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Thunder

DALLAS (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 26 points, Dorian Finney-Smith came alive in the second half and the Dallas Mavericks, with a boost from two newly signed players, defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-102 in a battle of attrition Tuesday night.
A total of nine players, including three starters, missed the game because they are in the NBA's health and safety protocol. 
Brunson scored 16 points in the first half. Finney-Smith had just four at halftime, but added 15 in the second half, including two 3-pointers in a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter that wiped out Minnesota's last lead in the game. 
Dwight Powell scored 15 points, Boban Marjanovich had 10 and Sterling Brown combined 12 points with 11 rebounds in his first start this season. 
Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with and 26 points and 14 rebounds. Malik Beasley scored 22, D'Angelo Russell had 14 points and 12 assists and Jaden McDaniels scored 11.
The Mavericks got a boost from two players signed since they lost just two days before at Minnesota. Theo Pinson played 22 minutes, scored seven points, grabbed four rebounds and added three assists and four steals. In his 16 minutes, Marquese Chriss scored six points, including a thunderous dunk in the 10-0 run, and took down eight rebounds.
In the first quarter, Minnesota made 65% (13 for 20) of its field goal attempts and scored 35 points — and led Dallas by only one point. Towns didn't miss a shot and scored 12 points. In the second, the Timberwolves made just 28% of their field goal attempts and were outscored 27-15 as the Mavericks took a 61-50 halftime lead. 
In the third quarter, the Mavericks ran to a 17-point lead, 79-62, but Minnesota came back with a 13-0 run. The Wolves led 94-91 in the fourth before 3-pointers by Brown and Finney-Smith gave the Mavericks a 97-95 they didn't lose.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Minnesota signed F Chris Silva and G Rayjon Tucker, who had been playing in the G-League, to 10-day contracts under the COVID-related hardship allowance. Silva arrived with 59 NBA games on his resume, and Tucker with 34. ... The Wolves were without starters Patrick Beverly and Jarred Vanderbilt as well as Anthony Edwards, John Okogie and Taurean Prince because they were in the NBA's health and safety protocols.
Mavericks: Hardaway was added Tuesday afternoon to the list of players in the health and safety protocol, joining Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Josh Green. ... Doncic (left ankle injury) missed his fifth consecutive game, and Porzingis (toe) joined him on the injury list on Tuesday. Coach Jason Kidd said, “We're hopeful that (Doncic) is back for Thursday. Eugene (Omoruyi) and Willie (Cauley-Stein) remain out." ... he Mavericks added 6-5 swingman Pinson and 6-9 Chriss to 10-day contracts under the COVID-related hardship allowance. Chriss previously played in parts of five NBA seasons and Pinson in three.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Complete a two-game trip at Utah on Thursday.
Mavericks: Host the Bucks on Thursday in the second of two home games.

Jalen Brunson scored 26-points and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 114-102.

Brunson scores 26, replacements help Mavericks beat Wolves

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points, D&rsquo;Angelo Russell added 22 and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Dallas Mavericks 111-105 on Sunday in another matchup between short-handed teams dealing with recent COVID-19 issues.
Dallas, already without star guard Luka Doncic, placed two players in the health and safety protocols the past two days. Minnesota added Josh Okogie to the protocols and Anthony Edwards and Taurean Prince each missed their second game while in the protocols.
The Mavericks then lost forward Kristaps Porzingis in the third quarter with right foot soreness. Porzingis finished with 13 points and three rebounds.
Jaylen Nowell provided a much-needed injection of shooting with a season-high 16 points off the bench for Minnesota, which has won four in a row.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 28 points for Dallas. Dorian Finney-Smith added 23 and Jalen Brunson finished with 18 points and 11 assists.
The Timberwolves led for much of the game, but Dallas closed the third quarter on an 18-7 run to take an 88-86 lead. The Mavericks outscored Minnesota 38-30 in the quarter, but Porzingis left the game with 4:59 left in the third and didn&rsquo;t return.
Minnesota turned to Nowell, who hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth as the Timberwolves recovered with a 13-5 run.
Without Edwards and with Michael Beasley&rsquo;s continued struggles shooting, the little-used Nowell was a perfect relief. He scored in double figures for the second straight game and the third time in five games.
COVID-19 STRIKES AGAIN
A day after placing Reggie Bullock in the health and safety protocols, Dallas added Josh Green to the protocols before the game. Coach Jason Kidd also said assistants Darrell Armstrong and Jared Dudley are in the protocols.
The Los Angeles Lakers, who have also lost several players to the protocols, played the Mavericks on Dec. 15 in Dallas&rsquo; last game.
Previous to playing Los Angeles, the Mavericks didn&rsquo;t have many cases of COVID-19 to enter into the protocols. Trey Burke, in late October, is the only player to previously be in the protocols.
Before the game, Kidd said he wasn&rsquo;t making any medical determinations, but &ldquo;some who are into betting or guessing, some would say that&rsquo;s where it came from,&rdquo; he said, regarding the Lakers&rsquo; game.
Coincidentally, Edwards and Prince missed Friday&rsquo;s game against Los Angeles and Okogie was added after playing 13:29 in the game.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Hardaway moved into the starting lineup for the first time in 10 games. Bullock had started nine straight games. G Sterling Brown (left foot soreness) returned after missing six games. &hellip; Willie Cauley-Stein (personal reasons), Frank Ntilikina (illness) and Eugene Omoruyi (right foot injury) were also unavailable for Dallas. &hellip; Finney-Smith was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul in the third quarter on a hard takedown of Towns.
Timberwolves: Beasley started his second straight game for Edwards and scored 13 on 4-of-13 shooting. &hellip; Towns made his first 11 free throws. He finished 11 of 13 from the line. ... With Nowell leading the way, Minnesota&rsquo;s bench outscored Dallas&rsquo; reserves 36-17
UP NEXT
The team&rsquo;s finish back-to-back meetings on Tuesday in Dallas.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points, D’Angelo Russell added 22 and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Mavericks.

