Inside Hoops – Page 1492 – NBA Blog

Houston Rockets assign Royce White to D-League

The Houston Rockets today assigned rookie forward Royce White to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment is the record 84th of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, while White becomes the 45th NBA player to be assigned to the NBA D-League this season, another new League record.

White (6-8, 260, Iowa State) was selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Rockets and appeared in four preseason games for the team, averaging 2.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 12.3 minutes. He has been on Houston’s inactive list for much of the season.

White is expected to join the Vipers tonight and be available Sunday, Dec. 30, when the team travels to face the Bakersfield Jam at 10 p.m. ET.

It’ll be interesting to see if White can progress to eventually becoming a true member of the Rockets.

Brandon Roy issues statement, plans to continue his basketball career

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Brandon Roy issued the following statement today regarding his recovery:

“Last week while practicing, I suffered a setback in my recovery. I’ve felt better since the recent surgery, but I am not all the way better. The past two days I have been weighing all of my options as I try to continue my basketball career. I have decided to explore additional treatment options and an extensive rehabilitation plan. My goal has been, and continues to be, to return to the basketball court as healthy as possible in order to help our team. “

Eric Gordon set to return for Hornets

New Orleans Hornets shooting guard Eric Gordon will make his much-anticipated season debut off the bench Saturday night against the reeling Charlotte Bobcats, losers of 17 straight games.

Gordon, who spent nearly two months in Los Angeles rehabilitating his sore right knee, will likely play about 25 minutes against the Bobcats, he said, as he gradually works back into game conditioning with a future return to the starting lineup still undetermined.

“I’m just looking forward to getting out there and playing and I thought this was somewhat of a good time to get started,” Gordon said before the game. “It’s still somewhat of a progression for me. I’m just going to get out there and play.”

— Reported by Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Brandon Roy again considering retirement

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Brandon Roy’s career is in jeopardy again after he suffered another setback to his surgically repaired knees, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Roy, 28, has considered the possibility of retirement for the second time in three years, sources said, but no final decision has been reached. Doctors continue to have questions about whether his knees can withstand the grind of playing in the NBA.

Roy had surgery on his right knee on Nov. 19 and left the team again for further tests after returning to practice on Thursday.

— Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports

Amare Stoudemire likely coming off bench for Knicks upon return

The New York Knicks plan to have Amar’e Stoudemire come off the bench when he returns to action, ESPN.com reported, based on information from league sources.

Stoudemire could return on Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, and although the team would prefer that he come off the bench, he could be a starter because of injuries to other players.

Carmelo Anthony, who has been starting at the power forward spot this season, missed his second consecutive game on Friday because of a knee injury, and point guard Raymond Felton is out four to six weeks with a fractured right pinky finger.

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Anderson Varejao out at least two more games

Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao would like to return to action as soon as possible.

Unfortunately for the NBA’s leading rebounder and his team, it’s unclear when he’ll be on the court again.

Varejao will miss at least two more games because of a bruised right knee. He will sit out Friday night’s home game against Atlanta and will not travel with the team for Saturday’s game in Brooklyn so he can get more treatment. Varejao has already missed four games since hurting his knee on Dec. 18 against Toronto.

”I want to be back tomorrow, but I know that’s not possible,” he said before Friday’s game.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Photo: Live at Brooklyn Nets game

InsideHoops.com photo from court level prior to start of Friday night’s Charlotte Bobcats at Brooklyn Nets game.

insidehoops brooklyn nets game

Tulsa 66ers (D-League) acquire Chris Quinn

The Tulsa 66ers, proud affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder, announced Friday that they have acquired guard Chris Quinn.

Quinn, 6-2/174, brings five seasons of NBA experience to Tulsa. After four years at the University of Notre Dame, Quinn was signed as an undrafted free agent to the Miami Heat. Quinn spent three seasons (2006-2009) with Miami, averaging 5.6 points, 2.2 assists 1.3 rebounds in 168 games (26 starts).

The guard spent the next two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Nets, bringing his NBA average to 4.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.1 rebounds.

The 29 year-old played overseas in 2011-12 with Khimki Moscow in Russia, averaging 7.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 21 league games.

Quinn’s most recent NBA experience came as part of the Utah Jazz 2012-13 training camp and preseason roster. Following Utah’s training camp, Quinn signed with Valenica in Spain, averaging 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in four league games.

He is expected to be in uniform when Tulsa takes on the Canton Charge on Friday night at 6:30 in Canton.

Nik Caner-Medley, playing in Israel, will miss one month

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv power forward Nik Caner-Medley will be sidelined for one month due to a leg injury, the club announced Thursday. Caner-Medley got injured in Maccabi’s final regular season game against Alba Berlin. Further research confirm that he had a hamstring tear which will keep him sidelined for one month. Caner-Medley has averaged 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10 Turkish Airlines Euroleague games this season.

— Reported by Euroleague.net

Nets may want Phil Jackson as next head coach

Undaunted by Phil Jackson’s reported reluctance to coach their team, Brooklyn Nets officials have established Jackson as their top target in the wake of Avery Johnson’s dismissal, according to NBA coaching sources.

Sources told ESPN.com on Thursday the Nets have Jackson atop their list of potential replacements for Johnson and will make a hard push for the 67-year-old, who appeared close to returning for a third stint with the Los Angeles Lakers in November before L.A. unexpectedly gave the job to Mike D’Antoni.

Jackson’s longtime representative, Todd Musburger, told TNT’s David Aldridge on Thursday that his client has “no interest in the Nets’ job at this time.” But a source told ESPN that Jackson would indeed entertain an approach from Brooklyn and that his flirtation with the Lakers after Mike Brown’s dismissal five games into the season got him “thinking about coaching again.”

— Reported by Marc Stein and Chris Broussard of ESPN.com