March 2014 – Page 27 – NBA Blog

Rockets face tough upcoming schedule

Here’s the Houston Chronicle on the Rockets, who will have to be at their best these next few weeks:

The Rockets did a lot of things well in their 118-110 win over Detroit on Saturday.

They are going to have to do that and much more over the next weeks to come out on top in one of their toughest stretches of the season.

In the next two weeks, the Rockets face several of the league’s top teams. They will see Miami twice, Indiana, Portland and Oklahoma City. They also face Chicago and Orlando in that time.

“It is definitely going to be a tough couple of weeks,” guard James Harden said. “It will be a good test.”

The Rockets got off to a good start in March after going 8-2 in February.

Lakers recall Xavier Henry from D-League

The Los Angeles Lakers have recalled Xavier Henry from the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League, it was announced today.

Henry, a 6’6” guard out of the University of Kansas, was assigned to the D-Fenders on Feb. 27 for two games against the Texas Legends. Starting in each game, Henry scored 15 points to go with four steals on Feb. 27 and followed up with 19 points and three steals on Mar. 1.

A three-year NBA veteran, Henry is averaging a career-high 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 31 games (five starts) this season with the Lakers. In addition, the Ghent, Belgium native has posted single-game career-highs in points (27), rebounds (eight), assists (four), steals (three), blocks (two), field goals (nine), three-point field goals (three), free throws (nine) and minutes (36). In 164 career NBA games (23 starts) with the Lakers, New Orleans Hornets (Pelicans) and Memphis Grizzlies, Henry is averaging 5.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists.

Bulls sign Jimmer Fredette

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent guard Jimmer Fredette for the remainder of the season.

“We are very excited to add a player like Jimmer to our roster,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “We’ve followed him closely throughout his collegiate and professional career, and believe he’ll be the type of player that will fit in with our group and be an asset to the team.”

Fredette (6-2, 195) is currently in his third year in the NBA and spent two-plus seasons playing for the Sacramento Kings. He appeared in 41 games this year with the Kings and averaged 5.9 ppg, 1.5 apg, 1.1 rpg in 11.3 mpg, and shot .475 from the field, .493 from downtown and .895 from the free throw line. Fredette was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft (his draft rights were traded by the Bucks to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team deal with the Charlotte Bobcats).

In two-plus seasons with the Kings, Fredette played in 171 regular season games (seven starts) and averaged 7.0 ppg, 1.5 apg and 1.1 rpg in 15.0 mpg, and shot .416 from the field, .402 from behind the arc and .855 from the free throw line.

Fredette will wear No. 32 and will be available for Chicago’s game today versus New York.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 13 players.

Bobcats waive Ben Gordon

Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that the team has requested waivers on guard Ben Gordon. The Bobcats roster now stands at 14 players.

“With the recent acquisition of additional backcourt depth to our roster, we believe this is in the best interests of both parties,” Higgins said. “We want to thank Ben for his contributions over the past two seasons and wish him the best as he moves on in his career.”

According to Yahoo Sports, “Gordon couldn’t reach an agreement with a playoff-bound team to get eligible for a postseason roster before Saturday’s deadline, so contenders are no longer interested in signing him. Nevertheless, there is interest among some non-playoff bound teams, sources said, and Gordon is weighing those opportunities against sitting out the rest of the season and preparing for summer free agency.”

Acquired from the Detroit Pistons along with a future first-round draft pick on June 26, 2012, in exchange for Corey Maggette, Gordon played in 94 games for the Bobcats with averages of 10.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 19.6 minutes. Gordon saw action in 19 games this season, averaging 5.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 14.7 minutes.

According to the Associated Press, “Gordon was making $13.2 million this season.”

Jimmer Fredette likely joining Bulls

The Chicago Bulls and former BYU sensation Jimmer Fredette have tentatively agreed to a contract after he parted with the Sacramento Kings earlier in the week, a person familiar with the situation said Saturday.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced.

The sharp-shooting guard was bought out by the Kings on Thursday and cleared waivers on Saturday. Now, he’s getting a second chance with the Bulls.

Fredette is averaging just 5.9 points and 11.3 minutes in his third season. But the Bulls are hoping “Jimmermania” will take off in Chicago after staying grounded with the Kings – or that he will at least give them the outside touch they were seeking.

— Associated Press

Fredette, 25, is regarded as a high character person and good teammate, unassuming though confident and someone who should be able to fit in with a welcoming and unselfish Bulls group. His ability to stretch the floor and open the court, theoretically, should be helpful. The larger question would be how long he could play given the defensive questions and whether his playing would inhibit the development of rookie Tony Snell, who has been improving with regular playing time recently.

