October 2017 – Page 7 – NBA Blog

Bucks sign Gary Payton II to two-way contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Gary Payton II to a Two-Way contract.

Payton II, 24, originally signed with Milwaukee on April 2 and played in six games during the 2016-17 season where he averaged 3.3 points, 2.2 assists and 2.0 rebounds. He appeared in four preseason games and averaged 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

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.

Timberwolves hire Shawn Parker as public address announcer

The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced the hire of Shawn Parker as the team’s public address announcer. The hire follows an extensive search that drew over 400 interested applicants.

Shawn Parker, a Washington D.C. native, has an extensive sports background and is certified by the National Association of Sports Public Address Announcers (NASPAA). Shawn was most recently the PA announcer at George Washington University and for the Women’s Football Alliance’s three-time national Champion D.C. Divas. He has also been the hockey voice of the 2015 World Police and Fire Games and the 2016 USA Hockey High School National Championships, as well as has experience as a boxing announcer for several D.C.-based champions including world light middleweight champion, Jarrett “Swift” Hurd.

Many key Knicks are still very young

Here’s the New York Post reporting on the Knicks, who have a lot of young players, along with some non-star veterans:

The Knicks grew their 25-and-under battalion from five players to seven with the Anthony blockbuster. Kanter and sharpshooter Doug McDermott, likely their sixth man, are both 25.

The former OKC duo joined fellow 25-year-old Tim Hardaway Jr., their starting shooting guard; French rookie first-rounder, point guard Frank Ntilikina (19); starting power forward Kristaps Porzingis (22); center Willy Hernangomez, (23), who likely backs up Kanter; and backup guard Ron Baker (24). Rookie second-round pick Damyean Dotson, 23, is knocking on the door for admittance to the Baby Knicks club.

For now, it probably will look dirty. The five projected starters have been put in grander positions than they’re accustomed.

Full article

Spurs sign LaMarcus Aldridge to contract extension

The San Antonio Spurs have signed LaMarcus Aldridge to a contract extension.

The extension is reportedly a three-year deal, worth around $72 million.

The 2017-18 season will mark Aldridge’s third year with the Silver and Black after originally signing with the team on July 9, 2015. An 11-year NBA veteran, he is just one of three players, along with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, to score 1,000 points or more in each of the last 10 seasons. Aldridge has been named to the All-NBA Team four times (Second Team in 2015, Third Team in 2011, 2014 and 2016), earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 2007, and has been selected as an All-Star five times (2012-2016).

In Aldridge’s first two seasons with the Spurs, San Antonio posted back-to-back 60-plus win seasons for the first time in team history going a franchise-best 67-15 in 2015-16 and 61-21 during the 2016-17 season. In 146 games with the Silver and Black, Aldridge is averaging 17.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.16 blocks in 31.5 minutes while shooting .495 (1,036-2,094) from the field and .836 (479-573) from the foul line. During the 2015-16 season he was selected to the All-NBA Third Team and was named an All-Star for the fifth time in his career. Aldridge has appeared in 26 playoff games with the Spurs, averaging 18.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.15 blocks in 33.6 minutes in the postseason.
Originally drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the second overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Aldridge was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers in a draft-night trade. He spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Trail Blazers where he appeared in 648 regular season games, averaging 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.02 blocks in 35.5 minutes. He is the Trail Blazers all-time leader in rebounds (5,434), second in points (12,562), and fourth in games played (648) and blocked shots (658). His 234 double-doubles also rank first all-time in Trail Blazers history.

In 794 regular season NBA games, Aldridge has averaged 19.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.04 blocks in 34.5 minutes. The 32-year-old has appeared in 60 playoff games, averaging 20.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.52 blocks and 1.5 assists in 37.5 minutes.

Prior to his NBA career, Aldridge spent two seasons at the University of Texas (2004-06). He was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of The Year and was selected to the All-Big 12 First Team as a sophomore.

Timberwolves waive Amile Jefferson, Melo Trimble and Shawne Williams

The Minnesota Timberwolves finalized their 2017-18 Opening Night roster on Saturday, October 14 by waiving Amile Jefferson, Melo Trimble and Shawne Williams.

The Wolves open their 29th season of basketball on Wednesday, October 18 at the San Antonio Spurs at 8:30 pm CT. Opening night will be broadcast on ESPN, Fox Sports North and the radio home of the Wolves, 830 WCCO. The team’s home opener is Friday, October 20 vs. the Utah Jazz.

Magic sign Jamel Artis to two-way contract

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Jamel Artis to a two-way contract.

