Inside Hoops – Page 729 – NBA Blog

Spurs sign Davis Bertans

The San Antonio Spurs signed forward Davis Bertans today.

The 6-10 210-pound Bertans was taken in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2011 Draft by Indiana before San Antonio acquired his draft rights, along with Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard and Erazem Lorbek, from the Pacers on draft night in 2011.

The 23-year-old spent the last two seasons with Laboral Kutxa (2014-16) in the First Division of the Spanish League. Last season Bertans played in 22 games and averaged 8.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 24.2 minutes while shooting .416 (42-101) from three-point range. He also made 15 Euroleague appearances, averaging 7.9 points and 1.9 rebounds in 20.2 minutes while shooting .474 (27-57) from long distance.

Prior to joining Laboral Kutxa, Bertans spent three seasons with BC Partizan Belgrade (2011-14) in the Serbian League. He also played two seasons with Union Olimpia in Slovenia (2009-11) after playing on a variety of levels in Latvia. Bertans has been part of the Latvian National Team since 2011.

Knicks sign Maurice Ndour

The Knicks signed forward Maurice Ndour today.

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume this is a non-guaranteed contract.

Ndour, 6-9, 200-pounds, spent this past season playing for Spanish Cup champion Real Madrid (Spain), averaging 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds over 9.1 minutes in 18 games. He appeared in five games for New York’s Summer League entry in Las Vegas, NV last summer, averaging 9.6 points and 4.8 rebounds. He then signed with the Dallas Mavericks on July 23, 2015, and appeared in four preseason games before being waived on Oct. 26, 2015.

The Sindia, Senegal-native, appeared in 66 games (61 starts) over two seasons at Ohio University, posting 14.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.82 blocks, while being named to the All-MAC Second team in both his junior and senior seasons. Undrafted by an NBA franchise in 2015, Ndour played for Senegal’s 2015 national team. He played high school basketball in Japan.

Hornets to add Christian Wood

While there are still some good free agents left, most starter-worthy players have already signed deals. Still available is a lot of bench depth. Here’s the Charlotte Observer reporting on the Hornets, who will add forward Christian Wood. Through three games in Vegas Summer League playing for the Sixers, Wood is averaging 13.0 points and 5.3 rebounds with 48.1% FG — impressive numbers in just 18.7 minutes per game. And through six games for the Sixers in total 2016 summer league action, Wood is averaging 15.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in just 17.7 minutes per outing.:

The Charlotte Hornets will sign former Philadelphia 76ers power forward Christian Wood, an informed source confirmed late Wednesday.

Wood, 6-10, averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in his rookie season with the 76ers. He played part of the season with the Sixers’ Development League franchise in Delaware.

Nets sign Luis Scola and Greivis Vasquez

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward Luis Scola and guard Greivis Vasquez.

“Luis and Greivis are ideal fits for the team culture we are building in Brooklyn,” said Nets’ General Manager Sean Marks. “Both are terrific competitors who will provide leadership and veteran experience to our locker room. Luis adds toughness, scoring and passing ability to our frontline, while Greivis is effective from either backcourt position, both as a facilitator and a scorer.”

Scola (6’9”, 241) joins the Nets after spending the 2015-16 season with the Toronto Raptors. Scola appeared in and started 76 games, averaging 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game. In nine NBA seasons split between Houston (2007-12), Phoenix (2012-13), Indiana (2013-15) and Toronto, Scola owns career averages of 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 26.2 minutes per game in 707 games (504 starts). He has also appeared in 48 career postseason games, recording averages of 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game. The 36-year-old was originally selected with the 56th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by San Antonio, but did not make his NBA debut until the 2007-08 season after his draft rights were traded to Houston. As a rookie, Scola earned All-Rookie First Team honors with averages of 10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.7 minutes per game. Prior to the NBA, the Buenos Aries, Argentina native began his professional career in his home country with Ferro Carril Oeste in 1995-96 at the age of 15. He played three years in Argentina before moving to Spain, where he played nine seasons with three clubs, including seven seasons with Tau Ceramica (2000-07). Scola earned Euroleague First Team honors in 2005-06 and 2006-07, was named the MVP of the Spanish League in 2004-05 and 2006-07 and garnered Rookie of the Year honors in 2000. Scola is also a decorated player on the international stage. Representing his native Argentina, Scola will become a four-time Olympian when he competes at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. He earned a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, as well as a bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Vasquez (6’6”, 217) has appeared in 398 games (157 starts) in six NBA seasons with Memphis (2010-11), New Orleans (2011-13), Sacramento (2013), Toronto (2013-15) and Milwaukee (2015-16), recording averages of 9.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 23.8 minutes per game. He has also appeared in 24 career postseason games, averaging 6.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 18.0 minutes per game. This past season with the Bucks, the 29-year-old saw action in just 23 games due to right ankle surgery, registering averages of 5.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 20.0 minutes per game. The native of Caracas, Venezuela was originally selected with the 28th pick in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft by the Grizzlies, becoming the first Venezuelan-born player drafted in the NBA. Prior to the NBA, Vasquez spent four years at the University of Maryland, helping to lead the Terrapins to three NCAA Tournament appearances. Vasquez earned All-ACC second-team honors as a sophomore and junior before completing his standout collegiate career by garnering ACC Player of the Year, All-ACC first-team and consensus second-team All-American recognition as a senior. Vasquez is a member of the Venezuelan team that will compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.

Trail Blazers re-sign Allen Crabbe

The Portland Trail Blazers have re-signed guard Allen Crabbe, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

According to the Oregonian, “the Blazers decided to match Crabbe’s four-year, $75 million offer sheet from the Brooklyn Nets to bring the 6-foot-6 wing back to Portland.”

“Allen is an important part of the core of this team and a building block for its future growth,” said Olshey.

In 81 games (eight starts) last season, Crabbe averaged career highs in points (10.3), rebounds (2.7), assists (1.2) and steals (0.77) while logging career-best shooting marks in field goal percentage (45.9%), 3-point field goal percentage (39.3%) and free throw percentage (86.7%).

“I’m very happy to be staying with Portland and continuing to build on our recent success,” said Crabbe. “It’s an exciting time here in Rip City and I’m already looking forward to next season.”

Crabbe, 24, increased his scoring average by 7.0 points from the previous season (3.3 ppg), and scored in double figures 42 times after accomplishing that feat once in his first two NBA seasons. The 31st overall pick in the second round of the 2013 NBA Draft out of the University of California-Berkeley, Portland acquired Crabbe in a draft day trade. In three seasons with the Trail Blazers, he holds career averages of 7.0 points (44.7 FG%, 38.5% 3-PT, 85.0% FT), 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 147 games (17 starts).

Miami Heat sign center Willie Reed

The Miami Heat have signed center Willie Reed.

Reed has appeared in 144 career NBA Development League games (101 starts) and averaged 15.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.78 blocks and 31.4 minutes while shooting 58.4 percent from the field. In his most recent NBA D-League stint during the 2014-15 season, he split the season between the Grand Rapids Drive and the Iowa Energy, appearing in 47 games (38 starts) and averaging 16.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.91 blocks, 1.1 assists and 33.7 minutes while shooting 60.1 percent from the field. He led the league in total rebounds (573) and offensive rebounds (216) and was named to the NBA D-League’s First Team, All-Defensive First Team and All-Star team.

Reed appeared in 39 games (two starts) with the Nets last season and averaged 4.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 10.9 minutes of action while shooting 57.1 percent from the field. He scored in double-figures six times and led the team in blocks on 13 occasions, second-most on the team. He spent the 2015 NBA Summer League with the HEAT appearing in four games (all starts) and averaged 13.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.75 blocks and 25.5 minutes while shooting 60 percent from the field. He helped Miami to a perfect 4-0 record over that span while leading the team in rebounds (31), blocks (7) and field goals made (21).

Grizzlies sign James Ennis

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward James Ennis, to a multi-year contract.

Ennis (6-7, 210) returns to Memphis after making 10 appearances for the Grizzlies last season. He finished the 2015-16 season with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he played nine games and averaged 15.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.33 steals in 31.3 minutes while shooting 50.0 percent from the field, 48.0 percent from three-point range and 79.2 percent from the free throw line. Ennis shot 24-of-50 from beyond the arc in his nine-game stint in New Orleans, making multiple threes in seven of those games.

The 26-year-old has appeared in 84 regular season games (eight starts) in his two-year NBA career with the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans and averaged 5.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 16.4 minutes while shooting 43.1 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from three-point range and 81.3 percent from the foul line.

Ennis also has competed in 24 NBA Development League games (21 starts) for the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, and averaged 18.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.00 steals in 33.3 minutes while shooting 45.4 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from three-point range and 69.7 percent from the free throw line.

A native of Ventura, Calif., Ennis was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round (50th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft following his senior season at California State University, Long Beach where he was named the 2013 Big West Player of the Year. His draft rights were traded by Atlanta to Miami on draft night for a future second round draft pick.

Ennis began his professional career playing for the Perth Wildcats in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL), where he was named the 2013-14 Australian NBL Player of the Year, before playing for Piratas de Quebradillas in the Puerto Rican BSN.

Warriors sign rookie center Damian Jones

The Golden State Warriors have signed rookie center Damian Jones to a contract.

All players selected in the first round of the draft are guaranteed to receive a contract, assuming they wish to begin their NBA career right away.

Jones, 21, was selected by the Warriors with the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft on June 23. In three seasons at Vanderbilt University, the 6’10” center averaged 13.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.69 blocks and 27.2 minutes in 99 games, garnering First Team All-SEC honors as both a sophomore and junior. Jones hit 56.6 percent from the field during his collegiate career, the third-best mark in Vanderbilt history, while finishing second on the school’s all-time blocks list (167). In his junior season in 2015-16, Jones averaged 13.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.64 blocks in 33 games, helping the Commodores to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2011-12.

Warriors re-sign James Michael McAdoo

The Golden State Warriors have re-signed free agent forward James Michael McAdoo.

McAdoo, 23, appeared in 41 regular-season games with the Warriors last season (one start), averaging 2.9 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.4 minutes per contest. In eight postseason games, the 6-9 forward tallied 0.6 points and 1.0 rebounds in 4.8 minutes.

A two-year NBA veteran, McAdoo owns career averages of 3.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 7.1 minutes in 56 regular-season games (one start) with the Warriors. As a rookie in 2014-15, the University of North Carolina product was a member of Golden State’s first championship season in 40 years.

Timberwolves sign Cole Aldrich

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed center Cole Aldrich, a Bloomington, Minnesota native.

Aldrich’s deal is reportedly a $22 million dollar contract, over three years.

Aldrich, 27, averaged 5.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 13.3 minutes per game last season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Aldrich started five games for the Clippers in 2015-16, averaging 15.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.4 steals in 29.6 minutes per contest. Aldrich posted career highs in field goal percentage (59.6%), blocks per game (1.13) and steals per game (0.78) and was the only player in the NBA last season to record a game of at least 21 points, 18 rebounds and 5 steals.

The 6-11 center owns career averages of 3.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in parts of six NBA seasons with Los Angeles, New York, Sacramento, Houston and Oklahoma City. Aldrich was originally the 11th overall selection in the 2010 NBA Draft by New Orleans before his draft rights were traded to Oklahoma City on July 8, 2010.

Aldrich starred for Bloomington Jefferson High School, earning 2007 Minnesota State High School Player of the Year honors from Gatorade, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press as he led the Jaguars to Lake Conference and Section 2AAAA titles. Aldrich was also named a McDonald’s All-American in 2006.

Aldrich went on to play for the University of Kansas where he averaged 9.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in three years as a Jayhawk. Aldrich was a consensus 2nd Team All-America selection and a Wooden Award Finalist his junior season before declaring for the NBA draft.