Inside Hoops – Page 510 – NBA Blog

Timberwolves sign Anthony Tolliver

The Timberwolves have signed forward Anthony Tolliver.

Looking at the roster as it stands now, Tolliver will likely back up Taj Gibson at power forward, and could see some backup small forward.

The 6-foot-8 forward spent the 2017-18 season on the Pistons, where he averaged 8.9 points per game, his highest single-season scoring average since the 2009-10 season. Tolliver shot an NBA career-best 43.6 percent from three-point range, hitting a career-high 2.0 threes per outing, on 4.6 attempts on average. The 43.6 percent ranked seventh in the NBA and third among players 6-8 or taller. Tolliver’s 46.4 percent from the floor also was a single-season career-best mark.

During his career, Tolliver has played in 599 regular season games, averaging 6.5 points on 42.1 percent shooting, and 36.7 percent three-point shooting.

Tolliver played for the Timberwolves during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.

He has also played with San Antonio, Portland, Golden State, Atlanta, Charlotte, Phoenix, Detroit and Sacramento.

Pelicans sign Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed forward Julius Randle and guard Elfrid Payton.

Randle’s contract is reportedly a two-year, $18 million deal. And Payton’s contract is reportedly a one-year deal.

Payton wasn’t really thought of as a long-term part of the Magic. He hasn’t yet proven if he’s worthy of starting on a good team vs being a bench contributor. He definitely belongs in almost any team’s backcourt rotation. And should presumably continue to improve.

Randle was thought of as a long-term part of the Lakers’ future. At least until the emergence of Kyle Kuzma, the signing of LeBron James, and the need for salary cap flexibility. Randle probably wanted a serious long-term contract from the Lakers. But this isn’t the right time for them to commit to that. They would have liked to keep him. But business is business, and right now the Lakers’ business is making roster moves devoted to getting some stars around LeBron James by next offseason.

Payton, 6-4, 185, played last season with the Orlando Magic (44 games) and Phoenix Suns (19 games), averaging 12.7 points, 6.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 28.7 minutes per contest. In 300 career NBA regular season games with Orlando and Phoenix, Payton has averaged 11.2 points, 6.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 29.5 minutes per game.

A native of Gretna, La., Payton starred at John Ehret High School before playing collegiately at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. After a three-year collegiate career where he was a two-time member of the First-Team All-Sun Belt and the 2014 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, Payton was selected 10th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft by Philadelphia before being acquired by Orlando in a draft night trade.

Randle, 6-9, 250, had previously spent his entire four-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers after being selected seventh overall in the 2014 NBA Draft out of the University of Kentucky. This past season, Randle appeared in all 82 regular season games for the Lakers, averaging a career-high 16.1 points on a career-high .558 shooting from the field to go with 8.0 rebounds – including 2.2 on the offensive end – and 2.6 assists in 26.7 minutes per game.

In 238 career regular season games (182 starts), Randle holds career averages of 13.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 27.8 minutes per game

Pistons hire Gregg Polinsky as director of player personnel

The Detroit Pistons made a front office move this past Friday, naming Gregg Polinsky the team’s new director of player personnel.

Polinsky is coming off a massive work stretch with the Brooklyn Nets, where he worked a variety of roles over the last 19 seasons. His most recent role with the Nets was director of college scouting. He originally joined the Nets back in 1999, working as a scout. By 2004 he was named Nets director of scouting. He later served as director of player personnel for eight years.

Before his work in the NBA, Polinsky was Georgia Southern University’s head coach from 1995-99. His ccoaching career began with a job as an assistant at Howard College from 1981-83.

Polinsky played college ball at the University of New Mexico. He has a degree in physical education from Northern Arizona University.

Knicks sign rookie Mitchell Robinson

The Knicks have signed rookie center Mitchell Robinson to a multi-year contract.

Per the New York Post, “according to a source, the deal is for three years at $4.8 million, but the third year is not fully guaranteed. The package also includes a fourth-year team option. The deal averages roughly $1.6 million per year, which is how much it would count against the salary cap for the key free agency of summer 2019.”

Robinson, 20, was selected in the second round with the 36th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. The 7-0, 225-pound center was named to the 2017 McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand All-American teams. Robinson averaged 25.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 7.1 blocks as a senior at Chalmette High School in Louisiana.

Robinson is currently participating with the team’s entry in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Thunder re-sign Jerami Grant

The Thunder yesterday re-signed forward Jerami Grant to a multi-year contract.

According to the Norman Transcript, “Grant had reportedly agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal earlier in the week and the Thunder have not disputed that reporting.”

Grant appeared in 81 games (one start) for Oklahoma City during the 2017-18 season and averaged 8.4 points on a career-high 53.5 percent (244-456) shooting, 3.9 rebounds and 0.95 blocks in 20.3 minutes per game.

“We are thrilled to have Jerami continue his development and career with the Thunder,” said Presti. “Jerami’s versatility and overall speed are an important aspect to our effort to evolve and build on our style of play going forward. We believe Jerami’s best basketball is in front of him.”

Grant scored his 1,000th point in a Thunder uniform this past season on March 18 at Toronto, making him the fourth player in Oklahoma City history with 1,000 points and 100 blocks in his first 150 games.

Originally selected 39th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Maryland native holds career averages of 7.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 21.9 minutes per contest.

Pistons waive Dwight Buycks

The Pistons yesterday requested waivers on guard Dwight Buycks.

Buycks, 6-3, 190, was originally signed as a two-way player by the Pistons on September 7, 2017 and later had his deal converted to a full NBA contract on January 12, 2018. In a career-high 29 games, he averaged 7.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 14.7 minutes per game.

Pistons sign rookie Bruce Brown Jr

The Pistons yesterday signed rookie guard Bruce Brown Jr.

Brown, 6-5, 202, was selected 42nd overall in the 2018 NBA Draft after averaging 11.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists last season for the University of Miami (Fla.). A 2017-18 Preseason All-ACC Second Team selection, Brown was also a 2017-18 Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 and was on the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year watch List.

A native of Boston, MA, Brown averaged 11.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 52 career games for the Hurricanes. As a freshman, he scored a career-high 30 points against eventual national champion North Carolina. He also recorded two of the three triple-doubles in Miami program history.

Timberwolves sign rookie Keita Bates-Diop

The Timberwolves yesterday signed rookie forward Keita Bates-Diop, who the team selected with the 48th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21.

Bates-Diop was named the 2017-18 Big Ten Player of the Year after averaging 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over his redshirt junior season at Ohio State. A 2017-18 consensus Second Team All-American, Bates-Diop raised his scoring average 10.1 points per game from his redshirt sophomore (9.7 ppg) to his redshirt junior year (19.8 ppg). This season, Bates-Diop paced the Big 10 in scoring, finished second in rebounds (8.7 per contest) and fifth in blocked shots (1.6 blocks per game). He shot 47.2 percent from the floor, including a 35.9 percent mark (66-for-184) from deep.

The Bloomington, Ill. native was a top-five finalist for the 2017-18 Julius Erving Award, honoring the top small forward in the nation. He was also a finalist for the Wooden Award and a semifinalist for the Naismith Player of the Year.

Warriors sign DeMarcus Cousins

The Warriors yesterday signed free agent center DeMarcus Cousins to what has been reported as a one-year deal for around $5.3 million.

Cousins is still healing from injury and will likely miss the first few months of the 2018-19 season. This signing is huge for the Warriors, even if he’s only able to contribute in limited fashion. At worst, he should be able to do big things off the bench for the Warriors, especially during the playoffs. At best, he’ll play like his former self and make the Warriors even more unstoppable.

Cousins, 27, averaged 25.2 points and career highs of 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists to go with 1.65 steals, 1.58 blocks and 36.2 minutes in 48 games (all starts) with New Orleans before suffering a left Achilles rupture on January 26 vs. Houston. Cousins, who earned his fourth-straight All-Star appearance in 2017-18, was one of just three players to average at least 25 points and 10 rebounds per game, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis, and was the only player in the league to also average at least five assists per contest.

An eight-year NBA veteran, Cousins owns career averages of 21.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.43 steals and 1.22 blocks in 32.3 minutes over 535 games (513 starts) with the Pelicans (2017-18) and Sacramento Kings (2010-17). Originally selected by the Kings with the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the 6’11” center spent his first six-plus seasons with the franchise and ranks near the top on several of the team’s Sacramento-era (since 1985-86) statistical leaderboards, including first in rebounds (5,056), second in points (9,894), second in blocks (558), third in steals (661), fourth in minutes played (14,997) and fifth in games played (470). Cousins was named to the All-Rookie First Team in 2010-11 and to the All-NBA Second Team in both 2014-15 and 2015-16.

A native of Mobile, Ala., Cousins has helped the USA Men’s Basketball Team to gold medals at the 2014 FIBA World Cup, alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, and at the 2016 Olympic Games alongside Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Thompson. In his lone collegiate season at the University of Kentucky in 2009-10, Cousins led the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and garnered Associated Press First Team and John R. Wooden All-American honors.

Trail Blazers re-sign Jusuf Nurkic

The Trail Blazers yesterday re-signed center Jusuf Nurkic.

According to ESPN.com, the deal is a a four-year, $48 million contract.

Nurkic averaged 14.3 points (50.5% FG, 63.0% FT), 9.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.41 blocks and 26.4 minutes in 79 games (all starts) for the Trail Blazers last season.

“As a 23-year old starting center, Jusuf is an integral part of the core of this roster,” said Olshey. “He has been an impactful addition since joining our team and we are excited about the prospect of this long-term commitment leading to continued individual and team success.”

According to ESPN.com, “Nurkic, 23, turned down a more lucrative four-year deal several months ago, but the marketplace has tightened and he chose to take this deal on Friday, sources said. The deal includes a partial guarantee in the fourth year.”

Nurkic averaged career bests in points and rebounds last season while leading the Trail Blazers with 27 double-doubles. He finished tied for ninth in the NBA in blocks per game and tied for 13th in the league in rebounds per game.

The Trail Blazers acquired Nurkic from Denver on February 13, 2017 along with a 2017 first round draft pick in exchange for Mason Plumlee, a 2018 second round draft pick and cash considerations. After joining Portland, Nurkic averaged 15.2 points (50.8% FG, 66.0% FT), 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.90 blocks and 29.2 minutes in 20 games (19 starts) to finish the 2016-17 season.

Originally selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft, Nurkic was traded to Denver in a draft night deal.

In four seasons with Denver and Portland, Nurkic holds career averages of 10.4 points (48.5% FG, 61.2% FT), 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 21.6 minutes in 238 games (157 starts).