Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Miami Heat sign Kevin Love

The Miami Heat have signed forward/center Kevin Love.

Per the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “Love, who has been assigned No. 42, was signed to the remaining $3.1 million the Heat had from their biannual exception. The agreement means the Heat cannot put their biannual exception into play in 2023 NBA free agency.”

Per the Miami Herald, “Love (6-8, 251 pounds) helps address multiple Heat needs as a shooting big who can play as a center when Adebayo is on the bench as part of smaller lineups or alongside Adebayo as a power forward. There’s also the possibility that Love will become the Heat’s new starting power forward if the team wants to shift Caleb Martin (6-5, 205 pounds) back to a bench role to play his more natural position as an athletic two-way wing.”

Love, a 2016 NBA Champion, has appeared in 41 games this season (three starts) with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his three starts, Love averaged 15.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 38.9 percent from the field, 39.3 percent from three-point range and 87.5 percent from the foul line. He scored 21 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds on November 4 at Detroit, becoming the first player in Cavs history to record at least those numbers off the bench, doing so in only 23:26 minutes, the least amount of time by any reserve in NBA history during the shot clock era (1954).

Love started this season averaging at least 12 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting at least 40 percent from three-point range to become the first player since the 1979-80 campaign to average at least those totals through the first 10 games of a season while playing under 21 minutes per game. He grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds on January 2 vs. Chicago and scored a season-high 29 points on October 30 vs. New York, connecting on a career-tying eight three-point field goals, including five in the fourth quarter, the most treys during a final frame in his career.

Additionally, the HEAT have taken 57 charges this season, the second-most in the NBA, as Love joins the team with 17 of his own, tying the fourth-most by any player in the league this season.

The 15-year NBA veteran has career averages of 17.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 30.4 minutes while shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from three-point range and 83 percent from the foul line. He has shot at least 36 percent from three-point range in 11 different seasons and is just one of four players in NBA history to shoot at least 35 percent from downtown and average at least 10 rebounds in their career.

After nine seasons in Cleveland, he leaves the Cavaliers among the all-time leaders in field goals made (second), defensive rebounds (third), total rebounds (sixth), free throws made (eighth), rebounds per game (eighth), points (ninth) and field goals made (10th).

Love will wear number 42.

Miami Heat sign Cody Zeller

The Miami Heat have signed nine-year NBA veteran Cody Zeller.

Zeller last appeared in 27 games with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2021-22 season and averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.1 minutes of action while shooting 56.7 percent from the field and 77.6 percent from the foul line. The former fourth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection scored in double figures twice last season while grabbing at least six rebounds 11 times and dishing out multiple assists on three occasions. Additionally, Zeller has appeared in 494 career NBA games (273 starts) averaging 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 22.2 minutes while shooting 52 percent from the field and 73.1 percent from the foul line.

Zeller will wear number 44.

Utah Jazz waive Russell Westbrook

The Utah Jazz have waived guard Russell Westbrook.

Westbrook (6-3, 200, UCLA) was acquired via trade on Feb. 10, 2023. In his 15th NBA season, he is averaging 15.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 28.7 minutes per game.

Per the Salt Lake Tribune, “the nine-time All-Star will instead finalize a buyout with Utah and sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN reported Monday. The Jazz were set to owe Westbrook $16 million if he played, but this buyout figures to lower that figure.”

More from the Tribune: “The team is expected to give guards Collin Sexton and Talen Horton-Tucker an extended evaluation period to see if they can become pieces of a contending roster.”

Clippers waive Moses Brown

The LA Clippers have waived Moses Brown, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.

Brown, 23, appeared in 34 games with one start for the Clippers this season, averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 63.5% from the field. The 7-foot-2 center has appeared in 126 career games, averaging 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds with the Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Clippers.

Spurs add Julian Champagnie off waivers on a two-way contract

The San Antonio Spurs have claimed forward Julian Champagnie off waivers on a two-way contract.

Champagnie, 6-8/220, was most recently on a two-way with the Philadelphia 76ers before being waived on Feb. 14. He appeared in two games with the 76ers and 18 G League games with the Delaware Blue Coats, averaging 14.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 28.5 minutes.

Champagnie went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft after spending three years (2019-22) at St. John’s University, where he garnered All-Big East First Team honors as a sophomore and junior. The former Red Storm forward averaged 16.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.7 minutes in 88 games.

He will wear No. 30 for the Silver and Black.

The Spurs roster now stands at 17 players.

