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The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have waived forward Josh Powell.
Powell was signed by the Spurs on Sept. 27 and saw action in six preseason games, averaging 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.7 minutes.
The Spurs roster now stands at 14.
The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have exercised the third-year options on guard Cory Joseph and forward Kawhi Leonard. Both are now signed through the 2013-14 season.
An early entry candidate out of the University of Texas, Joseph was selected by the Spurs in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft with the 28th overall pick. Last season he appeared in 29 games, averaging 2.0 points and 1.2 assists in 9.2 minutes. In his first career start, Joseph tallied a season-high 13 points and 3 assists in 37 minutes at Portland on Feb. 21. The former Longhorn was assigned to the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League on three separate occasions where he saw action in 14 games, averaging 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.29 steals in 32.9 minutes.
Joseph posted a triple-double with the Toros finishing with 15 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists vs. Maine Red Claws on March 23 earning him NBA D-League Performer of the Week honors for games played through March 19-25. During the summer Joseph played on the Spurs 2012 Las Vegas Summer League team, averaging a team-best 17.0 points, 5.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.80 steals in 33.0 minutes in five games garnering him Summer League All-Star honors.
Leonard joined the Spurs in a 2011 draft night deal that saw the Silver and Black send George Hill to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Leonard’s rights, along with Davis Bertans and Erazem Lorbek. The Pacers originally selected Leonard with the 15th overall pick. An All-Rookie First Team selection, Leonard appeared in 64 games, averaging 7.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.33 steals in 24.0 minutes. His 39 starts were the most by a Spurs rookie in the Popovich era since Tony Parker started 72 games during the 2001-02 season.
The former San Diego State Aztec scored in double figures 24 times during the regular season, while shooting .493 (199-404) from the floor and .376 (41-109) from three-point range. Among NBA rookies, Leonard ranked third in steals, third in field goal percentage, fourth in rebounding, fifth in three-point field goal percentage and 13th in scoring. He posted four double-doubles on the season and was one of just four rookies to record four-or-more double-doubles. Leonard started in all 14 playoff games for the Silver and Black, averaging 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.21 steals in 27.1 minutes.
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New Orleans Hornets guard Austin Rivers appeared to badly roll his injured right ankle again Friday night with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter of the team’s exhibition finale against the Miami Heat. It is the second time in five days he has sustained an ankle injury.
Rivers sprained his ankle on Monday night in Dallas against the Mavericks.
Rivers appeared to get tangled within himself after slipping as Miami guard Norris Cole, who was guarding Rivers, ran past him. Rivers then fell backward, twisting the ankle again.
— Reported by Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune
New York Knicks Executive Vice President and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has waived guard Chris Smith.
Smith, 6-2, 195-pounds, did not appear in any preseason games after undergoing left patella tendon surgery.
The roster stands at 19 players.
The league roster maximum is 15 players, so the Knicks must still part ways with at least four more guys.
The Boston Celtics announced today that they have waived forwards Micah Downs and Rob Kurz.
Downs, a 6’8 forward, appeared in seven games for the Celtics during preseason and averaged 3.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per game. Downs posted a high of six points in 14 minutes against New York on October 20. He also grabbed seven rebounds against New York on October 13.
Kurz, a 6’9 forward, appeared in six games for the Celtics during the preseason and averaged 1.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game. Kurz posted a high of five points in two separate games while recording a high of four rebounds against New York on October 20.
The Celtics roster now stands at 15.
Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that the team has exercised the third-year options on forward Bismack Biyombo and guard Kemba Walker.
Biyombo was the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and his rights were acquired by the Bobcats from Sacramento in a three-team trade that also included Milwaukee. Biyombo appeared in 63 games with 41 starts as a rookie, averaging 5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 23.1 minutes. He also led the team in rebounds and blocks last season. In seven preseason games this season, Biyombo has averaged 3.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
Walker was selected by the Bobcats with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He appeared in 66 games as a rookie, averaging 12.2 points, 4.4 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 0.9 steals in 27.2 minutes. He also recorded the third triple-double in Bobcats history with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds on Jan. 28, 2012 against Washington. In six preseason games this season, Walker has averaged 14.0 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals.
The Sacramento Kings today requested waivers on forwards Tony Mitchell, Willie Reed and center Hamady Ndiaye, according to Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.
Mitchell, a 6-6, 210-pound forward from the University of Alabama, averaged 1.7 points (2-2 FG, 1-1 3pt), 0.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and 5.3 minutes per game in three preseason contests for the Kings. Mitchell played for the Kings during the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
Reed, a 6-9, 220-pound forward from Saint Louis University, averaged 0.8 points (1-3 FG, 1-2 FT), 1.0 rebounds, and 2.8 minutes per game in four preseason games.
Ndiaye, a 7-0, 235-pound center from Rutgers, averaged 0.7 points (1-4 FG, 2-4 FT), 1.2 rebounds, and 4.8 minutes per game in six preseason contests. Ndiaye had played two NBA seasons with the Washington Wizards.
The Kings’ roster now stands at 14 players. The deadline for teams to turn in their rosters to the NBA is Monday, October 29, by 2 p.m. PDT. Sacramento opens its season on the road on October 31 at Chicago at 5:00 p.m. PDT. The Kings host Golden State on Monday, November 5 at 7 p.m. PDT in their first home game of the 2012-13 season.
The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have waived forwards JaMychal Green and Wesley Witherspoon.
Green was signed by the Spurs on Oct. 22. He did not appear in any preseason games.
Witherspoon joined the Spurs on Sept. 27 and saw action in three preseason games, averaging 8.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 15.7 minutes.
The Miami Heat announced today that they have waived forwards Rodney Carney and Jarvis Varnado.
Carney appeared in five games with the HEAT this preseason, averaging 6.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 13.6 minutes. He originally signed with Miami on September 27, 2012.
Varnado did not appear in a game with the HEAT this preseason. He originally signed with Miami on September 7, 2012.
The Heat’s roster now stands at 16.
Utah Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey announced today that the team has waived forward Darnell Jackson and guard Chris Quinn. Following the moves, Utah’s roster now stands at 15 players. Utah opens the regular season on October 31 at EnergySolutions Arena when the team will host the Dallas Mavericks at 7 p.m. (ROOT, 1280 AM/97.5 FM).
Jackson (6-9, 265, Kansas) appeared in six preseason games for Utah, averaging 1.7 points in 5.7 minutes per game. Quinn (6-2, 175, Notre Dame) played in five preseason contests, averaging 1.8 points and 1.4 assists in 6.0 minutes.