Utah State’s Darius Brown II Inks Exhibit 10 Deal With Cleveland Cavaliers
Jun 28, 2024, 5:00 PM
LOGAN, UT - JANUARY 20 : Darius Brown II #10 of the Utah State Aggies drives to the basket against Eduardo Andre #35 of the Fresno State Bulldogs during the first half of their game at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum the on January 20, 2024 in Logan, Utah.
SALT LAKE CITY— After a sensational season in Logan, former Utah State guard Darius Brown II has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. An Exhibit 10 contract is a non-guaranteed, minimum-salary contract that does not count against a team’s salary cap unless Brown makes the Cavs’ regular-season roster. Brown will join the Cavaliers’ summer league roster.
Utah State announced the signing on Friday, June 28, after Brown was not selected in the 2024 NBA Draft.
RELATED: Danny Sprinkle Honored As COY, USU Players Named To All-MWC Teams
𝓢𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓭!
Congrats to @dariusbrownii on signing with the @cavs!#AggiesAllTheWay | @USUBasketball pic.twitter.com/mcxN7L4mFJ
— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) June 28, 2024
The Pasadena, California native was named All-Mountain West First-Team in his only season with USU. Brown set the program’s single-season assist record (228) while being named to the MW All-Defensive Team and NABC Second Team All-District 17. He was named MW Player of the Week twice during the regular season. Brown started all 35 games while averaging 36 minutes per night. He scored 12.3 points a night on 44.6 percent from the field and 39.8 percent shooting from deep. Brown led Utah State with 6.5 assists per game while contributing 4.3 rebounds.
RELATED: Darius Brown II Propels Utah State To Conference Title
Before joining the Aggies, Brown was named All-Big Sky Third Team and 2023 Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year while playing under Danny Sprinkle at Montana State. Before Montana State, Brown spent four seasons with the Cal-State Northridge Matadors. In 130 games, Brown averaged 9.2 points, 4.6 assists, four rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.
Former Aggie Sam Merrill averaged eight points, two rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 40.4 percent from behind the arc with Cleveland last season. Merrill’s contract is guaranteed through the 2024-25 season.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering the Utah State Aggies and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s coverage of the Bees, Big League Utah, and Aggie athletics here.
