Wiseman Among NBA Vets Representing U.S. In World Cup Qualifiers
USA Basketball has formally announced its 12-man roster for the next window of FIBA World Cup qualifying games, which will tip off later this month.
The following players will represent Team USA in games against the Dominican Republic on February 26 and Mexico on March 1 at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California:
- Tevian Jones, G
- Taevion Kinsey, G
- Brandon Knight, G
- Dakota Mathias, G
- Elfrid Payton, G
- Jaden Shackelford, G
- Malcolm Hill, F
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, F
- David Roddy, F
- Terry Taylor, F
- Jeremiah Tilmon, C
- James Wiseman, C
Knight, Shackelford, and Tilmon also played for Team USA in the fall during the first window of World Cup qualifying games. The U.S. team, which is being coached by former Rockets head coach Stephen Silas, won both of those matchups against Nicaragua and will take its 2-0 record and a new-look roster into these qualifiers.
Wiseman is the most notable addition to the 12-man squad. The former No. 2 overall pick has appeared in 152 NBA regular season games over the course of six seasons in the NBA and suited up for the Pacers earlier in 2025/26. Wiseman has been a free agent since he was released by Indiana on December 26.
Payton, Robinson-Earl, Roddy, and Taylor are among the other newcomers with recent NBA experience. Last season, Payton played for New Orleans and Charlotte, Roddy suited up for three different teams, and Taylor had a brief stint with the Kings. Robinson-Earl, like Wiseman, played for the Pacers earlier in ’25/26 and also made five appearances for the Mavericks on a 10-day contract last month.
This is the second of six windows of qualifying games for the 2027 FIBA World Cup, which will tip off on August 27, 2027. Team USA will also compete in qualifiers in July, Aug./Sept., and Nov./Dec., with the final qualifying window opening in Feb. 2027.
The actual World Cup roster is unlikely to feature any of the players in this 12-man group, since the U.S. typically sends a more star-studded squad to the event itself, which takes place during the NBA offseason. However, the qualifying games give some less-heralded players the opportunity to represent their home country and to help Team USA clinch its spot in the World Cup.
Terry Taylor Signs With Brisbane Bullets
Terry Taylor has agreed to a rest-of-season deal with the Brisbane Bullets of Australia’s National Basketball League, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (via Twitter).
Taylor played six scoreless minutes for the Kings last season, but spent the majority of the season with Sacramento’s G League affiliate, where he averaged 13.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
The 6’5″ forward went unselected in the 2021 draft and experienced success with the Pacers in his rookie year, averaging 9.6 points and 5.2 rebounds over 33 games. He appeared in 31 contests for Indiana and Chicago in 2022/23, then spent the following season with the Bulls before his brief stint with Sacramento on a 10-day contract last season.
He will now head to Australia to join the 5-9 Bullets as they look to push for an NBL playoff spot.
Terry Taylor Signs With Chinese Team
Free agent forward Terry Taylor has officially signed a contract with the Ningbo Rockets of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to his agency (Instagram link).
CSE’s announcement says Taylor’s deal covers the 2025/26 campaign, which suggests he signed a one-year contract.
After going undrafted out of Austin Peay in 2021, Taylor spent his first three NBA seasons bouncing between two-way and standard contracts with the Pacers and Bulls, respectively.
The 25-year-old played in the NBA G League with the Stockton Kings during the 2024/25 season, though he did make three brief NBA appearances with Sacramento after signing a 10-day deal in March.
Taylor helped Stockton win its first NBAGL title last season, recording 22 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in the series finale. In 31 regular season games (34.8 minutes per contest) for the Kings’ G League affiliate, he averaged 17.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 blocks on .462/.390/.727 shooting.
In 98 career regular season games at the NBA level, the 6’4″ forward has averaged 4.6 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 12.0 MPG. Since he holds four years of experience, Taylor is no longer eligible for a two-way contract.
Ningbo is coming off a disappointing CBA season in which it finished just 10-36, which was the fourth-worst record in the league.
Stockton Kings Win G League Title, Mason Jones Named Finals MVP
The Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s affiliate, claimed the 2024/25 G League title by winning the deciding game of a best-of-three series with the Osceola Magic on Monday.
After losing Game 1 to Orlando’s G League affiliate last Tuesday, Stockton evened the series with a 144-126 victory on Friday and then knocked off Osceola 118-110 on Monday, with Dexter Dennis, Terry Taylor, and Isaac Jones all scoring at least 21 points in the championship game.
Veteran guard Mason Jones, who is on a two-way contract with Sacramento, was named the G League Finals MVP (Twitter link). For the series, he averaged 22.3 points, 9.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game and made 11-of-25 three-point shots (44.0%).
