Inside Hoops – Page 1279 – NBA Blog

Alonzo Mourning excited about chance to work with Greg Oden

Alonzo Mourning spent Thursday morning at the NBA’s Rookie Transition Program in New Jersey talking to prospects about “the journey that they’re about to take.”

But it is a journey that is about to unfold in South Florida that has the former Miami Heat center and current Heat executive intrigued.

With the Heat a day earlier announcing the signing of free-agent center Greg Oden to a two-year contract, Mourning found himself captivated by the possibilities of the 25-year-old injury-plagued center.

“Extremely excited, extremely excited,” he said by phone, “because I understand the potential that he has.”

Mourning confirmed that he was among those in the organization who helped recruit Oden in recent months.

“I had some words with him, yes,” he said. “We were able to spend some time together.”

Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

OKC Thunder sign forward Ryan Gomes

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed forward Ryan Gomes, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

An intelligent veteran, Gomes should do nicely providing bench depth at the forward spots.

Gomes (6-7, 245) has appeared in 482 games (371 starts) with Boston, Minnesota and the LA Clippers, owning career averages of 10.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 27.9 minutes per game. The 50th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft most recently played for the Artland Dragons of the Basketball Bundesliga in Germany.

The forward from Providence College, led the Big East in scoring his senior year, averaging 21.6 points per game as he was named Honorable Mention All-American. The two time All-Big East First Team selection finished his career as Providence’s all-time leading scorer with 2,138 points.

Dallas Mavericks sign DeJuan Blair

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward/center DeJuan Blair.

We at InsideHoops.com were always impressed by Blair when he was given minutes by the Spurs. He showed flashes of extremely solid talent, and seems like a good signing for the Mavs.

Blair (6-7, 270) is a four-year veteran who was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round (37th overall pick) of the 2009 NBA Draft. He has averaged 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 18.9 minutes in 288 career games (166 starts) with San Antonio.

As a rookie, Blair played in all 82 games and garnered All-Rookie Second Team honors. He emerged as the Spurs’ starting center in just his second season. From 2010-2012, Blair started 127 of the 145 games in which he suited up for San Antonio and averaged 8.9 points and 6.3 rebounds over that two-year span.

Blair boasts two career 20-point/20-rebounds games. One of which came at the expense of the Mavericks on April 14, 2010 when Blair finished with 27 points and 23 rebounds.

The Pittsburgh native attended and played his collegiate basketball at the University of Pittsburgh. He was a two-year starter for the Panthers before entering the NBA Draft following his sophomore season. As a sophomore, Blair was Co-Big East Player of the Year and named consensus All-American by both Associated Press and The Sporting News.

Parting ways with Michael Beasley would be expensive for Phoenix Suns

The risk has outweighed the reward in Michael Beasley’s contract, but it would be unlikely for the Suns to get out of his contract based on his recent arrest unless they just eat $9 million.

Beasley’s arrest on suspicion of marijuana possession early Tuesday in Scottsdale is not a misstep that could allow the Suns to escape the three-year, $18 million contract they gave him last year. Any punishment for his latest police case is far away, with charges, convictions and appeals potentially dragging it out, and subject to the NBA collective-bargaining agreement, which puts first-time violators in a marijuana program, fines second-time violators and gives a five-game suspension to third-time violators.

If the Suns are not able to get out of the contract because of this case or Scottsdale police’s investigation into an allegation of sexual assault, the Suns could cut ties with Beasley with a “stretch provision” allowed under the current CBA for a player signed after July 1, 2011.

Reported by Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic

Greg Oden passes physical, officially joins Miami Heat

Greg Oden is signed, sealed and delivered.

After Oden passed his team physical earlier this week, the Miami Heat announced Wednesday that the injury-plagued center is now under contract.

Oden, who agreed to terms Friday, signed a two-year, $2.1 million contract that pays the veteran minimum of $1 million this season, with a player option for 2014-15.

