Bobcats trade Matt Carroll and Ryan Hollins to Mavericks for DeSagana Diop

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has acquired center DeSagana Diop from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for guard Matt Carroll and center Ryan Hollins.

“DeSagana is the type of player that has a natural athletic ability to block shots, rebound and defend,” Higgins said. “This is a nice complement to our roster and someone we feel will add size, depth and experience to our power positions.”

The 7-0 Diop has appeared in 468 career NBA games spread between Cleveland, New Jersey and Dallas. He has career averages of 2.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, while shooting .430 from the field. In 34 games with the Mavericks this season he averaged 1.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13.3 minutes.

Originally drafted by the Cavaliers with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, Diop had his best season as a professional during the 2005-06 season in Dallas, when he appeared in 81 games (45 starts) with averages of 2.3 points and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting a team-best .487 from the field and leading the Mavericks with 146 blocks. During that season he also ranked 14th in the NBA in blocks per game and set a career high with 16 rebounds and tied a career high with six blocks in 37 minutes of action versus Denver on Nov.15, 2005. Diop also appeared in 28 career postseason games in Dallas, with 22 of them coming during the Mavericks run to the 2006 NBA Finals before falling to eventual champion Miami in six games.

Carroll signed with the Bobcats as a free agent on Feb. 23, 2005 and has appeared in 289 games, averaging 8.4 points and 2.3 rebounds. His career three-point field goal percentage of .411 (302-735) coming into the 2008-09 season had him tied for 11th among the NBA’s all-time leaders and fifth among active players. In 34 games this season, he averaged 4.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in 13.9 minutes.

Hollins is in his third NBA season and averaged 3.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 18 games played for Charlotte this season. In 105 career games, Hollins has averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds for the Bobcats, who selected him with the 50th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Spurs sign Austin Croshere to 10-day contract

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed free-agent forward Austin Croshere to a 10-day contract.

The 6-10, 235-pound Croshere joins the Spurs after being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks on 1/6.  Now in his 12th NBA season, he has also played for the Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors.  Croshere was originally drafted 12th overall by Indiana in the 1997 NBA Draft.

This season Croshere appeared in 11 games with the Bucks and averaged 3.3 points and 2.2 rebounds in 7.0 minutes per game.  Over his career he has averaged 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 656 games. Croshere has also appeared in 68 playoff games where he averaged 6.7 points and 3.6 rebounds.

The former Providence Friar enjoyed his finest NBA season in 1999-00, averaging career-highs of 10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 81 regular-season games, while helping the Pacers win the Eastern Conference and advance to the NBA Finals.  Croshere ranks among the Top-10 all-time in Pacers franchise history in games (540), 3-pointers made (376) and attempted (1,095).  He is also one of just six players (Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Dale Davis, Vern Fleming and Jeff Foster) to play for the team for at least nine seasons.

Croshere will wear uniform #22.

Delonte West breaks right wrist

The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Brian Windhorst) reports:  Delonte West, a major cog in the Cavs’ success over the last three months, suffered a nasty fall in the first quarter defending a Rose shot attempt. He suffered a non-displaced fracture of his right wrist on the rough landing in addition to opening a gash over his left eye that needed two stitches. He will have an MRI at the Cleveland Clinic this morning to determine the extent of the damage but is likely looking at being out at least 2-3 weeks. “I’ve been punched in the face many times before, I shook that off,” West said. “We’re on a roll here, we can’t have no pity party for me. I’m going to try not to feel sorry for myself, it hurts but I can still wear my pinky ring.”

Jerryd Bayless has breakout game

The Oregonian (Jason Quick) reports (via blog): Any worries about how the Trail Blazers were going to survive without injured point guard Steve Blake were quickly put at ease Thursday by rookie Jerryd Bayless. With a performance that was part determined, part dazzling and part redemption, Bayless scored a career-high 23 points to help the Blazers grind out a 105-99 win over New Jersey at the IZOD Center. After spending the first half of the season bottled up with anxiety over not playing, frustration at not performing well in his limited chances, all the while unwavering in his confidence, the 20-year-old said Thursday’s explosion allowed him his first NBA chance to sit back and exhale… Bayless hit 6 of 9 shots, all his baskets coming off determined drives. His attacking style helped produced 11 free throw attempts, all of which were on target. He also added three assists, one turnover and three rebounds in a career-high 25 minutes.

Nuggets beat Suns in overtime, 119-113

The AP reports: Chauncey Billups scored five of his game-high 26 points in overtime and the Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 119-113 on Thursday night. Nene had 17 points and 14 rebounds and Kenyon Martin had 24 points, including a clinching 3-pointer with 29.6 seconds left in overtime. Martin also had eight rebounds and a career-high seven steals for Denver, which has won seven of eight. Billups, who said he’s been sick since the end of December, also had eight assists… Grant Hill scored a season-high 25 points and Steve Nash had 20 points and 14 assists for the Suns, who played without center Shaquille O’Neal, who was inactive for the game. Phoenix coach Terry Porter said it was a “routine” night off for O’Neal.

