Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Magic re-sign Jeremy Richardson

The Orlando Magic have re-signed guard/forward Jeremy Richardson, General Manager Otis Smith announced today.

Richardson (6’7”, 195, 3/1/84, Delta State) has appeared in just one game this season for the Magic and did not score in two minutes.  He also played in three preseason contests, averaging 4.0 ppg. in 8.0 minpg.  Richardson was waived on December 6.

Orlando’s roster now stands at 15 players.

The Magic begin a five-game, eight-day road trip on Monday, December 8 @ L.A. Clippers.  Orlando’s next home game is Thursday, December 18 vs. San Antonio.  Game time is 8 pm ET.

Thunder drawing fans

The AP reports: No matter how many ways the Oklahoma City Thunder find to lose, they certainly don’t seem to have any trouble finding people to watch it happen. Despite having an NBA-worst 2-21 record heading into the weekend, the Thunder are one of the bigger draws in the league. Only this week did Oklahoma City fall out of the top 10 in attendance, and that came after the two smallest crowds of the season came to watch losses to Golden State and Memphis — two other teams near the bottom of the Western Conference. Still, the Thunder are averaging 18,473 fans per game to rank 12th in the NBA, just ahead of West playoff contenders Phoenix, San Antonio and Houston.

Juwan Howard joins Bobcats

As previously reported was going to happen, NBA veteran big-man Juwan Howard has signed with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Click that link for the full story.

The Bobcats are weak in the big-man department, so any help they get is much-needed. At this point in his career it’s not likely Juwan will play many minutes. Though the only Bobcats who is sure to get lots of court time is Emeka Okafor, who is scoring just 12.9 points per game despite being their go-to option down low. He barely misses, shooting 59.5% this season, and grabs an impressive 10.8 rebounds per game, but has no other big guys around him who can even pretend to play basketball.

So, Howard can help a bit.

Discuss your reaction with other fans in this forum thread.

Thunder recall Steven Hill from D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has recalled center Steven Hill from the Tulsa 66ers of the National Basketball Development League.

Hill, who was assigned to Tulsa on November 21st, averaged 9.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 25.6 minutes per contest. Hill appeared in five games, including three starts, for the 66ers.

Hill will practice with the Thunder tomorrow.

Ilgauskas sprains ankle

Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas suffered a left ankle sprain with 9:39 remaining in the fourth quarter in last night’s game in Philadelphia. He did not return to the game. He was examined by Dr. Richard Parker at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health today.  X-rays were negative and a moderate left ankle sprain is confirmed. He is listed as OUT for tomorrow’s game versus Philadelphia and his status will be updated as appropriate.

Chris Wilcox out 10-14 days

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chris Wilcox left last night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies at 5:35 of the first quarter with a dislocated ring finger on his left hand.

He was taken to McBride Hospital where team physicians were able to reset the dislocation.

Wilcox is expected to miss the next 10-14 days.

This season he’s playing 22.5 minutes per game and averaging 9.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and little else on 47.7% shooting.

Melo scores 33 in one quarter

Wednesday night the Denver Nuggets hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves, and home star forward Carmelo Anthony put on an incredible scoring display.

In the third quarter, Melo scored 33 points, scoring in a variety of ways, including jumpers in the face of defenders, cuts to the basket, and any other way he felt like it.

Anthony’s outburst is the greatest single-quarter point scoring in Nuggets history.

At the end of the third quarter the Nuggets lead the Wolves, 84-78.

Minnesota was actually playing a terrific game until the third. At halftime they were up 56-44.

For the game, Melo is 15-of-24 for 42 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals.

–InsideHoops.com editor

Suns trade for Jason Richardson

Uptrade: Trade is now official. Click here.

The Arizona Republic (Paul Coro) reports: The Suns acquired dynamic shooting guard Jason Richardson today in a trade with the Charlotte Bobcats that will also bring second-year forward Jared Dudley and a 2010 second-round draft choice to the Suns in exchange for shooting guard Raja Bell, forward Boris Diaw and rookie point guard Sean Singletary. The deal, pending players passing physicals, brings a new dimension to the Suns’ shooting guard position with Richardson, who can hit 3-pointers and be an athletic fit into an uptempo system like he starred in during five seasons with Golden State… Richardson makes $12,222,222 this season, $13,333,333 next season and $14,444,444 in 2010-11. Diaw was under contract for $9 million per season through 2011-12. Bell is making $5 million this season and gets $5.25 million next season in his contract’s final year.

Read fan reaction and post your opinion in this forum thread.

Joe Maloof suffered stroke

The Sacramento Bee (Ailene Voisin) reports (via blog): Kings co-owner Joe Maloof confirmed that he did in fact have a stroke last week. “Just a mild one, a mild one,” the Kings co-owner informed me. “I’m fine. I just have to get back to working out consistently, which I wasn’t doing because of my knees. But I’m so much better now. I’m coming back to Sac in a few days, and I’ll be around. I’m feeling so good now I can hardly believe it.”

Nuggets assign two to D-League

The Denver Nuggets have assigned C Cheikh Samb and G/F Sonny Weems to the Colorado 14ers of the NBA Development League, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

Samb, 7-1, 245, has averaged 0.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg and 0.83 bpg in six appearances with the Nuggets. Samb spent two stints with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League last season posting averages of 10.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and a league-leading 4.0 blocks in 19 games.

Weems, 6-6, 203, has yet to play for the Nuggets this season but averaged 9.2 ppg and 3.0 rpg in 22.2 mpg in five games for the Nuggets summer league entry in Las Vegas this past summer.

Samb and Weems mark the 10th and 11th player assignments to the NBA Development League this season and the first assignments to the 14ers in 2008-09.

Samb was acquired by the Nuggets from Detroit along with G Chauncey Billups and F Antonio McDyess in exchange for G Allen Iverson on Nov. 3.

Weems was acquired by Denver in a draft-night trade with the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a 2009 second round drat pick.