Category: General NBA insight

Basically discarded by two teams in one year, Thomas Robinson, the fifth overall pick in 2012, is in Portland, for a third opportunity. The Kings sent Robinson to the Rockets after just 51 games, and the Rockets moved him to the Trail Blazers to create salary-cap space for Dwight Howard.

So, change has been a constant, and the dismissals have motivated him.

“I have to find a way to get back to my old self,” said Robinson, who averaged 4.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in just 15 minutes per game as a rookie. “That’s talking and messing with other people [on the other team] and being annoying the whole game. I went back and I watched old tapes and some of the stuff that I did, and I didn’t play with the same emotion. I’m just trying to get back to that. If I get back to that I feel that I’ll be pretty comfortable in this league.”

Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe

The Memphis Grizzlies signed two-time NBA champion Mike Miller, the team announced today.

Although capable of starting for stretches of games, Miller at this advanced point in his career is better-suited as a backup to provide bench depth.

The signing reunites the Grizzlies with the sharpshooter, who still owns eight major franchise records after playing five-plus seasons in Memphis from 2002-08.

“We are extraordinarily pleased to welcome Mike Miller back to Memphis,” Grizzlies Chief Executive Officer Jason Levien said. “Mike is a special figure in our community due to his contributions both on and off the court. Mike is an elite three-point shooter, as Grizzlies fans know first-hand, and we expect his shooting, play-making, hustle and leadership to be a key component in our team competing with the best in the NBA next season.”

Miller (6-8, 218) has spent the last three seasons with the Miami Heat, where he helped the club to three consecutive NBA Finals and win back-to-back NBA championships in 2012 and 2013. Miller scored 23 points and went 7-of-8 from three-point range against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the championship-clinching Game 5 of the 2012 NBA Finals. He made 9-of-10 from beyond the arc in the first three games against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals, which Miami won in seven games. In 25 career NBA Finals games, Miller has shot 25-of-47 from long range (.532).

Before winning two titles in Miami, Miller starred for five-plus seasons for Memphis, averaging 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 three-pointers made on .477 shooting (.415 3FG shooting) in 32.0 minutes in 371 games (277 starts) with the Grizzlies from 2002-08. Traded by Orlando to Memphis on Feb. 19, 2003, Miller teamed with current Grizzlies center Marc Gasol’s older brother Pau to guide the Grizzlies to their first three playoff appearances (2004, 2005 and 2006). He was honored as the NBA Sixth Man of the Year during the 2005-06 season, his only season with the Grizzlies in which he had more reserve appearances than starts.

Miller holds franchise career records for three-point field goal percentage (.415), three-point field goals made (737) and attempted (1,778). He also holds the single-season franchise record for three-point percentage (.433 in 2004-05) and three-pointers made and attempted (202 and 498 in 2006-07).

In addition, Miller holds the Grizzlies records for points in a game (career-high 45 on Feb. 21, 2007 at Golden State) and three-pointers made in a game (career-best nine on Jan. 3, 2007 vs. Golden State and Feb. 21, 2007 at Golden State).

He also ranks in the top 10 among franchise career leaders for points (5,403, 5th), assists (1,221, 5th), scoring average (8th), games started (8th), games played (9th) and rebounds (1,813, 10th).

Among Miller’s other Grizzlies highlights are a triple-double off the bench (21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) on Jan. 10, 2006 vs. Sacramento, the first triple-double ever by a Memphis player, and a 41-point performance off the bench on March 17, 2006 vs. Denver, setting the club record for points in a game by a reserve. He converted two four-point plays in the same game on Dec. 14, 2007 vs. LA Clippers.

Miller enjoyed the two highest-scoring seasons of his career during the 2006-07 season (career-high 18.5 points) and the 2007-08 campaign (16.4 points). Following the 2007-08 season, Memphis traded Miller with Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins and the draft rights to Kevin Love (5th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft) to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the draft rights to O.J. Mayo (3rd overall), Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric and Greg Buckner on June 26, 2008.

