February 8, 2013 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Pistons center Andre Drummond injured, out 4-6 weeks

The Detroit Pistons announced this evening that Andre Drummond will be out of the line-up for approximately 4-6 weeks due to a stress fracture of the fifth lumbar vertebra. The injury was diagnosed following examinations conducted on Thursday, February 7 by team medical personnel.

Drummond has been placed in a custom brace and activity levels will be modified while the injury heals. He will be re-evaluated on a regular basis. Team doctors anticipate a full recovery with rest and rehabilitation.

The 6-foot-11 forward has appeared in 50 games this season averaging 7.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.68 blocks in 19.7 minutes per game.

leads all NBA rookies in rebounds (7.5 rpg) and ranks second in blocks (1.68 bpg), fourth in steals (0.94 spg) and eighth in points (7.3 ppg).

Grizzlies say they will not trade Zach Randolph this season

The Grizzlies say they will not trade Zach Randolph this season.

The team has fielded calls proposing trades for its all-star, but Griz CEO Jason Levien said he told Randolph on Thursday that he won’t be dealt this season. NBA teams have been told the Grizzlies aren’t looking to move the 31-year-old forward, who averages 15.7 points and 11.7 rebounds.

Randolph, speaking after the Grizzlies’ Friday morning shootaround in FedExForum, said he hadn’t been bothered by the trade speculation.

— Reported by Ron Higgins and Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal

Shawn Marion says bad teams should not try to trade for him

The Feb. 21 NBA trade deadline is approaching. Shawn Marion doesn’t know if his name will be wafting in trade winds, but he says this much for certain:

“The thing is, right now, you come into a position like I am, this is my 14th season,” Marion, 34, said after practice Friday. “If I’m going to get traded, they’re going to tell me what’s going on and where I’m going.

“Because if I’m going to a (crummy) situation, I’m not going. It’s just that simple.”

Marion does not have the ability, by contract, to veto trades, but he does have a 15-percent trade-kicker clause.

— Reported by Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News

Celtics once again assign Fab Melo to D-League

The Boston Celtics today re-assigned rookie center Fab Melo to the Maine Red Claws, the Celtics’ NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment is the record 126th of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, and is the sixth for Melo this year. He is one of a record 52 NBA players who’ve been assigned to the NBA D-League this season.

Melo (7-0, 215, Syracuse) returns to the Red Claws where he previously appeared in 19 games, averaging 11.3points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.6 blocks in 27.7 minutes per game.

Originally selected in the first round (22nd overall) by Boston in the 2012 NBA Draft, he has played in two games for the Celtics this season, scoring two points in eight minutes.

Melo is expected to join the Red Claws today and be available tonight when the team hosts the Bakersfield Jam.

Cavs may give Greg Oden a contract offer later this February

The Cavs are expected to offer free agent center Greg Oden a two-year contract with a team option for a third year after the Feb. 21 trade deadline passes, a league source said. The contract would begin immediately.

The Cavs have about $4 million in cap space, which they are preserving now for potential trades. Teams around the league don’t want to sign Oden until after the trade deadline.

Oden has visited with the Boston Celtics and could meet again with the Cavs in the coming weeks, his agent said Friday.

Oden is living nearby in Columbus. His agent, Mike Conley Sr., said last week Oden has been to see the Cavs a couple of times already, but was evasive when pressed as to what capacity.

“Greg has been up there (to Cleveland) before and he’ll probably be up there again in an official capacity,” Conley said Friday.

— Reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal

Hawks listening to trade offers for Josh Smith

The Atlanta Hawks are entertaining trade offers around the league for forward Josh Smith, but have yet to decide whether they will deal the ninth-year forward, according to league sources.

The Hawks met with Smith’s representatives this week, at which point the team indicated it was not willing to give Smith a max contract after this season, according to a source.

Smith, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution late last month that he believes he’s a max player, which would mean he’d be in line for a five-year deal worth around $94 million from Atlanta.

