Category: General NBA insight

Lakers guard Xavier Henry underwent an MRI exam today which revealed a ruptured left Achilles tendon. Henry suffered the injury at this morning’s practice. He is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow morning with Dr. Neal ElAttrache and Dr. Steve Lombardo of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. Henry is expected to be out the reminder of the season.

Henry, who re-signed with the Lakers as a free agent on July 25, has appeared in nine games this season, averaging 2.2 points, 0.4 rebounds, 0.3 assists, and 0.33 steals in 9.5 minutes per game. The five-year pro averaged career-highs in points (10.0), rebounds (2.7), and assists (1.2) per game last season.

Damien Wilkins of the Iowa Energy today was named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Friday, Nov.14, through Sunday, Nov. 23.

A 6-6, 225-pound guard/forward out of Georgia, Wilkins averaged 28.3 points (fourth in the league) on .561 shooting (32-for-57), 10.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists to lead Iowa to a 3-0 start to the season. On Nov. 14, he recorded a double-double, scoring 32 points and snatching 13 rebounds, to go along with nine assists, one block and one steal in a 152-144 victory over the Reno Bighorns. On Nov. 15, he tallied 30 points, 11 rebounds and two steals in a 102-100 victory over the Santa Cruz Warriors. Wilkins is in his first season in the NBA D-League and was selected by Iowa in the 2014 NBA Development League Draft with the 16th overall pick.

Other top performers considered include Austin’s JaMychal Green, Bakersfield’s Elijah Millsap, Canton’s Alex Kirk, Delaware’s Ronald Roberts Jr., Fort Wayne’s Andre Emmett, Idaho’s Kevin Murphy, Reno’s Brady Heslip, Rio Grande Valley’s Earl Clark and Texas’ Eric Griffin.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released the following statement today in response to statements made by NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts to ESPN.com:

“We couldn’t disagree more with these statements. The NBA’s success is based on the collective efforts and investments of all of the team owners, the thousands of employees at our teams and arenas, and our extraordinarily talented players. No single group could accomplish this on its own. Nor is there anything unusual or “un-American” in a unionized industry to have a collective system for paying employees – in fact, that’s the norm.

“The Salary Cap system, which splits revenues between team owners and players and has been agreed upon by the NBA and the Players Association since 1982, has served as a foundation for the growth of the league and has enabled NBA players to become the highest paid professional athletes in the world. We will address all of these topics and others with the Players Association at the appropriate time.”

Enjoy this video of the top defensive plays of the week, through November 9

Enjoy this video of the top assists of the week, from November 2-9, 2014:

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed free agent guard Ish Smith to a contract pursuant to the NBA’s hardship rule, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Smith (6-0, 175) spent the 2013-14 season with Phoenix where he averaged 3.7 points, 2.6 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 14.4 minutes in 70 games (one start). An undrafted guard out of Wake Forest, Smith owns career averages of 2.9 points, 2.0 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 11.5 minutes in 191 games (eight starts) with Houston, Memphis, Golden State, Orlando, Milwaukee and Phoenix.

Knicks exercise contract option on Tim Hardaway Jr

The New York Knicks made an easy decision today and exercised their third-year contract option on guard Tim Hardaway Jr.

On a roster lacking in young talent other than Hardaway, guard Iman Shumpert and rookie forward Cleanthony Early, this move was expected.

Hardaway, 6-6, 205-pounds, averaged 10.2 points over 23.2 minutes in 81 games (one start) last season for the Knicks and was named to the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie first team. He was originally selected by New York with the 24th overall selection in the 2013 NBA Draft.

We’re here! The 2014-15 NBA regular season begins Tuesday night.

Today, all 30 NBA teams trimmed their rosters to 15 or fewer players.

Here they are, official NBA opening night rosters for every team in the league.

The Los Angeles Lakers have waived guard Keith Appling and center Jeremy Tyler, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Appling, a rookie from Michigan State, saw action in two games this preseason, scoring two points with three rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes.

Tyler, a three-year NBA veteran with Golden State, Atlanta, and New York, appeared in three preseason games for the Lakers, averaging 2.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 9.4 minutes per game.

Both players were originally signed to the Lakers training camp roster on September 23.

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived guards Kim English and Ben Hansbrough, as well as forward/center Solomon Jones.

The three players originally signed with Chicago as free agents on Sept. 26, 2014.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 14