July 2012 – Page 14 – NBA Blog

Sacramento Kings waive Hassan Whiteside

The Sacramento Kings announced today the team has waived Hassan Whiteside, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

Selected by Sacramento with the 33rd overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft as a freshman out of Marshall, the 7-0, 235-pound center averaged 1.5 ppg (.444 FG%, .417 FT%), 2.1 rpg and 0.80 bpg in 19 games with the Kings over two seasons, appearing in just one contest during his rookie year after suffering a left knee injury midway through the 2010-11 campaign.

Hawks waive guard Jordan Farmar

The Atlanta Hawks today requested waivers on guard Jordan Farmar, it was announced by President of Basketball Operations/GM Danny Ferry.

Farmar was acquired from Brooklyn on July 11, along with Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson, Johan Petro, Jordan Williams, a first- and second-round pick, and other draft considerations, in exchange for Joe Johnson.

Farmar is expected to sign overseas shortly.

Bulls trade Kyle Korver to Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have acquired veteran marksman Kyle Korver from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for cash considerations, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/GM Danny Ferry.

“I appreciate the toughness and the competitive energy Kyle brings to the game every night, and we’re very excited to add him to our team.” said Ferry. “Adding him makes shooting an even greater strength for our club.”

Korver spent the last two years with Chicago, where last season he put in 8.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg and 1.7 apg in 22.6 mpg (65 games, seven starts), and knocked down .432 FGs, .435 3FGs (10th in the NBA) and .833 FTs. In his nine-year career with Philadelphia, Utah and the Bulls, the 6-7 sharpshooter has averaged 9.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg and 1.6 apg in 24.2 mpg (.431 FG%, .413 3FG%, .877 FT%), and has hit 40%-or-better from behind the arc in all but three of his pro seasons.

He ranks tied for eighth among active players in three-point percentage, and has buried 1,134 in his career (regular season), placing him 21st among actives. In 2009-10 with the Jazz, he set a single-season NBA record, hitting .536 from downtown.

Raptors sign second round pick Quincy Acy

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they have signed forward Quincy Acy to a multi-year contract. The Raptors selected Acy with the 37th selection in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Acy had six points and six rebounds in his NBA Summer League debut with Toronto on Friday.

Acy, 6-8, 225 pounds, averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 29.7 minutes in 38 starts last season at Baylor. He was named Big 12 All-Defensive team (unanimously) and All-Big 12 Second Team by the coaches. He is the second player in Bears history to finish his collegiate career ranked in the Top 10 in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage.

As a senior, Acy had eight double-doubles, 10 double-digit rebounding games and 22 games with multiple blocks. He was Baylor’s lone NCAA South Regional All-Tournament Team selection. He recorded 22 points and eight rebounds in his final game at Baylor, an Elite Eight NCAA Tournament loss to eventual NCAA Champion Kentucky.

In his junior campaign, Acy led the Bears in rebounding (7.6 rpg) and blocks (1.5 bpg) and finished third in scoring (12.4 ppg). He totaled a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds vs. La Salle.

Brooklyn Nets sign Jerry Stackhouse

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent guard/forward Jerry Stackhouse, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Stackhouse appeared in 30 games with Atlanta in 2011-12. The 17-year NBA veteran averaged 3.6 points in 9.1 minutes per game while shooting .370 (37-100) from the field. He did not appear in any of Atlanta’s six playoff games.

Selected third overall by Philadelphia in 1995, the North Carolina product was a First Team All Rookie section with the 76ers during the 1995-96 campaign. He was traded to Detroit after two-plus seasons in Philadelphia and spent the next four-plus seasons with the Pistons where he made two All Star teams (2000, 2001).

In 80 games during the 2000-01 campaign, Stackhouse had his best year as a pro, ranking second in the NBA in points per game at 29.8, while averaging 3.9 rebounds, a career-best 5.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 40.2 minutes per contest.

