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Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant says he got stronger during NBA break

Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant has reportedly added strength to his frame. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, the Rookie of the Year front-runner, feels like he’s ready to take off after making physical improvements during the NBA’s hiatus.

Morant, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, said he added 12 pounds during the three-plus-month break. He also believes his right knee, which was repaired in a minor arthroscopic surgery last June, is stronger now than it has been throughout a rookie campaign highlighted by spectacular dunks…

“I’m stronger, can absorb contact and those things,” Morant said.

Morant is still the favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year. Zion Williamson is also a fantastic rookie but his season got off to a very late start due to injury, and now with league play shortened, Morant clearly deserves the award.

Seeing Morant stonger is just yet another fun thing to look forward to during the NBA’s restart, which if all goes according to plan is exactly four weeks away.

Wizards sign Jerian Grant, who played for Capital City Go-Go this season

The Washington Wizards have signed guard Jerian Grant.

Grant, a 6-4, 204-pound guard, appeared in 39 games (37 starts) with the Wizards’ NBA G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, this season, averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. At the conclusion of the NBA G League season in March, Grant was shooting .469 from the field and .435 from three-point range, the fifth-best percentage in the league. Grant topped 20-plus points 12 times on the season and tallied five double-doubles (three point-assist and two point-rebound).

According to the Washington Post, Grant is a replacement player for “forward Davis Bertans, their best three-point shooter, who is opting to stay home when the NBA season resumes July 30 in Florida.”

Also from the Post: “As a replacement for Bertans, the point guard will make the league’s prorated minimum salary, and he will be a free agent when the season ends. His contract will not count against Washington’s salary cap.”

A native of Silver Spring, MD, and a DeMatha product, Grant has appeared in 273 games with 61 starts in his four-year NBA career with the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic. In 60 games with the Magic in 2018-19, Grant averaged 4.2 points and 2.6 assists per game and holds career averages of 6.1 points and 2.9 assists per game.

Grant, the son of former Washington Bullet Harvey Grant, played four seasons at Notre Dame, where he was twice named to all-conference teams and was a Consensus All-American in the 2014-15 season. He was originally selected by the Wizards with the 19th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, but was traded on draft night to the Atlanta Hawks and then again to the New York Knicks.

Mavericks sign Trey Burke as Substitute Player for NBA restart at Disney World

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Trey Burke as a substitute player for the remainder of the 2019-20 season.

Burke (6-0, 185) returns for his second stint with Dallas after appearing in for 25 games (one start) for the club last season. After being acquired by the franchise in the seven-player trade that brought Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee to Dallas on Jan. 31, 2019, Burke averaged 9.7 points and 2.6 assists in 17.4 minutes for the Mavericks over the second half of the 2018-19 campaign.

Per the Dallas Morning News, “mandatory team workouts are scheduled to begin on July 1. The 22 teams are scheduled to arrive in the Orlando “bubble” at staggered times between July 7-9, then hold one-week training camps and prepare for the July 30 resumption of the season, with each team playing eight regular-season games.”

The seven-year veteran holds career averages of 10.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 22.9 minutes in 386 games (128 starts) with Utah, Washington, New York, Dallas and Philadelphia. After signing with the 76ers last summer, Burke appeared in 25 games for Philadelphia this season and averaged 5.9 points, 2.1 assists and 13.2 minutes before being waived on Feb. 6.

Burke was an early entry candidate for the 2013 NBA Draft after his sophomore season at Michigan. He was selected ninth overall by Minnesota before having his draft rights traded to Utah for the 14th and 21st picks. As a first-year player, he averaged 12.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 32.3 minutes in 70 games (68 starts) for the Jazz en route to earning All-Rookie First Team honors.

The Columbus, Ohio, native, was named the National College Player of the Year, a Consensus First Team All-American and the Bob Cousy Award winner as a sophomore while helping the Wolverines reach the national championship game in 2013.

Burke played both of his collegiate seasons alongside Hardaway Jr. at Michigan. Hardaway Jr. (24th overall pick) and Burke went on to become the first pair of Wolverines taken in the first round of a draft since Juwan Howard (fifth) and Jalen Rose (13th) in 1994.

The 27-year-old will wear No. 32.

Trail Blazers sign Jaylen Adams as a Substitute Player for NBA season restart

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Jaylen Adams as a Substitute Player for the remainder of the 2019-20 season.

He’s reportedly a sub for veteran Blazers small forward Trevor Ariza, who has decided not to rejoin the team as they head to Florida to restart the NBA season at Disney World.

Per the Oregonian, the Blazers “will open the restart with a key game against the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies on July 31, the first of eight “seeding games” that the Blazers will play in Orlando. The Blazers, who currently sit 3.5 games behind the Grizzlies in the standings, are a combined 3-12 against the teams they will face in Orlando.”

Adams, 24, played for the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League during the 2019-20 season, posting averages of 21.5 points (48.6% FG, 40.7% 3-PT, 78.8% FT), 5.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.82 steals in 33 games (32 starts). He finished second in voting for the 2019-20 NBA G League Most Valuable Player Award.

After going undrafted out of St. Bonaventure in 2018, Adams (6-0, 225) signed a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks. He appeared in 34 games (one start) for the Hawks during the 2018-19 season, averaging 3.2 points (34.5% FG, 33.8% 3-PT, 77.8% FT), 1.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

He will wear No. 10 for the Trail Blazers.

Lakers sign J.R. Smith as Substitute Player for NBA season restart

Once again, shooting guard J.R. Smith is back by LeBron James’ side.

The Los Angeles Lakers signed Smith today, as a Substitute Player for the NBA season restart, which is taking place in July at Disney World in Florida.

Per the Los Angeles Times, “although Smith is designated as a replacement for [Avery] Bradley, the Lakers’ rotation at the position is likely to begin with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso.”

In 971 NBA career games (395 starts) for New Orleans, Denver, New York and Cleveland, Smith, who will turn 35 years old in September, was the 2013 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. His career average is 12.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal in 27.0 minutes per game, and 37.3 percent shooting from three-point range. He most recently appeared in 11 games (four starts) for the Cavaliers during the 2018-19 season, notching 6.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steal in 20.2 minutes per game.

Trail Blazers broadcaster Kevin Calabro is stepping down

Portland Trail Blazers Television Play-By-Play announcer Kevin Calabro is stepping down after four years with the Trail Blazers to focus on his family.

“This was a very difficult decision to make and I want to thank the Allen family and Chris McGowan for their support and understanding,” said Calabro. “I’ll always be grateful to the Rip City fans for welcoming me into the family.”

Recognized as one of the top play-by-play announcers in the country, Calabro joined the Trail Blazers in the 2016-17 season alongside the broadcast team of Analyst Lamar Hurd and Courtside Reporter Brooke Olzendam. Together with Director of Broadcasting Jeff Curtin, Television Producer Dan Hyatt and a talented broadcast crew, the Trail Blazers broadcast team won Northwest Regional EMMYs for Best Sports Broadcast in 2019 and Best Sports Play-By-Play in 2018.

“Kevin brought years of experience and professionalism to the Trail Blazers broadcast team with a one-of-a-kind voice that is unmistakable,” said Chris McGowan, President and CEO of the Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter. “We appreciate Kevin sharing his energy and talents with Rip City and wish him the best in his next chapter.”

Trail Blazers Television Studio Host Jordan Kent will be filling the role of play-by-play broadcaster for the remainder of the 2019-20 season set to tip off on July 31 in Orlando.

Calabro was named Oregon’s top sports broadcaster in 2018 to go with multiple such honors in the state of Washington during his 21-year tenure as the voice of the Seattle SuperSonics. During his career in the NBA he has broadcast for TNT, NBA TV, ESPN Television and for three years served as the radio voice for the NBA for ESPN radio working with Hall of Famers Dr. Jack Ramsay and Hubie Brown.