But the Hawks, which expect to be major players next summer in free agency or through trades, do not want to tie up that kind of money going forward.

Smith, according to a source, is prepared to move on.

— Reported by David Aldridge of NBA.com/TNT

Nets, Bobcats discuss a Kris Humphries, Ben Gordon trade

The Nets and Bobcats have had discussions about a trade that would send Charlotte’s Ben Gordon to Brooklyn for Kris Humphries, according to league sources.

The talks are ongoing, but sources said no trade is imminent.

A Gordon-for-Humphries trade works financially as both players make $12 million a year.

The Nets’ interest in Gordon stems from their need for better ways to space the floor. Ranked 21st in the league in 3-point shooting, Brooklyn regularly has seen opponents clog the lane.

— Reported by Chris Broussard of ESPN the Magazine

Miami Heat sign Chris Andersen for remainder of season

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed forward/center Chris Andersen for the remainder of the season.

Andersen, who was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the Heat on January 20 and then re-signed to a second 10-day contract on January 30, has appeared in six games with Miami this season averaging 3.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 10.8 minutes.

Andersen, a 10-year NBA veteran, appeared in 32 games (one start) with Denver last season and averaged 5.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.44 blocks and 15.2 minutes while shooting 54.6 percent from the field.

Sixers guard Jason Richardson needs knee surgery, out for season

Philadelphia 76ers guard Jason Richardson will undergo surgery on his left knee and will miss the remainder of the 2012-13 season.

The Sixers are currently scheduling a date and time for surgery, which will be performed by Dr. Jonathan Glashow of Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York.

Richardson started 33 games for the Sixers this season, averaging 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.21 steals in 28.4 minutes per game. He recorded 40 steals with just 26 turnovers and would rank third in the NBA in steal-to-turnover ratio (1.54) if he qualified. Richardson missed the past eight games with left knee synovitis.

At 21-27, the Sixers are in 9th place in the Eastern conference. A rough season only gets rougher with this latest injury news.

The team is still waiting for new center Andrew Bynum to be healthy enough to play.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, ““I have a hole the size of a quarter in my cartilage,” Richardson said. “They told me that there is the possibility that if I don’t do something about it eventually it will be bone on bone. I have a life after basketball and I have kids. So I’m going to take care of it.” Richardson said he plans to have the surgery done next week in New York by Dr. Jonathan Glashow. Glashow was one of the examining physicians. Richardson is making $5.8 million this season and is schedule to make $6.2 million next season, the last year on his contract. Richardson has said that he wants to play beyond his current contract.”

Timberwolves sign Mickael Gelabale and center Chris Johnson for rest of season

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed forward Mickael Gelabale and center Chris Johnson for the remainder of the 2012-13 NBA season. The Timberwolves also announced the team has waived forward/center Lou Amundson.

Gelabale, 6-7, has played in 10 games for the Wolves this season, registering averages of 6.5 points, on .543 shooting, and 3.0 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per contest. Gelabale, 29, was signed to a second 10-day contract on January 29 after originally joining the Wolves on a 10-day contract on January 19 after splitting his time playing in Croatia and Spain earlier this season. In 119 career games with Minnesota and Seattle, Gelabale owns averages of 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per contest.

Johnson, 6-11, has appeared in six games for the Wolves this season, averaging 9.3 points, on .733 (22-for-30) shooting, and 4.0 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. Johnson, 27, was signed to a second 10-day contract on January 29 after originally joining the Wolves on a 10-day contract on January 19 from the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Developmental League. Johnson was a free agent invitee at the Wolves training camp this past fall before being waived on Oct. 27, 2012. In 47 career NBA games, Johnson has averaged 3.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game with Minnesota, New Orleans, Portland and Boston.

Amundson, who the Wolves originally signed as a free agent on September 25, saw action in 20 games this season, totaling averages of 1.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 8.1 minutes per game. Amundson has put up career averages of 3.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in 308 NBA games with Minnesota, Indiana, Golden State, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Utah.

With today’s transactions the Wolves roster stands at 15 players.