July 2015 – Page 9 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Raptors sign Bismack Biyombo

The Toronto Raptors announced Saturday they have signed free-agent center Bismack Biyombo (Biz- MOCK bee-OM-bo) to a multi-year contract.

“Bismack brings athleticism and interior length to our team,” said Raptors President and General Manager Masai Ujiri. “He has proven to be an exceptional rim protector and his physicality will be a great asset to us defensively.”

Biyombo, 6-foot-9, 245 pounds is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is one of six African-born players currently in the NBA.

Biyombo has appeared in 284 NBA career regular season games, all with Charlotte, where he has averaged 4.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 21.0 minutes. He ranked eighth in the NBA in blocks (1.8) in 2011-12 and ninth (1.8) in 2012-13.

He posted a career-high 5.2 points in his rookie campaign, 7.3 rebounds in 2012-13 and shot a career-best .611 (88-144) from the field in 2013-14. He recorded a career-high 17 rebounds twice and had a personal-best seven blocks in a game on three occasions.

In 2014-15, Biyombo averaged 4.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 19.4 minutes in 64 games (21 starts). He shot .543 (101-186) from the field and ranked 17th in the NBA in blocks. In his 21 starts, he upped his averages to 6.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 26.9 minutes.

Biyombo began his professional career in Spain (2009-11). He played for the World Select Team at the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit where he recorded the lone triple-double (12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks) in the event’s history. Biyombo was selected seventh overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Suns waive Jerel McNeal, sign Mirza Teletovic, Sonny Weems and Ronnie Price

The Phoenix Suns have signed forward Mirza Teletovic (pronounced MEER-za Tel-LET-O-Vich), guard/forward Sonny Weems and guard Ronnie Price.

“We have followed Mirza Teletovic’s career for a long time and we are excited to have him wear a Suns uniform,” said General Manager Ryan McDonough. “Mirza is one of the best shooting big men in the world and we think his skill set will be a great fit for our style of play.”

“Sonny Weems has been one of the best players outside of the NBA over the past few years,” added McDonough. “We’ve seen him dominate high-level competition at both ends of the floor and we think his versatility and experience help solidify our wing rotation.”

“The Suns are pleased to welcome Ronnie Price and his family back to Phoenix,” said President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby. “As we know, Ronnie is the consummate professional and a great teammate.”

The 6-9, 242-pound Teletovic is a three-year NBA veteran who owns career averages of 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 165 career games. Teletovic has played all three NBA seasons with the Brooklyn Nets and had his best statistical campaign in 2014-15 when he averaged a career-high 8.5 points, a career-best 4.9 rebounds and a career-high 1.2 assists in 40 games before being diagnosed with bilateral pulmonary embolous (multiple blood clots in the lungs) on Jan. 23. He was cleared to resume all basketball-related activities on April 17.

The native of Bosnia is a career 40.1 percent shooter from the floor, including 36.2 percent from three-point range, whose 7.0-point career average has come on 6.3 field goal attempts per game.

Prior to joining the Nets on July 16, 2012, Teletovic played six of his 10 professional seasons overseas with Caja Laboral Baskonia (2006-12) of the Spanish ACB League. With Caja Laboral Baskonia, he won the 2007-08 and 2009-10 Spanish National Championship and averaged 12.4 points (45.1 FG%, 40.5 3FG%), 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 blocks in 120 Euroleague games.

Weems, a native of West Memphis, Ark., has been a standout the past three seasons with CSKA Moscow of the Euroleague and Russia’s top national league, the VTB United League. An All-Euroleague First Team selection in 2013-14, Weems averaged 13.0 points (44.6 FG%, 36.9 3FG%, 78.7 FT%), 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 28.1 minutes in 83 Euroleague games over his three seasons with CSKA. Weems also played 83 VTB United League games with CSKA, averaging 11.2 points (45.7 FG%, 41.4 3FG%, 71.1 FT%), 2.9 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 24.8 minutes.

The athletic 6-6, 205-pound wing is a three-year NBA veteran who last played with the Toronto Raptors during the 2010-11 season when he averaged a career-high 9.2 points on 44.4 percent shooting in 59 games (28 starts). The 29-year-old also played with the Raptors in 2009-10 after spending his rookie season with the Denver Nuggets in 2008-09. For his NBA career, Weems has averaged 7.7 points on 47.4 percent shooting, 2.5 rebounds and 20.3 minutes in 140 games (47 starts).

A second-round selection (39th overall) by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft, Weems earned All-SEC First Team honors as a senior at the University of Arkansas in 2007-08 after averaging a team-best 15.0 points for the Razorbacks.

