NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog
NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
NBA news blog
 |
Charlotte Bobcats forward Eduardo Najera underwent successful surgery this morning to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee that was discovered during an MRI earlier this week. The surgery was performed by Bobcats team physician Dr. Glenn Perry at Midtown Medical Plaza in Charlotte.
He is expected to be sidelined for approximately 6-8 weeks.
Najera saw action in 31 games for the Bobcats last season, averaging 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game.
|
The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have re-signed forward Steve Novak. Per club policy details of the contract were not released.
Novak, a 6-10 forward, was signed to two 10-day contracts last season before signing for the remainder of the season on March 4. In 23 games with the Spurs, he averaged 4.0 points and 1.0 rebound in 8.6 minutes while shooting .525 (31-59) from the field, .548 (23-42) from three-point range and 1.000 (8-8) from the free throw line. Novak posted a season-high 19 points (6-10 FG, 5-8 3FG, 2-2 FT) and 4 rebounds in 18 minutes vs. Charlotte on March 19. Prior to signing with the Spurs he appeared in two games with the Reno Bighorns in the NBA Development League, averaging 18.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in 29.5 minutes. Novak started the season with the Dallas Mavericks appearing in seven games, averaging 1.6 points in 2.6 minutes.
Novak has appeared in 225 regular season games with Houston, the L.A. Clippers, Dallas and San Antonio in his five-year NBA career, averaging 4.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 9.7 minutes per game. For his career he is shooting .443 (320-723) from the field and .417 (214-513) from three-point range.
|
The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to terms with forward Craig Smith. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. We’ll post contract details here tonight.
Smith, 28, has averaged 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in five seasons with Minnesota and the L.A. Clippers.
“Craig is a guy who will bring us some interior scoring and toughness around the hole,” said Trail Blazers Acting General Manager Chad Buchanan. “He is a player who is hungry to experience the playoffs and we hope that Craig can help us get back to the postseason again this year.”
A Los Angeles native, Smith (6-7, 265) spent the past two seasons with the Clippers, posting averages of 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 2010-11.
Originally selected by Minnesota with the 36th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft out of Boston College, Smith was a member of the 2006-07 NBA All-Rookie Second Team along with fellow Trail Blazer LaMarcus Aldridge.
Los Angeles D-Fenders Associate Head Coach Clay Moser has been hired by the Los Angeles Lakers to serve as an Advance Scout on Head Coach Mike Brown’s staff, it was announced today.
“We are extremely happy for Clay to receive such a tremendous opportunity with the Lakers,” D-Fenders Head Coach Eric Musselman said. “Clay is a great basketball mind and I am confident he will serve the Lakers well.”
Moser brings more than a decade of NBA and NBA Development League experience with him to the Lakers, most recently from the D-Fenders where he helped coach the team to a 7-3 start. Formerly serving on USA Basketball’s board of directors, Moser has also spent extensive time evaluating NBA-caliber talent as an advance scout for the Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10), Orlando Magic (2007-08), Sacramento Kings (2006-07) and Golden State Warriors (2002-03). His other NBA experience includes time as Vice President of Business Development for the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (2005-06), as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs 2005 Summer League Team and as a business consultant for the NBA (2005).
In 2010-11, Moser assisted on Musselman’s staff as Associate Head Coach with the Reno Bighorns, helping lead the team to a Western Conference best 34-16 record. Prior to his time with the Bighorns, Moser was tabbed by the Houston Rockets to be Head Coach of their D-League affiliate in Rio Grande Valley, going 21-29 with the Vipers during the 2008-09 campaign. In addition to his Reno and Rio Grande Valley D-League experience, Moser has also worked for CBA teams that later would join the D-League; serving as an assistant coach, vice president and general manager with the Sioux Falls Skyforce (1989-94) and as CEO and general manager of the Idaho Stampede (1997-2001).
 |
Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has agreed in principle to a deal with free-agent forward/guard Josh Howard, pending the outcome of a successful physical. It is a one-year deal.