Wolves beat Dallas 111-105; Mavs lose Porzingis to injury

The basketball universe is assembling in Las Vegas this week, and it is not just NBA personnel. Officials from EuroLeague teams and EuroCup teams will be in Sin City, too, because teams around the world are looking for players who will not make the NBA. An exception is China, where foreign players will be barred because of COVID factors.
So let&rsquo;s have a look at who is there and has the potential to be &ldquo;eating pasta&rdquo; next season (basketball vernacular for playing overseas) or playing their way onto an NBA roster.
There are some very talented younger players who do not have the height or athleticism that NBA scouts and general managers gravitate towards. Can they break through anyway?
But there also are some accomplished vets who would ordinarily play in China because they can make more money there than they can in the United States. Many of them may end up in Europe, but some may end up making NBA rosters if injuries open up jobs.
Here are 10 names worth keeping an eye on:
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Kenneth Faried, Portland Trail Blazers: He was a very productive NBA player for nine years before becoming one of many veterans who got squeezed out because NBA teams turned to developing younger prospects and players on two-way contracts. He was a member of the U.S. National team that won the 2014 Basketball World Cup and was one of 30 finalists for the 2016 U.S. Olympic team. He last played for the Houston Rockets in the 2018-19 season where he averaged an impressive 12.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in 25 appearances. He will be joined on the Blazers&rsquo; roster by two players who also spent last season in China, Emmanuel Mudiay and Michael Beasley.
Eugene Omoruyi, Dallas Mavericks. Regarded as one of the top undrafted players in 2021, the Oregon product tied for the Ducks&rsquo; team lead in scoring at 17.1 points per game and is considered a strong two-way player. Omoruyi averaged 1.5 steals per game and grabbed 41% of his rebounds on the offensive end. He did so playing alongside the more highly regarded Chris Duarte, the 13th overall pick of the Indiana Pacers.
Jimmer Fredette, Denver Nuggets: He was supposed to play for the Nuggets after spending most of the past five seasons in China, but was a late scratch. Still, his return stateside could land him an NBA job. The 10th overall pick in 2011 played two-and-a-half seasons for Sacramento, averaging seven points per game for the Kings in 15 minutes. He then played briefly in Chicago, New Orleans, Phoenix and New York. He eventually went over to China to play with the Shanghai Sharks, where he averaged 37 points per game in his first three seasons with the team from 2016-2019. He scored 75 points in a 2018 game. Because of COVID restrictions, China is not likely to allow foreign players to compete in its 2021-22 season, so Fredette may end up landing an NBA job without even suiting up in summer league. His pedigree still makes him a name to watch, though.
Mac McClung, L.A. Lakers: He&rsquo;s a longshot to make the roster for a Lakers team that has loaded up on veterans to flank LeBron James and Anthony Davis. When your prospective team adds the likes of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn (among others), there&rsquo;s bound to be a roster squeeze. But somebody has to buy the donuts for the vets. McClung&rsquo;s college stats at Texas Tech were pedestrian, but he would not be with the Lakers unless someone in the organization saw something in him. The team also desperately needs some youth.
Yves Pons, Memphis Grizzlies: The 22-year-old Haitian guard led the Tennessee Volunteers in blocks in each of the past two seasons, and that is pretty much his major skill set. He was the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, and with a dearth of perimeter defenders in the NBA who also can block shots, the Grizzlies are giving him a look-see because they watched him play in their backyard for four seasons. Try to name another shot-blocking guard. There are not many of them.
Asbjorn Midtgaard, Orlando Magic: The Danish 7-footer rode the bench for three years at Wichita State and then transferred to Grand Canyon, where he averaged 14.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. His team made the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Iowa. Still, he led NCAA Division I in field goal percentage (70.6), which is no small accomplishment. He also shot 8-for-11 against Luka Garza in his team&rsquo;s first-round loss in the NCAA tournament.
Keon Johnson, L.A. Clippers: An exception here, because Keon is not exactly "under the radar" after being selected with the 21st overall pick in the draft. He is an exception because his athleticism is exceptional; he recorded a 48-inch vertical leap at the NBA draft combine, shattering a 20-year-old record of 45.5 inches recorded by Kenny Gregory in 2001. One of his teammates will be Jason Preston, who was drafted 33rd by Orlando and was dealt to the Clippers for a future second-round pick and cash.
David DeLeo, Philadelphia 76ers: His father, Frank, was a scout for the Sixers, and he clearly taught his son a bit about how to shoot the ball. DeLeo was the all-time leader in the MAC in three-pointers made with 337, and has spent the past two seasons playing in Spain and Greece. He may end up in an NBA camp before ultimately finding another European job, but then again, Philly needs a three-point marksman to develop behind Danny Green. So you never know.
Derrick Alston Jr., Golden State Warriors: A former ball boy for the Houston Rockets, Alston made the team at Boise State as a walk-on his freshman year. He progressed to the point where he was First-Team All-Mountain West after averaging a team-leading 17.0 points. He is one of 12 undrafted rookies on Golden State&rsquo;s summer league team.
Rokas Jokubaitis, New York Knicks: He finished second behind Rockets draft pick Usman Garuba (the 23rd overall pick) in EuroLeague Rising Star voting after a solid season for FC Barcelona, where he is under a four-year contract. This will be a chance for Knicks fans to get their first look at the pick they acquired from Oklahoma City at No. 34. If he impresses and can negotiate a buyout of his current contract, he could end up battling Luca Vildoza for the final point guard spot on the Knicks.
Every year, whether it be undrafted players or second-round picks, players who end up making an impact manage to fly under the radar. These 10 (nine if you exclude Fredette) hope to do exactly that.

