Month: September 2017

Bucks sign Joel Anthony and Gerald Green

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free agent center/forward Joel (Jo-EL) Anthony and guard/forward Gerald Green to training camp contracts.

Anthony, 35, appeared in 19 games last season for the San Antonio Spurs and averaged 1.3 points and 1.6 rebounds in 6.4 minutes per contest.

Undrafted out of UNLV, Anthony played his first seven seasons with the Miami Heat and won back-to-back NBA Championships in 2012 and 2013. Over his ten-year NBA career he has averaged 2.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots over 490 games (110 starts) with Miami, Boston, Detroit and San Antonio.

Green, 31, appeared in 47 games last season for the Boston Celtics and averaged 5.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per contest.

A ten-year NBA veteran, Green was the 18th overall selection in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. He sports career averages of 9.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assist over 544 games (116 starts) with Boston, Minnesota, Houston, Dallas, New Jersey, Indiana, Phoenix and Miami. Green spent two years (2009-11) playing professionally overseas in Russia and China.

Lots of preseason travel for Timberwolves

The Timberwolves are doing a ton of traveling this preseason. The good kind of traveling. Where you get on planes and go visit interesting places. Not the bad kind of travel, where the referee is forced to blow a whistle at you. Well, maybe they’ll do that as well. We’ll see! Anyway, here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

The Timberwolves rolled out the basketballs on a new season Saturday morning, convening in a University of California-San Diego gym more than 1,500 miles away from their downtown Minneapolis training facility.

Why, you very well might ask?

Well, it’s sort of on their way to China, where they will play two preseason games against defending NBA champion Golden State next week.

It’s also a sunny and chic version of Mankato, Minn., — former training-camp home to both the Wolves and the NFL’s Vikings — and a getaway where they’ll drill during the day with the Pacific Ocean shimmering in the distance and bond at night.

Full story 

Warriors statement on Trump not inviting team to White House

OFFICIAL TEAM STATEMENT BY THE WARRIORS

While we intended to meet as a team at the first opportunity we had this morning to collaboratively discuss a potential visit to the White House, we accept that President Trump has made it clear that we are not invited. We believe there is nothing more American than our citizens having the right to express themselves freely on matters important to them. We’re disappointed that we did not have an opportunity during this process to share our views or have open dialogue on issues impacting our communities that we felt would be important to raise.

In lieu of a visit to the White House, we have decided that we’ll constructively use our trip to the nation’s capital in February to celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion — the values that we embrace as an organization.

Grizzlies trade Troy Daniels to Suns

The Phoenix Suns have acquired guard Troy Daniels and a 2018 second-round pick from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a conditional Suns’ 2018 second-round pick.

Daniels, a 6-4, 205-pound guard, is a four-year NBA veteran who has played 162 games with Houston, Minnesota, Charlotte and, most recently, Memphis. In 2016-17, Daniels averaged 8.2 points while shooting 38.9 percent from three-point range in career-highs of 17.7 minutes and 67 games with the Grizzlies. The 26-year-old scored in double figures 23 times last season, including a career-high 31 points against the Lakers on December 3.

Holding a career three-point mark of 40.6 percent, Daniels has averaged 6.2 points, 1.2 rebounds and 13.2 minutes over his four-year NBA career. Since he entered the league in 2013-14, his 40.6 percent mark from three-point range is 10th-best in the league among those with at least 250 makes. Undrafted in 2013, Daniels began his pro career with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League before signing with the Rockets late in the 2013-14 season and becoming a member of their rotation in the 2014 playoffs. He split time between Houston, Minnesota and Charlotte in 2014-15 and played the 2015-16 season with the Hornets before being dealt to the Grizzlies in July 2016.

A native of Roanoke, Virginia, Daniels played collegiately at Virginia Commonwealth University and was a member of the Rams’ 2011 Final Four team. As a senior in 2012-13, Daniels averaged a career-high 12.3 points and set a single-season school record with 124 three-point makes.

Suns sign Anthony Bennett and Peter Jok

The Phoenix Suns have signed forward Anthony Bennett and forward/guard Peter Jok (pronounced JOCK).

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume the deals are non-guaranteed training camp contracts.

Bennett, a 6-8, 235-pound forward, is a four-year NBA veteran who was the first overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft. Bennett has played in 151 games with Cleveland, Minnesota, Toronto and Brooklyn over his career, averaging 4.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 12.6 minutes. Bennett began the 2016-17 season with the Nets and averaged 5.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 11.5 minutes over 23 games, then completed the season with Fenerbahce of the Turkish Basketball Super League where he was a member of the first Turkish team to win the EuroLeague championship. A native of Toronto, Ontario, the 24-year-old has played for the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team, helping Canada to a silver medal finish at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto and a bronze medal finish at the 2015 FIBA Americas Tournament in Mexico City.

Jok, a 6-6, 205-pound wing, joins the Suns following a successful four-year career at the University of Iowa. As a senior in 2016-17, Jok led the Big Ten in scoring with 19.9 points per game and earned All-Big Ten First Team honors while setting a Hawkeyes single-season record by shooting 91.1 percent from the free throw line. Against Memphis in his senior season, Jok scored a career-high 42 points, the most scored by an Iowa player in 40 years as he made a career-high eight three-pointers in the contest. A native of Sudan, he left Iowa as the Hawkeyes’ career free throw percentage leader (88.1 percent), fourth in career three-point makes (216) and 15th in career scoring (1,508). The 23-year-old played with the New Orleans Pelicans at NBA Summer League 2017 in Las Vegas, averaging 9.0 points and 1.0 steals in three appearances.

Hornets promote Stephen Silas, hire Eddie Jordan

The Charlotte Hornets have promoted Stephen Silas to associate head coach and have hired Eddie Jordan as an assistant coach.

The team also made the following announcements regarding basketball operations personnel: Rick Higgins has been promoted to coaching assistant/video coordinator, Cam Twiss has been promoted to General Manager of the team’s G League affiliate the Greensboro Swarm, David Kaplan has been promoted to manager of basketball analytics, Adam Filippi has transitioned to collegiate scouting and Jakub Kudlacek has been hired as an international scout.

Silas is in his eighth season on the Charlotte bench and 17th in the NBA, coming to Charlotte after spending the previous four and a half seasons as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors. Prior to joining the Warriors, Silas served as an advance scout for the Washington Wizards during the 2005-06 season.

Silas also spent five seasons as an assistant coach under his father, Paul Silas, with the original Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets (2000-03) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-05). Silas, who joined the original Hornets in the summer of 1999 as an advance and college scout, was promoted to assistant coach on June 5, 2000, making him the youngest assistant in the NBA at that time at 27 years old.

The Boston-native graduated from Brown University in 1996, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in sociology and management and played four seasons for the Bears basketball team. Upon graduation, Silas spent three years as the assistant executive director of the National Basketball Retired Players Association in Providence, Rhode Island.

Jordan played seven seasons in the NBA from 1977-84 with four different teams, helping the Lakers to an NBA Championship during the 1981-82 season. He began his coaching career as an assistant in the college ranks with Boston College (1986-88) and Rutgers University (1988-91), before returning to the NBA as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings from 1992-97. Jordan has been a head coach with three NBA teams: the Kings (1997-98), the Washington Wizards (2003-08) and Philadelphia 76ers (2009-10). Most recently, he was the head coach at his alma mater, Rutgers University (2013-16).

The Washington, D.C. native has additional coaching experience as the lead assistant with the New Jersey Nets (1999-03) and Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13), where he coached alongside current Hornets Head Coach Steve Clifford. While with the Nets, Jordan helped guide the team to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003.

Higgins’ promotion to coaching assistant/video coordinator comes after serving as the team’s video scout for the past four seasons. In his expanded role, Higgins will assist with game planning, scouting reports and player workouts in addition to his role in the video department.

