December 2011 – Page 19 – NBA Blog

Cavaliers re-sign Anthony Parker

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward Anthony Parker to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, it’s a one-year deal.

“Bringing back Anthony was a high priority for us. We place great value on the leadership, professionalism and veteran presence he brings both on the court and in the locker room,” said General Manager Chris Grant. “His high basketball IQ, ability to shoot with range and play solid perimeter defense made re-signing him extremely important for us.”

Last season, the 6-foot-6, 210-pounder averaged 8.3 points on .399 shooting, including .379 from three-point range, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists (the second-highest average in his career) in 29.0 minutes in 72 games (65 starts). He scored in double figures 27 times, including setting season highs in scoring (21) and rebounds (seven) while adding seven assists in 39 minutes versus Minnesota on Dec. 26 and scoring 20 points on 7-9 (.778) shooting, including 4-4 from three-point range, and grabbing seven rebounds in 29 minutes versus Miami on March 29.

Parker originally signed with Cleveland on July 13, 2009. Over the past two seasons with the Cavs, he has started 146 of the 153 games he has played in and posted averages of 7.8 points on .415 shooting, including .398 shooting from three-point range, 2.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 28.6 minutes per game. His 2.48 assists-to-turnovers ratio ranked 14th in the league while his 0.86 steals-to-turnovers ratio ranked 13th among all players over the past two seasons (min. 150 games).

Among all active players with a minimum of 1,000 three-point attempts, the eight-year veteran ranks sixth in the NBA in three-point percentage (.409) behind only Jason Kapono, Steve Nash, teammate Daniel Gibson, Matt Bonner and Kyle Korver. Parker played five seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv (2000-02, 2003-06) and one season with Virtus Roma (2002-03), winning five Israeli Premier League championships, five Israeli Cups and three Euroleague titles. Parker was named Euroleague MVP and first-team All-Euroleague in 2005. He averaged 12.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 148 career Israeli Premier League games and averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals in 90 Euroleague contests.

Bonzi Wells seeks NBA comeback with Timberwolves

The Timberwolves’ search for some stability and leadership has brought to training camp Bonzi Wells, who not that many years ago might have been one of the last guys ever considered to fulfill such needs.

Gifted but stubborn and immature once upon a time, he now, at age 35, is looking both for a job after three years out of the league and for a chance, perhaps, to tell young guys who think they know all a morsel or two about the way things really are.

He once was one of those guys.

Now, after playing in China in 2008-09, Puerto Rico in 2009-10 and not at all last season, he is seeking one last chance, mostly so he can leave professional basketball on his own terms.

“I really didn’t like the way I left the game,” Wells said. “You want to go out and say you’re retired. You don’t want to go out because someone tells you they don’t want you anymore.”

— Reported by Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune

Knicks sign guard Mike Bibby

New York Knickerbockers Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations and Interim General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Mike Bibby. Per team policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

“Mike is a veteran point guard who we know can be successful in our system,” Grunwald said. “He’s an effective player who has a long track record of leading his teams to postseason success.”

Bibby, 6-2, 195-pounds, holds career averages of 15.2 points, 5.7 assists, 1.20 steals and 34.7 minutes in 962 games (946 starts) over 13 NBA seasons with Vancouver, Sacramento, Atlanta, Washington and Miami. The Cherry Hill, NJ-native posted 8.6 points, 3.3 assists and 0.60 steals over 28.6 minutes in 80 games (68 starts) with Atlanta, Washington and Miami last season. He started all 20 postseason games for the Miami Heat, averaging 3.6 points, 1.1 assists and 0.55 steals over 20.8 minutes.

The University of Arizona alum was originally selected after his sophomore season by Vancouver in the first round (second overall) in the 1998 NBA Draft. He appeared in 100 postseason games (100 starts) and averaged 13.0 points, 4.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.10 steals over 33.6 minutes.

Trail Blazers sign Kurt Thomas

The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to terms with forward/center Kurt Thomas. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Thomas, 39, holds career averages of 8.6 points (48.6 FG%), 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16 seasons with Miami, Dallas, New York, Phoenix, Seattle, San Antonio, Milwaukee and Chicago.

“We’re excited to be adding the experience, toughness and veteran leadership that Kurt will provide for our team,” said Acting General Manager Chad Buchanan. “We’ve long respected Kurt and expect him to make a strong contribution to our organization.”

The Dallas native started 37 of 52 games with Chicago last season, posting averages of 4.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

Selected by Miami with the 10th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, Thomas (6-9, 230) became just the third player in NCAA history to lead the nation in scoring (28.9 ppg) and rebounding (14.6 rpg) his senior 1994-95 season at Texas Christian.

Phoenix Suns sign guard Sebastian Telfair

The Phoenix Suns have signed Sebastian Telfair, the team announced today.

The 6-0, 170-pound guard is a seven-year NBA veteran who owns career averages of 7.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 429 games (189 starts). Telfair joins his sixth NBA team after stints with the Portland Trail Blazers (2004-06), Boston Celtics (2006-07), Minnesota Timberwolves (2007-09, 2010-11), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) and Los Angeles Clippers (2009-10).

The cousin of former Suns guard Stephon Marbury, Telfair averaged 7.2 points and 3.0 assists in 19.2 minutes while appearing in 37 games (eight starts) for the Timberwolves last season.

Originally drafted out of high school, Telfair was the 13th overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Blazers. One of the most highly-touted high schoolers to ever enter the league, Telfair led Brooklyn’s Abraham Lincoln High School to three New York City titles and one state championship. He was the first player ever to be a three-time city champion and left school as the all-time leading prep scorer in New York history.

Phoenix Suns re-sign forward Grant Hill

The Phoenix Suns today re-signed forward Grant Hill, the club has announced.

“Grant Hill represents everything we want the Phoenix Suns to stand for, both on and off the court,” said President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby. “Grant had other attractive offers, so we are delighted that he has chosen to remain a Sun.”

The 6-8, 225-pound forward is coming off a 2010-11 campaign in which he recorded one of the greatest statistical seasons for a player 38 years or older in NBA history, averaging 13.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 80 games (80 starts). Hill became only the seventh player in NBA history to average 13 or more points at the age of 38 or older, joining the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Robert Parish, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, John Stockton and Reggie Miller. Hill’s 13.2-point scoring average was his highest since joining the Suns and the highest by a player his age since Miller in 2004-05.

A 17-year NBA veteran and seven-time All-Star, Hill originally signed with the Suns on July 11, 2007, and has averaged 12.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in four seasons in Phoenix. Since joining the Suns, Hill has proven remarkably durable. He has appeared in 313 of 328 possible games (.954), his most in a four-year span in his career and a higher percentage of games than while with Detroit in his first six NBA seasons (435 of 460, .946).

Hill is a three-time winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award (2004-05, 2007-08, 2009-10), the only player in league history to earn the honor multiple times. He is a two-time winner of the Suns’ Dan Majerle Hustle Award (2007-08, 2010-11), the only player who has earned the franchise honor multiple times.

Originally the third overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Pistons, Hill emerged as one of the NBA’s brightest young stars and shared NBA Rookie of the Year honors with Jason Kidd. He became the first rookie ever to lead an NBA All-Star fan balloting in 1994-95 with 1,289,585 votes. Hill has been named to an All-NBA Team five times, including First Team once (1996-97) and All-NBA Second Team four times (1995-96, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00).

A member of the 1996 United States Olympic Team where he helped “Dream Team III” capture the gold medal in Atlanta, Hill played his first six NBA seasons with the Pistons (1994-00) and the following seven with the Orlando Magic (2000-07) after being dealt by Detroit on Aug. 3, 2000.

The former Duke alum helped the Blue Devils win back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1991 and 1992 and is the only child of Janet and Calvin Hill. Hill is married to R&B singer Tamia, a four-time Grammy-nominated recording artist, and the couple has two daughters, Myla Grace and Lael Rose.

Grizzlies waive center Jared Reiner

The Memphis Grizzlies waived Jared Reiner, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Reiner, a 6-11, 255-pound center, holds NBA career averages of 1.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 46 games (four starts) over two seasons with the Chicago Bulls (2004-05) and Milwaukee Bucks (2006-07). The 29-year-old spent last season with BBC Bayreuth in Germany, where he recorded 12.6 points and 7.8 rebounds.

Mavericks sign guard Drew Neitzel

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed free agent guard Drew Neitzel. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Neitzel (6-0, 180) was a standout at Michigan State University where he was named All-America Second Team in 2007. During his four-year career as a Spartan, he played in 138 career games. Neitzel’s junior season he averaged 18.1 points, 4.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds culminating in All-American honors.

Neitzel went undrafted in the 2008 NBA Draft, but played for the Minnesota Timberwolves summer league squad. In the summer of 2009, he competed in summer league as a member of the Portland Trailblazers. Last season, Neitzel spent the season with BBC Bayreuth in Germany seeing action in 16 games and averaging 7.7 points, 3.4 assists and 1.4 rebounds.

A native of Wyoming, Mich., Neitzel earned “Mr. Michigan” honors in 2004 and was a Parade All-American.

Lakers trade Lamar Odom to Mavericks

The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired the Dallas Mavericks’ first round selection in the 2012 NBA Draft in exchange for Lamar Odom and the Lakers 2012 second round draft pick, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. In addition, the Lakers will receive a trade exception.

The trade exception is worth $8.9 million, reported the Orange County Register.

Odom (6-10, 230) is a two-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year. The 12-year veteran holds career averages of 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 829 career games (678 starts) with the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat and Lakers.

Originally the fourth overall selection in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, Odom spent his first four seasons with the Clippers and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2000. He was traded to Miami in 2003 before being a part of the deal that shipped him, Caron Butler and Brian Grant to the Lakers in exchange for Shaquille O’Neal.

Once with the Lakers, Odom proved to be a dependable and durable asset playing in 455 of the possible 492 games over six seasons in L.A., including all 82 contests in 2009-10 and 2010-11. His ability to play any position on the floor proved to be valuable as Odom and Lakers won back-to-back World Championships in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, Odom was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year by defeating Maverick Jason Terry for the honor.

A native of Queens, N.Y., Odom played one year of collegiate basketball at the University of Rhode Island where he led the Rams to the 1999 Atlantic 10 Championship. Odom declared himself eligible for the 1999 NBA Draft after his freshman season at Rhode Island.

Knicks re-sign forward Jared Jeffries

New York Knickerbockers Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations and Interim General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has re-signed free agent forward Jared Jeffries. Per team policy, terms of the deal will not disclosed.

Jeffries, 6-11, 235-pounds, posts career averages of 5.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 22.6 minutes in 552 games (331 starts) over nine seasons with Washington, New York and Houston. He originally signed with New York on Aug. 8, 2006, was traded to Houston on Feb. 18, 2010 and then re-signed by the Knicks on Mar. 1, 2011. The Indiana University alum averaged 2.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists over 19.3 minutes in 24 games (nine starts). He has appeared in 260 games (144 starts) with New York, averaging 4.3 points on .431 shooting, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists over 22.6 minutes.