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Lakers must currently play mistake-free basketball, says LeBron James

Via ESPN.com:

The Sacramento Kings ended Wednesday night’s game on an 8-3 run in the final minute to beat the Lakers 116-111, handing L.A. its third loss in the past week by a total of 10 points.

Afterward, LeBron James said the Lakers have “zero room for error” given the injuries the team is dealing with.

“We are limited with bodies,” James said. “So until some of our big guys or some of our key guys get back … we got to continue to play how we’ve played the last couple games. Play mistake-free basketball.”

James led L.A. with 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds and was on the floor more than any other Laker — logging 36 minutes, 30 seconds of playing time.

Former NBA player and coach Chris Ford has died

Ford Family Statement

The Ford family is sad to announce the passing of Chris on January 17, 2023. Chris was beloved by his family, friends, and teammates. He had a great love for his family, the city of Boston, the fans, and the entire Celtics family. He always showed humility and respect for all those that were fortunate enough to be a part of his life.

Boston Celtics Statement

As a player and coach, Chris Ford’s career spanned over a decade of Celtics basketball, and he made his mark every step of the way. He was a member of three NBA World Championship Boston Celtics teams, one as a key player on the 1981 Champions, and subsequently as an assistant coach for the 1984 and 1986 champs. Ford went on to become the team’s eleventh head coach, leading his former teammates Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish to multiple playoff appearances in the trio’s final days together. ‘Doc,’ as he was affectionately known by his teammates, was a fundamentally versatile all-around guard. He was voted the team’s MVP in his first season with the Celtics, and he is famously credited with scoring the NBA’s first three-point basket. Ford joined an elite group of Celtics’ personnel (Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn, and K.C. Jones) who have earned championship rings as both a player and coach with the organization. The Boston Celtics sends their deepest sympathies to the Ford family and their many friends.

PER THE DETROIT NEWS: “Chris Ford, a member of the Detroit Pistons’ top 50 players of all-time who later made the first 3-pointer in NBA history, has died. Ford, who reportedly recently suffered a heart attack, died Tuesday. He was 74. Ford was the 17th overall pick by the Pistons in the 1972 NBA Draft out of Villanova, and played seven of his 11 seasons with Detroit. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard averaged double-digits in scoring in seasons for the Pistons, including 12.3 points in the 1976-77 season. In 1978-79, he was averaging 11 points when Detroit traded him to Boston for Earl Tatum.”

Hawks sign Donovan Williams to two-way contract

The Atlanta Hawks have signed guard Donovan Williams to a two-way contract.

Williams appeared in 26 total games (19 starts) for the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League this season, tallying 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 28.6 minutes (.481 FG%, .407 3FG%, .658 FT%). He scored 20-or-more points six times, including pouring in a career-best 30 points in a win on Nov. 23, 2022, over the Raptors 905.

The 6-6 guard saw action in five games with the Brooklyn Nets during the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas, registering 3.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 7.8 minutes (.667 FG%, .750 3FG%, .750 FT%). Undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Williams was signed by the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 12, 2022, before being placed on waivers on Oct. 16, 2022.

A native of Houston, Texas, Williams suited up for the Texas Longhorns for two seasons (2019-21) before transferring to UNLV (2021-22). In his three collegiate seasons, he appeared in 68 games (14 starts), owning averages of 7.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in 15.4 minutes (.435 FG%, .338 3FG%, .667 FT%). During the 2021-22 campaign as a Runnin’ Rebel, he saw action in 27 games (13 starts) and recorded career highs of 12.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in a career-best 22.3 minutes (.488 FG%, .436 3FG%).

Williams will wear No. 4 with the Hawks.

Raptors sign Joe Wieskamp to second 10-day contract

The Toronto Raptors have signed guard-forward Joe Wieskamp to a second 10-day contract.

Wieskamp, 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, appeared in one game with Toronto’s G League affiliate, Raptors 905, during his first 10-day contract with the Raptors. He posted 19 points (6-9 FG, 4-6 3PT, 2-2 FT) and seven rebounds in the 905’s 122-119 win over Capital City on Jan. 9.

A native of Muscatine, Iowa, Wieskamp averaged 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 29.4 minutes in 13 games (two regular season/11 Showcase Cup) with the Wisconsin Herd in the NBA G League this season. He shot .494 (79-160) from the field, .402 (33-82) from three-point range and .769 (20-26) from the free throw line.

Wieskamp was picked 41st overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by San Antonio. He appeared in 29 contests for the Spurs last season, averaging 2.1 points and 7.1 minutes.