Twiss has been promoted to General Manager of the Greensboro Swarm after serving as the Swarm’s Director of Basketball Operations for the G League affiliate’s inaugural season. Twiss will manage the Swarm’s roster, advise on G League and college personnel and assist with the integration between the Hornets and its G-League team.

Filippi, who previously scouted internationally, is now focused on collegiate scouting. Entering his seventh season in Charlotte, Filippi has more than 20 years of scouting experience. He previously worked for the Los Angeles Lakers before joining the Hornets.

Kudlacek, a native of the Czech Republic, played professionally in Europe for seven seasons and was a member of the Czech national team. Last season, he served as an international scout for the Los Angeles Clippers.

In his new role, Kaplan will provide basketball analytics to the coaching staff and front office. Previously, he served as a quantitative analyst for the Hornets.

Rockets hire Sachin Gupta as Special Advisor

Sachin Gupta has re-joined the Houston Rockets, in the role as Special Advisor. In this role, Gupta will work closely with Morey and his executive staff of Gersson Rosas, Monte McNair, Eli Witus, and Jimmy Paulis.

“Sachin’s fingerprints are all over this team, from his first six seasons with the Rockets to contributions he’s made this past year,” said Morey. “Given what he brings to the table and how seamlessly he fits in with our group, we’re excited to have him back into the fold.”

“I am so proud to once again be part of the Rockets family,” said Gupta. “This is truly one of the elite organizations in sports, both on and off the court, from top to bottom. What they’ve built over the past several years is incredible and I’m excited to be back helping them in their pursuit of a championship.”

Gupta originally joined the Rockets in 2006 as Morey’s first hire and remained with the team for six seasons before leaving in 2012 to pursue his MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. During that time, Gupta served as a consultant for Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Sam Hinkie, and after completing his degree joined the Sixers full-time as Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2014.

This past season Gupta aided the Rockets during the trade deadline, draft, and free agency periods, playing an important role in the acquisition of nine-time All-Star Chris Paul.

Prior to working in the NBA, Gupta spent two years at ESPN, where he developed the widely popular NBA Trade Machine. Originally from the Boston area, Gupta holds a degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from MIT.

Bucks waive JeQuan Lewis

The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on guard JeQuan Lewis. The undrafted rookie from Virginia Commonwealth University originally signed a contract on July 6.

In four games during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Lewis averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 assists per contest.

Sixers sign guard Jacob Pullen

Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo announced today that the team has agreed to terms with guard Jacob Pullen.

Pullen most recently played for BC Khimki of the VTB United League in Russia. Across VTB and Eurocup play, Pullen appeared in 40 games and averaged 10 points and two assists per contest. Since 2011, he has played professionally in Italy, Israel, Spain and Croatia in addition to his most recent season in Russia.

A 6-foot-1 guard, Pullen starred at Kansas State from 2007-11, averaging 16 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals across 135 games (67 starts). As a senior in 2010-11, he posted 20 points and four assists per game as he was named First Team All-Big 12; an honor he also earned as a junior. The Wildcats reached the NCAA Tournament in three of Pullen’s four seasons at the school, including an appearance in the 2010 Elite Eight.

Timberwolves sign Aaron Brooks

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed guard Aaron Brooks.

With the signing, the Wolves have finalized the team’s training camp roster at 17 players.

Brooks, 32, appeared in 65 games last season with Indiana averaging 5.0 points and 1.9 assists in 13.8 minutes per contest. The 6-0 point guard shot 37.5% from long distance in 2016-17, making 48 of his 128 attempts from beyond the arc.

Brooks has played in 613 career NBA contests over nine seasons with Houston, Phoenix, Sacramento, Denver, Chicago and Indiana. The Seattle, Washington native owns career averages of 10.1 points on 41.3% shooting and 3.1 assists in 21.6 minutes per game. Brooks has appeared in 38 playoff games, including 13 starts, averaging 8.7 points and 1.8 assists in 18.4 minutes per game. Originally drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 26th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Brooks played under Tom Thibodeau in Chicago during the 2014-15 season averaging 11.6 points and 3.2 assists over 82 contests, 21 starts.