Upon adding Oden, the Heat issued a quote from the center that read, “I am very excited and happy to be here. I’m thankful to the Miami Heat organization for bringing me in and I’m ready to get to work.”

In a statement, Heat President Pat Riley said, “After many months of discussion, evaluations and speaking with Greg, we felt it was the perfect time for him to make his comeback and re-enter the NBA with the Miami Heat.”

Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Michael Beasley arrested for suspected marijuana possession

Forward Michael Beasley, who vowed when he joined the Phoenix Suns a year ago that his marijuana problems were in the past, has been arrested by Scottsdale police after they found what they believe to be marijuana in his car.

Beasley was arrested early Tuesday following a traffic stop, according to Officer David Pubins.

An officer found three cigarettes suspected to contain marijuana in Beasley’s Mercedes after smelling marijuana during the stop, Pubins said.

Beasley was released after being cited for investigation of one felony count each of marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Reported by the Associated Press

New York Knicks sign Jeremy Tyler

Big Jeremy Tyler played well summer league this year, and has been rewarded with a contract.

New York Knicks Executive Vice President and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed Tyler. Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but will be added to this page tonight or tomorrow.

Tyler, 6-10, 260-pounds, holds career averages of 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds over 10.1 minutes in 63 games (23 starts) over two seasons with Golden State and Atlanta. He appeared in 21 games with the Warriors and Hawks last season, recording 22 total points and 20 rebounds over 68 minutes, before finishing the season with Santa Cruz of the NBA D-League.

The San Diego, CA native averaged 12.8 points and 6.4 rebounds over 17.6 minutes in five games for New York’s entry in the 2013 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, NV. He was originally selected by Charlotte in the second round (39th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft before having his draft rights traded to Golden State. Tyler left San Diego HS, following his junior season, to play internationally with Maccabi Haifa (Israel) and Tokyo Apache (Japan) for two seasons, before becoming draft eligible.

Heat draft pick James Ennis likely to play overseas this season

Miami Heat 2013 second-round NBA Draft pick James Ennis likely will spend the coming season overseas, with the Heat maintaining his draft rights, agent Scott Nichols on Monday told the Sun Sentinel.

Nichols cited the Heat’s glut of veteran wings, the team’s position hard against the NBA luxury tax and the Heat’s number of expiring contracts after the coming season as reasons why a 2014-15 NBA debut with the team might make more sense for the swingman out of Long Beach State who was acquired in a draft-night trade with the Atlanta Hawks.

“It comes down to a numbers game and a tax game,” Nichols said, with a decision on his client’s 2013-14 playing status expected to be finalized later this week.

Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Sacramento Kings ask fans and businesses for opinions on new arena

Stepping up efforts to design and market a downtown arena, the Sacramento Kings have emailed an online survey to some 60,000 residents and businesses asking for opinions – and testing the waters for potential upscale ticket buyers.

Team President Chris Granger said the team and city officials have not yet decided on basic arena elements, such as how many seats it will have, and is looking for clues from the public.

“I want to hear what other people think about the venue,” Granger said about the survey and other upcoming community outreach efforts.

Initial estimates had put seating at 18,500, which is 1,200 more than at the current Sleep Train Arena in Natomas. Granger recently said that number may be too high. He said the facility has to have enough seats to attract most major concerts but should be intimate enough to boost crowd noise and excitement at Kings games.

Reported by Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee

Gerald Henderson happy that Bobcats got help down low

Henderson, who averaged a career-high 15.5 points per game last season, is particularly excited about the addition of big men Al Jefferson and Cody Zeller, who he said will not only help the team, but should also free up open looks for him and the team’s other guards.

“I think with more attention on guys down low it frees up the perimeter a bunch,” Henderson said. “Any team with a good big man, you will see the guards get more freedom and have more open shots. With Al, teams are going to have to double team him so you have more chances for open shots.”

Henderson is eager to cash in.

He improved his 3-point shooting from 23.4 percent in 2011-12 to 33 percent last year, giving the Bobcats hope that he can develop into a legitimate shooting guard.

Reported by the Associated Press