The Portland Trail Blazers will begin operating a G League franchise for the 23-24 season, which leaves the Phoenix Suns as the only team without an affiliate.

Portland G League team will play their home games at the University of Portland.

“I’m excited to welcome Jody Allen and the Trail Blazers ownership group to the NBA G League family,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim.  “The NBA G League continues to grow to meet the developmental demands of NBA teams, and today’s announcement is further proof of the value the league provides to the NBA every day.  I can’t wait to watch the team tip off at the Chiles Center next season.”

“It was very important to our organization to enter the G League with an affiliate here in Portland and strategically strengthen our dedication to player development,” said Joe Cronin, Portland Trail Blazers General Manager. “I would especially like to thank Jody Allen, who is aligned with Dewayne Hankins and myself, to make it a priority to have this team ready for next season as it will serve not only as a developmental tool for players but also for aspiring coaches and staff while we continue to be a mainstay in the community as a whole.”

The NBA and NBPA have agreed to major changes to the draft process as part of its new collective bargaining agreement.

Beginning in 2024, all invited players will be required to attend and participate in the NBA draft combine or be ineligible to be drafted until the "first subsequent draft for which the player attends and fully participates."

Participation will include league medical examinations, sharing of medical history and biomechanical and functional movement testing, as well as strength and agility testing, shooting drills, performance testing and anthropometric measurements. 

This represents a significant shift in favor of NBA teams that have long lobbied for this rule change. Agents of elite prospects have regularly strategized to keep medical information away from franchises they have perceived as less appealing.

Players who are physically unable to participate, because of playing with a FIBA club still in-season, family tragedy, the birth of a child, or an injury, as determined by the medical director of the combine, will be required to complete components at a later date. 

The second major change that will be instituted in the new CBA involves doing away with automatic eligibility for high school or collegiate players who sign professional contracts with entities such as G League Ignite, Overtime Elite (OTE) or the Australian NBL.

In the past, players who signed with such entities would be automatically eligible for the subsequent NBA draft, regardless of whether they were interested in doing so or not, provided they were turning 19 in that calendar year.

Dink Pate, a five-star recruit for the class of 2024, signed with the G League Ignite on Monday.

"The whole idea of why I started playing basketball was to be a pro. G League Ignite brings me one step closer to my dream. It's all about the development of my game," said Pate.

Pate, who turned 17 in March, is the youngest known professional basketball player in U.S. history. 

Pate graduated high school a year early and will join the team this summer.

Because he will not turn 19 until 2025, Pate will not be eligible for the 2024 draft. He instead will be committing two years with the Ignite before entering the 2025 draft. 

The All-NBA G League First Team is comprised of Carlik Jones, Long Island Nets guard David Duke Jr., Capital City Go-Go forward-center Jay Huff, Memphis Hustle forward-center Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Stockton Kings center Neemias Queta.

The All-NBA G League Second Team includes Sioux Falls Skyforce guard Jamaree Bouyea, Cleveland Charge guard Sharife Cooper, Rio Grande Valley Vipers forward Darius Days, and Maine Celtics center Mfiondu Kabengele and forward Luka Samanic.

The All-NBA G League Third Team features Fort Wayne Mad Ants forward Justin Anderson, Long Island Nets guard Chris Chiozza, Ontario Clippers center Moussa Diabaté and guard Xavier Moon, as well as Cleveland Charge forward Isaiah Mobley.

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward RaiQuan Gray to a two-way contract. Gray played in 30 games with the Long Island Nets of the G League this season.

Gray averaged 14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals in his second season with Long Island. He improved drastically as a shooter this season too. The 6-foot-7 forward shot 41% as a rookie and 55% this season. He also improved from 18% on three-pointers last season to 30% this season.

With Steven Adams likely to miss the playoffs, the Memphis Grizzlies are making a series of moves to fortify their roster. The Grizzlies, as do all NBA teams, face a Sunday deadline for any roster shuffling to be completed.

Memphis is signing forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. to a multi-year standard contract. Lofton has appeared in 23 NBA games this season while on a two-way contract with the Grizzlies and Memphis Hustle of the G League. In 30 G League games, Lofton averaged 22.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals.

Adding the 6-foot-8 forward will give the Grizzlies some additional frontcourt depth for the playoffs. This also keeps Lofton in Memphis into next season, as opposed to him being a restricted free agent this summer.

To clear the roster space to sign Lofton, Memphis is waiving Kennedy Chandler. The 6-foot guard was signed to a four-year contract worth $7.1 million before this season. That deal included $1.7 million in guaranteed money for next season and $2 million in guaranteed salary for the 2024-25 season.

Memphis will round out their roster moves by signing Jacob Gilyard to fill their open two-way spot. in 49 games with the Memphis Hustle of the G League, Gilyard averaged 8.6 points, 8.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

The Brooklyn Nets have exercised the standard NBA contract conversion option for two-way guard David Duke Jr.

Duke Jr. (6'4", 207) originally signed as a free agent with the Nets on Aug. 8, 2021, and had his contract converted to a two-way deal on Oct. 16, 2021. He then re-signed a two-way contract with Brooklyn on Sept. 16, 2022. In 43 games (seven starts) over two NBA seasons, Duke Jr. holds career averages of 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game. The Providence, R.I., native has appeared in 21 games off the bench for Brooklyn this season and is averaging 3.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per contest.

The 23-year-old has also played in 35 career regular season games (all starts) for Brooklyn's NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, posting averages of 20.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals in 32.5 minutes per game.

The New Orleans Pelicans have waived Two-Way guard Dereon Seabron.

Seabron, 6-7, 180, appeared in five games off the bench this season with New Orleans. Originally signed to a two-way contract on September 9, Seabron appeared in 28 games (25 starts) with the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, averaging 17.8 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 33.3 minutes per contest.

New Orleans’ roster now stands at 16 players, including one Two-Way player.

Carlik Jones has been named the 2022-23 NBA G League Most Valuable Player for his play with the Windy City Bulls. Jones earned the honor in a vote by the league’s 30 head coaches and general managers. 

Sacramento Kings Two-Way center Neemias Queta and Brooklyn Nets Two-Way guard David Duke Jr. finished second and third respectively. 

Jones averaged an NBA G League-high 26.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.7 steals in 38.3 minutes through 24 games for the Windy City Bulls. An NBA G League Next Up Game selection, Jones recorded seven games with at least 30 points this season.  He also earned NBA G League Player of the Month honors for February after leading Windy City to a 6-2 record.

Jones’ strong play led to him signing a Two-Way contract with Chicago in December. He signed a standard NBA contract with the team in March.

Lester Quinones has been named the 2022-23 NBA G League Most Improved Player for his play with the Santa Cruz Warriors. Quiñones is on a Two-Way contract with the Golden State Warriors.

The award, which honors the player who demonstrates the most significant improvement during the season, was voted on by NBA G League head coaches and general managers.

In his rookie campaign, Quiñones averaged 21.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 31 games for the Santa Cruz Warriors.  Prior to the regular season, he posted averages of 17.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 during 2022 Showcase Cup play.  The former Memphis Tiger was named NBA G League Player of the Week twice this season. He finished second in voting for the 2022-23 Kia NBA G League Rookie of the Year award.