The Minnesota Timberwolves announced today that the team has released guard Jermaine Taylor. The Wolves roster now stands at 17 players.
Taylor appeared in two preseason games and totaled 3 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 12 minutes.
Day: October 19, 2012
Landry Fields happy for fresh start with Raptors
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The Knicks had 18.7 million reasons not to bring back Landry Fields. But Fields had his own reasons for not wanting to return.
Fields, now a Toronto Raptor, said he needed a change and that he lost his confidence and comfort level after Carmelo Anthony was acquired.
“It was a fresh start,” Fields said before Friday night’s Knicks-Raptors preseason game at the Bell Centre. “I think I needed that. It couldn’t have come at a better time for me.
“It was an accumulation of things. I probably lost some confidence in myself. I couldn’t really adjust as well as I’d like to. Don’t want to put the blame on anybody else. It really was me; just couldn’t get it done.”
— Reported by Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday
Corey Maggette day-to-day after straining calf
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Corey Maggette’s availability is day-to-day after he strained his left calf muscle, Detroit Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said Friday.
Maggette, the Pistons elder statesman in terms of age (32) and experience (13 seasons), was injured with 2:44 left in the first quarter of Thursday’s 105-78 loss in Miami.
Maggette had played just 2:07 when he landed awkwardly after attempting a shot. He was assisted off the floor and did not return.
“The good thing is he went off the arena on crutches and today there was no crutches,” Frank said. “So that’s a positive. It’s one of those things we’ll evaluate on a day-to-day basis.”
— Reported by Brendan Savage of Michigan Live
Nene remains uncertain when he will return for Wizards
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Nene is trying to stay optimistic but remains uncertain about when he will be able to return because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Sidelined since he aggravated the injury while representing Brazil in the London Olympics last August, Nene visited a foot specialist in Baltimore this week and received electric stimulation treatment for the nagging problem.
“I was a little behind, than I thought,” Nene said, when explaining the reason for the treatment. “It’s still inflamed. I just want to take care of it the right way. But all the exercises, I’ve been doing fine. I’ve been listening. I’ve been obedient.”
— Reported by Michael Lee of the Washington Post (Blog)
Nets exercise MarShon Brooks option
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The Brooklyn Nets have exercised the third-year contract option on MarShon Brooks, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. Brooks is now signed through the 2013-14 season.
Brooks was selected 25 th overall by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft, and then traded to the Nets for the rights to the 27 th pick, JuJuan Johnson, and the Nets’ 2014 second round pick. Last season the 6-5 guard appeared in 56 games, with 47 starts, averaging 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 29 minutes per game. Brooks shot .428 (274-640) from the field and .764 (113-148) from the line. The Providence alum scored a career-high 24 points twice last season, vs. Orlando (2/2/12) and Miami (4/16/12). Brooks participated in the Rookie/Sophomore game during All-Star Weekend and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Cavaliers exercise options on Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised the third-year contract options on guard Kyrie Irving and forward/center Tristan Thompson, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.
“Kyrie and Tristan exemplify what we want to be as a team and franchise, both as players and as people,” said Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant. “They are dedicated, hard-working, talented individuals and we’re looking forward to their continued growth and success here in Cleveland as Cavaliers.”
The reigning Rookie of the Year, Irving, appeared in 51 games (all starts) in 2011-12, averaging 18.5 points on .469 shooting, 3.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.5 minutes per game.
Thompson played in 60 games (25 starts) and averaged 8.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 block in 23.7 minutes per game on his way to being named to the All-Rookie Second Team.
Landry Fields no longer has the couch Jeremy Lin slept on
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Everything has changed for Landry Fields as he took his fledgling career across the border. He now wears his black Raptors jersey proudly, changing from “6” to his college No. 2.
Worse, Fields no longer even has the famous couch that former Knicks teammate Jeremy Lin slept on in his apartment the night before his initial bust-out game vs. the Nets on Feb. 4 that spawned Linsanity.
“It was a rental couch,’’ Fields said at the morning shootaround before facing the Knicks Friday night at the Bell Centre. “I had to give it back. I wonder if they even know (the history). It’s probably boxed up.’’
— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post (Blog)
Wizards exercise contract options on J.Wall, T.Booker, K.Seraphin, J.Crawford, J.Vesely, C.Singleton
Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has exercised the fourth-year contract options on John Wall, Trevor Booker, Kevin Seraphin and Jordan Crawford while picking up the third-year contract options on Jan Vesely and Chris Singleton. Wall, Booker, Seraphin, Crawford, Vesely and Singleton are now signed through the 2013-14 season. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released.
“We have been able to bring in and develop this core group of talented, mature young players over the last several years, and we’re pleased to have them all signed through next season,” said Grunfeld. “Combining them with the veterans we’ve added gives us a solid foundation that can be competitive now while allowing us to continue to build towards future success.”
Wall was selected first overall by Washington in the 2010 NBA Draft. Last season, the 6-4 guard appeared in all 66 games and averaged 16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.4 steals in 36.2 minutes per contest. He became the sixth fastest player in NBA history (124 games) to reach the 2,000 points/1,000 assists plateau. In 135 career games, including 130 starts, Wall has averaged 16.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.6 steals in 37.0 minutes per contest.
Booker was selected 23rd overall by Minnesota in 2010 before his rights were traded by the Timberwolves to Washington on draft night. In 50 games (32 starts during the 2011-12 season) the Clemson alum averaged career-highs with 8.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 25.2 minutes per game. He averaged 10.6 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting .518 from the floor over his last 29 games of the season. In 115 career games, including 46 starts, Booker has averaged 6.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per contest while shooting .539 from the field and .639 from the stripe.
Seraphin, originally drafted 17th overall by Chicago in 2010, was traded to Washington along with Kirk Hinrich and cash considerations in exchange for the rights to Vladimir Veremeenko. Last season the native of Cayenne, French Guiana, appeared in 57 games while averaging 7.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 20.6 minutes per contest. In 21 games as a starter, he averaged 14.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. In 115 career games, including 22 starts, Seraphin has averaged 5.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 15.7 minutes.
Crawford was selected 27th overall by New Jersey in 2010 before his draft rights were traded to Atlanta along with the draft rights to Tibor Pleiss in exchange for the rights to Damion James on June 24, 2010. He was then traded to Washington along with Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans and first-round draft pick in exchange for Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong. In 2011-12, the Xavier product appeared in 64 games (32 starts) and averaged career-highs with 14.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 27.4 minutes. In 106 career games, including 50 starts, Crawford has averaged 13.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 26.2 minutes.
Vesely was drafted sixth overall in 2011 by Washington. The Ostrava, Czech Republic native appeared in 57 games as a rookie, including 20 starts. He posted averages of 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per contest. The 6-11 forward shot .537 from the field and .532 from the line on the season, including 8.5 points and 7.0 rebounds over the last 15 games of the season.
Singleton was selected by Washington with the 18th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. The Florida State alum appeared in all 66 games, becoming the first Wizards rookie to appear in every contest since the 1981-82 season. He averaged 4.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game.
Dirk Nowitzki out 6 weeks after knee surgery
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The Dallas Mavericks announced today that Dirk Nowitzki underwent arthroscopic surgery to his right knee. The surgery was performed at Texas Sports Medicine by team orthopedic surgeon T.O. Souryal. Nowitzki is expected to resume on-court activities within approximately 6 weeks.
Nowitzki has missed the last three preseason games with right knee effusion. His lone preseason appearance took place in Berlin on Oct. 6 when Nowitzki scored 8 points in 34 minutes of action.
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With Jason Terry gone, Vince Carter down to be Mavs 6th man
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“I’m down for it,” Carter said when asked if he wanted to be the new sixth man. “I’ll come in and help the team, remain verbal — I do that well. I just try to keep us going forward and not regress. When the second unit comes on the floor, they have to keep it going. I just try to do a little bit of everything to help the team.”
Carter has all the requirements of a good sixth man. He can shoot the 3-pointer. He still has the capacity to get to the rim and he’s not afraid to do other things besides score, as his seven rebounds in 19 minutes against Phoenix on Wednesday suggest. But he also had 15 rapid-fire points in his time on the court. That sort of production looks and sounds sixth-man worthy.
Terry proved that the sixth-man job is a crucial one for the Mavericks. It started with Don Nelson more than a decade ago. He always tried to have a designated scorer off the bench, whether it was Antawn Jamison (a sixth-man of the year) or Jerry Stackhouse or Nick Van Exel.
— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News