February 2016 – Page 6 – NBA Blog

Suns sign Phil Pressey to 10-day contract

The Phoenix Suns have signed point guard Phil Pressey to a 10-day contract. An NBA veteran in his third season, Pressey played in 14 games with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this season and has averaged 13.0 points and 6.4 assists in 25 games with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League.

A 5-11, 175-pound guard, Pressey has played in 139 NBA games (11 starts) with Boston and Philadelphia, most recently averaging 3.9 points and 3.3 assists in 12.1 minutes in 14 games with the 76ers earlier this season. The 25-year-old played his first two seasons with the Celtics, averaging 3.1 points and 2.9 assists in 13.9 minutes in 125 games over 2013-14 and 2014-15. After going undrafted in 2013, Pressey recorded four of his seven career double-digit scoring games as a rookie with Boston, including a career-high 20 points at Washington on Jan. 22, 2014. Pressey twice recorded his career-high of 13 assists in the 2013-14 season.

Originally the first GATORADE Call-Up in the NBA this season when he signed with Philadelphia on Nov. 4, Pressey has averaged 13.0 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 25 games with Idaho since being waived by the 76ers on Dec. 4. His averages in assists and steals rank fifth and 11th, respectively, among D-League leaders this season. Pressey has twice recorded his season-high of 21 points with the Stampede and has posted three double-doubles, including 20 points and a season-high 13 assists against Los Angeles on Feb. 8.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Pressey competed collegiately at the University of Missouri where he played three seasons and helped the Tigers reach the NCAA tournament in each. Pressey earned First Team All-SEC honors in 2012-13 after averaging career-highs of 11.9 points and a conference-best 7.1 assists. Pressey’s father, Paul Pressey, played 11 seasons in the NBA with Milwaukee, San Antonio and Golden State and is now an assistant coach with the L.A. Lakers.

Pressey will wear number 25. The Suns’ roster now stands at 15

Hornets sign Jorge Gutierrez to 10-day contract

The Charlotte Hornets have signed guard Jorge Gutierrez to a 10-day contract. Gutierrez joins the Hornets from the Canton Charge of the NBA D-League, becoming the 17th D-League to NBA “Call-Up” this season. He will wear No. 12.

Gutierrez provides bench depth. Like most players on a 10-day deal, he isn’t expected to have a big role.

The 6-3 Gutierrez has appeared in 22 games (20 starts) for the Charge this season, averaging 11.3 points, 5.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 27.8 minutes per game. He currently ranks fourth in the D-League in steals and eighth in assists. Gutierrez has scored in double figures in 13 games and has handed out 10-or-more assists twice. He recorded his first D-League triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on Jan. 9 vs. the Los Angeles D-Fenders at the NBA D-League Showcase.

The Chihuahua, Mexico, native has appeared in 35 career NBA games (three starts) over two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 3.3 points, 1.5 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 12.0 minutes. He saw action in 15 games with the Nets in 2013-14 and played in 10 games each for the Nets and Bucks last season. Gutierrez began the 2015-16 season as a member of the Bucks preseason roster, but was waived on Oct. 21.

After a four-year career at the University of California, Gutierrez initially joined the Charge in 2012-13. Since then, he has played in 122 games (103 starts) for the team, with career averages of 12.0 points, 5.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 30.9 minutes per game. In 2013-14, while playing for current Hornets assistant coach Steve Hetzel, he earned First Team All-Defensive and Second Team All-D-League honors after averaging career highs of 13.9 points, 6.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 32.7 minutes played.

The Hornets roster now stands at 15 players.

Sixers expect Joel Embiid to play next season

I know you aren’t holding your breath regarding anything about the Philadelphia 76ers and their rebuilding plan, but the following expectation, as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, is perfectly reasonable:

Joel Embiid isn’t likely to play during the summer league, but 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie expects him to be ready for the 2016-2017 NBA season.

Embiid’s status was of major interest as Hinkie held a press conference at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine on Friday as part of a state of the Sixers update.

Selected No. 3 overall in the 2014 NBA draft after his freshman season at Kansas, Embiid has yet to play following a second surgery on his right foot in August.

I still don’t know what to expect from Embiid impact-wise, or what would happen if he does turn out to be worthy of big-time minutes and as a result creates a logjam in the frontcourt, because there are only so many minutes that he, Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor would be able to share. But having to trade one of their big men due to all of them being too talented to sit on the bench would be a nice problem for Philly to have, so no worries there.

Nuggets waive J.J. Hickson and Steve Novak

The Denver Nuggets have waived forwards J.J. Hickson and Steve Novak, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Hickson, 27, appeared in 162 games (69 starts) for Denver over the past three seasons, averaging 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 22.1 minutes per game. The eight-year NBA veteran has played in 519 career games (307 starts) for Cleveland, Portland, Sacramento and Denver, averaging 6.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 22.7 minutes. He was drafted by Cleveland out of North Carolina State University with the 19th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. He joined Denver as a free agent on July 11, 2013.

