Month: August 2014

Cavs sign Mike Miller and James Jones

Cavs sign Mike Miller and James Jones

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed free agents Mike Miller (guard/forward) and James Jones (guard), General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts. Per league policy, terms of the contracts were not released.

Miller, a 14-year veteran, has played in 913 career games (553 starts) with averages of 11.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 29.1 minutes for Orlando, Memphis, Minnesota, Washington and Miami. He won two NBA championships (2012, 2013) and appeared in three NBA Finals (2011-2013) as a member of the Heat. He captured the 2005-06 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and was selected as the 2000-01 Rookie of the Year after being drafted fifth overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Magic.

Miller ranks among the NBA’s most prolific shooters with top 20 career NBA rankings in several categories, including career three-point percentage (.409) and 1,531 made three-point baskets. The 6-8, 218-pound guard has hit at least 70 treys in 12 of his 14 seasons and topped 100 three-pointers eight times in his career. He has shot at least .400 from three-point range in nine different seasons.

In 2013-14, Miller ranked second in the NBA by connecting on .459 (107-233) of his three-point attempts and averaged 7.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 20.8 minutes over 82 contests (four starts) with Memphis. Miller will wear #18 with the Cavs.

Jones has played in 556 career games (89 starts) with averages of 5.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 17.2 minutes for Indiana, Phoenix, Portland and Miami during his 11-year career. He won two NBA championships (2012, 2013) and appeared in four NBA Finals (2011-2014) as a member of the Heat. He was drafted 49th overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Pacers.

Jones has a career three-point percentage of .403 and his career free throw percentage is .848. The 6-8, 215-pound guard was the 2011 NBA Three-Point Shootout Champion at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. Jones will wear #1 with the Cavs.

Marreese Speights arrested for DUI

Here’s a report today from the Bay Area News Group blog:

Warriors center Marreese Speights was arrested on a second-degree misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence the morning after his 27th birthday early Tuesday in Tampa, according to the Tampa Police Department.

Speights was arrested at 3:31 a.m. ET and later submitted to two breathalyzer tests showing breath alcohol contents of .103 and .106, according to the incident log. Florida’s legal limit is .08.

Speights became involved in a traffic stop after an officer pulled him over due to a failure to yield right of way while pulling out of a driveway in a black 2012 Bentley, according to the incident log.

San Antonio Spurs hire Becky Hammon as assistant coach

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Becky Hammon has been hired as an assistant coach.

Hammon, who is currently in her 16th WNBA season, announced on July 23 that she would retire as a player at the conclusion of the 2014 season. Named one of the WNBA’s Top 15 Players of All-Time in July of 2011, Hammon ranks seventh in WNBA history in points (with 5,809), fourth in assists (1,687) and sixth in games (445).

“I very much look forward to the addition of Becky Hammon to our staff,” said Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich. “Having observed her working with our team this past season, I’m confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs.”

A six-time WNBA All-Star, Hammon has spent the last eight seasons with the San Antonio Stars. She is the Stars all-time leader in assists (1,112) and three-point field goals made (493) while ranking second in franchise history in points (3,442) and games (218). In 2012 Hammon was the top vote getter for the Stars All-Decade Team.

In her WNBA career Hammon has appeared in 445 regular season games, averaging 13.1 points, 3.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 28.0 minutes. She has earned All-WNBA First Team honors twice (in 2007 and 2009) and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team in 2005 and 2008.

A three-time All-American at Colorado State, Hammon went unpicked in the 1999 WNBA Draft. She signed with the New York Liberty in May of 1999 and spent eight seasons with the Liberty before being traded to the Stars in a draft night deal in 2007.

Hawks hire Neven Spahija as assistant coach

Hawks hire Neven Spahija as assistant coach

The Atlanta Hawks have named Neven Spahija (NEV-in SPA-hee-ah) an assistant coach, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry.

“Neven is one of the most successful coaches in Europe and we’re thrilled to add him to our staff,” said Hawks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer. “As an organization, we have great respect for international basketball and we will benefit tremendously from his perspective and his wealth of experience.”

Spahija, a Croatia native and former Croatian Coach of the Year with nearly 30 years international coaching experience, was most recently head coach of Cibona Zagreb (Croatia) last season. From 2010-12, Spahija led Fenerbahce Ulker (Turkey), winning a Turkish Basketball League and Turkish Cup championship in 2010-11 after directing the club to a 27-3 regular season mark.