He spent the 2008-09 season in Minnesota and the following year with the Washington Wizards before signing with Miami as a free agent on July 15, 2010.

The 33-year-old, who ranks 20th in NBA history in career three-point field goal percentage (.406) and 22nd in career three-point field goals made (1,424), rejoins a Grizzlies team that made the Western Conference Finals last season but finished last in the league in both three-point makes (382) and attempts (1,107) and placed 24th in three-point percentage (.345).

Miller owns career averages of 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 three-pointers made on .461 shooting (.406 3FG shooting) in 831 games (549 starts) in 13 seasons with Orlando, Memphis, Minnesota, Washington and Miami. After leading the University of Florida to the 2000 NCAA Championship Game as a sophomore, Miller was drafted by Orlando in the first round (5th overall) of the 2000 NBA Draft and was named the 2000-01 NBA Rookie of the Year. He won a gold medal with USA Basketball men’s national team at the FIBA Americas Championship 2007 in Las Vegas.

Off the court, the Mitchell, S.D. native is known for his outstanding charitable efforts in the Memphis community, especially to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Miller donated $200,000 to St. Jude on May 28, 2008, the largest-ever donation to St. Jude by a Grizzlies player. In honor of Miller and his wife Jennifer’s donation, St. Jude named its exercise room the Mason and Mavrick Miller Fitness Room after the Millers’ two sons. They also have one daughter, Jaelyn.

If the Washington Wizards have their way, star guard John Wall will not be going anywhere anytime soon.

Citing “sources close to the process,” ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reported that the Wizards are in “advanced talks” to sign Wall to a five-year, $80 million contract extension. The same report claimed both the team and Wall hope to have an agreement completed and signed by August 1.

Wall, 22, must sign an extension by Oct. 31 declaring him a designated franchise player. Otherwise, he’d become a restricted free agent on July 1, 2014.

Reported by the Sports Xchange

Mike Miller is going back to a former home, agreeing to a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Miller confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on Wednesday, about a week after the Miami Heat designated him as their amnesty player after three seasons with the team. Miller will still collect more than $12 million in salary from the Heat over the next two seasons, but will not count against their salary cap or luxury tax.

Reported by the Associated Press

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed guard Derek Fisher, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

“Derek has proven to be a valuable member of our team and we are excited to have him back,” Presti said. “He has such a positive impact on his teammates and the organization.”

Fisher has appeared in 44 regular season games with Oklahoma City during the past two seasons, averaging 4.5 points, 1.0 assist and 1.2 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game. In 31 playoff games with the Thunder, he averaged 7.1 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 22.8 minutes per game.

A five-time NBA champion, Fisher has appeared in 240 career playoff games (158 starts) averaging 8.6 points, 2.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 27.3 minutes per contest.

InsideHoops.com video of Kevin Durant and Kevin Love practicing moves together at the USA Basketball mini-camp in Las Vegas:

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent center Jermaine O’Neal to a contract, the team announced today.

Although 34 years old and clearly past his prime, O’Neal did nice things for the Phoenix Suns in very limited minutes last season. He appeared in 55 games (four starts), averaging 8.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.42 blocks in 18.7 minutes per contest, marking his highest scoring and rebounding averages since 2009-10.  The 6’11” center recorded multiple blocked shots 24 times, including a season-high seven blocks on April 10 at Dallas, and his 1.42 blocks per game average would have ranked 15th in the NBA had he played in enough games to qualify.  In 23 games when playing 20-or-more minutes last season, O’Neal averaged 11.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.91 blocks.

Originally selected out of high school at the age of 18 by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 17th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, O’Neal owns career averages of 13.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.84 blocks in 967 regular-season games (684 starts) over 17 seasons with the Blazers (1996-00), Indiana Pacers (2000-08), Toronto Raptors (2008-09), Miami Heat (2008-10), Boston Celtics (2010-12) and Phoenix Suns (2012-13).  A six-time NBA All-Star (all with Indiana in six consecutive seasons from 2002-07), the Columbia, SC, native was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2001-02 and is a three-time All-NBA selection, having earned Second Team honors in 2003-04 and Third Team recognition in 2001-02 and 2002-03.  O’Neal, who currently ranks fifth among active NBA players in blocked shots (1,780), has appeared in the playoffs in 13 of his 17 NBA seasons, posting career playoff averages of 12.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.82 blocks in 90 postseason contests.

He will wear uniform #7.

Among the reasons John Lucas III ended up as a member of the Utah Jazz were a long-term relationship with Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey and good reviews of the organization and city from none other than former Jazzman Carlos Boozer.

Lucas was introduced Monday afternoon at EnergySolutions Arena as the latest Jazz signee. Terms of the contract were not released. Lucas has played parts of five seasons in the NBA since leaving Oklahoma State, most recently with the Toronto Raptors in 2012-13.

The soft-spoken 30-year-old had some options as a free agent, but chose Utah after talking with his father, John II, a former NBA star and coach, Lindsey, and a couple of his former Chicago Bulls’ teammates — Boozer and Ronnie Brewer.

Reported by Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News

Ten months after Colangelo first saw that gleam return to Krzyzewski’s eye, and two months after the coach made his return official, the two men are back to work at a four-day camp that began Monday. As Krzyzewski sat down in a chair outside a meeting room at the Wynn resort with a red polo and the USA logo on the left breast, he said he spent most of Duke’s college season last year fully convinced he wouldn’t be back for a run at a third gold.

“Throughout the year I did not think I would be coaching (Team USA),” Krzyzewski told The Associated Press before the camp kicked off. “I just felt that that wasn’t going to happen. But then after discussions, not just talking with Jerry, but my staff and my family, to be given that opportunity again, it’s something I’m really excited about and feel very honored and privileged to have that opportunity.”

When Krzyzewski leads the Americans at the Rio Olympics in 2016, he’ll join Henry Iba as the only coaches in U.S. history to coach in three Olympics. Together with Colangelo, Krzyzewski has changed the culture of USA Basketball and restored some sense of pride, professionalism and prestige to a brand that was tarnished after a bronze medal finish in Athens in 2004.

When Krzyzewski leads the Americans at the Rio Olympics in 2016, he’ll join Henry Iba as the only coaches in U.S. history to coach in three Olympics. Together with Colangelo, Krzyzewski has changed the culture of USA Basketball and restored some sense of pride, professionalism and prestige to a brand that was tarnished after a bronze medal finish in Athens in 2004.

Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today that they have signed free agent center Byron Mullens.

Mullens, 24, joins the Clippers after spending the last two seasons in Charlotte, where he averaged a career-high 10.6 points and 6.4 rebounds in 53 games (41 starts) in 2012-13. The Ohio native has appeared in 144 total games in four NBA seasons with Charlotte (2011-2013) and Oklahoma City (2009-2011) and brings career averages of 8.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 21.1 minutes per game to Los Angeles.

Originally drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 24th pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft, Mullens was acquired by the Thunder on draft night and played in 26 total games for Oklahoma City before being traded to Charlotte on Dec. 19, 2011 in exchange for a 2013 draft pick.

The 7-foot Mullens played one season at Ohio State University, earning a spot on the 2008-09 Big 10 All-Freshman Team as well as winning the 2008-09 Big Ten 6th Man Of The Year Award for averaging 8.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game.

A star at Canal Winchester High School in Ohio, Mullens was a member of the 2008 McDonald’s All-American Team.

Last season, Mullens set career-highs in 3-pointers made (66), attempted (208) and percentage (.317) despite missing a stretch of 19 games from December 22 – February 4 with a left ankle injury. He also established new career-highs in total rebounds (337) and assists (81) with the Bobcats in 2012-13.