January 2013 – Page 2 – NBA Blog

Magic forward Glen Davis suffers broken foot

For much of Wednesday, the Orlando Magic displayed the kind of grit and resiliency that head coach Jacque Vaughn has grown to love about this team. Guards Jameer Nelson and J.J. Redick carried the offense, while the defense did its best to slow New York superstar Carmelo Anthony.

But as the game wore on, a devastating injury to Glen “Big Baby’’ Davis further sabotaged the short-handed Magic, and attrition and a talent deficit won out, resulting in another lost night for Orlando.

Despite red-hot shooting and valiant efforts from Nelson and Redick, the Magic couldn’t keep pace with the Knicks more than a half, again gave up a flurry of fourth-quarter 3-pointers and lost 113-97 to New York.

Davis, who was in the midst of his finest season as a pro, was likely lost for the rest of the season when he fractured his left foot early in the game. The team found out about the news of the crippling injury midway through Wednesday’s game, sapping the life out of the squad.

— Reported by John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com

Three-team Grizzlies trade sends Rudy Gay to Raptors, Jose Calderon to Pistons

The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they have acquired forward Rudy Gay and centre Hamed Haddadi from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for guard Jose Calderon, forward Ed Davis, a second-round draft choice in 2013 and cash considerations. The Grizzlies traded Calderon to the Detroit Pistons for forwards Austin Daye and Tayshaun Prince.

“This is the type of deal we have been looking for to take our team another step forward,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “Rudy Gay is a dynamic wing that elevates our talent level significantly.

“We want to thank Jose and Ed for their dedication and service to our organization. Both individuals are wonderful young men beyond just talented basketball players.”

Gay, 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, has averaged 17.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 36.2 minutes in 479 career games (443 starts).

According to ESPN.com, “Gay, averaging 17.2 points and 5.9 rebounds, signed a five-year, $82 million maximum contract in July 2010 with Memphis. The 6-foot-8 small forward is due $16.5 million this season with $37 million more over the next two years. Just over a week ago, the Grizzlies sent valuable reserve Marreese Speights and two other players to Cleveland in a move that cleared $6.4 million in salary and avoided a $4 million luxury tax hit this season. Team officials said that move put the Grizzlies in position not to have to make a move this season.”

The 26-year-old has played all seven of his NBA seasons in Memphis. He was selected with the eighth pick in the first round of the 2006 Draft by the Houston Rockets and his draft rights were traded to the Grizzlies.

Gay has averaged at least 18.9 points and 5.5 rebounds each season since his rookie campaign. He has also played in more than 95 per cent of the games in five of the past six seasons.

Gay has topped 90 steals in five of six seasons. He is the Grizzlies’ franchise leader in thefts (640), games (479) and minutes (17,338). He ranks second in total points (8,562).

Gay posted career highs of 20.1 points in 2007-08, 6.4 rebounds in 2011-12 and 1.7 steals in 2010-11. He shot .396 from three-point range in 2010-11 and poured in 134 three-pointers in 2007-08.

Gay netted a career-best 41 points at Miami on December 13, 2009. He has posted personal bests of 13 rebounds three times, five steals four times and 52 minutes on two occasions.

Gay averaged a team-high 19.0 points, a career-high 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 37.3 minutes in 65 games during the 2011-12 season. He was one of seven players in the NBA to rank in the top 20 in both scoring and steals.

Gay saw his first playoff action last season when he led the Grizzlies in scoring at 19.0 points in seven games. He also contributed 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 39.9 minutes.

Haddadi (ha-DAH-dee), 7-foot-2, 265, is the first Iranian-born player in the NBA. He has averaged 2.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 6.1 minutes in 134 career outings, all with Memphis.

Calderon averaged 10.0 points, 7.2 assists and 28.4 minutes in 525 games with Toronto. In the playoffs, he averaged 12.5 points, 6.1 assists and 24.1 minutes in 11 appearances.

Calderon averaged 11.1 points, 7.4 assists and 28.3 minutes in 45 contests this season.

Calderon was originally signed by the club as a free agent in 2005. He is the franchise leader in assists (3,770) and free throw percentage (.877). He ranks second in games played (525), fourth in minutes (14,909) and fifth in total points (5,235).

Davis was drafted by the Raptors in the first round (13th overall) in 2010. He has appeared in 176 outings with Toronto, averaging 7.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 24.0 minutes.

Davis averaged 9.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 24.2 minutes in 45 games this season. He has started in a career-high 24 games.

Dennis Rodman writes book for kids

Even Dennis Rodman laughs at the idea.

“Kind of funny, huh?” he said.

It’s true, though. One of basketball’s most outrageous personalities has written a book for kids.

The Hall of Famer’s book, “Dennis The Wild Bull,” came out Wednesday and fans will immediately recognize Rodman’s influence. The large red bull on the cover has flowing red hair, two nose rings, a tattoo and red stubble under his chin.

“They’ll see me, literally see me. They’ll say, ‘Wow, this is just like him,”’ Rodman said in a phone interview.

And he deals with the same issues.

Rodman, known as much for his wacky looks and lifestyle off the court as his considerable success on it, said the purpose of the book is simple.

“More than anything, I just want little kids today just to understand, ain’t no matter what you do in life, be different, rich or poor man, guess what, it’s OK to be who you are pretty much and you’ll be accepted,” Rodman said.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Heat sign Jarvis Varnado for rest of season

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Jarvis Varnado for the remainder of the season.

Varnado was previously signed by the HEAT to a 10-day contract on January 9 and then was re-signed to a second 10-day contract on January 20. He has appeared in two games with Miami, both victories, totaling two points and two blocks in 12 minutes of action while shooting 1-of-2 from the field.

Varnado was signed earlier this season by Boston on December 14 and appeared in five games with the Celtics totaling six points, three rebounds, one assist and a steal in 18 minutes while shooting 2-of-4 from the field before being waived on January 6. He previously played in 10 games (all starts) earlier this season for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League and averaged 14.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.90 blocks, 1.4 assists and 30.5 minutes while shooting 55.7 percent from the field.

Varnado was originally signed by Miami on September 7 and waived on October 26 after appearing in two games (one start) on the HEAT’s 2012 Summer League team tallying four points, seven rebounds, one steal and a block in 30:07 minutes of action.

Brook Lopez replaces injured Rajon Rondo on 2013 East All-Star team

An injured guard is out but a healthy center is in for the 2013 NBA Eastern conference All-Star team.

Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez has been selected as a reserve on the 2013 Eastern Conference All-Star Team by NBA Commissioner David Stern. Lopez replaces injured guard Rajon Rondo, who is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL.

This is the first career selection for Lopez, who is averaging a team-leading 18.6 points per game, best among NBA centers. Lopez is also 7th in the league in blocks per game (2.2), 22nd in field goal percentage (52.3%) and is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game this season.

Lopez is the 13th player in Nets franchise history to be selected to the NBA All-Star Game, joining Buck Williams (three times), Otis Birdsong, M.R. Richardson, Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson, Jayson Williams, Stephon Marbury, Jason Kidd (five times), Kenyon Martin, Vince Carter (three times), Devin Harris and Deron Williams.

The 62nd NBA All-Star Game will be played at the Toyota Center in Houston on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013 (8 p.m. ET), televised exclusively on TNT and broadcast exclusively on ESPN Radio in the U.S. The All-Star Game will reach fans in more than 215 countries and territories in more than 47 languages.

Read NBA fan reaction and share your views in this basketball forum topic.

Paul Pierce hopes to stay with Celtics for entire playing career

The sky has most definitely changed over the Celtics. The view is much clearer days after Rajon Rondo was lost for the season.

In the same places they once stood and spoke of grandiose plans for May and June, now there is steely perspective. Now they don’t talk so loud.

Kevin Garnett actually laughed when asked yesterday whether there’s a chance the Celts can be better over the remainder of this season — without their All-Star point guard.

“What are you looking for, a ray of hope here, man?” said KG. “Look, I’m just trying to give y’all the basis of what it is right now amongst us and our mindset going in and taking on this big agenda.”

After nearly 48 hours of hearing the calls to put nearly everyone on outbound container ships in Boston Harbor, Garnett and Paul Pierce are now more matter-of-fact than bold.

“You know, I want to retire as a Celtic,” said Pierce. “That’s been my longtime goal. But it’s not in my control. The organization, they make their decisions, but it’s something I desire.”

— Reported by Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald

Derrick Rose may be ready for Bulls after All-Star game

Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Wednesday that Derrick Rose is now taking “full contact” and the only thing left in his return from ACL surgery is putting in more time and then getting acclimated to a game situation.

Rose’s rehab from his April 28 injury and May 12 surgery has steadily progressed to the point that there are no longer any physical limitations.

“He’s full-contact, yeah,” Thibodeau said before Wednesday’s morning shootaround as the Bulls prepared to face the Milwaukee Bucks.

The likely date of Rose’s return is after the Feb. 17 All-Star Game.

“He can do all the cutting, he can do shooting, he can go off the dribble,” Thibodeau said. “So it’s just a matter of him getting acclimated to playing in a game situation.”

— Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Pau Gasol upset after benching in 4th quarter vs Hornets

The Los Angeles Lakers got another win Tuesday by beating the New Orleans Hornets 111-106, but they might have lost some of the team cohesion they built up over the course of their three-game winning streak.

In what has become a recurring theme since Mike D’Antoni took over as Lakers coach, forward Pau Gasol was benched in the fourth quarter against New Orleans.

The former four-time All-Star, who recently bristled when moved to a bench role as D’Antoni placed Earl Clark in the starting lineup, expressed his displeasure after the game.

“I’m a competitor, I’m a guy that thinks I bring a lot to the table, and not being on the floor is something that I don’t like, I don’t appreciate,” Gasol said.

— Reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles

Greg Oden confident he will return to NBA

Asked if he was playing at all, Oden said, “I’m just getting my knee ready so when things do happen I’ll be ready to play next year.

“I’m still in the rehab process, but I’m it taking slow. I could possibly be playing at this point, but I’ve done that before and I got injured before, so I’d rather take everything I am doing slow. Right now I’m just doing strength stuff with my knees.”

He said he was confident he would return to the NBA.

“I like how my knee is going, the way it’s going,” he said. “I still like the time I’m taking, just to make sure nothing happens. You can’t predict the future. But if it doesn’t happen, I’m happy.”

— Reported by Doug Lesmerises of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Grizzlies, Raptors discussing a Rudy Gay trade

The final hurdle for the salary dump of Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay to the Toronto Raptors hinges on finding a third team to absorb the expiring contract of Raptors guard Jose Calderon, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Grizzlies have inquired with multiple teams over the past several days, searching for a willing partner to facilitate a three-team deal, sources said.

Despite organizational proclamations to the contrary, new Memphis ownership and management is determined to unload Gay and the $37 million owed him as soon as possible, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Calderon has a $10.5 million expiring contract.

— Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports