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Tom Gores buys rest of Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are built around guards Reggie Jackson and Brandon Jennings, and center Andre Drummond. And maybe rookie Stanley Johnson, if he’s as good as he thinks he is. Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting on Pistons ownership:

Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores had a 51% stake in the team. Now he has a 100% stake.

Gores has bought the remaining 49% from his firm, Platinum Equity, according to firm partner Mark Barnhill.

Though this won’t change anything from a control standpoint – Gores, the founder, chairman and CEO of Platinum Equity, has had full control of the Pistons’ operation since becoming majority owner in 2011, Barnhill said in an email to the Free Press – this transaction gives Gores 100% of the equity, which is important for his long-term commitment to the franchise.

Gores also owns Palace Sports & Entertainment.

Miami Heat sign Greg Whittington

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Greg Whittington.

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume this is a non-guaranteed deal that merely brings Whittington to Heat training camp.

Whittington appeared in nine total games (six starts) with the HEAT during Summer League play in both Orlando and Las Vegas this summer and averaged 9.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.44 steals and 1.33 blocks while shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from three-point range and a perfect 13-of-13 from the foul line. During Las Vegas Summer League play, he led the team in points (65), rebounds (41), blocks (8) and three-point field goals made (8).

Whittington spent two seasons at Georgetown University appearing in 46 games (13 starts) averaging 6.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 24.4 minutes while shooting 42.4 percent from the field. He scored a career-high 25 points while also grabbing 11 rebounds against West Carolina on December 15, 2012 and posted three double-figure rebounding games as a sophomore, including a career-high 15-rebound effort against Duquesne on November 11, 2012.

The HEAT’s roster now stands at 18.

Dwight Howard detained at airport due to gun

Here’s the Orlando Sentinel blog reporting on Rockets center Dwight Howard, who made a mistake you cannot make in an airport:

Dwight Howard detained at airport due to gun

Former Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard has a personal collection of more than 50 guns – shotguns, bazookas, handguns and semiautomatics.

But the Houston Rockets center apparently tried to take a pistol on an airplane last Friday and was detained at George Bush Intercontinental airport in Houston.

According to ESPN, Houston Police Department spokesperson Kese Smith said Wednesday that Howard was stopped at Terminal E at 7 a.m. when TSA officials discovered a pistol in the bottom of a carry-on bag.

Grizzlies forward Jarell Martin suffers fractured foot

The Memphis Grizzlies announced that rookie forward Jarell Martin sustained a fractured left foot today following a collision with another player during a workout. He will undergo surgery tomorrow, Sept. 3, which will be performed by team physicians Dr. Fred Azar and Dr. Drew Murphy at the Campbell Clinic. There is no timetable for his return. Further updates will be provided when available.

The 21-year-old was selected by the Grizzlies with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft. A native of Baton Rouge, La., Martin played two seasons at Louisiana State University and finished his collegiate career with averages of 13.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 30.7 minutes in 65 games (57 starts) for the Tigers.

Cavaliers re-sign J.R. Smith

Cavaliers re-sign J.R. Smith

The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed guard J.R. Smith, General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

According to ESPN.com, “the deal is for two years and more than $10 million total… The second year of the contract [is] a player option.”

Smith played in 70 games (51 starts) with Cleveland and New York in the 2014-15 regular season, averaging 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 29.7 minutes per game. He also shot .383 from the three-point line and ranked 11th in the NBA in three-pointers made with 163. In his 46 games (45 starts) with the Cavs, the 6-6 guard shot .390 from beyond the arc and averaged 12.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 31.8 minutes per game. He led Cleveland in steal-to-turnover ratio (1.23) and made the most three-pointers in the Eastern Conference since the Cavs acquired him in a three-team trade on Jan. 5, 2015 (131 three-pointers).

Over his 11-year NBA career, Smith owns career averages of 13.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steal in 26.5 minutes over 762 games (218 starts) with New Orleans, Denver, New York and Cleveland. He currently ranks 24th in NBA history in three-pointers made (1,475) and has 13 games with at least eight three-pointers, which is the most in NBA history. He also holds the NBA record with 25 games of at least seven three-pointers made.

During Cleveland’s NBA Finals run in the 2015 playoffs, Smith appeared in 18 games (four starts), averaging 12.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game.

Atlanta Hawks to retire Dikembe Mutombo jersey number

Hawks to retire Dikembe Mutombo jersey number

Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin and President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach Mike Budenholzer announced earlier today that the organization will retire Dikembe Mutombo’s No. 55 uniform in a special ceremony on November 24th when the Hawks host the Boston Celtics at Philips Arena. The announcement was made during a ceremony recognizing today as Dikembe Mutombo Day in Fulton County.

“There are very few players who have had the impact on- and off-the-court that Dikembe has had, and he’s very deserving of this honor,” Koonin said. “As a player, man and humanitarian, he represents everything we want to be associated with. November 24th is going to be a memorable night in our franchise’s history, in Atlanta, in Fulton County, and for Dikembe and his family.”

Mutombo, who will be enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Sept. 11, spent five seasons (343 games) with the Hawks (1996-2001), finishing with averages of 11.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.2 blocks and 1.2 assists in 36.2 minutes (.529 FG%).

He ranks third in franchise history in career field goal percentage (.529), blocks (1,094) and rebounds per game (12.6), seventh in defensive rebounds (3,093) and ninth in offensive rebounds (1,228) and minutes per game. He holds the second (277, 1997-98), fourth (269, 1999-00) and fifth positions (264, 1996-97) on the franchise list for most blocks in a single season, and has the sixth-best field goal percentage season (.562, 1999-00) in club history.

Overall, he played 18 years in the league (1,196 games), ranking second in NBA history in blocked shots (3,289) and 19th in rebounds (12,359), averaging 9.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.0 assists in 30.8 minutes (.518 FG%). He was a four-time Defensive Player of the Year (tied for the most in league history), eight-time All-Star and is the only two-time winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.

Mutombo will join Hawks legends Dominique Wilkins (#21), Lou Hudson (#23), Bob Pettit (#9) and Ted Turner as those honored in Philips Arena’s rafters.

DeAndre Jordan reportedly parts with agent

It’s late August and therefore this qualifies as pretty big news even though it doesn’t really affect anything, but Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, who has already signed a huge deal that keeps him in Los Angeles, has reportedly decided to find a new agent. Here’s the Los Angeles Times reporting:

DeAndre Jordan has reportedly said farewell to his agents

DeAndre Jordan’s seemingly never-ending summer saga has taken another twist — the Clippers center has parted ways with his representatives at Relativity Sports, The Times has learned.

Jordan informed agents Dan Fegan and Jarinn Akana last week that he was moving “in another direction,” said an NBA official not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Jordan told his agents of his decision to drop them a few days after the NBA fined the Clippers $250,000 on Aug. 25 for violating rules that prohibit teams from offering players unauthorized business or investment opportunities.

Nigeria wins 2015 AfroBasket, clinches spot in 2016 Olympics

Here’s FIBA.com reporting on Nigeria, who will compete in the 2016 Olympics:

Nigeria beat Angola 74-65 in the Final of AfroBasket 2015 in Rades, Tunisia on Sunday to claim their first-ever continental championship.

Angola went into the game looking to win a 12th African title, but some poor shooting boosted Nigeria’s confidence as they led by as many as 19 points.

The win also saw Nigeria qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

In finishing second, Angola joined third- and fourth-place teams Tunisia and Senegal in booking their places for the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs).