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George Brown of WREG News channel 3 in Memphis reports:
Lorenzen Wright, a former Memphis Tiger and Memphis Grizzlies player, is missing.
The family of Wright says he’s been missing since Sunday.
Wright’s sister, Savia Archie, says her family is very concerned.
Archie said, Wright was last seen on sunday when he was expected to fly out of Memphis, but no one has heard from him since.
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Kobe Bryant recently underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. The successful surgery was performed last week.
Bryant is currently undergoing rehab and is expected to be fully recovered prior to the start of the Lakers’ training camp on September 25.
There is no word on if Bryant plans to address lingering finger issues that he’s been playing with for quite some time.
Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations David Kahn has been fined $50,000 for inappropriate comments about Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley. In addition, the Timberwolves organization has been fined $50,000 for Kahn’s remarks.
Earlier today, the St. Paul Pioneer Press had reported: “Timberwolves President David Kahn said newly acquired Michael Beasley had issues with maturity and with smoking “too much marijuana,” but appears to have grown since then. “He’s a very young and immature kid who smoked too much marijuana and has told me that he’s not smoking anymore,” Kahn said Thursday in an interview with KSTP-AM 1500, “and I told him that I would trust him as long as that was the case.”
The Sacramento Kings today signed free agents Antoine Wright and Pooh Jeter to contracts, according to Kings’ Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Wayne Cooper. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
“Antoine Wright and Pooh Jeter are two solid players at their respective positions who will add to our roster’s depth,” said Cooper. “Wright has five years of NBA experience under his belt and Jeter is coming off of a great summer league showing as he played for Cleveland’s team in Las Vegas.”
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Wright, a 6-7, 215-pound forward-guard, who is currently entering his sixth NBA season, has recorded career averages of 5.6 points (.413 FGs, .306 3FGs, .674 FTs), 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game through 290 outings with New Jersey (2005-07), Dallas (2007-09) and Toronto (2009-10). He averaged 6.5 points (.406 FGs, .335 3FGs, .688 FTs), 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game over 67 contests last year with the Raptors. Wright has played in 28 career playoff games, averaging 3.9 points and 1.3 rebounds for the Nets (2005-07) and Mavericks (2007-09). He posted career averages of 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game through 87 outings over his three-year career at Texas A&M before being drafted in the first round (15th overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets following his junior year.
Jeter, a 5-11, 175-pound guard, has played overseas for the last four seasons for BC Kiev (2007-08, Ukraine), ViveMenorca (2008-09, Spain), Unicaja Malaga (2009, Spain) and Hapoel Jerusalem (2009-10, Israel). His professional career began with the Colorado 14ers of the NBA D-League (2006-07) where he averaged 14.4 points (.486 FGs, .263 3FGs, .885 FTs), 7.1 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game through 50 contests. Jeter played for the Kings in the 2007 Summer League in Las Vegas, and most recently played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2010 Summer League where he averaged 14.8 points (.482 FGs, .250 3FGs, .800 FTs), a team-leading 5.4 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game over five outings. He enjoyed a four-year career at the University of Portland, averaging 14.9 points (.550 FGs, .420 FTs), 3.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game through 115 career contests.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward Christian Eyenga to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today. Per league and team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.
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Eyenga, 21, was the Cavaliers’ first round selection (30th overall) in the 2009 NBA Draft. He averaged 3.9 points on .561 shooting and 2.0 rebounds in 12.0 minutes in 29 regular season games during the 2009-10 season with DKV Joventut Badalona of the Spanish League. The Spanish League is widely regarded as the second-best domestic league in the world behind the NBA. In 11 EuroCup games, the 6-foot-5 guard/forward posted averages of 3.4 points on .444 shooting and 1.2 rebounds in 9.7 minutes per game.
“We’re looking forward to having Christian continue his development on the court here with Coach Scott and our team,” said Cavs General Manager Chris Grant. “He has worked hard and we were very encouraged by his recent performance in summer league.”
A native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eyenga most recently played in all five games of the 2010 NBA Summer League with the Cavaliers, reaching double figures in each of the games. In five games (all starts), he averaged 11.4 points on .435 shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 block in 29.2 minutes per game.
