SALT LAKE CITY (January 25, 2014) – The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has claimed third-year forward Malcolm Thomas off waivers. Per team policy, financial terms were not released. Following the move, the Jazz roster now stands at 15 players.
The 25-year-old Thomas (6-9, 225, San Diego State) was waived by San Antonio on January 23 after appearing in one game this season, scoring two points, grabbing nine rebounds with two blocks in 15 minutes vs. Milwaukee on January 19. He also appeared in 10 games while on assignment with the Spurs’ NBA Development League affiliate, the Austin Toros, where he averaged 15.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.40 blocks. Thomas was signed by the Spurs on Dec. 3 as a D-League call-up from the Los Angeles D-Fenders, for whom he appeared in two games and was averaging a league-best 33.5 points and 15.5 rebounds.
The former San Diego State Aztec has appeared in a total of 16 career NBA games over three seasons with San Antonio, Golden State and Chicago, averaging 1.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 5.4 minutes. He previously saw action in three games for the Spurs during the 2011-12 season, and spent time with both the Warriors (five games) and Bulls (seven games) in 2012-13. Thomas also appeared briefly in three games for the Bulls in the 2013 NBA Playoffs.
In addition to the Toros (2011-12, 2013-14) and D-Fenders (2011-12, 2012-14), Thomas has played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2011-12) and the Santa Cruz Warriors (2012-13) of the D-League. In 39 career D-League games (30 starts), he holds averages of 14.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.23 blocks in 33.1 minutes.
Internationally, Thomas has played for Mobis Phoebus of the Korean Basketball League (2011-12) and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel (2012-13).
The Columbia, Mo., native played in all 71 games (70 starts) in two seasons at San Diego State from 2009-11, finishing his career ranked second in SDSU history in blocks, eighth in rebound average and field-goal percentage and 13th in rebounds. Thomas played his freshman season (2007-08) at Pepperdine and sophomore year at San Diego City College (2008-09) before transferring to San Diego State, located in the same city in which he attended high school.