Jones, 26, made his NBA debut in 2021 and has since appeared in 51 regular season games for the Rockets, Sixers, Lakers, and Kings, including 10 for Sacramento this season. However, he has played very limited minutes at the NBA level, whereas he averaged 23.6 PPG, 7.9 APG, 5.1 RPG, and 1.1 SPG in 35.9 MPG with a shooting line of .492/.447/.790 across 27 Tip-Off Tournament and regular season outings for Stockton this season.
Mason Jones was one of three players under contract with Sacramento who contributed to Stockton’s NBAGL championship. Fellow two-way player Isaiah Crawford also started all three games in the Finals, while Isaac Jones, who was promoted to the Kings’ 15-man roster last month, was assigned to Stockton for Game 3 and posted a double-double (21 points, 13 rebounds) on 8-of-11 shooting on Monday.
The Kings hold a minimum-salary team option on Isaac Jones for next season. Mason Jones and Crawford will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer.
Osceola Magic, Stockton Kings To Compete In NBAGL Finals
The Osceola Magic (Orlando’s affiliate) and the Stockton Kings (Sacramento’s affiliate) will compete in this year’s NBA G League Finals, a best-of-three series that will begin on Tuesday night.
The NBAGL’s playoffs have a much different setup than the NBA’s, as only 12 teams advance instead of 16, with the top-two seeds from each conference receiving a first-round bye. The conference quarterfinals, semifinals and finals are also single elimination instead of taking place over multiple games.
Both Osceola and Stockton went 22-12 during the regular season, finishing as the top seeds in their respective conferences.
Led by 42 points from Mac McClung, who is on a two-way contract, the Magic defeated the Maine Celtics to advance from the East. Out West, Stockton defeated the Austin Spurs in the conference final behind 38 points from Mason Jones, who is on a two-way deal with the Kings. Terry Taylor, who signed a 10-day contract with Sacramento last month, finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds.
Game 1 of the NBA G League Finals will take place in Osceola on Tuesday at 7 pm CT (ESPNU). Game 2 will be played in Stockton on Friday at 9 pm CT (ESPNews). If necessary, Game 3 will be next Monday in Osceola at 7 pm CT (ESPN2).
Kings Sign Terry Taylor To 10-Day Contract
8:37 pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release relayed by the Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson (Twitter link).
11:37 am: The Kings and forward Terry Taylor have agreed to a 10-day contract, agent Darrell Comer tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Tayor, 25, has appeared in a total of 95 NBA regular season games for the Pacers and Bulls since 2021, but hasn’t been on an NBA roster since last fall, when he was in camp with Sacramento. He was cut just before the regular season began.
The 6’4″ forward has spent the year in the G League with Sacramento’s affiliate, the Stockton Kings, averaging 16.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 block in 33.9 minutes per game across 44 total appearances in the Tip-Off Tournament and the regular season. He has posted a shooting line of .443/.364/.708.
Taylor seems unlikely to enter the Kings’ rotation at the NBA level, but will provide depth as the team continues its push for a postseason berth.
Sacramento had been carrying just 13 players on standard contracts and was required to get back to 14 this week, as we explained on Sunday. Taylor will fill that 14th spot for at least the next 10 days. When his deal expires, the Kings will have the option of signing him to another 10-day deal, signing him for the rest of the season, or letting him go. If Taylor isn’t re-signed, the club would have to add a new 14th man.
Taylor will earn $124,288 over the course of his 10-day deal, while the Kings carry a cap hit of $119,972. He’ll be eligible to appear in up to six games for Sacramento during those 10 days.
Western Notes: Rockets, KD, Butler, LeBron, Nuggets, Kings
Confirming recent reporting from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story that the messaging out of Houston suggests the Rockets are unlikely to make a major in-season trade in 2024/25.
Still, Stein has spoken to multiple rival teams who are “hesitant to dismiss Houston’s trade ambitions so readily.” Those clubs believe the Rockets’ front office will continue to keep an eye out for possible deals for impact players, since they’re eager to return to the upper tier of the Western Conference.
Although the Suns aggressively shot down Kevin Durant trade speculation over the summer, Stein writes that there’s still a “strong belief” around the league that the Rockets remain interested in the star forward and would be ready to pounce if he becomes available within the next year or two.
According to Stein, rival teams also “increasingly” mention Houston as a potential suitor to watch if the Heat ever consider trading Jimmy Butler, who was identified multiple times during the offseason as a potential target of interest for the Rockets.
We have more from around the West:
- The Lakers‘ hot start continued on Saturday as they pushed their record to 3-0 with an impressive comeback win over Sacramento. Four-time MVP LeBron James keyed the fourth quarter surge by becoming the first player since play-by-play tracking began in 1996 to record at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists on 100% shooting in a quarter (Twitter link via ESPN’s Matt Williams). “Just when you think he’s slowing down, man, he continues to show the world why he’s the greatest,” Anthony Davis said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “To go on that stretch, he actually looked to the bench and was trying to come out the game. We told him, ‘You’re not coming out.’ He comes out and hits another three. He never ceases to amaze any of us because we just know what he’s capable of and what he’s able to do.”
- The sample size is minuscule, but in 21 minutes together so far, lineups featuring both Nuggets point guards – Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook – have an 82.2 offensive rating and a minus-28.9 overall net rating. Head coach Michael Malone remains confident those units can work, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “Jamal’s a guard. He’s been a one. He’s been a two,” Malone said prior to Denver’s second game. “In college, he was a two. It’s just that, for his Nuggets tenure, Jamal has been a guy that can be a starting one, and he can play with a point guard in the second unit. I think Russ and Jamal have a lot of potential to be really good together.”
- The Stockton Kings (Sacramento’s G League affiliate) have officially announced their training camp roster for the 2024/25 season. Veteran forward Terry Taylor, former first-round pick Skal Labissiere, NBA camp invitee Boogie Ellis, and Shaquille O’Neal‘s son Shareef O’Neal are among the notable names on the squad.
Kings Waive Terry Taylor, Brodric Thomas
The Kings have waived forward Terry Taylor and wing Brodric Thomas, sources tell Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento (Twitter link).
Taylor was signed to an Exhibit 10 deal for training camp. Assuming he clears waivers, he’ll be eligible for a bonus worth $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with the G League’s Stockton Kings. Thomas’ deal didn’t include Exhibit 10 language, so he wouldn’t be eligible for the same bonus.
Taylor is a three-year veteran who has previously played for the Pacers and Bulls. In 93 regular season games, he holds career averages of 4.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per contest.
Thomas, 27, has appeared in 44 NBA games with Houston, Cleveland and Boston over two seasons from 2020-22. He spent last season in the G League with the Clippers’ affiliate.
After waiving Boogie Ellis earlier in the day and releasing Taylor and Thomas, the Kings now have 18 players under contract, with all three two-way spots filled.
Kings Sign Terry Taylor To Training Camp Deal
SEPTEMBER 23: The signing is official, KTXL’s Sean Cunningham tweets.
SEPTEMBER 6: The Kings are signing free agent forward Terry Taylor to a training camp contract, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
Exact terms of the agreement have not been reported, but it seems likely to be an Exhibit 10 deal.
Taylor, 24, spent parts of the last two seasons with the Bulls, where the 6’5″ vet played as an undersized small forward.
After going undrafted in 2021, Taylor began his pro career as an affiliate player for the Pacers’ NBAGL team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He inked a two-way deal that December with the Pacers, who converted his contract to a standard deal in April of that same season. Indiana eventually waived him in February 2023.
Taylor was quickly snatched up by the Bulls, on a two-way deal. Ahead of the 2023/24 season, his agreement was converted into a standard contract.
Last year with Chicago in a deep-bench role, Taylor averaged just 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds across 31 games in 2023/24.
The Kings have 14 players on their standard roster, and all three of their two-way slots occupied. Power forward/center Skal Labissiere and guard Boogie Ellis are currently signed to training camp agreements for Sacramento.
If waived and then signed by a club’s G League affiliate, players who ink Exhibit 10 contracts are eligible for bonuses worth up to $77.5K should they stick around with those affiliate squads for at least 60 days.
Bulls Sign Javonte Green, Waive Terry Taylor
The Bulls have signed swingman Javonte Green for the remainder of the season, the team announced today in a press release.
Chicago used a hardship exception to sign Green to a 10-day contract on March 23, but needs to clear a 15-man roster spot in order to sign him to a rest-of-season deal. To make room for him, the team has waived forward Terry Taylor.
By signing a standard contract, Green is now eligible for the postseason, including the play-in tournament. Chicago is currently tied for ninth place in the Eastern Conference with Atlanta.
Green has spent parts of three seasons with Chicago. He was limited to 32 games last season due to a knee injury, which required surgery.
Green signed a training camp deal with Golden State in October, but was waived a few days later. He also appeared in 10 regular season games with the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz this season.
In his first 10 days with the Bulls, the 30-year-old appeared in three games, averaging 5.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.0 minutes per night.
Taylor has been out of the rotation most of the season. He has appeared in 31 games but only averaged 6.1 minutes in those outings. Terry had a $2MM salary this season and a $2.2MM non-guaranteed contract for next season.