Euroleague.net reports: Alba Berlin keeps getting ready for its Euroleague return by inking power forward Ansu Sesay to a one-year deal, with an option to extend it until the end of the 2009-10 season. Sesay (206, 32) arrives from Armani Jeans Milano, where he averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 14 Euroleague games last season.
Month: August 2008
Suns want Goran Dragic on board
The East Valley Tribune (Jerry Brown) reports: As the calendar turns to August, the Suns continue to work the phones in the hope of bringing second-round draft pick Goran Dragic to Phoenix this fall — with the idea of making the 22-year-old the full-time backup to Steve Nash at the point. Spanish newspapers and Web sites are reporting that Tau Ceramica, the Spanish team that owns Dragic’s rights, is looking into backup plans to replace him if he heads to the NBA this summer. Tau has had talks with former Sun Andre Barrett, offering about $800,000 for his services. Veteran point guard Earl Boykins is also a consideration. Dragic has a buyout clause (1 million euros, or about $1.5 million U.S.) in his contract with Tau after this season.
OJ Mayo wins InsideHoops fan poll
An InsideHoops.com fan poll asked, other than Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and Greg Oden, which rookie will rock in 2008-09. Blowing away the competition was Grizzlies rookie OJ Mayo, receiving 44% of the votes. Over 2,700 fans participated in the poll.
We left Rose, Beasley and Oden out of the poll because they’ve received massive amounts of attention for a while now. Admittedly, Mayo has as well, but for the past year Rose and Beasley have been mentioned as the top picks, while Mayo was considered “in the lottery” but not a lock to go quite as high.
Finishing second in the poll with 17% of the votes was Trail Blazers rookie Jerryd Bayless, whose popularity rose after playing very well in summer league.
Third was Kevin Love at 13%. Anthony Randolph, Eric Gordon and Russell Westbrook also got nice support.
Lakers sign Dwayne Mitchell
The Lakers always seem to go after free agents most fans have never heard of. Unless you followed the D-League last year, you probably don’t know Mitchell. He’s a strong off-guard who will ride the bench. Here’s more info:
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent guard Dwayne Mitchell, it was announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.
Mitchell, a 6’5” 220-pound guard out of Louisiana Lafayette, played the majority of last season for the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League before leaving in February to join Brose Baskets Bamberg in Germany. In 31 games including 29 starts with the Energy, Mitchell averaged 20.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.60 steals in 37.3 minutes, earning a spot in the 2008 D-League All-Star game.
In 20 games with Bamberg, Mitchell, 25, averaged 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists while shooting .504 from the field.
Most recently, Mitchell played for the Lakers 2008 Summer-Pro League team in Las Vegas, averaging 6.7 points on .619 shooting, 1.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.83 steals in 15.0 minutes over six games.
Clippers withdraw qualifying offer to Nick Fazekas
The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that the team and forward Nick Fazekas have agreed to the withdrawal of the teams qualifying offer dated June 25, making Fazekas an unrestricted free agent.
Signed by the Clippers as a free agent on March 18, Fazekas appeared in 26 games last season for Los Angeles, averaging 4.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 10.3 minutes.
The Clippers roster now stands at 12 players after the most recent signing of forward Brian Skinner on July 31, as Los Angeles has revamped its roster by adding a total of eight new players for the 2008-09 season.
Hawks considering James White
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Either my eyes are playing tricks on me or I saw James White (the former Florida and Cincinnati skywalker who played briefly with San Antonio two years ago and snagged a NBA championship ring) cutting down the hallway in the locker room at Philips Arena Thursday. By the time I slid down the hallway the locker room was empty. I know he played in the Turkish league last year but I don’t know what his status is this season. I’ll have to do some more investigating this weekend and see if there’s anything more to his being in Philips.
Andre Hutson signs in Italy
Euroleague.net reports: An elite power forward switched Euroleague teams on Friday when Lottomatica Roma announced that Andre Hutson inked a one-year deal with his new team. Hutson (202, 29) arrives from Efes Pilsen, where he averaged 11.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 19 Euroleague games last season.
Clippers sign Brian Skinner
Skinner, who at this point is best described as “a crafty veteran,” can come off the bench and slam into people a lot, get a rebound or two, take up space, cheer teammates who play well, and sit on the bench.
Here’s the full news release:
The Los Angeles Clippers signed veteran forward Brian Skinner, Vice President of Basketball Operations announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.
Originally drafted by the Clippers in the first round (22nd overall pick) of the 1998 NBA Draft, Skinner is a 10-year NBA veteran who returns to Los Angeles after playing 66 games last season with the Phoenix Suns. Skinner averaged 3.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.2 assists for Phoenix in 2007-08.
“Brian Skinner is a veteran NBA player who will give us both size and depth in the middle,” Baylor said. “We are familiar with Brian, and know that he will be a good fit in his return to the Clippers.”
Skinner has averaged 4.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 538 career NBA games with eight different teams. The six-foot-nine forward started his career with the Clippers in 1998-99 and played three seasons in Los Angeles.
“We are very pleased to add Brian to our front line,” Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy said. “He adds great size, presence and veteran experience to our team.”
In addition to the Clippers and Suns, the Texas native has also played for Cleveland, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Sacramento and Portland during his NBA tenure and has played in 21 career playoff games.
Sonny Weems has hernia surgery
Sonny Weems, a second-round draft pick whose rights were acquired by the Denver Nuggets on draft night, underwent successful surgery to repair a sports hernia today.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert MacDonald of Rose Medical Center.
Weems is expected to be fully recovered by the start of training camp, which begins on September 30th.
Weems was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the second round (39th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft before being traded to Denver for a 2009 second-round draft pick.
In five games for the Nuggets entry in the 2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this summer, Weems averaged 9.2 ppg and 3.0 rpg in 22.2 mpg.
Bulls waive JamesOn Curry
The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived guard JamesOn Curry. Curry (6-3, 190), was selected by Chicago in the second round (51st overall) of NBA Draft 2007.
InsideHoops.com says: For now it’s JamesOff.