October 9, 2018 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Warriors sign guard Will Cherry

The Golden State Warriors on Tuesday signed free agent guard Will Cherry.

It’s probably a non-guaranteed deal that will only last during preseason, which wraps up in a few days.

Cherry, 27, appeared in eight games with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2014-15 season, averaging 1.9 points and 1.0 assist in 8.6 minutes per game. The Oakland native went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft after a four-year career at the University of Montana and has played professionally with several international clubs: Cedevita Zagreb (Croatia) in 2017-18; Gaziantep Basketbol (Turkey) in 2016-17; Alba Berlin (Germany) in 2015-16 and Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania) in 2014-15.

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Grizzlies sign D.J. Stephens, waive Ismaila Kane

The Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday signed guard/forward D.J. Stephens to a two-way contract and waived forward Ismaila Kane.

Stephens (6-5, 188) played professionally last season in France, where he competed in 46 games (nine starts) and averaged 9.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 21.3 minutes to help guide Le Mans Sarthe Basket to the French LNB Pro A championship and earn the league’s Sixth Man of the Year Award. Most recently, he appeared in seven games for the Grizzlies during MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018 in Las Vegas, his second summer league stint with the Grizzlies.

The 27-year-old saw action in three NBA regular season games for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2013-14 season and split the 2015-16 season with the NBA G League’s Canton Charge and Iowa Energy (now Wolves). He holds NBA G League career averages of 10.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.03 steals and 1.26 blocks in 24.0 minutes in 38 games (29 starts). Stephens was named the NBA G League Performer of the Week on March 28, 2016 and competed in the 2016 Slam Dunk Contest as part of 2016 NBA G League All-Star Weekend.

Stephens went unselected in the 2013 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at the University of Memphis, where he was named the 2012-13 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. The Killeen, Texas native also has played professionally in Ukraine (2016-17), Puerto Rico (2016-17), Russia (2014-15), Greece (2013-14) and Turkey (2013-14).

Kane (6-9, 200) was signed by the Grizzlies on September 24 and made one preseason appearance, logging two minutes on October 5 vs. Atlanta. The Senegal native went unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft after playing 13 games last season for Atlanta Metropolitan of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Big game for Bulls from Zach LaVine

It’s just preseason, but still, a big game is a big game. Here’s NBC Sports Chicago reporting on Bulls guard Zach LaVine, who now has big responsibility on his young shoulders:

The Bulls once again struggled defensively in Monday night’s 110-104 loss to the Charlotte Hornets…

Jabari Parker will have better nights: At least we hope he does. It was a second (third, really) consecutive disappointing outing – for the Bulls’ top free agent…

Zach LaVine still looks like it’s all coming together

On the flip side, the Bulls’ other large offseason investment continues to produce. Zach LaVine was arguably the best player on the floor (when taking the Bulls’ defense into consideration). He scored 26 points on just 15 shots, a serious improvement in the efficiency department. Ironically he was at his best after an ugly long missed 2-pointer that was tightly contested early in the shot clock. It looked like 2017-18 Zach LaVine.

Then the new school LaVine showed up. He looked comfortable coming off screens and pulling up from beyond the arc, finishing in transition and getting to the basket. He did a little bit of everything, which is a far cry from what he did last season. An aggressive LaVine and a smart shot taking LaVine is a tough one to stop on the offensive end. Another night, another positive for the $78 million man.

Chris Bosh praises Knicks coach Dave Fizdale

Chris Bosh, who perhaps may someday play in the league again but for now is enjoying life while his sneakers hang nearby, has some very positive words about new Knicks head coach Dave Fizdale. Here’s the New York Post reporting:

Chris Bosh isn’t sure if he will play again, but he said he will give himself until the All-Star break to make that decision.

But Bosh is sure of one thing. His former assistant coach David Fizdale is the real deal and should eventually recruit at least one superstar.

Bosh, who has suffered from multiple blood clots, was at the Knicks preseason game against the Wizards at the Garden and caught up with the Knicks’ first-year coach after the contest. Bosh, who has not played in an NBA game since the 2015-16 season, played for Fizdale when the latter was an assistant coach in Miami.

“We always tried to make it simple,’’ Bosh said. “If you’re trying to accomplish something, you have to know where you’re going. You have to have a core set of values, which [Fizdale] has. You also have to be confident. Which I know he is. You got to work hard. I know that he’s going to inspire the guys to do what they need to do on the court and off the court to get the job done. Once he inspires them, it’s on the players. That’s what great coaches do.