Kyle Collinsworth

Kyle Collinsworth, Juwan Morgan Waived By Jazz

The Jazz have waived Kyle Collinsworth and Juwan Morgan, according to a tweet from the team.

Collinsworth spent last year with Raptors 905 of the G League. He has NBA experience with the Mavericks, getting into 32 games during the 2017/18 season.

Morgan is a rookie who signed an Exhibit 10 contract after going undrafted out of Indiana. He appeared in two preseason games, averaging 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds.

Jazz Sign Kyle Collinsworth, Waive Trevon Bluiett

The Jazz have signed free agent small forward Kyle Collinsworth, according to a team press release. The team has waived camp invitee Trevon Bluiett to accomodate the signing.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed but it’s likely a non-guaranteed contract. Collinsworth spent last season with the Raptors 905 of the G League.

The Utah native saw NBA action with the Mavs back in the 2017/18 season, appearing in 32 contests. During his stint in Dallas, he also played for the team’s G League affiliate, the Texas Legends.

G League Notes: Moreland, Select Contracts, Harrison, Draft

Several NBA teams secured returning rights for players who were in camp with them but failed to make the 15-man roster. Raptors 905 acquired center Eric Moreland from the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s affiliate, for forward Kyle Wiltjer, according to a G League release. The Raptors waived Moreland a week ago. Raptors 905 pulled off a similar deal with the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ affiliate, to acquire guard Kyle Collinsworth, who was waived at the same time as Moreland. Texas acquired the returning player rights to forwards C.J. Leslie and Kennedy Meeks, according to a G League release. The Delaware Blue Coats, the 76ers’ affiliate, gained the returning player rights of forward Cory Jefferson in a three-team swap with the Agua Caliente Clippers and the Legends, according to another G League post. The Sixers waived Jefferson on October 13th.

We have more from the G League:

  • The league is putting together a “working group” that will determine which players are eligible for select contracts, G League president Malcolm Turner said in a Q&A session posting on the league’s website. “That group will be charged with identifying appropriate, eligible, elite talent, not only in terms of on-court performance and potential, but also in terms overall readiness for the G League. In addition to identification, that working group will really help us monitor the rollout and execution of this professional path … that working group will be charged with developing its own framework and lens for eligible players.” Beginning next year, the G League will offer “select contracts” worth $125K to top prospects who are at least 18 years old but aren’t yet eligible for the NBA draft.
  • Numerous NBA and G league executives, coaches, agents and players feel the select contract concept is intriguing, but there is widespread skepticism how much appeal the program will have to top-level prospects and how it will be implemented. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic takes a deep dive into the topic in a lengthy analysis piece.
  • The Arizona Suns traded away the returning player rights of Shaquille Harrison to the Memphis Hustle in a deal involving four players and a draft pick, according to another G League release. Harrison was the odd man out in the Suns’ point guard competition, as he was waived early this week. It was still somewhat surprising they traded away his rights. The Grizzlies gave themselves a little extra depth at the G League level as protection against another Mike Conley injury.
  • NBA veterans such as Willie Reed, Hakim Warrick, DeJuan Blair, and Arnett Moultrie could be among the higher selections in the annual G League draft, which takes place on Saturday, Adam Johnson of 2Ways10Days.com reports. The Salt Lake City Stars own the top pick.

Raptors Waive Four, Convert Boucher To Two-Way Deal

The Raptors appear to have set their roster for the regular season, announcing today in a pair of press releases that they’ve waived four players from their roster and converted Chris Boucher‘s Exhibit 10 deal into a two-way contract. The club now has 16 players under contract, including a pair on two-way deals.

According to the club, forward Deng Adel, center Eric Moreland, and guards Kyle Collinsworth and Kay Felder were all released today. Boucher presumably beat out Moreland for Toronto’s second two-way contract slot, since the team wanted to keep an extra big man. Guard Jordan Loyd currently holds the other two-way deal for the Raptors.

Boucher, a Montreal native, spent last season with Golden State on a two-way contract. He appeared in just one game for the NBA squad, but posted 11.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 2.2 BPG in 20 games for Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League.