“I am happy to be here in Cleveland and excited to play with the Cavaliers this season,” Eyenga said. “This is a great opportunity for me and I look forward to playing for Coach Scott and learning from him, our coaches and my teammates.”
InsideHoops.com editor says: Statistically, Eyenga has not done much yet, both overseas and in recent summer play. But he’s only 21 and presumably still improving.
The Charlotte Observer reports:
Three armed men broke into the south Charlotte home of Bobcats’ Stephen Jackson and held his wife at gunpoint before locking her in a bathroom and stealing valuables, police say.
The home invasion robbery happened just after 7 a.m. Wednesday at the home on Leamington Lane – a gated community off Carmel Road.
The robbery report doesn’t list the victims’ names or say what the robbers got away with, but a police source told the Observer that the victim was Jackson’s wife and that he wasn’t home at the time of the crime.
The AP reports:
Diana Taurasi scored 26 points, Candice Dupree had 23 and the defending champion Phoenix Mercury set a WNBA scoring record with a 123-91 victory over the Tulsa Shock on Thursday night.
Ketia Swanier added 17 points, Tangela Smith 13, DeWanna Bonner 11 and Penny Taylor 10 for the Mercury (9-12), who also set records with 67 points in the first half, most points in the second quarter (36) and most field goals in a half (25).
Kara Braxton scored 18 points to lead the Shock (4-18). Shanna Crossley had 12 points, Jennifer Lacy added 11, and Ivory Latta and Amber Holt 10 each.
The Philadelphia Daily News reports:
The father of former Sixer Shawn Bradley has died after falling off his roof in central Utah.
The Emery County sheriff’s office says 61-year-old Reiner Bradley fell about 15 feet while caulking a rain gutter Wednesday at his home north of Castle Dale.
Shawn Bradley says doctors told the family his father lost consciousness because of a heart attack, then fell off the roof.
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The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent forward Matt Barnes, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Per team policy terms of the contract were not released.
Barnes, a seven-year NBA veteran, appeared in 81 games (58 starts) last season with Orlando, averaging 8.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 25.9 minutes while posting five double-doubles and leading the Magic in scoring six times, in rebounds on four occasions and in assists twice.
Originally selected by the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round (46th overall pick) of the 2002 NBA Draft, Barnes has averaged 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 444 career games (162 starts).
A 6’7” forward, Barnes played four seasons collegiately at UCLA where he became the 43rd player in school history to reach 1,000 career points and helped the Bruins reach the NCAA Sweet 16 in each of his last three seasons.
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent center Theo Ratliff, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Per team policy terms of the contract were not released.
“I’ve had a long and very rewarding career, and joining a storied and legendary franchise such as the Lakers adds an even more special element,” Ratliff said. “I look forward to playing for Coach Jackson and with great players such as Kobe, Derek, Pau, Lamar, Ron Artest, Andrew Bynum and all my other new teammates, and hopefully to helping the Lakers win a third straight championship.”
Ratliff, a 15-year NBA veteran, appeared in 49 games (29 starts) last season with the San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Bobcats, averaging 3.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.24 blocks in 16.4 minutes. Acquired from the Spurs on February 18, Ratliff started 26-of-28 games with Charlotte, averaging 5.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.54 blocks while finishing the season ranked 12th league-wide in blocks per 48 minutes (3.63).
“Theo has long been considered to be one of the best defensive big men in the league,” said Kupchak. “He is a consummate professional and a welcome addition to our team. Together with Bynum, Gasol, Odom and Artest, he gives us a formidable and deep front line.”
Originally selected by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft (18th overall), Ratliff has twice been named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1999 and 2004), has led the league in blocked shots three times (2000-01, 2002-03 and 2003-04) and is one of seven players in NBA history to capture the blocked shots title three or more times. Voted the starting center in the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, Ratliff ranks 18th in NBA history in career blocked shots (1,963) and owns career averages of 7.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.45 blocks and 25.5 minutes in 800 games.
