Inside Hoops – Page 771 – NBA Blog

Timberwolves announce several staff promotions

The Minnesota Timberwolves have promoted three staff members to leadership positions, including two to vice president positions.

Mike Welch has been promoted to Timberwolves and Lynx Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, Lindsay Milne to Timberwolves and Lynx Vice President of Marketing and Charlie Romans to Timberwolves Director of Membership Sales.

“We are extremely proud to announce the promotions for these three outstanding individuals,” Timberwolves President Chris Wright said. “As we look ahead to our future and what lies ahead, we are very excited to have Mike, Lindsay and Charlie leading three critical areas of our organization. They are passionate about our brands, are vested in who and what we are and they help drive our culture every day.”

In his new role, Welch will lead the day-to-day operations of the Corporate Partnership Sales and Activation teams.

As Timberwolves and Lynx Vice President of Marketing, Milne will oversee Timberwolves and Lynx branding, advertising, digital media, creative services, merchandising and events.

As Director of Timberwolves Season Memberships, Romans will oversee the day-to-day operations of the season membership team with an emphasis on growing the team’s season membership numbers.

Nuggets sign Axel Toupane to second 10-day contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed Raptors 905 guard-forward Axel Toupane to a second 10-day contract.

Toupane signed his initial 10-day contract with the Nuggets on March 3. In five games with the squad, he is averaging 4.6 points, 1.0 assists and 13.4 minutes.

In 32 games (14 starts) with Raptors 905 in the D-League this season, Toupane is averaging 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 29.7 minutes. He has scored in double digits 26 times, has led the team in bench scoring on 11 occasions and has recorded two double-doubles.

Warriors clinch 2015-16 Pacific division title

The Golden State Warriors today clinched the 2015-16 Pacific Division title by virtue of the Cavs’ 114-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers this afternoon, giving the franchise its first back-to-back Pacific Division crowns since the club won consecutive division titles in 1974-75 and 1975-76.

Golden State has earned the franchise’s fourth Pacific Division championship since the NBA began using the current divisional format in 1970-71. Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr is the first head coach to win back-to-back division titles in his first two years at the helm since Tom Thibodeau earned consecutive Central Division titles with the Chicago Bulls in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Among the four major professional sports leagues, the Warriors are the first Bay Area team to earn consecutive division crowns since the Oakland Athletics won back-to-back West Division titles in 2012 and 2013.

Timberwolves sign Greg Smith to second 10-day contract

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed center Greg Smith to a second 10-day contract.

Smith signed his initial 10-day contract with the team on March 2. In a limited role, he has averaged 2.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game over six contests with Minnesota.

Grizzlies sign Ray McCallum and Alex Stepheson to 10-day contracts

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Ray McCallum and center Alex Stepheson to 10-day contracts pursuant to the NBA’s hardship rule.

McCallum (6-3, 190) has appeared in 144 career games (43 starts) with the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs and averaged 5.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 18.0 minutes during his three-year NBA career. He played 31 games (three starts) for the Spurs this season and recorded 2.2 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 8.3 minutes before he was waived on Feb. 29.

The 24-year-old has competed in 16 games (all starts) in the NBA Development League with the Reno Bighorns and Austin Spurs and posted 18.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.63 steals in 37.3 minutes. He completed six assignments to Austin this season and averaged 17.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.33 steals in nine contests.

A 2010 McDonald’s All-American, McCallum was drafted by Sacramento in the second round (36th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft following a three-year collegiate career at the University of Detroit Mercy where he played for his father, Titans head coach Ray McCallum, Sr. He was a three-time All-Horizon selection and was named the 2013 Horizon League Player of the Year after averaging 18.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.94 steals in 36.6 minutes in 33 games (all starts) as a junior.

Stepheson (6-10, 270) appeared in 31 games (all starts) for the D-League’s Iowa Energy and was named a 2016 D-League All-Star after averaging 15.9 points, a league-high 13.8 rebounds and 1.35 blocks in 34.2 minutes. The D-League leader in double-doubles (26) this season, Stepheson signed with the Los Angeles Clippers to the first of two consecutive 10-day contracts on Feb. 20 and totaled two points, two rebounds and two blocks in 11 minutes over three contests.