Artis (#0, 6’7”, 215, 1/12/93) played in 135 career games (98 starts) during four years at the University of Pittsburgh, averaging 12.6 ppg., 4.6 rpg. and 2.3 apg. in 27.6 minpg., while shooting .378 (170-450) from three-point range. He finished his career as one of only three players in Pitt history to record at least 1,600 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists. Artis was named Third Team All-ACC by the coaches in 2014-15 and earned All-ACC Academic Team honors in 2013-14. As a senior (2016-17), he played in 32 games (31 starts), averaging 18.2 ppg., 4.9 rpg. and 3.3 apg. in 34.3 minpg. On Jan. 11, 2017 @ Louisville, Artis poured in a career-high 43 points.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to sign two players to two-way contracts in addition to the 15-man regular-season roster. A two-way player for Orlando will provide services to the team’s G League affiliate – the Lakeland Magic – but can spend up to 45 days with Orlando, not including any time prior to the start of Lakeland’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.

Dante Exum to undergo shoulder surgery on October 24, 2017

The following is a medical update from the Utah Jazz on guard Danté Exum who suffered a separated left shoulder on October 6 vs. Phoenix.

After further evaluation, Exum (6-6, 190, Australia) has elected to undergo surgery to stabilize the AC joint of his left shoulder. The surgery is scheduled to take place Tuesday, October 24 in Los Angeles. Further updates will be provided when appropriate.

Exum appeared in 66 games (26 starts) last season for Utah, averaging a career-high 6.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 18.6 minutes per contest. Additionally, the 22-year-old saw action in seven 2017 NBA Playoff games, owning averages of 4.6 points and 1.3 assists in 12.0 minutes per game.

Bucks add DeAndre Liggins

The Milwaukee Bucks have been awarded the contract of guard/forward DeAndre Liggins on a waiver claim. Liggins was waived by the Miami Heat on Oct. 14.

Appearing in 61 games for Cleveland last season, Liggins averaged 2.4 points and 1.7 rebounds per contest. He was waived by the Cavaliers on April 9 and claimed by Dallas on April 11. He played one game for the Mavericks and recorded eight points, seven rebounds and two steals.

Liggins, 29, was drafted by Orlando with the 53rd overall selection in the 2011 NBA Draft. He has also played for Oklahoma City and Miami in the NBA and averaged 2.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 119 career games. Liggins has played professionally in Russia and Germany (2014-15), and won a D-League (now G League) championship with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in 2016.

Mavericks convert Gian Clavell deal into two-way contract

The Dallas Mavericks have exercised the two-way player conversion option in the contract of guard Gian Clavell. This option makes Clavell the Mavericks second two-way player, along with Johnathan Motley.

Clavell (6-4, 185) was originally signed on August 1 and played in all six preseason games for the Mavericks. He averaged 8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 17.5 minutes per contest.

A native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, Clavell competed for the Miami Heat’s summer league teams in both Orlando and Las Vegas. In five games in Las Vegas, he averaged 12.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 24.6 minutes while shooting 45.2 percent (19-of-42) from the field, 40.6 percent (13-of-32) from 3-point range and 91.7 percent (11-of-12) from the foul line.

The former Colorado State standout went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft after earning Mountain West Player of the Year honors as a redshirt senior last season. In 27 games for the Rams in 2016-17, he averaged a MWC-best 20.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.0 steals in 36.6 minutes.

Clavell spent two years at Northwest Kansas Technical College (2012-14) before transferring to CSU. He attended high school in Miami (at Hialeah Gardens HS), as did fellow Mavericks guard J.J. Barea (Miami Christian School), who also hails from Puerto Rico.

The 2017-18 season will mark the first year NBA two-way contracts will be implemented. NBA teams are allowed to have up to two players under two-way contracts who will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League and not more than 45 days with their NBA team.

Two-way players are paid a corresponding daily amount based on the number of days they play in each league. Only players with four-or-fewer years of NBA experience are able to sign two-way contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons.

Bulls waive Jarell Eddie and Diamond Stone, and add Kay Felder

The Chicago Bulls have waived forward Jarell Eddie and center Diamond Stone, and claimed guard Kay Felder off waivers.

Felder (5-9, 176) played in four games (1 start) this preseason for the Cleveland Cavaliers before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks, and then waived by the Hawks, on Oct. 14. He averaged 7.3 points, 1.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.00 steals per game in preseason play.

In his rookie season in 2016-17, Felder appeared in 42 games for Cleveland (no starts) and averaged 4.0 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 9.2 minutes per game. In 11 games (11 starts) with the Canton Charge of the G League, he put up 29.9 points per game to go along with 3.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.55 steals per game. Atlanta selected Felder at No. 54 in the 2016 NBA Draft, and he was then acquired by Cleveland on draft night.