Suns forward/center Alan Williams out six months

Suns forward/center Alan Williams out six months

Phoenix Suns forward/center Alan Williams today underwent a meniscus repair of his right knee. The procedure was performed by Head Team Physician Dr. Tom Carter in Phoenix. Williams is expected to return to full basketball activity in approximately six months.

The Suns’ 2016-17 Majerle Hustle Award winner, Williams averaged 11.4 points and 9.1 rebounds with 12 double-doubles in 24 games after the All-Star break last season. He led the Suns with 15 double-doubles overall and ranked third in the NBA with 15 double-doubles off the bench. Playing in his second NBA season, the 24-year-old averaged career-bests of 7.4 points and 6.2 rebounds in 47 total games. A Phoenix native, Williams initially joined the Suns in March 2016 and re-signed to a multiyear contract with the team on July 26, 2017.

Suns re-sign Alex Len

Suns re-sign Alex Len

Center Alex Len is once again a member of the Phoenix Suns.

According to the Arizona Republic, the team signed Len to a one-year, $4.2 million qualifying offer.

Len, a 7-1, 250-pound center, has played his first four professional seasons with the Suns, increasing his per-36-minute averages in points and rebounds in each season of his career. In 2016-17, Len played 77 games (34 starts), averaging 8.0 points on 49.7 percent shooting, 6.6 rebounds and a team-high 1.27 blocks, which ranked 17th on the NBA leaderboard. In his 34 starts, Len averaged 9.3 points on 51.9 percent shooting, 7.8 rebounds and 1.47 blocks in 23.0 minutes.

Originally selected by the Suns with the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Len holds career averages of 6.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.06 blocks and 19.8 minutes in 266 games (127 starts). Through four seasons, the 24-year-old already ranks 12th in Suns franchise history with 283 blocked shots. Len averaged career-highs of 9.0 points and 7.6 rebounds 78 appearances in 2015-16, as he is one of only four seven-footers to appear in at least 77 games in each of the past two seasons, along with Karl-Anthony Towns, Robin Lopez and Steven Adams.

A native of Antratsit, Ukraine, Len played two seasons at the University of Maryland before declaring as an early entry candidate for the 2013 NBA Draft.

The Suns’ roster now stands at 20

Cavaliers hire Nic Barlage as President of Business Operations

Cavaliers hire Nic Barlage as President of Business Operations

Nic Barlage has been named President of Business Operations for the Cleveland Cavaliers organization. Barlage comes to the Cavaliers from the Phoenix Suns organization where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer. Prior to that, Barlage was part of the Cavaliers organization for five seasons where he was most recently Vice President of Sales and Service before departing for Phoenix in 2014. The announcement was made by Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena CEO Len Komoroski.

Under Komoroski’s leadership, Barlage will oversee all business areas of the Cavaliers organization. In addition to Barlage’s appointment, announcements related to the following current senior leadership team members with the Cavs organization were also made: Tad Carper has been named Executive Vice President / Communications, Mozelle Jackson is now Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, Tracy Marek has been named Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, and Brad Sims has been named Executive Vice President / Chief Revenue Officer and Franchise Operations. In addition, Mike Conley was recently named Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer.

During Barlage’s previous time with the Cavaliers he oversaw all ticketing and suite revenue at Quicken Loans Arena and helped to rebuild the Cavaliers’ sales and service teams over the span of five seasons. Prior to his tenure in Cleveland, Barlage spent one season with the Suns and two seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats specializing in suite and premium seating.

Barlage graduated from Saint John’s University (Minn.).

Raptors sign Andy Rautins to training camp roster

Training camp is opening. The Toronto Raptors will train Tuesday, September 26 through Friday, September 29 at Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA) on the University of Victoria campus. This marks the fourth consecutive year the Raptors will hold training camp in British Columbia and fifth time in team history.

Raptors sign Andy Rautins to training camp roster

The Raptors also announced they have signed guard Andy Rautins.

Rautins, 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, averaged 11.9 points, 4.7 assists and 32.6 minutes in 30 games with Gaziantep (Turkey-BSL) last season. He was picked 38th overall by the New York Knicks in the 2010 NBA Draft. Rautins played collegiately at Syracuse (2005-10), where he averaged 8.8 points in 127 career games.

The Raptors’ roster now stands at 20 players.

Pelicans re-sign Dante Cunningham

Pelicans re-sign Dante Cunningham

The New Orleans Pelicans have re-signed forward Dante Cunningham.

Cunningham, 6-8, 230, originally signed with New Orleans on December 4, 2014. In 212 regular season games with New Orleans, Cunningham has averaged 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 24.9 minutes per game. Last season, Cunningham appeared in 66 games (35 starts) for the Pelicans, averaging 6.6 points while shooting .392 from three-point range, and 4.2 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per contest.

Originally drafted 33rd overall by Portland in the 2009 NBA Draft out of Villanova, Cunningham has appeared in 578 career regular season games with Portland, Charlotte, Memphis, Minnesota and New Orleans, with career averages of 6.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 21.4 minutes.