Every year, there are players who outperform the competition in summer league and land an NBA job. Here are some names to watch.

10 under-the-radar players worth watching in the NBA Summer League

Perhaps the biggest frenzy of the NBA Draft cycle comes after the draft is completed.&nbsp;
Mere minutes after pick No. 60 is revealed, newsbreakers are reporting out fully-guaranteed deals, two-way contracts and Summer-League additions around the NBA. We've created a place for you to keep track of these moves.
Below are the notable reported agreements, listed by team.
Atlanta Hawks
Ibi Watson (G), Dayton --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JShawNBA/status/1421137851316592641" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Shaw/HoopsRumors</a>
Boston Celtics
Sam Hauser (F), Virginia&nbsp;-- two-way contract agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420983228396101637" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Brooklyn Nets
David Duke (G), Providence --&nbsp;agreed to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/John_Fanta/status/1420974779868266496" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Fanta/Fox Sports</a>
Brandon Rachal (F), Tulsa --&nbsp;agreed to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/TUMBasketball/status/1421125766197047296" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tulsa Athletics</a>
Charlotte Hornets
DJ Carton (G), Marquette --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420986452947648515" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Chicago Bulls
Ethan Thompson (G), Oregon State --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1420978552816738304" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto/HoopsHype</a>
Cleveland Cavaliers
Chandler Vaudrin (F), Winthrop --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/Winthrop_MBB/status/1421089611539955715" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Winthrop Athletics</a>
Dallas Mavericks
Carlik Jones (G), Louisville --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420991380395073537" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Eugene Omoruyi (F), Oregon --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420979430927777792" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
E.J. Onu (F), Shawnee State --&nbsp;agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyWoo/status/1420979723069427713" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Woo/Sports Illustrated</a>
Feron Hunt (F), SMU --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/GrantAfseth/status/1420993320994721799" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grant Afseth/Sports Illustrated</a>
LJ Figueroa (G), Oregon --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1421280618210603009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adam Zagoria</a>
Denver Nuggets
Giorgi Bezhanishvili (F), Illinois -- Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1421113026917412871" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adam Zagoria</a>
Detroit Pistons
Chris Smith (F), UCLA&nbsp;-- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420979150559535104" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
John Petty (G), Alabama --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/mikerodak/status/1421109144896032776" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Rodak/AL.com</a>
Anthony Tarke (F), Coppin St. --&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AnthonyTarke/status/1420988333094801412" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agrees to unspecified deal</a>
Spencer Littleson (G), Toledo --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1420998599605985284" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto/HoopsHype</a>
Golden State Warriors
Jaquori McLaughlin (G), UCSB&nbsp;-- agrees to unspecified deal, <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1421072913881567233" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Jordan Schakel (F), San Diego State -- Summer League agreement, <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1420999272997261313" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Bryan Kalbrosky/USA Today</a>
Colbey Ross (G), Pepperdine --&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/cdot_ross/status/1421145317387366410" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Summer League agreement</a>
Houston Rockets
Matthew Hurt (F), Duke -- <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1421275019322306560" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agrees to two-way contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Indiana Pacers
Terry Taylor (G), Austin Peay -- agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420984014735872000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Duane Washington Jr. (G), Ohio State --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420969644601614337" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Los Angeles Clippers
-- None reported so far --
Los Angeles Lakers
Mac McClung (G), Texas Tech --&nbsp;agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420976989918441472" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Joel Ayayi (G), Gonzaga --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420969546995933186" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Austin Reaves (G), Oklahoma --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1420972297150779394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bryan Kalbrosky/USA Today</a>
Chaundee Brown (G), Michigan --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1420984245250674693" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Givony/ESPN</a>
Alan Griffin (G), Syracuse --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1421204946226143232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adam Zagoria</a>
Memphis Grizzlies
Romeo Weems (F), DePaul -- agrees to Exhibit 10 deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420969722217209856" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Yves Pons (F), Tennessee&nbsp;-- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420972279698231296" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Keaton Wallace (G), UTSA --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1421143975965175811" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy/BasketballNews.com</a>
