Inside Hoops – Page 1300 – NBA Blog

Detroit Pistons sign forward Luigi Datome

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has signed free agent forward Luigi Datome to a multi-year contract.

Datome, 25, has played professionally in Italy since 2003 with Montepaschi Siena, Givova Scafati Basket, Basket Olbia and Acea Virtus Roma. The 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward was named Italian League Most Valuable Player with Roma in 2013, posting averages of 16.7 points (.478 FG%, .415 3FG%, .928 FT%), 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 33.1 minutes in 45 games. He’s played with Roma for the past five seasons (2008-2013).

The 25-year-old Italy native has been a member of the Italian National Team since 2007. His basketball achievements internationally include being a member of Italy’s U16 National Team (2003), U18 National Team (2003-05) and the U20 National Team (2004-07). He was a member of the Italian U20 National Championship team in 2004. In the qualifier for the European Championships in 2012-13, Datome averaged 11.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field and 48.4% from 3-point range in eight games. He was named Eurobasket.com All-Italian SerieA Player of the Year, All-Italian SerieA Domestic Player of the Year and All-Italian SerieA First Team last season.

Detroit Pistons re-sign guard Will Bynum

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has re-signed guard Will Bynum to a multi-year contract.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Will Bynum,” said Dumars. “Will provides depth at the point guard position while possessing the unique ability to change a game with his aggressiveness both offensively and defensively.”

Bynum appeared in a career-high 65 games (no starts) last season averaging 9.8 points (career-high .469 FG, .316 3FG, .809 FT), 1.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.7 steals in 18.8 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 31 points (career-high 13 FG and 26 FGA) at Atlanta (12/26), made a single-season career-high 24 3-pointers and scored his 2,000th career point vs. New York (1/17).

In 297 career NBA games, Bynum has averages of 8.1 points on .446 (923-2,068 FG) shooting with 1.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 18.5 minutes per game. He set a Pistons franchise record for points in a quarter with 26 fourth quarter points vs. Charlotte (4/5/09) during the 2008-09 season. The 6-0, 185-pound guard also dished out career-high 20 assists vs. Washington (3/12) during the 2011-12 season – the most by a Piston since Isiah Thomas recorded 21 on April 12, 1985.

The Chicago, IL native was undrafted out of Georgia Tech and originally signed with the Pistons as a free agent on July 30, 2008. Bynum signed a second multi-year contract to remain with the club on July 30, 2010.

Knicks expected to sign Metta World Peace

It was mean to happen. At some point, Ron Artest, currently known as Metta World Peace, was supposed to play for his home-town New York Knicks.

Better late than never.

Metta World Peace has reached agreement on a two-year, $3.2 million contract with the New York Knicks, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The second year of the deal is a player option, a source told Y! Sports.

World Peace and his agents met with Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald and coach Mike Woodson on Monday in Las Vegas and agreed to the deal in the meeting, league sources said.

Publicly, World Peace is still insisting he’s considering other options, including China, but league sources told Y! Sports he’ll be joining the Knicks next season.

Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports

World Peace, or Artest, or whomever, should definitely help the Knicks, adding depth, defense, toughness, and the ability to give fun, wacky post-game interviews.

Memphis Grizzlies re-sign Jon Leuer

The Memphis Grizzlies re-signed forward Jon Leuer to a multi-year contract, the team announced today. Leuer is considered bench support, and isn’t expected to receive many minutes.

Leuer (6-10, 230) averaged 2.0 and 1.3 rebounds on .481 shooting in 6.7 minutes in 28 games for the Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers last season. He totaled two points and three rebounds in 11 minutes over five appearances during the 2013 NBA Playoffs.

Memphis acquired the 24-year-old from Cleveland in a midseason trade on Jan. 22, 2013.

The Long Lake, Minn. native holds career averages of 3.8 points and 2.1 rebounds on .504 shooting in 10.1 minutes in 73 games (12 starts) over two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, Cavaliers and Grizzlies. Following a four-year career at the University of Wisconsin, Leuer was drafted by Milwaukee in the second round (40th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft before being traded to Houston on June 27, 2012 and later claimed by Cleveland off waivers.

Memphis Grizzlies re-sign Tony Allen

The Memphis Grizzlies re-signed guard Tony Allen to a multi-year contract, the team announced today.

“Tony’s energy, effort and passion have connected with the City of Memphis, both on and off the court,” Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien said. “We are absolutely thrilled to bring back Tony and his intensity to the Grizzlies.”

Allen (6-4, 225) posted 10.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.00 steals on .432 shooting in 28.1 minutes in 15 games during the 2013 NBA Playoffs, helping Memphis advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. The 31-year-old averaged 8.9 points, a career-high 4.6 rebounds and 1.51 steals on .445 shooting in 26.7 minutes in 79 games (all starts) during the 2012-13 regular season, in which the Grizzlies won a franchise-record 56 contests.

Nicknamed “The Grindfather,” Allen has earned numerous defensive honors while helping transform the Grizzlies into one of the most tenacious defensive teams in the NBA. Allen has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team in all of his three seasons in Memphis, including First Team selections in each of the past two seasons. He headlined the 2012-13 NBA All-Defensive First Team by receiving more points from the voting panel than any other player.

Additionally, the Chicago native has finished in the top 6 in the voting for NBA Defensive Player of the Year in all three seasons in Memphis, placing fourth in the balloting in 2010-11, sixth in 2011-12 and fifth in 2012-13.

