NBA News – Denver’s Marcus Camby leads the NBA with six 20-plus rebounding performances this season. His six have already surpassed the amount posted by last season’s league leader, New Orleans’ Tyson Chandler, who paced the NBA with five 20-board outings in 73 games. Camby has already bested his personal best for a single season (five in 56 appearances during 2005-06). He has 26 games of 20-plus boards in 616 career games during his first 11 seasons in the NBA, 21 coming with the Nuggets.
Month: December 2007
Jazz assign Morris Almond and Kyrylo Fesenko to D-League
The Utah Jazz has assigned rookies Morris Almond and Kyrylo Fesenko to their D-League affiliate, the Utah Flash, Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today.
Fesenko, a 7-1, 20-year-old center, was originally sent to the Flash on Nov. 10. There he played four games, averaging 13.8 points and seven rebounds before being recalled by the Jazz on Nov. 30. The native of Ukraine appeared in his lone Jazz game the night he was recalled, scoring six points and grabbing seven rebounds in a 120-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Almond, a 6-6, 225-pound guard from Rice, was selected in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft (25th overall) and has appeared in four Jazz games this season.
The Utah Flash now has the maximum number of assigned players allowable on their roster. Almond and Fesenko join Gabe Pruitt and Brandon Wallace, who are on assignment from the Boston Celtics, the other parent club for the Utah Flash. The only other time a D-League team has had the maximum number of assigned players was from Jan. 3-10, 2006 when the Florida Flame had four players on assignment from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat.
“As a coach for our organization I’m obviously excited to have four NBA guys on our roster,” Flash head coach Brad Jones said. “This is a good accolade and tribute to what Freddy (Flash GM David Fredman) and (owner) Brandt (Andersen) are doing that NBA teams feel comfortable enough to send players our way. The challenge for the coach is I have to get these guys to mesh together, play as a team and get better every day.”
The Flash is 3-3 and in third place in the D-League’s West Division.
Rockets assign Aaron Brooks to D-League
Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that guard Aaron Brooks has been assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, which is Houston’s NBA D-League affiliate. He becomes the 14th NBA player to be assigned to the D-League this season. Brooks joins teammate Steve Novak, who was assigned to the Vipers on Nov. 11.
The Rockets now become the third NBA team this season to have multiple players partake in D-League assignments, joining the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs.
Brooks (6-0, 161, Oregon), who was selected by Houston with the 26th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, has averaged 2.5 points in his two appearances with the Rockets this season. He played in his first NBA game vs. Phoenix (11/17/07), notching five points (2-2 FG, 1-1 3FG). Brooks also averaged 21.4 points (.461, 35-76 FG) and 5.2 assists over five games with Houston in the 2007 NBA Summer League. He earned Rookie of the Month honors for Summer League and was named to the 2007 NBA Summer League All-Star Team.
In addition to his NBA Summer League honors, Brooks was one of the top-10 young NBA players named to a USA Basketball Men’s Select Team that was chosen to help prepare the 2007 USA Senior National Team for its gold-medal run at the FIBA Americas Championship 2007.
Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams get heated in practice
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports: The Hawks were in feisty mode Wednesday, a heated practice session that came to a head during a half-court drill in which Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams got tangled up and went nose-to-nose briefly, before they slapped hands and moved on. It was an energy boost that Williams relished, though he would turn his ankle later and sit out the rest of the session. He even applauded Johnson’s fire, telling him repeatedly that he loved seeing Johnson’s competitiveness boil over. “If everybody brings that passion to the game, we’ll be fine,” Josh Smith said. “We can’t just go hard like this in practice and not in games.”
InsideHoops.com: Sounds like good, competitive spirit. Hawks fans should be happy to hear the team has some intense practices.
Cavs waive Demetris Nichols
The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived guard/forward Demetris Nichols. He played in three games for Cleveland and scored two points and grabbed one rebound in 14 minutes.
The main reason the team did this is because they’re matching the Charlotte Bobcats offer sheet to Anderson Varejao, meaning they will retain the player. Varejao becomes a Cavs player again today.
Cavs match Bobcats offer, keep Anderson Varejao
The Cleveland Cavaliers have matched the Charlotte Bobcats’ contract offer sheet signed by Anderson Varejao, General Manager Danny Ferry announced this morning. By matching the Bobcats’ contract offer sheet, Varejao will now be under contract with the Cavaliers. Per the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
During the 2006-07 season, Varejao, 25, played in 81 games (six starts) averaging 6.8 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game and 23.9 minutes per game. During the 2007 NBA Playoffs, he played in all 20 games and averaged 6.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game. Varejao has played in 183 career games (10 starts) and has averaged 5.6 points and 5.7 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game. He has played in 33 career playoff games and has averaged 6.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
The Cavaliers roster now stands at 15 players.
Randy Wittman to have back surgery
The Minnesota Timberwolves announced today that head coach Randy Wittman will miss tonight’s game against the L.A. Lakers at Target Center as he prepares for back surgery. Wittman is scheduled to undergo back surgery tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec. 5). A timetable for his return to the sidelines will be set following the operation. In Wittman’s absence, Wolves assistant coach Jerry Sichting will assume the head coaching duties.
“This is a situation that has been progressively getting worse,” Wittman said. “The doctors said that in order to coach the remainder of the year, that it would be in my best interest to have the back surgery as soon as possible. I wish I could be out there tonight, but I know Jerry and the coaching staff will do a great job.”
76ers finally boot Billy King, hire Ed Stefanski
Years after many expected, the Philadelphia 76ers have finally fired general manager Billy King, and have replaced him with Ed Stefanski, who had been the Nets general manager for the last nine seasons.
King seemed to be content building the 76ers around players that are nice, but not true building blocks. Allen Iverson was never really surrounded with anything close to top talent, and the current Sixers basically have to build around Andre Iguodala, who is a budding star but isn’t expected to ever be a top-tier superstar.
The team is in full rebuild mode — or at least they should be — and Stefanski is a good hire.
Check the regular non-blog portion of InsideHoops.com for more details about this news.
Pacers waive Courtney Sims
The Indiana Pacers announced Tuesday they waived center Courtney Sims.
The 6-11, 245-pound rookie from the University of Michigan played in just two regular season games, averaging 4.5 minutes.
He received 28 minutes in a preseason game on October 23, finishing with 12 points and 8 rebounds.
Varjeo signs Bobcats offer sheet
Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has extended an offer sheet to restricted free agent Anderson Varejao.
In accordance with the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, Varejao’s former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, will have seven days to decide whether to match the offer.
“Anderson has established himself as a very good young player in this league,” said Higgins. “We look forward to the opportunity to add him to the core of our franchise as we continue to grow and improve.”