Magic’s Lewis scores 16 in return

The Detroit Pistons have signed forward/center Chimezie Metu to a 10-day contract.

Metu, 6-9, 225, is a five-year NBA veteran and has appeared in 246 career games (31 starts) for San Antonio, Sacramento and Phoenix. The No. 49 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Metu holds career averages of 5.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.4 blocks in 12.8 minutes per game.

Metu appeared in 37 games (five starts) for the Phoenix Suns this season and averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 12.1 minutes. A native of Los Angeles, CA, Metu played collegiately at the University of Southern

The G League Ignite have struggled this season. After going 4-12 during the Showcase portion of the season, the Ignite are 2-19 in G League regular season. Those struggles, combined with a changing landscape for young players, has the NBA reassessing the future of the Ignite.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that the NBA is now looking at the Ignite differently than when the program was created in 2020. Silver noted that the idea was to give players an additional pathway to the NBA, other than going to college or overseas. With the advent of NIL, and other financial programs, players now have pathways open to making money while playing for NCAA teams.

Silver did note that basketball is now the most participated in youth sport in the United States. He also said that it’s imperative that the NBA, NCAA and youth programs work together on how they develop players for the future.