July 2014 – Page 10 – NBA Blog

Chicago Bulls sign Pau Gasol

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent forward/center Pau Gasol.

“We are really excited to add such a versatile player to our roster who has been both an All-Star and an NBA Champion,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “Pau is a skilled player with a high basketball IQ and is a true pro and a proven winner.”

Gasol (7-0, 275), a 13-year veteran of the NBA, comes to Chicago after spending the past six-plus seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. While with Los Angeles, Gasol helped the Lakers make three straight trips to the NBA Finals (2008-10) that resulted in the franchise’s last two NBA Championships (2009, 2010). Prior to his run with the Lakers, the Spanish big man was a member of the Memphis Grizzlies for more than six seasons (2001-08).

A four-time NBA All-Star (2006, 2009-11), and a three-time All-NBA selection (Second Team in 2011; Third Team in 2009, 2010), Gasol has played in 905 (892 starts) regular-season games and averaged 18.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.64 bpg and 0.54 spg in 35.6 mpg. He also owns career shooting averages of .515 from the field and .750 from the line.

In postseason play, the 34-year old Gasol has appeared in 105 (all starts) playoff games and posted 17.2 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.97 bpg, 0.56 spg, .515 from the floor and .738 from the stripe in 38.6 mpg.

A native of Barcelona, he owns a vast wealth of international experience as a member of the Spanish national team. In 2008, and again in 2012, he led Spain to silver medals in the Olympics after guiding Spain to the gold medal in the 2006 FIBA World Championships.

Bulls sign Nikola Mirotic

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed forward Nikola Mirotic (KNEE-coal-uh MIR-oh-tich).

“We feel Nikola will be a great addition to our frontcourt where he he’ll be able to space the floor with his outstanding shooting ability,” said Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “We’ve known Nikola for several years and we are confident he will be a great fit for our team both on and off the court. He’s a player with great potential.”

Mirotic (6-10, 225), was acquired by Chicago on June 24, 2011, as part of a draft-night trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In that deal, Chicago acquired the draft rights to Mirotic (No. 23 pick) in exchange for the draft rights to Norris Cole (No. 28) and Malcolm Lee (No. 43), as well as cash considerations.

Last year with Real Madrid CF of the Liga ACB, he played in 31 games (31 starts) and averaged 12.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.06 spg, 24.0 mpg, .508 from the field, .461 from behind the arc and .811 from the line. In five seasons with Real Madrid CF, the 23-year old Mirotic played in 97 Euroleague games (71 starts) and posted averages of 13.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.76 spg, 24.2 mpg, .498 from the floor, .402 from behind the three-point line and .848 from the free throw line.

The Podgorica, Montenegro native was a back-to-back winner of the Euroleague Rising Star Award (2010-11 and 2011-12), which is awarded to the league’s best player under 22 years of age. Mirotic was also named to the 2012-13 All-Euroleague Second Team and named the 2014 Spanish Cup Final MVP. With Real Madrid CF, he won the 2012-13 Spanish National Championship, the 2012 and 2014 Spanish National Cup (King’s Cup) and the 2012 and 2013 Spanish Super Cup.

Los Angeles Lakers get Carlos Boozer, via partial waiver claim

The Los Angeles Lakers have been awarded the contract of Carlos Boozer on a partial waiver claim, it was announced today by Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Boozer had been waived by the Chicago Bulls pursuant to the amnesty provision of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (Article VII, Section 12 (f)(5)).

“Carlos is an established veteran and a proven all-star, who will be a welcome addition to our team,” said Kupchak. “We’re very pleased to have won the bidding process and to have gained his rights, and look forward to his contributions next season.”

Boozer, a 12-year NBA veteran and two-time NBA All-Star who has appeared in the postseason eight consecutive years, started and appeared in 76 games for the Chicago Bulls in 2013-14, averaging 13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 28.2 minutes per game. In his fourth season with the Bulls, the 6’9” forward posted 25 double-doubles and led the team in scoring 13 times.

Originally selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round (35th overall) of the 2002 NBA Draft, Boozer has averaged 16.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 790 career NBA games (749 starts) with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz and Bulls while shooting 52.3% from the field. Boozer has received All-NBA Third Team (2008) and NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2003) honors during his career in addition to being named the Player of the Week six times and the Player of the Month twice.

