Tristan Enaruna Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Walker, Claxton, Hart, Raptors

October 27th, 2024 at 4:17pm CST by Luke Adams

The Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate, officially announced their training camp roster this weekend ahead of the 2024/25 NBAGL season. The roster features several players who were in camp with the NBA team earlier this month, including Ron Harper Jr., Jay Scrubb, Tristan Enaruna, and Dmytro Skapintsev.

However, there’s one notable absence among the players waived by the Celtics during the preseason: Lonnie Walker.

Walker’s contract with Boston included a $77.5K Exhibit 10 bonus that he could earn by spending at least 60 days with Maine, and he said in September that he was “perfectly fine” with the idea of playing in the G League. But it appears as if he’s still weighing his choices.

While playing in the G League may be the most logical path back to the NBA for Walker, there are other options available to him this season. The veteran wing was rumored last week to be drawing interest from Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Nets center Nic Claxton, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury during the preseason, has come off the bench in the first two games of the regular season and has been on a strict minutes limit, logging 15 minutes on Wednesday and 20 on Friday. That limit will increase again on Sunday, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. As Lewis writes in a full story, it sounds like head coach Jordi Fernandez will only reinsert Claxton into the starting five once he’s been cleared for a starter’s workload. “Obviously, you can be creative. But if you go to starter minutes, then it’s somewhere around low 30s, because I think if you do more, health is an issue,” Fernandez said. “But for me, starters usually play starting at 24 all the way to 33-34, that range.”
Josh Hart struggled to find his fit in the Knicks‘ new-look starting five during the preseason, but those frustrations haven’t carried over to the regular season, writes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. After scoring 20 points on Friday in the team’s first win of the season, Hart made light of his preseason comment about feeling “lost” on offense. “I was just having fun with y’all, man,” he told reporters. “I knew I was going to be solid. It was preseason. I have a good feel for everybody. I think we’re all really getting into a rhythm offensively and, more importantly, defensively — playing with each other, seeing where everyone likes the ball and those kind of things. I’m good.”
A lawsuit filed by ex-Clippers strength and conditioning coach Randy Shelton against his former team opens an old wound for Raptors fans, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. The suit alleges the Clippers conducted an extensive recruitment of Leonard during his time in Toronto that “leapt well beyond the bounds of the NBA constitution” and included sending then-assistant GM Mark Hughes to about 75% of the Raptors’ games in 2018/19. Leonard, whose desire to play in Southern California was widely known, left Toronto for L.A. in 2019 immediately after winning a title with the Raptors.

Celtics Sign Jay Scrubb, Waive Tristan Enaruna

October 9th, 2024 at 7:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have made a change at the back end of their 21-man preseason roster, signing free agent guard Jay Scrubb and waiving forward Tristan Enaruna, according to the official transaction logs at RealGM and NBA.com.

Bobby Manning of CLNS, who first reported during the offseason that Boston was expected to sign Scrubb to an Exhibit 10 contract once he had fully recovered from his ACL injury, confirms (via Twitter) that the 24-year-old did in fact receive an Exhibit 10 deal.

A second-round pick in 2020, Scrubb appeared in 24 games for the Clippers and Magic across his first three NBA seasons. He signed a two-way contract with the Celtics last July, but tore his right ACL during a practice during the preseason and was waived before the regular season began. The 6’5″ shooting guard announced on Instagram on Tuesday that he has been “fully cleared,” approximately a year after sustaining that knee injury.

Scrubb remains eligible for a two-way contract, so his Exhibit 10 deal could be converted before opening night. However, it’s more likely that he’ll be waived and will report to the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate. Maine acquired Scrubb’s returning rights from the South Bay Lakers last month.

If Scrubb is waived and then spends at least 60 days with the Celtics’ NBAGL team, he’ll earn an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $77.5K.

Celtics Sign Tristan Enaruna To Exhibit 10 Contract

June 27th, 2024 at 9:36pm CST by Luke Adams

July 11: Enaruna’s Exhibit 10 deal with Boston is official, per RealGM’s log of NBA transactions.

June 27: Undrafted rookie free agent Tristan Enaruna has agreed to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics, reports Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link).

A 6’8″ Dutch-born wing, Enaruna spent his first two college seasons at Kansas from 2019-21 before transferring to Iowa State for 2021/22 and then to Cleveland State for 2022-24. After playing a modest role through his junior year, he broke out with the Vikings over the past two seasons as a starter, averaging 19.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 33.2 minutes per game across 35 outings in 2023/24.

Enaruna, who has been named to the All-Horizon League first team in each of the past two years, was the No. 40 prospect on ESPN’s list of undrafted rookies. He also earned MVP honors at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this spring, notes Chepkevich.

An Exhibit 10 contract is a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract that doesn’t count against a team’s cap unless the player makes the regular season roster. It can be converted to a two-way contract before the season begins or can put a player in line for a bonus if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate. The maximum Exhibit 10 bonus was $75K last season and will increase at the same rate as the salary cap in 2024/25.

No free agent contracts for the 2024/25 season can be signed until July, so Enaruna’s deal with Boston is just tentative for now.

Draft Workouts: Spurs, Suns, Pacers, Blazers, Lakers, Wolves, Thomas

June 20th, 2024 at 9:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs, who are widely expected to draft at least one guard next Wednesday, recently worked out both Stephon Castle of UConn and Devin Carter of Providence, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

As we relayed on Wednesday, recent mock drafts from ESPN and Bleacher Report both have San Antonio drafting Castle at No. 4, and the team is said to be high on Carter as well. Iko confirms as much, writing that the Spurs have “strong interest” in Carter, Castle, and Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard, with Carter’s private workout “resonating” among the team’s decision-makers.

Here’s more pre-draft workout news from around the NBA:

After a previous report indicated that the Suns may target Tyler Kolek with the No. 22 pick, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic says Phoenix brought the former Marquette guard in for a workout on Thursday. Kolek is the No. 25 prospect on ESPN’s board and the Suns are believed to be in the market for a point guard this offseason.
The Pacers held their sixth pre-draft workout on Thursday, with Adem Bona (UCLA), RayJ Dennis (Baylor), Ariel Hukporti (Germany), Daniss Jenkins (St. John’s), Keshad Johnson (Arizona), and Babacar Sane (G League Ignite) in attendance, per a press release from the team. Bona (No. 33) is the highest-rated player of the group on ESPN’s board.
International prospects Yongxi Cui and Quinn Ellis and G Leaguer Bryson Warren were among the players who participated in a pre-draft workout with the Trail Blazers on Friday, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. Tristan Enaruna (Cleveland State), Oso Ighodaro (Marquette), and Nae’Qwan Tomlin (Memphis) also took part.
The Lakers brought in a handful of potential second-rounders or undrafted free agents on Thursday, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link), who says Quinn Slazinski (West Virginia), Jalen Bridges (Baylor), Raequan Battle (West Virginia), Quincy Olivari (Xavier), and Lance Jones (Purdue) attended the session. McMenamin also says Xavier Johnson participated, though he doesn’t specify whether that’s the Xavier Johnson from Indiana or Southern Illinois.
Keion Brooks Jr. (Washington), Tyler Wahl (Wisconsin), N’Faly Dante (Oregon), Aaron Estrada (Alabama), and Isaac Jones (Washington State) worked out for the Timberwolves on Friday, according to the club (Twitter link). It’s worth noting that it was Estrada’s second workout for Minnesota, which may signal real interest.
Tyler Thomas of Hofstra has recently worked out for the Cavaliers, Rockets, Magic, Timberwolves, and Knicks, a source tells Adam Zagoria of NJ.com (Twitter link). Thomas isn’t considered a top-100 prospect by ESPN, but could catch on with a team in free agency if he goes undrafted.

Northwest Notes: Markkanen, Thunder, Wallace, Wolves

June 3rd, 2024 at 10:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen won’t play for Finland in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Spain, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net reports. Markkanen aggravated an impingement to his right shoulder in late March and the injury has still not fully healed.

“Certainly, this is tough,” the Jazz forward said in a statement. “Representing Finland and playing for the national team is an honor for me. Along with my teammates, we have been talking all season about how sweet it would be to advance to the Olympic Games.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

The Thunder had an overload of players on their roster last offseason but that won’t be the case this time around, Rylan Stiles of SI.com notes. Oklahoma City will have four open standard contract roster spots available with Gordon Hayward, Bismack Biyombo, Mike Muscala and possibly Lindy Waters III (club option) headed to free agency. They will also have at least one two-way spot available with Olivier Sarr tearing his Achilles late last season. He’s expected to be out all of next season.
Cason Wallace exceeded expectations in his rookie season with the Thunder, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman writes. Wallace, the No. 10 pick of last year’s draft, appeared in every game and make the All-Rookie Second Team. He also shot 41.9% from 3-point range and displayed strong defensive skills.
In draft news, Melvin Ajinca (France), Jalen Bridges (Baylor), Tristan Enaruna (Cleveland State), Ajay Mitchell (UC Santa Barbara), Jonathan Mogbo (San Francisco) and Baylor Scheierman (Creighton) worked out for the Timberwolves on Monday, the team’s PR department tweets. Scheierman is currently ranked No. 26 on ESPN’s Best Available list.