Month: January 2013

Alan Anderson playing great for Raptors

Alan Anderson

Toronto’s run of good fortune — back-to-back losses aside — has coincided with the return to the lineup of Alan Anderson.

Anderson provided an unexpected boost late last season, when he earned a contract after originally coming aboard on a 10-day stipend.

Now, he is helping power a three-point-reliant offence (Anderson leads the club with 1.9 makes from outside per game) and is helping lead a bench unit that has mostly outplayed the starters over the past couple of weeks.

In all, since Anderson’s Dec. 14 return from a foot injury, Toronto has won 8-of-11 contests.

Though field-goal percentage is not a strength (he shot just 38.1% in December), Anderson is currently sizzling, shooting 47.5% over his past three games (averaging 17 points).

— Reported by Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun

Rockets sign Patrick Beverley, waive Scott Machado

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed guard Patrick Beverley to a multi-year deal. Beverley will be assigned to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. To make room on the roster, the Rockets have waived guard Scott Machado.

Beverley (6-1, 185, Arkansas) comes to the Rockets from Spartak St. Petersburg in Russia, where he earned Eurocup MVP for the 2011-12 season and 2012 All-Eurocup First-Team honors. He originally played two seasons at Arkansas before leaving school to sign a professional contract with BC Dnipro of the Ukrainian UBL for the 2008-09 season. Beverley was then drafted by the L.A. Lakers in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft and later traded to the Miami Heat. He decided to stay in Europe and signed with Olympiakos in Greece on Aug. 26, 2009. He again joined the Heat for the 2010 NBA Summer League and was signed by Miami on Aug. 2, 2010. Beverley was waived by the Heat at the end of training camp on Oct. 25, 2010.

As a collegian, Beverley was named SEC Freshman of the Year and earned Second-Team All-SEC honors in 2006-07. A 2008 Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy candidate, he started 33 of 35 games as a sophomore, ranking first on Razorbacks in rebounding (6.6 rpg), steals (1.3 spg) and 3-point percentage (.378). Beverley was also second on the team in points (12.1 ppg) and third in assists (2.4 apg) in 2007-08.

Machado (6-1, 205, Iona) averaged 1.3 points and 1.0 assists in six games with the Rockets this season. He also averaged 12.0 points, 7.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 11 games (nine starts) with Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Lakers waive guard Darius Johnson-Odom

The Los Angeles Lakers have waived guard Darius Johnson-Odom, it was announced today.

Johnson-Odom, the 55 th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, was acquired by the Lakers from Dallas on draft night. The 6-2 guard out of Marquette averaged 15.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 105 collegiate games. As a senior, the Raleigh, North Carolina native led his team in scoring (18.3 ppg) and earned First Team All-Big East honors in addition to being named an Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press.

Johnson-Odom appeared in four games for the Lakers this season, where he totaled four rebounds and one assist in six minutes.

Indiana Pacers sign head coach Frank Vogel to contract extension

Frank Vogel

The Indiana Pacers announced Monday they have signed head coach Frank Vogel to a contract extension.

Vogel is in his third year as Pacers coach after taking over on Jan. 30, 2011. Going into Tuesday night’s home game with Miami, Vogel has coached exactly 100 games, compiling a 62-38 record. Last season, the Pacers had a 42-24 record, fifth best in the NBA and reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals before losing to eventual NBA champion Miami.

“This is a good deal for Frank and the franchise,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh. “Frank has done a great job turning our team around since he became coach and deserves the chance to continue the work he and his staff have started.”

Said Vogel, “I’m honored that Donnie, Kevin (General Manager Pritchard) and Mr. Simon (owner Herb Simon) have such belief and faith in me to be their coach in the foreseeable future. We’ve established a great connection with our community the last two years, both on and off the court and I look forward to continuing that.”

Wizards waive guard Shelvin Mack

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived guard Shelvin Mack.

Mack, who signed as a free agent with Washington on December 25, 2012, appeared in seven games, including two starts, and averaged 5.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 20.1 minutes per contest.

Mack was originally selected by Washington with the 34 th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and appeared in training camp with the Wizards this season before being waived on October 28. He spent the first 11 games of the 2012-13 season with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League prior to re-signing with the Wizards on December 25.

The team’s roster now stands at 14 players.

Travis Leslie named D-League Player of Month

Santa Cruz Warriors guard Travis Leslie has been named NBA Development League Player of the Month for games played in Nov. and Dec. The honor, the first of the 2012-13 season, is also the first of Leslie’s NBA D-League career.

Leslie (6-4, 205, Georgia) led Santa Cruz to an 8-2 record during Nov. and Dec., averaging 16.4 points while shooting 55 percent from the floor to go with 7.9 rebounds. He scored in double figures in all ten games, including two 20-plus point performances.

Fifteen additional players earned honorable mention accolades, they include: Austin’s Cory Joseph, Bakersfield’s Renaldo Major, Canton’s Arinze Onuaku, Erie’s DJ Kennedy, Fort Wayne’s Tony Mitchell, Idaho’s Justin Holiday, Iowa’s Paul Harris, Los Angeles’ Courtney Fortson, Maine’s Micah Downs, Reno’s Marcus Landry, Rio Grande Valley’s Tim Ohlbrecht, Sioux Falls’ Andrew Goudelock (now playing with the Vipers), Springfield’s James Mays, Texas’ Darius Rice and Tulsa’s Jeremy Lamb.

Pacers sign Dominic McGuire to 10-day contract

The Indiana Pacers announced Monday the signing of Dominic McGuire to a 10-day contract.

McGuire, a 6-9, 235-pound forward, has been with six different teams in his six-year NBA career, most recently the New Orleans Hornets. He played nine games with the Hornets this season, averaging 2.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. He was a second-round draft pick of the Washington Wizards in 2007 (47 th overall) after playing collegiately at Fresno State. McGuire has also played with Sacramento, Charlotte, Golden State and Toronto.

New Orleans Hornets sign guard Donald Sloan to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Hornets today signed guard Donald Sloan of the Sioux Falls Skyforce for the 11th Call-Up of the 2012-13 NBA Development League season. It is a 10-day contract.

Sloan earned the Call-up after playing just two games with the Skyforce and joins more than 115 players with NBA D-League experience currently on NBA rosters.

Sloan (6-3, 205, Texas A&M), was signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers last season following the expiration of a 10-day contact with the Hornets. He started in 11 of the 25 games he appeared in, averaging 6.6 points and 3.7 assists. He re-signed with Cleveland this season, appearing in 20 games and averaging 4.1 points and 1.9 assists in 12.9 minutes prior to being waived and joining the Skyforce. In two games with Sioux Falls, he averaged 22.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists; helping the Skyforce to back-to-back victories over the Los Angeles D-Fenders and Reno Bighorns last week.

Sloan is expected to join the Hornets tonight and be available when the team hosts the San Antonio Spurs tonight at 8 P.M EST.

Cavaliers recall Jon Leuer from D-League

The Cleveland Cavaliers have recalled forward Jon Leuer from the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers exclusively owned and operated NBA Development League team, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Leuer has appeared in eight games (seven starts) for the Charge this season, averaging 19.5 points on .512 shooting and 12.3 rebounds in 36.5 minutes per game, helping the Charge go 7-1 in those games. Leuer has played in five games this season for the Cavs, averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game.