Prior to being drafted, Wieskamp spent three collegiate seasons at Iowa (2018-21), where he was named All-Big Ten Second Team as a junior. He was also voted to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2019.

Utah Jazz home arena to once again be named Delta Center starting July 2023

The Delta Center is coming back to Utah. The global airline will assume the naming rights for Utah’s premier sports and entertainment center – which is home to the Utah Jazz and more than 320 evenings of events each year – effective July 2023 as part of a multi-year partnership between the two organizations.

This agreement is a homecoming for Delta, harkening back to the arena’s original opening in 1991 when the airline held the naming rights as part of its first sponsorship with the NBA franchise. Within the long-term agreement, Delta will serve as the Official Airline of the Utah Jazz, adding to its current role as an Official Community Partner of the team. Delta will also hold numerous sponsorship and branding rights with the team, including media, hospitality and employee engagement extensions.

Weekly Rockets notes: Jan. 16, 2023

HOUSTON ROCKETS TEAM NOTES

Alperen Sengun is averaging 13.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists over the past three games… he recorded the first triple-double of his career at Sacramento on 1/11 and surpassed Kevin Porter Jr. as the youngest Rocket with one in franchise history at 20 years, 170 days.

KJ Martin has scored 20-plus points in two of the past three games and five times overall this season after doing so six times his first two seasons combined… he is one of four players averaging at least 10.0 ppg while shooting 55.0% or better from the floor in fewer than 25.0 mpg this season.

After wrapping up a four-game road trip tonight at the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston will play six of its next eight games at Toyota Center from 1/18-2/3.

The Rockets have shot 45.0% or better from the floor in each of the past three games after doing so once the six games prior… since the start of last season, 24 of Houston’s 30 wins have come when shooting at least 45.0%.

Atlanta Hawks promote Kyle Korver to assistant general manager

The Atlanta Hawks today announced that Kyle Korver has been elevated to the position of assistant general manager. Korver joined the Hawks in July 2022 as director of player affairs & development.

“Kyle has brought a great perspective and voice to our group after seamlessly making the transition from playing to coaching to the front office,” said General Manager Landry Fields. “Moving forward, I’m excited to have him even more involved with the day-to-day management and direction of our basketball operations group. Kyle is a special person and teammate whose impact will continue to raise the level of our entire organization. He and his family have made Atlanta their home and we’re thrilled to have them as part of the Hawks family long term.”

“Having played in Atlanta for almost five years, I have a love for the city and the Hawks franchise. I’d like to thank Landry for this opportunity. I am grateful and excited to draw from my experiences playing and working in the NBA over the last 20 years to add to our front office,” Korver said.

Korver, who spent the 2021-22 season as a player development assistant with the Brooklyn Nets, played in 332 regular season games over four-and-a-half seasons (2012-17) with the Hawks, including an All-Star appearance in 2015. He was also the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award recipient in 2014-15.

Korver appeared in 1,232 career regular season games (and 145 playoff contests) in 17 seasons with Philadelphia, Utah, Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Milwaukee. He ranks fifth in NBA history in three-pointers made (2,450) and seventh in career three-point percentage (.429), including the best single-season mark in league history (.536 in 2009-10 with the Jazz). Korver is the only player to ever lead the league in three-point percentage four times.

Selected 51st overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, Korver was the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year as a collegian at Creighton. Korver, 41, was born in Paramount, Calif. before his family relocated to Pella, Iowa. He and his wife, Juliet, have three children.

Hawks waive Jarrett Culver

The Atlanta Hawks have waived two-way guard Jarrett Culver.

In 10 games (one start) for the Hawks this season, Culver averaged 4.4 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.7 minutes. He netted a season-high 10 points in a win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 2, 2022. Culver also saw action in 11 total games (six starts) for the College Park Skyhawks, NBA G League affiliate of the Hawks, notching 18.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 block in 28.5 minutes (.477 FG%, .333 3FG%, .611 FT%).

Culver was signed to a two-way contract by the Hawks on Sept. 12, 2022.

Cavaliers hire Anderson Varejao as a Player Development Consultant and Global Ambassador

The Cleveland Cavaliers have hired Anderson Varejão as a Player Development Consultant and Global Ambassador, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

The longtime Cavaliers center and fan-favorite returns to Cleveland in a full-time capacity after retiring from a 14-year NBA playing career and will help lead the organization’s international partnership efforts.

