Category: General NBA insight

The Denver Nuggets have exercised the third-year options on F Kenneth Faried and G/F Jordan Hamilton for 2013-14, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri announced today.

Faried, the 22nd overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, averaged 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds as a rookie in 2011-12 and earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Faried also was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for April.

He is averaging 11.0 points and 5.8 rebounds in five preseason games.

Hamilton, the 26th overall pick in 2011, averaged 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 26 games as s rookie. He is averaging 12.3 points in three preseason games.

Hamilton was acquired from the Dallas Mavericks as part of a three-team trade involving the Portland Trail Blazers on June 23, 2011.

Dwight Howard is set to make his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers in a preseason game against Sacramento on Sunday night.

Coach Mike Brown says Howard is in the Lakers’ starting lineup with no restrictions on his playing time. Howard finally will hit the Staples Center court in his gold No. 12 jersey just more than six months after the six-time All-Star center had surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back.

Howard didn’t play in the first five preseason games for the Lakers (0-5), who acquired him from Orlando in August through a four-team trade that sent All-Star center Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia.

— Reported by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced today that the team has released guard Jermaine Taylor. The Wolves roster now stands at 17 players.

Taylor appeared in two preseason games and totaled 3 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 12 minutes.

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived center Kyrylo Fesenko (pronounced Kuh-rill Feh-sink-o).

In his lone appearance of the preseason with the Bulls, Fesenko (7-1, 280) grabbed one rebound in four minutes of action against Cleveland on Oct. 12.

Chicago as a free agent on Oct. 1, 2012.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 15.

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have waived guard Josh Akognon. Akognon was signed as free agent on September 27.

Akognon (5-11, 185) saw action in three preseason games for the Mavericks. He averaged 2.3 points in 3.7 minutes per contest.

The Petaluma, Calif., native started his collegiate career at Washington State University before transferring to California State University, Fullerton. As a senior, Akognon was named Big West Conference Player of the Year after averaging 23.9 points per game.

The Mavericks’ roster now stands at 15 players

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed free agent guard Leandro Barbosa.

Barbosa, a 6’3” guard, appeared in 64 games last season split between Toronto and Indiana, averaging 11.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals while shooting 38.2% from three-point territory. Barbosa, a member of the 2012 Brazilian Olympic basketball team, was the team’s leading scorer with 16.2 points in their six contests, eighth among all players in the 2012 Olympics. The native of Sao Paulo, Brazil was named the NBA’s 2006-07 Sixth Man of the Year when he averaged a career-best 18.1 points, 4.0 assists and shot 43.4% from three-point territory. Barbosa has appeared in 588 career games between Phoenix, Toronto and Indiana with career averages of 12.5 points and 2.4 assists while shooting 39.1% on three-pointers.

Barbosa will not be available in Brooklyn for tonight’s game due to pending visa paperwork.

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have waived center Dan Gadzuric. The Sixers roster now stands at 15.

Gadzuric (6-11, 240) did not appear in any of the Sixers preseason games thus far. The 10-year veteran has played in 527 career games with 164 starts, averaging 4.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.85 blocks in 14.8 minutes per game.

The latest Milwaukee Bucks injury will remove rookie forward John Henson from preseason action for the near future.

Henson will be limited to non-impact activity for approximately two weeks after suffering a left knee sprain and bone bruise in last night’s preseason game vs. Chicago. Henson’s non-impact activity will involve rehabilitation work in the swimming pool and on a stationary bike, along with weight room exercises.

Ekpe Udoh (left knee strain) returned to full basketball activity after missing two games with a left knee strain. He is probable for tomorrow night’s game against Memphis in La Crosse, Wis.

Luc Mbah a Moute continues to rehabilitate his right knee after off-season surgery and remains out for tomorrow’s game.

Doron Lamb (left elbow strain) has begun limited basketball activity and remains out for tomorrow’s game.

And besides catching the occasional Gonzaga game on television, Morrison didn’t so much as watch basketball, let alone pick one up.

“People think I was all depressed, but I was like, ‘This is awesome,'” he said. “I got to spend time with my family, have Christmas at home, relax. I was able to exhale. It gave me a lot of perspective on things. I think it was good for me.”

He remained content for about a year, until he wandered down to the McCarthey Athletic Center to watch the Gonzaga players work out. One visit become two and two became three. Before Morrison knew it, his competitive juices were flowing, his mind contemplated a return to the court and he got the itch to play again.

So Morrison started his comeback. He hadn’t touched a basketball or worked out for a year and he was in the worst shape of his life. The first month, he said, he was “horrible.” But Morrison slowly worked himself into shape and his love for the game slowly worked itself back into him. His heart was back in it.

— Reported by Joe Freeman of the Oregonian