The Utah Jazz have signed forward Chris Johnson of the NBA Development League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers to a 10-day contract.  Johnson becomes the NBA’s 24th overall NBA D-League Call-Up of the 2014-15 season and the 22nd different player to be called up.  

The 24-year-old Johnson (6-6, 201, Dayton) appeared in 14 games (all starts) for the Vipers this season, averaging 20.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals in 35.3 minutes per contest. He scored in double figures on 13 occasions and recorded 20-plus points in eight games, including one 30-point contest. He started the 2014-15 season with the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 6.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 20.8 minutes while scoring in double figures twice in nine games (two starts), before being waived on Nov. 15. 

Elijah Millsap has reached an agreement to sign a three-year contract with the Utah Jazz, his agent Daniel Hazan told RealGM.

Millsap’s deal will be guaranteed for the remainder of the season and holds two years of team options for the Jazz.

In nine games over two 10-day contracts with the Jazz, Millsap has averaged 5.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and one steal in 20.6 minutes per appearance, providing an energetic force on the wing. He is the younger brother of NBA All-Star Paul Millsap.

Millsap started the season with the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA D-League, averaging 20.1 points and earning a call up.

Out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Millsap has spent three separate NBA training camps with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2010), Los Angeles Lakers (2011) and Milwaukee Bucks (2014). He has spent most of his professional career pushing for a permanent call up in the D-League.

The Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls are among four NBA teams that have shown an interest in swingman D.J. Kennedy, a leading candidate for the Most Valuable Player award in the top German league, sources told RealGM.

Kennedy, a two-way player at 6-foot-6, played in two games for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2011-12 season. He has since played overseas in Israel, France, Russia and now Germany.

The Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons have also reached out to Kennedy, a source said. With a deal for the remainder of the German season, Kennedy is a potential option for the summer and next season.

Kennedy started the year playing for Krasny in the Eurocup, averaging 19.2 points and six rebounds. Before Kennedy arrived to Riesen Ludwigsburg this season, the team ranked 11th place in the league. In averaging 21.1 points and 6.5 rebounds in 35 minutes a game, Kennedy has propelled the club into the playoff picture.

Kennedy, 25, went to training camp with Memphis and Dallas in 2012 and 2013. He played for Minnesota in the NBA Summer League last year.

Kennedy played his college basketball at St. John's, going unselected in the 2011 NBA draft.

The average NBA franchise valuation is now a record $1.1 billion.

There are now 11 NBA teams worth at least $1 billion, compared to three a year ago.

The Los Angeles Lakers lead the way at $2.6 billion, up 93% over last year. 

The value of the New York Knicks shot up 79% to $2.5 billion, ranking the team second overall.

Rounding out the top five are the Chicago Bulls ($2 billion), Boston Celtics ($1.7 billion) and Los Angeles Clippers ($1.6 billion).

6. Brooklyn Nets: $1.5 billion
7. Golden State Warriors: $1.3 billion
8. Houston Rockets: $1.25 billion
9. Miami Heat: $1.175 billion
10. Dallas Mavericks: $1.15 billion
11. San Antonio Spurs: $1 billion
12. Portland Trail Blazers: $940 million
13. Oklahoma City Thunder: $930 million
14. Toronto Raptors: $920 million
15. Cleveland Cavaliers: $915 million
16. Phoenix Suns: $910 million
17. Washington Wizards: $900 million
18. Orlando Magic: $875 million
19. Denver Nuggets: $855 million
20. Utah Jazz: $850 million
21. Indiana Pacers: $830 million
22. Atlanta Hawks: $825 million
23. Detroit Pistons: $810 million
24. Sacramento Kings: $800 million
25. Memphis Grizzlies: $750 million
26. Charlotte Hornets: $725 million
27. Philadelphia 76ers: $700 million
28. New Orleans Pelicans: $650 million
29. Minnesota Timberwolves: $625 million
30. Milwaukee Bucks: $600 million

The Utah Jazz have signed guard Elliot Williams to a second 10-day contract.  

Williams signed his first 10-day with the Jazz on Jan. 7 and has appeared in three Jazz games since, averaging 2.7 points in 8.6 minutes. 

When the Jazz signed him from the NBA Development League’s Santa Cruz Warriors, Williams (6-5, 190, Memphis) became the 13th overall NBA D-League Call-Up of the 2014-15 season.  

The Utah Jazz have signed guard/forward Elijah Millsap to a second 10-day contract.

Millsap signed his first 10-day with the Jazz on Jan. 5 and has appeared in five Jazz games since, averaging 5.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals in 24.0 minutes.

When the Jazz signed him from the NBA Development League’s Bakersfield Jam, Millsap (6-6, 215, Alabama-Birmingham) became the 12th overall NBA D-League Call-Up of the 2014-15 season.

The Utah Jazz have waived guard/forward Patrick Christopher. Following the move, the Jazz roster now stands at 14 players.

Christopher was called up by Utah from the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy on Dec. 10 and appeared in four games (one start) for the Jazz, averaging 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 7.3 minutes.

Christopher recently suffered a dislocated kneecap.

The Utah Jazz will sign Elliot Williams to a 10-day contract.

Williams is in Salt Lake City taking a physical.

Williams has been in the D-League with the Santa Cruz Warriors.

Elijah Millsap has passed his physical exam with the Utah Jazz and will be called up from the NBA Development League on a 10-day contract, a league source told RealGM on Sunday.

In his season with Bakersfield of the D-League, Millsap – the brother of Atlanta Hawks star Paul Millsap – is averaging 20.6 point, 8.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists a game.

For Elijah Millsap, this marks his career debut on an NBA regular season roster – as well as his agent Daniel Hazan’s first signing in the league.

Millsap had previously signed deals with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2010 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011. The 6-foot-6 forward went to training camp with the Milwaukee Bucks this season in October.

Milsap, 27, went unselected in the 2010 NBA draft after finishing his collegiate career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

ESPN first reported on Saturday that the Jazz were in talks to call up Millsap.

As an intriguing prospect in Europe, the Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz are keeping tabs on undrafted Iowa State guard DeAndre Kane, league sources told RealGM.

Kane, a rookie, has averaged 14 points, 5.7 rebounds and five assists in the EuroChallenge for Antwerp in Belgium. Although his deal with the club is expected to run through the remainder of the NBA’s regular season, Kane will likely be a free-agent workout candidate and summer league participant for those NBA teams interested.

In his senior season at Iowa State, Kane played 36 games while averaging 17.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists. He led the university to the Sweet Sixteen and emerged as a player invited to last May’s draft combine in Chicago.

After going unselected in the draft, the 6-foot-4 Kane played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the July summer league, where he averaged 5.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 19.7 minutes per game.