July 2015 – Page 15 – NBA Blog

Nuggets sign Wilson Chandler to contract extension

After restructuring his deal, the Denver Nuggets have signed forward Wilson Chandler to a multi-year contract extension, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Chandler, 6-8, 225, appeared in 78 games (75 starts) for Denver last season, averaging 13.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 31.7 minutes per game. Chandler has spent the last five seasons as a member of the Nuggets after being acquired via trade in 2011.

The eight-year veteran was drafted by the New York Knicks with the 23rd overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Chandler has appeared in 445 career games (343 starts) with Denver and New York, averaging 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He also played in 32 games (29 starts) for the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association in 2011-12, averaging 26.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

Prior to being drafted into the NBA, Chandler played two seasons at DePaul and was named All-AAC Second Team as a sophomore and AAC All-Rookie Team as a freshman.

Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis makes summer league debut

Here’s the New York Post reporting on the hopes and dreams of the Knicks, rookie Kristaps Porzingis. And although the following reminder is not specific to the Knicks, Porzingis or this report, always remember, try to avoid leaping to wild conclusions about a rookie based on summer league play:

The boos on draft night last month were resounding when the Knicks selected Kristaps Porzingis with the fourth pick. But the cheers were solid Saturday at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center for the 7-foot-3 Latvian rookie who did just fine in his summer-league debut in limited minutes as the Knicks beat San Antonio, 78-73.

Cheered heavily during pregame introductions and whenever he came off the bench to check into the game, Porzingis scored 12 points. Held to just 18 minutes because of a sore hip, Porzingis shot 3-of-5 from the field, made 6-of-7 free throws and had two blocks. Rebounding is definitely is an issue, however, as he grabbed just three boards.

Porzingis, who started at center though his natural position is power forward, played just nine minutes in the first half — on a minutes restriction as a precaution. But he looked like he belonged, was comfortable though wasn’t super aggressive.

Nets waive Deron Williams in buyout agreement

Thanks to a buyout agreement, Deron Williams’ time as a Net has come to an end.

The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on Williams, General Manager Billy King announced today.

“I would like to thank Deron for everything he gave the organization over the past 4 ½ years,” said King. “I would like to wish Deron and his family good luck in the future.”

What Williams gave the Nets was above-average play, while being paid like a superstar. Williams was generally less effective as his time on the team progressed.

Williams (6’3”, 200) appeared in 277 games (258 starts) with the Nets after joining the team via trade from Utah on February 23, 2011. He registered averages of 16.6 points and 7.5 assists in 34.2 minutes per game and was named an All-Star in 2012, his first full season with the Nets. In 2014-15, Williams appeared in 68 games (55 starts), recording averages of 13.0 points and 6.6 assists in 31.1 minutes per game. Williams also saw action in 25 playoff games with Brooklyn, averaging 15.6 points and 6.5 assists in 36.5 minutes per game.

In 716 career games (664 starts) split between the Nets and Jazz, the 31-year-old Williams has averaged 17.0 points and 8.5 assists in 35.1 minutes per game.

Here’s the New York Post reporting:

Williams and the Nets reached a sudden and stunning conclusion to their four-plus seasons together by agreeing to a buyout of the final two years and $43 million remaining on the five-year, $99 million contract Williams signed in July 2012, a deal that made him the face of the team’s move to Brooklyn.

The agreement, sources said, will give Williams $27.5 million of the $43 million he was set to receive on his contract. Once he presumably clears waivers, he will return to his hometown of Dallas to sign a two-year deal with the Mavericks to make up most of the difference.

Knicks will reportedly keep Lou Amundson

Here’s the New York Post reporting on the Knicks, who recognize that Lou Amundson is a good value for the money:

In continuing to build their new lunchpail, defense-first identity, the Knicks have finally used the last of their cap space in re-signing center Lou Amundson to a one-year, $1.65 million deal, his agent Mark Bartlestein said.

Amundson, the ponytailed journeyman center who has played for 10 teams, became a surprisingly solid addition last January when he was obtained from Cleveland in the 3-team J.R. Smith/Iman Shumpert firesale.

Amundson’s grinding game earned him starting status when he arrived. He played in 41 games, making 35 starts and averaged 6 points and 6 rebounds. On this team, Amundson will be a depth played and not expected to get steady minutes.

Trail Blazers sign guard Luis Montero

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Luis Montero, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey.

Montero, 22, worked out for the Trail Blazers prior to the NBA Draft and is on the team’s 2015 NBA Summer League roster.

Playing for Westchester Community College in 2013-14, Montero averaged 15.6 points (52.9% FG, 43.7% 3-PT, 67.2% FT), 5.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Montero (6-7, 185) played high school basketball at Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Massachusetts.

