February 2017 – Page 10 – NBA Blog

Taurean Prince, James Johnson fined by NBA

Atlanta Hawks forward Taurean Prince has been fined $25,000 for forcefully pulling down Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside during play and Heat forward James Johnson has been fined $25,000 for escalating the situation in retaliation by throwing a forearm into the chest of Prince, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, for which Prince was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected while Johnson was assessed a Technical Foul and ejected, occurred with 5:53 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Hawks’ 116-93 loss to the Heat on Feb. 1 at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Hornets sign center Mike Tobey to 10-day contract

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed center Mike Tobey to a 10-day contract. Tobey joins the Hornets from the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, becoming the Swarm’s first-ever D-League to NBA “call-up.” The Hornets roster now stands at 14 players.

The 7-0 Tobey has appeared in 29 games (19 starts) for Greensboro in his first D-League season, averaging 11.0 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game. He has scored in double figures 18 times and grabbed double-figure rebounds on 15 occasions, including each of the last five games. Tobey has posted 12 double-doubles, tied for fifth-most in the D-League, and also ranks 10th in the D-League in rebounds and 14th in blocks.

The Monroe, NY, native played for the Hornets in the 2016 Orlando Pro Summer League and signed with the team on July 25, 2016. In two preseason games with the Hornets, Tobey posted averages of 6.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 block in 18.8 minutes.

A four-year player at the University of Virginia (2012-16), Tobey’s 138 games played rank first in school history. He owns collegiate career averages of 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per contest, and was named the ACC Sixth Man of the Year following the 2014-15 season.

Hornets sign Ray McCallum to 10-day contract

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed guard Ray McCallum to a 10-day contract. McCallum joins the Hornets from the NBA Development League’s Grand Rapids Drive.

The 6-3 McCallum has appeared in 30 games (all starts) for the Drive this season, averaging 18.2 points, 7.5 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 2.4 steals in 37.9 minutes per game. He currently ranks third in the D-League in both assists and minutes, and fourth in steals. The 25-year-old has recorded two triple-doubles on the year, tallying 23 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists against the Maine Red Claws on Dec. 23 and posting 18 points, 13 assists and 12 boards against the Los Angeles D-Fenders on Jan. 7.

Originally selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, McCallum has appeared in 154 career NBA games (46 starts) over three seasons with the Kings, Spurs and Grizzlies, averaging 6.0 points, 2.4 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per contest. His last NBA action came during the 2015-16 season with Memphis, where he appeared in 10 contests (three starts) with averages of 6.9 points, 2.7 boards and 1.4 assists in 21.9 minutes. He was a member of the Detroit Pistons preseason roster prior to the 2016-17 season, but was waived on Oct. 24.

A native of Beverly Hills, Michigan, McCallum was a three-year collegiate player at Detroit Mercy (2010-13) and had career averages of 15.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.7 steals. He earned Horizon League Player of the Year honors for the 2012-13 season.

Warriors waive Anderson Varejao

The Golden State Warriors have waived center Anderson Varejao, the team announced today.

Varejao, 34, appeared in 14 games (one start) with the Warriors this season, posting averages of 1.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 6.6 minutes per contest. The Santa Teresa, Brazil, native was originally acquired by the Warriors on Feb. 22, 2016, and re-signed on July 17, 2016, appearing in 36 games (one start) with Golden State over two seasons after spending the first 11-plus seasons of his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Warriors roster now stands at 14 players.

NBA trade: Bucks, Hornets swap Spencer Hawes, Roy Hibbert, Miles Plumlee

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that the team has acquired forward/center Spencer Hawes and center Roy Hibbert from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for center Miles Plumlee. In a related transaction, the Bucks have requested waivers on forward Steve Novak.

“Spencer and Roy are two proven NBA centers who give us additional depth and versatility in the front court,” said Hammond. “The trade also gives us future cap flexibility as we continue to shape our roster. Miles and Steve are true professionals both on and off the court, and we wish them all the best.”

Hawes, 28, has appeared in 35 games (one start) for the Hornets this season with averages of 7.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Hawes also spent the 2014-15 season with Charlotte and has split time with the Clippers, Cavaliers, 76ers and Kings during his 10-year NBA career. The No. 10 overall pick by Sacramento in the 2007 NBA Draft, Hawes has career averages of 8.8 points, 5.8 boards and 1.9 assists in 665 games (368 starts).

Hibbert, 30, has posted averages of 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 54.2 percent from the field in 42 games (13 starts) with Charlotte in 2016-17. Originally drafted by Toronto with the 17th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, and traded to Indiana on draft night, Hibbert played his first seven NBA seasons with the Pacers and then spent the 2015-16 season with the Lakers before joining the Hornets. Hibbert owns career averages of 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 assists in 656 games (586 starts) over nine seasons. He is a two-time NBA All-Star (2012, 2014) and was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team following the 2013-14 season.

Knicks beat Nets in Brooklyn

Both the Knicks and Nets are struggling this season, but it’s still fun to pay attention when NYC’s two teams play each other. Here’s the New York Post reporting on Wednesday’s result:

Even Nets coach Kenny Atkinson had to admit the Knicks are Broadway, while his team is off-Broadway. They may have found a few promising young actors, but they wilted under the spotlight Wednesday against the Knicks.

The Nets folded in the fourth quarter of a 95-90 loss, a seventh straight defeat that saw the sellout crowd of 17,732 at Barclays Center largely taken over by blue-and-orange.

“I’d say we’re off-Broadway right now, and we’re trying to get on,” Atkinson said. “We know it’s a long road and a difficult road, but we’re trying to get in that conversation, in the New York conversation.”

If there were any conversation about this one, it wouldn’t be pleasant. For the second straight game, the Nets guarded well, but for the umpteenth time, they lost a game by getting hammered on the backboards and making untimely turnovers.