Euroleague.net reports: Olympiacos Pireaus on Tuesday announced that forward Josh Childress will undergo hernia surgery today and miss most, if not all, of the Top 16. Childress (203, 25) is the third-best scorer (10.7 ppg.) and second-best rebounder (5 rpg.) for the Reds, while leading the team in minutes played (26.3 mpg.). Childress returned to the United States over the weekend for medical attention concerning an inguinal hernia.
Category: NBA News Blog
NBA news blog
Suns sign Courtney Sims to 10-day contract
The Phoenix Suns have signed free-agent center Courtney Sims to a 10-day contract, the club announced today.
The 6-11, 245-pound Sims has spent the last two seasons with the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League. The Energy, coached by Nick Nurse, became the Suns’ affiliate this season. Sims, 25, joins Phoenix after starting all 17 of his games in Iowa this season, averaging 22.4 points and 11.6 rebounds, both team-bests. A season ago, Sims averaged 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in 15 games with Iowa.
A four-year collegiate performer at the University of Michigan, Sims was an undrafted free agent signee of the Indiana Pacers in 2007-08. The Roslindale, Mass.-native saw action in three regular season games for the Pacers.
The Suns roster now stands at 13.
Richard Hamilton to come off bench
The Detroit Pistons have a problem. A bunch of their best players, Tayshaun Prince, Allen Iverson, Richard Hamilton and Rodney Stuckey are small. They’re little. You can pick them up and toss them in the air. If they’re all on the court at the same time, Prince, who is a skinny bean-pole, is forced to play power forward, which is just silly.
So now, a roster decision has been made. One that could change at any moment. But for now, here’s what’s up, as reported by the Detroit News (Chris McCosky):
Pistons coach Michael Curry announced Tuesday that he will begin using guard Rip Hamilton off the bench, with guard Allen Iverson and forward Amir Johnson starting… Curry said Hamilton, who has never come off the bench as a Piston, will start the second and fourth quarters.
Watch the Pistons, as they try to figure themselves out.
Walker Russell is D-League player of week
Walker Russell, Jr. of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants has been named NBA D-League Performer of the Week for games played during the week of Jan. 12, 2009. Russell is the first Mad Ant to earn the honor this season.
Russell averaged 28.5 points and 16.0 assists in two wins over the Sioux Falls Skyforce last week, including on Thursday when he scored a season-high 30 points while adding 18 assists. He returned on Friday to score 17 points and 14 assists in another victory.
A 6-0 guard, Russell is leading the NBA D-League with 11.6 assists per game this season. He also ranks fourth in the league with 2.5 steals, while averaging 16.9 points.
Other top performers last week included Tulsa’s Ronald Dupree, who averaged 30.5 points and 15.5 rebounds in two games for the 66ers; Othyus Jeffers, who averaged 26.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in two games for the Iowa Energy; Idaho’s Coby Karl who finished the week averaging 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in two games for the Stampede; Antonio Meeking, who averaged 20.0 points and 10.3 rebounds in three games for the Reno Bighorns; and Anaheim’s James White, who averaged 27.0 points in three games for the Arsenal last week.
Memphis Grizzlies re-sign Darius Miles
The Memphis Grizzlies have signed forward Darius Miles to a second 10-day contract, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.
After signing his first 10-day contract on Jan. 10, Miles played in three games and averaged 8.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.67 blocks on 55.6 percent shooting (10-18 FG) in 12.0 minutes. The 6-9, 235-pound forward is averaging 5.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.80 blocks per game in 9.0 minutes in five total games with the Grizzlies this season.
Miles was signed by the Grizzlies as a free agent on Dec. 13 (and 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 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 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 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.15 blocks in 27.5 minutes in 417 career games (190 starts) with Memphis, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers.
NBA owners now OK with courtside alcohol ads
Sports Business Journal reports: NBA owners have reversed a longtime ban on courtside advertising by spirits brands in an effort to drive revenue during the economic downturn. The league is also crafting policies that could allow teams to offer hard liquor advertising on team Web sites, point-of-sale retail locations or in-arena promotions. Those decisions are expected shortly. The vote to ease the restrictions was taken last week during the NBA’s sales and marketing meetings in Phoenix. It opens new revenue streams for all 30 teams, who have been prohibited from selling courtside/TV visible hard liquor signage since 1991. The decision follows Major League Baseball, the NHL and NASCAR in allowing spirits advertising within camera view. The NFL does not allow any hard liquor signage within camera view in their stadiums.
