Heat's R.J. Hampton: Agrees to two-way deal with Miami
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The Heat signed Hampton to a two-way contract Wednesday, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reports.
Hampton made 47 NBA appearances between the Magic and Pistons in 2022-23, averaging 6.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.0 minutes. The 22-year-old guard will take Jamaree Bouyea's two-way spot and should split time between the Heat and the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the G League this season.
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R.J. Hampton: Cut by Detroit
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Hampton was waived by Detroit on Saturday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Hampton spent the closing 22 games of last season with the Pistons after being waived by the Magic in mid-February. During his time in Detroit, Hampton averaged 7.3 points and 2.3 rebounds across 18.5 minutes per game. Since being drafted No. 24 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, Hampton has struggled to make an impact in the league, with his best season coming in 2021-22, when he secured 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists across 21.8 minutes per game with Orlando. Though it's unlikely we see Hampton return to fantasy relevance anytime soon, it's expected that there will be an NBA team willing to take a chance on the 21-year-old's upside.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Draws starting nod Friday
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Hampton will start Friday's game versus the Pacers.
Hampton dropped a season-best 27 points Wednesday against Brooklyn, and it appears the effort, combined with Eugene Omoruyi sitting, has earned Hampton a chance with the starting unit. He should play healthy minutes once again Friday.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Leads way in scoring column
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Hampton closed with 27 points (9-15 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), five rebounds, two assists and one block across 34 minutes during Wednesday's 123-108 loss to Brooklyn.
Hampton finished as Detroit's scoring leader on the night, establishing new season highs in points and three-pointers while achieving his offense in efficient fashion. The third-year guard should have a path to elevated minutes over the final two games of the regular season while the Pistons seem to have shut down most of their key rotation players, but expect some unreliability with his production. Over his previous three contests, Hampton averaged just 2.0 points while shooting 27.3 percent from the field.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Logs 21 minutes in loss
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Hampton accumulated four points (2-4 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 0-2 FT) and two rebounds over 21 minutes during Sunday's 128-102 loss to the Magic.
Hampton saw his minutes increase Sunday, although he failed to do anything of note during his time on the floor. Despite the fact the Pistons are throwing in the towel on a nightly basis, Hampton is yet to carve out a consistent role. Based on what we have seen over the past couple of weeks, managers would be better served to target a player who at least has a guaranteed role for the final week of the season.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Good to go against Hawks
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Hampton (back) is available for Tuesday's game versus Altanta.
Hampton has been upgraded from questionable to available after missing the previous game with low back spasms. The 21-year-old guard is averaging 7.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 20.6 minutes across his last five appearances.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Iffy for Tuesday's contest
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Hampton (back) is questionable for Tuesday's matchup against the Hawks.
Hampton was ultimately downgraded to out for Sunday's loss to Miami after initially being listed as questionable, so his designation for Tuesday doesn't offer much optimism. If he's sidelined, more minutes will be available for Rodney McGruder and Cory Joseph.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Won't play Sunday
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Hampton (back) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against Miami.
Hampton is dealing with low back spasms that will force him to miss at least one game, and it's unclear whether he'll be available Tuesday against Atlanta. Once Hampton returns, he'll likely see decreased playing time now that Jaden Ivey is back in action.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Questionable Sunday
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Hampton (back) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Heat.
With Jaden Ivey back, Hampton saw only 15 minutes off the bench his last time out, so whether he plays or not will not make a huge impact in fantasy hoops. Check back closer to the 6:00 p.m. ET tip-off for official confirmation on his status.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Returns to bench with Ivey back
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Hampton will come off the bench for Thursday's game against the Nuggets, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports.
With Jaden Ivey (COVID-19 protocols) returning, Hampton will resume a bench role. In his past six appearances off the pine, he's averaged 10.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19.3 minutes.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Starting vs. Wizards
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Hampton will start Tuesday's game against the Wizards, Mike Curtis of The Detroit News reports.
Hampton gets the nod in the backcourt with eight players sidelined for Detroit, and it marks his first start of the season. He's seen at least 17 minutes in each of the past seven games, averaging 10.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Productive off bench Monday
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Hampton finished with 15 points (5-8 FG, 3-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds and three assists across 24 minutes during Monday's 117-97 win over the Pacers.
With Jaden Ivey (COVID-19 protocols) and Alec Burks (foot) both unavailable, Hampton tied his season high in scoring while setting a new season high in boards. The third-year guard has seen a bigger workload off the bench over the last six games, averaging 19.3 minutes and contributing 10.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 threes and 0.8 steals while shooting an impressive 52.6 percent (10-for-19) from beyond the arc. The Pistons have their sights set on securing the best possible draft lottery odds and landing Victor Wembanyama, and if they begin shutting down veterans like Bojan Bogdanovic (Achilles), players like Hampton stand to benefit over the final weeks.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Big night on defense
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Hampton provided 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-2 3Pt), four rebounds, three assists and five steals in 20 minutes off the bench during Monday's 110-104 loss to the Trail Blazers.
The five pilfers were easily a career high for the third-year guard -- in fact, Hampton had only five steals combined in his previous 14 games. He's played at least 17 minutes in three of the last four games, and the Pistons seem committed to giving him a chance to carve out a consistent role on the second unit, something Hampton hadn't been getting earlier in the season with the Magic.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Set to play Saturday
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Hampton (illness) is not on the injury report for Saturday's game against the Cavaliers.
Hampton logged seven minutes off the bench and went scoreless in Wednesday's loss to the Bulls, but the illness won't prevent him from facing the Cavaliers. In any case, Hampton shouldn't play a significant role off the bench, as he has racked up just 35 total minutes in his first three appearances with Detroit.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Dealing with illness
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Hampton is probable for Saturday's matchup against the Cavaliers due to a non-COVID illness.
Hampton has appeared in three straight games since joining the Pistons, but he's garnered an inconsistent bench role. While he's dealing with an illness, the third-year guard should still suit up Saturday and may see increased minutes with Alec Burks (foot) sidelined.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Available, but may not play
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Head coach Dwane Casey said Hampton (recently signed) hasn't practiced yet with the Pistons, so while he's available Saturday versus Toronto, the third-year guard may not be included in Detroit's rotation, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Casey added that Hampton is a good defender and will be a part of the rotation when he eventually gets up to speed with his new squad, but fantasy managers likely can't count on more than 10 minutes from the guard Saturday. Hampton made 26 appearances for Orlando earlier this season but was eventually squeezed out of the rotation when the Magic got back to full strength. He played over 10 minutes in 16 of his 26 appearances and averaged 8.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.9 steals in 19.2 minutes during those games.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Available to make Detroit debut
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Hampton (not injury related) was left off the injury report for Saturday's game versus the Raptors.
The Pistons officially signed Hampton on Thursday after being waived by Orlando on Tuesday, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press reports. Hampton will likely compete for a reserve role in the backcourt.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Won't be available Thursday
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Hampton (not injury related) won't be available to make his Pistons debut Thursday versus the Magic, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports.
Hampton is still in the process of clearing waivers, so he hasn't even officially joined the Pistons yet. His next opportunity to debut for his new team will arrive Saturday against Toronto, but there should be another update on his availability when Detroit finalizes the deal.
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Pistons' R.J. Hampton: Plans to sign with Detroit
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Hampton plans to sign with the Pistons after clearing waivers Tuesday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Hampton and the Magic parted ways during the All-Star break, and the third-year guard has quickly found a new home. He was selected by the Nuggets in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft before getting dealt to Orlando later that season. He had a solid campaign for the Magic in 2021-22, posting 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 21.9 minutes across 64 appearances (14 starts), but he's failed to build on that production. In Detroit, he'll compete for a rotational role with a mix of veterans and young talent, though the unit lacks star power with Cade Cunningham (lower leg) out.
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R.J. Hampton: Waived by Orlando
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The Magic waived Hampton on Tuesday, Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel reports.
The news doesn't come as a surprise, as reports surfaced prior to the All-Star break that Orlando had been considering waiving the young guard to allow him to find more opportunity elsewhere. He was selected by the Nuggets in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft before getting traded to Orlando later that season. He averaged 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 21.9 minutes across 64 appearances (14 starts) in 2021-22, but the Magic declined his fourth-year team option for 2023-24 this past October and haven't included in the rotation for an extended period this season. He'll be free to join another team after he clears waivers, but he may have to settle for a G League deal or a contract with a foreign club.
