NBA News Blog – Page 1322 – NBA Blog

Mavericks sign Sasha Pavlovic to 10-day contract

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed forward Sasha Pavlovic to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Pavlovic (6-7, 235) is a seven-year NBA veteran and joins the Mavericks as a free agent. He holds career averages of 5.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 16.5 minutes in 452 career games (127 starts) with Utah, Cleveland and Minnesota.

Originally a first round draft pick (19th overall) of the Utah Jazz in 2003, Pavlovic played one season in Utah before being selected by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2004 expansion draft and traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a first round draft pick. Pavlovic played in Cleveland from 2004-09 and had a career year in 2006-07 when he averaged 9.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists while helping the Cavaliers win the Eastern Conference Championship and earn a trip to the 2007 NBA Finals.

The native of Bar, Yugoslavia, was also a member of the Serbia and Montenegro 2004 Olympic Team that competed in Athens, Greece.

Suns recall Garret Siler from D-League

The Phoenix Suns have recalled Garret Siler from the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League, the team announced. Siler will be available tonight when the Suns host the Cleveland Cavaliers at US Airways Center.

Originally assigned to the Energy on Jan. 2, Siler appeared in four games (one start) with Iowa, averaging 4.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in 16.3 minutes. Siler’s best game with Iowa came Jan. 7 at Bakersfield when he scored a season-high eight points and a season-high tying seven rebounds.

Anderson Varejao likely out for season

Anderson Varejao injured his right ankle and foot during Thursday afternoon’s team practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts. He was examined and received X-rays and MRI at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health immediately following practice, the results of which revealed an injury to the peroneus longus tendon.

In order to confirm the extent of the injury and diagnosis, a follow-up MRI was obtained today in Phoenix at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. The results confirmed a complete tear of the peroneus longus in the midfoot of the right ankle and foot.

Anderson will return to Cleveland in the near future for further consultation and treatment decisions will be made and he will likely miss the remainder of the current season. Cavaliers Head Team Physician Dr. Richard Parker will coordinate additional consultations and facilitate subsequent treatment plan recommendations.

Lakers recall Devin Ebanks from D-League

The Los Angeles Lakers have recalled forward Devin Ebanks from the NBA Development League’s Bakersfield Jam, it was announced today.

Ebanks, who was assigned to Bakersfield on December 27, played six games with the Jam, averaging 16.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steals in 27.7 minutes.

Selected by the Lakers with the 43rd pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Ebanks has appeared in 12 games for the Lakers this season, averaging 2.9 points and 1.5 rebounds in 6.4 minutes.

Suns sign Zabian Dowdell to 10-day contract

The Suns have signed guard Zabian Dowdell (ZAY-bee-in dow-DELL) to a 10-day contract, the team has announced.

The 6-3, 191-pound Dowdell spent training camp with the Suns in 2010 before being waived on Oct. 19. Dowdell then signed with the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA D-League, where he has appeared in 18 games (18 starts) this season, establishing averages of 14.5 points, 4.6 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 29.3 minutes. Dowdell, who also spent 10 games with the 66ers in 2009-10, has seen both his scoring and assist averages increase in 2010-11.

Dowdell, a four-year performer at Virginia Tech (2003-07), was a member of the Suns’ 2009 and 2010 Las Vegas Summer League entries. As a Hokie, he was a 2006-07 All-ACC First Team honoree and a two-time All-ACC Defensive Team selection.

The Suns’ roster now stands at 14.

Kings recall Hassan Whiteside from D-League

The Sacramento Kings today recalled center Hassan Whiteside from the Reno Bighorns of the D-League, it was announced by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

Whiteside averaged 4.4 points (.509 FG%, .412 FT%), 2.7 rebounds, 0.1 assists, 2.14 blocks, and 10.5 minutes per game in 14 games, including three starts with the Bighorns. He was assigned to Reno on November 29, 2010.

Selected by Sacramento in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft out of Marshall University, Whiteside appeared in one NBA game, playing two minutes in the season opener at Minnesota on October 27, 2010.

Warriors assign Jeremy Lin to D-League

The Golden State Warriors have assigned guard Jeremy Lin to the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League, the team announced today.

Lin, 22, has appeared in 17 games for the Warriors this season, averaging 1.9 points and 1.12 steals in 8.5 minutes per contest.

This will mark his second stint with the Bighorns this season.

Lin appeared in four games with Reno earlier this season, averaging 18.0 points and 2.8 assists.

He was recalled by the Warriors on January 3, but has been on the team’s inactive list since his return (last three games).

Matt Barnes will have right knee surgery

Lakers forward Matt Barnes will undergo surgery on his right knee on Tuesday to repair a torn lateral meniscus, it was announced today.

The surgery will be performed by Lakers team physician Dr. Steve Lombardo, at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. A timeline for his return will be established at the conclusion of the surgery.

Barnes sustained the injury on January 7 in a game against the New Orleans Hornets.

In 37 games this season, Barnes has averaged 7.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20.8 minutes.

Hawks sign Damien Wilkins to 10-day contract

The Atlanta Hawks today signed guard/forward Damien Wilkins to a 10-day contract, according to Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund.

Wilkins has appeared in 13 games off the bench for Atlanta this season, averaging 2.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 0.7 spg and 0.6 apg (.464 FG%, .636 FT%) in 13.1 mpg. The University of Georgia product was originally signed by the Hawks on December 3, 2010, and waived on January 5, 2011.

Report says Maloofs are struggling to keep Palms Casino resort

Dale Kasler and Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee report:

In a possible sign of fresh financial turmoil for the owners of the Kings, the Maloof family is reportedly struggling to hold onto the other key piece of its business empire: the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Two private investment firms that hold most of the Palms’ debt are negotiating to acquire a controlling interest in the trendy casino, according to a report by Bloomberg news service.

The firms got into position to take control after the Palms violated the terms of its loans, Bloomberg reported.

George Maloof, who runs the Palms, and his brother Joe, who oversees the Kings, declined to comment on the report.

But the family acknowledges that the Palms has struggled in the past two years. George Maloof said last fall that the Palms was restructuring its debt.

“We’re getting through it,” he said.