced (via Twitter) that he’ll enter the draft while maintaining his college eligibility. Lawrence was Vanderbilt’s second-leading scorer in 2022/23, averaging 13.1 PPG on .502/.360/.743 shooting.
  • Freshman forward Mike Sharavjamts won’t return to Dayton, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). Sharavjamts could change schools via the NCAA’s transfer portal, but for now he’s focusing on professional opportunities and has signed with NCAA-certified agent Scott Nichols, according to Givony.
  • Givony also reports (via Twitter) that Washington State junior guard Justin Powell will enter the draft while maintaining his NCAA eligibility. Powell has already played for three college programs, having been with Auburn as a freshman and Tennessee as a sophomore. He knocked down an impressive 42.6% of his three-pointers in 2022/23.
  • Kansas City senior guard Rayquawndis Mitchell will test the draft waters, he announced on Twitter. Mitchell made the All-Summit team this spring by averaging 17.3 PPG in 32 games (35.5 MPG), though he shot just 34.5% from the floor.
  • In the introduction of his latest mock draft, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic writes that NBA teams are “all over the map” on many of the players in this year’s class, making the draft difficult to forecast, especially beyond the top 11 or so players. NBA teams are eager to see many top NCAA prospects in workouts and interviews to better assess them, Vecenie adds.
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