Mavericks re-sign Devin Harris

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have re-signed guard Devin Harris.

Harris (6-3, 185) returned to Dallas last offseason for his second stint with the Mavericks, but missed the first 41 games while recovering from left foot surgery. Returning from injury, he averaged 7.9 points, 4.5 assists and 20.5 minutes in 40 games.

The 10-year veteran elevated his game in the postseason by averaging 11.4 points, 3.9 assists and 25.1 minutes while shooting .470 from the field, .440 from three-point range and .875 from the foul line in seven games against the eventual World Champion San Antonio Spurs.

Harris holds career averages of 12.5 points, 4.8 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 27.3 minutes in 641 games (442 starts) with Dallas, New Jersey, Utah and Atlanta. He had a standout 2008-09 season in New Jersey when he was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team.

Dallas originally acquired Harris from Washington, along with Jerry Stackhouse and Christian Laettner, in a draft day trade for Antawn Jamison on June 24, 2004. He played for the Mavericks from 2004-08 and was an integral part of the 2005-06 Western Conference Championship squad that earned the franchise’s first Finals appearance. Harris was traded from Dallas to the New Jersey Nets on Feb. 19, 2008 in a deal that brought Jason Kidd to the Mavericks.

The Milwaukee native was named 2003-04 Big Ten Player of the Year at Wisconsin where he broke Michael Finley’s single-season scoring record with 624 points (19.5 ppg) in his junior season. He was also named Second Team All-America by The Associated Press.

Wizards sign Paul Pierce

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Paul Pierce.

“We are very happy to welcome Paul to our organization and add his championship experience and history of clutch play to our team,” said Grunfeld. “He will be a good fit alongside our young, dynamic backcourt while his presence and leadership will make a difference for us both on and off the court.”

Pierce, a 10-time NBA All-Star, joins the Wizards with career averages of 21.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting .447 from the field, .370 from three-point range and .807 from the line in 1,177 career games with Boston and Brooklyn. He currently ranks as the 18th leading scorer in NBA history (25,031 points) and ranks fourth among active players in NBA scoring history (behind only Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett). The 6-7 forward also ranks fifth all-time in NBA history in three-point field goals made (1,935) and fourth all-time in NBA history in three-point field goals attempted (5,228).

In addition to his regular season history, Pierce brings 148 games of postseason experience to Washington. He led Boston to the 2008 NBA Championship, earning Finals MVP honors after averaging 21.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, and helped them return to the 2010 Finals. Pierce holds career postseason averages of 20.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals. His 3,007 points ranks him 23rd in NBA playoff history (seventh among active players) while his 148 games ranks him ninth among active players.

Pierce was originally drafted by Boston with the 10th overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. He finished his Celtics career ranked among the storied franchise’s all-time leaders in several categories, including free throws made and attempted (first), points scored, points per game and field goals attempted (second), games played, minutes played and field goals made (third), assists (fourth) and rebounds (seventh). He stands with Larry Bird and John Havlicek as the only players in Celtics history to score 20,000 points.

Boston traded Pierce to Brooklyn as part of a nine-player deal on July 12, 2013. He averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting .451 from the floor and .373 from three-point range in 75 games for the Nets last season.

Raptors sign James Johnson

The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have signed free-agent forward James Johnson.

“We are happy to have James return to our club,” said Raptors President and General Manager Masai Ujiri. “He provides us with size at small forward and gives us additional depth up front.”

Johnson, 6-foot-9, 245 pounds, originally joined the Raptors on February 22, 2011 in a trade with the Chicago Bulls. In 87 games (65 starts) from 2010-12, he averaged 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 26.0 minutes in a Toronto uniform. He contributed 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 28.0 minutes starting all 25 of his outings in 2010-11. In 2011-12, he averaged 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 25.2 minutes in 62 appearances (40 starts).

A product of Wake Forest, Johnson was selected in the first round by Chicago in the 2009 NBA Draft. In 271 career games with Chicago, Toronto, Sacramento and Memphis, he has averaged 6.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 18.4 minutes.

