July 2010 – Page 12 – NBA Blog

Hornets re-sign Aaron Gray

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have re-signed center Aaron Gray. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

The 7-0, 270-pound Gray is a three-year NBA veteran with career averages of 3.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11.0 minutes over 149 career games (19 starts) with the Chicago Bulls and Hornets. The Pittsburgh product was selected by the Bulls in the second round (49th overall) of the 2007 NBA draft. Gray was acquired last season by the Hornets on January 25 from the Bulls in exchange for guard Devin Brown. In 24 games with the Hornets last season, Gray averaged 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 10.9 minutes.

InsideHoops.com editor says: He’s big.

Warriors sold for record $450 million

The AP reports:

Golden State Warriors owner Chris Cohan reached an agreement Thursday to sell the franchise for a record $450 million to Boston Celtics minority partner Joe Lacob and Mandalay Entertainment CEO Peter Guber.

“I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to be the next steward of this storied NBA franchise. This is my dream come true,” said Lacob, who is also the managing partner with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. “Peter and I intend to do what we do best _ innovating and building. It is our passion to return the Warriors to greatness and build nothing short of a championship organization that will make all of us in the Bay Area proud.”

Lacob and Guber beat out Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who had been considered the favorite to buy the team from Cohan. Ellison has a personal fortune of $28 billion, according to an annual survey by Forbes magazine, and is the sixth-richest man in the world.

Nuggets sign Anthony Carter, Shelden Williams

The Denver Nuggets have re-signed G Anthony Carter and signed free-agent F/C Shelden Williams, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

Carter, 35, spent the past four seasons with the Nuggets, averaging 5.6 points and 4.5 assists in 204 regular-season games. In his 11-year NBA career with Miami, San Antonio, Minnesota and Denver, he has averaged 5.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 566 games.

This past season, Carter helped Denver to its second consecutive Northwest Division title, registering 3.3 points, 3.0 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per contest. He started seven games for the Nuggets in 2009-10 and recorded one double-figure scoring game and one double-figure assist game.

Carter signed with Denver as a free agent each of the past three summers, returning to the Nuggets on Aug. 31, 2007, Jul. 9, 2008 and then again on Aug. 14, 2009.

Williams, 6-9, 250, averaged 3.7 points and 2.7 points in 54 games with the Boston Celtics in 2009-10 and appeared in eight playoff games as the Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals. He recorded one double-double during the regular season and scored at least 10 points six times, including a season-high 14 against Phoenix on Dec. 30, 2009.

Selected fifth overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2006 NBA Draft, the 26-year-old Williams has averaged 4.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in 244 games with Atlanta, Sacramento, Minnesota and Boston.

“We’re excited to add two veteran players with playoff experience,” Warkentien said. “They are two more pieces to the puzzle as we work to improve our team this summer.”

Nets sign rookies Derrick Favors, Damion James

The New Jersey Nets have signed first round draft picks Derrick Favors and Damion James, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released. They are both signed to standard rookie deals.

Favors (6’10”/246) was selected third overall in the 2010 NBA Draft. He played one season at Georgia Tech and was named ACC Rookie of the Year. The Atlanta, Georgia native averaged 12.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 36 games for the Yellow Jackets.

James (6’7”/225) was selected 24th overall by Atlanta in the 2010 NBA Draft and later traded to New Jersey in exchange for the draft rights to Jordan Crawford and Tibor Pleiss. He played four seasons at the University of Texas, averaging 18.0 points and 10.3 rebounds in 34 games as a senior. He holds Big 12 conference records for rebounds (1318) and double-doubles (55) and school career records for games started (140) and rebounds, while earning Third Team AP All-American accolades as a senior in 2009-10.

Celtics re-sign Paul Pierce

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have re-signed team captain and forward Paul Pierce. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Paul has been a cornerstone of our franchise for the last decade and we could not be more pleased that he is returning to the team,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations, Danny Ainge.

Pierce, a 6’7” forward, is the Celtics third leading scorer in franchise history with 19,899 points trailing only Larry Bird and John Havlicek. The 2008 NBA Finals MVP averaged 18.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in making his eighth All-Star team. The four-time All-NBA selection is the team’s all-time leader in free throws attempted and made; three-pointers attempted and made steals and is second all-time in points per game (22.5 ppg).

“I am very excited to be back in Boston,” said Pierce. “I have always said that I would love to retire as a Celtic and re-signing here will allow me to do that. I would like to thank Danny, Doc, the ownership group and the rest of the organization. I’m thrilled that they kept the core intact and look forward to getting back on the parquet with my teammates so we can bring Banner 18 home to Boston.”

