Category: General NBA insight

The Memphis Grizzlies signed free agent forward JaMychal Green to a second 10-day contract, Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace announced today.

Green (6-9, 220) initially was signed by Memphis to a 10-day contract as a Call-Up from the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League on Feb. 2. He has averaged 4.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 6.5 minutes in two appearances for Memphis, scoring eight points on 3-of-3 shooting in his Grizzlies debut on Feb. 6 at Minnesota. Green has averaged 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 6.3 minutes in six games for Memphis and San Antonio in his rookie NBA season.

The 24-year-old averaged 23.0 points on .577 shooting, 10.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.55 blocks in 31.8 minutes in 20 games (all starts) this season with Austin. Green, who was named NBA D-League Player of the Month for games in December, ranked sixth in the D-League in scoring and rebounding per game and tied for seventh in double-doubles (15) before his Call-Up to the Grizzlies (among players with at least 10 games played).

Undrafted in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Montgomery, Ala. native averaged 13.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.72 blocks in 123 games over four seasons at the University of Alabama. He played 25 games for Chorale Roanne of the LNB Pro A League in France during the 2013-14 season.

Kevin Durant supports idea of fewer back-to-backs

Here’s the New York Post reporting Kevin Durant’s approval of the possablity that the league schedule will someday present fewer back-to-back games. Safe to say the vast majority of players would agree with this:

Durant is in favor of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s pledge to try and eliminate four games in five nights and greatly reduce back-to-backs in the NBA’s regular-season schedule.

“Yeah, it’s nice,” said Durant, who had just three points on 1-for-6 shooting in 10 minutes. “As much as we can get rest and still be at a high level, it’s always cool for us.

“But we’re all gamers in this league and everybody likes to play, so whatever schedule they put out is what we have to do.”

Former UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian has died

Legendary basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, who took the Runnin’ Rebels to four Final Fours and brought home the national championship in 1990, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015, in Las Vegas. He was 84.

A campus memorial event is being planned. Details will be announced soon.

“The UNLV community mourns the passing of Coach Jerry Tarkanian, and our condolences are with Jerry’s wife, Lois, and the Tarkanian family,” said UNLV President Len Jessup.

“Coach Tarkanian’s contribution to UNLV and Southern Nevada stretches far beyond the game of basketball. Many in Southern Nevada and around the nation were introduced to UNLV through Coach Tarkanian and the Runnin’ Rebels. He made Runnin’ Rebel basketball a brand name during his 19 years on campus, inspiring our community and creating a legacy that endures to this day. He will be deeply missed though fondly remembered as a college basketball icon and as one of the greats in our university’s history.”

Current UNLV men’s basketball head coach Dave Rice was both a player and coach under Tarkanian. He said, “The qualities that make UNLV a great university – opportunity, self-determination and equality – are the same qualities that coach Tarkanian ingrained in his teams. The impact of coach’s contributions to our university, our community, his players and all of college basketball, is immeasurable.”

Rice added, “He instilled in me a confidence and commitment to doing what I believe is right for all people I am around. He saw something in me and gave me my first opportunity in coaching and I will be forever grateful. He will always be a part of UNLV, and our university is a better institution because of that. We are all saddened by this loss, our deepest condolences to the Tarkanian family.”

— Via UNLV Basketball

Hawks trade Adreian Payne to Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has acquired forward/center Adreian Payne from Atlanta for a protected future first round draft pick.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Adreian to Minnesota,” said Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders. “Adreian fits the mold of a young, athletic and talented player who we believe will fit in well with our young and talented core. We’ve liked him for a while and look forward to seeing him grow with us in a Wolves uniform.”

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “the move opens up a roster spot for the Hawks, who were at the maximum of 15. The Hawks have spoken to representatives of free agent Ray Allen, who is expected to make a decision soon on whether and where he will play this season.”

Payne, 23, was selected by Atlanta with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He’s appeared in three games with the Hawks this season, averaging 1.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game. Payne has appeared in 17 games between the Fort Worth Mad Ants and Austin Spurs in the NBA D-League, averaging 12.9 points, on 48.3% shooting, 8.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.2 minutes per game.

Drafted out of Michigan State, Payne averaged 16.4 points on 50.3% shooting (42.3% from three-point range) and 7.3 rebounds per game as senior in 2013-14 with the Spartans. His play earned him Second-Team All-Big Ten and Honorable Mention Associated Press All-American. Payne finished his collegiate career as one of just nine players in MSU history with 1,200+ points and 700+ rebounds, as well as wrapping up his career as the school’s all-time leader in blocked shots.

Pelicans sign Toney Douglas to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed guard Toney Douglas to a 10-day contract.

Douglas, 6-2, 185, most recently played for the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association, appearing in 35 games while averaging 19.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.1 steals. Drafted 29th overall out of Florida State in 2009 by the Los Angeles Lakers, Douglas has appeared in 297 career NBA games with New York, Houston, Sacramento, Golden State and Miami, averaging 7.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists.

Douglas will be available for tonight’s game against Oklahoma City. He will wear #16 for the Pelicans. New Orleans’ roster now stands at 14.

Hornets sign Elliot Williams to 10-day contract, waive Jannero Pargo

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed guard Elliot Williams to a 10-day contract and waived guard Jannero Pargo. Williams joins the Hornets from the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA D-League, becoming the 30th Call-Up this season. He will wear No. 4. The Hornets roster remains at 15 players.

The 6-5 Williams has seen action in 19 games for the Warriors this season, averaging 20.1 points, 7.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 36.3 minutes. He ranks fourth in the D-League in assists, tied for eighth in scoring and 10th in minutes played. Williams has scored in double figures in all 19 games and has handed out 10 or more assists five times, tallying five double-doubles. He has scored 20 points or more 10 times, including eight straight games from Nov. 28-Dec. 20.

Williams earlier this season signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Utah Jazz, where he saw action in five games and averaged 3.6 points in 8.4 minutes.

Williams was initially selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, playing one season with the team in 2011-12 after missing the entire 2010-11 season due to a pair of knee surgeries. He has played in 96 career NBA games with the Trail Blazers, 76ers and Jazz, with career averages of 5.3 points 1.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 14.0 minutes.

Pargo originally signed with Charlotte on March 14, 2013. He played in a total of 56 games for the franchise, averaging 5.9 points and 1.7 assists in 10.8 minutes. Pargo saw action in nine games for the Hornets this season, his 11th in the NBA, averaging 4.6 points in 8.1 minutes. He missed the last 19 games due to low back soreness.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tony Wroten underwent successful surgery to repair the partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee earlier today. The procedure was performed by Dr. James R. Andrews of the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, Florida.

The Sixers will now work with Tony, his representatives and the team’s medical and sports performance staff to put in place a comprehensive recovery plan which outlines his next steps.

The Los Angeles Clippers have signed guard Dahntay Jones for the remainder of the season.

Jones, 34, has appeared in nine games for Los Angeles and is averaging 0.4 points, 0.1 rebounds and 0.2 steals in 3.2 minutes. He originally signed with the Clippers on Jan. 14, the first of two consecutive 10-day contracts.

Jones, who was the 16th GATORADE call-up of the 2014-15 season, appeared in 19 games (15 starts) for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League and averaged 14.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 29.2 minutes.

A 10-year NBA veteran who has appeared in 597 career games (157 starts), has averaged 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 16.2 minutes with Memphis, Sacramento, Denver, Indiana, Dallas, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Originally drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft, Jones was traded to Memphis on Draft Day and spent four seasons with the Grizzlies.

A New Jersey native, the 6-foot-6 inch guard/forward played two seasons at Rutgers before transferring to Duke for his junior and senior season, where he and Clippers guard J.J. Redick were teammates during the 2002-03 season.

Today, adidas unveiled the Futurestar Boost basketball shoe, a new model that the company says pays homage to the iconic adidas Pro Model.

Designed in tandem with the 2015 NBA All-Star uniforms, adidas says that the Futurestar Boost design is inspired by the attitude and culture of New York City basketball, music and fashion.

The InsideHoops.com take is, these look cool. A simple, clean color scheme.

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard Andre Dawkins to a second 10-day contract.

Dawkins, a 6’4” guard was signed to his first 10-day with the Celtics on January 23. He has appeared in four games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League since he was signed and has averaged 20.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 39.4 minutes per game while shooting 37.7 percent from three-point territory.