8-7-21 roundup: Pro basketball and baseball, college athletics

By Richard Walker

The Charlotte Hornets’ busy summer continued Saturday with three more transactions and an ESPN report that the team and head coach James Borrego are finalizing a multi-year contract extension.

Borrego has one year left on the three-year, $6 million contract he signed with the Hornets in May 2018. He’s guided Charlotte to a 95-124 record the past three years.

The team officially completed a three-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans, released one of its veteran players and signed an undrafted free agent to its summer league roster.

In the three-team trade, the Hornets acquired Wes Iwundu, a protected 2022 first-round draft pick and cash considerations from the Pelicans and the draft rights to Tyler Harvey from the Grizzlies.

Iwundu, selected No. 37 in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic out of Kansas State, averaged 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game in 41 games with the Mavericks and Pelicans during the 2020-21 season. A four-year veteran, the 6-foot-6 Iwundu has career averages of 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per game in 223 career games with Orlando, the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans.

Harvey, selected No. 51 in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Magic out of Eastern Washington, has played in the G-League in two seasons (for Orlando and Memphis) and played overseas in four seasons, including the 2020-21 season for the Illiawara Hawks of the Australian National Basketball League. Harvey earned first-team All-NBL honors after averaging 20.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 assists.

Caleb Martin was released by the team on Saturday.

A two-year veteran for the Hornets, averaged 5.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 16.0 minutes in 71 games.

Finally, in a 9:31 p.m., Saturday news release, the team announced the signing of undrafted free agent D.J. Carton.

A 6-2 guard, Carton averaged 13.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 31.1 minutes in 27 games for Marquette this past season.

A Pineville, N.C., native, Carton grew up in Bettendorf Iowa and played at Bettendorf High School.

On Sunday, Charlotte’s Las Vegas Summer League schedule begins.

Here is the Hornets full summer league schedule:

Sunday: Portland, 6 p.m. (NBA TV)

Monday: Sacramento, 6 p.m. (NBA TV)

Thursday: San Antonio, 3 p.m. (ESPNU)

Aug. 14 Toronto, 7 p.m. (NBA TV)

Aug. 16 or 17 TBD

 

 

 

 

Pro baseball

The Gastonia Honey Hunters won their second straight game at Lexington on Saturday with a 12-4 victory.

Gastonia’s third straight win improved the Honey Hunters’ record to 4-1 in August and 30-32 overall.

 

 

 

 

College athletics

Gaston College will return to athletic competition this fall for the first time since 1975.

The school is holding a Block Party from 3-8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19 to unveil the school’s new nickname, logo and colors.

Gaston College was nicknamed the Rebels from 1965 to 1969 and the Warriors from 1969 to 1972 before the school ceased its athletic programs after the 1974-75 school year.

With its restart this fall, it will again compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Region 10 and field teams in baseball, beach volleyball, esports, men’s basketball, softball and women’s cross country.