NBA News Blog – Page 1105 – NBA Blog

Wilson Chandler will probably rejoin Nuggets

Wilson Chandler

Can now identify authentic Chinese food

Upon seeing Wilson Chandler in the Denver locker room, Nuggets coach George Karl greeted him with a handshake and a smile.

“I could’ve used you tonight,” Karl said.

That wish could soon be a reality.

Chandler, a restricted free agent, attended Denver’s 103-101 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night and said he hopes to sign a new contract with the Nuggets “in the next week or so.”

Chandler, 24, finished last season with the Nuggets but spent the past several months playing in China, where he averaged 26.6 points and 11.6 rebounds in 32 games with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions.

— Reported by Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com

Cavs sign Manny Harris to 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Manny Harris from the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League to a 10-day contract, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today. The signing of Harris marks the 27th D-League to NBA Call-Up of the 2011-12 season. Harris will wear No. 6 for the Cavaliers and is available for tonight’s game against the Detroit Pistons.

In 17 games (12 starts) with Canton this season, Harris is averaging 21.4 points on .470 shooting with 7.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals in 32.9 minutes per game. He currently ranks third in the D-League in scoring. Yesterday, he was named the NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played from February 13-19. Harris also earned the honor on January 30th, making him the only player in the league to do so twice this year. In two games last week, he averaged 41.0 points on .574 shooting with 9.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.5 steals in 44.5 minutes per contest.

The 6-foot-5 guard spent the 2010-11 season with the Cavaliers, playing in 54 games (15 starts) and averaging 5.9 points on .374 shooting, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 17.2 minutes per game.

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak responds to Kobe comments about Gasol

Pau Gasol

Finesse big-man

In response to comments made by Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol after last night’s game against the Phoenix Suns, Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak issued the following statement today:

“As a former player, I understand how the days leading up to the trade deadline can be nerve-wracking for an NBA player. Nonetheless, as General Manager of the Lakers, I have a responsibility to ownership, our fans and the players on this team to actively pursue opportunities to improve the team for this season and seasons to come. To say publicly that we would not do this would serve no purpose and put us at a competitive disadvantage. Taking such a course of action at this time would be a disservice to ownership, the team and our many fans.

According to the Los Angeles Times Blog, Kobe had said the following: “It’s just tough for a player to give his all when you don’t know if you’re going to be here tomorrow. I’d rather them not trade him at all but if they’re going to do something, I wish they would just … do it.”

Greg Oden undergoes microfracture surgery on left knee

Greg Oden

Knees are made out of pretzels

The Portland Trail Blazers have announced that center Greg Oden underwent microfracture surgery on his left knee today. The surgery was performed by Dr. Richard Steadman in Vail, Colo. Oden will miss the remainder of the 2011-12 NBA season.

“Initially, Greg was undergoing a procedure similar to the one he had a couple of weeks ago to have debris cleared from his right knee,” said Acting General Manager Chad Buchanan . “However, once the doctors were inside Greg’s left knee, they unfortunately found articular surface damage and determined microfracture was necessary.”

Oden, who will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, was selected by the Trail Blazers with the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. In 82 career games (60 starts), Oden has averaged 9.4 points (57.7% FG), 7.3 rebounds and 1.43 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game.

“This is not the news we were hoping for Greg or the organization,” said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. “It’s hard to put into words the heartbreak for everyone involved, but especially for Greg. He’s a young man who has experienced a great number of physical challenges in his playing career and today is yet another significant setback for him. We have a lot of empathy for Greg and his family during this difficult time.”

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Hornets sign Donald Sloan to second 10-day contract

The New Orleans Hornets, struggling badly with a 7-23 record, made a very minor roster move today. The team announced they have signed guard Donald Sloan to a second 10-day contract.

Sloan, a Texas A&M University product, was originally signed by New Orleans on February 8th and has appeared in three games, averaging 4.0 points, 2.7 assists and 1.0 rebounds in just under 14 minutes per game. Sloan previously appeared in five regular season games with the Atlanta Hawks this season before being released on January 27. Originally signed by Atlanta on December 9, 2011, Sloan averaged 1.2 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 4.0 minutes of play with the Hawks.

The 6’3” guard also played five games (all starts) for the Erie Bayhawks of the NBA D-League this season, averaging 24.8 points, 8.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds in 40.9 minutes of play. Born in Shreveport, LA, Sloan has appeared in 54 games (38 starts) in the D-League, with career averages of 12.0 points and 4.7 assists.

Sloan, who grew up in the Dallas area, was a first-team Big 12 Conference selection his senior season at Texas A&M, averaging 17.8 points.

Manny Harris named D-League Performer of Week

Manny Harris of the Canton Charge was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Feb. 13-19, when the Charge went 2-0. The announcement marks the second time Harris has been named NBA D-League Performer of the Week. He also earned the honor on Jan. 30. With the honor, he becomes the first player to twice be named NBA D-League Performer of the Week during the 2011-12 season.

Harris, a 6-5, 185-pound guard from Michigan averaged 41.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting 58 percent from the floor last week. He recorded a season-high 46 points in a 136-113 win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Feb. 16 before finishing the week with a 36-point outing on Feb. 18 as the Charged swept the two-game series with the Vipers 135-132.

For the season, Harris is averaging 21.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 17 games for Canton.

Other top performers considered included Canton’s Antoine Agudio, who averaged 26.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in two games; Maine’s Morris Almond, who averaged 124.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in two games; Idaho’s Marcus Banks, who averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 assists in four games; Rio Grande Valley’s Will Conroy, who averaged 16.0 points and 16.3 assists in three games; Texas’ Antonio Daniels who averaged 11.7 points and 12.3 rebounds in three games; Dakota’s Marcus Dove, who averaged 19.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in two games; Iowa’s Mike Efevberha, who averaged 27.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in three games; Bakersfield’s Osiris Eldridge, who averaged 24.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in two games; Sioux Falls’ Trey Gilder, who averaged 28.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in two games; Los Angeles’ Gerald Green, who averaged 22.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in two games; Springfield’s Dennis Horner, who averaged 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in two games; Fort Wayne’s Ron Howard, who averaged 20.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in three games; Erie’s D.J. Kennedy, who averaged 23.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in two games; Tulsa’s Marcus Lewis, who averaged 18.0 points and 11.0 rebounds in three games; Austin’s Leo Lyons, who averaged 20.3 points and 10.5 rebounds in four games and Reno’s Bobby Simmons, who averaged 19.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in two games.

Spurs sign Eric Dawson to 10-day contract

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed Eric Dawson from the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League to a 10-day contract.

Dawson, a 6-9 forward, has appeared in 18 games with the Toros this season, averaging 15.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.72 blocks and 1.33 steals in 29.3 minutes while shooting .563 (121-215) from the field and .741 (43-58) from the foul line. Dawson has posted 13 double doubles (second in the D-League) and has scored 20-or-more three times. He finished with a season-high 28 points to go along with 11 rebounds vs. Springfield on Dec. 29, 2011.

Dawson has spent five seasons with the Toros dating back to 2007-08. In 67 career games, he has averaged 11.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.18 blocks. He has also played internationally in Slovenia, Japan, South Korea and the Dominican Republic.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Dawson attended Sam Houston High School and attended Midwestern State University. Dawson was named a Division II Second Team All-American in 2007 and earned Lone Star Conference First Team honors in 2006 and 2007. He is the Mustangs all-time leader in blocked shots with 170.

ESPN apologizes for offensive headline on Jeremy Lin

ESPN has apologized for using a racial slur in a headline for a story on Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin.

ESPN ran the headline “Chink in the Armor” after Lin had nine turnovers in New York’s loss to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night on its mobile website that could be seen on phones and tablet computers.

Lin is the NBA’s first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent.

— Reported by the Associated Press

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Kevin Durant leaves longtime agent Aaron Goodwin

Kevin Durant

Scores. Wins. Likes wearing backpacks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant says he’s splitting from his longtime agent, Aaron Goodwin.

Durant said before Friday’s game against the Golden State Warriors that he appreciates what Goodwin has done for him “but it was time for me to move on.”

When he entered the NBA draft in 2007 after his freshman season at Texas, Durant signed with Goodwin’s Seattle-based Goodwin Sports Management. Goodwin helped negotiate Durant’s five-year, $86 million contract that Durant signed in July 2010.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Knicks sign J.R. Smith, waive Renaldo Balkman

J.R. Smith

Hopefully won’t anger Jeremy Lin

The New York Knicks have officially added a talented shooting guard with deep range, great athletic ability, and questionable decision-making skills.

Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations and Interim General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed free agent guard J.R. Smith.

Smith, 6-6, 220-pounds, returns to the NBA after playing overseas for Zhejiang of the Chinese Basketball Association.

He holds NBA career averages of 12.5 points, on .428 shooting from the field and .371 from three-point range, and 23.9 minutes in 503 games (129 starts) over seven NBA seasons with New Orleans/Oklahoma City and Denver. He averaged 12.3 points on .435 shooting and .390 from downtown (124-318), 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists over 24.9 minutes in 79 games (six starts) with Denver last season.

The Freehold, NJ-native was originally selected out of high school by the New Orleans Hornets in the first round (18th overall) of 2004 NBA Draft.

To generate roster space, the Knicks waived Renaldo Balkman. The 6-8, 225-pounds averaged 3.0 points and 8.2 minutes over 14 games off the bench for New York this season.

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