Clippers sign Jordan Hamilton for remainder of season

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today they have signed forward Jordan Hamilton for the remainder of the season.

Hamilton appeared in eight games (two starts) for the Clippers averaging 4.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 9.6 minutes.

Hamilton, who was the 40th GATORADE call-up of the 2014-15 season, appeared in 27 games (22 starts) for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League and averaged 18.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 28.6 minutes.

Originally drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft, Hamilton was traded to the Denver Nuggets on Draft Day. He has career averages of 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 13.1 minutes over 134 games (17 starts) with the Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Clippers.

The Los Angeles native spent two years at the University of Texas, earning second team All-American by the USBWA following his sophomore season. He averaged 14.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists for his career at Texas over 70 games.

Bucks: No timetable for return of OJ Mayo, Jared Dudley

Bucks: No timetable for return of OJ Mayo, Jared Dudley

Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel blog with a health update on the banged-up Bucks:

Bucks: No timetable for return of OJ Mayo, Jared Dudley

It doesn’t sound like key reserves O.J. Mayo and Jared Dudley will be back soon.

Bucks coach Jason Kidd said at Friday’s shootaround that there is “no timetable” for the return of the two players, both sidelined by injuries. Mayo is out with a right hamstring injury and Dudley has a lower back issue.

Mayo and Dudley accompanied the team on its last road trip but were sent home when the Bucks arrived in New Orleans, in an effort to get better treatment for their injuries.

Mayo played 27 minutes against Utah on Feb. 28 but has played very limited minutes in just two games since then. Dudley has been out the last three games after trying to fight through knee and back ailments.

LeBron misses shootaround due to illness

LeBron misses shootaround due to illness

LeBron James is human, people. Like you, he occasionally doesn’t feel well. And can get ill. These things happen, even to LeBron. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

LeBron misses shootaround due to illness

LeBron James missed the Cleveland Cavaliers’ shootaround with illness and is questionable for the team’s home game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.

James, who attended the team’s practice on Thursday, last missed a game on Feb. 27, which also was against the Pacers. He has missed 11 games this season — mostly to rest a sore back and wrist — and the Cavs are just 2-9 in those games.

Kevin Durant removed from basketball activities

Kevin Durant removed from basketball activities

This is bad news. Bad for Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the NBA in general. We all want Kevin Durant back in action. But his foot isn’t cooperating with us. Here’s the Oklahoman reporting:

Kevin Durant removed from basketball activities

Kevin Durant is being removed from basketball activities and will be out indefinitely, Thunder general manager Sam Presti announced Friday.

Durant has experienced multiple setbacks from an October surgery to repair a fractured bone in his right foot. He was expected to return to the lineup next week.

“He’s not making the progress that we had hoped and anticipated him making,” Presti said. “He still has some soreness in his foot, and the protocol that’s in place calls for him to be able to compete on the floor without that at this stage.”

Durant underwent a second surgery on Feb. 22 to alleviate persistent swelling, which was said to have stemmed from the screw that was initially placed in his foot pressing against another bone in the foot. In the second surgery, the original screw was replaced with a new screw that didn’t have a head that would push against the other bone.

James Harden drops 50-point game on Nuggets

Even the biggest stars of the Houston Rockets’ past couldn’t outshine James Harden on Thursday night.

Harden scored a career-high 50 points with 10 rebounds to lead the Rockets to a 118-108 win over the Denver Nuggets on a night when the team celebrated the 20th anniversary of the franchise’s back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995.

Harden got a boost by knowing players such as Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler were watching from the front row.

“That’s a special group right there,” Harden said.

— Associated Press