If they don’t make any other roster moves before Monday’s deadline, the Raptors will enter the season with an open spot on their 15-man roster. That comes as no surprise, since carrying a 15th player to start the year would increase Toronto’s projected tax bill and reduce the club’s flexibility.

Adel, Moreland, Collinsworth, and Felder will all clear waivers and become free agents on Sunday, assuming they go unclaimed.

Raptors Sign Kyle Collinsworth

SEPTEMBER 14: The signing is official, according to RealGM transactions log.

SEPTEMBER 11: The Raptors will sign Kyle Collinsworth, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link). The pact will only be partially-guaranteed.

The addition of Collinsworth brings Toronto’s training camp roster to 18, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. The team has the ability to add two more players.

Collinsworth played 32 games for the Mavericks last season, seeing 15.0 minutes per contest. He scored just 3.2 points per game while struggling from behind the arc, just four of 17 shots from downtown.

Mavericks Release Guard Kyle Collinsworth

The Mavericks have released guard Kyle Collinsworth, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets.

Collinsworth had two non-guaranteed years remaining on his contract. He was due to make $1,378,242 if he had stayed on the roster through January 10th. The first $100K of the contract would have guaranteed had he remained on the roster through Friday.

Collinsworth, who is on Dallas’ summer league team, appeared in 32 games last season. He averaged 3.2 PPG and 1.8 APG in 15.0 MPG.

The draft-night trade for Luka Doncic made Collinsworth expendable. The Mavs also have Dennis Smith Jr. and J.J. Barea as options at point guard.

Mavericks Notes: New CEO, Smith Jr., Noel, Collinsworth

The Mavericks will hold a press conference Monday to introduce Cynthia Marshall as their interim CEO, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. The former AT&T executive is being hired to clean up the franchise in the wake of sexual assault and domestic violence allegations that emerged this week.

Marshall served as vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer for the communications company. She was selected as one of the 50 most powerful women in corporate America in 2015 by Black Enterprise magazine.

There’s more news tonight out of Dallas:

  • For the first time since he started playing basketball, Dennis Smith Jr. is being asked to handle a position other than point guard, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Coach Rick Carlisle has shifted Smith to shooting guard in the starting lineup to make room for J.J. Barea, and the rookie’s numbers have declined in the two games since the move. “He’s learning a lot,” said Carlisle, who sees long-term benefits from Smith understanding the position. “And in this league, often times the most growth comes from the greatest struggles. He’s got to go through some of these things. But it’s tough right now. It’s tough for the whole team. That’s where we are. I thought he gave good effort.”
  • Backup center Nerlens Noel expects a larger dose of playing time when he returns from thumb surgery, according to The Dallas Morning News. During a recent appearance on Kevin Hart’s YouTube show, Noel responded, “I’m expecting to get a lot of games,” when asked what Mavericks owner Mark Cuban could give him that he didn’t get in Philadelphia. Noel dropped out of Dallas’ rotation early in the season, then suffered a thumb injury in a November 22 game. He could return as early as Monday.
  • Rookie forward Kyle Collinsworth tells Ryan McDonald of The Deseret News he never lost faith that he could reach the NBA. Undrafted out of BYU, Collinsworth spent a season in the G League before signing a two-way contract with the Mavericks, then earning a multiyear deal earlier this month. “It’s been a roller coaster, but I think the biggest thing I’ve been able to do is believe,” he said. “Believe when things were good, believe when things were bad. Never lost my belief, never lost my goal, and I just kept working and kept believing. I stayed consistent with my routine, with all the little things that I do that I believe give me an edge to be here. I just kept at it.”

Mavericks Sign Kyle Collinsworth To Three-Year Deal

The Mavericks have agreed to a multi-year deal with guard Kyle Collinsworth, the team announced in a press release. Shams Charania of The Vertical first tweeted that both sides were close to a three-year deal with the remainder of the 2017/18 season guaranteed. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News tweets that while the remainder of 2017/18 is guaranteed, the other two years are not.

Collinsworth, 26, has appeared in 11 games with the Mavericks this season, averaging  2.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.8 APG and 10.5 minutes per contest. The BYU product went undrafted in 2016 and did not make his NBA debut until this season when he inked a two-way deal with the Mavericks in mid-December.

Collinsworth was waived on January 10 but inked a pair of 10-day deals to stay with the Mavericks. With Seth Curry undergoing season-ending surgery, there should be opportunities for Collinsworth to receive playing time for the remainder of the season.

Mavs Notes: Trade Talks, Collinsworth, Nowitzki

While plenty could change betwen now and Thursday, the Mavericks aren’t close to any deals at this point, a source tells Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. According to Sefko, if Dallas does get a trade done this week, it seems likely to happen at “the 11th hour.”

The Mavericks are keeping an eye out for deals that would allow them to add draft picks or promising young players, and are willing to take on some salary if necessary. However, as Sefko observes, the club clearly hasn’t received any offers it likes for Wesley Matthews or the team’s various expiring contracts. For his part, head coach Rick Carlisle doesn’t think the Mavs will do anything, though Sefko notes that’s what Carlisle always says.

“Every year, there’s a lot of talk and normally not a lot of activity,” Carlisle said. “I understand the interest in it. And it gets the wheel turning and you have pop-ups on your phone and speculation and I understand the importance of the interest. But the reality is there is a lot less bite than bark when it comes down to it.”

For what it’s worth, the Mavs acquired Nerlens Noel at last season’s deadline, but didn’t complete a February trade in any of the three years before that. Here’s more on the Mavs:

  • Although Carlisle doesn’t expect the Mavs to make a deadline deal, he did confirm that the team is keeping an open roster spot this week for added flexibility in the event of a trade. If that opening isn’t filled by Thursday’s deadline, Kyle Collinsworth is a candidate to return to the squad. Sefko has the details.
  • Allegiance and loyalty are important aspects of the Mavs’ culture, which can complicate matters as the club considers whether to trade veterans like J.J. Barea and Devin Harris, as Sefko writes for The Dallas Morning News. “To me, loyalty is being respectful of players, being honest with them — knowing that we will be there to provide help and support long after their careers are over,” owner Mark Cuban said. “As the Mavs rebuild, the decision process isn’t just about talent. It’s about culture, chemistry, effort and who the player is off the court and in the community. All are of huge importance to [the management team].”
  • Dirk Nowitzki, who is in his 20th season with the Mavericks, isn’t playing the minutes or putting up the numbers he was in his prime. But Nowitzki is comfortable with his current role, helping the team work through its rebuilding process and transitioning to its next era, writes Schuyler Dixon of The Associated Press.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 2/1/18

Here are Thursday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

  • Glenn Robinson III continues to work his way back from left ankle surgery, heading on a G League assignment today to play for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers announced in a press release. Robinson played 27 minutes in the day game, picking up 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Rookie Ike Anigbogu joined GRIII on the G League assignment.
  • The Mavericks have assigned Kyle Collinsworth to the G League, per a team release. Collinsworth, who will play for the Texas Legends on Friday, will see his second 10-day contract with the Mavs expire this weekend. Per Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News, the swingman could re-sign with the NBA club after the trade deadline.
  • After racking up 32 points and nailing seven three-pointers for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Wednesday, Troy Williams has been recalled to the NBA by the Rockets, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
  • The Hawks have sent Tyler Cavanaugh to the G League, according to a press release from the team. If Cavanaugh’s assignment lasts at least through Friday night, he’ll be able to suit up for the Erie BayHawks tomorrow against Long Island.
  • With San Antonio’s affiliate in action tonight, the Spurs have sent Derrick White to the G League, according to a team release. The Austin Spurs have a 9-2 record in games White has played.
  • Rookie center Ante Zizic is headed back to the Canton Charge on an assignment, the Cavaliers announced today in a press release. This will be the ninth G League assignment of the season for Zizic, who has bounced back and forth between Cleveland and Canton all year.
  • The Warriors have recalled Damian Jones from their G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the team announced in a press release. Jones has started all 33 gamed for Santa Cruz and has made just one appearance with the NBA squad.