NBA News Blog – Page 1328 – NBA Blog

Bulls sign John Lucas III

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent guard John Lucas III. In accordance with team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.

Lucas III (5-11, 165) saw action in five preseason games with the Bulls and averaged 2.2 ppg and 0.8 apg in 6.4 mpg.

Undrafted out of Oklahoma State in 2005, Lucas spent two seasons with the Houston Rockets (2005-07) and appeared in 60 regular season contests. While with the Rockets he averaged 3.1 ppg, 0.8 apg and 0.7 rpg in 8.2 mpg, and shot .396 from the field, .250 from behind the arc and .789 from the line.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 14 players.

Nets assign Terrence Williams to D-League

The New Jersey Nets have assigned second year guard/forward Terrence Williams to their NBA Development League affiliate, The Springfield Armor, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

“After discussing the situation with Avery over the last several days, I feel the best course of action for Terrence and the team at this time is for him to play in the D-League,” said King. “He is currently on the inactive list and this move will allow him to play until he is once again placed on the active list. There is no timetable on his return to the active list, and Terrence’s future status will be addressed at the appropriate time.”

Williams was selected 11th overall by New Jersey in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. The Louisville product has appeared in 86 career games for the Nets, averaging 8.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 2.9 apg. This season, Williams has played in eight contests, with averages of 6.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 3.0 apg.

What’s your opinion? Share it on the New Jersey Nets forum.

Heat assign Dexter Pittman to D-League

The Miami Heat announced today that Dexter Pittman has been assigned to the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League. The Skyforce are the Heat’s NBA D-League affiliate.

Pittman was originally drafted by the Heat in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft and has yet to appear in a regular season game. He did appear in three games (all starts) for the Heat during summer league play and averaged 6.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.67 blocks and 19.1 minutes.

Pittman will be available for the Skyforce’s home opener tomorrow night vs. the Dakota Wizards at 7PM.

Texas Legends (D-League) sign Joe Alexander

The Texas Legends today announced that they have claimed former University of West Virginia sharp-shooting forward Joe Alexander off of waivers.

Alexander, 23, joins Antonio Daniels, Reece Gaines, Rashad McCants and Sean Williams as the fifth Texas Legend who was drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft.

The Milwaukee Bucks took Alexander eighth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft and that season he became the first ever Taiwanese-born NBA player.

Alexander also lived in China for six years where he became conversant in Mandarin, which is an interesting connection to part owner of the Legends, Sonny Xiao, who recently became the first Chinese-born owner of an NBA or NBA D-League team.

During his junior year at West Virginia, the 6’8”, 230 pound Alexander was named to the All-Big East First-Team as well as an All-American Honorable Mention in leading the Mountaineers to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

In his rookie season with the Bucks, Alexander appeared in 59 games, averaging 4.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 12.1 minutes per game, while shooting 34.8% from beyond the arc.

Alexander is no stranger to the D-League. After missing the first 41 games of the 2009-10 season with a hamstring injury, he was assigned to the D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants in January. In six games (three starts) with the Mad Ants, Alexander averaged 10.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 26.8 minutes per game.

In February, shortly after his stint in Fort Wayne, Alexander was traded to the Chicago Bulls along with Hakim Warrick in exchange for John Salmons. Alexander played in eight games for the Bulls, averaging 0.5 points and 0.6 rebounds per game in 3.6 minutes of play.

On September 20, Alexander was signed by the New Orleans Hornets, but was released on November 13 after spending the first few weeks of the NBA season on the Hornets inactive list.

Hamed Haddadi charged with assault

The AP reports:

Police say Hamed Haddadi of the Memphis Grizzlies and his girlfriend have been charged with assault following an altercation between the two.

Memphis police were called Thursday morning to a downtown apartment building and found Haddadi, a backup center from Iran, and his girlfriend with bruises and scratches.

The arrest report says a verbal disagreement turned physical, and both Haddadi and Goolnaz “Asal” Karbalaeinematmoeeney were taken to the Regional Medical Center for treatment.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Knicks win fifth in row to reach .500

New York Knicks' Amar'e Stoudemire (R) drives into the key past Toronto Raptors' Andrea Bargnani in second quarter action of the Raptors' home opener at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, Canada on October 27, 2010. The Raptors defeated the Knicks 108-103. UPI /Christine Chew Photo via Newscom

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports:

The Knicks were 3-13 after 16 games last season on the way to their ninth straight losing season. They hadn’t won four straight road games since 2001. And at 8-8, they are half-game behind the Miami’s Dream Team (8-7). Crazy.

“The difference [from last season] is everybody cares,” said Wilson Chandler, who had a wonderful 21-point night in which he bagged 4 of 5 3-pointers. “Losing for so long, it was like the norm. This year everybody wants to win.”

This year they have Amar’e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton, playing like studs now.

“I’m not going to sit here and single me and Amar’e out as the reason we’re winning,” Felton said. “Gallo’s been great, Will’s been great, Landry (Fields) and Ronny’s been great. Me and Amar’e have been playing great but so many other guys are contributing. You can’t win with just two guys.”