Knicks re-sign Lance Thomas

New York Knicks President Phil Jackson announced yesterday that the team has re-signed forward Lance Thomas to a contract.

Thomas, 6-8, 225-pounds, was acquired this past season as part of a three-way deal with Cleveland and Oklahoma City on Jan. 5, 2015 and signed his first 10-day contract with New York on Jan. 10, 2015. The Brooklyn, NY-native averaged 8.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in 40 games for the Knicks this past season. The four-year NBA professional holds career averages of 2.6 points and 4.5 rebounds over 168 games.

Joel Embiid may miss the 2015-16 season

The Philadelphia 76ers are on a pretty in-depth rebuilding plan, to the point of drafting a successful point guard in Michael Carter-Williams, only to trade him away because he was good and often very good but not definitely a great. But now there’s another setback. Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer blog reporting:

The 7-footer will have a second surgery after the latest setback in the healing of his right foot, according to several NBA sources. The team will decide whether to have it in North Carolina or at the New York Hospital of Special Surgery

“I would say there’s a great possibility that Embiid won’t play next year,” the source said. “Just think how long they sat him when they thought he was healthy.”

The Sixers are planning as if Embiid won’t play this season, sources say. Another source said the franchise is concerned that this setback could be career-threatening.

Nets sign Wayne Ellington

The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Wayne Ellington, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

“Wayne is a proven shooter who will give us added depth on the wing,” said King.

Ellington (6’4”, 200) has appeared in 377 career games (71 starts) with Minnesota (2009-12), Memphis (2012-13), Cleveland (2013), Dallas (2013-14) and the Los Angeles Lakers (2014-15), posting averages of 7.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.3 minutes per game while shooting .416 from the field and .382 from three-point range. In 2014-15 with the Lakers, Ellington appeared in 65 games, averaging 10.0 points per game and recording single-season career-highs for starts (36), rebounds per game (3.2) and assists per game (1.6) in 25.8 minutes per game. He has also seen action in two career postseason games, both with Dallas during the 2013-14 season.

A native of Wynnewood, PA, the 27-year-old Ellington was originally selected with the 28th pick of the 2009 NBA Draft by Minnesota after spending three years at North Carolina. At UNC, Ellington registered career averages of 14.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 115 games. In his third and final season, Ellington averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game and helped the Tar Heels capture the 2009 National Championship. He was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

Grizzlies sign rookie forward Jarell Martin

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced the team has signed rookie forward Jarell Martin.

All players selected in the first round of the NBA draft are guaranteed to receive a contract, assuming they want to enter the league right away. This signing was expected, and is standard.

Martin (6-10, 235) was drafted by Memphis with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft after a two-year collegiate career at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he guided the Tigers to the 2014 National Invitation Tournament as a freshman and the 2015 NCAA Tournament as a sophomore. Named All-American Honorable Mention by The Associated Press last season, Martin left LSU with career averages of 13.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 30.7 minutes in 65 games (57 starts) for the Tigers.

A consensus First Team All-SEC selection last season, Martin posted 16.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 35.1 minutes in 33 games (32 starts) as a sophomore, ranking third in the Southeastern Conference in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage (.509) and fourth in minutes per game. The 21-year-old recorded 15 double-doubles, including five in the final seven games of the season, and led the Tigers in free throws made (140).

Martin was named to the SEC All-Freshman team after averaging 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 26.2 minutes in 32 games (25 starts) in his first year with the Tigers. The Baton Rouge, La. native was the winner of the 2013 Mr. Basketball award given by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association to the top player in the state of Louisiana after leading Madison Prep to the school’s first state title in Class B in 2013.

Utah Jazz re-sign Joe Ingles

The Utah Jazz announced today the team has re-signed forward Joe Ingles to a multi-year contract.

Ingles (6-8, 216, Australia) appeared in 79 games (32 starts) for the Jazz in 2014-15, averaging 5.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 21.2 minutes in his first NBA season. A veteran of international play, Ingles ranked sixth among qualified rookies in assists with 2.3 per game and fifth in steals with 0.9 per game. He scored in double figures 16 times and handed out five-or-more assists 10 times, leading the team in assists on 11 occasions. Post All-Star break, Ingles connected on 42.7 percent of his three-point shots (38-of-89), marking the third-best percentage among NBA rookies.

The 27-year-old forward has played professionally since the age of 18, beginning his career with the South Dragons of Australia’s National Basketball League (2006-09). He has also played for CB Granada in Spain (2009-10), three seasons for FC Barcelona (2010-13) of the Liga ACB, and spent the 2013-14 season with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League, where he helped Maccabi to win the Euroleague Championship. The native of Happy Valley, South Australia, has also been a member of the Australian National Team since 2008, representing the Boomers in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.

Ingles originally joined the Jazz after being claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 27, 2014.