Spahija had previously guided Cibona from 2000-01, additionally serving as head coach for four other Euroleague teams since that time – Krka Novo Mesto (Slovenia), Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania), Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) and Tau Ceramica (Spain).

He has won domestic league titles in six countries – Slovenia, Croatia, Lithuania, Spain, Israel and Turkey. Spahija has also been a head coach in Russia (Avtodor Saratov), Italy (Roseto) and Croatia (Gradine Pula). He won the 2009-10 Eurocup with Valencia (Spain), reached the finals of the 2003 ULEB Cup with Krka and the 2008 Euroleague Final Four with Tau Ceramica.

Spahija has also spent time as head coach of the Croatian National team (2001-05) and the Under-22 National Team (2001).

Ray Allen still undecided about future

Here’s the Hartford Courant reporting on NBA veteran Ray Allen:

Ray Allen still undecided about future

Ray Allen could play one more year in the NBA. He is wanted, and he knows it.

Or he could retire with no regrets, all business finished. All the years of solid play and diligent work at conditioning have put him, at 39, in this rare position — to script his own ending, and take his time doing it.

“I’m not in any rush [to make a decision],” Allen said during a break in the Citi Ray Allen Basketball ProCamp at East Granby High on Saturday morning. “I’ve played 18 years, and the way I look at my career, I’m content with everything that I’ve done. I just want to take this summer and see how it goes.”

Allen, an All-American who scored 1,922 points at UConn, is back in Connecticut doing his usual summer round of good works, including hosting this camp for 200 boys and girls in grades 1 through 12. Last week, his Ray of Hope Foundation provided a new computer lab for Ponus Ridge Middle School in Norwalk, something he has done for other schools across the state. On Monday, he will host his annual golf tournament, benefiting his foundation, at the TPC in Cromwell.

Paul George recovery info

Paul George recovery info

Doctors say Paul George’s biggest battle is yet to come, and it may take a year or more before he returns to the Pacers lineup.

One day after the two-time All-Star suffered a gruesome open tibia-fibula fracture on his right leg during a USA Basketball intrasquad scrimmage in Las Vegas, the questions began in earnest about George’s recovery — and whether he’d ever regain the form a that made him one of NBA’s most complete players.

The 24-year-old George and said he was resting comfortably Saturday morning following surgery. Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird later issued a statement saying hopes George will return to Indianapolis next week before the long rehab process begins.

“The thing about breaking a bone is that if you get it back in the appropriate position, it can be as good as new,” said Dr. James Gladstone, the co-chief of sports medicine at Icahn School at Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. “If the muscle is not involved and the bone and muscle are fully healed, then I think he will get back (to his previous form).”

— Associated Press

Raptors sign Lucas Nogueira, Will Cherry

Raptors sign Lucas Nogueira, Will Cherry

The Toronto Raptors announced Sunday they have signed centre Lucas Nogueira (no-GARE-uh) and guard Will Cherry.

Nogueira, 7-foot, 220 pounds, was selected 16th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2013 NBA Draft. His draft rights were traded on draft night to Dallas and then to Atlanta. Toronto acquired his draft rights June 30 from the Hawks. He competed for the Raptors’ entry in the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas where he contributed 5.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 20.3 minutes in five contests.

Nogueira has played since 2009 with Asefa Estudiantes in Spain’s Liga ACB. The native of Sao Goncalo, Brazil averaged 6.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 16.0 minutes in 18 games during the 2013-14 season. He scored in double figures on 10 occasions and had nine games with two or more blocks. At the 2011 U19 World Championships, he averaged 9.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in eight outings.

Cherry, 6-foot, 185 pounds, appeared in 18 regular season games (12 starts) with the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League last season, averaging 11.6 points, 3.7 boards, 4.5 assists and 30.4 minutes. He scored in double figures 13 times and had 10 or more assists on three occasions. In the playoffs, Cherry upped his averages to 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 36.7 minutes in three games versus Sioux Falls.

Cherry went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft after a four-year career at Montana. He was a three-time All-Big Sky selection and finished as the school’s all-time leader in steals with 265. Cherry posted averages of 12.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 25.3 minutes in five games with Cleveland at the 2014 Samsung NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.