September 2017 – Page 9 – NBA Blog

Jazz sign Nazareth Mitrou-Long

The Utah Jazz have signed free agent guard Nazareth Mitrou-Long (pronunciation: me-TRUE).

Mitrou-Long (6-4, 218, Iowa State) averaged 15.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists during his senior season with the Cyclones, earning All-Big 12 Second-Team honors. The guard also shot 47 percent from the field and led the conference with 2.8 three-point field goals per game. Connecting on a team-high 98 three-point attempts, the total was the third highest in a single-season in school history.

Over his four years at Iowa State, Mitrou-Long appeared in 131 games (83 starts) averaging 9.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists, helping to lead the Cyclones to three Big 12 Championships. He would finish his collegiate career with 260 three-point field goals, the second most in school history, in addition to becoming just one of 11 players ever for Iowa State to tally 1,200 points, 300 rebounds and 200 assists over his career.

The 24-year-old was most recently a member of the Sacramento Kings entry at the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas as well as the Indiana Pacers roster at the 2017 Orlando Summer League. Mitrou-Long averaged a combined 9.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 22.8 minutes between the two leagues.

Born in Ontario, Canada, Mitrou-Long played high school basketball at Findlay College Prep in Henderson, Nev.

Bulls sign Diamond Stone

The Chicago Bulls signed center Diamond Stone today.

Stone (6-11, 255) was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 40th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and landed with the L.A. Clippers after a draft-night trade. In 2016-17, Stone averaged 1.4 points in 3.4 minutes through seven games for the Clippers. Through 13 games in the NBA G League with both the Santa Cruz Warriors (four games) and Salt Lake City Stars (nine games), Stone posted 16.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game. He also shot .491 from the field and .826 from the free throw line.

The 2015 McDonalds All-American played one season collegiately at Maryland in 2015-16, where he averaged 12.5 points and 5.4 rebounds in 23.1 minutes per game while shooting .568 from the field. Stone was named AP Big Ten Newcomer of the Year and earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors. During his high school career, Stone won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship and led his high school team, Dominican (Milwaukee, Wis.), to four straight state championships.

According to CSN Chicago, “Stone’s deal is partially guaranteed, meaning the Bulls could send him to the Windy City Bulls for more seasoning in the G League. Stone is 20 years old.”

Hornets unveil Classic edition uniforms

The Charlotte Hornets have unveiled their Classic edition uniforms for the 2017-18 season, bringing back the design worn by the original Charlotte Hornets from their inception in 1988 through 1997. Like the previously released white Association and teal Icon editions, the uniform features the logo of Nike’s Jordan Brand. The Hornets – the only team in U.S. professional sports to have the iconic Jumpman logo on its uniforms – will feature five different uniforms in their 2017-18 uniform collection.

“Since we brought the Hornets name back in 2014, our fans have practically been begging for us to wear a version of the original Hornets uniform,” said Hornets President & COO Fred Whitfield. “We could not be more excited to give them what they want and to see the historic pinstriped, teal Charlotte uniform back on an NBA court.”

Based on the uniform worn during the Hornets’ first decade, the teal jersey includes the familiar crossover v-neck and mutli-colored pinstripes in royal blue, light blue, purple and green. The shorts feature the classic Hornets logo on the waist and the identical royal blue, teal and white trim as the original. The Hornets will wear the Classic edition uniforms for three home games during the 2017-18 season: November 15 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, December 23 against the Milwaukee Bucks and January 13 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Ian Clark hoping to do big things for Pelicans

It’s always interesting to track players who received very limited minutes on good/great teams and see how they do in an expanded role on a team with more of a need for their services. Here’s CSN Bay Area reporting on former Warriors Ian Clark:

Ian Clark is no longer on the Warriors.

It took him awhile to find a new home, but on Aug. 1, Clark agreed to terms on a one-year minimum deal (just below $1.6 million) with New Orleans.

“Being able to show what I can do in the minutes I get, I want to be able to expand on that this year,” Clark told the Pelicans’ team website. “I want to show that I can do that in extended minutes and be consistent at it, and help my team win, whether that’s on the defensive or offensive end.

“I want to show that it wasn’t just because of that team.”

Pistons set to play in new arena

Here’s the Detroit News reporting that fans can now buy single-game tickets for the upcoming Pistons season. The team’s home arena is now in downtown Detroit.

The opening of Little Caesars Arena is ushering in a new era.

As Pistons fans are itching to get their first glimpses of the new downtown digs, they’ll get their chance when individual-game tickets go on sale Saturday morning at 10.

Tickets start at $14 for select games in the upper bowl and initial indications are that there will be a few hundred tickets in that price range.

The Pistons open the season October 18 against the Charlotte Hornets and the premiere will feature a giveaway with a commemorative LED bracelet to create crowd-sourced pictures through the lights they emit.

Jazz sign Nate Wolters to two-way contract

The Utah Jazz have signed guard Nate Wolters to a two-way contract.

Wolters (6-4, 190, South Dakota State) played for Crvena Zvezda in Serbia during the 2016-17 season, where he helped lead his team to the Serbian National Championship. He appeared in 65 games, averaging 8.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 17.1 minutes.

Originally selected in the second round (38th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft by Washington, Wolters was then traded to Philadelphia and soon after acquired by Milwaukee. The guard has appeared in 79 career NBA games (31 starts) over two seasons with the Bucks and New Orleans. He owns career averages of 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 19.7 minutes. Wolters also played 12 games (eight starts) with the (now) NBA G League’s Grand Rapids Drive in 2014-15, where he averaged 15.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 31.5 minutes. He has additional international experience playing in Turkey with Besiktas where he averaged 11.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 21 league games (18 starts).

A native of St. Cloud, Minn., Wolters played four collegiate seasons at South Dakota State (2009-2013) appearing in 128 games (110 starts) and averaging 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 33 minutes of action.

Cleveland Cavs Free Annual Wine & Gold Scrimmage is October 2, 2017

It’s Wine vs. Gold when the Cleveland Cavaliers take the court for their annual intra-squad scrimmage, a fun-filled family event to give fans a first live look at the 2016-17 NBA Eastern Conference Champions as they prepare for the upcoming 2017-18 season. The 2017 Wine & Gold Scrimmage will take place on Monday, October 2nd at 6:00 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena. FREE tickets will be available beginning Tuesday, September 19th at NOON at any of Discount Drug Mart’s northeast Ohio locations or online at Cavs.com.

There is a limit of six (6) tickets per transaction and seating will be general admission. Fans 17 years of age and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

In keeping with the popular tradition of past Wine & Gold scrimmages, immediately following the game, Cavs players will give the scrimmage-worn practice jerseys off their backs to lucky fans randomly chosen from those in attendance. The Wine & Gold Scrimmage will also be the first opportunity for fans to see the Cavs newly designed court that reflects the team’s updated modernized brand. The new shield logo, displayed on center court, represents the “tool of the defender” and the Cavaliers commitment to “Defend The Land.”

Throughout the night, fans will get a sample of the Cavs award-winning game presentation, including popular lights-out player introductions, Humongotron flames, performances from the Cavalier Girls dance team, Scream Team hip-hop troupe, and the always-entertaining antics from mascots Moondog and Sir C.C, and more!

Doors to the arena will open at 5:00 p.m., one hour prior to tipoff so fans can enjoy concourse activities and special offers while taking in the fun of being back in The Q for Cavs basketball.

Jazz announce two assistant general managers, new director of basketball operations

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has named David Morway and Justin Zanik as assistant general managers.

In addition, the organization has promoted Steven Schwartz to director of basketball operations.

Morway, who spent the 2016-17 campaign as a basketball operations consultant with the Jazz, previously served as the assistant general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks. Prior to his time in Milwaukee, Morway spent 14 years with the Indiana Pacers, his last four, as the organization’s general manager. Preceding his time in the NBA he was the assistant to the president of the San Diego Padres for three years before founding Professional Excellence Sports, Inc. a sports management firm. A graduate of the University of Arizona, he also holds a Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego.

Zanik returns to the Jazz after spending the 2016-17 season as the assistant general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks. Previously he was the assistant general manager of the Jazz from 2013-16, facilitating contract negotiations and managing the team’s salary cap as well as its international scouting efforts. He came to the Jazz from ASM Sports, serving as the agency’s vice president from 2004-2013. At ASM Sports he oversaw all aspects of career management for the group’s basketball clients. A certified agent for the NBAPA since 2003, Zanik graduated with a degree in economics from Northwestern University.

Schwartz, who enters his third year with the Jazz, previously worked as a basketball operations assistant to Head Coach Quin Snyder. In addition, he also assisted General Manager Dennis Lindsey with the league’s collective bargaining agreement and salary cap, responsibilities he will now continue in an expanded role. The native of Fort Worth, Texas received his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Texas along with his Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law.

Nets sign Tyler Zeller

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent center Tyler Zeller to a multi-year contract.

Zeller has appeared in 340 career games (131 starts) in five NBA seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2012-14) and Boston Celtics (2014-17), recording averages of 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game. The Washington, Ind., native averaged a career-high 10.2 points to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 21.1 minutes per game during the 2014-15 season with Boston. This past season, Zeller saw action in 51 games (five starts), registering averages of 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per contest.

The 27-year-old Zeller was originally selected with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks before being traded to Cleveland on draft night. He then earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors with averages of 7.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 26.4 minutes per game in his inaugural campaign with the Cavaliers. Prior to beginning his NBA career, Zeller spent four years (2008-12) at the University of North Carolina, where was a member of the 2009 national champion Tar Heels. He also garnered ACC Player of the Year and second-team All-America honors by the Associated Press as a senior.

Pistons sign Dwight Buycks to two-way contract

The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Dwight Buycks to a two-way contract.

Buycks, 6-3, 190, averaged 25-plus points in each of the last two seasons with the Fujian Sturgeons of the Chinese Basketball Association. In 20 career NBA games with the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers, Buycks has averaged 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

A native of Milwaukee, WI, Buycks played collegiately at Marquette University his junior and senior seasons and averaged 7.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 68 games.

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. Two-Way players for the Pistons will provide services primarily for the Grand Rapids Drive, the team’s G League affiliate, but can spend up to 45 days with the Pistons, not including any time prior to the start of the Drive’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.