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Kings sign Orlando Johnson to 10-day contract

The Sacramento Kings today signed guard Orlando Johnson to a 10-day contract, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

Johnson averaged 2.4 points (.344 FG%, .195 3pt%, .773 FT%), 1.3 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 9.0 minutes per game with Indiana before being waived on February 20, 2014. In his third NBA season, he has accrued career averages of 3.3 points (.380 FG%, .326 3pt%, .741 FT%), 1.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 10.8 minutes per game in 89 contests.

Originally drafted by the Kings in the second round (36th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft, Johnson’s draft rights were traded to the Pacers for cash considerations on draft night, June 28, 2012.

Deron Williams not looking to make the mistake Raymond Felton did

Here’s the New York Post reporting on Nets point guard Deron Williams, who appears to have a good head on his shoulders when it comes to gun laws:

deron williams

Don’t expect Deron Williams to make the same mistake Raymond Felton did.

“I got my license to carry in like 26 states, but I’m not bringing my gun to New York City,” Williams said before the Nets practiced at UCLA on Tuesday and before they traveled up the coast for Wednesday night’s game with the Trail Blazers. “I know better than that.”

Felton, the Knicks’ starting point guard, was charged Tuesday with criminal possession of a weapon in the second, third and fourth-degrees.

New York has among the strictest state laws on gun control in the country.

Nuggets coach Brian Shaw feels his team sometimes gives up

Here’s the Denver Post blog reporting on the Nuggets and head coach Brian Shaw, who likes his players but doesn’t like seeing the squad give up when things look bad:

A new, potentially harmful narrative arose out of a couple of radio interviews Nuggets coach Brian Shaw conducted this week — one that he hates his roster and vice versa.

Not true, he insists.

“I can’t remember who it was that asked me yesterday; he said ‘Would you have taken this job with the roster, if it was just the guys who are healthy and playing right now would you have taken this job?’” Shaw said. “I said, after interviewing for head coaching jobs as many times as I did, 11 times prior to this interview, and not getting a job, I said ‘Yeah, I most likely would have taken it.’ But the expectation and everything else would have been different, knowing if there wasn’t going to be Gallo, JaVale (McGee), Nate (Robinson) for half the season and the situation be what it is.

“So, no, I don’t hate the roster. What I hate is having to beg guys to play. That simple. That shouldn’t be a part of what coaching should be. And circumstances are what they are. None of us asked for it.” …

Shaw: “I’ve always said I can live with the losses, as long as we fight. But what’s hard for me is when we go from a tie or something in the first quarter, to down 20 by halftime, and then we come out in the third quarter and we just give up. And I felt like that’s what some of our guys were doing. Now, it’s important for me to understand that those guys who are continuing to do that, going forward in the future, they aren’t going to get my vote of confidence to keep them here if that’s what they are showing when the going gets tough.”

Bucks, Caron Butler approaching buyout

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on the struggling Milwaukee Bucks who, as bad as they are, don’t seem to have a need for the services of Caron Butler:

Bucks, Caron Butler approaching buyout

Milwaukee Bucks swingman Caron Butler is scheduled to complete a contract buyout Wednesday that sets him up to become an unrestricted free agent by the end of the week, according to sources close to the talks.

Sources told ESPN.com that Wisconsin native Butler, who is earning $8 million this season on an expiring contract with his home-state Bucks, is on course to be released by Milwaukee on Wednesday and thus clear waivers Friday, well in advance of the Saturday midnight deadline by which time he must be set free to be eligible to play in the playoffs with another team.

Kings may say goodbye to Jimmer Fredette, hello to Orlando Johnson

Here’s News 10 reporting on some changes the Sacramento Kings may be set to make:

The Sacramento Kings are expected to sign shooting guard Orlando Johnson on Wednesday, once they complete a buyout of Jimmer Fredette, two sources tell News10.

Fredette and the Kings were still negotiating a buyout on to release the former BYU star on Tuesday evening. Kings head coach Michael Malone said before Tuesday’s game against the Houston Rockets that Fredette and the team will likely part ways on Wednesday.

According to two sources with knowledge of the situation who are not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, Sacramento will then sign Johnson, who was recently waived by the Indiana Pacers. The signing is believed to be a 10-day contract.

Grizzlies re-assign Jamaal Franklin to D-League

The Memphis Grizzlies have re-assigned guard Jamaal Franklin to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced today. This marks the rookie’s third assignment to Fort Wayne this season.

Franklin (6-5, 191) has recorded 10.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.3 minutes in three games through his first two assignments with Fort Wayne.

Drafted by Memphis in the second round (41st overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft, the 22-year-old has averaged 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 7.9 minutes in 19 appearances for the Grizzlies.

Wizards sign Drew Gooden to 10-day contract

Wizards sign Drew Gooden to 10-day contract

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Drew Gooden to a 10-day contract.

“We will rely on all of our frontcourt players to step up and contribute as we go through this stretch without Nene,” said Grunfeld. “Signing Drew gives us size, shooting ability and experience to add to that mix.”

Gooden (6-10, 230) has played 11 seasons with Memphis, Orlando, Cleveland, Chicago, Sacramento, San Antonio, Dallas, the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee, appearing in 687 career regular season games (493 starts) while averaging 11.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 27.0 minutes per contest. He has shot .465 (3,213-6,913) from the field and .759 (1,634-2,154) from the free throw line. The former fourth overall pick (2002 by Memphis) last played during the 2012-13 campaign with Milwaukee, where he averaged 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 16 games. Gooden has averaged 10.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 27.1 minutes over 44 career postseason games with Orlando, Cleveland and San Antonio, including a run to the 2007 NBA Finals with the Cavaliers.

Kevin Love hits the Suns with 33 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists

So many times this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves failed in close games down the stretch.

On Tuesday night, they turned the tables on the Phoenix Suns.

Kevin Love fell an assist shy of his second triple-double in three games and the Timberwolves used a fourth-quarter outburst to beat the Suns 110-101.

Love, whose first career triple-double came at Utah on Saturday, had 33 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who trailed by eight with 7:57 to play, then outscored the Suns 24-6.

He knew late in the game about that one missing assist.

“I think when we were up 10 they told me that if I can get an outlet here, you get your triple-double,” Love said, “but at the point I just wanted to secure the rebound and get to the free throw line, get the lead up a little bit more so we wouldn’t have to worry about much. Nine assists again, I have been there a few times.”

— Associated Press

James Harden drops 43 on the Kings

James Harden spent the fourth quarter smiling on the Houston Rockets’ bench. DeMarcus Cousins finished the final period in the Sacramento Kings’ locker room.

Their performances were just as different on the floor, too.

Harden scored a season-high 43 points in three quarters, and the Rockets routed the Kings 129-103 on Tuesday night after Cousins was ejected for vehemently arguing with an official.

“These are the type of wins that we need, especially late in the season, to lock down and focus,” Harden said.

Harden helped Houston go ahead by 25 points in the first quarter, 31 in the second and 33 in the third. He shot 11 of 20 from the floor, made 15 of 16 free throws and added eight assists, three steals and two rebounds.

— Associated Press