August 2010 – Page 3 – NBA Blog

Bobcats sign Kwame Brown

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has signed free agent center Kwame Brown. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Several media outlets reported that the deal would be for one-year and the league minimum.

The 6-11 Brown will enter his 10th NBA season, with career averages of 6.7 points and 5.4 rebounds in 22.0 minutes over 510 games (217 starts) with Washington, the L.A. Lakers, Memphis and Detroit. In 18 career playoff games (12 starts), Brown averaged 8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds. Last season with the Pistons, Brown appeared in 48 games and averaged 3.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 16.0 minutes.

“Kwame is a defensive-minded veteran who will add depth to our frontcourt rotation,” said Higgins. “At age 28, he has the size, strength and experience to be a solid contributor for this team.”

His best overall season came with Washington in 2003-04 when he posted career highs in points, rebounds and minutes played, averaging 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in 30.2 minutes. Additionally he posted 18 double-doubles (points-rebounds), including his 30-point, 19-rebound effort against Sacramento on March 17.

An early entry candidate, Brown became the first-ever player to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick out of high school when Washington chose him in the 2001 NBA Draft.

The Charlotte Bobcats, who became the NBA’s 30th team when they joined the league in 2004-05, finished the 2009-10 season with a franchise-best 44-38 overall record (31-10 at home) and first-ever playoff appearance.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

38 Kwame Brown of the Detroit Pistons in action vs. the Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. The Pistons beat the Kings 100-92 Photo via Newscom

Team USA cuts Rajon Rondo; Colangelo says Rondo asked to withdraw

With one exhibition game remaining and just tfour days out from the tip of the FIBA World Championship for Men, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo today announced the 12 players who will represent the United States at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Named to the 12-man 2010 USA World Championship Team were: Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets); Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers); Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder).

“Rajon came to us and said he was going to withdraw from the team, that he had some family matters to attend to and some things to take care of before the NBA season. He did an outstanding job during our training, we appreciate the effort and commitment he made to our program and he completely has our support,” said Colangelo.

Much more info is on the InsideHoops.com USA Basketball page.

Thunder announce 2010-11 coaching staff

The Thunder announced its coaching staff for the 2010-11 NBA season today. Assistant coaches Mark Bryant, Maurice Cheeks, Rex Kalamian and Brian Keefe will all return to the bench for the Thunder.

Joining the current quartet of Thunder assistant coaches is newcomer Maz Trakh. Trakh, who joins the club as assistant coach/player development, brings over 20 years of basketball experience to the Thunder.

“I am thrilled to have this group of coaches back on the bench with me for the 2010-11 season,” said Thunder head Coach Scott Brooks. “Every coach brings a unique perspective on the game and provides a great support for the future development of our team. Maz is someone I have known for a long time and he brings a wealth of basketball experience.”

Trakh has spent the last five seasons coaching in Asia including a stint as head coach of Fastlink (now Zain) of Jordan where he led the team to the 2005 FIBA Asia Club Championship. Fastlink became the first Jordanian team to win the Asia Club Championship. Trakh’s coaching career spans three decades and includes stints in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), Korea, Lebanon and the NCAA.

SEATTLE - NOVEMBER 15: Head coach Maurice Cheeks of the Philadelphia 76ers watches the game against the Seattle Sonics on November 15, 2006 at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. The 76ers defeated the Sonics 96-90. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Evan Turner signs Li-Ning shoe deal

The Philadelphia Daily News reports:

China’s top athletic footwear brand is banking on Evan Turner being a star with the 76ers.

Li-Ning announced yesterday that it had signed the No. 2 overall pick to a multiyear contract. Turner will begin appearing immediately in the company’s global marketing and will wear Li-Ning as a rookie. He will have his own branded sneaker and apparel in the second year of the deal.

CNBC first reported the contract.

“This is truly a game-changing moment for the Li-Ning brand,” Brian Cupps, Li-Ning’s brand initiative director for basketball, said in a statement.

Discuss this and shoes in general in our basketball sneakers forum.

Rockets sign Ishmael Smith

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed guard Ishmael Smith to a multi-year deal.

Smith (6-0, 175, Wake Forest) led the Rockets in assists per game during the 2010 NBA Summer League, finishing with averages of 7.8 points (.581 18-31 FG) and 4.8 assists in five games (five starts) with Houston.