Miami Heat
RJ Nembhard (G), TCU --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420989119702970369" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
AJ Lawson (G), South Carolina --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420987461744959489" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Javonte Smart (G), LSU -- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420981941042622464" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
D.J. Stewart (F), Mississippi St. -- Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1420974202774040576" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy/BasketballNews.com</a>
Marcus Garrett (G), Kansas --&nbsp;agres to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1421138197623492618" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ira Winderman/South Florida Sun Sentinel</a>
Dejon Jarreau (G), Houston&nbsp;-- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1421138197623492618" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ira Winderman/South Florida Sun Sentinel</a>
Micah Potter (C), Wisconsin -- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1421138197623492618" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ira Winderman/South Florida Sun Sentinel</a>
Dru Smith (G), Missouri --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1421127877521707011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bryan Kalbrosky/USA Today</a>
Milwaukee Bucks
Mike Smith (G), Michigan -- Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1420974489488314371" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto/HoopsHype</a>
Jalen Crutcher (G), Dayton --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JonChep/status/1421174764979298307" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jon Chepkevich/Rookie Scale</a>
Minnesota Timberwolves
McKinley Wright IV (G), Colorado -- agrees on two-way contract, per<a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420970500071858176" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Isaiah Miller (G), UNC Greensboro --&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Nike_Beast23/status/1420982966201749506" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agrees to unspecified deal</a>
Matt Lewis (G), James Madison --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, as announced on Instagram
New Orleans Pelicans
Jose Alvarado (G), Georgia Tech --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ksugiuraajc/status/1420975067232718850" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ken Suguira/Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a>
New York Knicks
Aamir Simms (F), Clemson -- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1421068449963548676" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Oklahoma City Thunder
-- None reported so far --
Orlando Magic
Asbjorn Midtgaard (C), Grand Canyon -- Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420993281954045954" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Jeremiah Tilmon (F), Missouri --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1420977542056534017" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy/BasketballNews.com</a>
Philadelphia 76ers
Aaron Henry (G), Michigan State --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420968768130404353" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Daishen Nix (G), G League Ignite --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1421183526666481668" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adam Zagoria</a>
Phoenix Suns
-- None reported so far --
Portland Trail Blazers
Trendon Watford (F), LSU --&nbsp;plans to sign two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420972774269628423" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Mark Vital (F), Baylor --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1421126065183985671" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Givony/ESPN</a>
Sacramento Kings
D.J. Steward (G), Duke --&nbsp;agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420981965608693760" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Matt Coleman (G), Texas --&nbsp;agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyWoo/status/1420979002383142914" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Woo/Sports Illustrated</a>
Damien Jefferson (F), Creighton --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1421098072759799810" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Givony/ESPN</a>
San Antonio Spurs
Justin Turner (G), Bowling Green --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420986657222897667" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Matt Mitchell (F), San Diego Sate --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1420996575120314368" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bryan Kalbrosky/USA Today</a>
Biram Faye (F), Gran Canaria --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1421100846201417733" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Givony/ESPN</a>
Toronto Raptors
Justin Champagnie (F), Pittsburgh --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420978690935169027" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Moses Wright (F), Georgia Tech --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/moses-wright-going-to-summer-league-with-raptors/DUKAEVIODRFQ7BUBD56U6VUDO4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ken Suguira/Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a>
Utah Jazz
MaCio Teague (G), Baylor --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1420974669235200005" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto/HoopsHype</a>
D.J. Funderbunk (F), NC State --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JShawNBA/status/1421212803151671312" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Shaw/HoopsRumors</a>
Washington Wizards
Jay Huff (C), Virginia -- agrees to Exhibit 10 contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/1420983981667983361" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fred Katz/The Athletic</a>
Jordan Goodwin (G), St. Louis --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/1420983666877075457" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fred Katz/The Athletic</a>