Clippers re-sign Fred Jones
Prior to today’s game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Clippers signed guard Fred Jones to a second 10-day contract.
A six-year NBA veteran, Jones has averaged 6.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 22.3 minutes in 10 games with the Clippers this season, making one start after originally signing as a free agent on December 28th. Jones was waived by Los Angeles on January 5th, and then signed to his first 10-day contract on January 8th.
Jones played 70 games with the Knicks last season, averaging 7.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 25.1 minutes. The Clippers are the fifth NBA team for Jones, who has appeared in 378 total games and is averaging 7.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in his NBA career.
A star at the University of Oregon, Jones helped lead the Ducks to the Elite Eight of the 2002 NCAA Tournament and was drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 14th selection of the 2002 NBA Draft. Jones played four seasons with Indiana, winning the 2004 NBA Slam Dunk Contest as a Pacer before signing with the Raptors prior to the 2006-07 season.
Jones joined Portland midway through the 2006-07 season in a trade, teaming up with current Clipper Zach Randolph and then going to New York along with Randolph in a five-player deal on June 28, 2007.
Jerome James season over
I am at today’s Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks game, and reporters have been told that the season of Jerome James is over. A complete bust in every way, the Knicks pay James millions of dollars per year to sit on the bench, take pre-game photos with fans, drink water and suffer injuries.
Here is New York Newsday: The Knicks revealed today that Jerome James suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon and is out for the season. Considering the severity of the injury — not to mention the complete disinterest in getting him back — we’ve likely seen the last of Big ‘Rome… Jerome will pick up his $6.6M player option for next season, but the Knicks will likely look to buy that out to free up a roster spot for 2009-10.
Rudy Fernandez in dunk contest
The Oregonian (Jason Quick) reports (via blog): Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez has won a fan vote to compete in the 2009 NBA Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend in Phoenix on Feb. 14, The Oregonian has learned. For the first time, the NBA this season opened a slot in the contest for a rookie, who would be chosen by a fan vote. Fernandez won the voting over Milwaukee’s Joe Alexander and Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook.
InsideHoops.com editor says: I’m surprised. Of the three candidates, he was the one I thought should get the fewest votes.
Utah Jazz sign Jerry Sloan to extension
The Utah Jazz announced today the decision by Jerry Sloan to return as head coach for the 2009-10 season, which will mark his 22nd season at the helm of the Jazz.
“We have been blessed as an organization that Jerry Sloan has been with us as long as he has. Jerry is the standard for hard work and consistency,” said Greg Miller, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies. “Jerry has brought a level of credibility to the Utah Jazz that nobody else could. I am excited that we’ll have Jerry with us through 2010.”
Sloan has been Utah’s head coach since assuming the reigns from former head coach Frank Layden on December 9, 1988. The fourth-winningest coach in NBA history (1113-734), Sloan is the longest tenured active coach with one team in major professional sports, and is also the longest tenured head coach in NBA history. Earlier this season Sloan (1019-613 with Jazz) became the first NBA head coach to win 1,000 games with one team, and currently ranks 224 victories ahead of Red Auerbach (second in all-time wins with one team) and 360 wins ahead of San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich (third all-time), the only other active coach in the top five.
“I look forward to watching our team continue to grow and mature,” said Sloan. “I am grateful for all the opportunities Larry and Gail Miller have provided to me.”
Since Sloan’s hiring there have been a total of 225 coaching changes (counting interim coaches) in the NBA. Every team in the league has made at least two changes except for Utah. In addition five current NBA teams did not exist when Sloan took the helm in Utah, and two others were just over a month into their inaugural seasons. Sloan has coached 123 different Jazz players in regular season games during his time.
“We appreciate Jerry’s continued commitment to our organization,” said Utah Jazz President Randy Rigby. “His coaching style, approach to the game and values portray everything we could ever look for in a coach.”
Over his first 20 seasons, Sloan has produced two conference championships, seven division titles, 16 consecutive winning seasons, 12 seasons with 50-plus wins and 18 playoff appearances. He is seeking his third straight Northwest Division title in 2008-09.