Wizards signing Jalen McDaniels to 10-day contract

The Wizards are signing Jalen McDaniels to a 10-day contract, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). In order to make room for McDaniels on the 15-man roster, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets Washington will waive Erik Stevenson from his 10-day pact.

McDaniels, the older brother of the Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels, is a five-year NBA veteran. He hasn’t played in the league yet this season, last suiting up for Toronto in 2023/24. He’s been playing for Washington’s G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. In 29 games with them (26 starts), McDaniels is averaging 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.

The elder McDaniels was the 52nd overall pick in the 2019 draft, spending the first three and a half years of his career with the Hornets. He was then moved to the Sixers at the 2023 deadline in the multi-team trade that saw Josh Hart land with the Knicks and Matisse Thybulle go to Portland.

After that season, McDaniels signed with the Raptors. He played in 50 games for Toronto last year before being traded twice this offseason. In June, the Raptors sent him to Sacramento in a move that netted them Jamal Shead and Davion Mitchell, and the Kings sent him to San Antonio in October, where he was promptly waived.

In 248 NBA appearances (45 starts), McDaniels holds averages of 6.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 44.9% from the field and 32.2% from three.

Washington’s been cycling through 10-day contracts since the deadline. They signed Jaylen Nowell on Feb. 8 before ending his 10-day deal early to sign Stevenson on Feb. 17. Now, five days later, they’re reportedly making another switch. Neither Nowell nor Stevenson made an appearance with the Wizards. Stevenson is averaging 17.1 points on 38.8% shooting from three in the G League this year.

After the move is official, the Wizards will remain at a full roster, with 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way pacts.