Memphis has qualified for the NBA Playoffs in all three seasons after signing Allen as a free agent on July 13, 2010, making trips to the 2013 Western Conference Finals and 2011 Western Conference Semifinals and earning the first three playoff series victories in team history. The Grizzlies led the NBA in forced turnovers and steals in Allen’s first two seasons in Memphis (2010-11 and 2011-12) after finishing 17th and 24th in the league in those categories, respectively, the season before his arrival.

The nine-year NBA veteran owns career averages of 8.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.29 steals on .475 shooting in 20.8 minutes in 545 games (249 starts) with the Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics. Allen has helped guide his teams to the postseason in seven of his nine seasons and captured the 2008 NBA Championship as a member of the Celtics. He was drafted by Boston in the first round (25th overall) of the 2004 NBA Draft after leading the Oklahoma State University to the 2004 NCAA Final Four.

Atlanta Hawks sign Elton Brand

The Atlanta Hawks have signed forward/center Elton Brand, President of Basketball Operations/GM Danny Ferry announced today. According to USA Today, it is a one-year deal for $4 million.

“Elton brings a veteran presence both on and off the court and is a welcomed addition to our locker room,” Ferry said. “His ability to play center or power forward will give our frontcourt a great deal of versatility and we think he will be an outstanding fit to our program.”

Brand, 34, tallied 7.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 assists in 21.2 minutes per game (.473 FG%, .710 FT%) in 72 games (18 starting assignments) last season with the Dallas Mavericks.

The 6-foot-9, 254-pound big man has played in 932 career games (848 starts) over his 14-year career with Chicago, L.A. Clippers, Philadelphia and Dallas, putting up 17.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 blocks in 35.2 minutes (.500 FG%, .738 FT%). He ranks second among active NBA players in offensive rebounds (3,170), fifth in blocks (1,707), seventh in total rebounds (8,516), 14th in field goals made (6,347) and 17th in points (16,242).

A two-time NBA All-Star (2002 and 2006), Brand owns 404 career double-doubles and was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2005-06. Additionally, he won the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2006 and is a two-time divisional winner (2004 and 2007).

Brand has also seen action in 30 career playoff games, averaging 16.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 blocks in 35.3 minutes (.528 FG%, .719 FT%).

The No. 1 overall pick by Chicago in the 1999 NBA Draft as an early entry candidate following a decorated two-year career at Duke, Brand shared the Rookie of the Year Award with Steve Francis while being named to the league’s All-Rookie First Team. He declared for the draft after being the consensus National Player of the Year and leading the Blue Devils to the NCAA Championship Game.

Metta World Peace could join Knicks, Clippers, or play in China

Metta World Peace wants to play for the New York Knicks, according to a person close to the veteran small forward.

World Peace cleared waivers late Sunday afternoon, making him an unrestricted free agent. A source told ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst that the Knicks, who can offer him part of their taxpayer mid-level exception [roughly $1.7 million], already have reached out to the former Los Angeles Laker.

While the Knicks are World Peace’s first choice, he is also holding onto the Los Angeles Clippers and China’s Shanghai Sharks as possible teams to join next season.

World Peace spoke Sunday with Yao Ming about playing in Shanghai, a source said.

Reported by Chris Broussard of ESPN the Magazine

Jeff Taylor bulks up, gets into good shape

Charlotte Bobcats guard-forward Jeff Taylor had a weight problem. Just not the kind most of us experience.

After traveling around the country last spring for predraft workouts, he wasn’t himself. He had dropped about 15 pounds from his playing weight at Vanderbilt and he never gained it back during his rookie season.

“Last year I felt weak and never had a chance to build back up,” Taylor said at a practice Saturday on UNLV’s campus. “During the season it’s hard to start gaining weight.”

Last season the 6-foot-7 Taylor was down to 208 pounds. Now he’s back up to 222, and he’s performing better.

Reported by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer

Former NBA player Jonathan Bender invents device to prevent knee injuries

In April, Bender launched a company based on an odd-looking device he invented to help others avoid the knee troubles that put an end to his promising NBA career. Already, he’s brokered a deal with California-based Relax The Back retail chain, which sells wellness, fitness and medical items coast to coast.

On that day sitting in front of Simon’s house, Bender, who passed on college to leap to the NBA, took his first business course. And it wasn’t just Simon’s riches that fascinated the teen. There was something else.

“He was self-made,” Bender told the Indianapolis Business Journal. “Down in Picayune, there aren’t many role models like that — people who have picked themselves up and created a process, a plan for the rest of their lives, and made a legacy to benefit others.”

Benefiting others for Bender includes people in Indianapolis. While he and his company are based in Houston, the foundation he formed in 2007 provides children in Indianapolis, Picayune, New Orleans and Houston with skills to succeed in business and life.

Reported by the Associated Press

Rockets to add Hakeem Olajuwon to team staff

Having awoken to find that their signing of Dwight Howard was not all a dream, the Rockets were close Sunday to bringing The Dream back to the organization.

Hakeem Olajuwon, a key part of the Rockets’ recruiting efforts to land Howard and a large part of the festivities on Saturday after Howard signed, will rejoin the Rockets in an official capacity for the first time since he spent the final season of his career with the Toronto Raptors.

Olajuwon’s duties and title are still being discussed and he will continue to spend much of the year at his home in Jordan. But he will work with the Rockets interior players, as he does with big men around the NBA each off season, as a team employee.

“We are going to bring him in as full time as is possible,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said on Sunday. “It’s not done, but we have mutual interest to get it done and we’ve have some early discussions. We want him to work with Dwight and Omer (Asik) and he wants to do that.”

Reported by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle