NBA News Blog – Page 1387 – NBA Blog

Raptors sign Linas Kleiza

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they have signed forward Linas Kleiza (LYNN-as CLAY-za) to a multi-year contract as all required paperwork has now been officially filed with the League Office. Kleiza’s rights technically became property of the Raptors on July 17 when an offer sheet was not matched by the Denver Nuggets. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.

“We are very happy to add a tough-minded, hard-nosed forward who will certainly get a chance to contribute given the departure of Hedo Turkoglu,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “Linas has that unique inside/outside game that makes him a tough cover at a couple of different positions.”

Kleiza played last season in Greece with Olympiakos after four seasons (2005-09) with the Nuggets. He averaged 14.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 31 regular season games with Olympiakos. He shot .596 from the field, .374 from three-point range and .800 from the foul line.

In 22 Euroleague outings, Kleiza contributed 17.1 points and 6.5 rebounds. In the regular season he finished second in the Euroleague in scoring at 19.7 points per contest. He led Olympiakos to the Euroleague Championship game in Paris.

Kleiza averaged 8.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 301 career games with Denver. He saw action in 26 postseason games, where he averaged 6.4 points and 3.2 rebounds. He averaged 14.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in the 2008 NBA Playoffs.

Kleiza, 6-foot-8, 245 pounds, was born in Lithuanian, attended high school in Maryland and played collegiately at the University of Missouri. He was selected 27th overall by Portland in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft.

Suns waive Taylor Griffin

The Phoenix Suns have waived forward Taylor Griffin, the team announced today.

Griffin appeared in just eight games for the Suns as a rookie in 2009-10, averaging 1.3 points in 4.0 minutes.

Taylor is the brother of forward Blake Griffin, who was selected #1 by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2009.

Nets name Bobby Marks assistant general manager

The New Jersey Nets have named Bobby Marks as assistant general manager, General Manager Billy King announced today. Marks was promoted from his previous position of vice president of basketball operations.

“Bobby has been a well-respected member of this department for an extended period of time,” said King. “He is very deserving of this promotion, and his expertise will be invaluable as we look to re-build the Nets into a championship-caliber team.”

In his new role, Marks will assist King in the areas of salary cap management, scouting, player personnel and the day to day business of basketball operations. A member of the department for 15 seasons, Marks served as the team’s vice president of basketball operations for the past four years. After originally joining the Nets as a public relations intern in the spring of 1995, Marks was hired in January of 1996 as a basketball operations assistant. He is currently the longest tenured member of the department.

A graduate of Marist College, where he was a member of the football team, Marks received his B.A. in communications in 1995. The Little Falls, NJ native currently resides in West Orange, New Jersey with his wife, Michelle, and sons, Jake and Cooper.

Former Mavericks forward Shawne Williams arrested

The AP reports:

Former University of Memphis basketball players Shawne Williams and Kareem Cooper have been arrested after police found marijuana and a loaded gun in the car they were traveling in.

Williams played 15 games with the Mavericks in the 2008-09 season and averaged 2.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Memphis police say they pulled over the Dodge Charger on Friday because Williams wasn’t wearing a seat belt. He was charged with driving on a suspended license.

InsideHoops.com says: This guy appears to be a lost cause. Oh well.

Karl Malone surprise Hall of Fame presenter pick is Willis Reed

Jody Genessy of the Deseret News reports:

You can bet John Stockton and Jerry Sloan will be at the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony next month when Karl Malone and the original Dream Team are among the inductees.

Surprisingly, though, neither of them will be presenting The Mailman on his big night.

Per Malone’s request, that honor has been bestowed upon a fellow Louisiana legend.

“Willis Reed is presenting me at the Hall of Fame, which I think is pretty cool,” Malone said Friday night while visiting with Utah media at his auto dealership.

Though many people thought either Stockton or Sloan would be chosen as his presenter — a privilege only current Hall of Famers are allowed to do — Malone went back to his youth to make the selection.

Reed, who’s 21 years older than the 47-year-old birthday boy Malone, grew up in the town of Bernice, La.

Derrick Rose thinks Tracy McGrady would help Bulls

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

With the recent addition of Kurt Thomas, the Bulls have 11 players locked up and will be looking to add one more player — preferably a guard — to the roster in the next week or so.

Derrick Rose made it clear Friday he hopes that player is Tracy McGrady.

”I think that if he comes along he can help our team,” Rose said after the Team USA workout at the Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus. ”A player like him, with his experience and how he plays, I think he’ll help us.”

That depends on the health of McGrady, who has had multiple surgeries on his left knee, including microfracture surgery about a year and a half ago.

Tyreke Evans sentenced to informal probation for reckless driving

Cathy Locke of the Sacramento Bee reports:

Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans pleaded no contest Friday to reckless driving.

Tyreke Evans sentenced to informal probation for reckless driving

Evans, 20, was ordered to serve three years’ informal probation and 80 hours of alternative sentencing, Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully said in a written announcement. His driver’s license also was suspended for 30 days, and he was ordered to participate in two California Highway Patrol Start Smart Driving programs, educational programs targeting teenage drivers.

Evans was driving his black Mercedes S550 shortly before 7 p.m. May 31, when a Highway Patrol flight officer in a CHP Cessna airplane spotted the vehicle traveling more than 100 mph while crossing lanes on westbound Interstate 80. The vehicle at times reached speeds of up to 130 mph and continued at high speeds for several miles while passing vehicles in Memorial Day weekend traffic, Scully said.

WNBA: Tina Charles rocking the boards

The AP reports:

Tina Charles, who helped UConn win consecutive NCAA championships with undefeated records in her last two seasons, entered the weekend averaging 16.0 points and a league-best 12.0 rebounds. If she keeps it up, the 6-foot-4 center could top Chamique Holdsclaw’s single-season record average of 11.6 rebounds, set in 2002.

“The rebounding part has been the dominant part,” Sun coach Mike Thibault said. “It’s been better than I expected. I knew she was a good rebounder but she has been relentless about getting the ball.”

Charles also has 15 double-doubles in Connecticut’s 21 games this season, two behind the rookie record shared by Yolanda Griffith (1999) and Candace Parker (2008), and four behind the league mark set by Natalie Williams (2000).

Lorenzen Wright missing since Sunday

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.

Kobe Bryant had right knee surgery

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.