Thunder Sign Zack Austin, Jazian Gortman, Chris Youngblood To Camp Deals
The Oklahoma City Thunder signed Zack Austin, Jazian Gortman and Chris Youngblood to Exhibit 10 contract. All three players are expected to play for the Oklahoma City Blue of the G League this season.
Austin went undrafted out of Pittsburgh at the 2025 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-5 wing averaged 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game a senior for the Panthers.
Gortman spent part of last season on a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks. In 34 games with the Texas Legends of the G League, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 20 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Youngblood went undrafted out of Alabama at the 2025 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 10.3 points on 45/39/80 shooting splits as a senior for the Crimson Tide.
There isn’t a definitive timeline for 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George to return from their respective knee surgeries, both players said Friday at the team’s media day.
Grizzlies forward/center Brandon Clarke will undergo a procedure to address a knee issue, while Zach Edey (ankle) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (toe) have been cleared to begin ramping up basketball activities.
Jared McCain has suffered a UCL tear in his right thumb during a workout on Tuesday. McCain is working with specialists to decide how they will proceed with the injury.
McCain’s promising rookie season last year was cut short due to a meniscus tear.
McCain averaged 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 25.7 minutes over 23 games last season with the Philadelphia 76ers. McCain was the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft by the Sixers.
If McCain were to have an extended absence, the value of Quentin Grimes would increase for the Sixers. Grimes remains in a restricted free agency stalemate with the Sixers.
76ers guard Jared McCain suffered a UCL tear in his right thumb in a workout Thursday, the team announced, casting his availability for the start of the season in doubt.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia says he’s not worried about the multiple lawsuits his franchise is facing, with claims ranging from discrimination to wrongful termination.
Why Eagles can’t sign former Super Bowl champ after release from Texans
C.J. Gardner-Johnson is looking for a new home.
However, pursuant to NFL Rules, that new home will not be his old one.
The defensive back was traded by the Philadelphia Eagles to the Houston Texans ahead of the 2025 NFL season, in exchange for guard Kenyon Green as well as a late-round 2026 pick swap. But after just three games in Houston, Gardner-Johnson has been released.
According to reporting from Texans beat writer Aaron Wilson, the release came after “friction” developed behind the scenes. As Wilson posted on social media, the defensive back was “complaining about his role” and “wanting to blitz more.”
The release, coming as the Texans sit at 0-3 in the AFC South, has many speculating about where his next NFL destination will be. But do not expect that destination to be his old team, the Eagles. As pointed out by SB Nation’s own Brandon Lee. Gowton, pursuant to NFL Rules, a player who was traded cannot return to the team that traded them unless they have played a minimum of four games with the team that acquired them via the underlying trade:
Seems like the Eagles can’t actually re-sign CJGJ since he did not play a minimum of 4 games with the Texans:
Under this section of the rules, two seasons must pass until Philadelphia can bring Gardner-Johnson back into the fold.
Interestingly enough, the last time this obscure portion of the NFL Rulebook came into play also involved the Eagles.
Ahead of the 2024 NFL season, the Eagles traded pass rusher Haason Reddick to the New York Jets. But with Reddick seeking an improved contract from his new team, a standoff with the Jets lasted into the start of the season.