Novak, 32, has appeared in seven games for the Thunder this season, averaging 2.4 points in 3.4 minutes of action. He has appeared in 456 career games (six starts), averaging 4.7 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting 43.2% from three-point range in 10 seasons with New York, L.A. Clippers, Houston, Toronto, San Antonio, Utah, Dallas and Oklahoma City. The Marquette University product was drafted by Houston with the 32nd overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft.

The Nuggets roster currently stands at 13 players.

Celtics waive David Lee

The Boston Celtics have waived little-used forward/center David Lee.

“We thank David for his contributions to our organization and wish him nothing but the best in the future,” said President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge.

Lee has appeared in 30 contests for the Celtics during the 2015-16 season and averaged 7.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 15.7 minutes per game over that span. He recorded a season-high 14 points, to go along with one rebound and one assist, in 15 minutes on November 18, 2015 against the Dallas Mavericks.

The 6’9” forward/center was originally acquired by the Celtics on July 27, 2015 and owns career averages of 14.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 725 regular season games.

Iman Shumpert day-to-day

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 39-14 this season and getting a modest 6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds on 38.6.% shooting in 24.2 minutes per game from shooting guard Iman Shumpert. Here’s the Akron Beacon Journal with a health report on the defensive-minded guard:

Iman Shumpert did not practice Friday after he sprained his left shoulder during Thursday night’s win against the Chicago Bulls. Coach Tyronn Lue called him day to day, leaving his availability for Sunday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in jeopardy.

Shumpert missed six weeks last season after dislocating the same shoulder as a member of the New York Knicks. Lue said Shumpert hurt the shoulder reaching for a steal.

Joey Dorsey signs in Barcelona, Spain

You remember Joey Dorsey. He’s built like a truck. It is best to avoid getting in his way.

Here’s Euroleague.net with the latest on his basketball travels, which have taken him away from the NBA:

FC Barcelona Lassa reached an agreement with former Euroleague champion center Joey Dorsey to reunite for the remainder of the current season, the club announced Friday. Dorsey (2.03 meters, 32 years old) takes over for Shane Lawal, who was sidelined with a torn meniscus last week. Dorsey arrives from Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul, were he averaged 7.9 points and 6.5 rebounds in 15 Eurocup games this season.

It remains to be seen if he’ll ever return to the league. It certainly seems possible.

Yes, the Magic can make the playoffs

The Orlando Magic are 23-29, and 3.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the 8th seed in the Eastern conference. It’ll be an uphill battle to qualify for the postseason. Here’s the Orlando Sentinel with perspective:

Scott Skiles figures the Magic will have to win 20 of their final 30 games to qualify for the postseason — a difficult task because of the number of road games in March, the two remaining matchups against the Golden State Warriors and a remaining game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Magic believe the team is better off in the short term with newcomers Ersan Ilyasova and Brandon Jennings on the roster instead of Tobias Harris and Channing Frye, and that opinion likely is correct. But the Magic also have precious little time to integrate Ilyasova and Jennings into the team, although they are familiar with Skiles’ offensive and defensive schemes from their tenures in Milwaukee.

The stretch run will begin tonight, when the Magic host the Dallas Mavericks at Amway Center.

Playoff possibilities or not, I always like to see how a team looks after making roster moves, and for that reason alone it’s worth keeping up with the Magic these next few weeks.

Ray Allen opening an organic fast-food restaurant

When you are a jumpshot-maker who currently isn’t shooting jumpshots for anyone, you need something else to do.

And, people gotta eat.

Here’s the Miami Herald reporting on what Ray Allen has been up to lately:

Ray Allen and his wife, Shannon, are trying their hand at nutritious meals with Grown, an organic fast-food restaurant set to open in March in South Miami at 8211 S. Dixie Hwy.

James and his wife, Savannah, opened The Juice Spot in Brickell in December 2013 before closing the juice bar almost as quickly as LeBron James came and went from the Miami Heat.

The Juice Spot closed early this year, leaving a vacancy in the field of basketball player-owned healthy eateries in Miami.

But Allen’s will be different.

The very idea of healthy, organic “fast food” is one of the best I can think of in regard to how the world should be eating. For that reason alone, I hope Allen succeeds.

Pelicans sign Bryce Dejean-Jones, waive Jarnell Stokes

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed guard Bryce Dejean-Jones.

Dejean-Jones, 6-6, 203, has appeared in 11 games (eight starts) for the Pelicans, averaging 6.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game.

Prior to joining New Orleans, Dejean-Jones played for the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League, appearing in nine games (seven starts), averaging 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.0 steals in 31.1 minutes per game.

Undrafted out of Iowa State, Dejean Jones was a member of the Pelicans’ 2015 Las Vegas Summer League team and training camp roster. In six summer league contests, Dejean-Jones averaged 12.8 points on .619 shooting from the field, including .500 from three point range, to go along with 1.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.2 assists in 21.7 minutes per game. Appearing in all seven preseason contests for New Orleans, Dejean-Jones averaged 8.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

In a related move, New Orleans has waived forward Jarnell Stokes. Stokes, 6-9, 255, was acquired from the Miami HEAT, along with cash considerations, yesterday in exchange for a future second round draft pick. Stokes has appeared in 26 career NBA games with Miami and Memphis, holding career averages of 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 5.5 minutes per game.

New Orleans’ roster stands at 15.