July 2013 – Page 22 – NBA Blog

Atlanta Hawks hire Taylor Jenkins as an assistant coach

The Atlanta Hawks have named Taylor Jenkins as an assistant coach, Hawks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer announced today. Jenkins most recently served as the head coach of the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League.

Jenkins led the Toros to a 27-23 (.540) record during the 2012-13 season and a first round playoff victory over the Bakersfield Jam before falling to the Santa Cruz Warriors in the semifinals. Prior to serving as head coach, Jenkins had served as an assistant coach with the Toros the previous four seasons, including their championship season in 2012 and back-to-back playoff appearances in 2009 and 2010. He was selected as an assistant coach with the NBA D-League Select Team during the 2010 Las Vegas Summer League and was part of the 2009 and 2012 NBA D-League Western Conference All-Star coaching staff. Last summer, he served as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs summer league team.

“Taylor is a talented, hard-working coach who has a great grasp of the system that we are going to implement,” Budenholzer said. “He gained valuable experience working in the NBA Development League the past five seasons and with his attention to detail and energy, he will be an asset to my staff.”

Prior to joining the Toros, Jenkins interned with the San Antonio Spurs basketball operations department during the 2007-08 season. He attended The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Economics, while concentrating in Management and minoring in Psychology.

Denver Nuggets Sign forward J.J. Hickson

The Denver Nuggets have signed free-agent forward J.J. Hickson to a multiyear contract, general manager/executive vice president of basketball operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Hickson, 6-9, 242, enjoyed his best NBA season in 2012-13, averaging 12.7 points and a career-high 10.4 rebounds in 80 games with the Portland Trail Blazers. He and Dwight Howard were the only players to average at more than 12 points and 10 rebounds while shooting at least .550 from the field last season.

Hickson, 24, finished sixth in the NBA in field-goal percentage (.562), seventh in rebounding and seventh in double-doubles (40). His nine consecutive double-doubles from Dec. 5-26 marked the longest such streak by a Portland player since Terry Porter in 1987.

“I thought J.J. was one of the most improved players in the league last year,” Connelly said. “He gives us a low-post option in the half-court and he’s a relentless rebounder who will help us get out and run.”

Drafted 19th overall by Cleveland in 2008, Hickson has averaged 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in five seasons with the Cavaliers, Sacramento Kings and Trail Blazers.

Hickson made the jump to the NBA after being named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team in 2007-08. He had 10 double-doubles, including a 13-point, 23-rebound performance against Clemson on Feb. 16, 2007. The rebounds were an ACC single-game freshman record.

— Via the Nuggets

Charlotte Bobcats re-sign Josh McRoberts

Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that the team has re-signed forward Josh McRoberts.

“Josh is a quality big man who can both score and distribute the ball, and he was integral in our improvement late last season,” Higgins said. “In addition to his play on the floor, he provided a strong presence and example for our younger players. We are happy to have him back on our team.”

The Bobcats acquired the 6-10 McRoberts from the Orlando Magic on February 21, 2013 in exchange for forward Hakim Warrick. McRoberts appeared in 26 games with the team last season, averaging 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 30.8 minutes per game.

A six-year NBA veteran, McRoberts was the 37th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. He has played in 272 career games with the Portland Trail Blazers, Indiana Pacers, L.A. Lakers, Orlando Magic and Bobcats, posting averages of 4.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 17.0 minutes per game.

Bobcats Sports & Entertainment owns the Charlotte Bobcats and operates Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena.

Hawks sign first round draft pick Dennis Schroder

The Atlanta Hawks have signed rookie guard Dennis Schröder, President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry announced today. Schröder was selected by the Hawks in the first round (17th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft.

All players selected in the first round of the draft are guaranteed to receive a contract. So, this signing was standard and expected.

A 6-foot-1 point guard from Germany, the 19-year-old has played professionally in Germany since 2009-10. The four-year veteran most recently was a member of the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig in the country’s top league, the Beko League. Schröder put up 11.9 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 24.7 minutes in 31 games (.424 FG%, .402 3FG%, .838 FT%) last season.

San Antonio Spurs sign Marco Belinelli

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed guard Marco Belinelli.

Belinelli, 6-5/195, has played professionally since 2002. Last season, the Italian guard played for the Chicago Bulls where he appeared in 73 games, averaging 9.6 points, 2.0 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 25.8 minutes.

Selected with the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft, Belinelli has also played for the New Orleans Hornets (2010-11), Toronto Raptors (2009-10) and the Golden State Warriors (2007-09). In 360 career NBA games, he holds averages of 9.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 22.4 minutes while shooting .418 (1,159-2,776) from the floor, .387 (448-1,159) from the three-point range and .808 (488-604) from the free throw line.

Prior to the NBA, he played professionally in Italy for Fortitudo Bologna from 2004-07 and Virtus Bologna from 2002-04. In 2005 at the age of 19, Belinelli was named the Italian Supercup MVP after leading his team to the league title and the Italian Cup. He has also played on the Italian National Team and competed at the 2006 FIBA World Championships.

Spurs General Manager R.C. Buford will be available to the media today, July 11, at 3:15 p.m. at the Spurs practice facility to discuss free agent signings.

San Antonio Spurs re-sign Manu Ginobili

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have re-signed guard Manu Ginobili. We’ll post contract details here later today. It is likely just a two-year deal.

