July 2012 – Page 6 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Grizzlies trade Jeremy Pargo to Cavs

The Memphis Grizzlies acquired guard/forward D.J. Kennedy from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for guard Jeremy Pargo, a 2014 second round pick and cash considerations, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Kennedy (6-6, 215) made two appearances for Cleveland as a rookie last season, recording 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds on .417 shooting in 29.5 minutes after being called up from the NBA Development League’s Erie Bayhawks on April 21,2012.

The 22-year-old posted 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists on .447 shooting in 37.3 minutes in 44 games (all starts) for Erie. He also averaged 14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in the Bayhawks’ three postseason games.

The Pittsburgh native enjoyed a four-year career (2007-11) at St. John’s University,where he became just the third player in school history to total at least 1,500 points, 750 rebounds and 150 steals, joining Malik Sealy and George Johnson.

Pargo (6-2, 219) averaged 2.9 points and 1.3 assists on .333 shooting in 9.6 minutes in 44 games (five starts) as a rookie for Memphis last season. The 26-year-old Gonzaga product originally was signed by the Grizzlies as a free agent on Dec. 10,2011.

Trail Blazers coaching search down to four finalists

The Trail Blazers’ coaching search has been pared to four finalists: Terry Stotts, Elston Turner, Steve Clifford and Kaleb Canales, The Oregonian has learned.

The four candidates will interview in Portland next week, after which general manager Neil Olshey is expected to make a recommendation to owner Paul Allen.

Stotts is the lead assistant for Dallas and is the only finalist besides Canales with head coaching experience. Stotts has a 114-168 record in four seasons as a head coach in Atlanta and Milwaukee. His best season was in 2005-2006 when he led the Bucks to a 40-42 record and a playoff appearance. He is credited with directing Dallas’ offense during the Mavericks’ title run in 2011.

— Reported by Jason Quick of the Oregonian

Lakers re-sign forward Jordan Hill

The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed free agent forward Jordan Hill, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Hill, who was originally acquired by the team on March 15, 2012 as part of a trade with the Houston Rockets, appeared in seven regular season games last season averaging 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 11.7 minutes. In 12 postseason games, Hill averaged 4.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 18.1 minutes.

A 6-10 forward/center out of the University of Arizona, Hill was originally selected by the New York Knicks with the eighth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Acquired by Houston as part of a three-team, nine-player trade midway through his rookie campaign, Hill has appeared in 158 games during his three-year NBA career, averaging 5.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 14.6 minutes.

Suns will send Robin Lopez, Hakim Warrick to Hornets

The Hornets, Suns and Timberwolves have agreed to a multiplayer trade sending 7-foot center Robin Lopez and forward Hakim Warrick from Phoenix to New Orleans, while moving forward Wesley Johnson and a first-round draft pick from Minnesota to Phoenix, a person familiar with the deal said.

The person told The Associated Press about the trade on condition of anonymity Wednesday because it has not been announced pending the completion of some routine logistical matters.

The deal also sends guard Jerome Dyson and retiring center Brad Miller’s $5.1 million contract from New Orleans to Minnesota, allowing the Timberwolves to clear space under the NBA’s salary cap as they pursue free agents. Minnesota also will receive two second-round draft picks from New Orleans, while the Hornets will receive cash.

Minnesota general manager David Kahn declined to confirm the deal when asked about it on a conference call Wednesday, saying only that he is “not allowed to comment on anything that hasn’t been consummated.”

— Reported by the Associated Press

Lakers sign Antawn Jamison

The Los Angeles Lakers have added experienced depth at the forward spot.

The team today signed free agent forward Antawn Jamison, it was announced by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Jamison, a 6’9” 235-pound forward out of North Carolina, has averaged 19.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 985 career games (858 starts) over 14 NBA seasons with Golden State, Dallas, Washington and Cleveland. Drafted by the Toronto Raptors with the fourth overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft before being traded to Golden State in exchange for college teammate Vince Carter, Jamison averaged 19.0 points and 9.9 rebounds in three seasons at UNC. In his final season with the Tar Heels, Jamison averaged 22.2 points and 10.5 rebounds, while earning AP Player of the Year, the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year Award.