In September of 2002, he was traded to Washington where he spent two seasons appearing in a combined 96 games. In June of 2004, he was sent to Dallas where he stayed for five seasons until 2009. The last three seasons, Stackhouse has spent one season respectively with Milwaukee, Miami and Atlanta. Over 17 NBA seasons and 933 games, he holds career averages of 17.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 31.8 minutes.

Knicks sign forward Chris Copeland

New York Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed free agent forward Chris Copeland to a contract. It’s probably a non-guaranteed deal that does not mean he’s sure to make the regular season roster.

Copeland, 6-8, 224 pounds, has played the past five seasons in Belgium, Germany and Spain and appeared in 19 games for Fort Wayne of the NBA D-League in 2006-07. The Orange, NJ native played four years at the University of Colorado and averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 30 games during his senior season in 2005-06. He is currently representing the Knicks entry at the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Landry Fields will likely start for Raptors

Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo said new acquisition Landry Fields probably will start and will be a key piece, even if he had to overpay. Fields received a 3-year, $19 million package the Knicks declined to match. Colangelo acknowledged the offer sheet also was designed to break up the Knicks’ sign-and-trade proposal to Phoenix for Steve Nash. Neither team got Nash, who landed with the Lakers.

“We value Landry in a way we thought it was reflected in the offer,’’ Colangelo said at the Las Vegas summer league. “We think he’ll make a solid contribution. His defensive mentality, his athleticism, he’s got a high basketball IQ. All those things add up to something of value to us.

“Obviously in free agency you tend to pay a little more and restricted free agency a little more than that. Regardless, we needed a player who’s going to make valuable contributions.’’

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Raptors trade James Johnson to Kings

The Sacramento Kings today acquired James Johnson from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for a second round pick in 2014, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

“We’re excited to add a talent like James to our young nucleus of players,” said Petrie. “He’s an outstanding defender with athleticism who can play at both positions up front while providing some versatility offensively and adding a dimension to what we can do on the floor.”

Johnson, a 6-9, 245-pound forward, is entering his fourth NBA season. He averaged career-highs of 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 25.2 minutes per game in 62 contests with the Raptors last season. In his 40 starts during the 2011-12 campaign, Johnson increased his statistical production to 10.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 26.9 minutes per game. He has recorded career averages of 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 24.0 minutes per game in 165 outings, of which he started 76.

Johnson was selected in the first round (16th overall) by Chicago in the 2009 NBA Draft. He was traded to Toronto on February 22, 2011. He enjoyed a two-year career at Wake Forest, averaging 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 61 contests. He entered the draft after his sophomore season.

Nets sign forward Mirza Teletovic

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent forward Mirza Teletovic, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Teletovic (6-9, 242), spent the 2011-12 season with Caja Laboral Vitoria of the Spanish ACB League. In 34 games, he averaged 16.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 31.1 minutes. Teletovic shot .463 from the field, .360 from behind the arc and .684 from the line. In 10 Eurocup games with Caja Laboral Vitoria, he averaged 21.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 block in 34.4 minutes while shooting .434 from the field including .431 from three-point range and .700 from the line.

Jacque Vaughn wants Magic coaching job

According to multiple reports, Indiana assistant Brian Shaw and Golden State aide Michael Malone have been crossed off the list of candidates for the coaching job in Orlando.

That leaves the 37-year-old Vaughn, three seasons retired from backing up Tony Parker, as one of the leading applicants to fill Stan Van Gundy’s old chair with the Magic.

Others remaining in the hunt include Utah assistant Jeff Hornacek, Chicago assistant Lindsay Hunter and Philadelphia aide Michael Curry, a former head coach in Detroit.

For players, summer league often represents a chance to showcase new skills or audition for a roster spot. For Vaughn, this week has become an opportunity to try on the head coach’s shoes — in this case, casual white sneakers — and see if he likes them.

So far, they fit.

“It’s fun,” Vaughn said. “It’s good fun to get a group together in a short time and get them to play together. That’s the test and the joy of it.”

— Reported by the San Antonio Express-News