The 6-6 Ginobili was selected by San Antonio with the 57th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. In his 11 seasons, Ginobili has helped guide the Spurs to seven division titles and the playoffs every year, including three NBA Championships. Over the 11-year span San Antonio has posted a 626-260 regular season record, giving the team a winning percentage of .707, the highest winning percentage of any NBA team during that 11-year span.

“Manu has been an integral part of the Spurs family and the San Antonio community for the past decade and we are thrilled that he’ll spend his entire career as a San Antonio Spur,” said Spurs general manager RC Buford. “His accomplishments on the international stage and in the NBA are extraordinary and his competitiveness and willingness to do whatever it takes to help his team win are unrivaled.”

The 35-year-old Ginobili was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2008 and 2011. The NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2008, Ginobili became the first South American – and first sixth man – to earn All-NBA honors. A two-time NBA All-Star (2005 and 2011), he is one of only two players, along with Bill Bradley, to win an Olympic gold medal, an NBA Championship and a Euroleague Championship.

In 727 regular season games Ginobili has averaged 14.9 points, 4.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.46 steals in 27.5 minutes. He is the Spurs franchise leader in three-pointers made (1,093) and attempted (2,941), is third all-time in steals (1,064) and fifth in points (10,819) and assists (2,892). Ginobili has appeared in 157 playoff games and averaged 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.41 steals in 30.4 minutes. In postseason action, he is the Silver and Black’s all-time leader in steals (221), three-pointers made (251) and attempted (699) and ranks third in games played (157), points (2,450), rebounds (694) and assists (620). Among active NBA players in playoff action Ginobili ranks fifth in steals (221) and three-pointers made (251), seventh in games played (157) and is eighth in free throws made (675).

A member of the Argentinean National Team since 1998, Ginobili led Argentina to the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics after averaging 19.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.38 steals in 29.9 minutes in eight games earning him tournament MVP honors. During the 2000-01 season he was named the MVP of both the Italian League and the Euroleague Finals as Virtus Bologna captured the title in both the Italian and Euroleague Championships.

New York Knicks re-sign J.R. Smith

New York Knicks Executive Vice President and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has re-signed guard J.R. Smith to a contract.

Smith is a scoring guard who can shoot his team into very good or bad places. He can be ice-cold and missing shot after shot, and then go crazy and hit multiple three-pointers in a row to pull a team back into the game.

Smith, 6-6, 220-pounds, became just the third player in franchise history to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award (joining Anthony Mason and John Starks) by averaging a career-high 18.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists over 33.5 minutes in 80 games off the bench last season. He earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the period ending Mar. 31, after posting three consecutive 30-point efforts off the bench, becoming the first NBA player to accomplish the feat in over 23 years.

“Re-signing J.R. was one of our primary goals this offseason and we are thrilled to have him back,” Grunwald said. “He made great strides this past season with his consistent play off the bench for us, and we look forward to his continued growth.”

The Freehold, NJ-native originally signed with New York as a free agent on Feb. 17, 2012, and then re-signed on Jul. 11, 2012. He holds career averages of 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists over 25.4 minutes in 618 games (130 starts) over nine seasons with New Orleans/Oklahoma City, Denver and New York.

Trail Blazers sign guard Earl Watson

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed veteran free agent guard Earl Watson, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey.

Watson, 34, owns career averages of 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.02 steals and 22.6 minutes in 12 NBA seasons with Seattle, Memphis, Denver, Oklahoma City, Indiana and Utah. As a veteran, it’s expected Watson will just provide backup minutes off the bench.

“Earl is a consummate professional and one of the most competitive players I have ever been around,” said Olshey. “His leadership, command presence and ability to affect games with his defense are attributes we value highly, and specifically targeted in our search for players at his position.”

Watson (6-1, 200) spent the past three seasons playing for Utah, where he averaged 2.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 17.3 minutes in 48 games last season.

UCLA’s all-time leader in steals (235) and minutes played (4,371), Watson was selected by Seattle with the 40th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.

He will wear No. 25 for the Trail Blazers.

Clippers sign first round draft pick Reggie Bullock

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today that they have signed first round draft pick Reggie Bullock. All first round picks are guaranteed to receive a contract, so this is standard.

Bullock, 22, was the 25th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. The guard was a Second-Team All-ACC performer during his third and final season at North Carolina. The 6-foot-7 inch Bullock averaged 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 35 games with the Tar Heels, hitting 88 3-pointers, the third most in a single season in UNC history while shooting 46.3 percent from behind the arc.

Bullock was the Tar Heels third-leading scorer in 2012-13 and starred in the postseason, earning First-Team ACC All-Tournament honors.

A star at Kinston High School in North Carolina, Bullock finished his collegiate career with 188 3-pointers, the eighth most in North Carolina history, and appeared in 100 total NCAA games. In each of his three seasons at UNC, he posted improved numbers in minutes, points, rebounds, assists and field goal percentage.

Dallas Mavericks sign guard Gal Mekel

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard Gal Mekel (pronounced GAL MEK-el).

Mekel (6-3, 191) spent two seasons at Wichita State University (2006-07, 2007-08) before leaving school early and beginning his professional career in Europe. In his first season overseas, he was named the 2009 All-Israeli League Newcomer of the Year.

Last season, the point guard led Maccabi Haifa to an Israeli League Championship en route to claiming his second Most Valuable Player award. Mekel averaged 13.3 points, 5.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 32.3 minutes in 30 games while shooting .525 from the field and .779 from the free throw line.

The Petah Tikva, Israel native is just the second Israeli-born player to sign with an NBA team. He follows in the footsteps of veteran forward Omri Casspi.