March 2016 – Page 9 – NBA Blog

Grizzlies sign Briante Weber to 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Briante Weber to a 10-day contract, as a “Call-Up” from the Sioux Falls Skyforce (D-League).

Weber (6-2, 165) has appeared in 22 games (nine starts) for the Skyforce and averaged 10.6 points (.453 FG/.444 3P/.750 FT), 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.95 steals in 28.5 minutes in his first professional season. The 23-year-old ranks fifth among qualifying D-League players in steals per game and has posted three double-doubles, including a triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on Feb. 23 vs. Fort Wayne.

A native of Chesapeake, Va., Weber played four seasons at Virginia Commonwealth, appearing in 127 games (65 starts) and averaging 6.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.94 steals in 23.4 minutes. He capped his collegiate career as VCU’s all-time steals leader (374) and finished third on the NCAA’s all-time steals list, just 12 shy of becoming the all-time steals leader before missing the final 10 games of his senior season due to injury. Weber became the first player in conference history to be named the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons (2013, 2014 and 2015) and set a program record with a recorded 45.5-inch vertical leap.

Undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, Weber spent time on the Miami Heat’s 2015 preseason roster.

Hornets sign Jorge Gutierrez for rest of season

The Charlotte Hornets have signed guard Jorge Gutierrez for the rest of the 2015-16 NBA season.

The 6-3 Gutierrez signed consecutive 10-day contracts with Charlotte on Feb. 20 and Mar. 1. He has appeared in three games with the Hornets, averaging 3.0 points, 1.0 assists and 0.3 steals in 4.5 minutes per game.

Gutierrez appeared in 22 games (20 starts) for the Canton Charge in the NBA Development League this season, averaging 11.3 points, 5.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 27.8 minutes per game. Gutierrez scored in double figures in 13 games and 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 against the Los Angeles D-Fenders at the NBA D-League Showcase.

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.

O.J. Mayo suffers broken ankle, out for season

Milwaukee Bucks guard O.J. Mayo suffered a broken right ankle on Thursday morning and will miss the rest of the 2015-16 NBA season, team GM John Hammond announced today.

This is not your usual basketball injury. According to the Bucks, Mayo accidentally tripped descending his stairs at home.

In 41 games (24 starts) this season, Mayo has averaged 7.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.17 steals in 26.6 minutes per contest.

Despite the off-season acquisition of Greg Monroe and a young, talented roster, the Bucks are just 27-38 this season. They are already without starting guard Michael Carter-Williams, who suffered a hip injury that requires season-ending surgery.

Kings suspend DeMarcus Cousins one game

As the years go by, issues between the Sacramento Kings and star center DeMarcus Cousins continue to pop up.

The Kings have suspended Cousins for one game for conduct detrimental to the team, according to Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac.

Cousins will serve the suspension in Sacramento’s next contest against the Orlando Magic on Friday.

Wizards sign Marcus Thornton, waive Gary Neal

Wizards sign Marcus Thornton and waive Gary Neal

The Washington Wizards have signed guard Marcus Thornton and waived guard Gary Neal.

“Marcus brings experience and shooting to our backcourt and helps us fill a void caused by Gary’s injury with another veteran player,” said Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld. “His skill set will allow him to fit right in to our system and give our offense another option.”

Thornton (6-4, 205) has appeared in 436 career regular season games (132 starts) over six-and-a-half seasons with New Orleans, Sacramento, Brooklyn, Boston, Phoenix and Houston. He has averaged 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting .426 from the field and .359 from three-point range. The former 43rd overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft has averaged double figures in scoring in five of his six full NBA seasons. He averaged 14.7 points over his first four NBA seasons and tallied a career-best 18.7 points per game in 2011-12 for Sacramento. In 47 games (six starts) with the Rockets this season, Thornton averaged 10.0 points while shooting .338 from three-point range. He was waived by Houston on Feb. 26.

