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Indiana Pacers sign head coach Frank Vogel to contract extension

Frank Vogel

The Indiana Pacers announced Monday they have signed head coach Frank Vogel to a contract extension.

Vogel is in his third year as Pacers coach after taking over on Jan. 30, 2011. Going into Tuesday night’s home game with Miami, Vogel has coached exactly 100 games, compiling a 62-38 record. Last season, the Pacers had a 42-24 record, fifth best in the NBA and reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals before losing to eventual NBA champion Miami.

“This is a good deal for Frank and the franchise,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh. “Frank has done a great job turning our team around since he became coach and deserves the chance to continue the work he and his staff have started.”

Said Vogel, “I’m honored that Donnie, Kevin (General Manager Pritchard) and Mr. Simon (owner Herb Simon) have such belief and faith in me to be their coach in the foreseeable future. We’ve established a great connection with our community the last two years, both on and off the court and I look forward to continuing that.”

Wizards waive guard Shelvin Mack

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived guard Shelvin Mack.

Mack, who signed as a free agent with Washington on December 25, 2012, appeared in seven games, including two starts, and averaged 5.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 20.1 minutes per contest.

Mack was originally selected by Washington with the 34 th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and appeared in training camp with the Wizards this season before being waived on October 28. He spent the first 11 games of the 2012-13 season with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League prior to re-signing with the Wizards on December 25.

The team’s roster now stands at 14 players.

Travis Leslie named D-League Player of Month

Santa Cruz Warriors guard Travis Leslie has been named NBA Development League Player of the Month for games played in Nov. and Dec. The honor, the first of the 2012-13 season, is also the first of Leslie’s NBA D-League career.

Leslie (6-4, 205, Georgia) led Santa Cruz to an 8-2 record during Nov. and Dec., averaging 16.4 points while shooting 55 percent from the floor to go with 7.9 rebounds. He scored in double figures in all ten games, including two 20-plus point performances.

Fifteen additional players earned honorable mention accolades, they include: Austin’s Cory Joseph, Bakersfield’s Renaldo Major, Canton’s Arinze Onuaku, Erie’s DJ Kennedy, Fort Wayne’s Tony Mitchell, Idaho’s Justin Holiday, Iowa’s Paul Harris, Los Angeles’ Courtney Fortson, Maine’s Micah Downs, Reno’s Marcus Landry, Rio Grande Valley’s Tim Ohlbrecht, Sioux Falls’ Andrew Goudelock (now playing with the Vipers), Springfield’s James Mays, Texas’ Darius Rice and Tulsa’s Jeremy Lamb.

Pacers sign Dominic McGuire to 10-day contract

The Indiana Pacers announced Monday the signing of Dominic McGuire to a 10-day contract.

McGuire, a 6-9, 235-pound forward, has been with six different teams in his six-year NBA career, most recently the New Orleans Hornets. He played nine games with the Hornets this season, averaging 2.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. He was a second-round draft pick of the Washington Wizards in 2007 (47 th overall) after playing collegiately at Fresno State. McGuire has also played with Sacramento, Charlotte, Golden State and Toronto.

New Orleans Hornets sign guard Donald Sloan to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Hornets today signed guard Donald Sloan of the Sioux Falls Skyforce for the 11th Call-Up of the 2012-13 NBA Development League season. It is a 10-day contract.

Sloan earned the Call-up after playing just two games with the Skyforce and joins more than 115 players with NBA D-League experience currently on NBA rosters.

Sloan (6-3, 205, Texas A&M), was signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers last season following the expiration of a 10-day contact with the Hornets. He started in 11 of the 25 games he appeared in, averaging 6.6 points and 3.7 assists. He re-signed with Cleveland this season, appearing in 20 games and averaging 4.1 points and 1.9 assists in 12.9 minutes prior to being waived and joining the Skyforce. In two games with Sioux Falls, he averaged 22.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists; helping the Skyforce to back-to-back victories over the Los Angeles D-Fenders and Reno Bighorns last week.

Sloan is expected to join the Hornets tonight and be available when the team hosts the San Antonio Spurs tonight at 8 P.M EST.

Cavaliers recall Jon Leuer from D-League

The Cleveland Cavaliers have recalled forward Jon Leuer from the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers exclusively owned and operated NBA Development League team, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Leuer has appeared in eight games (seven starts) for the Charge this season, averaging 19.5 points on .512 shooting and 12.3 rebounds in 36.5 minutes per game, helping the Charge go 7-1 in those games. Leuer has played in five games this season for the Cavs, averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game.

Dwight Howard to get MRI on shoulder

Dwight Howard

The Lakers training staff will have more work. After posting 19 points and tying a career-high 26 rebounds, Howard aggravated his right shoulder and will receive an MRI this morning. Howard remains optimistic he will be fine, but what about the team’s progress?

“It’s a tough stretch, but we have to stay together. We can’t point the finger at anybody,” Howard said. “It seems like everything is against us right now, but we have to keep our heads and stay together.”

Few have such patience.

A loud group of Lakers fans yelled out “We want Phil” a not-so-subtle suggestion they’d rather have Phil Jackson coach this current group. Clearly, they’re pinning the Lakers’ poor defense on D’Antoni, who has never had a good reputation in that department. Meanwhile, Gasol and Nash each picked up technicals.

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News

Ben Gordon calls his time on Pistons a failure

Ben Gordon calls his time on Pistons a failure

Former Pistons guard Ben Gordon came to Detroit with images of grandeur in the summer of 2009, wanting to add to his growing resume as a bona fide scorer capable of adapting to any situation.

Of course, that didn’t happen, as the guard was unceremoniously shipped to the Charlotte Bobcats before last June’s draft for essentially cap space in the form of Corey Maggette’s expiring contract.

Gordon, 29, didn’t shy away from assessing his three years as a Piston, terming it “a failure.”

“Yeah, because when I came here, it was — is — a great, storied organization,” he said. “I had visions of going to the playoffs and things of that nature.

“We didn’t make it while I was here and that was disappointing to me. We had the talent, but for some reason we were never able to reach that goal of being one of the better teams in the East.”

— Reported by Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News

Celtics have looked into trading for DeMarcus Cousins

DeMarcus Cousins

According to league sources, the Celtics have, indeed, inquired about Cousins, but that shouldn’t come as a great revelation in that they, like most every NBA club, are constantly checking the marketplace to see if a bargain can be had.

Word is, however, that the Kings are asking for a high draft pick and people who can help them now. So, forgetting the fact the Celts’ first-round pick will be middle of the road at best, would you want to part with a young starter (and more) for someone as uncertain as Cousins?

Considering the talent the Kings already have in the backcourt, it’s possible the Celtics can’t even muster something that would be attractive enough for Sacramento — at least not at this moment. And you’d have to question whether you’d give up even equal talent for this guy, his abilities notwithstanding. What we know right now is that the Kings aren’t inclined to hold a fire sale.

— Reported by Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald