Author: Inside Hoops

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Bobcats assign Jermareo Davidson to D-League

The Charlotte Bobcats have assigned rookie forward Jermareo Davidson to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.  Davidson is expected to see his first action on Sunday, Dec. 16, against the Dakota Wizards.

The 6-10, 230-pound forward has appeared in 11 games this season with averages of 3.5 points and 1.9 rebounds in 8.1 minutes of action.  His draft rights were acquired by the Bobcats along with guard Jason Richardson from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Brandan Wright, whom the Bobcats selected with eighth pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

Davidson, the 36th overall selection in the June draft, played four seasons at the University of Alabama and averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 126 collegiate games. He was named All-Southeastern Conference Second Team in 2006-07 by the league’s coaches and Honorable Mention All-SEC by The Associated Press.

As a senior, he ranked second on the team in scoring, averaging 14.0 points, ranked first in total blocks with 70 and ranked second in rebounding (8.2).  He also reached double-figure scoring 25 times and posted 11 double-doubles on the season.

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Clippers sign Richie Frahm

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent guard Richie Frahm. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

Frahm was most recently on the Phoenix Suns roster for the 2007 preseason before being waived on October 24. The 6-foot-5, 202 pound three-point specialist has averaged 3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 130 career games with the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trailblazers and Seattle Supersonics.

Frahm played for Italy’s Benetton Treviso in 2006-07 after appearing in a total of 32 games for the Timberwolves and Rockets in 2005-06, averaging 3.4 points.

Frahm was undrafted after a stellar career at Gonzaga that saw him finish his career as Gonzaga’s all-time leader in career three-point field goals and fourth on the all-time school scoring list with 1,621 points. The Battle Ground, Washington native averaged 12.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in four seasons at Gonzaga and was a college teammate of Clippers guard Dan Dickau during the 1999-2000 season.

Following college, Frahm played for several teams including the ABA’s Phoenix Eclipse and clubs in the Philippines, Italy and Turkey before signing with Seattle on Sept. 27, 2003 and playing in 54 games. Frahm was selected in the June 22, 2004 expansion draft by the Charlotte Bobcats before signing as a free agent with Portland on July 15, 2004. Following the 2004-05 season, Frahm signed with the Timberwolves as a free agent on Sept. 26, 2005 and was waived after 25 games, allowing him to sign with Houston.

NBA suspends Tyrus Thomas, fines Troy Murphy

Chicago Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas has been suspended one game without pay and Indiana Pacers forward Troy Murphy has been fined $10,000, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

Thomas was suspended for striking Murphy in the face, while Murphy was fined for his role in escalating the incident by shoving Thomas. The incident occurred with 3:51 remaining in the second period of the Pacers 117-102 win over the Bulls at Conseco Fieldhouse on Dec. 12.

Thomas will serve his suspension tonight when the Bulls host the New York Knicks.

Brendan Haywood stepping up

FoxSports (Charley Rosen) reports: With his newfound freedom and responsibility, Brendan Haywood is finally playing with passion. Indeed, it’s no stretch to claim that Haywood outplayed Shaq — scoring 10 to Shaq’s six, and claiming 10 rebounds where Shaq had only seven. Haywood even managed to get a piece of one of Shaq’s jump hooks. But the one stat that indicates Haywood’s true domination was his corralling five offensive rebounds.

Jazz recall Kyrylo Fesenko from D-League

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has recalled center Kyrylo Fesenko from the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League).

Fesenko, a 7-1, 288-pound center had been re-assigned to the Flash on December 6 following an earlier Flash stint from November 10-30.

Overall, Fesenko has appeared in six games (all starts) for the Flash, averaging 16.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.67 blocks while shooting .625 from the floor.  Fesenko appeared in two games for the Flash during his most recent stint, averaging 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.50 blocks while hitting 18-28 shots (.643).

The 20-year-old native of the Ukraine has appeared in one game for the Jazz, scoring six points and grabbing seven rebounds in 17 minutes in a 120-96 Jazz win over the Los Angeles Lakers the night he was first recalled.

Originally selected by Philadelphia with in the second round (38th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Jazz acquired Fesenko’s rights in a draft night deal that sent the draft rights to Herbert Hill (55th overall pick) and trade considerations to the 76ers.

Fesenko will join the Jazz for their game at Portland on Friday.

Al Horford suspended 1 game for flagrant foul on T.J. Ford

Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford has been suspended one game without pay for committing a Flagrant Foul Penalty Two by striking Toronto’s T.J. Ford on the head, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 1:32 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Hawks 100-88 loss to the Raptors on Tuesday night at Philips Arena. Horford will serve his suspension Friday against the Detroit Pistons.

InsideHoops.com: We agree with this. Even if the dangerous foul wasn’t intentional, a simple one-game suspension sends a message that all players need to be careful and simply cannot commit this type of foul.

Discuss this with other fans on the InsideHoops basketball message board.

Theo Ratliff to have exploratory right knee surgery

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced today that center Theo Ratliff will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday, Dec. 18. Dr. James R. Andrews of the Alabama Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Ala., will perform the operation. Due to the exploratory nature of the procedure, a timetable for his return will be established following the operation.

Ratliff, acquired via trade from the Boston Celtics on July 31, 2007, has appeared in six games for the Wolves this season, averaging 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 26.8 minutes per game. The 12-year NBA veteran has missed the last 13 games due to soreness in his right knee.

Spurs recall Darius Washington from D-League

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have recalled Darius Washington from the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League.

Washington was signed by the Spurs on October 1. He appeared in 15 games with the Silver and Black, averaging 2.8 points and 1.1 rebounds while shooting .485 from the field, prior to his assignment to the Toros on November 29.

Washington started all four games he appeared in with the Toros, averaging a D-League best 28.2 points, 8.5 rebounds (10th), 6.2 assists (tied for fifth) and 2.0 steals (tied for eighth) in 38.5 minutes of action.  The 6-2 guard recorded his first professional triple-double when he finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists vs. Tulsa on December 8.

Washington will join the Spurs tonight for their game at the Los Angeles Lakers.

Cedric Simmons now a dad

The Cleveland Cavaliers are happy to announce that Cedric Simmons and Sabrina Acevedo welcomed their first child, a son, on December 12 at 12:07 am at the Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, OH.  All are doing well.

Simmons this season is averaging 0.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.8 minutes in the four games he’s played.