Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

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.

Daniel Gibson out 2 weeks

Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson left last night’s game versus the Toronto Raptors with 9:50 remaining in the second quarter with a sprained left great toe. He was seen by Dr. Jim Sferra at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health today. A MRI and x-rays were performed. He is estimated to be out two weeks and will continue to be reevaluated.

This season in 24.3 minutes per game Gibson has averaged 9.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Though coming off the bench and not shooting very well this season, he’s a key contributor.

3-team trade: Hornets get Antonio Daniels, Wizards get Javaris Crittenton, Mike James

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have acquired guard Antonio Daniels and a future second round pick in a three-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards. As part of the trade, the Hornets send guard Mike James to the Wizards. The Hornets acquired a future second round pick from the Grizzlies and Daniels from the Wizards. Memphis sends guard Javaris Crittenton to Washington, while Washington sends Memphis a future first round pick that Washington originally acquired in the deal that gave Memphis Juan Carlos Navarro.

Read and join in fan discussion of the trade.

“We are excited to get a player of Antonio’s caliber,” said Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower. “He is a guard with excellent size, versatility and toughness. Daniels is also a proven veteran who has won a championship and we look forward to all of those attributes strengthening our bench.”

Daniels has averaged 5.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 22.2 minutes of play in 13 games (five starts) with the Wizards. He has scored in double figures twice and has had seven games of four or more assists.

“AD has always been a steady, proven guard in this league.” said Hornets Head Coach Byron Scott. “He has won at the highest level and is a clutch player; he also gives us a different look in the backcourt with his size.”

Daniels, the fourth overall pick out of Bowling Green University in the 1997 draft by the Vancouver Grizzlies, has spent time with five NBA teams – Grizzlies (1997-98), San Antonio Spurs (1998-2002), Portland Trail Blazers (2002-03), Seattle Sonics (2003-05) and the Wizards (2005-08).

He won an NBA Championship as a member of the Spurs during the 1998-99 season where he averaged 4.7 points, 2.3 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game during his second season in the NBA. Daniels best season in the league came during the 2004-05 season while a member of the Sonics where he averaged a career-best in points (11.2) and rebounds (2.3), while adding 4.1 assists in 27.0 minutes.

Daniels has ranked in the top seven in the NBA in assist per turnover three times in his career, including leading the league during the 2003-04 season.