NBA News Blog – Page 1379 – NBA Blog

Assistant for Lorenzen Wright turns over audio tapes to police

The Philadelphia Daily News reports:

The personal assistant to slain former NBA player Lorenzen Wright said she had audio recordings of Wright’s ex-wife threatening to harm him, according to a report.

Wendy Wilson told ABC24-WPTY that the Sherra Wright, who was divorced from Lorenzen in January, was recorded saying “things like if she caught him with anyone else, she’d have him ‘bleeped up’ or whatever.”

Wright had been missing since July 18 when he left his ex-wife’s house with an unidentified person around midnight. Family members filed a missing persons report on July 22.

Andres Nocioni sprains ankle while training for Argentina

Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News reports:

The 76ers’ Andres Nocioni sprained his left ankle Friday while training with Argentina’s national team and is out indefinitely pending results of X-rays and an MRI exam.

A report in Argentina suggested Nocioni could be out for roughly 20 days.

Ed Stefanski, the Sixers’ president/general manager, said he was awaiting the test results, which will be forwarded to the Sixers’ medical staff.

Report: Mike D’Antoni will not be with Team USA this summer due to back issue

ESPN.com reports:

New York Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni will not accompany Team USA to the World Championships in Turkey later this summer so he can fully treat an increasingly troublesome back, according to Team USA sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that D’Antoni is not expected to need surgery but has been advised to forsake the considerable international travel Team USA has scheduled this summer. D’Antoni will undergo treatment and rehabilitation to prevent the condition from worsening before the start of NBA training camp in late September.

D’Antoni, sources said, will be with Team USA throughout its next round of practices next week in New York — which will be capped by an Aug. 15 exhibition against France at Madison Square Garden — but then stay behind when the Kevin Durant-led squad heads to Europe for exhibitions in Spain and Greece before the World Championships begin Aug. 28.

Lakers add Chuck Person to 2010-11 coaching staff

With the return of head coach Phil Jackson for the 2010-11 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have retained Jim Cleamons, Frank Hamblen and Brian Shaw as assistant coaches while adding Chuck Person to the staff, it was announced today by Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Person, who assisted the Lakers coaches and Jackson during their championship run last season, spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings (2007-09) and Indiana Pacers (2005-07). Prior to that, he served two seasons as a special assistant to the CEO/president of basketball operations for Indiana, working with Pacers and Indiana Fever (WNBA) players, both on and off the court. Additionally, he spent one season with the Cleveland Cavaliers before joining the Pacers’ coaching staff.

An alumnus of Auburn University who concluded his collegiate basketball career as the Tigers’ all-time leading scorer, Person has been in the NBA for 25 years; 13 as a player and the last 12 in the front office or coaching.

A first round selection (fourth overall) by the Pacers in the 1986 NBA Draft, he averaged 18.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in his first season and was named NBA Rookie of the Year. He spent six seasons with Indiana and ranks 10th on the team’s all-time scoring list with 9,096 points. He recorded 34 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against New York on Feb. 20, 1986, becoming the first Pacers rookie in franchise history to record a triple-double. Person also played for Minnesota, San Antonio, Charlotte and Seattle over his 13-year NBA career. His career averages include 14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

Trail Blazers sign second-round rookie Armon Johnson

The Portland Trail Blazers signed rookie guard Armon Johnson, General Manager Rich Cho announced today. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

“We feel Armon can help this team and are excited to have him on board,” said Cho. “He’s a physical guard who can defend, and we like his potential.”

Selected by the Trail Blazers with the 34th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Johnson led Portland’s 2010 Summer League entry with 33.2 minutes per game, averaging 11.6 points (fourth on team), 2.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists (second on team) and 2.20 steals (led team) in five games (all starts).

Johnson, 21, played three years at the University of Nevada from 2007-10, where he averaged 14.3 points (46.7% FG, 75.0% FT), 3.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 32.7 minutes in 101 games (99 starts). The Chicago native led the Wolf Pack in assists in each of his three seasons.

The 6-3, 195-pound Johnson earned First Team All-WAC honors as a sophomore, Second Team All-WAC honors as a junior and was named the 2008 WAC Freshman of the Year.

Johnson becomes the 15th player on the Trail Blazers’ current roster. He will wear jersey No. 1.

Suns sign Gani Lawal

The Phoenix Suns have signed Gani Lawal (GONN-ee luh-WALL), the 46th overall selection (second round) in the 2010 NBA Draft, the team announced today.

