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Sister, cousin of Willie Green killed in car crash

The AP reports:

The sister and cousin of New Orleans player Willie Green were killed early Monday when their sport utility vehicle sped from a Detroit area freeway and slammed into a tree a few hours after the Hornets’ overtime loss to the Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Family members identified the victims as Tamara Green, 30, and Ben Green, 27, said Troy police Lt. Robert Redmond.

The pair and other relatives had attended the game to watch Willie Green, a college star at the University of Detroit Mercy, play against his hometown professional team. They had stopped at a nearby restaurant after the game.

Heat recall Dexter Pittman from D-League

KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 10: Dexter Pittman #34 of the Texas Longhorns reacts in the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones during the first round game of the 2010 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center on March 10, 2010 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The Miami Heat announced today that Dexter Pittman has been recalled from the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League. He was assigned to the Heat’s D-League affiliate on November 26.

“It was a very productive stint for Dexter,” said Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra, “and shows how valuable the NBA Development League is. He had an opportunity to play and learn from his mistakes, play through fatigue, foul trouble and all these things he can’t get from just practice. We were encouraged by the three-week opportunity he had.”

Pittman appeared in eight games (all starts) and averaged 16.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.63 blocks and 30.6 minutes while shooting 60.2 percent from the field. He recorded four double-doubles after posting 18 points and a team-high 10 rebounds at Iowa on December 1, 18 points and a game-high 15 rebounds vs. Iowa on December 3, 15 points and a team-high 10 rebounds vs. Austin on December 7 and then a game-high 27 points and a game-high 10 rebounds vs. Utah on December 17.

Pittman, the 32nd overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, blocked a Sioux Falls season-high six shots vs. Utah on December 17, his third multi-block game. Additionally, he led the team in points three times, rebounds six times and in blocks on three occasions.

Wizards sign Lester Hudson

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed point guard Lester Hudson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced. It is likely a short-term, nonguaranteed contract.

Hudson (6-3, 190 lbs.) appeared in six games earlier this season for Washington, before being waived on November 22nd to make room for Alonzo Gee. Gee appeared in 11 games (five starts) for the Wizards, and averaged 2.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game.

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Brandon Jennings having foot surgery, out 4-6 weeks

April 26, 2010 Milwaukee, WI. Bradley Center..Milwaukee Bucks Brandon Jennings brings the ball up the court, Jennings had 23 points and 6 assists against the Hawks tonight..Milwaukee Bucks won over the Atlanta Hawks 111-104, in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs. The Series is now tied at 2-2. Mike McGinnis/CSM.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings (6-1, 169) will undergo surgery this afternoon to repair a fracture of the fifth metatarsal of his left foot, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Jennings, 21, was examined by Bucks orthopaedic physician Dr. Michael Gordon following Saturday’s game vs. Utah and an MRI procedure on Sunday confirmed the diagnosis.

Jennings is expected to miss four to six weeks of action and will be re-evaluated throughout his recovery.

The AP reports:

Jennings had started every game since being picked 10th overall in 2009, a string of 107 regular-season games and seven in the postseason. He’d been averaging 17.9 points per game and 5.5 assists in 25 games this year.

Jennings said earlier in the week that he hurt himself on a drive to the basket against the Spurs when he came down awkwardly on his knee and it put pressure on his ankle. Against the Jazz, he went 3 of 7 from the field and finished with six points, four assists and three rebounds.

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Rick Pitino to coach Puerto Rico next summer

LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 16: Rick Pitino the Head Coach of the Louisville Cardinals gives instructions to his team during the game against the Butler Bulldogs at the KFC Yum! Center on November 16, 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The AP reports:

Louisville’s Rick Pitino will coach Puerto Rico’s national team next summer in hopes of qualifying for the 2012 Olympics.

The Puerto Rico basketball federation on Monday introduced Pitino as its next coach. Pitino met with players and officials Sunday to discuss the possibility.

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports:

Arroyo is the starting point guard for the Miami Heat. Barea plays the same position for the Dallas Mavericks. Both are natives of Puerto Rico. Both are expected to play for the Puerto Rican national basketball team that has been vigorously recruiting Pitino as its coach for next summer.

“I want to make sure those two guys are committed and if they know of other guys who are committed and it’s not just the two of them,” Pitino said.

Guys such as Renaldo Balkman, the former first-round pick of the New York Knicks. And Angel Garcia, a Puerto Rican player who just walked out on Memphis to sign a pro contract with a team in Spain.

Sixers showing life in December

April 9, 2010: Philadelphia 76ers guard Andre Iguodala (9) going up for the dunk while Milwaukee Bucks guard John Salmons (15) looks on during the NBA game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Kate Fagan of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

It’s not quite yet the New Year, but it feels like a different season for the 76ers.

Only a third of the way through the schedule, the Sixers have climbed out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference by going 8-3 in their last 11 games, including Saturday night’s 97-89 road victory over the shorthanded Orlando Magic.

