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Markquis Nowell

Raptors Sign Gueye To Two-Way Deal, Waive Nowell

March 4th, 2024 at 1:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

1:40pm: The Raptors have officially signed Gueye to a two-way deal. To create roster space, they waived Nowell.

11:02am: G League forward Mouhamadou Gueye will return to the Raptors on a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Gueye, 25, signed a 10-day deal with the team last month and appeared in one game. He was also in training camp on an Exhibit 10 contract, but was waived before the start of the season.

Gueye has been playing for the Raptors 905, where he’s averaging 14.0 points and 8.7 rebounds in 21 regular season games. This is his second season in the G League after spending last year with the Texas Legends.

After signing D.J. Carton to a two-way deal over the weekend, the Raptors have all three of their two-way slots filled, so another move will have to be made before Gueye’s contract can become official. Markquis Nowell and Jontay Porter are also on two-way contracts and Toronto has an open roster spot, so one of them could be converted to a standard deal.

This is the last day of the season that players can be signed to two-way contracts, so any move will have to be finalized today.

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NBA G League Announces Up Next Participants

January 29th, 2024 at 1:40pm CST by Rory Maher

A pool of 28 players has been selected for the NBA G League’s Up Next Game at All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, the NBAGL announced in a press release.

According to the release, the event features “four teams of seven players competing in two semifinal games. The winner of each semifinal will face off in a Championship game.

“The teams will be made up of 28 NBA G League players, including 10 selected by a fan vote. The remaining 18 players will be selected by the NBA G League and will include eight members of NBA G League Ignite and at least one member of the Indiana Mad Ants, the G League affiliate of the All-Star hosting Indiana Pacers. Each team will be coached by a head coach from the NBA G League.”

Players marked with an asterisk (*) are on two-way contracts.

Fan vote:

Former Kentucky guard Hagans received the most votes.

NBAGL selections:

G League Ignite:

They aren’t currently on NBA teams, but it’s worth noting that Labissiere and Bazley are ineligible for two-way deals because they each hold four years of NBA experience. Weatherspoon (three years), Hagans (one) and Williams (one) also hold at least some NBA experience.

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Atlantic Notes: DiVincenzo, Sims, Nowell, Reed

July 16th, 2023 at 2:26pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Warriors superstar point guard Stephen Curry praised the Knicks’ free agent signing of former Golden State shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.

“He knows how to play the game,” Curry said. “You can tell he won at the highest level in college. The Knicks got a good one and I’m happy that he got his fair share of that CBA, too. So it was good.”

DiVincenzo joined the Knicks earlier this month on a four-year, $47MM contract that far exceeded what the Warriors were able to offer him. Across his 72 healthy regular season contests with Golden State last season, the 6’4″ wing averaged 9.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 3.5 APG.

“He’s all about basketball, he’s all about winning,” Curry said. “He’s good on both sides of the ball. He can play-make better than most people probably realize. So he fills a lot of holes on teams. And he’s not selfish in the respect of — I know he wants to start and be that guy, but he also understands where the value can be created on a team no matter what role you’re asked to do. And he bought in right away. And he got rewarded for it.”

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Knicks reserve center Jericho Sims will not be cut by the team prior to today’s salary guarantee deadline, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. The $600K partial guarantee on Sims’ contract for 2023/24 will increase to $1.2MM after today; his full minimum-salary deal will become guaranteed if he remains under contract through August 20, which should be a lock.
  • Raptors rookie two-way guard Markquis Nowell is striving to become the latest undersized guard to succeed in Toronto, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. As Smith notes, the 5’8″ Nowell is looking to former shorter-statured Toronto guards Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry, Muggsy Bogues and Damon Stoudamire for inspiration on his NBA journey. “They’re (people) I studied growing up, knowing that I wasn’t going to be a bigger guard,” he said of the likes of ex-Raptors Stoudamire and Bogues. “I kind of had to study them, study how they stood in the league, how they impacted the game at this level. Anyone I can learn from, I do.”
  • Newly re-signed Sixers backup center Paul Reed took to The John Kincade Show on Philadelphia’s 97.5 FM The Fanatic to discuss his restricted free agency and eventual return to the club. The 6’9″ big man inked a three-year, $23MM offer sheet with the Jazz, which the Sixers opted to match. “I’m glad they [were] able to match the offer,” Reed said (hat tip to Ky Carlin of USA Today for the transcription). “The goal this offseason is to keep developing and keep finding ways to get better. I know I got an opportunity this year to play a little 4. Especially, with [new head coach] Nick Nurse. Just working on stretching the floor, driving out the corners, just little things like that.”
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Markquis Nowell Joins Raptors On Two-Way Deal

June 22nd, 2023 at 11:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 3: The Raptors have officially signed Nowell to a two-way contract, according to the transaction log at NBA.com.

JUNE 22: Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell, one of the stars of this year’s NCAA Tournament, has agreed to a two-way contract with the Raptors, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Nowell sparked the Wildcats to the Elite Eight and set a tournament record for assists in a game with 19. The 23-year-old spent five seasons in college and averaged 17.6 points and 8.3 assists per game as a senior.

Nowell was a first-team All-Big 12 selection this season and was named to the conference’s All-Defensive Team as well.

Toronto’s current two-way slots belong to point guard Jeff Dowtin and power forward Ron Harper Jr.

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Southeast Draft Notes: Miller, Hornets, Council, Smith

June 12th, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hornets hold the No. 2 pick and Alabama forward Brandon Miller will work out for them on Tuesday, Ashley Stroehlein of WCNC tweets. Miller and G League guard Scoot Henderson are the top contenders to be chosen at the No. 2 spot. It was previously reported that Miller was scheduled to work out for Charlotte on Tuesday and the plans obviously didn’t change. In fact, he has already arrived in Charlotte.

We have more draft-related news from the Southeast Division:

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Draft Notes: Walker, Pacers, Bates, Pistons

June 7th, 2023 at 10:11pm CST by Rory Maher

Houston’s Jarace Walker is a projected top-10 pick, currently ranked No. 7 on ESPN’s big board. As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files writes, Walker’s workout on Wednesday with the Pacers, who control the No. 7 overall pick, was actually his first with an NBA team, but he has upcoming workouts with the Pistons (No. 5) and Jazz (No. 9).

A strong, long-armed forward who is viewed as one of the best defenders in the draft, Walker could fill an immediate need for Indiana at the four if he’s available on draft night, Agness notes. The Pacers are reportedly searching for a starting power forward and need help defensively.

“I think my biggest asset is my defense, just my versatility there,” Walker said, stressing that he wants to show that he’s more than a good defender. “That’s what people focus on, but there’s so many other things on the floor that I can do.”

The 19-year-old cited Luguentz Dort and Jrue Holiday as a couple of burly defenders he looks up to, according to Agness.

Here are a few more notes on the 2023 NBA draft, which will take place June 22:

  • The Pacers have been extremely busy hosting prospects for workouts, and that will continue on Thursday, Agness tweets. Tyger Campbell (UCLA), Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite), Markquis Nowell (Kansas State), Ben Sheppard (Belmont), Hunter Tyson (Clemson) and Jalen Wilson (Kansas) will be the six participants. Sheppard is currently the highest-rated of the group on ESPN’s list, coming in at No. 37. In addition to No. 7, Indiana also controls the Nos. 26, 29, 32 and 55 picks
  • Eastern Michigan wing Emoni Bates has had a busy schedule leading up to the draft, reportedly working out for nearly half the league already. A source tells Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link) that Bates will be visiting the Bucks on Friday. He’s currently No. 51 on ESPN’s board.
  • While much ink has (understandably) been spilled about what the Pistons might do at No. 5, they control the 31st pick in the draft as well. Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link) examines six 3-and-D wings who might be available with the second-rounder, including Xavier’s Colby Jones (No. 28 on ESPN’s board) UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez (No. 30), and Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis (No. 32).
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Draft Notes: Henderson, Sheppard, Wizards, Hornets, Magic, Warriors

June 3rd, 2023 at 9:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

With Scoot Henderson ranked second or third in nearly every mock draft, the G League Ignite star only plans two workouts during the pre-draft process, tweets Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report.