The Cavaliers will honor Varejão with a special presentation and video tribute at halftime of the Cavs vs. Milwaukee Bucks game on Saturday, January 21st.

“Andy embodies all that the city of Cleveland stands for and beyond, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring his experience, leadership and character back into the Cleveland Cavaliers family,” said Altman. “His infectious work ethic and commitment to our community have earned him his rightful place in the fabric of this organization and all of Northeast Ohio, and his impact on the game internationally will benefit our global outreach. We are thrilled to welcome Andy and his family back fulltime to the Cavaliers.”

In his new role, Varejão will engage with coaches, front office and Cavaliers players in varying on-court development roles during the season, as well as travel internationally for both basketball and corporate activities. Varejão will also assist the Cavaliers in their on-going mission to grow the game of basketball globally, including in Latin America. The organization has already launched an official team Portuguese Instagram channel called @cavsinbrasil in partnership with award-winning Brazilian digital and social media agency, Play9. The channel, which is filled with daily fresh content and game coverage, already has over 16,000 followers since launching last October.

“In Cleveland, we’ve seen first-hand the passion that fans in Brazil have for the game of basketball as they cheered on their hero, Anderson Varejão, during his incredible 14-year NBA career,” said Nic Barlage, Cleveland Cavaliers, Rock Entertainment Group and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO. “As we celebrate Andy and all that he has meant to our franchise, we are committed to helping to grow the sport across the globe in an authentic and thoughtful way. Our hope is that we can organically create generations of new Cavs fans internationally that will carry on that same passion for the game that Andy brought to the court every night.”

“I am thrilled and honored once again to be a formal part of the Cavaliers family,” said Varejão. “This is a unique opportunity to start a new chapter of my life with the team I love and in the city I love. I want to thank Dan Gilbert, Koby and Nic for welcoming me and my family back to Northeast Ohio with open arms. I am truly excited to be back here where it all started and contribute to growing the game of basketball in areas that hold a meaningful place in my heart.”

During his playing days in Cleveland, Varejão was a key member of the Cavaliers back-to-back 60-win teams (66-16 in 2008-09 and 61-21 in 2009-10) and six playoff teams (2005-2010, 2015), including two Eastern Conference Finals runs (2007 and 2009) and the franchise’s first ever NBA Finals appearance during the 2007 Playoffs. Over 13 seasons with the Cavaliers, Varejão appeared in 596 regular season games (208 starts) with averages of 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in 24.9 minutes per contest. Nicknamed the “Wild Thing,” Varejão still ranks among the Cavaliers all-time Top 10 leaders in offensive rebounds (fourth, 1,486), defensive rebounds (seventh, 2,968), total rebounds (seventh, 4,454), games played (eighth, 596), blocks (eighth, 399) and steals (eighth, 529). He also earned NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2009-10 and owns a share of the team’s single game record for rebounds with 25 boards on January 2, 2014 versus Orlando. Additionally, Varejão played in 71 playoff games with Cleveland and ranks among the Cavaliers’ all-time postseason leaders in games played (71, tied for fourth), steals (67, fourth), offensive rebounds (147, fourth), defensive rebounds (258, sixth), total rebounds (405, sixth) and blocks (39, tied for seventh).

Before entering the NBA and becoming one of only seven players in Cavaliers history with 4,000 points and 4,000 rebounds, Varejão first started playing basketball for Clube de Regatas Saldanha da Gama (Vitória-ES) during his youth. From there, he signed to play for Franca Basquete (Franca-SP), where he joined the professional team and the Brazilian National Team. He played for Franca for four years, and his stellar play elevated him to join Liga ACB in Spain, where he won multiple championships playing for F.C. Barcelona, including the Liga ACB MVP trophy in 2001-02 and their first-ever EuroLeague title in 2003. After enjoying much success internationally, Varejão was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 30th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft before being acquired by the Cavaliers in a trade on July 23, 2004.

In addition to his 13 NBA seasons in Cleveland, Varejão had a brief stint with the Golden State Warriors where he appeared in 36 games during parts of the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, as well as 17 postseason contests during the Warriors’ NBA Finals run in 2016. Following his stint with Golden State, Varejão played for Flamengo in the NBB (Novo Basquete Brasil) league in 2017-18 and 2018-19, where he was MVP of the All-Star Game (2018) and champion of the Copa Super 8 and NBB 2019 title. In 2021, Varejão made his final appearance for the Brazilian National Team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Qualifier in Croatia. He represented Brazil for over 20 years.