Inside Hoops – Page 2351 – NBA Blog

Grizzlies waive Steve Francis

The Memphis Grizzlies reached a buyout agreement and waived guard Steve Francis, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

The 6-3, 210-pound guard has not appeared in a game with the Grizzlies or Houston Rockets this season after he was acquired from Houston on Dec. 24, 2008 along with Memphis’ own 2009 second round draft pick and cash considerations in exchange for a conditional 2011 second round draft pick.

The 31-year-old former three-time All-Star (2002, 2003, 2004) has averaged 18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists 37.6 minutes in 576 career games (543 starts) in nine seasons with Houston, Orlando Magic and New York Knicks.

The Grizzlies’ roster currently stands at 13 players.

Grizzlies name Barry Hecker assistant coach

The Memphis Grizzlies named Barry Hecker an assistant coach, General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

With over 35 years of basketball experience in the professional, collegiate and high school ranks, Hecker joins the Grizzlies after a stint with the China Basketball Association (CBA) where he was an assistant coach with the Jiangsu Nangang Dragons during the league’s 2008 playoffs.

Along with his work in the CBA, Hecker spent 16 seasons (1986-98, 2001-05) with the Los Angeles Clippers, first serving as the team’s director of scouting (1986-94) and then moving to the bench for four seasons (1994-98) as an assistant under head coach Bill Fitch. Hecker would later spend four seasons (2001-05) as the club’s director of player personnel/assistant coach.

Before his first stint with the Clippers, Hecker spent two seasons (1984-86) as the player personnel director for the Cleveland Cavaliers, helping assemble a core of players including Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper and Johnny “Hot Rod” Williams, that would turn the Cavaliers into a perennial Eastern Conference power in the late-1980s and early-1990s.

Hecker basketball executive experience also includes two seasons (1999-01) as the interim head coach, assistant coach and player personnel director for the Las Vegas Bandits of the International Basketball League (IBL), where he assisted current Grizzlies Head Coach Lionel Hollins in the 2000-01 season.

A popular and frequent speaker on the basketball clinic circuit, Hecker has been the director of numerous camps, including those run by Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley, Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues, Xavier McDaniel and Andrei Kirilenko. Internationally, Hecker has been invited as a guest speaker at clinics in China, Italy and Turkey.

The Washington, D.C. native received his bachelor’s degree from Frostburg State (MD) where he played basketball and baseball. He earned his master’s degree in education from George Washington University and was a Ph.D. candidate at Florida State. Hecker’s head coaching credits also include B.S. Leiden of the Dutch Professional League (1975) and Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah (1976-78).

The club also announced today that Andy Greer and Ron DuBois are no longer with the team and that Kevin O’Neill has been assigned to the new position of special assistant to the general manager.

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Andray Blatche out 2-4 weeks

Injury continues to strike the Washington Wizards.

Wizards forward/center Andray Blatche was diagnosed today with a strained left knee. He is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.

The injury originally occurred at the 4:11 mark of the fourth quarter in Monday night’s game vs. Phoenix.

For the season, Blatche is averaging 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds on 48.1% shooting in 23.4 minutes per game.

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Qyntel Woods signs in Poland

Euroleague.net reports: Asseco Prokom made Qyntel Woods its second addition ahead of the Top 16 on Tuesday by signing the forward for the remainder of the season. Woods (203, 27) arrives from Fortitudo Bologna, where he averaged 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 23 minutes in four Eurocup games this season. The Polish champs will be Woods’ second Euroleague club after he made his competition debut last season with Olympiacos – one of Prokom’s Group E opponents in the Top 16.

Brian Scalabrine suffers concussion at practice

The Boston Globe (Marc Spears) reports (via blog): Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine was taken to New England Baptist Hospital after suffering a concussion at practice today, and coach Doc Rivers said he expects the forward to be out for an extended period of time. Scalabrine originally suffered a concussion against Dallas last Sunday and received another when he bumped into teammate Patrick O’Bryant while trying to get a rebound at practice today.

Hollis Price, Mo Taylor to Italy

Euroleague.net reports: Armani Jeans Milano made a pair of major additions to its roster in time for the Top 16. Head coach Piero Bucchi’s squad signed playmaker Hollis Price and power forward Maurice Taylor. Price (186, 29) arrives from Dynamo Moscow, but was among the best playmakers in his debut Euroleague campaign last season with Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius. Taylor (206, 32) last with Sacramento of the NBA, will play in Europe for the first time. His contract is for Euroleague games only.

Charles Gaines signs in Israel

Euroleague.net reports: Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv made one more move before the start of the Top 16 with the addition of high-flying forward Charles Gaines until the end of the season. Gaines (203, 28) will mark his second stint in the Euroleague after playing for DKV Joventut Badalona in the 2006-07 season, when he averaged 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Monday NBA stars

NBA.com reports: Shaquille O’Neal, Suns, scored 29 points as Phoenix wrapped up a six-game East Coast swing with a 103-87 win over Washington. O’Neal went 10-for-14 from the field and 9-for-10 from the free throw line… Dwyane Wade, Heat, finished with 35 points and Miami held Atlanta without a field goal for nearly 131/2 minutes during one first-half stretch in a 95-79 victory… Chris Paul, Hornets, had 27 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds and seven steals for his fifth triple-double of the season, and the Hornets defeated Philadelphia 101-86… Brandon Roy, Trail Blazers, scored 33 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead Portland to a 113-88 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers… Al Jefferson, Timberwolves, had 23 points and 10 rebounds, lifting Minnesota over short-handed Milwaukee 90-83.

Jannero Pargo signs in Greece

Euroleague.net reports: Olympiacos Pireaus has made up for the loss of an injured starter by signing more offensive firepower in the person of guard Jannero Pargo, last with Dynamo Moscow. Pargo (188, 30) posted 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists in five Eurocup games in this, his first season in Europe, for Dynamo. Pargo had played the previous six seaons with four NBA teams: New Orleans, Chicago, Toronto and the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 8.1 points last season with New Orleans. Olympiacos needs help after its third-best scorer, Josh Childress, was lost for at least a month more due to a sports hernia that was operated on last week.

James White rocking the D-League

NBA.com (Matthew Brennan) reports: James White is unstoppable on offense at the NBA D-League level, averaging 29.8 points in January including a D-League season high 47 last week. He has come a long way in developing his all-around game since his assignment to Austin two seasons ago, and has to be at the top of the list regarding any call-up discussion. I am looking forward to seeing him play at All-Star Weekend (both in the D-League game and maybe the Dunk Contest), but will be surprised if he is not on an NBA roster by then.