BasketballNews.com tracks every report of Summer League signings and pending contracts.

Undrafted Free Agent Tracker: Reported contracts and Summer League deals

NEW YORK&nbsp;&ndash; The NBA G League today announced the field of&nbsp;40 prospects for NBA Draft 2021 presented by State Farm&reg;&nbsp; who will attend the 2021 NBA G League Elite Camp, which will take place June 19-21 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
The 2021 NBA G League Elite Camp gives players an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of NBA and NBA G League scouts, coaches and front-office executives by playing in five-on-five games and participating in strength and agility drills throughout the three-day event.
A select number of players from the NBA G League Elite Camp will be invited to participate in the 2021 NBA Draft Combine based on their performance.&nbsp; The NBA Draft Combine will be held June 21-27 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago.
Below is a list of attendees for the 2021 NBA G League Elite Camp*.
<table style="width: 95.1767%;" width="510">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 179.362%;" colspan="2" width="510">NBA Draft-Eligible Players (College/Club)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Alston Jr., Derrick (Boise State)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Koprivica, Balsa (Florida State)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Aluma, Keve (Virginia Tech)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Lawson, A.J. (South Carolina)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Alvarado, Jose (Georgia Tech)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Liddell, E.J. (Ohio State)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Begarin, Juhann (Paris, France)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">McClung, Mac (Texas Tech)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Brown, Chaundee (Michigan)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">McLaughlin, JaQuori (UCSB)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Burns, Jordan (Colgate)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Mitchell, Matt (San Diego State)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Carr, Marcus (Minnesota)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Nembhard, RJ (TCU)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Carton, DJ (Marquette)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Omoruyi, Eugene (Oregon)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Cisse, Moussa (Memphis)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Onu, E.J. (Shawnee State)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Cockburn, Kofi (Illinois)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Pippen Jr., Scotty (Vanderbilt)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">da Silva, Oscar (Stanford)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Robinson Jr., Orlando (Fresno State)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Days, Darius (LSU)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Simms, Aamir (Clemson)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Dickinson, Hunter (Michigan)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Smart, Javonte (LSU)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Garcia, Dawson (Marquette)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Smith, Mike (Michigan)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Garrett, Marcus (Kansas)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Stewart Jr., D.J. (Mississippi State)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Guo, Haowen (Shanghai, China)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Teague, MaCio (Baylor)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Huff, Jay (Virginia)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Walker, M.J. (Florida State)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Jarreau, DeJon (Houston)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Washington Jr., Duane (Ohio State)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Jones, Carlik (Louisville)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Wiggins, Aaron (Maryland)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 49.971%;" width="240">Jones, DeVante (Coastal Carolina)</td>
<td style="width: 129.391%;" width="270">Wilson, Jalen (Kansas)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

The NBA G League announced the field of 40 prospects for NBA Draft 2021 who will attend the NBA G League Elite Camp, which will take place June 19-21 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