Since finishing his collegiate career at the University of Southern California, the 28-year-old has played professionally in Greece, Slovenia and Turkey. During the 2014-15 season, he averaged 12.3 points and a league-leading 9.2 rebounds in 26.8 minutes over 29 games (21 starts) for Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyesi.

Undrafted in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles native made three appearances for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and also played three games for the Grizzlies during the 2015 preseason.

Mike Conley out 3-4 weeks with Achilles tendonitis

After missing the last three games with left foot soreness, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley received an additional examination yesterday, which revealed Achilles tendonitis. Conley will remain out and will be re-evaluated in 3 to 4 weeks.

Conley has appeared in 56 games (all starts) this season for the Grizzlies and averaged 15.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, a team-high 6.1 assists and 1.20 steals in 31.4 minutes. He’s a crucial part of the team. This injury is a big blow to the squad.

Monty Williams will miss rest of season

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced today that assistant coach Monty Williams will not return to the team this season after the passing of his wife Ingrid last month.

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti:

“The most important thing for Monty during this time is for him to be with his family, and the most important thing for us as an organization is to support him as a person, in any way that we can. Even though Monty will not return to the team this season, his presence will be felt by all of us within the program and we will remain close with him and his family.”

Oklahoma City Thunder Head Coach Billy Donovan:

“I have really enjoyed my relationship with Monty, and clearly we will miss him, but we value and embrace that it is critical he is there for his family at this time and our focus is on doing whatever we can, in any small way, to help him. He and his family will continue to be in our thoughts.”

Bucks will not seek additional player via injury exception

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd said after practice today that the team has no current plans to add a player under the NBA’s injury exception rule.

The Bucks are down to just 10 available players but could be back to 11 soon if forward/center John Henson can return. Henson practiced for the second straight day today.

Milwaukee lost another player for the remainder of the season – in strange fashion – when guard O.J. Mayo informed the team he fractured his right ankle in a home accident. Mayo said he tripped on the stairs at his home.

Mayo, guard Michael Carter-Williams and forward Steve Novak are out for the rest of the season. Henson (sore lower back) and Greivis Vasquez (right ankle surgery) also are out but intend to return. Vasquez worked out after practice Friday with assistant coach Joe Prunty and the veteran guard was able to run but not at full speed yet.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel blog

Alex Len now a focal point for Suns

Phoenix Suns center Alex Len’s emergence was so strong that he was one of only three official NBA Player of the Week candidates in the Western Conference last week.

Len did not win because of how great Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard played in an undefeated week but also because he shot just 38 percent from the field. Amid more opportunities, Len’s new experience with being the offense’s focal point will include missing shots that a 22-year-old center is expected to eventually make.

Entering Thursday’s game, Len was converting well when shooting close to the basket, going 13 for 16 on shots of 5 feet or less. Beyond that, he struggled in the paint from the 5- to 9-foot range, going 3 for 15, but his mid-range shooting was good (8 for 19). With his two-for-13 shooting in Thursday’s loss, Len has a 34.1 field goal percentage in the past six games.

— Arizona Republic

Grizzlies sign Briante Weber to 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed guard Briante Weber to a 10-day contract, as a “Call-Up” from the Sioux Falls Skyforce (D-League).

Weber (6-2, 165) has appeared in 22 games (nine starts) for the Skyforce and averaged 10.6 points (.453 FG/.444 3P/.750 FT), 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.95 steals in 28.5 minutes in his first professional season. The 23-year-old ranks fifth among qualifying D-League players in steals per game and has posted three double-doubles, including a triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on Feb. 23 vs. Fort Wayne.

A native of Chesapeake, Va., Weber played four seasons at Virginia Commonwealth, appearing in 127 games (65 starts) and averaging 6.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.94 steals in 23.4 minutes. He capped his collegiate career as VCU’s all-time steals leader (374) and finished third on the NCAA’s all-time steals list, just 12 shy of becoming the all-time steals leader before missing the final 10 games of his senior season due to injury. Weber became the first player in conference history to be named the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons (2013, 2014 and 2015) and set a program record with a recorded 45.5-inch vertical leap.

Undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, Weber spent time on the Miami Heat’s 2015 preseason roster.