Month: September 2017

Pistons need Reggie Jackson healthy and productive

For the Pistons to be decent, or even good, they need serious production from guard Reggie Jackson. Here’s the Detroit Free Press with the latest on that front:

Reggie Jackson seeking bounce-back season for Pistons

The technical term for Jackson’s condition is tendinosis, which basically is chronic tendinitis.

He recently completed a 16-week protocol featuring leg strengthening exercises. His basketball activity had been regulated to light shooting and some jumping off one leg.

Although he should be ready, Van Gundy said last week Jackson would not practice twice on the days the Pistons have two sessions.

The tendinitis has bothered Jackson since at least when the Oklahoma City Thunder picked him in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft.

Charles Oakley vs MSG continues

Here’s the NY Post with the latest on the long, drawn-out saga between Charles Oakley and Knicks owner James Dolan/Madison Square Garden:

Charles Oakley vs MSG continues

Charles Oakley’s battle with his former employer and current nemesis is not over yet.

Oakley is preparing to file a civil law suit stemming from the February incident in which he was forcibly removed from Madison Square Garden after an altercation with security, according to an ESPN report.

Oakley’s fight with Madison Square Garden and Knicks owner James Dolan, in particular, has been a long, drawn-out ordeal with both sides behaving badly at times.

Grizzlies sign Vince Hunter

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced that the team has signed forward Vince Hunter.

Hunter (6-8, 208) appeared in 26 games (16 starts) for Avtodor Saratov of Russia’s VTB United League during the 2016-17 season and averaged 14.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.35 steals and 1.31 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game. Hunter competed in four games during the 2016 NBA Preseason with the Grizzlies and recorded 8.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 19.4 minutes per game and has played for the Grizzlies Summer League team in Las Vegas each of the last two years. Undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, the University of Texas-El Paso product has also played professionally in Greece (Panathinaikos), Romania (BCM U Pitesti) and the NBA G League (Reno Bighorns).

Spurs sign Darrun Hilliard to two-way contract

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed guard Darrun Hilliard to a two-way contract.

Hilliard, 6-6/220, has played the last two seasons with the Detroit Pistons, averaging 3.6 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.9 minutes in 77 career appearances. Hilliard also appeared in seven games with Detroit’s G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive, averaging 24.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 33.6 minutes.

Originally selected by Detroit in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft (38th overall), the third-year guard was traded to the Houston Rockets on June 28, 2017. He was then sent to the Los Angeles Clippers the same day before being waived on June 29. Hilliard spent four seasons at Villanova, averaging 11.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 26.8 minutes in 132 games, earning First Team All-BIG EAST honors in his senior season.

Two-way contracts were added to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and will go into effect for the 2017-18 season. Each team will now be able to have the standard 15 players on their roster, as well as up to two additional players on two-way contracts. Two-way players will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League, which includes San Antonio’s exclusively owned and operated affiliate, the Austin Spurs.

Trail Blazers sign Archie Goodwin

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Archie Goodwin to a training camp contract, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

In four NBA seasons with Phoenix, New Orleans and Brooklyn, Goodwin (6-5, 205) holds averages of 6.3 points (42.9% FG, 23.6% 3-PT, 70.0% FT), 2.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 14.5 minutes in 165 career games (15 starts).

He will wear No. 2 for the Trail Blazers.

Sixers still may use Ben Simmons as PG

The Sixers have all sorts of talent in their backcourt. The distribution of roles and responsibilities will be fascinating to watch. Here’s CSN Philly with more:

Ben Simmons made it clear this summer he wants to be the Sixers’ point guard. Less than a month from training camp, Brett Brown still is on board with that plan.

“We’ve gone on record, I’ve said what I’ve said and I don’t backpedal from any of it,” Brown said Thursday at the Sixers training complex while previewing his upcoming Coaches Clinic. “I’m excited to give him the ball and continue to grow him.”

With that vision comes questions that will be played out over the season as the 6-foot-10 Simmons makes his rookie debut after suffering a Jones fracture last training camp.

The Sixers made significant additions to their backcourt this summer, including point guard Markelle Fultz. How will the Sixers utilize these two No. 1 picks? Part of Fultz’s appeal to the Sixers was his ability to play off the ball and complement Simmons in a one-two combination.

Timberwolves to hold training camp in San Diego

NBA preseason starts in just about three weeks, and we cannot wait. But before preseason games are played, training camps are held. Many teams take the opportunity to travel, see someplace new, relocate and bond while on the road. As for the Timberwolves, here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting:

The Timberwolves today announced their training-camp schedule, which starts a week early this year both because the NBA season starts a week earlier this season and because they have that preseason trip to China, too.

The Wolves will hold training camp in San Diego at two local universities for seven days before they play the Lakers in a preseason game in Anaheim on Sept. 30.

They’ll have their traditional media at their Mayo Clinic Square training facility on Sept. 22 and then fly immediately after that to Califonia. Their first camp practice is the next morning, Saturday, Sept. 23.

Former Sports Illustrated writer Luke Winn hired by Raptors

The Toronto Raptors have hired Luke Winn as the club’s Director, Prospect Strategy. Winn joins the Raptors after working at Sports Illustrated for the past 15 years, most recently as a senior writer covering college basketball.

Winn has reported on college hoops since the 2004-05 season, and has numerous international events. His work at SI included in-depth player features and original analytics research.

For the Raptors, Winn will research and scout draft prospects, and provide input on personnel decisions.

Cavaliers sign John Holland to two-way contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward John Holland to a Two-Way Contract, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Holland (6-5, 205) was the NBA G League Impact Player of the Year last season after appearing in 37 games (all starts) for the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers exclusively-owned G League Team. He averaged 22.9 points (seventh in the league), 4.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in a league-high 38.9 minutes per game. Holland also shot .481 from the field, .346 from beyond the arc and .881 from the foul line, while helping the Charge reach the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.

Before rejoining the Charge in 2016-17, Holland was in training camp with the Cavaliers where he played in three preseason games and averaged 10.7 points in 18.8 minutes. He received a Gatorade NBA Call-Up from the Boston Celtics before the 2016 NBA Playoffs and made his NBA debut in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks. The Boston University product played professionally in France, Spain and Turkey, and also represented the Puerto Rican national team in 2011.

Holland becomes the first player to sign a Two-Way contract with the Cavaliers. Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have two Two-Way players on their roster at any given time, in addition to their 15-man regular season roster. A Two-Way player for the Cavs will provide services to the team’s G League affiliate – the Canton Charge – but can spend up to 45 days with Cleveland.