NBA News Blog – Page 1150 – NBA Blog

Lakers forward Derrick Caracter out at least 4-6 weeks after knee surgery

Lakers forward Derrick Caracter underwent successful surgery today to remove part of a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, it was announced by the team.

The surgery, which took approximately 30 minutes, was performed by Lakers team physicians Dr. Steve Lombardo and Dr. Daniel Kharazzi at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. Caracter is expected to be out a minimum of 4-6 weeks.

Caracter suffered the injury during practice on Monday.

Selected by the Lakers in the second round (58th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft, Caracter appeared in 41 games for the Lakers last season, averaging 2.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in 5.2 minutes.

Nets rookie Jordan Williams suffering from severe dehydration

Rookie Jordan Williams is suffering from dehydration and will miss at least five days of practice, Nets coach Avery Johnson said. The 21-year-old Williams apparently succumbed after Tuesday’s practice, when he got ill after lunch. He spent this morning at the doctor’s office, getting intravenous fluids, Johnson said.

“He’s suffering from … severe dehydration, so he’s going to be out for a while,” Johnson said of Williams. “He’s had some issues in practice, in terms of breaking down, a little bit, so we’ve got to keep a close eye on him.”

— Reported by Colin Stephenson of the Newark Star-Ledger

Raptors sign Gary Forbes. Nuggets declined to match offer sheet

The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they have signed forward Gary Forbes after the Denver Nuggets chose to not match Toronto’s offer sheet for the restricted free agent. It is reportedly a three-year deal, with a team option on the third year.

The Raptors signed Forbes to an offer sheet Saturday. Under the terms of the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, beginning Sunday the Nuggets had three days to match the Raptors’ offer.

Forbes, 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, averaged 5.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 12.6 minutes in 63 games during his rookie campaign last season with the Nuggets. He started 11 contests, where he averaged 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 22.8 minutes.

Forbes scored in double figures on 12 occasions, with a career-best 19 points at Phoenix on November 15, 2010. He also grabbed a season-best nine boards in the contest against the Suns. He had 15 points, six rebounds and two steals in a career high-tying 24 minutes December 10 in Toronto.

Forbes played his junior and senior seasons at the University of Massachusetts. He averaged 16.3 points per game in his two campaigns with the Minutemen, joining Julius Erving as the only players in school history to score more than 1,000 points over two seasons.

A native of Panama, Forbes scored 39 points to lead his country to a victory over Canada in this summer’s FIBA Americas Championship tournament.

Scottie Pippen suing media outlets over bankruptcy claims

Chicago Bulls great Scottie Pippen has filed a lawsuit against multiple media outlets, claiming they falsely reported that he went bankrupt.

The 46-year-old Pippen, who retired in 2004 with six NBA championships, said he has not been worth less than $40 million in the past 10 years.

A lawsuit filed in Illinois and obtained by TMZ on Tuesday states, “It is a most foul libel indeed to be falsely accused of being bankrupt.

— Reported by NewsCore

Russell Westbrook not worried about a new contract

Russell Westbrook transformed from the most turnover-prone player in the NBA into an All-Star who helped lead his team to the conference finals.

Heading into his fourth season, he has positioned himself for a big payday. It’s just not the center of his focus right now.

Westbrook would be a restricted free agent at the end of the season if he doesn’t reach a new deal, meaning the Thunder would still have the right to match any offer he gets from another team.

“It’s not a distraction at all,” Westbrook said Tuesday at the team’s media day. “I’m looking forward to this year and looking forward to big things out of my team and my teammates.”

Westbrook was a second-team all-NBA selection last season when averaged 21.9 points and 8.2 assists—both good enough to place him in the top 15 in the league. He still was worst in the NBA with 3.9 turnovers per game, but all his positive plays overshadowed the negative.

“We love what Russell brings us. He’s a tough point guard. He’s one of the best in the league,” coach Scott Brooks said.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Hornets waive forward Patrick Ewing Jr

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have requested waivers on forward Patrick Ewing Jr. Ewing Jr. appeared in seven games for the Hornets last season, averaging 0.4 points and 0.3 rebounds in 2.7 minutes of play.

The 6-8, 235-pound Georgetown University product was originally signed as a free agent by the team on March 26, 2011.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I want this guy in the NBA! Hope he quickly lands another shot.

Mavs trade Rudy Fernandez, Corey Brewer to Nuggets

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have traded guard Rudy Fernandez and forward Corey Brewer to the Denver Nuggets for a 2016 second round pick that originally belonged to Memphis.

Fernandez (6-6, 185) was acquired by the Mavericks from Portland in a three-way trade on draft night (June 23, 2011).

Brewer (6-9, 188) was signed as a free agent mid-season last year on March 3, 2011 and was a member of the 2011 NBA Championship team averaging 5.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 13 regular season games (2 starts).

Timberwolves trade Lazar Hayward to Thunder for Robert Vaden

Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has acquired forward Lazar Hayward from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for guard Robert Vaden and two conditional second-round picks.

“We are excited to be able to add Lazar to our organization,” Presti said. “Lazar is someone who we followed closely through the draft process and identified as a potential fit for the culture and identity that we are continuing to build in Oklahoma City. His toughness, length and shooting are attributes that will add depth to our roster, while his professionalism and competitiveness embody the intangibles that we value as an organization.”

Hayward (6-6, 225), originally drafted by the Washington in the 2010 NBA Draft (30th overall) was acquired by Minnesota in a draft night trade. The Marquette University product saw action in 42 games during his rookie campaign, averaging 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per contest.

The Oklahoma City Thunder roster now stands at 19.

Dallas Mavericks sign guard Delonte West

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed free agent guard Delonte West. The deal is reportedly for one year and the league veteran’s minimum.

West (6-3, 180) is a seven-year veteran who owns career averages of 9.7 points, 3.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 388 games (225 starts) for Boston, Seattle and Cleveland. In 2008-09, West played alongside LeBron James in Cleveland and started each of his 64 games and averaged 11.7 points, 3.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the foul line.

Originally the first round draft pick (24th overall) of the Boston Celtics in the 2004 NBA Draft, West played in just 39 games his rookie season before becoming the starting shooting guard in his second year. That season, West started each of his 71 contests for the Celtics and averaged 11.8 points, 4.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 34.1 minutes per game.

The Washington D.C., native attended St. Joseph’s University where, as a junior, he teamed with Jameer Nelson to lead his school to an undefeated 27-0 regular season and an Elite Eight appearance. He was named Honorable Mention All-America by Associated Press and All-Atlantic 10 First Team.

Marco Belinelli accepts qualifying offer, stays with Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that restricted free agent guard Marco Belinelli has accepted the team’s qualifying offer. Belinelli will be at Hornets’ practice and available at media day tomorrow. The one-year deal is reportedly worth $3.377 million.

“We are excited to have Marco back on the roster,” General Manager Dell Demps said. “He had the best year of his career with us last season and we expect him to continue to grow in our system and be a valuable asset of our team this season.”

Belinelli averaged career-highs of 10.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 24.5 minutes in 80 games (69 starts). He shot 43.7% from the field and a career-best 41.1% from beyond the arc. Belinelli registered four 20-point performances for the Hornets last season.

Belinelli, a Bologna, Italy native, has appeared in 221 career games (93 starts) averaging 8.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists with the Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors. He was acquired by the Hornets from the Raptors in exchange for Julian Wright on August 11, 2010. The shooting guard was the 18th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Warriors.