Inside Hoops – Page 859 – NBA Blog

Andrew Bogut fights through back pain for Australia

Here’s CSN Bay Area reporting on Warriors center Andrew Bogut, who is currently helping represent Australia on the court:

On Tuesday in Wellington, New Zealand, Bogut performed at a level that suggests he still has game.

The 7-foot center finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots to lead Australia to an 89-79 win over New Zealand in a FIBA Oceana qualifying game that clinched the Aussies’ bid for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

And Bogut did this while fighting through same nagging back soreness that might be making the Warriors a bit nervous.

“The body felt good,” Bogut told reporters. “I was battling a few little things but if you take enough pills and things you end up getting there. It worked out all right. I felt pretty good out there. Tomorrow morning won’t be as good but we got the job done and we’re going to the Olympics.”

Cavs may sign center Sasha Kaun

According to the Northeast Ohio Media Group, the Cleveland Cavaliers may soon add depth at the center spot:

Veteran Russian center Sasha Kaun embarked on a mini-tour of Cleveland on Monday, league sources informed Northeast Ohio Media Group.

His visit was for the purpose of house hunting, among other things, sources said.

Kaun, 30, and the Cavaliers have yet to reach an agreement. However, “it’s only a matter of time” before a deal is struck, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The Cavaliers’ main focus is on locking up a longtime pact with restricted free agent Tristan Thompson.

Dorell Wright to play in China

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on Dorell Wright, who will reportedly take his talents to the other side of the world:

Although he had expressed interest in a reunion with the Miami Heat as early as a month ago, free-agent forward Dorell Wright on Monday agreed to play the coming season in China.

Wright confirmed on his Twitter account the one-year contract with the Chongqing Soaring Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Wright, 29, was drafted by the Heat with the No. 19 pick in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft, spending his first six NBA seasons with the team. He spent the past two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, utilized primarily for his 3-point shooting.

Bucks sign forward Marcus Landry

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free agent forward Marcus Landry, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Bucks blog, “Landry’s contract is not guaranteed, but it gives him the opportunity to demonstrate his skill and compete for a roster spot during training camp. Earning a roster spot may be difficult — but not impossible — as the Bucks are currently carrying 15 guaranteed contracts. NBA teams can invite up to 20 players to training camp, but are only allowed 15 rosters spots during the regular season.”

Landry, 29, was undrafted after a four-year collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin. A Milwaukee native, Landry has played professionally in the NBA, the NBA D-League and internationally since wearing the Badgers uniform from 2005-09.

Last season, Landry played 49 games for CAI Zaragoza in Spain where he averaged 10.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He played parts of the 2013-14 and 2011-12 seasons in Spain, as well as stints internationally in Puerto Rico, China and Venezuela.

Landry began his professional career with the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics in 2009. He also played for the Maine Red Claws and Reno Bighorns in the D-League. He was named to the Futures All-Star roster for the 2013 NBA D-League All-Star game and won the Three-Point Shootout.

A look at Miami Heat ticket price tiers

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on Miami Heat ticket pricing, which takes into account the fact that some teams are bigger draws than others:

With Monday’s release of the Miami Heat’s partial-season ticket plans came the release of pricing tiers for 2015-16 opponents.

When it comes to the top tier of the five pricing ranges, one team stands alone: James’ Cleveland Cavaliers. Not only are the Cavaliers’ two visits to AmericanAirlines Arena listed in the “Inferno” pricing range, but they are the only two 2015-16 home games priced on the plan in that highest-tiered range…

Beyond the Cavaliers’ two visits, the next-highest pricing range is listed as “Blazing,” which includes the Christmas Day game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the New Year’s Day game against the Dallas Mavericks, as well as the lone visit of the season by the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors.

Utah Jazz sign Treveon Graham

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed free agent guard/forward Treveon Graham (TRAY-vee-on).

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

Graham (6-6, 220, VCU) played four seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University, serving as team captain and averaging 16.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists during his senior campaign. He was also named to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team for the second-straight year (2014, 2015). He ranked eighth in the conference in scoring during the 2014-15 season and logged 28 games of 10-or-more points. Graham also led VCU to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2012-15). In 2013, he competed for Team USA at the 2013 University World Games in Kazan, Russia.

A native of Temple Hills, Md., Graham played high school basketball at St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardtown, Md.

Video: Emmanuel Mudiay summer highlights

Enjoy this video of Denver Nuggets rookie Emmanuel Mudiay, as he got drafted and then played summer league in preparation for the pros:

Pistons arena being renovated

It’s always fun to see the new version of an NBA arena after it’s been renovated. Even slight changes, if done well, can make a place seem new. Looking forward to the final result. Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting:

For those fans hoping that the Pistons eventually would move back to downtown Detroit: Forget about it.

Owner Tom Gores has put $40 million into renovations in the Palace over the past four years.

The current project is replacing all the seats in the Palace and refurbishing the floors, a project that will take three years to complete, according to Kevin A. Grigg, vice president of public relations for Palace Sports & Entertainment and the Pistons.

“This is the first phase of what’s going to be a three-year seating renovation inside the Palace,” Grigg said Wednesday. “The first stage that you see now will be completed per the start of the preseason. That involves from the lower-level suites all the way down to the floor. We’ll have new courtside seats and new seats going into the stands up to the first-level suites.”

Kings to hire Roland Beech for analytics job

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on the Sacramento Kings, who have found themselves a new analytics guy:

The Sacramento Kings have come to terms with Roland Beech to hire the longtime NBA sabermetrician to head up their analytics department, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that Beech is poised to join the Kings as their vice president of analytics under Vlade Divac, Sacramento’s new head of basketball operations.

Beech will thus fill a void created after another of the league’s foremost analytics experts — Dean Oliver — recently left the organization.

Jimmy Butler says he is a point guard

Here is the Bulls.com blog reporting on Jimmy Butler, who, according to himself, is really more of a point guard. The position played by teammate Derrick Rose, who incidently happens to score a lot of points for a point guard. Anyway:

“First off, I think I am a point guard,” Butler said without joking. “So I’ve done a heck of a lot of ball screen work, ball handling, getting into the paint and still handling, floaters, all that stuff point guards do. If I get a chance, high pick and roll more. I want some triple doubles. I’ve got to get my handle right so I can pass and get it to guys where they can make shots. I told Fred. You ask what position I play, I say point guard.”

It sounds like a joke for the guy who was supposed to be a small forward replacement for Luol Deng. But having another guard who can handle the ball and allow Rose to play off the ball with Butler’s defensive prowess provides a potentially exceptional and previously unknown element to the Bulls arsenal.

“I’m very excited because I think a lot of people think my last season was a fluke,” acknowledged Butler, who is the 32nd lowest drafted player on the USA roster. “I really don’t care what they think. But I want to prove to myself it wasn’t. I want to show I can get better from last year to this year. That’s my goal, continue to get better every year like I have.

“The main thing is confidence,” Butler continued.