A three-year standout at Georgia Tech, Lawal was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Third Team in both his sophomore and junior seasons after leading his team in both scoring and rebounding in each campaign. The 6-foot-9, 234-pound forward is an athletic and productive rebounder who averaged 14.0 points and 8.9 rebounds in 67 games (66 starts) over his final two collegiate seasons. An able finisher around the basket, Lawal shot 54.8 percent from the field for his career and averaged 6.0 free-throw attempts in his sophomore and junior seasons.

In his final collegiate season in 2009-10, the 21-year-old Lawal averaged 13.1 points and 8.5 boards, both team-bests, while playing in the frontcourt alongside Derrick Favors, who was selected No. 3 overall in the 2010 draft by the New Jersey Nets. Lawal finished his career with 27 double-doubles overall, second-most among active ACC players. He grabbed 3.6 offensive rebounds as a sophomore in 2008-09, tops in the ACC.

Lawal became the 18th early entry selection in franchise history and the third Georgia Tech product selected by the Suns, joining Bruce Dalrymple (46th overall, 1987) and Malcom Mackey (27th overall, 1993).

Lawal made his Suns debut in the 2010 Las Vegas Summer League where he was selected to the All-Tournament Team after averaging team-highs of 15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. He shot 49.2 percent from field and earned 41 free-throw attempts, most of any summer Sun.

Heat sign Patrick Beverley

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed guard Patrick Beverley. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Beverley played in four games (three starts) for the Heat’s 2010 summer league squad, averaging 5.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.25 steals, 1.8 assists and 24.8 minutes, while shooting 34.8 percent from the field and 70.0 percent from the free-throw line.

Beverley spent the 2009-10 season in Greece playing for Olympiakos Pireus, averaging 4.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 15.5 minutes, while shooting 58.1 percent from the field. He helped the team to a 23-3 record and a Greek League Championship Finals appearance. During the 2008-09 season, he played for Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk of the Ukrainian Basketball Super League and averaged 16.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.15 steals and 1.35 blocks in 35.8 minutes per game.

Beverley was selected in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. His draft rights were traded to the Heat in exchange for a 2011 second round draft pick and cash considerations.

Dennis Rodman OK after car flips on highway

The AP reports:

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman walked away unhurt after riding in an SUV that flipped over on an interstate in South Florida.

Sgt. Mark Wysocky of the Florida Highway Patrol said Rodman and another passenger weren’t injured in the single-vehicle crash on Saturday on Interstate 95 near Fort Lauderdale. The driver was taken to a hospital.

Wysocky said the Land Rover flipped over after having a tire problem. No charges are expected…

Rodman had just returned to the U.S. from the Caribbean island of St. Tropez, where he had a disc-jockey gig.

Cavaliers sign Joey Graham

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward Joey Graham to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today. Per league and team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.

Graham, 28, played in 63 games (18 starts) during the 2009-10 season with the Denver Nuggets, averaging 4.2 points on a career-high .520 shooting and 2.0 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game. In his 18 starts, he averaged 7.4 points on .473 shooting and 3.3 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per game.

“We’re excited to add Joey to our roster. He adds a tough, veteran presence on the perimeter that will complement the pieces we have in place,” said Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant. “With his strong work ethic and discipline, we feel he is a great match with the culture we have built and continue to build.”

Prior to joining the Nuggets, the 6-foot-7 guard/forward played four seasons with the Toronto Raptors. In the 2008-09 season, Graham posted career highs of 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 19.8 minutes over 78 games (10 starts). In the 10 starts, he averaged 11.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 28.3 minutes.

“Joining Cleveland marks an exciting, brand new start for me,” said Graham. “This is a great opportunity and I’m excited to come in and help the team as much as possible.”

In his career, the five-year veteran has played in 338 games, including 76 starts, and averaged 6.0 points and 2.9 rebounds. He has shot .815 from the free-throw line and .485 from the field.

With season tickets sold out, Heat fires season sales staff

Sarah Talalay of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports:

The Heat’s decision to halt season tickets sales on speculation it might sign LeBron James means the team no longer needs a season ticket sales staff.

About 30 employees were told Friday morning they were losing their jobs, and some were moved to other positions. The Heat confirmed the layoffs in a statement indicating with its season ticket inventory “exhausted, we no longer require a season ticket sales team to sell tickets…

Sources said the employees made a base salary and commission, which was sizable during the sales rush that came on rumors the team might sign LeBron James, Chris Bosh and re-sign Dwyane Wade. Some employees were offered severance of up to a year’s salary and extended benefits. Additionally, some staffers might be hired back to oversee season ticket holder accounts, the sources said.