Milwaukee signs free agents Craig, Portis
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Torrey Craig and forward Bobby Portis.
“We’ve bolstered the depth of our roster,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said Wednesday. “Together they bring toughness, shooting and playoff experience to our team. We look forward to their continued development playing in coach (Mike Budenholzer’s)system.”
Craig, 29, played the last three seasons with the Denver Nuggets, appearing in 172 games while making 69 starts. Last season with Denver, Craig averaged 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game, playing in 58 games (27 starts). Overall, the 6-foot-7 forward holds career averages of 5.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft out of the University of South Carolina Upstate, Craig played the first three seasons of his professional career in the Australian and New Zealand National Basketball Leagues, earning Australian NBL Defensive Player of the Year, Australian NBL Most Improved Player, and All-australian NBL second team honors following the 201617 season with Brisbane.
Bulls add free agents Vonleh and Norvell
The Chicago Bulls agreed to a one-year deal with free agent big man Noah Vonleh, his agent told ESPN, signaling perhaps the team’s offseason moves are not complete.
The Bulls also added freeagent guard Zach Norvell Jr., who played at Gonzaga, on a one-year deal, per ESPN.
The addition of Vonleh and Norvell gives the Bulls 17 players under contract, so they would have to clear space on the roster if the 6-foot-10 forward makes the team out of training camp.
Vonleh, 25, has bounced around with six different teams since he was a lottery pick in 2014. Last season, he appeared in 36 games for the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 3.7 points and 3.4 rebounds.
Vonleh’s journey around the league includes a brief stay with the Bulls at the end of the 2017-18 season, when he played 21 games (four starts) and averaged 6.9 points with 6.9 rebounds. He signed with the New York Knicks the following year, and enjoyed his most productive season — starting 57 of 68 games while averaging 8.4 points and 7.8 rebounds.
The Bulls don’t have to trim down their roster until Dec. 21, which is the day before the season begins. So they can take a longer look at Vonleh during training camp to see if he can recapture some of his previous success.
After signing guard Garrett Temple last week, the Bulls roster is at a full 15 guaranteed contracts, not including two-way players Adam Mokoka and rookie Devon Dotson. But their frontcourt is getting crowded, and they could move one of their big men to clear roster space.
That would mean waiving little-used Cristiano Felicio or Luke Kornet and paying their salary, or pulling off a trade to help create space.
Sixers sign Walton to one-year contract
The Philadelphia 76ers added a point guard who is no stranger to their new coach.
Derrick Walton agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with the 76ers, according to a league source. The 6-foot, 189pounder played for Doc Rivers with the Clippers last season.
He averaged 2.2 points, 1.0 assist, and 9.7 minutes in 23 games with one start in Los Angeles before being traded to Atlanta for a 2022 second-round draft pick on Feb. 6. The Hawks immediately waived him. Walton then signed a 10-day contract with the Pistons.
The 25-year-old from Detroit was a standout player at Michigan The four-year starter averaged 15.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.0 steal as a senior in 2016-17. That season he was named the Big Ten tournament most outstanding player after averaging 20.5 points, 6.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in Michigan’s tourney games.
Walton signed with Miami in 2017 and split his time between the Heat and their G League affiliate.
He began last season on the Clippers’ roster and played for Rivers, the coach the Sixers hired Oct. 3.