Ranked in the top ten on the NBA active leaders list in both points (8th/19,246) and rebounds (10th/7,740), Jamison was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 2003-04 season as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and is a two-time NBA All-Star (2005, 2008).

Last season, Jamison averaged 17.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 33.1 minutes in 65 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ranking 26th league-wide in points per game. Jamison also joined Dirk Nowitzki as the only player in NBA history to accumulate at least 19,000 points, 7,000 rebounds and 1,000 three-pointers made over his career.

Knicks sign guard Ronnie Brewer

The New York Knicks today added some defensive guard depth.

Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced that the team has signed free agent guard Ronnie Brewer to a contract.

Brewer, 6-7, 227-pounds, holds career averages of 9.0 points, on 50.1-percent shooting, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.37 steals over 25.2 minutes in 418 games (267 starts) over six seasons with Utah, Memphis and Chicago. He appeared in 66 games (43 starts) for Chicago in 2011-12, averaging 6.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.09 steals over 24.8 minutes. The Fayetteville, AR-native was originally selected by the Jazz in the first round (14th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft following his junior season at the University of Arkansas.

Mavs sign second round pick Bernard James

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed second round draft choice Bernard James.

James (6-10, 240) was the 33rd overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was acquired by the Mavericks on June 28, 2012, along with the draft rights to 24th overall pick Jared Cunningham and 34th overall pick Jae Crowder, in exchange for guard Kelenna Azubuike and the draft rights to the 17th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Tyler Zeller.

The Savannah, Ga., native started all five games for Dallas at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He averaged 10.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 1.4 steals and 26.1 minutes while shooting .605 from the field and helped the team to a 4-1 record.

James is a former Staff Sergeant who served six years in the Air Force including three tours to Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar. In his senior season at Florida State, James averaged 10.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while being named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Defensive team. James also won the Most Courageous Award by the United States Basketball Writers of America.

Trail Blazers coaching search may still be in early stages

The Trail Blazers’ search for a head coach still appears to be in the early stages, as general manager Neil Olshey has yet to inform any candidates that they have reached the second round.

On Tuesday, Warren LeGarie and Steve Kauffman – two agents with the most clients in the Blazers’ process – said Olshey has yet to reveal his intentions since he interviewed their clients…

The candidates who are known to have interviewed with Olshey are Indiana assistant Brian Shaw; Golden State assistant Michael Malone; Dallas assistant Terry Stotts; Memphis assistant David Joerger; former Orlando assistant Steve Clifford, who is nearing a deal to be an assistant in Chicago; Phoenix assistant Elston Turner; Atlanta assistant Lester Conner; Miami assistant David Fizdale, Chicago assistant Adrian Griffin and former Knicks and Phoenix assistant Phil Weber.

— Reported by Jason Quick of the Oregonian

Lakers interested in Delonte West

The Los Angeles Lakers have expressed interest in free-agent guard Delonte West, according to a league source.

West, who turns 29 this week, averaged 9.6 points, 3.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game for the Dallas Mavericks last season. He appeared in just 44 games because of a fractured right ring finger and picked up one of the more bizarre fines in league history when he was docked $25,000 for giving Utah’s Gordon Hayward a “wet willy.”

West shot 46.1 percent from the floor and 35.5 percent on 3-pointers, and the Lakers view him as a versatile player who could back up both Kobe Bryant at shooting guard and Steve Nash at point guard while bringing his outside touch to a team that ranked 25th in the NBA in 3-point accuracy last year (32.6 percent).

— Reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles

Keyon Dooling will return to Celtics

The Boston Celtics will re-sign veteran combo guard Keyon Dooling to a one-year deal, according to his agent.

Dooling, who cemented himself as a locker room leader last season and overcame early injuries to be a solid on-court contributor in the second half of the year, will ink a one-year, veteran-minimum deal.

Dooling’s agent, Kenge Stevenson, said his client is excited to be back in Boston. The Celtics owned Dooling’s rights, but will re-sign him at a one-year minimum deal. Dooling, who will earn $1.35 million (of which the Celtics are responsible for only $854,389) is taking a pay cut (he made $2.2 million last season), but clearly enjoyed his time in Boston and wants to be part of another title quest.

— Reported by Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston