Pistons assign Henry Ellenson and Michael Gbinije to D-League

The Pistons today assigned forward Henry Ellenson and guard Michael Gbinije to the team’s NBA Development League (D-League) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive.

Ellenson has appeared in two games this season averaging 1.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 2.5 minutes per game. He was selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Gbinije has appeared in one game, the season opener at Toronto, and recorded one assist in five minutes of action. He was selected with the 49th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Thunder assign Josh Huestis to D-League

The Thunder today assigned forward Josh Huestis to the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA Development League.

During the 2015-16 season, Huestis appeared in five games for the Thunder, averaging 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per game. Huestis has not yet appeared in a game with the Thunder during the 2016-17 season.

In two seasons with the Blue, Huestis has appeared in 69 games (68 starts) and posted averages of 11.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.52 blocks in 32.7 minutes.

Huestis is being assigned in order to participate in today’s Oklahoma City Blue practice.

Derrick Rose happy for Chicago Cubs World Series win

Derrick Rose isn’t a Bull anymore, but Chicago will always be a part of him. Here’s the Bulls.com blog reporting:

No, the parade Friday wasn’t for Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah returning to Chicago.

But as much as Rose and Noah hoped, wished and envisioned it would be them someday making Chicago feel proud, Rose, nevertheless, said he was thrilled for Chicago.

“Just coming back here, it felt good, to tell you the truth,” Rose told reporters after Knicks practice in the United Center. “Especially the Cubs winning. I felt the energy of the city. The city is on some type of high right now. It’s great for the city with everything that we’ve been going through, the killings, everything. We need some positive light shined here.”

Rose, the Englewood native and Simeon High School star, has been part of the Chicago fabric for almost 20 years, as a prep basketball phenomenon and then as the No. 1 draft pick of the Bulls and the NBA’s youngest ever Most Valuable Player. Though Rose did so unobtrusively, he was one of the more community oriented Chicago athletes. He often joined Father Michael Phleger in the youth social activism in the troubled South Side and made the largest ever charitable gift of a Chicago athlete, a $1 million donation to the non profit After School Matters for teenage out of school programs.

Jazz recall Joel Bolomboy from D-League

The Utah Jazz have recalled forward Joel Bolomboy from the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s exclusively owned and operated NBA D-League team. He will re-join the team prior to tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.

This marked the first assignment this season for Bolomboy (6-9, 235, Weber State). He has appeared in two games for the Jazz this season, averaging 1.5 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocked shots in 2.6 minutes per game. He registered three points, one rebound and one blocked shot at Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 30.

Bolomboy is the fifth player to be assigned to the D-League under the Jazz-Stars single affiliation. Other players on the current Jazz roster with D-League experience include Rudy Gobert and Shelvin Mack.

Utah Jazz assign Joel Bolomboy to D-League

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has assigned forward Joel Bolomboy to the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s exclusively owned and operated NBA D-League team. He is expected to participate in Stars practice today at Taylorsville Recreation Center.

This will be the first assignment this season for Bolomboy. Bolomboy (6-9, 235, Weber State) has appeared in two games for the Jazz this season, averaging 1.5 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocked shots in 2.6 minutes per game. He registered three points, one rebound and one blocked shot at Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 30.

Bolomboy is the fifth player to be assigned to the D-League under the Jazz-Stars single affiliation. Other players on the current Jazz roster with D-League experience include Rudy Gobert and Shelvin Mack.

Kings sign Jordan Farmar

Kings sign Jordan Farmar

The Sacramento Kings today signed free agent guard Jordan Farmar, according to Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac.

Farmar averaged 6.5 points (.471 FG%, 5-11 3pt, .833 FT%), 1.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in four preseason contests with Sacramento, including 14 points (5-8 FG, 4-5 3pt), one rebound and five assists against the L.A. Lakers on Oct. 13. A 10-year NBA veteran, Farmar has tallied career averages of 7.7 points (.423 FG%, .374 3pt%, .739 FT%), 1.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 19.5 minutes per game in 502 contests.

Al Horford in NBA concussion protocol program

Al Horford in NBA concussion protocol program

Celtics center/forward Al Horford reported being hit in the head Monday (October 31) during practice and was asymptomatic Monday evening and during the pre-practice period on Tuesday (November 1) and he was subsequently cleared to practice.

However symptoms presented during practice and Horford was immediately removed from practice. He was evaluated last night by Celtics team physicians and has been placed in to the NBA’s concussion protocol program.

Horford is out for tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls and his status will be updated as appropriate per the NBA concussion protocol.

Michael Carter-Williams out 4-6 weeks with knee and wrist injuries

Michael Carter-Williams out 4-6 weeks with knee and wrist injuries

Bulls guard Michael Carter-Williams underwent an MRI Tuesday morning on his left knee and left wrist. The results of the MRI showed that he sustained a bone bruise with no ligament damage to his knee, as well as a left wrist sprain. His recovery time is estimated to be between four and six weeks.

Carter-Williams suffered the injury in the second quarter of last night’s win at Brooklyn. Acquired in a trade with Milwaukee on Oct. 17, Carter-Williams has appeared in three games with Chicago and averaged 4.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 0.67 steals in 15.0 minutes.

Thunder trade Ersan Ilyasova to Sixers for Jerami Grant

The Oklahoma City Thunder has acquired forward Jerami Grant and a trade exception from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for forward Ersan Ilyasova and a protected draft pick, Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today.

Oklahoma City will convey its first round pick, in the first allowable draft beginning in 2020, unless that pick falls within the top 20 picks of that year’s draft. If the pick is within the top 20, the Thunder will instead send the 76ers its own second round draft picks in 2022 and 2023.

The 22-year-old Grant (6-8, 210) has appeared in 144 games (63 starts) over three seasons with Philadelphia, averaging 8.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.38 blocks in 24.2 minutes per game. This season, Grant is averaging 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds 2.00 blocks and 20.5 minutes per contest.

Originally selected by the 76ers with the 39th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Grant spent two seasons at Syracuse where he averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds as a sophomore. He scored in in double-figures in 24 of his 32 games played that season.

Celtics exercise contract options on Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier

Celtics exercise contract options on Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier

The Celtics today exercised the contract options for Terry Rozier’s third year and Marcus Smart’s fourth year. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Rozier, a 6’2” guard, has appeared in all three games for the Celtics during the 2016-17 season and has posted averages of 6.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.33 steals in 23.9 minutes per game. He posted a career-high of eight points to go along with four rebounds and four assists against Chicago on October 27, 2016. During his rookie season last year, Rozier appeared in 39 games for the Celtics and totaled 72 points, 63 rebounds and 37 assists in 311 minutes. He increased his production during the 2016 preseason when he averaged 9.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 17.2 minutes per game while shooting 54.0 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from three.

Smart, a 6’4” guard, has posted career averages of 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 128 career games since the Celtics drafted him 6th overall out of Oklahoma State in the 2014 NBA Draft. During the 2015-16 season, Smart posted career-highs in points (9.1 per game) and rebounds (4.2 per game) while being selected to participate in the 2016 Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend.