October 2017 – Page 5 – NBA Blog

Pelicans waive Jordan Crawford, sign Jameer Nelson

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today the team has signed guard Jameer Nelson. And in a subsequent move, the Pelicans have waived guard Jordan Crawford.

Nelson, 6-0, 190, most recently played for the Denver Nuggets. In 148 games (59 starts) from 2014-17, Nelson averaged 8.9 points, 4.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds. Last season, Nelson averaged 9.2 points, 5.1 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 27.3 minutes over 75 games for Denver.

A 13-year NBA veteran, Nelson has appeared in 828 career regular season games (639 starts) with Orlando, Dallas, Boston and Denver, holding career averages of 11.7 points, 5.2 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 0.9 steals in 28.4 minutes per game. Additionally, Nelson has appeared in 44 career postseason games, averaging 15.0 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 0.8 steals. During the 2008-09 season, Nelson helped the Orlando Magic reach the NBA Finals.

Selected 20th overall by Denver in the 2004 NBA Draft out of St. Joseph’s (PA), Nelson was named an All-Star in 2009, averaging a career-best 16.7 points, 5.4 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.

Nelson will be available for New Orleans’ game tonight at the STAPLES Center against the Los Angeles Lakers.

In two games for New Orleans this season, Crawford, 6-4, 195, has averaged 9.0 points, 5.0 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 18.5 minutes.

Raptors waive K.J. McDaniels

The Toronto Raptors have waived forward K.J. McDaniels. McDaniels appeared in three preseason games, totaling six points, five rebounds and two blocks in 24 minutes. He was inactive for the first two games of the regular season. Toronto’s roster now stands at 16 players.

Bucks sign Joel Bolomboy to two-way contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Joel Bolomboy to a Two-Way contract.

Bolomboy, 23, was the 52nd overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. He appeared in 12 games with the Jazz in 2016-17 and averaged 1.8 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. The Weber State product also played 24 games for the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League and averaged 16.4 points and 13.2 rebounds per contest.

NBA rules permit teams 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 Bucks will provide services primarily for the team’s G League affiliate – the Wisconsin Herd – but can spend up to 45 days with Milwaukee, not including any time prior to the start of the Herd’s training camp and following the conclusion of the G League regular season.

Bolomboy will wear No. 24 for the Bucks.

Frank Ntilikina twists ankle in practice

We look forward to telling you about how Frank Ntilikina is doing in basketball games, but so far we’re forced to mention him a lot in regard to injuries. And it’s happened again. Hopefully minor. Here’s New York Newsday reporting:

On the eve of the Knicks’ home opener, first-round draft pick Frank Ntilikina had to be helped off the practice court Friday after twisting his left ankle in the final minutes of practice.

Ntilikina writhed in pain at the baseline for several minutes before leaving practice. He later told the Knicks’ staff that he injured the ankle when he changed direction while boxing out for a rebound.

“Looked like I thought he maybe stepped on Willy’s [Hernangomez’s] foot,” coach Jeff Hornacek said shortly after the incident. “He went to box him out and it looked like he stepped on his foot. Hopefully, it’s not too bad.”

Full article

Alexis Ajinca out with knee injury

New Orleans Pelicans center Alexis Ajinca sustained an injury to his knee patellar tendonitis, the team announced today.

Ajinca underwent successful bilateral knee injections yesterday by Pelicans Director of Medical Services/Head Team Physician Dr. Misty Suri and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

Fortunately for the Pelicans, they’re super-strong at the center and power forward spots, with DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis as starters. Ajinca is a backup, but will still be missed.

Hawks hire Michelle Leftwich as Vice President of Salary Cap Administration

The Atlanta Hawks have hired veteran NBA executive Michelle Leftwich as Vice President of Salary Cap Administration, the team announced today.

In this role, Leftwich will assist and advise Hawks General Manager and Head of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk with all aspects of the league’s salary cap rules, as well as player contract planning matters.

“Michelle’s expertise and knowledge of the CBA and its complexities will be a great asset to the Hawks,” Schlenk said. “She is widely respected throughout the NBA and brings a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge that will benefit our organization.”