Deng, Rose lead Bulls over Cavs in OT, 102-93

The AP reports: Derrick Rose scored 16 points after a slow start and Luol Deng added 22 to lead the Chicago Bulls to a surprising 102-93 overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night after LeBron James missed a jumper at the end of regulation. Tied at 87 through regulation after James’ 21-footer banged off the rim, the Bulls scored 12 of the first 13 points in OT to avoid a four-game sweep by the Cavaliers… LeBron James (28 points) then hit 1 of 2 free throws, but Deng put the Cavaliers away with back-to-back 3-pointers from the left corner—the second bouncing straight up off the rim before dropping through the net to make it 99-88… Mo Williams scored 26 points for the Cavaliers, hitting 5 of 10 3-pointers. But it was a rough night for James, who shot 8-for-28 and hit 1 of 6 3-pointers. He also committed a season-high eight turnovers in what he said was “probably my worst game of the season.”

Note: Delonte West broke his right wrist.

Brandon Roy scores 29 to lead Portland over Nets

The AP reports: Jerryd Bayless got a chance to play with point guard Steve Blake sidelined with a separated shoulder and the Portland Trail Blazers’ rookie took advantage against the New Jersey Nets. Bayless scored a career-high 23 points and seemingly took the life out of the Nets with a monster dunk that he converted in a late three-point play in Portland’s 105-99 victory on Thursday night… Bayless was 6-for-9 from the field, with most coming on tough drives down the lane. He also was perfect on 11 free throws… “It was crazy,” said Brandon Roy, who led Portland with 29 points… LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 points and Travis Outlaw scored all 13 of his points in the second half, when the Trail Blazers rallied from an 11-point deficit. Devin Harris had 23 points and eight assists to lead New Jersey, who surrendered 37 fourth-quarter points as Portland hit 13 of 19 shots. Rookie Brook Lopez added 17 points, Bobby Simmons 14 and Vince Carter 13 while playing with a slightly sprained ankle.

No suspension for J.R. Smith

The AP reports: The NBA said Thursday that Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith won’t be suspended for throwing an elbow that angered Dallas Mavericks coach Mark Cuban. The excitable owner might still face punishment for going onto the court to voice his displeasure with Smith. NBA spokesman Tim Frank told The Associated Press on Thursday that Smith has been cleared of any wrongdoing and “Cuban is still being reviewed.” Cuban took offense when Smith threw an elbow that barely missed Mavericks forward Antoine Wright late in the first half of Dallas’ game at the Pepsi Center on Tuesday night.

Wizards interviews: Nick Young playing great

Here is Washington Wizards interim head coach Ed Tapscott:

On Nick Young’s recent play (25.8 ppg, .717 fg% in last four games): “Nick has hit a spot where he’s got his rhythm back and he feels good about what he’s doing.  He knows we’re going to run some plays for him so he doesn’t feel pressed and he knows he’s going to get minutes.  When all of a sudden you get minutes and plays called for you, you can be selective, and better shots mean more minutes.  People now are going to game-plan for him.  He has to be prepared for one of those games where they have someone trying to deny him, and instead of getting 33 points he gets 16 and still feels like he has a good game because he helped open up the floor for other people.”

On last night’s game versus the New York Knicks: “The Knicks try to make you play fast, and like I said last night they did a better job of imposing their play-style on the game.  We played well offensively.  We scored a lot of points.  Normally 122 points wins you a lot of basketball games, but we didn’t play very well defensively.  They imposed their style of play on the game much more effectively than we did.”

On today’s practice: “Today we decided to go with more of a mental practice than anything physical because we’re going to play the same team (tomorrow night).  With their pace, you want rested legs.  Now the real key is figuring out how to impose our style of play on the game with more effectiveness.”

Hers is Wizards small forward Caron Butler:

On last night’s game versus the New York Knicks: “It was a lot of up-and-down fast tempo play.  It was a tough loss obviously, but hopefully we can redeem ourselves tomorrow night in our building.”

On Nick Young: “He’s on a roll.  He’s scoring at a rapid pace.  Scoring 33 points in three quarters is unbelievable.  Just to come out and be aggressive the way he has, assert himself early and establish a rhythm is unbelievable, and it shows a lot about him as a player.  Now you’re seeing him explore with his ability.  He’s getting the ball and he’s being real creative.  He’s doing some stuff on the fly, and that’s what makes a special player.”

And here is Wizards guard Nick Young:

On his recent play: “I’m feeling good.  The difference has been my confidence level.  Coach is running plays for me, and seeing my shot go in is always good.  Gil (Arenas) has been staying after practice with me, so I’ve been getting extra shots and working out with him.”

On if teams will start game-planning for him: “The more Antawn and CB (Caron Butler) get going (other teams) are not going to worry about me (as much).  If we get them going early, I can come in and be that spark off of the bench.”

Warriors re-sign Jermareo Davidson

The Golden State Warriors have signed forward Jermareo Davidson to a second 10-day contract, the team announced today.

Davidson, who signed his first 10-day with the Warriors on January 5, has appeared in one game with Golden State, logging four minutes at Portland on January 10.  Davidson began the season with the NBA Development League’s Idaho Stampede, where he averaged 16.1 points and 10.8 rebounds in 15 games.  At the time of his call-up, the 6’10’’ forward ranked first in the D-League in double-doubles (10) and third in rebounding (10.8).