Share your opinion on the New York Knicks forum.

Delonte West breaks right wrist

The AP reports:

Boston guard Delonte West left the Celtics’ game against the New Jersey Nets after breaking his right wrist.

West crashed to the ground after a layup with 2:48 left in the second quarter. He stayed there, grimacing in pain, until the medical staff came to help him. A few minutes later, he walked off, holding his right arm in his left, still in obvious pain.

Ian Thompson of SI.com reports:

It’s a big loss for the defending Eastern Conference champs, who were counting on West to help lead a second unit to relieve the burden on the starting five. Though West shoots left-handed and could eventually play with a cast, the injury left coach Doc Rivers to express hope that West could return in time for the playoffs. “It’s a compound fracture, most likely,” said Rivers. “It’s going to be a long time, let’s put it that way.”

West, a 6-foot-3 combo guard, was expected to provide backup minutes to starting point guard Rajon Rondo. Boston will hope to replace his defense and three-point shooting with 6-2 rookie Avery Bradley, the Celtics’ first-round pick who made his debut Monday in Atlanta after undergoing ankle surgery last summer.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

March 06, 2010 Milwaukee, WI. Bradley Center..Cleveland Cavaliers Delonte West had 27 points and 7 assists coming off the Cavaliers bench tonight..Milwaukee Buck won over the Cleveland Cavaliers 92-85. Mike McGinnis/CSM.

Elton Brand suspended for foul on JaVale McGee

Elton Brand of the Philadelphia 76ers has been suspended one game without pay for his Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two against JaVale McGee of the Washington Wizards, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident, in which Brand made contact by shoving McGee during a layup attempt and was ejected following the Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two call, occurred with 3:32 remaining in the 4th period of the 76er’s 116-114 overtime loss to the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C.

Brand will serve his suspension tonight when the 76ers face the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre.

InsideHoops.com editor says: It was a dangerous foul, and I absolutely see why the NBA suspended Brand for it. Elton doesn’t usually do things like that. He’s frustrated.

Share your opinion and read what other fans think in this forum topic.

Spurs sign Ime Udoka

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed guard/forward Ime Udoka. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Udoka (#5, 6’5”, 220, 8/9/77) returns to San Antonio after spending the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons with the Silver and Black. In his two seasons with the Spurs, he appeared in 140 games, averaging 5.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in 16.8 minutes. In 21 career playoff games, all with the Spurs, Udoka averaged 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds.

In his six-year NBA career, Udoka has averaged 5.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 296 games. He spent last season with the Sacramento Kings, where he played in 69 games and averaged 3.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game.

He enjoyed his best campaign during the 2006-07 season when he started 75 games for Portland, averaging 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 28.6 minutes per game. He shot a career-best .461 (237-for-514) from the field and .406 (89-for-219) from three-point territory. Udoka has also played for the L.A. Lakers, in 2003-04, and the New York Knicks in 2005-06.

Undrafted out of college, Udoka has spent time in NBA Development League, USBL, IBA and internationally in Spain and France. In 2005-06 he was named to the All-NBA D-League First Team and was also the recipient of Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award after averaging 17.1 points and 6.2 rebounds in 45 games for the Fort Worth Flyers. Udoka began his D-League career in 2002-03 with the Charleston Lowgators. He also represented Nigeria at the 2006 FIBA World Championships, where he averaged 14.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

Udoka closed out his college career at Portland State where he led the Vikings in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocked shots during the 1999-2000 season. He was also named First Team All-Big Sky Conference and selected as the league’s Newcomer of the Year. Udoka began his college career at Eastern Utah and spent a year at University of San Francisco before arriving at Portland State.

FOR SPORTS - Spurs' Ime Udoka shoots against the Rockets during second half action Sunday March 22, 2009 at the AT&T Center. The Rockets won 87-85 Photo via Newscom

Thunder assign Cole Aldrich to D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder center Cole Aldrich was assigned to the Tulsa 66ers, the Thunder’s NBA Development League affiliate, it was announced today. The assignment marks the sixth time in the 2010-11 season an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate, and it is the first assignment for Aldrich, a rookie out of Kansas.

Aldrich (6-11, 245) has appeared in five regular season games for the Thunder, averaging 1.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 9.6 minutes. Oklahoma City acquired Aldrich, the 11th overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft, in a draft-day swap with the New Orleans Hornets.

A member of Kansas’ National Championship team in 2008, Aldrich averaged 9.4 points and 7.7 rebounds in 111 games over a three-year career with the Jayhawks. The school’s record holder for blocks in a season (125), Aldrich was an AP Third Team All-American and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.

Cole Aldrich, the 6-11 center who averaged 11.3 points and 9.8 rebounds for the Kansas Jayhawks, has announced he will skip his senior year for the NBA, it was announced in Kansas City on March 29, 2010. The Jayhawks were the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament before they were upset by Northern Iowa. Aldrich, an academic All-American set the Kansas record for blocks with 125. Aldrich is shown in this March 6, 2010 file photo against the Missouri Tigers. UPI/Bill Greenblatt Photo via Newscom