2021 NBA G League Elite Camp announces field of 40 prospects

The Dominican Republic is a place that is mostly known as a hotbed for talent on the baseball diamond, and not the hardwood. However, its basketball talent pedigree, although not as credible as some of the other countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, and lineage of players is still impressive.
Current NBA players such as Al Horford and Karl-Anthony Towns (whose mother was Dominican) -- and former NBA players like Francisco Garcia, Felipe Lopez and Charlie Villanueva, along with others -- are among the top talents the nation has produced. As we head into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, I recently took a deep dive into Chris Duarte of the Oregon Ducks, who will likely be the next player of Dominican descent to play in the NBA.
Hailing from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, then attending high school in Troy, New York and junior college in Niceville, Fla., and now the University of Oregon, in Eugene, Ore., Chris Duarte has not had the typical path of most NBA prospects.
To start, Duarte originally played baseball, and more specifically was a pitcher who threw 90-mile-per-hour fastballs. Of course, being a baseball player by trade is not atypical where he's from. Duarte didn&rsquo;t actually start taking basketball seriously until he was 13 years old, as he sought to emulate his older brother, Michael, whom he noticed had taken a liking to the sport. Despite a late introduction to the game, Chris's talent was apparent even in the early stages of his development.
Once he turned his focus exclusively to hoops, Duarte spent his adolescence dominating his peers in local tournaments, eventually progressing to larger and larger stages. Fortunately for all of the basketball world, Duarte&rsquo;s family moved to New York, in large part because they sought to help cultivate his basketball skills and abilities.&nbsp;
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Duarte attended Redemption Christian Academy in Troy for his junior and senior years of high school. He helped lead Redemption to an 8-8 record his junior year and 5-7 record his senior year, while playing a fairly rigorous national schedule featuring teams like Brewster Academy and Victory Rock Prep. On the grassroots scene, Duarte competed in the Nike EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) with the NY Lightning. He played a feature role in his lone AAU season with the club, playing alongside mid-to-high major talents like Aundre Hyatt (LSU), Nathan Mensah (San Diego State) and Isaac Kante (Hofstra). Over 18 games, Duarte posted 9.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in just under 23 minutes per contest.&nbsp;
Upon his graduation from Redemption Christian Academy, Duarte was selected to play in the Jordan Brand&rsquo;s New York Regional Game. Separate from the more well-known and more prestigious All-American games that most people are familiar with, the regional game still featured a bounty of high-major talents, with guys like Jordan Nwora (Louisville), Collin Gillespie (Villanova), Darryl Morsell (Maryland), and Jose Alvarado (Georgia Tech). Duarte registered 18 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists for the &ldquo;City&rdquo; team in a 170-162 loss to the &ldquo;Suburban&rdquo; team.&nbsp;
A month after the Jordan Brand game, Duarte committed to Western Kentucky and joined Rick Stansbury&rsquo;s inaugural recruiting class. He enrolled there in June 2017, but never played a minute for the Hilltoppers. (The crown jewel of that recruiting class, Mitchell Robinson, also did not suit up for WKU).
Duarte failed to qualify academically and was faced with two options: sit out a full-year and try to gain eligibility for the 2018-2019 season, or play at the junior college level, where he could hit the floor right away. Duarte opted for the latter, joining well-known JUCO powerhouse Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla.
At Northwest Florida, Duarte played a crucial role for head coach Steve DeMeo&rsquo;s Raiders in the 2017-18 season. Coming off the bench for all but one game, Duarte registered 12.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per contest, playing next to future Illinois Illini guard Andres Feliz. The NWF Raiders made it to the Elite Eight of the NJCAA National Championship, where they were upset by the No. 10 seed College of Southern Idaho Golden Eagles, 107-93. For his efforts on the season, Duarte was named First-Team All-Panhandle Conference.
Six games into his sophomore season, Duarte signed his letter of intent to play for the Oregon Ducks under Dana Altman. That year, Duarte was the unquestioned leader of the NWF team, starting all 33 games and leading the team in scoring at 19.3 points per game. With the help of fellow March Madness star Javion Hamlet (North Texas), the Raiders registered a 28-5 regular-season record and a No. 1 overall seed in the 2018-19 edition of the NJCAA National Championship bracket. Northwest Florida State again fell in the Elite Eight, to Ranger College (TX), 66-63. Duarte was named the NJCAA National Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American. 
&ldquo;Chris is everything a coach wants in a student-athlete," DeMeo, now an assistant coach at St. John&rsquo;s, said of Duarte on the team website. "He is a great student, great person and a very special basketball player. Chris has really set the bar high here at Northwest Florida for all of our future Raiders, and I look forward to watching him grow and develop at Oregon and even beyond college.&rdquo;
