The NBA G League, Denver Nuggets and Grand Rapids Drive announced that the teams have entered into a single affiliation “hybrid” partnership beginning with the 2021-22 season. 

As hybrid affiliates, the Nuggets will control the Drive’s basketball operations and existing local ownership in Grand Rapids, Mich., led by Steve Jbara and a team of investors, will oversee the franchise’s business operations and community engagement.  Grand Rapids, which will announce a new name and identity in the coming weeks, was previously the hybrid affiliate of the Detroit Pistons.  

“The NBA G League continues to be an essential destination for player development, and I’m so pleased to welcome the Kroenke family and the Denver Nuggets to the league,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim.  “Steve Jbara and his team in Grand Rapids run an outstanding organization and I’m excited for this partnership to take both teams to new heights.”

“We are extremely excited about this partnership and look forward to what the future holds for our franchises,” said Nuggets President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly. “We know that Grand Rapids is an excellent organization and the collaboration we can have with our own G League team is something that will be hugely beneficial to our players, staff and organization. It’s just a great situation for all parties involved.”

China's top basketball prospect Fanbo Zeng is decommitting from Gonzaga to join the G League Ignite, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Zeng, a four-star high school recruit, will be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft.

Zeng joins Michael Foster in joining the Ignite team this week. 

Michael Foster Jr. has signed to play with the G League Ignite during the 21-22 season.

Foster is ESPN's No. 7 prospect in the Class of 2021 and the first player to join the Ignite for next season.

A 2021 McDonald’s All-American, Foster spent his last two high school seasons at Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, where he averaged 32.2 points and 18.4 rebounds as a senior and 26.3 points, 13.4 rebounds and 6.1 blocks as a junior.

Foster is a native of Milwaukee. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers will sign Jeremiah Martin to a Two-Way contract.

Martin appeared in nine games with the Brooklyn Nets during the 19-20 season. 

Playing for the Long Island Nets in the G League this season, Martin averaging 18.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 31.8 minutes per game.

Kai Sotto has agreed to a multi-year deal with the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League in Australia.

Sotto, a 7'2 center from the Philippines, joined the G League Ignite roster this season.

Sotto will be eligible for the 2022 NBA draft beginning in 2022.

The Toronto Raptors have signed forward Yuta Watanabe to a standard NBA contract. 

Watanabe, 6-foot-9, 205 pounds, is averaging 4.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 13.4 minutes in 39 games (one start) as a two-way player with the Raptors this season. He is shooting .448 (56-125) from the field, including .400 (24-40) from three-point range, and has scored in double figures six times. Watanabe recorded a career-high 21 points Apr. 16 vs. Orlando.

A native of Japan, Watanabe spent the last two seasons (2018-20) as a two-way player with Memphis. He played collegiately at George Washington (2014-18) where he was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.  

Kevin Ollie has been hired as head coach and director of player development for the Overtime Elite, a new professional basketball league for top prospects between the ages of 16 and 18.

"I'm ready to get back to what I was born to do: empowering and encouraging and supporting young people, and helping them grow," Ollie said in a statement. "There's no better place for me to do that than OTE, an extraordinary league for extraordinary young men. I consider it my mission to help these elite athletes realize their dreams."

Ollie played in the NBA and won a National Championship as head coach of UConn.

The OTE's plan is to offer six-figure financial packages and an academic tutoring component for high school players to compete against prep school and international teams in a year-round training program.

These players would lose college eligibility but be able to advance toward the G League and NBA draft in a more basketball-intensive environment.

The New Orleans Pelicans will sign James Nunnally to a Two-Way contract.

Nunnally hasn't played in the NBA since the 18-19 season, most recently with the Houston Rockets.

Nunnally played for Fenerbahce Ulker in Turkey during the 19-20 season.

The Golden State Warriors have agreed to sign Gary Payton II to a 10-day contract.

Payton went undrafted in 2016 out of Oregon State and has played for several NBA teams.

Payton was the 2021 Defensive Player of the Year in the G League with Raptors 905.

The Denver Nuggets have agreed to sign Shaq Harrison to a Two-Way contract.

Harrison played part of the 20-21 season with the Utah Jazz before he was waived.

The Nuggets will waive Greg Whittington to make room for Harrison.