Neal, who was signed as a free agent on July 9, appeared in 40 games for Washington this season while averaging 9.8 points per contest. He missed 23 games due to injury, including the team’s last 14 games.

Pelicans sign Orlando Johnson to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed guard Orlando Johnson to a 10-day contract after receiving a hardship exception from the NBA.

Johnson, 6-5, 220, appeared in two games for the Suns this season, averaging 8.0 points and 4.5 assists in 23.5 minutes per game. Johnson most recently played in the D-League for the Austin Spurs, appearing in 30 games (26 starts) in 2015-16, averaging 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 32.5 minutes per game while earning an invitation to the 2016 NBA D-League All-Star Game.

Drafted 36th overall by the Kings in the 2012 NBA Draft out of UC Santa Barbara, Johnson has appeared in 98 career regular season games with Indiana, Sacramento, and Phoenix, averaging 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10.8 minutes per game.

Johnson will wear #0 for the Pelicans.

New Orleans’ roster now stands at 16 — one higher than the league maximum because as mentioned above, they received an injury exception from the league.

Cavaliers sign Jordan McRae to multi-year contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Jordan McRae to a multi-year contract, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced today.

McRae has appeared in 3 games for the Cavs this season and was signed to a 10-day contract on February 28.

McRae (6-6, 185) was a 2016 NBA Development League All-Star this year after appearing in 29 games (all starts) for the Delaware 87ers and averaging 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals in 35.5 minutes per game. Against the Canton Charge on Jan. 26, he scored a D-League record 61 points on 21-34 (.618) shooting from the field, to go along with 11 rebounds and seven assists in 46 minutes.

McRae also had two 10-day stints with the Phoenix Suns this season, appearing in seven games with averages of 5.3 points and 1.4 assists in 11.7 minutes.

Originally selected as the 58th overall pick out of the University of Tennessee by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2014 NBA Draft and traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on draft night, McRae played professionally in Australia in 2014-15 before joining Delaware for the season’s final 13 games.

Spurs sign Kevin Martin

The San Antonio Spurs signed scoring guard Kevin Martin today. This moves comes just after waiving veteran Rasual Butler.

Martin, 6-7/200, began the season with the Timberwolves and averaged 10.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.4 minutes over 39 games. He was in his third season with Minnesota before being waived on March 1.

Even though they’re very different than the Timberwolves, San Antonio will likely use Martin in similar fashion: as scoring punch in limited munutes off the bench.

The former Western Carolina guard was drafted by Sacramento in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft (26th overall) and played part of six seasons with the Kings before being traded to Houston in 2010. After two-plus years with the Rockets, Martin was dealt to Oklahoma City where he spent the 2012-13 season before being sent to Minnesota the following summer. Martin holds career averages of 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting .438 from the floor, .385 from three-point range and .870 from the free throw line in 698 career appearances.

Martin is one of just five active players with over 1,000 three-pointers while shooting at least 38.0 percent from beyond the arc for their career, along with Stephen Curry, Kyle Korver, Mike Miller and Dirk Nowitzki.

Martin will wear No. 23 for the Spurs.

Spurs waive Rasual Butler

The San Antonio Spurs requested waivers on forward Rasual Butler today.

Butler, who was in his first season with San Antonio, was signed as a free agent on Sept. 28, 2015. He saw action in 46 games for the Silver and Black but played limited minutes, averaging 2.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 9.4 minutes.

A 13-year NBA veteran, Butler has played in 809 career games, averaging 7.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in 21.3 minutes.

The Spurs roster now stands at 14.

Nets sign Sean Kilpatrick to second 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets signed guard Sean Kilpatrick to a second 10-day contract today.

Kilpatrick signed his first 10-day contract with the Nets on February 28 and made his team debut on February 29 against Clippers in Los Angeles.

In five games with Brooklyn, Kilpatrick averaged 9.4 points in 16.6 minutes per game while shooting 41.0 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from three-point range. He scored in double figures twice, including a career-high 19 points in 26 minutes on March 5th against the Timberwolves in Minnesota.