It’s the offseason and you want basketball stuff to look at, so here’s a video clip of Drake lying down at halfcourt tossing in a shot:
Of course, we have no idea how many times Drake tried that shot before it actually went in. Still, nicely done.
Month: August 2016
Heat may keep Josh McRoberts
Here’s the Miami Herald blog with a Heat update. Seems Josh McRoberts, who in 42 games last season averaged 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per outing, will remain in Miami:
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Though he was mentioned in trade rumors previously, the Heat has indicated to Josh McRoberts’ camp that he’s in the team’s plans for this season, his agent said, adding Miami called to go over his offseason training and make sure everyone is on the same page.
McRoberts will make $5.8 million this season and has a $6 million player option for 2017-18.
But the Heat will need to dump someone with a guaranteed deal if it wants to keep point guard Briante Weber. Free agent pickups this summer cannot be dealt until Dec. 15.
Lakers re-sign Tarik Black
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The Lakers have re-signed center Tarik Black, the team announced today.
New addition Timofey Mozgov will likely start at center for the Lakers. Black will be a reserve.
“Tarik is a player whose strengths are well-suited for the style of play we envision for our team going forward,” said General Manager Mitch Kupchak. “He plays the game with a mix of athleticism, energy, and physicality that make him a valuable frontcourt contributor in today’s NBA.”
In two seasons with the Lakers, Black has averaged 5.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in 16.9 per game while shooting 57.5% from the field over 77 games (27 starts). Awarded to the Lakers on a waiver claim on December 28, 2014, he also appeared in 25 games (12 starts) for the Houston Rockets to begin the 2014-15 season before being waived.
The 24-year-old Black averaged 9.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game on 60.5% shooting after being reinserted into the starting lineup at center in 2014-15, and finished his rookie season ranked second amongst all first year players in offensive rebounds per game and third in total rebounds per game. On April 12, 2015, he grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds, becoming the first Lakers rookie since Leroy Ellis in 1963 to record that many rebounds in a game.
Lakers sign rookie Brandon Ingram
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The Lakers have finally signed rookie forward Brandon Ingram.
The team is hoping for big things from Ingram, who appears to have as much talent and upside as any rookie in his class.
How quickly he’ll be able to mature both physically and as a player to become effective will be worth watching, on a national level, not just in Los Angeles.
Drafted with the second overall selection of the 2016 NBA Draft in June, Ingram averaged 12.2 points (second on the team), 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists over his five games (all starts) at the 2016 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Following his Summer League play, Ingram was selected by USA Basketball to participate as a member of the 2016 USA Men’s Select Team.
According to the Orange County Register, “Ingram remained unsigned while the Lakers tried to maximize flexibility in free agency to sign players. His rookie contract is expected to be worth about $23.8 million over four seasons, with Ingram set to make about $5.3 million this season.”
The 18-year-old was the consensus ACC Freshman of the year in his lone collegiate season at Duke, while also earning a consensus Second Team All-ACC selection. He finished the season ranked sixth in the ACC in scoring (17.3), seventh in three-point percentage (.410) and minutes played (34.6), ninth in three-pointers made per game (2.2), 10th in blocks (1.4), and 13th in rebounds (6.8).
The Kinston, NC native was Duke’s leading scorer in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 23.0 points per game to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists over the three games, scoring at least 20 points in each contest and playing in 119 of a possible 120 minutes of action.
The 6’9’’ Ingram was a member of USA Basketball’s 2015 United States Junior National Select Team and was a Parade All-American as a senior at Kinston High School. He won four straight 2A state championships, becoming one of two players in history to win four consecutive North Carolina State Championships, and was MVP of the state championship game as a senior.
Festus Ezeli undergoes knee injection
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The Trail Blazers announced today that center Festus Ezeli had his left knee injected with a bone marrow aspirate concentrate and Orthovisc today in Chicago.
The injection, performed by Dr. Brian Cole, is intended to alleviate pain and improve function.
Ezeli will be sidelined for six weeks.
The Blazers’ big man rotation mostly consists of role players. Ezeli, who comes to the Blazers after three seasons on the Warriors, has a chance to do big things and rise above the rest, if he’s up for it. He averaged 7.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game last season for Golden State, but that was in just 16.7 minutes per outing, which is very solid.
D-League news: Long Island Nets hire Ryan Gomes and Pat Rafferty
The Long Island Nets, the Brooklyn Nets’ D-League affiliate, have hired Ryan Gomes and Pat Rafferty as assistant coaches on the staff of head coach Ronald Nored.
Gomes enters his first year on the sidelines after finishing up an eight-year NBA career. Originally selected with the 50th overall pick in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics, Gomes appeared in 482 games with Boston, Minnesota, L.A. Clippers and Oklahoma City, registering career averages of 10.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 27.9 minutes per game. The Waterbury, Conn., native also had brief stints with clubs in Spain and Germany and was most recently with the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA D-League for the second half of the 2015-16 season. Along with helping lead the D-Fenders to the D-League Finals, Gomes was named the 2015-16 NBA Development League Impact Player of the Year and received 2015-16 All-NBA D-League Third Team honors. The former Providence College standout was a two-time All-Big East First Team selection and garnered consensus First Team All-American honors in 2004.
