Inside Hoops – Page 1017 – NBA Blog

Lakers sign Ronnie Price

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Ronnie Price, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

The nine-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 3.4 points, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 rebounds over 425 games (35 starts). The 31-year-old Price spent his first two NBA seasons with the Sacramento Kings (2005-07), followed by stints with the Utah Jazz (2007-11), Phoenix Suns (2011-12), Portland Trailblazers (2012-13) and most recently with the Orlando Magic last season.

The 6’2’’ Price averaged a career-high 2.1 assists per game in 2013-14 with Orlando, in addition to 2.4 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.8 steals in 12.2 minutes over 31 games (two starts). The Friendswood, TX native has appeared in the postseason four times (2006, ’08, ’09, and ’10) in his career.

Kings waive Scotty Hopson

The Sacramento Kings today waived guard Scotty Hopson, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

Hopson was recently acquired from the Houston Rockets along with Alonzo Gee and a pair of second-round draft picks in exchange for guard Jason Terry and a trade exception.

Undrafted out of the University of Tennessee, Hopson appeared in two contests for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season before being traded to Houston during the offseason.

OKC D-League team name revealed: The Oklahoma City Blue

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced today that its NBA Development League team will be called the Blue. The team will play the majority of its home games at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City, with four games to be held inside Chesapeake Energy Arena. The season begins on Friday, Nov. 14, when the Blue hosts the Maine Red Claws.

“Blue is one of our primary Thunder colors, but it has become more than just a color for us. It has come to represent the passion, loyalty and unity of our fans and our community in their support for our team. Our players wear it proudly on their uniforms, our fans sport Thunder blue shirts, Thunder blue flags fly across Oklahoma and our statewide Blue Alliance fan groups show their connection to our team and what it stands for,” said Brian Byrnes, Thunder senior vice president of Sales and Marketing.

“It is only fitting that our development team, which is such an integral part of our organization, be called the Blue to represent the cohesion it has with the Thunder. We think this new name accurately reflects the enhanced unity between the two teams, which are now geographically and philosophically aligned in Oklahoma City and focused on development.”

Brook Lopez now playing 5-on-5

Here’s ESPN New York with a Nets update:

Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez said Tuesday he participated in his first few games of five-on-five over the past two days and felt just fine afterward. It’s yet another encouraging step for Lopez, who is coming back from offseason foot and ankle surgeries.

“It was great,” Lopez said Tuesday at a community event in Harlem. “I got my second day of five-on-five in today. It’s been going well. It feels good to be back out there with the guys. Everyone’s been out there, and everyone looks good. It’s been good seeing Mase [Mason Plumlee] out there being vocal, doing his thing and seeing how much he learned over the summer [playing with Team USA].”

As Lopez eases his way back into playing form, patience is going to be important. Nets GM Billy King told reporters Monday that the 26-year-old All-Star would likely not be participating in both sessions of two-a-day practices at the start of training camp (Day 1 is Saturday).

Mavericks sign Charlie Villanueva

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward Charlie Villanueva. It is likely a non-guaranteed contract, giving Villanueva a chance to show that he’s worth holding on to.

Villanueva (6-11, 232) signs with the Mavericks after spending the last five seasons with the Detroit Pistons. He had a breakout year in 2008-09 when he averaged 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in his final season with the Milwaukee Bucks. Villanueva holds career averages of 11.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 23.1 minutes in 530 career games (158 starts) with Toronto, Milwaukee and Detroit.

The former University of Connecticut standout was originally drafted by the Toronto Raptors with the 7th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. After two seasons in Storrs, Conn., Villanueva declared for the NBA Draft. He earned Big East All-Rookie Team honors and a NCAA National Championship as a freshman and was the team’s MVP as a sophomore averaging a team-high 13.6 points per game.

Lakers add four players to training camp roster

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Keith Appling, Jabari Brown, Roscoe Smith, and Jeremy Tyler to their training camp roster, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Appling played four collegiate seasons at Michigan State (2010-14), averaged 10.6 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 142 games as a Spartan. He went undrafted in 2014 despite ranking in the top-10 in the Big Ten in assists per game each of his final three seasons.

Brown, a teammate of Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson as a junior last season at Missouri, averaged 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 2013-14 before declaring himself eligible for the NBA Draft.

Smith was a member of the Lakers 2014 Summer League team, appearing in all five games after a three-year college career at UConn (2010-12) and ultimately UNLV (2013-14), where he averaged 11.1 points and 10.9 rebounds while shooting 53.1% from the field.

Tyler is a three-year NBA veteran who has played in 104 games (23 starts) with the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks, averaging 3.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 9.9 minutes per contest.

Atlanta Hawks re-sign Elton Brand

The Atlanta Hawks have re-signed forward/center Elton Brand, it was announced today by Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

“We are happy to retain Elton,” Budenholzer said. “In addition to the production he gives us on the court, he is the ultimate professional and a terrific leader. Elton’s presence is felt by all of us, but especially his teammates.”

In 73 games (15 starts) last season with the Hawks, Brand averaged 5.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists and a team-best 1.2 blocks in 19.4 minutes (.539 FG%, .649 FT%). He ranked 23rd in the NBA in blocks per game and 12th in blocks per 48 minutes (3.0), recording 25 multi-block contests. Brand scored in double-figures 10 times and had five double-digit rebounding efforts.

The 15-year veteran has appeared in 1,005 games (863 starting assignments) with Chicago, the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia, Dallas and the Hawks, putting up 16.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 blocks in 34.0 minutes (.501 FG%, .737 FT%). The two-time NBA All-Star (2002 and 2006) was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2005-06, won the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2006 and shared NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1999-2000.