For the Sixers, it was the perfect start to perhaps the most difficult stretch of their season: an eight-game road trip filled almost entirely playoff opponents.

The Sixers, 11-16, know they must keep their heads above water during the next two weeks.

“This stretch we had coming up, was it going to be doom and gloom or was it going to be opportunity?” Sixers coach Doug Collins asked after Saturday’s win, then quickly responded: “It was an opportunity for us.”

Suns recall Gani Lawal from D-League

The Phoenix Suns have recalled rookie forward Gani Lawal from the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League, the club announced. Lawal will join the team for tonight’s game against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Originally assigned on Nov. 16, Lawal appeared in 10 games with the Energy, posting averages of 11.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in 20.2 minutes. The 6-9, 234-pound Lawal scored in double figures in five of his 10 games, including two scoring efforts of 20 or more.

The Georgia Tech product was selected by the Suns with the 46th overall pick (second round) of the 2010 NBA Draft. He has not yet made his NBA debut.

Rudy Gay suspended for foul on Luis Scola

Apr. 07, 2010: Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay shoots free throws and finished with 23 points during an NBA game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX Dallas defeated Memphis 110-84.

Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies has been suspended one game without pay for his Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two against Luis Scola of the Houston Rockets, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident, in which Gay made contact with his right shoulder and forearm to the back of Scola and was ejected following the Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two call, occurred with 6:00 remaining in the 4th period of the Grizzlies’ 103-87 loss to the Rockets at Toyota Center on Dec. 17.

Gay will serve his suspension tonight when the Grizzlies visit the San Antonio Spurs.

NBA fines George Karl and Andre Miller

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl and Portland Trail Blazers guard Andre Miller have both been fined for separate incidents, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

Karl has been fined $25,000 for public comments about the officiating following the Nuggets’ 113-112 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 16.

Miller has also been fined $25,000 for throwing the ball in the stands following the Blazers’ 103-98 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 15.

Wizards trade Gilbert Arenas to Magic for Rashard Lewis

Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas carries the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at the Verizon Center in Washington on December 14, 2010. UPI/Kevin Dietsch Photo via Newscom

The Orlando Magic have acquired three-time NBA All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Rashard Lewis, President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Otis Smith announced today.

“Gilbert (Arenas) is a proven All-Star in this league and we’re excited to add him to our team,” said Smith. “He is one of the top scoring guards in the game, he can create scoring chances for his teammates and he is as tough as they come. Rashard (Lewis) was important in helping our franchise get to the next level, and we wish him and his family all the best in the future.”

“This trade allows us to continue to rebuild around our core group of young players and provides financial flexibility as we move forward,” said Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld. “We’re thrilled to have been able to accomplish those goals while also getting back a two-time All-Star in Rashard Lewis, who brings us versatility, three-point shooting and a veteran presence.”

“When we re-signed Gilbert prior to the 2008-09 season, we envisioned a level of team success that we unfortunately were not able to achieve due to injuries and other factors beyond our control,” said Grunfeld. “We appreciate the contributions that he made to this franchise and this city and wish him the best of luck.”

Arenas (6’4”, 215, 1/6/82) has played in 21 games this season (14 starts) with Washington, averaging a team-high 17.3 ppg., 5.6 apg., 3.3 rpg. and 1.43 stlpg. in 34.6 minpg. He is currently tied for 21st in the NBA in assists, ranks 28th in steals and is tied for 35th in scoring.

Originally selected in the second round (31st overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft by Golden State, Arenas was named to the All-NBA Second Team once (2006-07) and to the All-NBA Third Team twice (2004-05, 2005-06), while also earning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2002-03. He has been named to the NBA All-Star team three times (2005-07).

Arenas has appeared in 486 career NBA regular season games with Golden State and Washington, averaging 22.5 ppg., 5.6 apg., 4.2 rpg. and 1.71 stlpg. in 37.2 minpg. He has shot .356 (1,016-2,856) from three-point range during his career. Arenas has also played in 20 career playoff outings, averaging 24.2 ppg., 5.3 apg., 4.6 rpg. and 1.80 stlpg. in 41.4 minpg.

Lewis (6’10”, 230, 8/8/79) has played and started in 25 games this season with Orlando, averaging 12.2 ppg., 4.2 rpg. and 1.2 apg. in 32.4 minpg. He played in 257 games with the Magic from 2007-10, averaging 16.3 ppg., 5.1 rpg., 2.1 apg. and 1.09 sltpg. in 35.5 minpg. during that span.

Originally selected in the second round (32nd overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft by Seattle, Lewis has appeared in 874 career NBA regular season games with Seattle and Orlando, averaging 16.5 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 1.8 apg. and 1.13 stlpg. in 34.4 minpg. He was acquired by the Magic in a sign-and-trade deal with Seattle (now Oklahoma City) in exchange for a future conditional second round draft pick on July 11, 2007.

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