The former Kansas Jayhawk was originally drafted by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the 1998 Draft shot a career-high 41.4% from beyond the arc this season. Pierce has posted career averages of 22.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.

“Since day one I have seen Paul as a lifetime Celtic and this deal is another big step towards that goal. He’s a champion and a Finals MVP but also a true champion in the community,” said Celtics Co-Owner and CEO, Wyc Grousbeck.

Bulls name Scottie Pippen team ambassador

The Chicago Bulls are pleased to announce that Bulls legend and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen has agreed to rejoin the organization as an ambassador.

In this capacity, Pippen will attend a majority of Bulls home games and spend time with Bulls fans and sponsors. Additionally, he will also participate in a variety of team related events throughout the year.

“We are pleased to welcome Scottie Pippen back into the Bulls family,” said Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “Scottie is obviously one of the greatest and most popular Bulls players of all time and we are so proud of his accomplishments and his upcoming induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame.”

“It’s great to be back with the organization,” said Pippen. “To be part of the Bulls family again means a lot to me. I am really looking forward to being more involved in the community and working with kids. That is an area in which you can never do enough.”

Pippen was a seven-time NBA All-Star (1990, 1992-97) and a member of six NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls (1991-93, 1996-98). He was a three-time All-NBA first team honoree and was voted to the NBA All-Defensive first team from 1992-99. Pippen won two Olympic gold medals as a member of the 1992 USA Basketball “Dream Team” and returned to help lead the USA to gold at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He also won NBA All-Star MVP honors in 1994. Pippen will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame at a ceremony on August 13, 2010 in Springfield, MA.

Respect Steve Blake

Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register reports:

Blake is a far better athlete than is generally understood, with Mitch Kupchak revealing that in Blake’s Lakers pre-draft workout he “tested out as one of the best players we’ve ever had as far as physical ability.” That was seven years ago, and even though Blake still looks like a dude working behind a Subway counter, he actually does mixed martial arts that showcase his uncommon core strength.

Blake’s competitive fire would fit well in the Octagon, too. He can be found on YouTube going face-to-chest to 7-footers Andrew Bogut and Dwight Howard in just the past six months, standing up for himself. The over-under on confrontations between Blake and Sasha Vujacic in practice next season? I’ll say 12 … unless Vujacic and his expiring contract get traded before they get there, though the odds of that salary dump decreased when free agent Raja Bell chose Utah over the Lakers.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I’m thinking Derek Fisher will still start for the Lakers, but then sit quickly, with Blake getting the bulk of second and third quarter minutes. And then maybe Fisher plays in the end to nail a clutch jumper or two. But Blake very well could start. Looking forward to finding out.

James Johnson trims down

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports:

Between the full beard he has added and the 25 pounds he has lost, James Johnson looks like a completely different person this summer.

Johnson’s game, though, looks quite similar from his rookie season, which is to say impressive flashes of athleticism followed by moments of painful decision-making.

This is a critical season for Johnson, who kept a remarkably upbeat attitude throughout all the trials and tribulations he faced. Even when LeBron James posterized him with a dunk in the Bulls- Cavaliers playoff series, creating a replay that led James’ “The Decision” special, Johnson eagerly guarded James some more.

Jazz reach agreement with swingman Raja Bell

Tim Buckley of the Deseret News reports:

The Jazz have reached an agreement with free agent Raja Bell, a veteran swingman who played previously in Utah and last was with the Golden State Warriors.

Details of the agreement, which the Jazz did not confirm, were not immediately known.

Bell is coming off recent wrist surgery that curtailed his 2009-10 season.

The deal is contingent on Bell passing a physical exam.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Good signing for both parties. Old Bell can still provide defense and veteran experience off the bench, plus he can trip opposing players with his cane.

Ekpe Udoh out 6 months

The AP reports:

The Golden State Warriors say top draft pick Ekpe Udoh will miss six months after undergoing surgery on his injured left wrist.

Udoh underwent the operation on Wednesday in San Francisco to repair a torn ligament in his wrist. He will have his wrist immobilized for about 10 weeks.

Marcus Thompson of the Contra Costa News (blog) reports:

His wrist will be immobilized for 10 weeks, which means he will be just getting the cast off around the time camp starts. After that, starts rehab, which clearly the doctor thinks will take at least three months. That puts Udoh out until January, if everything goes according to plan. If recent history is any indicator (which it probably shouldn’t be because no one knows how well he heals), don’t expect Udoh back before the All-Star break.