The 6-2, 190-pound Price is a 10-year NBA veteran who owns career averages of 3.6 points, 1.7 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 468 games. The 32-year-old guard previously signed with the Suns on Dec. 13, 2011 and averaged 3.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 36 games. In total, he has played for six NBA teams, the Sacramento Kings (2005-07), Utah Jazz (2007-11), Suns (2011-12), Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13), Orlando Magic (2013-14) and most recently with the Los Angeles Lakers (2014-15). Price’s best statistical season came in 2014-15 with the Lakers when he averaged a career-high 5.1 points, career-best 3.8 assists and a career-high tying 1.6 rebounds in 43 games.

Undrafted out of college, Price was a four-year performer at Utah Valley State College (now Utah Valley University) and the first player to enter the NBA directly from that school, the second in the league overall (Travis Hansen, 2003-04).

The Suns have waived guard Jerel McNeal. McNeal played in six games with the Suns in 2014-15, totaling nine points in 36 minutes after initially signing with the team on April 1.

Suns re-sign Brandon Knight to big contract

The Phoenix Suns have re-signed guard Brandon Knight to a multi-year contract, the team announced today.

According to multiple reports from earlier in July, it is a five-year, $70 million deal.

“We are delighted to have reached a multi-year agreement with Brandon,” said President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby. “He will be an integral member of our team on the court and will enhance our culture with his leadership and professionalism.”

Knight appeared in 63 games last season, including 11 games with the Suns after being acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 19, posting 17.0 points per game with his shooting marks of 42.2 percent from the field, 38.9 percent from three-point range and 87.4 percent from the free-throw line each representing career bests. He also averaged career-highs of 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals. At just 23 years of age, Knight was the second-youngest qualified player in the NBA to average at least 15 points and five assists in 2014-15 with only Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving being younger.

Finishing in the top-30 on the league leaderboard in scoring average, assists per game, steals per game, three-point percentage and free-throw percentage, Knight joined Golden State’s Stephen Curry, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul and Irving as the only four players to rank in the top-30 in each category in 2014-15. Knight scored 20-plus points on 25 occasions last season, including a season-high 34 points vs. Charlotte on Dec. 23 while with Milwaukee and 28 points in a Suns win at Orlando on March 4.

A four-year NBA veteran, the 6-3 guard with a 6-7 wingspan holds career averages of 15.2 points (41.7 FG%, 36.5 3FG%, 79.6 FT%), 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 32.4 minutes in 276 games (265 starts) with Detroit (2011-13), Milwaukee (2013-15) and the Suns. Knight earned 2011-12 NBA All-Rookie First Team honors following his first season with the Pistons and twice played in the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend in 2012 and 2013.

Knight was originally selected with eighth overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft by Detroit following one season at the University of Kentucky in 2010-11. While at Kentucky, the South Florida native earned All-SEC Second Team honors after setting school freshman records in scoring and three-point field goals made. Knight was named the NCAA East Region Most Outstanding Player after leading the Wildcats to the Final Four for the first time since 1998, ending the longest Final Four drought in the prestigious program’s history.

The Suns’ roster stands at 13

Spurs sign center Boban Marjanovic

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed center Boban Marjanovic.

Marjanovic, 7-3/290, is from Serbia and last played for Crvena Zvezda in 2014-15. In 24 Euroleague games, he averaged 16.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 27.3 minutes. A professional since 2006, Marjanovic was named All-Euroleague First Team in 2015 and has been named Serbian Super League MVP on three occasions.

In 19 Serbian League contests last season, he averaged 13.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.6 minutes.

The 26-year-old’s debut on the Serbian National Team came at the EuroBasket 2011.

Seth Curry playing great at summer league

Playing well at summer league can definitely get a player invited to an NBA training camp, or even signed for the season. Here’s the New Orleans Times-Picayune reporting on Stephen Curry’s brother Seth, who has stepped up here in Las Vegas:

The fourth-seeded Pelicans are also pushing to remain unbeaten for the first time as they will take a 4-0 record into Saturday against the 12th-seeded Golden State Warriors (3-2) at 9 p.m., which will be televised on NBA-TV.

Guard Seth Curry, the younger brother of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, has emerged as the Pelicans’ summer league star. He has showcased his ability to make an assortment of shots from quick pull-up jumpers, bank shots and driving layups.

Curry is the leading scorer in the NBA Summer League with a 25.3 scoring average.

In the Pelicans’ 97-81 victory against the Washington Wizards in Thursday’s second round of the summer league’s single-elimination tournament, Curry scored 26. He has not totaled less than 20 points in a game and he started the summer league with a 30-point performance against the Milwaukee Bucks last week.

Bucks sign first round pick Rashad Vaughn

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed their first round selection (17th overall) from the 2015 NBA Draft, Rashad Vaughn, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Vaughn, a 6-foot-6-inch guard out of UNLV, was named the Mountain West Conference’s Freshman of the Year, Honorable Mention All-League and Second Team NABC All-District 17 in 2014-15 after averaging a team-high 17.8 points, along with 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He started all 23 games in which he played for the Rebels before suffering a season-ending knee injury, and at the time of the injury, his scoring average ranked second in the MWC and third in the nation among freshmen.

Vaughn scored in double figures in 21 of his 23 games, including in each of his last 19 contests. He registered 20 or more points nine times and 30 or more two times. He scored a season-high 31 points vs. Utah State on Jan. 24, 2015, which tied the league’s freshman class single-game record for most points scored against a conference opponent.

In five NBA Summer League games to date, Vaughn is averaging 16.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

Spurs officially sign David West

The San Antonio Spurs’ signing of rugged power forward David West became official today.

According to KSAT San Antonio, “West took a big paycut to join the Spurs. He was scheduled to make $12 million this season with the Indiana Pacers. West reportedly will make $1.4 million with the Spurs.”

It’s been an amazing offseason for the Spurs, who retained Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan while adding amazing frontcourt pieces in star LaMarcus Aldridge and former star West. They could use another shooter in the backcourt with Marco Belinelli gone, but their frontcourt is easily one of the best in the league.

West, 6-9/240, joins the Spurs after spending the past four seasons with the Indiana Pacers. Last season he appeared in 66 games, averaging 11.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 28.7 minutes while shooting .471 (323-686) from the field and .739 (119-161) from the foul line. In Indiana, West appeared in 285 total games, averaging 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 30.6 minutes while shooting .487 (1,632-3,350) from the field and .776 (701-903) from the charity stripe.

A 12-year NBA veteran, West was originally drafted by the New Orleans Hornets with the 18th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. He spent eight seasons (2003-11) in New Orleans where he was named an All-Star in 2007 and 2008. The New Jersey native appeared in 530 total games for the Hornets, averaging 16.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 32.4 minutes.

For his career, West has appeared in 815 NBA games, averaging 15.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 31.8 minutes while shooting .489 (5,108-10,441) from the field and .820 (2,405-2,933) from the foul line. The former Xavier Musketeer has seen action in 73 playoff games, averaging 15.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 35.2 minutes.

Nets sign Andrea Bargnani

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward/center Andrea Bargnani, General Manager Billy King announced today. The agreemeent for this deal was announced days ago, but the signing is now official.

“Andrea will give us the ability to space the floor and complement our other front court players,” said King.

According to ESPN.com, “the Nets are basically taking a $1.4 million gamble on Bargnani (and also giving him a second-year player option) in hopes that he’s able to revive his career. Low risk, potentially high reward.”

Bargnani (7’0”, 245) has appeared in 504 games (377 starts) in nine seasons with the Toronto Raptors (2006-13) and New York Knicks (2013-15), recording averages of 15.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 30.1 minutes per game. He’s shot .438 from the field, including .346 from three-point range, and .824 from the free throw line. Bargnani has also appeared in 11 career postseason games (eight starts), posting averages of 8.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 25.9 minutes per game. During the 2014-15 season, the 29-year-old Bargnani appeared in 29 games (22 starts) with the Knicks, averaging 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 27.1 minutes per game.

Originally selected with the first pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by Toronto, the native of Rome, Italy earned All-Rookie First Team honors after averaging 11.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 25.1 minutes per game in 65 games (two starts) during the 2006-07 season. Prior to entering the NBA Draft, Bargnani played professionally for four years in Italy with Stella Azzurra Roma in Serie B (2002-03) and Benetton Treviso in Serie A (2003-06). In his final season in Italy, Bargnani led Benetton Treviso to the 2006 Serie A championship.

Will Nets bring Joe Johnson off bench?

Here’s ESPN NY reporting on a mere possibility for the Brooklyn Nets. For now, it’s assumed Joe Johnson will continue to start. But as his age advances, perhaps the team will manage his minutes a bit more closely. For now, we’ll assume he’ll keep starting. But, read:

Will the Brooklyn Nets bring veteran Joe Johnson off the bench next season?

Play-by-play man Ian Eagle, who is as plugged in on the Nets as anyone given that he’s been around the organization for several years, mentioned the possibility during his appearance on a YES Network podcast.

“I wouldn’t be shocked if he came off the bench this year,” Eagle said. “That would not shock me in the least bit.”

In that role, Johnson, 34, could anchor the second unit — coming in fresh against the opponent’s reserves — while still closing out games as the team’s go-to guy late in the fourth quarter.

Nuggets interested in contract extension for Danilo Gallinari

Here’s the Denver Post reporting on a key member of the Nuggets frontcourt:

Nuggets interest in contract extension for Danilo Gallinari

Wilson Chandler’s contract extension could be just the beginning for the Nuggets. If they have their way, they’d like to open talks on an extension for Danilo Gallinari as well, according to a league source.

Gallinari is heading into the final year of his contract, which is scheduled to pay him $11.5 million. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Gallinari always has been viewed as an important piece of the Nuggets re-tooling — now rebuilding — effort, ever since he was traded to Denver from New York in 2011 in the Carmelo Anthony deal. When he’s been on the court he’s shown why. He averaged a career-high 16.2 points in 2012-13 before an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and two subsequent surgeries, set him back 19 months.