Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Spurs assign Blake Ahearn to D-League

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have assigned guard Blake Ahearn to the Austin Toros, the NBA Development League team owned and operated by the Spurs.

Ahearn has appeared in three games for the Spurs and averaged 2.7 points in 6.3 minutes. He was signed by San Antonio on 11/16.

Ahearn was the first player called up from the NBA Development League in the 2008-09 season. He was in Minnesota’s 2008 training camp where he averaged 7.8 points and 1.2 assists in five games. After being waived by the Timberwolves he joined the Dakota Wizards. Ahearn was in camp with the Wizards prior to signing with the Spurs.

Luther Head sighting

Remember Houston Rockets guard Luther Head? Of course you do. Though, you’ve barely seen him this season, because Head has barely played. But he did big things Saturday. The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports:

Luther Head, who had played in just five games this season, started in McGrady’s place and then drove the Rockets to a stunning 103-84 rout of the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night at Toyota Center. Head, who had not played since Nov. 15, made seven of 11 shots in scoring 21 points, two more than he had in the season’s first 16 games combined. “You have to sit down and think and keep yourself ready, keep yourself motivated,” Head said of sitting out so many games. “It’s tough, but if that’s what I have to do, it’s what I have to do.” Head started against San Antonio last season and was told he was starting Saturday about 30 minutes before the game. “You get pumped,” he said of his reaction to that news. “It’s, ‘OK, I’m going to get to play tonight. I’m going to get a certain amount of minutes because I’m starting.’ “

This season, Head is only averaging 3.8 points and 1.0 assists in 12.4 minutes. He’s shooting just 31.6%, though that percentage doesn’t mean much considering he’s barely taken any shots.

Be honest about ages, says China

The AP reports: China is ordering its basketball players to stop faking their birth dates, local media reported Friday, turning the spotlight back on allegations of systematic altering of athlete’s ages. Sports authorities have sometimes been accused of altering players’ ages to show them as being younger, mainly to qualify them for youth tournaments. Those false ages stay with athletes and can result in embarrassment and regulatory sanctions when athletes move on to greater success. While that practice, known as ‘age shaving,’ is considered widespread in sports such as basketball and football, the opposite was suspected in the controversy surrounding the women’s gymnastics competition at the Beijing Olympics.

Knicks suspend Stephon Marbury

New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that guard Stephon Marbury has been suspended one game without pay and his salary will be reduced an additional 1/110th for refusing to play when called upon on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at Detroit. Marbury will serve his suspension tomorrow when the Knicks host the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden.

“A player’s central obligation is to provide his professional services when called upon,” Walsh said. “Because he refused the Coach’s request to play in the team’s last game, we had no choice but to impose disciplinary action.”

Allen Iverson skips practice

The AP reports: Allen Iverson apparently chose family and food over practice — and he’ll be fined for it. Iverson was the only player who didn’t show up when the Detroit Pistons worked out on Thanksgiving.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I think practice should be optional on the select few major family-oriented holidays each season. But, naturally that’s the decision of the team/coach, not an individual player.

Jarron Collins out 6+ weeks

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz center Jarron Collins, who has appeared in only two games this season due to right elbow inflammation and triceps tendinitis:

After meeting with Jazz team physician Dr. Lyle Mason, Collins has opted to take a non-surgical approach to the injury.  He will allow the elbow to heal for the next six weeks through triceps strengthening, shooting and cardiovascular work.

Collins will be re-evaluated on January 3, at which point a further update will be provided.

Now in his eighth season with the Jazz, Collins has appeared in two games this season (one start), totaling one rebound and one block in 16 scoreless minutes.  He was originally selected by the Jazz in the second round (53rd overall pick) of the 2001 NBA Draft and owns career averages of 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds in 456 games (204 starts).

Andrew Bogut out 7-10 days

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that center Andrew Bogut will miss approximately 7-10 days of action with a bone bruise to his left knee.  An MRI taken today in Atlanta, GA, revealed the injury.

Bogut sustained the injury in Monday’s loss at Orlando.  In 16 games this season, Bogut is averaging 11.4 points, 10.9 rebounds (4th in NBA), 1.9 assists and 1.0 blocked shot in 31.6 minutes per game.

