NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog – NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops (original) (raw)
The Sacramento Kings have signed guard Russell Westbrook.
“Russell embodies the identity we’re striving for in Sacramento,” said Kings General Manager Scott Perry. “His resume speaks for itself and I’m excited to work with someone so accomplished, who is fully committed to competing and winning. We expect him to strengthen our point guard position and provide leadership both on and off the court.”
Westbrook spent the 2024-25 season with the Denver Nuggets, averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game in 75 games (36 starts). He ranked 18th in assists and 19th in steals per game and finished last season 13th in both total assists (457) and steals (106).
The 17-year NBA veteran joins Sacramento with a resume that includes the 2016-2017 League MVP award, nine All-NBA honors (two-time 1st Team, five-time 2nd Team, two-time 3rd Team), nine All-Star appearances and two All-Star game MVPs, while also being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021-22. Westbrook is the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles (203) and previously led the League in scoring (2014-15, 2016-17) and assists (2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21).
The Boston Celtics announced today that the team has converted guard-forward Ron Harper Jr. to a two-way contract.
Harper Jr. (6-5, 233) has appeared in 56 career regular season G League games (49 starts) across three seasons with Toronto (2022-24), Maine (2024-25), and Motor City (2024-25), averaging 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals in 32.6 minutes per game. The 25-year-old scored in double figures in 23 outings last season, including nine games with 20+ points and three games with 30+ points. Harper Jr. posted a G-League career-high 38 points (13-20 FG, 11-18 3FG, 1-1 FT) to go with three rebounds, eight assists, and one steal in a victory over Long Island Feb. 1.
The New Jersey native has seen action in 11 NBA games over three seasons with Toronto (2022-24) and Detroit (2024-25) with averages of 2.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game. In three appearances with Boston in the 2025-26 preseason, Harper Jr. averaged 4.3 points and 1.0 assists in 10.6 minutes per game. Prior to going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Harper Jr. spent four seasons at Rutgers (2018-22) where he posted averages of 12.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 121 career games (109 starts). He earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors his senior season after averaging a team-high 15.7 points per game and shooting a career-high 39.8 percent (68-171 3FG) from 3-point range. Harper Jr. is the son of former NBA first-round pick Ron Harper, and his younger brother, Dylan, currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs.
The Toronto Raptors have signed forward Julian Reese.
Reese, 6-foot-9, 252 pounds, averaged 11.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 26.4 minutes in 134 career games (102 starts) across four seasons at Maryland. He ranks second on the Terrapins’ all-time rebounds list (1,015) and joined Len Elmore as the only players in program history to total at least 1,000 points and 1,000 in their career.
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Reese averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 28.5 minutes in 36 games (all starts) and was an All-B1G Ten Honourable Mention last season.
The Portland Trail Blazers have requested waivers on guard Javonte Cooke.
Cooke appeared in three preseason games for the Trail Blazers. Portland’s roster stands at 17, including two two-way players.
The Dallas Mavericks have waived guard/forward Dalano Banton, forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and guard Dennis Smith Jr.
Banton played in one preseason game against the L.A. Lakers on Oct. 15, 2025, and recorded three points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal in six minutes.
Robinson-Earl saw action in all four of Dallas’ preseason games and averaged 7.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 12.2 minutes per game. He scored nine points in eight minutes (4-5 FG, 1-2 3FG) to go along with three assists vs. the Charlotte Hornets on Oct. 11, 2025.
Smith appeared in two preseason games and averaged 1.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 7.4 minutes per game.
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Anton Watson and guard Nate Williams.
In corresponding moves, the team has waived guard Tevian Jones and forward Eric Dixon.
Watson (6’8”, 225) most recently appeared in nine games for the New York Knicks during the 2024-25 season. The 24-year-old also saw action in 37 games (34 starts) with the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League last season, averaging 12.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 29.9 minutes. Originally selected by the Boston Celtics with the 54th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Watson played five seasons at Gonzaga University (2019-24). In his final collegiate campaign, he earned All-WCC First Team honors after averaging 14.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals in 31.3 minutes.
