Impressed by his strong performance with Team USA, the San Antonio Spurs have signed Darrun Hilliard to a two-way contract, terms of which were not revealed due to team policy. The Spurs signed Hilliard after his impressive stint with Team USA, which won the gold medal in the recent FIBA Americup. Hilliard is expected to spend his time with the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G-League affiliate. Hilliard is also expected to see action for the Spurs, who currently have Patty Mills and Dejounte Murray as point guards with the absence of the injured Tony Parker.
The 6-foot-6 Hilliard led the team in scoring, averaging 13.4 points per game, as the Americans cruised to an unbeaten 5-0 mark in the tournament. Hilliard scored 15 points as Team USA erased a 20-point deficit en route to an 81-76 triumph over Argentina in the gold medal game. Team USA, composed mainly of NBA G League players and players with limited NBA experience, was coached by former New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy.
Hilliard last played for Pistons
A second round pick by Detroit in 2015, Hilliard played the last two seasons with the Detroit Pistons, where he averaged 6 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.9 minutes in 77 career games. He also suited up with the Pistons G League affiliate – the Grand Rapids Drive – for seven games, averaging 24.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 33.6 minutes.
In the offseason, Hilliard was traded to the Houston Rockets before he was shipped to the Los Angeles Clippers, who waived him last June 29. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams are allowed to sign a standard 15 players on their roster and up to two additional players on two-way contracts.
Muhammad returns to Wolves
Unrestricted free-agent guard Shabazz Muhammad agreed to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves on a one-year deal. A source told ESPN that Muhammad will sign a deal worth $1.6 million. The two sides are also working to add a player option for a second year but it has yet to be ironed out. Muhammad rejected better offers in the offseason as he wants to stay with the Wolves, who have vastly improved with the addition of Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, and veteran sixth man Jamal Crawford to play alongside young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
A 14th overall pick by the Wolves in 2013, Muhammad averaged 9.9 points in 19.4 minutes of action off the bench for Minnesota last season. Recently, the Wolves upgraded their roster by trading for Butler on Draft Day. They shipped Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn and rookie Lauri Markkanen to the Chicago Bulls for Butler and rookie Justin Patton.