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In his first season with Oregon, Duarte immediately settled into a role as the wingman to four-year starter and All-American Payton Pritchard, who is now with the Boston Celtics. Duarte was the second leading scorer, averaging 12.9 points per game while starting all the games he appeared in for the Ducks. He registered three 20-point games on the season, including a 30-point, 11-rebound, and 8-steal eruption in a home win v.s USC.
For most of the final month of that regular season, Duarte battled through a right hand injury, and it was apparent, as his effectiveness dwindled. His points average dipped to 6.2, his field goal percentage plummeted to 30.2% and his three-point percentage slipped to 13.6%. However, his toughness and resilience remained evident consistently. He finally succumbed to his injury, undergoing surgery to repair a broken finger on his shooting hand on Feb. 27, 2020. Altman ruled him out for the Pac-12 Tournament before COVID wiped out the entirety of the NCAA postseason. The pandemic cancellation was especially hard on the Ducks, as they finished 24-7, were the regular-season conference champions and seemed poised to be a potential threat in the big dance.&nbsp;
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Duarte entered this current season with the spotlight more firmly on him, as he was the Ducks leading returning scorer. He was tasked with being the nucleus of a team, featuring four transfers in Eugene Omoruyi (Rutgers), LJ Figueroa (St. John&rsquo;s), Eric Williams Jr. (Duquesne), and Amauri Hardy (UNLV). To further complicate team chemistry, Will Richardson -- the longest-tenured Duck in the rotation -- underwent thumb surgery prior to Oregon&rsquo;s first game in December against Missouri.
Despite the challenges, Duarte was nothing short of sensational coming out of the gates, as he shouldered a massive scoring load while still excelling on the defensive end. He posted averages of 18.4 points, 2.5 steals and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 45.6% from three-point range. Oregon started the season with a 9-2 record, peaking at No. 17 in the polls in that time frame. The Duarte-led Ducks stormed through Pac-12 conference play, finishing 14-4 and narrowly capturing the regular-season conference title over USC.
Duarte finished the regular season with a strong average of 19.2 points per game, while shooting 52% from three-point range over his last five games.
&ldquo;The first time that I saw Chris Duarte was his junior year at Oregon. I thought he was a solid player. I noted that he had good size for a wing, played hard, was super competitive, and he could really shoot the ball," added Matt Babcock, BasketballNews.com's Lead NBA Draft Analyst. "My evaluation of him was certainly positive, but I can&rsquo;t say that I was overly confident that he was going to be a sure-fire NBA player.
"However, fast-forward to this season, and Duarte has played on such a high level all season long and has subsequently changed the narrative for me. I watched him play in person in early January this year, and he was incredible. From there, I watched film on him keenly, and I must say that I was left thoroughly impressed with him as a player. I expect some to be critical of his age, as he is older for a draft prospect, but I think he&rsquo;s worthy of being a first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, regardless of his age.&rdquo;
Granted a first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament for their regular season performance, the Ducks demolished Arizona State in the quarterfinals by 18 points. In the semifinal game against Oregon State, the team got a nightmarish wake-up call, as the Beavers won by 11 in a wire-to-wire victory that was never in doubt. But this would not be the last we saw of Duarte and the Ducks.
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Altman&rsquo;s squad entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed, slated to play the No. 10 seed VCU Rams in the first round. Last weekend, over a year after he missed out on his first opportunity at a March Madness debut, Duarte was set to take the biggest stage in a matchup against another NBA prospect in Na&rsquo;Shon &ldquo;Bones&rdquo; Highland. His debut, however, would be delayed another 48 hours, as the Ducks&rsquo; first-round matchup was deemed a "no contest," as a COVID breakout ensued within the Rams&rsquo; locker room. The Ducks automatically advanced to the next round of the tournament.
In the second round, the Ducks headed towards a clash with Iowa and consensus All-American Luka Garza. In that game, Duarte wasted no time in making his presence felt, as he scored 23 points and dished out 7 assists against the Hawkeyes. Oregon ultimately ran away with the game, as the team ended the first half strongly and dominated Iowa in the second half.&nbsp;
Sunday night, Chris Duarte and the Oregon Ducks face the USC Trojans, a conference foe they are very familiar with -- and the team they barely edged out for the Pac-12 regular-season title. Another interesting element of this matchup is USC's star freshman, Evan Mobley, a likely top draft pick this summer. This should be a star-studded matchup, and we'll see if Chris Duarte can continue to elevate his stock and perhaps convince the general public to join Matt Babcock in considering him as a worthy first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Grant Aqui details the unique journey of Chris Duarte to college basketball's biggest stage and blossoming into an NBA Draft prospect.