Raptors re-sign Greivis Vasquez

The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have re-signed restricted free-agent guard Greivis Vasquez.

“Greivis’ passion for the Raptors and Toronto is wonderful,” said Raptors President and General Manager Masai Ujiri. “He is a versatile player who provides us with energy and depth.”

In 61 appearances with Toronto during the 2013-14 campaign, Vasquez averaged 9.5 points, 3.7 assists and 21.5 minutes. He upped his averages to 16.4 points, 5.6 assists and 37.2 minutes in his five starts for the Raptors.

Vasquez, 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, was acquired December 9, 2013 in a seven-player trade with Sacramento. He paced the Raptors in bench points in 25 contests. He tallied a season-high 26 points in a start April 5 at Milwaukee making a career-best six three-pointers on eight attempts.

Vasquez added averages of 10.1 points and a team-best 5.1 assists in the club’s playoff series against Brooklyn. He scored in double figures on three occasions, including a high of 18 points in the opening game.

A 2010 first-round pick by Memphis out of the University of Maryland, Vasquez has averaged 9.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 24.0 minutes in 293 regular season games with Memphis, New Orleans, Sacramento and Toronto.

Wizards land DeJuan Blair

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired center DeJuan Blair from Dallas. Washington will send Dallas the rights to Emir Preldzic, a 2009 second round draft pick, who was acquired in the three-team Antawn Jamison trade in February of 2010.

“DeJuan gives us a tough inside presence who can score and rebound at both frontcourt positions,” said Grunfeld. “His addition makes our bench even deeper and will allow us to be flexible with our lineups.”

In five seasons with San Antonio and Dallas, Blair has appeared in 366 career regular season games (179 starts) while averaging 7.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per game.
He has shot .529 from the field and has 36 career double-doubles. His most productive season was in 2010-11 when he averaged 8.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game. Last season with Dallas, Blair appeared in 78 games (13 starts) and averaged 6.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game.

The former Pittsburgh standout has appeared in 42 career postseason games with San Antonio and Dallas. During the 2014 playoffs with the Mavericks, the 6-7 big averaged 6.7 points and 6.2 rebounds, helping Dallas force San Antonio to seven games in the first round. He holds career playoff averages of 4.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per contest. Blair signed with Dallas as a free agent on August 7, 2013. He was originally selected by San Antonio in the second round (37th overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft.

Thunder re-sign Grant Jerrett

The Oklahoma City Thunder has re-signed forward Grant Jerrett to a contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Jerrett was originally signed by the Thunder on April 7, 2104 after spending the 2013-14 season with the Tulsa 66ers where he appeared in 27 games (25 starts) and averaged 15.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in 29.3 minutes per contest. He is yet to appear in a game as a member of the Thunder.

“Grant had an excellent and productive season with the Tulsa 66ers,” Presti said. “We are excited to see him move forward within our program.”

Oklahoma City secured the rights to Jerrett on draft night after he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 40th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

The University of Arizona product spent one collegiate season with the Wildcats before entering the NBA Draft.

Thunder sign Anthony Morrow

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed free agent guard Anthony Morrow to a contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

“Anthony Morrow has demonstrated that he is amongst the most consistent and efficient three point shooters in the NBA over his career, and we are pleased to welcome him to Oklahoma City and the Thunder organization,” Presti said. “With his body of work, we feel Anthony is a unique addition to a diverse roster, while also possessing the toughness and selflessness that we are consistently seeking in Thunder players.”

Morrow (6-5, 210), shot 45.1 percent from three-point range last season (4th in the NBA) while averaging 8.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 18.8 minutes in a career-high 76 games (nine starts) with New Orleans.

An undrafted rookie out of Georgia Tech, Morrow shot an NBA-best 46.7 percent during the 2008-09 season becoming the first rookie in NBA history to lead the league in three-point field goal percentage. The six-year NBA veteran owns career averages of 10.4 points on 42.8 percent shooting from three-point range (3rd highest amongst active NBA players), 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 23.7 minutes in 373 games (129 starts) with Golden State, New Jersey, Atlanta, Dallas and New Orleans.