An undrafted rookie, Smith finished his four-year career at Wake Forest with averages of 9.2 points (.425, 458-1078 FG), 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.26 steals in 121 games (91 starts). Smith, who finished second all-time at Wake Forest in assists, stands as the only player in school history with 1,000 points (1,114) and 600 assists (612) in a career. He was also the first Deacon with at least 1,000 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds (448). A three-year team captain, Smith also ranked sixth in career minutes played (3,667), eighth in career steals (153), 18th in career games played (121) and 36th in career points. He actually started for the Deacons as a freshman, sophomore and senior. An injury to start his junior year pushed him to a reserve role, but he still excelled as the team’s sixth man.

Smith started all 31 games at point guard as a senior, averaging 13.2 points, 6.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.68 steals. He was named Second-Team All-ACC and earned Second-Team All-District honors from the NABC. Smith also received the team’s Murray Greason Award and Team Assists Leader award after finishing third in the ACC and seventh nationally in assists per game in 2009-10. He surpassed Chris Paul in career assists during his junior season and was just the fifth freshman in the history of the ACC to lead the league in assists (6.0 apg).

Smith will wear #13 with the Rockets.

ATLANTA - JANUARY 28: Ishmael Smith #10 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Alexander Memorial Coliseum on January 28, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Bobcats will reportedly sign Kwame Brown

NBA free agent Kwame Brown has reportedly found a new home.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the center has agreed to a one-year, minimum-salary deal with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Michael Jordan, who recently purchased the Bobcats, drafted Brown as the #1 overall pick into the NBA back when Jordan was an executive on the Washington Wizards. Brown turned out to just be a bench player, however, and has had little impact in the league thus far.

For his career, Brown averages 6.7 points and 5.4 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per game.

Jose Calderon hurts leg, will miss Worlds

The AP reports:

Spain point guard Jose Manuel Calderon will miss the basketball world championships after hurting his leg in an exhibition against the United States.

Tests Monday revealed the Toronto Raptors player tore a muscle in his left leg in Sunday’s 86-85 loss. Calderon had headed to the locker room late in the game. He went scoreless with three assists.

The Spanish federation says Calderon needs four weeks to recover.

Former Pistons PR director Matt Dobek dies

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports:

Matt Dobek, 51, died unexpectedly at his Rochester Hills home on Saturday.

Dobek spent 29 years with the Pistons organization before he was fired in May as the team’s vice president of public relations.

Hired by former Pistons executive Tom Wilson, Dobek was a confidant to many of the players during the Bad Boys era of Pistons basketball, including Isiah Thomas, Rick Mahorn and Joe Dumars.

Earl Boykins discusses Bucks role

Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:

Earl Boykins discusses his role on Bucks

“My role is to be ready when I’m needed,” Boykins said. “I’ve had this role my entire NBA career so it’s nothing new. Throughout the course of the year, everybody is going to have an opportunity to play and produce and help the team win. It’s how you approach it.

“If you remain professional, when your opportunity comes, you’ll take advantage of it.”

Boykins has encountered plenty of doubters due to his size, but he never was one of them.

“When I think back, 12 years in the NBA is very humbling,” he said. “I’ve been blessed with a unique skill to play the game of basketball.

“It’s hard to explain, but even at this level, the game has never been hard for me.”

Boykins said his height actually is “a huge advantage.”

“Everyone who plays against me, they have to make an adjustment,” he said. “When you’re 5-5, you don’t change the way you play. Most guys either don’t know how to do it (adjust) or they just don’t want to do it.”

Billups hopes for four more years

Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post reports (via blog):

Chauncey Billups hopes to play four more years

Billups wants to finish his career in Denver, his hometown. But if the team deteriorates around him, he’ll think about ending it somewhere where the wins will potentially be more plentiful.

“I have hopefully four years left of playing,” Billups said, “and I’m not the kind of person to just ride it out. I want to win. I want to go out on top; I want to go out winning. …I want to get out there, get after it and play. And I want to win as a Nugget the rest of my years. In a perfect world that’s what I would want, that’s what I would hope for.”

InsideHoops.com editor says:

Tough to say how what Billups does affects the Carmelo Anthony situation. On the one hand, Melo knows he needs a guy like Billups next to him to win, but on the other, if Melo is thinking about his future a few years down the road, he’d rather be next to a young Chris Paul (or young anybody) than an elderly Billups.