Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Grizzlies sign Darius Miles for rest of season

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward Darius Miles for the remainder of the season, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

The 6-9, 235-pound forward has averaged 5.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.80 blocks in 12.1 minutes in 10 games with the Grizzlies this season.

The seven-year NBA veteran originally signed with the Grizzlies as a free agent on Dec. 13 (and was later waived on Jan. 7) after missing all of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons following microfracture surgery on his right knee.  The 27-year-old signed consecutive 10-day contracts with Memphis on Jan. 10 and on Jan. 20.

Miles signed a free-agent contract with the Boston Celtics on Aug. 22, 2008 and appeared in six preseason games, averaging 1.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10.4 minutes before his release on Oct. 20.

The third overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, Miles became the first player in league history drafted straight out of high school (East St. Louis High School) to earn All-Rookie honors when he posted 9.4 points and 1.54 blocks for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2000-01.

The Bellville, Ill. native holds career averages of 10.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.14 blocks in 27.4 minutes in 422 career games (190 starts) with Memphis, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Al Jefferson not picked for All-Star reserves

The 2009 NBA All-Star reserves are official, and a young star big-man likely came close to getting picked, but big old Shaq won out instead. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (Jerry Zgoda) reports: Western Conference coaches passed over Timberwolves forward Al Jefferson and chose now 15-time All-Star Shaquille O’Neal as the reserve center for next month’s All-Star Game. Jefferson’s averages of 22.7 points and 10.5 rebounds — he’s one of only three NBA players averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game — and the Wolves’ 16-28 record didn’t convince the coaches. They instead chose O’Neal, who at age 36 often doesn’t play in back-to-back games. The Feb. 15 game is in Phoenix, where O’Neal now plays.

Economy slows future Kings arena

The Sacramento Bee (Mary Lynne Vellinga) reports:  The NBA’s urgent effort to get a new arena for the Kings built at Cal Expo has gone into slow motion because of the sputtering real estate economy. “There’s no lending out there right now, so real estate development is absolutely flat,” said NBA point person John Moag. Moag said this week that the NBA and Cal Expo likely will push forward with planning for a mixed-use project at the fairgrounds that would include an arena and a revamped venue for the State Fair. The two parties expect to seek proposals from developers in March, he said.

All-Star reserves announced

The 2009 NBA All-Star game is set. Today the All-Star reserves were revealed:

East reserves: Jameer Nelson, Devin Harris, Joe Johnson, Danny Granger, Paul Pierce, Rashard Lewis, Chris Bosh

West reserves: Tony Parker, Chauncey Billups, Brandon Roy, David West, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Shaquille O’Neal.

For more info click that reserves link above.

Also read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum thread.

Carmelo Anthony set to return

Denver Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony was cleared to return to action by the team’s medical staff today.  He will play tomorrow night when the Nuggets face the Charlotte Bobcats at the Pepsi Center.

Anthony suffered a non-displaced third metacarpal fracture on his right hand on Jan. 5 against Indiana and has missed the last 10 games.

In 31 games this season, Anthony is averaging a team-high 21.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 3.6 apg.

Share your Nuggets analysis on the InsideHoops Denver Nuggets message board.

Desmond Mason out for season

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that guard Desmond Mason will miss the remainder of the season after hyper extending his right knee.

“We are disappointed to lose Desmond for the remainder of the season,” said Presti. “He is a valuable part of our efforts on and off the court. We will support Desmond and work with him throughout the rehabilitation process. Unfortunately, the timing of the injury does not allow Desmond to return this season.”

Mason suffered a hyper extended right knee at 4:02 in the third quarter of last night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He underwent an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) exam this morning that revealed bruising to his right femur and tibia. Team physicians will perform arthroscopic surgery to remove debris caused by the hyper extension.

The Oklahoma State product appeared in 39 games (19 starts) for the Thunder this season. He averaged 7.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 27.3 minutes per contest.

Discuss your Thunder opinions on the InsideHoops OKC Thunder message board.

Bobcats sign Cartier Martin to 10-day contract

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has signed forward Cartier Martin to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.  The Bobcats roster now stands at 15 players.

The 6-7 Martin has played in 21 games for the Iowa Energy in the D-League this season, where he is averaging 20.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 37.6 minutes per game.  Martin is shooting .477 from the field, .390 from beyond the three-point line, and .813 from the free-throw line.  He has scored in double figures 17 times, with nine games of 20 points or more and five games of at least 30 points.  Martin scored a season-high 37 points on January 3 at Fort Wayne and recorded his lone double-double of the season with 31 points and a season-high 11 rebounds on January 27 against
Tulsa.

Martin spent the 2007-08 season playing for Antalya BSB in Turkey.  In 25 games, he averaged 8.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.  Martin scored in double figures on nine occasions, including a season-high 20 points against Turk Telekom on November 10, 2007.

Martin played four seasons at Kansas State University, where he became the third player in school history to top 1,500 points and 500 rebounds in a career.  He was named Second Team All-Big 12 after his junior and senior seasons and received the inaugural Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year Award as a senior in 2006-07.

Luke Ridnour suffers concussion

The Bucks are in Toronto today preparing for tomorrow night’s 6:00 p.m. (CT) tilt with the Raptors.  The game can be seen on FS Wisconsin and heard on AM 620 WTMJ and the Bucks statewide radio network.

In last night’s loss to Indiana, Luke Ridnour received a blow to the face in the fourth period that resulted in a bloody nose.  Ridnour left the game and was examined by Indiana doctors.  The exam revealed a mild concussion and Ridnour did not return to the game.  Ridnour was evaluated this morning and has been cleared to play tomorrow night.

Ridnour will be listed as probable and joins Andrew Bogut (day-to-day; lower back spasms) and Michael Redd (out; left knee injury) on the Bucks injury report.

Andrei Kirilenko to have ankle surgery

Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko will undergo surgery Friday to remove a bone fragment from his right ankle, Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today.

The surgery will be performed by Dr. John Edwards at 7 a.m. Friday morning.

A report on the surgery and an estimated timeline for Kirilenko’s recovery will be provided following the procedure.