He ranks 16th among all active players in scoring (16,661), sixth in rebounds (8,877), second in offensive rebounds (3,267) and fourth in blocks (1,795).

Through 37 postseason games (30 starts), Brand has averaged 13.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 blocks in 30.8 minutes (.518 FG%, .722 FT%).

Hawks sign Kent Bazemore

The Atlanta Hawks have signed free agent guard Kent Bazemore, it was announced today by Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

“Kent’s competitiveness and versatility make him a great addition to our group,” Budenholzer said. “He can impact the game in a lot of ways, especially defensively guarding multiple positions. Kent’s work ethic and enthusiasm for the game make him a great teammate and great fit with the Hawks.”

Bazemore split time last season between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers averaging 6.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 13.6 minutes in 67 combined games (15 starting assignments).

After being acquired by the Lakers on Feb. 19, he recorded 13.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 28.0 minutes (.451 FG%, .371 3FG%) in 23 contests (15 starts).

The 6’5 Bazemore has played in seven NBA Development League games with Santa Cruz over the last two years, averaging 20.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.7 steals, 3.0 assists and 1.0 blocks in 33.6 minutes (.432 FG%, .811 FT%).

Undrafted after a four-year career at Old Dominion University (2008-12), Bazemore signed with Golden State as a free agent on July 26, 2012. The Warriors traded him, along with MarShon Brooks, to the Lakers in exchange for Steve Blake on Feb. 19, 2014. Bazemore appeared in an Old Dominion record 140 career games as a collegian, averaging 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals in 26.3 minutes, and is the Colonial Athletic Association all-time steals leader (250). He won the Lefty Driesell Award as the nation’s top defender in 2010-11 and was the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year as both a junior and senior (2011-12).

Heat sign Andre Dawkins, Shawn Jones

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed guard Andre Dawkins and forward Shawn Jones.

Dawkins, who helped Duke University to the 2010 NCAA Championship as a freshman, appeared in four games with the HEAT during the 2014 Orlando Summer League and averaged 12.3 points, 1.3 assists and 19.1 minutes while shooting 40 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and a perfect 5-of-5 from the foul line. He hit seven three-point field goals in Miami’s Summer League playoff game vs. Oklahoma City on July 11, finishing with 27 points on 8-of-17 from the field, 7-of-12 from three-point range and a perfect 4-of-4 from the foul line. He then joined the Houston Rockets in the 2014 Vegas Summer League and averaged 8.6 points and 17.4 minutes.

Dawkins played all four seasons at Duke, appearing in 142 career collegiate games (25 starts) and averaged 7.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 17.4 minutes while shooting 43.3 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three-point range and 76.9 percent from the foul line. He finished fifth in three-point field goal percentage and eighth in three-point field goals made (231) on the school’s all-time list. Additionally, he became the 63rd player in Duke history to score at least 1,000 points (1,014).

Jones, a Miami native, appeared in five games with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2014 Vegas Summer League and averaged 5.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 14.4 minutes. He tallied 10 points, eight rebounds, an assist and a block in 19:02 minutes of action while shooting 4-of-7 from the field and a perfect 2-of-2 from the foul line vs. Houston on July 15, 2014.

The Hialeah High School alum played all four seasons at Middle Tennessee State, appearing in 131 career collegiate games (62 starts) and averaged 8.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.24 blocks and 19.2 minutes while shooting 54.1 percent from the field. During his senior season, he appeared in 33 games (all starts) and averaged 14.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.91 blocks and 28.2 minutes while shooting 57.7 percent from the field. He led the team in points (467), rebounds (279), blocks (63), field goals made (183) and free throws made (101) and was named the Conference USA Player of the Year and selected to the All-Conference USA First Team.

The HEAT’s roster now stands at 19.

Spurs announce promotions and additions to basketball operations staff

The San Antonio Spurs today announced multiple promotions and additions to the basketball operations staff. Sean Marks returns to the front office as an assistant general manager and Brandon James has been promoted to director of basketball administration and legal affairs. Phil Coles has been hired as director of medical services and Marilyn Adams as director of rehabilitation. In addition, Xavi Schelling joins the Spurs as applied sports scientist and Paul West has been named assistant athletic trainer.

Marks makes the move back to the front office after spending last season on the Spurs bench as an assistant coach. The Auckland, New Zealand native completed a 12-year NBA career before joining the Silver and Black in 2011 as a basketball operations assistant. He was then promoted to director of basketball operations in September of 2012 before moving to the sidelines for the 2013-14 season.

James enters his third season in the Spurs front office, having spent the last two years as the manager of basketball administration. Prior to joining the Silver and Black, the University of Georgia graduate spent four years with IMG.

Coles comes to San Antonio from the Newcastle Knights, a professional rugby league team in Australia where he was the head of physiotherapy for the last two seasons. Prior to joining the Knights, the University of Sydney graduate served as the head of physical therapy for Liverpool Football Club from 2010-12 and as the head physiotherapist for the Australia National Soccer Team from 2007-10.

Adams has signed on with the Spurs after working independently with various elite athletes and serving as the team physiotherapist for Triathlon Canada at the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London. In addition, the University of Alberta graduate spent 2009-14 on the FIS Snowboard World Cup Tour with the Canada Snowboard Team.

Schelling previously served as the director of athletic performance for Bàsquet Manresa, a first-division ACB team in Spain from 2006-14. The University of Barcelona grad also spent the summer of 2014 as the strength and conditioning coach for the Spanish National Basketball Team at the U20 European Championships.

West joins the Silver and Black training staff after earning his Master’s degree in Kinesiology in 2014 from San Diego State University. The Maryland native previously interned with the Spurs during the 2012-13 season.