Williams (6’5”, 205) appeared in 20 games for the Houston Rockets in 2024-25, averaging 3.3 points in 7.4 minutes. Across three NBA seasons with Houston (2023-25) and the Portland Trail Blazers (2022-23), the 26-year-old has played in 47 games (four starts), averaging 3.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 8.6 minutes. In three NBA G League seasons with Rio Grande Valley (2023-25) and Salt Lake City (2022-23), Williams has appeared in 82 games (62 starts), averaging 14.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 28.5 minutes. A native of New York, he played four seasons at the University at Buffalo (2018-22) and earned All-MAC First Team honors as a senior after averaging 19.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.6 minutes.
The Utah Jazz have signed forward/center Mo Bamba.
Bamba (6-11, 231, Texas) appeared in 32 games (two starts) last season for the LA Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans, averaging 4.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per contest.
A native of Harlem, N.Y., Bamba is entering his eighth NBA season having appeared in 364 (101 starts) for Orlando (2018-23), Los Angeles (2022-23), Philadelphia (2023-24), LA Clippers (2024-25), and New Orleans (2024-25), owning career averages of 6.8 points on 47.7 percent from the field and 5.4 rebounds per contest.
Bamba played one collegiate season at Texas during the 2017-18 campaign, where he averaged 12.9 points, 10.5 boards, and 3.7 rebounds per game, garnering 2017-18 All-Big 12 Second Team, All-Big 12 Defensive Team, and All-Big 12 Newcomer Team accolades.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have named Mahmoud Abdelfattah as Head Coach of the Iowa Wolves, the team’s G League affiliate.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mahmoud Abdelfattah as the next Head Coach of the Iowa Wolves and welcome him to the Timberwolves family,” said Timberwolves General Manager Matt Lloyd. “He brings a wealth of G League, NBA, and international coaching experience that will enhance the Iowa program, benefitting both players and staff. We welcome Mahmoud and his family to the organization.”
Most recently, Abdelfattah spent the 2023-24 season as the Head Coach of the Sydney Kings of the Australian National Basketball League. Prior to his time with the Kings, the Chicago native spent four seasons (2019-2023) in the Houston Rockets organization, joining the Rockets NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers as an assistant coach during the Vipers 2019 NBA G League Championship season.
Abdelfattah was promoted to Head Coach of the Vipers ahead of the 2019-20 season and led the team to the 2022 NBA G League Championship while earning 2022 NBA G League Coach of the Year honors. Following the Vipers 2022 championship season, he joined the Rockets staff as an assistant coach during the 2022-23 season.
“I am blessed to be named the Head Coach of the Iowa Wolves and to be a part of the Timberwolves organization.” said Abdelfattah. “I’m excited to help develop our players on and off the court. My family and I look forward to being a part of the Des Moines community and can’t wait to see everyone at Casey’s Center!”
The Atlanta Hawks have signed center Charles Bassey.
Bassey appeared in 36 games (one start) during the 2024-25 season with the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 10.4 minutes of play (.581 FG%, .636 FT%). In a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Dec. 8, 2024, the Lagos, Nigeria, native recorded a career-high tying 16 points on 6-12 shooting from the field, in addition to 12 rebounds (eight offensive) and four blocks in 18 minutes of action. He became the first player since Herb Williams on Mar. 25, 1983, to notch at least 16 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in 18-or-fewer minutes.
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 53rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the 6-10 center has seen action in 113 career games (three starts) throughout his four-year career, suiting up for Philadelphia (2021-22) and San Antonio (2022-25), registering 4.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 11.1 minutes (.631 FG%, .648 FT%).
In 33 career NBA G League contests (32 starts), Bassey owns averages of 21.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in 29.2 minutes of action (.644 FG%, .746 FT%).
A two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Year and the 2020-21 C-USA Player of the Year, Bassey played collegiately at Western Kentucky (2018-21), appearing in 72 games (all starts), averaging 15.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 30.5 minutes (.596 FG%, .768 FT%).
The Brooklyn Nets today waived two-way forward Tosan Evbuomwan.
Evbuomwan appeared in 28 games with the Nets in the 2024-25 season, recording averages of 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.8 minutes per game. In 45 career games (eight starts) across two seasons (2023-25) split between Brooklyn, Memphis and Detroit, he posted averages of 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 22.9 minutes per contest. Evbuomwan originally signed a two-way contract with Brooklyn on Jan. 1, 2025.