Celtics name Joe Mazzulla head coach – no longer interim head coach

The Boston Celtics have named Joe Mazzulla the 19th head coach in franchise history and have agreed upon a contract extension with him, the team announced today. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Mazzulla replaces Ime Udoka.

“As he has shown, Joe is a very talented coach and leader,” said Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations. “He has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission. We are thankful for the work he has done to help get us to this point, and excited that he has agreed to lead us into the future.”

The Celtics currently own the best record in the Eastern Conference at 42-17. Mazzulla, a native of Johnston, RI, was recognized as the NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November after leading the team to a league-best 18-4 record (.818). Mazzulla was also named the NBA All-Star Head Coach on Jan. 30, and will coach Team Giannis in Salt Lake City. Mazzulla becomes only the third first-year head coach over the last 24 seasons to helm an All-Star team, and is the eighth coach in Celtics history to earn the honor.

Cavaliers sign Danny Green

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Danny Green for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Green (6-6, 215), who appeared in three games this season with the Memphis Grizzlies, was traded to Houston as part of a three-team deal on February 9 before being waived on Feb. 12. Over his 14-year NBA career, Green has played in 822 games (709 starts) with Memphis, Philadelphia, L.A. Lakers, Toronto, San Antonio and Cleveland, owning career averages of 8.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.03 steals in 25.3 minutes per contest while also shooting .399 from the three-point line. Green has made at least 100 three-pointers in 11 of his 14 seasons and his 1,465 career three-pointers rank 14th among active NBA players. Additionally, he has appeared in 165 career playoff games (159 starts) with averages of 8.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 25.6 minutes. His 165 playoff games are the 3rd-most of any active NBA player, behind only LeBron James (266) and Andre Iguodala (177).

A three-time NBA Champion with the Spurs, Raptors and Lakers (2014, 2019, 2020) and one of just four players in NBA history to win championships with three different franchises (LeBron James, Robert Horry and John Salley), Green was an NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection in 2017. The veteran forward was drafted 46th overall by the Cavaliers in the 2009 NBA Draft after a four-year collegiate career at University of North Carolina (2005-2009), where he was part of the Tar Heels National Championship team in 2009.

Cleveland’s roster now stands at 17 players, including two Two-Way players. Green will wear jersey #14 for the Cavaliers.

Mavericks sign Justin Holiday

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard/forward Justin Holiday.

Holiday (6-6, 180) holds career averages of 8.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 24.1 minutes over 604 games (285 starts) with Philadelphia, Golden State, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Memphis, Indiana and Sacramento. He has shot 36.4% (1,009-2,770 3FG) from beyond the arc and 82.0% (536-654 FT) from the free throw line in his career. Holiday has appeared in 28 games for the Hawks in 2022-23 and averaged 4.5 points in 14.7 minutes.

From the start of the 2018-19 season through the end of the 2020-21 season, Holiday saw action in every game (227 total games, 135 starts). He has also seen action in nine postseason games (two starts), registering 3.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 15.8 minutes (.478 FG%, .529 3FG%), and won an NBA Championship with the Warriors in 2015.

The Chatsworth, California, native played for the Washington Huskies from 2007-11, earning a spot on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team in 2010. Holiday brings international playing experience to Dallas, having played for Okapi Aalstar (2011-12, Belgium) and Szolnoki Olaj (2013-14, Hungary). Holiday has two younger brothers currently in the NBA: Aaron, a guard for the Atlanta Hawks, and Jrue, a guard for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Holiday will wear No. 0 for the Mavericks.

Nuggets sign Reggie Jackson

The Denver Nuggets have signed free agent guard Reggie Jackson, General Manager Calvin Booth announced today.

Jackson, 32, has appeared in 52 games (38 starts) for the Clippers this season, averaging 10.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting .350 from three-point range in 25.7 minutes per game. The 11-year NBA veteran has appeared in 755 career games (504 starts) for the Thunder, Pistons and Clippers, averaging 12.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 25.6 minutes per game. Jackson averaged the second-most points per game of his career in 2021-22 at 16.8, the sixth time in his career he’s averaged over 14.0 points per game.

Jackson, 6-2, 208, was born in Italy at Aviano Air Base before moving to England, North Dakota, Georgia and Florida before moving to Colorado Springs when he was in sixth grade. Jackson attended Palmer High School from 2004 to 2008 and was named the Gatorade Colorado Boys’ Player of the Year as a senior in 2007-08. Jackson attended Boston College for three seasons, earning First Team All-ACC honors as a junior while averaging 18.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 24th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.