Rockets add Bobby Brown and Chris Johnson to training camp

The Houston Rockets have re-signed guard Bobby Brown and signed free agent guard/forward Chris Johnson in advance of training camp, which will take place from Tuesday, Sept. 26 through Monday, Oct. 2.

Brown joined the Rockets prior to the start of last season after spending the previous six years playing overseas. Over his final 14 games played in 2016-17, Brown shot 50.0% from the floor. He shot 40.0% from 3-point range during the regular season and 45.5% in the playoffs.

Johnson is a four-year veteran, most recently appearing in 70 games for Utah in 2015-16. He spent last season playing for the Rockets G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley, averaging 13.5 points and 6.2 rebounds. Johnson was also the Rockets second-leading scorer at MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2017 with 14.0 ppg on 50.0% shooting.

The Rockets five-game preseason opens on Tuesday, Oct. 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. and concludes at home against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, Oct. 13. For the second straight year, the Rockets will host the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association at Toyota Center on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Bulls sign Jarell Eddie and Jaylen Johnson to training camp roster

The Chicago Bulls announced today the signing of free agents Jarell Eddie and Jaylen Johnson to round out their 2017-18 training camp roster.

Eddie (6-7, 218) saw action in five games for the Phoenix Suns last season, along with 45 appearances in the NBA G League for the Austin Spurs and Windy City Bulls. Eddie totaled 4.8 ppg and 1.4 rpg in 12.4 mpg for the Suns during a 10-day contract. In his G League action, he averaged 14.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg and 1.5 apg in 28.3 mpg total, including 17.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 2.0 apg in 20 games for the Windy City Bulls. The Tampa, Florida, native played in 26 games for the Washington Wizards in 2015-16, scoring 2.4 ppg in 5.7 mpg.

Johnson (6-9, 230) played three seasons at Louisville (2014-17). He saw action in 88 games (48 starts) in his three-year tenure with the Cardinals, improving his averages in every statistical category after each season. In his final season in 2016-17, Johnson started 26 games and played 20.5 mpg, posting 8.0 ppg and 5.8 rpg while shooting .589 from the floor.

Spurs add Amida Brimah to training camp

The San Antonio Spurs 2017-18 training camp roster stands at 19 players, and includes the addition of Amida Brimah.

Brimah (6-10/230) played four seasons at the University of Connecticut, averaging 7.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.64 blocks in 24.7 minutes over 33 games last year in his senior season. A native of Ghana, Brimah is UConn’s all-time leader in career field goal percentage (.637, 347-545) and ranks third in school history in career blocks (367) and blocks per game (2.76), helping the Huskies to the 2013-14 NCAA Championship.

Pistons add Beno Udrih, Derek Willis and Landry Nnoko to training camp

The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Beno Udrih, forward Derek Willis and center Landry Nnoko to training camp contracts.

Udrih, 6-4, 205, averaged 5.8 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 39 games with the Pistons last season. The 13-year NBA veteran has averaged 8.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 21.9 minutes in 831 career NBA games (272 starts) with San Antonio, Sacramento, Milwaukee, Orlando, Memphis, New York, Miami and Detroit.

Willis, 6-9, 211, played four seasons at the University of Kentucky and averaged 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 103 career games. Last season, he averaged 7.0 points and career-high 5.4 rebounds in a career-high 38 games as a senior.

Nnoko, 6-10, 255, played professionally overseas last season with VL Peasaro of the Italian League and averaged 6.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in 30 games (24 starts). Nnoko played four years at Clemson University (2012-2016) and averaged 5.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 128 collegiate games.

Thunder sign Bryce Alford, Markel Brown, Isaiah Canaan and Rashawn Thomas

The Oklahoma City Thunder signed guards Bryce Alford, Markel Brown, Isaiah Canaan and forward Rashawn Thomas.

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume the signings are only for training camp.

Alford (6-3, 185) spent four years at UCLA, leaving as the school’s No. 5 all-time leading scorer with 1,922 career points. He set UCLA’s career record for most three-pointers made (329), eclipsing a record previously set by Jason Kapono (317 three-pointers from 2000-03). In his career, Alford appeared in 141 total games and averaged 13.6 points and 3.8 assists per game.

Brown (6-3, 190) spent the 2016-17 season in Russia with BC Khimki, playing in 32 games and averaging 5.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist. The Oklahoma State product spent two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets and appeared in 109 games (35 starts) and averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

Canaan (6-0, 201) is a four-year NBA veteran, having spent the 2016-17 season with the Chicago Bulls. In 185 games (60 starts) with the Bulls, Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers, he averaged 8.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Thomas (6-8, 230) concluded his collegiate career with Texas A&M Corpus Christi as the all-time leading scorer (2,034 points). The Oklahoma City native was named the 2015-16 Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Southland.