Those questions will surface as Fredette works his way in with the team, though this late in the season the Bulls rarely scrimmage. So it would be a slower process than earlier in the season, though that is similar for all the buyout players joining teams late, like Glen Davis, Caron Butler and Danny Granger.

Fredette because of his shooting seem as good a fit as any for the Bulls needs.

— Bulls.com Blog

Carmelo Anthony continues trying to carry Knicks

Here’s New York Newsday reporting on Carmelo Anthony and his 21-38 Knicks squad:

Is the nightly toll of being the Knicks’ only consistent scoring option finally affecting Carmelo Anthony physically?

After taking several hits to his shooting hand in the loss to Golden State on Friday night, Anthony said he didn’t know the extent of the injury. It wasn’t what any Knicks fan wanted to hear. All Anthony knew at that point was how his right hand felt, which was “very sore.”

On Saturday, however, the Knicks breathed easier, calling it a bruise and saying he is expected to play Sunday afternoon in Chicago.

That represented the best possible news for the team and Anthony, who is averaging 28.2 points, 3.0 assists and a career-high 8.7 rebounds per game. He is averaging 36.2 points in his last six games, five of which were losses.

Pacers guard George Hill out with recurring shoulder injury

Indiana Pacers point guard George Hill (bruised left shoulder) missed his fourth game of the season on Saturday night.

Hill was injured with less than 2 minutes remaining in the Pacers’ win over Milwaukee on Thursday night. Hill said that an MRI revealed “previous stuff,” referencing the sprained left shoulder injury from the 2011-12 lockout-shortened season that sidelined him for two games.

“Messing with ‘Psycho T’ (former teammate Tyler Hansbrough) in practice,” Hill said Saturday, recalling that original injury. “Got tangled up with him. I hurt it pretty bad … so I think it’s just a recurred injury that just opened back up just a little bit.”

— Indianapolis Star

Mark Cuban favors D-League to college one-and-done

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is not a fan of the NCAA and the rule that requires players to be one year removed from high school and at least 19 years old before entering the NBA.

Cuban thinks the NBA Development League is preferable to a year in college, saying the one-and-done players are not prepared mentally and emotionally for the NBA.

“I think what will end up happening — and this is my opinion, not that of the league — is if the colleges don’t change from the one-and-done, we’ll go after the one,” Cuban said, according to ESPNDallas.com. “The NCAA rules are so hypocritical, there’s absolutely no reason for a kid to go (to college) because he’s not going to class.

“He’s actually not even able to take advantage of all the fun because the first semester he starts playing basketball. So if the goal is just to graduate to the NBA or be an NBA player, go to the D-League.”

— Sports Xchange

No more black mask for LeBron James

LeBron James will comply with the NBA’s request to ditch his black mask for a clearer version to protect his broken nose for the Miami Heat’s game Saturday against the Orlando Magic.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Saturday morning that the team has been in contact with the NBA and that James will select from a variety of league-approved masks to wear for the next several weeks. Spoelstra would not indicate the specific style or color of the new masks James will consider.

“We’ve had numerous ones made, so he will have his pick and will choose one that is authorized also by the league,” Spoelstra told ESPN.com after the Heat’s shootaround. “We did talk to the league (Friday). So stay tuned for what mask you’ll see tonight.”

James had worn a black carbon-fiber mask during Thursday’s win against the New York Knicks, and the design quickly drew comparisons on social media to masks worn by superhero characters from Batman to dramatic villains such as Hannibal Lecter.

— ESPN Miami

Thunder sign Caron Butler

The rich get richer once again.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, already loaded with talent, have signed forward Caron Butler to a contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. A team that really didn’t need any additional help now has an even stronger bench.

Butler (6-7, 217), a two-time NBA All-Star, has appeared in 764 career regular season games (710 starts) and recorded averages of 15.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.42 steals in 33.9 minutes per game during his 12-year NBA career.

“We are pleased to welcome Caron Butler to the Thunder organization and to Oklahoma City,” said Presti. “Caron represents what we look for in a Thunder player and will positively impact our team. His toughness, hard-nosed defense, resiliency and highly regarded professionalism will only enhance our depth and bring additional versatility to the roster.”

This move has been expected for days, but became official this evening.

The 10th overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft, he has appeared in 47 career postseason games (all starts) and posted averages of 13.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.45 steals in 34.6 minutes per game.

The Thunder roster now stands at 14.