Category: General NBA insight

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel with a report on the NBA league schedule:

The formulation of the NBA schedule is a delicate process, the league’s 2014-15 calendar still a work in progress until it formally will be unveiled Wednesday.

But when it erupts, it will arrive with four blasts of LeBron-vs.-Miami Heat drama that could overshadow the rest of what the league has to offer to Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and what remains of James’ former team.

According to a league source familiar with the preliminary schedules forwarded recently to teams, the Heat’s first meeting with James’ Cavaliers is scheduled for Christmas at AmericanAirlines Arena, in what the preliminary schedule lists only as a “night” game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed free agents Mike Miller (guard/forward) and James Jones (guard), General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts. Per league policy, terms of the contracts were not released.

Miller, a 14-year veteran, has played in 913 career games (553 starts) with averages of 11.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 29.1 minutes for Orlando, Memphis, Minnesota, Washington and Miami. He won two NBA championships (2012, 2013) and appeared in three NBA Finals (2011-2013) as a member of the Heat. He captured the 2005-06 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award and was selected as the 2000-01 Rookie of the Year after being drafted fifth overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Magic.

Miller ranks among the NBA’s most prolific shooters with top 20 career NBA rankings in several categories, including career three-point percentage (.409) and 1,531 made three-point baskets. The 6-8, 218-pound guard has hit at least 70 treys in 12 of his 14 seasons and topped 100 three-pointers eight times in his career. He has shot at least .400 from three-point range in nine different seasons.

In 2013-14, Miller ranked second in the NBA by connecting on .459 (107-233) of his three-point attempts and averaged 7.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in 20.8 minutes over 82 contests (four starts) with Memphis. Miller will wear #18 with the Cavs.

Jones has played in 556 career games (89 starts) with averages of 5.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 17.2 minutes for Indiana, Phoenix, Portland and Miami during his 11-year career. He won two NBA championships (2012, 2013) and appeared in four NBA Finals (2011-2014) as a member of the Heat. He was drafted 49th overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Pacers.

Jones has a career three-point percentage of .403 and his career free throw percentage is .848. The 6-8, 215-pound guard was the 2011 NBA Three-Point Shootout Champion at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. Jones will wear #1 with the Cavs.

Here’s the Boston Globe reporting on the National Basketball Players Association and their recent news:

History was quietly made this week by an organization that desperately needs positive publicity, with Michele Roberts working feverishly to ensure the NBA Players Association improves its reputation.

Roberts was named the first women to lead a men’s professional sports union last week after the NBPA went more than a year without an executive director. Countless times over the past six months, commissioner Adam Silver referred to the players’ lack of leadership as a reason major issues were being tabled.

Roberts was elected by 32 of the 36 player representatives, making her a barrier-breaker and also a neophyte in what has been a contentious relationship over the past several years. The NBA has sustained two major work stoppages over the past 16 years, including a 66-game lockout-marred season in 2011-12.

With those issues on her mind, Roberts said she hasn’t had time to reflect on her groundbreaking position. And she won’t. She said she’ll be too busy preparing herself for the task of representing the league’s players entering a critical financial phase in which salaries could rise significantly with a new television contract.

“I have continued professionally to reinvent myself,” said Roberts, who is a Washington-based lawyer in the firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom. “At one point I thought I was going to die a criminal defense attorney. And I haven’t done any criminal work in 10 years. I cannot recall being this excited in my life as I am right now. I quite frankly wish I could start tomorrow.”

New York Knicks President Phil Jackson announced today that the team has signed forward Cleanthony Early to a contract.

Early, 6-8, 219-pounds, was selected by New York in second round (34th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft following his senior season at Wichita State University. The Bronx, NY-native led the Shockers to an undefeated regular season (34-0), with averages of 16.4 points on 48.6-percent shooting and 5.9 rebounds. He averaged 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds, over 27.9 minutes, in four games for New York’s entry in the 2014 NBA Summer League at Las Vegas, NV.

The new NBA game ball for the 2014-15 season includes a mention of the @NBA Twitter account. Photo:

The National Basketball Players Association has elected Michele Roberts as executive director, making her the first woman to lead a North American pro sports union.

Roberts received 32 of 36 votes in a process that was completed in the early morning hours of Tuesday. The Washington trial lawyer defeated tech industry CEO Dean Garfield and Dallas Mavericks CEO Terdema Ussery in the final vote.

“After all the hours and time (invested by) our executive committee, along with an amazing search committee that helped throughout this process, it’s an unbelievable feeling to have the wonderful Michele Roberts now as a part of our team,” NBPA president and Los Angeles Clippers star guard Chris Paul told reporters in Las Vegas.

The vote capped a long and arduous process to replace Billy Hunter, who was ousted in February of 2013. Roberts was one of the finalists initially offered to the rank-and-file during All-Star weekend in February, but the process was re-opened to broaden the search at the urging of some players and agents.

— Associated Press

The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed free agent guard Xavier Henry, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

“Xavier earned a spot on our team last season after being a training camp invitee, and we hope he continues the dedication to improving he has displayed for us thus far,” said Kupchak. “When healthy, Xavier provided our team with an offensive punch, and we expect he’ll strive to add to his skillset and become a well-rounded player.”

In 43 games (five starts) last season, Henry averaged career-highs across-the-board with 10.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 21.1 minutes. The 23-year-old led the team in scoring seven times and had hit double-figures in scoring in 16 of his last 27 games before undergoing season-ending surgeries on his left wrist and right knee on April 11. Among his highlights last season were single-game career-bests in points (27, vs. POR 12/1), rebounds (eight, vs. MIN 11/10), assists (four, vs. MIN 12/20) and steals (three, five times).

Xavier (pronounced zah-vee-ay) is entering his fifth season in the NBA, after playing for the Memphis Grizzlies (2010-11), New Orleans Hornets (2011-13) and Lakers (2013-14) since being drafted with the 12th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by Memphis. Born in Ghent, Belgium, Henry declared for the Draft after his freshman season at Kansas, where he earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and Big 12 All-Freshman Team honors.

Enjoy these video highlights of the top plays from Monday, July 21 in Vegas, the summer league championship game:

Enjoy these video highlights of the top plays from Saturday, July 19 in Vegas:

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that, via sign-and-trade, the team has acquired forward Kris Humphries from the Boston Celtics in exchange for a protected 2015 second round draft pick and a trade exception.

According to the Boston Globe, the trade exception is for $4.3 million.

“Kris is a proven veteran and will be a versatile addition to our frontcourt, giving us the option to use him as either a power forward or a center,” said Grunfeld.  “His ability to run the floor, rebound and score from both inside and outside make him a good fit for our roster.”

In 10 seasons with Utah, Toronto, Dallas, New Jersey, Brooklyn and Boston, Humphries has appeared in 627 career regular season games (165 starts) while averaging 6.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per contest. He has shot .470 from the field while recording 80 career double-doubles.  Last season with Boston, Humphries appeared in 69 games (30 starts) and averaged 8.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in 19.9 minutes.

Humphries had his most productive season during the 2011-12 campaign when he averaged 13.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in 34.9 minutes with New Jersey. Over the last four seasons, he has averaged 9.4 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting .495 from the floor.  Humphries was originally selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by Utah.