A 2007 All-Star, Howard holds career averages of 15.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in 453 games (381 starts) over eight professional seasons in Dallas and Washington, including career highs of 19.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists during the 2007-08 season. Howard initially joined the Wizards via trade from Dallas on February 13, 2010, and appeared in four games (three starts) for Washington in 2009-10. In his first three contests as a Wizard, he averaged 17.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game before a knee injury on February 22, 2010 vs. Chicago caused him to miss the final 28 games of the season. In 2010-11, he appeared in 18 games (10 starts) for Washington, averaging 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
Howard was originally acquired by the Mavericks in the first round (29th pick) of the 2003 Draft, and later appeared in 62 career playoff games (57 starts) for Dallas, with averages of 15.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in postseason play. Howard averaged 16.7 points and 7.4 rebounds in 23 playoff games (all starts) for the Mavericks during their run to the 2006 NBA Finals. He was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2004. Howard was teammates with current Jazz guard Devin Harris in Dallas from 2004-08.
A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Howard played four seasons at Wake Forest. As a senior, he was named a First Team All-American by the Associated Press and was a unanimous selection as Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year after averaging 19.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks. Howard was also the top vote-getter for the ACC All-Defensive Team as a senior.
 |
The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent forward Shawne Williams, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. The contract is for two years and $6.1 million, reported the New York Post.
“Shawne is a versatile player who will add a needed dimension to our frontcourt,” said King. “He can play inside as well as shoot the three, and is a welcome addition to our roster.”
Williams, a 6-9 forward, comes to the Nets following a one-year stint with the New York Knicks where he played in 64 games and posted career-best averages of 7.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20.7 minutes per game, while shooting .401 from three point range. The University of Memphis product was chosen by Indiana in the first round (17th overall) in the 2006 NBA Draft.
Williams played two seasons in Indiana before being traded to Dallas prior to the 2008-09 season.
In January of 2010, Williams was acquired by New Jersey in a multi-player trade with Dallas, although he did not appear in any games with the Nets. Over his four-year NBA career, Williams holds career averages of 5.9 points and 2.9 rebounds over 190 games. He appeared in four postseason games with New York last season, averaging 8.0 points and 3.5 rebounds, while shooting .429 from three point range.
The Memphis Grizzlies waived center Mikki Moore, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.
Moore (6-11, 225) holds career averages of 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 557 games (181 starts) over a 12-year NBA career (1998-2010) with the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, Seattle SuperSonics, Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors.
The 36-year-old University of Nebraska product was originally signed by Memphis on Dec. 10, 2011.
The Denver Nuggets have signed NBA veteran forward Michael Ruffin, bringing their training-camp roster to 16.
Ruffin, 6-8, 248, has averaged 1.7 points and 3.9 rebounds with six teams in nine NBA seasons. He most recently played for the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2008-09 season.
Ruffin, a graduate of Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colo., spent part of last season coaching the Colorado Kings of the American Basketball Association before playing for Obradoiro CAB in Spain.
Sacramento Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof are growing increasingly optimistic that the city will approve an acceptable financing plan for a new arena by the March 1 deadline to keep the franchise from relocating.
Gavin Maloof said Thursday that the team is pleased with the progress of the city’s latest arena project and is “encouraged that something can be done” in time. Joe Maloof said the brothers are “optimistic guys” and would love for the franchise to remain in Sacramento.
— Reported by Antonio Gonzalez of the Associated Press
|
The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to terms with guard Jamal Crawford. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. We’ll post contract details shortly.
Crawford, 31, holds career averages of 15.4 points (41.0% FG, 35.0% 3-PT, 84.6% FT), 2.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 11 seasons with Chicago, New York, Golden State and Atlanta.
“We’ve thought highly of Jamal for a long time and think he’s a great fit for our team,” said Trail Blazers Acting General Manager Chad Buchanan. “He brings a scorer’s touch and veteran leadership that will help us immediately.”
Winner of the 2009-10 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award with Atlanta, Crawford (6-5, 200) played the last two seasons for the Hawks and placed second in the NBA in bench scoring (14.2 ppg) last season. With 1,307 career 3-pointers, Crawford ranks 13th among active NBA players and his 33 career four-point plays is an NBA record.
He has scored 50-plus points three times, including a career-high 52 on Jan. 26, 2007, with New York.
A Seattle native who played collegiately at the University of Michigan, Crawford was the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NBA Draft.