Month: October 2015

Jazz exercise contract options on Exum, Hood, Burke, Gobert

utah jazz

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has elected to exercise its third-year team options for guards Danté Exum and Rodney Hood, as well as its fourth-year options on guard Trey Burke and center Rudy Gobert. The options for all four players are for the 2016-17 season.

The 20-year-old Exum (6-6, 190, Australia) is entering his second NBA season after appearing in all 82 games (41 starts) as a rookie and averaging 4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 22.2 minutes. Exum became only the 10th rookie in Jazz history to play in all 82 games, scoring in double figures in 13 games and leading the team in assists 11 times. He helped the Jazz to a 24-17 record as a starter and was selected to compete in the 2015 Rising Stars Challenge during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend in New York.

Hood (6-8, 206, Duke) is entering his second NBA season after averaging 8.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists, hitting .365 (62-170) from three-point range, in 21.3 minutes of 50 appearances (21 starts) during his rookie campaign. The 22-year-old was selected as the NBA’s Western Conference Rookie of the Month during the final month of the season after upping his averages to 16.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals in seven games during April. He scored 20-plus points in three of those games, and five times overall on the season.

Burke (6-1, 191, Michigan), 22, is entering his third NBA season and has appeared in 146 games (111 starts) during his first two seasons, owning averages of 12.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 31.2 minutes. He averaged12.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 30.1 minutes per game in 76 games (43 starts) during the 2014-15 season. He scored 10-plus points on 52 occasions and 20-plus points in 11 contests , posting three double-doubles as a second-year player. A 2014 All-NBA Rookie First Teamselection, Burke was chosen to participate in the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend in each of his first two seasons.

The 23-year-old Gobert (7-1, 245, France) is also entering his third NBA season after appearing in all 82 games (37 starts) in 2014-15 andaveraging 8.4 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 26.3 minutes while placing third in NBA Most Improved Player balloting and fifth in voting for NBA Defensive Player of the Year. In his second year, Gobert improved both his scoring and rebounding averages by more than six per game over his rookie season, and tallied the second most blocked shots in the NBA (189), including an NBA-best 134 blocks after the All-Star break. Gobert logged 25 double-doubles on the season and became just the third player in Jazz history to block 180-plus shots in a season (Mark Eaton, Andrei Kirilenko). The Jazz finished 22-15 in Gobert’s 37 starts. For his career, Gobert has appeared in 127 games (37 starts), owning averages of 6.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 20.4 minutes .

Exum (fifth overall) and Hood (23rd overall) were Jazz selections in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft, while both Burke (ninth overall) and Gobert (27th overall) were 2013 first-round picks whose rights were acquired by the Jazz in separate draft-night trades.

Cavs waive Chris Johnson, sign Jack Cooley

Cavs waive Chris Johnson, sign Jack Cooley

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward/center Jack Cooley to a contract, General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

And in a related move, the Cavs have waived Chris Johnson.

Cooley (6-10, 250) appeared in 16 games for the Utah Jazz last season. He also played in 20 games for the D-League’s Idaho Stampede, averaging 16.8 points on .572 shooting, 12.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game. Cooley played on the Cavs 2014 Summer League team.

Johnson appeared in four preseason games for the Cavs.

Tristan Thompson remains unsigned

Here’s Cleveland.com with the latest on the Cavaliers and unsigned free agent Tristan Thompson:

It’s the two-week mark of the Tristan Thompson holdout, which means it’s time to give an update on the proceedings.

There’s no communication ongoing between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Thompson’s agents, Rich Paul and Mark Termini, Northeast Ohio Media Group has learned.

In fact, there doesn’t seem to be a sense of urgency from either side in reaching an agreement. And that means Thompson’s stalemate will continue to hover over the organization like a black cloud, a cloud LeBron James considers “a distraction.”

It may be time to signal to the dugout for Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.

Thompson’s presence on and off the court is sorely being missed. Internally, members of the Cavaliers have expressed to each other how it would be such an unnecessary hurdle to try to contend for a title without their best offensive rebounder and most versatile big defender.

Preseason finally begins for Dirk Nowitzki

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram blog reporting on Mavs veteran Dirk Nowitzki, who finally participated in this year’s preseason action:

Preseason finally begins for Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki dusted off the cobwebs and played in his first preseason game Friday night for the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. The 18-year veteran punched the time clock for 19 minutes – all in the first half – and collected six points and seven rebounds during the Mavs’ 91-84 defeat at the hands of the Hawks.

The stats notwithstanding, Nowitzki was just elated to get up and down the floor and run the court with his Dallas teammates for the first time since Game 5 of the Mavs’ first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets last April.

Knicks now 4-0 in preseason

Preseason is just a warmup for the regular season, so it doesn’t mean anything. But winning is still nice and stuff. And it sets a positive tone, which might help. Maybe. Or not. Anyway, here’s the New York Post reporting:

In topping the Celtics 101-95 at the Garden in their final home preseason game, the Knicks improved to 4-0 and coach Derek Fisher is hopeful that has meaning.

With expectations of the Knicks being mediocre at best, the club looks to be deeper and more efficient than anticipated.

“It depends on what kind of story you want to write,’’ Fisher said. “You can say it means something and these guys are doing great. Or it’s preseason and doesn’t mean anything. For me personally, I’m in the middle. I think the preseason is preparation for the season. That’s what the ‘pre’ stands for. And you have to prepare to win.

“Guys are doing that. That doesn’t always translate when we open up in Milwaukee (Oct. 28). But in getting the idea there’s a certain way to play the game that leads to winning, that’s good to put in guys’ minds. Hopefully it does carry over.’’

Gordon Hayward day-to-day with back contusion

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz forward/guard Gordon Hayward:

Hayward has been diagnosed by the Jazz medical staff with a low back contusion, resulting from a fall suffered after being fouled during a shot attempt with 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter of Monday’s preseason game vs. Portland.

As a result, Hayward will not be able to participate in tonight’s open practice at EnergySolutions Arena. His status moving forward is day-to-day, and further updates will be provided when appropriate.

Pelicans sign Nate Robinson

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed guard Nate Robinson.

Robinson, 5-9, 180, appeared in 42 games last season for Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers, posting averages of 5.7 points, 2.3 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game. Selected 21st overall out of the University of Washington by Phoenix in the 2005 NBA Draft, Robinson has appeared in 616 career regular season games (106 starts) with New York, Boston, Oklahoma City, Golden State, Chicago, Denver and the LA Clippers, while holding averages of 11.1 points, 3.0 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 steals in 22.5 minutes per game.

Robinson has appeared in 32 career playoff games, averaging 8.6 points, 2.3 assists and 1.4 rebounds.

The only three-time slam dunk champion in NBA history, Robinson will wear #2 for the Pelicans.

New Orleans’ roster stands at 20.

Pelicans waive Mirza Begic

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has waived center Mirza Begić. Originally signed by the team on October 14, Begić did not appear in a preseason game for New Orleans.

Begić, 7-1, 265, most recently played for Laboral Kutxa Baskonia of the Spanish ACB League. Undrafted in 2007, Begić has played professionally since 2003 in Slovenia, Italy, Lithuania, Greece and Spain. A native of Yugoslavia, Begić is a two-time Slovenian League All-Star (2007, 2009), a Lithuanian League All-Star (2010), and led the Euroleague in blocked shots in 2011 with 2.3 blocks per game.

New Orleans’ roster now stands at 19.