Kings hire Jason Levien as assistant GM

The Sacramento Kings today announced the hiring of Jason Levien to their Basketball Operations staff as Team General Counsel/Assistant General Manager, effective December 15, 2008, according to President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

Levien’s primary responsibilities include drafting and management of players, coaching and management contracts, assisting in salary cap planning and analysis and overseeing team compliance with all NBA rules and procedures. He will also assist in scouting and report directly to Petrie and Vice President of Basketball Operations Wayne Cooper.

Levien, a former NBA player agent, represented more than a dozen NBA players over the past decade, guiding his clients through their careers which included navigating the NBA Draft process, free agency and contract negotiations. His clients included Luol Deng (Chicago Bulls), Udonis Haslem (Miami Heat) and the Kings’ Kevin Martin. In addition to negotiating Martin’s long-term extension with Sacramento in 2007, Levien negotiated the largest contract in Bulls’ history in July 2008.

“Jason brings a breadth of experience and expertise which will enhance the Kings Organization,” explained Petrie. “He is bright, knowledgeable and has an established network of resources which are valuable.”

Having traveled the globe evaluating basketball talent, Levien represented a number of international players drafted into the NBA and professional basketball players in more than 15 countries. He developed a reputation for finding talented players that were either overlooked or flew under the radar.

“I’ve known Geoff Petrie for the better part of a decade and there’s nobody in the basketball world that I respect more than him,” said Levien. “Geoff, combined with what I think of the ownership in the Maloof’s, who are incredible owners, passionate basketball fans and successful business people, made this opportunity unique and attractive. I’m looking forward to contributing in any and every way. This team has a lot of young, talented pieces and to be a part of the future was something that was very attractive and exciting to me. To go from the agent side of representing players to being a part of a team and organization is sort of an out of the box move, but it’s something I’m thrilled about.”

Levien has also spent time working in politics, including serving as the speechwriter for the Keynote Address at the 2000 Democratic National Convention and in The White House.

Levien is a graduate of Pomona College in Claremont, where he was a member of the basketball team. He served as an editor of the Michigan Law Review while earning his law degree and master’s in public policy from the University of Michigan. Levien was later awarded a fellowship at Harvard Law School.

Grizzlies assign Hamed Haddadi to D-League

The Memphis Grizzlies assigned center Hamed Haddadi (pronounced ha-MED ha-DAHD-dee) to the Dakota Wizards, their NBA Development League affiliate, General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

“The Dakota Wizards are a tremendous organization which the Grizzlies are fortunate to have as our affiliate,” Wallace said. “We are eager to watch Hamed’s development under coach Duane Ticknor’s tutelage. This assignment will be a positive experience for Hamed.”

Signed as a rookie free agent on Aug. 28, Haddadi averaged 1.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 9.7 minutes in six preseason games.  The 7-2, 280-pound center has yet to make his NBA regular season debut.

A native of Ahvaz, Iran, Haddadi represented his country last summer in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, where he averaged a double-double (16.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks) in Olympic competition, playing five games for the Iranian National Team.

The 23-year-old also posted 14.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 25.5 minutes in two contests for the Iranian National Team at the 2008 Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City last summer.

Slated to become the first Iranian to ever play in the NBA, Haddadi is the Grizzlies’ first assignment to the D-League since the club assigned Alexander Johnson to the Arkansas RimRockers on March 1, 2007.  The 23-year-old is the seventh NBA player (sixth rookie) to be assigned to the Development League in 2008-09.

Haddadi, who will wear jersey No. 50, is expected to make his D-League debut in the Wizards’ regular season opener vs. Iowa Energy on Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Bismarck Civic Center in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Dorell Wright out 3 weeks after knee surgery

The Miami HEAT announced today that Dorell Wright underwent successful surgery this morning to clean loose bodies his left knee. The 45-minute follow-up surgery was performed by team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick at Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables. Wright originally had surgery to repair a meniscal tear in his left knee on Mar. 3, 2008. He injured the knee with 9:40 remaining in the second quarter of a game at Sacramento on Mar. 2, 2008. Wright is expected to resume court activity in three weeks.

Wright has appeared in one game this season, totaling two points in 5:53 of action against Sacramento on Oct. 31. Currently in his fifth NBA season, Wright has appeared in 134 games (55 starts) for the HEAT and has averaged 6.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 19.1 minutes per game.