Calabro began his affiliation with the NBA in 1979 as a radio pregame host and part time public announcer for his hometown Indiana Pacers. He got his first shot as a play-by-play man doing hockey for the Indianapolis Checkers. His first NBA stint was with the Kansas City Kings at the age of 25.

Suns sign guard Cameron Payne

The Phoenix Suns today signed guard Cameron Payne.

Payne has played four NBA seasons with Oklahoma City, Chicago and Cleveland since being selected 14th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. The 6-3, 190-pound guard has spent the 2019-20 season with the Texas Legends of the NBA G League, averaging 23.2 points on 48.3% shooting, 8.1 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 15 games since making his season debut on Jan. 26. Payne was named NBA G League Player of the Week on March 2 after guiding the Legends to a 3-0 week including career highs of 19 assists and 10 rebounds plus 18 points to record a triple-double in a win over the NAZ Suns. Payne scored a career-high 43 points in a win over Iowa on Feb. 8.

Originally the 14th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Payne was selected directly between his now teammates Devin Booker and Kelly Oubre Jr. He holds career averages of 6.0 points and 2.5 assists over 16.0 minutes in 153 career regular-season games, also making 11 postseason appearances with the Thunder and Bulls.

A 25-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, Payne played two seasons at Murray State University and was recipient of the 2014-15 Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award after leading the Racers to a 29-6 record. Murray State won the Ohio Valley Conference regular season title in both of Payne’s seasons as he was the OVC Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2014-15 and the OVC Freshman of the Year in 2013-14.

Nuggets sign Tyler Cook to a replacement two-way contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Tyler Cook to a replacement two-way contract today.

Cook, listed at 6-foot-8, 255 pounds, most recently appeared in 11 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, totaling 19 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes of action. He also played in 29 games (10 starts) for the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League, holding averages of 12.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 58.2% from the field in 21.3 minutes per game.

Cook originally signed a two-way contract with the Nuggets on Aug. 13, 2019 after spending training camp in Denver. Cook went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft out of the University of Iowa where he played three seasons, averaging 14.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 93 total games (92 starts).

Cook will wear #25 for the Nuggets.

In EuroLeague news, Alexey Shved signs contract extension in Russia

Here’s Euroleague.net with an update on guard Alexey Shved, who played in the NBA from 2012-15, spending time with the Timberwolves, Sixers, Rockets and Knicks:

One of the best scorers in Turkish Airlines EuroLeague history has pledged himself to his club for three more years with the announcement that Khimki Moscow Region and Alexey Shved have signed a contract extension. Shved (1.98 meters, 31 years old) averaged 21.4 points and 6.2 assists in 26 EuroLeague games with Khimki last season. He ranked second in scoring, trailing only Shane Larkin of Anadolu Efes Istanbul (22.2 ppg.). Shved’s 6.2 assists per game placed him third in the competition. Shved was the 2017-18 EuroLeague Alphonso Ford Top Scorer Trophy winner after tallying 21.8 points over 34 games that season. His 740 points scored and 107 three-pointers made in that campaign remain single-season EuroLeague records.

Marv Albert will reportedly not be on site when NBA resumes at Disney

Everyone’s concern regarding the NBA restart this summer at Disney World in Orlando is safety. This is especially true of any coaches, executives or other staff who are high up in the years department. Here’s the New York Post reporting on an NBA broadcasting legend:

Marv Albert, arguably the greatest NBA play-by-player of all-time, will not be part of TNT’s on-site coverage when the NBA resumes its season in July at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., The Post has learned.

Albert, 79, has been the longtime lead voice for Turner, but will not be a part of the coverage with the NBA planning to have its national announcers on site in the league’s bubble.

COVID-19 has impacted people of all ages, but has been more dire for those 65 years and older.

It’ll be interesting to see how many broadcasters do go and what the setup is. Broadcasting can certainly be done remotely, but it’s tricky if the broadcaster is in their own home, as opposed to a professional studio. But of course, safety always comes first.