Rafferty joins the Long Island Nets after spending the past three seasons as head coach at Central Wyoming College. Prior to his stint with the Rustlers, he served as the director of basketball operations for UT Arlington (2012-13) and was the head coach at Grayson College for nine seasons (2003-12). At Grayson, Rafferty guided the Vikings to the NJCAA Region V Tournament six times. In addition to junior college coaching stints at Midland and Casper colleges, Rafferty has previously served as an assistant coach at the University of Louisville and as both an assistant coach and head coach at Northern Arizona University. He also spent two seasons as a scout for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Lakers sign Yi Jianlian
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Forward Yi Jianlian is back in the NBA. The Lakers officially signed him today.
“We’re excited to have a player of his worldwide accomplishments,” said Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak. “We look forward to bringing him to training camp and hopefully having him make an impact on our team.”
The Lakers frontcourt revolves around Luol Deng, Julius Randle, and if he’s ready, rookie Brandon Ingram, plus Timofey Mozgov at center. Jianlian adds some forward depth.
Yi, who hails from the Guangdong Province in China, recently concluded competing for his country at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, averaging 20.4 points (3rd overall in group play competition), 6.6 rebounds (6th), 1.4 steals (t-6th), and 1.0 blocks (t-6th) per game over his five contests while shooting 46.7% from three-point range.
Drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, Yi last appeared in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2011-12 season. Over his five-year NBA career, the 6’11’’ Yi averaged 7.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 22.2 minutes per game over 272 contests (163 starts) with the Bucks, New Jersey Nets, Washington Wizards, and Mavericks.
Prior to joining the NBA, the 28-year-old played professionally for the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association beginning in 2002, and played the last four seasons with the organization as well. He is a four-time CBA champion, eight-time CBA MVP, and two-time CBA Finals MVP, in addition to a decorated international career that includes winning three gold medals at the FIBA Asia Championships (2015, 2011, and 2005) and gold at the 2006 Asian Games.
Bucks sign Jason Terry
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The Bucks today signed veteran guard Jason Terry.
Terry, 38, is a 17-year NBA veteran who spent the last two seasons playing for the Houston Rockets. In 2015-16, Terry played in 72 games (seven starts) with the Rockets and averaged 5.9 points, 1.4 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game.
The Bucks backcourt is built around Matthew Dellavedova, Michael Carter-Williams, Khris Middleton, and they also may use forward-sized Giannis Antetokounmpo as a point guard. Terry will add depth to that group.
“Jason is a true professional who understands what it takes to be successful in this league,” Bucks General Manager John Hammond said. “He’ll be an invaluable resource for our young group as we continue to develop into a championship-caliber team on and off the court, and he’s still one of the best shooters in the game who can help stretch the floor for us. We’re thrilled to welcome him to Milwaukee.”
The 6-2 guard was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 10th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft and spent the first five seasons of his career with the Hawks. Terry then moved to Dallas where he played with the Mavericks for eight seasons, including the Mavs’ 2011 NBA Championship team, before playing with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets for one season each prior to his stint in Houston.
Jazz sign rookie Marcus Paige
The Jazz signed 2016 second-round pick guard Marcus Paige today. He will wear jersey #16.
Paige (6-2, 175) played four seasons at North Carolina, averaging 13.1 points, 4.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range in 141 career games. He helped lead the Tar Heels to the 2016 NCAA Championship Game. Paige was recognized as an Academic All-American in three seasons, including First Team honors following his senior season. He was named to the ACC All-Tournament Team in 2015 and 2016 as well as the 2014 ACC Most Improved Player of the Year.
The 22-year-old was a member of the Jazz entry at the 2016 Utah Jazz Summer League (July 4-7) and NBA Summer League (July 8-15) in Las Vegas, averaging 7.0 points, 1.6 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 19.7 minutes of action in nine games. He reached double-figures in back-to-back contests, scoring 10 points against New Orleans on July 10 and 11 points against Portland on July 12.
The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native played high school basketball at Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa, helping them to a 2011 AAAA State Championship. Paige was selected as the 2012 Gatorade Iowa Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Iowa Mr. Basketball.
Nets hire Gianluca Pascucci and BJ Johnson
The Nets on Monday named Gianluca Pascucci as director of global scouting and BJ Johnson as coordinator of player evaluation.
“We are thrilled to add Gianluca and BJ to our front office,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “Collectively, they bring valuable experiences that cross many platforms and their extensive knowledge of both the NBA and the global game will be tremendous assets to our scouting department. Both will be excellent additions to our culture and we are excited about welcoming them to Brooklyn.”
Pascucci joins the Nets after spending the past four years as vice president of player personnel for the Houston Rockets. During his time in Houston, he also served as the general manager of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the D-League affiliate of the Rockets. It marked Pascucci’s second stint in Houston, as he previously served as the team’s international scout for six seasons (2002-08).
William “BJ” Johnson joins Brooklyn’s staff after spending the past six years as USA Basketball’s assistant men’s national team director. Johnson worked with all levels of USA Basketball men’s teams, with his primary focus on developing the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team program. Johnson began his career with USA Basketball in 2005 as manager of competitive programs, where he was involved with all facets of the men’s and women’s programs, including player personnel and basketball operations during trials, training camps and competitions.