Leftwich joins the organization after 21 years at the league office, including the last 10 years as NBA Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, where she assisted Rick Buchanan, NBA General Counsel, and Dan Rube, NBA Deputy General Counsel, with a variety of legal matters. Her broad duties at the NBA involved salary cap and player contract matters, collective bargaining with the players’ union, player trade approvals, and operation of the CBA’s escrow and tax system.

Prior to joining the NBA in 1996, Leftwich worked for the New York law firm formerly known as Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker. A native of Buffalo, N.Y., she received her Bachelors of Science degree in Accounting from Canisius College and her Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law.

Kings add Jenny Boucek to coaching staff

The Sacramento Kings today have added Jenny Boucek as an Assistant Player Development Coach on Head Coach Dave Joerger’s staff.

With 18 years of professional coaching experience and two WNBA championships under her belt, Boucek returns to Sacramento after most recently serving as the head coach of the WNBA’s Seattle Storm for three seasons (2015-17). Her resume includes two-plus seasons at the helm as the head coach of the Sacramento Monarchs from 2007-09, where she led the team to a 40-41 record.

Boucek was involved in the WNBA since its inaugural season, suiting up for the Cleveland Rockers in 1997. Following a career-ending injury in 1998, she began her WNBA coaching career as an assistant with the Washington Mystics in 1999. She then spent three seasons (2000-02) in the same capacity with the Miami Sol. In her first stint with Seattle from 2003-05, Boucek was an assistant coach on staff that included the franchise’s first WNBA Championship in 2004. The Storm won their second WNBA crown in 2010 with Boucek on staff in a similar role. Boucek is distinguished as the first athlete to play in the WNBA and subsequently serve as both an assistant and head coach in the league.

Prior to joining the coaching ranks, the Tennessee native was voted Foreign Player of the Year after leading Keflavik to the Icelandic Championship and Icelandic Basketball Cup in 1998. A four-year starter at the University of Virginia from 1992-1996, Boucek helped lead the Cavaliers to four regular season ACC Championships and three NCAA Elite Eight appearances.

Knicks sign Isaiah Hicks to two-way contract

The Knicks have signed forward Isaiah Hicks to a Two-Way contract.

Hicks, 6-9, 230-pounds, is an undrafted rookie who most recently played for the Charlotte Hornets, appearing in one 2017 preseason game. The Oxford, NC-native averaged 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in his senior year for the 2017 NCAA National Champion University of North Carolina.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have two Two-Way players on their roster at any given time – Hicks joins center Luke Kornet on the Knicks. A Two-Way player will provide services primarily to the team’s G League affiliate – the Westchester Knicks – but can spend up to 45 days with New York, not including any time prior to the start of Westchester’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.

Gordon Hayward undergoes surgery

Celtics forward Gordon Hayward has undergone bony and ligamentous stabilization surgery for the fracture dislocation of his left ankle sustained on Opening Night. The surgery was performed by Drs. Mark Slovenkai and Brian McKeon at New England Baptist Hospital, assisted by Dr. Anthony Schena, following consultations with Dr. David Porter of Methodist Sports Medicine in Indianapolis.

No timetable has been set for Hayward’s return, but he is expected to make a full recovery, the Celtics say.

Just speculating, but unfortunately we don’t expect to see Hayward again for most, if not all, of this season.

Blazers sign Wade Baldwin to two-way contract

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Wade Baldwin to a two-way contract.

Baldwin, 21, averaged 3.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 12.3 minutes in 33 games (one start) as a rookie with the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2016-17 season.

With the introduction of two-way contracts, NBA rosters have grown from 15 spots to 17, adding a pair of two-way players that can spend up to 45 days on an NBA roster and the remaining time on an NBA G League roster. Baldwin, whose G League assignment has yet to be determined, joins CJ Wilcox as the team’s two-way roster players.

The 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft out of Vanderbilt, Baldwin (6-4, 200) posted averages of 12.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.33 steals and 28.2 minutes in 33 games (22 starts) with the NBA G League’s Iowa Energy last season.