From the Dominican Republic to The Big Dance, Chris Duarte continues to climb

There&rsquo;s no question that the likes of Gonzaga, Baylor and several Big Ten teams have dominated the college basketball season, but those aren&rsquo;t the only teams that are capable of making some noise in March. We&rsquo;ve all seen teams emerge from the shadows and make an unexpected run to the Final Four, taking down favorites along the way. Let&rsquo;s take a look at three March Madness sleepers that are worth watching closely.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_15661228-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Kansas Jayhawks
It&rsquo;s a little odd to consider Kansas a sleeper, but the Jayhawks have had such an up-and-down season that a lot of people have probably forgotten about them. However, Bill Self&rsquo;s team has gotten its act together down the stretch, winning seven of eight heading into the Big 12 Tournament. The Jayhawks even scored a win over a rusty Baylor team, which shows that they&rsquo;re capable of beating anybody. Plus, the strong finish to the season has likely improved their seed and will give them a slightly easier path to get deep into the Big Dance.
While forward David McCormack had to miss the Big 12 Tournament due to COVID protocol, as long as he&rsquo;s back by the start of the NCAA Tournament, Kansas will be fine. McCormack and freshman forward Jalen Wilson have been the catalysts for Kansas down the stretch, giving the Jayhawks more consistency and frontcourt scoring. Kansas can score inside and defend the post, which is a quality that not every team can claim to have. The question is consistency at the guard position, although Ochai Agbaji leads the team with 14.2 points per game and can be reliable in the clutch.
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Oregon Ducks
It&rsquo;s easy to overlook Pac-12 teams, especially this year, but Oregon might be the exception. The Ducks have caught fire down the stretch, winning 10 of their last 11 games before the Pac-12 Tournament, capturing the league&rsquo;s regular-season title. Even if Oregon hasn&rsquo;t been challenged during conference play as much as some other teams, the Ducks have a lot of nice pieces and should enter the NCAA Tournament with a lot of confidence and momentum.
The Ducks feature two outstanding seniors in Chris Duarte, who was Pac-12 Player of the Year, and forward Eugene Omoruyi, who was also a First-Team All-Pac-12 performer. Duarte and Omoruyi average 16.7 points per game each, and either one is capable of carrying the team when needed. Oregon also has three other players averaging double figures, including point guard Will Richardson, who played his best basketball late in the season and averaged over 15 points per game over his final three games. If Richardson can keep playing like that, the Ducks will have the type of guard play that can win in March.
The Ducks have played well in March recently, reaching the Elite Eight in 2016, the Final Four in 2017 and the Sweet Sixteen in 2019, so take a look at <a href="https://betql.co/ncaab/public-betting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the public consensus picks</a> to see if the public is backing them for a deep 2021 run.&nbsp;
<img src="https://basketballnews-media.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images/story/body/usatsi_15715227-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="AUTO" />
Purdue Boilermakers
The Boilermakers have been understandably lost in the shuffle within the Big Ten this season. Of course, that means they&rsquo;ve been battle-tested and won&rsquo;t be intimidated by any team they meet in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue managed to go 13-6 in the Big Ten this year, and won five in a row heading into the Big Ten Tournament, so the Boilermakers started to figure things out down the stretch.
The Boilermakers also have one of the most overlooked players in the Big Ten in Trevion Williams, a big man who was overshadowed by Kofi Cockburn and Luka Garza all year. Williams has averaged 15.6 points and 9 rebounds per game this year and is a far better passer than most big men. Zach Edey, a 7-foot-4 freshman, also gives Purdue incredible size in the frontcourt that most teams will struggle to match. If the guard trio of Jaden Ivey, Sasha Stefanovic and Eric Hunter can find some consistency, the Boilermakers could be something special once they stop playing the heavyweights from the Big Ten.
If you are looking to bet a sleeper for March Madness check out BetQL, where you can find <a href="https://betql.co/ncaab/sharp-picks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top expert picks</a> for every game and every bet type for the Big Dance.

Gonzaga, Baylor and Big Ten powerhouses aren't the only teams capable of making noise in the NCAA Tournament.