Henderson was in Portland on Saturday to show off the skills that have made him one of the most talked-about prospects in this year’s class. The Trail Blazers hold the third pick and appear to be the most likely destination for Henderson if speculation about Brandon Miller going to Charlotte at No. 2 is correct. There’s been plenty of conjecture that Portland may trade the pick for veteran help, but some sources believe the team would be comfortable adding another young player.

Henderson hasn’t scheduled a session with the Hornets yet, but he told Casey Holdahl of NBA.com that he expects to work out for them at some point before the June 22 draft. He also talked about what he’ll bring to the team that selects him.

“You always want a guy like me, that dog mentality,” Henderson said. “Just my personality, the culture I bring to the locker room. I’m a great leader, I’ll tell what’s up and I can do everything on the floor. I can do everything on the floor. I’m going to go out there and give my 110 percent every day. And that’s the thing about me: I’m very consistent in effort. Even if it’s not there, I just try to even it out the next game, try to get right to it. Give it a 120 if I didn’t give it 110 the last game.”

There’s more draft news to pass along:

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Draft Workouts: S. Henderson, Blazers, Howard, Nowell, Roberts

June 3rd, 2023 at 2:37pm CST by Rory Maher

The Trail Blazers, who control the No. 3 overall pick, are holding a pre-draft workout Saturday with G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, a projected top-three pick, tweets Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report.

Henderson has said in the past he thinks he’d be a good fit alongside Damian Lillard and he reiterated that again today, according to Aaron J. Fentress of The Oregonian (Twitter link).

Recent mocks have Henderson, who was a candidate for No. 1 overall at one point before Victor Wembanyama went to a different level this season, going No. 3 to Portland, with Alabama’s Brandon Miller going to Charlotte at No. 2.

Highkin recently said he thought the Blazers would trade their pick for an established star player, mentioning Jaylen Brown and Pascal Siakam.

Here are a few more 2023 NBA draft-related notes ahead of June 22:

  • Michigan wing Jett Howard will work out for the Magic Saturday, per Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire (Twitter link). The Magic control the Nos. 6, 11 and 36 picks in the draft, while Howard is currently ranked No. 17 on ESPN’s big board. The son of Juwan Howard, Jett is thought to be one of the better shooters in the draft.
  • Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell has workouts lined up with the Mavericks, Pacers, Suns and Clippers. He also worked out for the Jazz and Wizards the past couple days, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). The 5’8″ Nowell had a memorable performance in the NCAA tournament for the Wildcats, averaging 23.5 points, 13.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 steals on .446/.419/.920 shooting in four games (40.0 MPG) en route to the Elite Eight.
  • Georgia guard Terry Roberts worked out for the Nets this week and had a previous workout with the Rockets, a league source tells Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link). Roberts had previous experience with Florida SouthWestern State College and Bradley before playing for the Bulldogs as a senior.
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50 Prospects Reportedly Invited To G League Elite Camp

May 5th, 2023 at 8:12am CST by Luke Adams

A total of 50 prospects for the 2023 NBA draft have been invited to the NBA’s G League Elite Camp, according to reports from Adam Zagoria of Forbes and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter links).

Those players are as follows:

The name of the G League Elite Camp is a bit of a misnomer — when first introduced, the event showcased NBAGL players, but the field of participants now consists exclusively of draft prospects. The event will take place on May 13 and 14 in Chicago, ahead of this year’s draft combine.

Like the combine, the Elite Camp brings young players to Chicago to meet NBA teams and participate in drills and scrimmages. While the combine focuses on the top prospects in a given draft class, the Elite Camp generally features prospects who are trying to break into that upper echelon of prospects but are more likely to go undrafted. The top performers at the event typically receive invites to the combine.

Of the 50 G League Elite Camp invitees, 15 show up on Jonathan Givony’s list of this year’s top 100 prospects at ESPN.com. However, no Elite Camp invitee ranks higher than No. 58 (Hart) on ESPN’s board.

The G League Elite Camp will give the invitees who declared for the draft as early entrants an opportunity to see where they stand ahead of the draft withdrawal deadline on May 31. Not all of the players who participate in this event will remain in the draft pool.

Some NBA players who have participated in past G League Elite Camps include Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, Pacers forward Oshae Brissett, Clippers guard Terance Mann, and Heat wing Max Strus.

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