The Associated Press (Brian Mahoney) reports: NBA commissioner David Stern won’t punish Isiah Thomas or Madison Square Garden for their role in a sexual harassment trial that embarrassed the Knicks and the league. “Instead, we are going to continue to focus our attention on a league-wide program ensuring that all teams have appropriate policies, clearly communicated to their employees, focusing on respect in the workplace including the prohibition of sexual harassment,” Stern said in a statement. On Monday, Thomas and MSG settled the case brought by former team executive Anucha Browne Sanders for $11.5 million. A jury awarded her $11.6 million in punitive damages in October — a trial Stern wanted the Knicks to avoid, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
Category: NBA News Blog
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Kings sign Dahntay Jones, waive Darryl Watkins
The Sacramento Kings today signed guard/forward Dahntay Jones to a contract and requested waivers on center Darryl Watkins, it was announced by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.
Jones, a first round selection (20th overall) by the Boston Celtics in the 2003 NBA Draft, has spent all four of his NBA seasons playing for the Memphis Grizzlies. He has amassed career averages of 5.1 points (.442 FGs, .330 3FGs, .722 FTs), 1.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game through 221 outings. His best year, statistically, was last season when he averaged 7.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game for the Grizzlies.
Watkins, who currently is in his rookie season out of Syracuse, has played in nine games this year for the Kings, averaging 1.3 points (.333 FGs, .400 FTs) and 1.3 rebounds per game.
MSG sexual harassment case settled
The Associated Press reports: Madison Square Garden and New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas have settled the sexual harassment case brought by a former team executive who was awarded $11.6 million in punitive damages. Terms of the settlement were not immediately disclosed. “I am extremely pleased that we have reached a settlement,” Anucha Browne Sanders said in a statement.
Trail Blazers assign Taurean Green to D-League
The Portland Trail Blazers assigned rookie guard Taurean Green to the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League, it was announced Monday by Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard.
“This is a great opportunity for Taurean to get some more playing time and in-game experience at a professional level,” said Pritchard. “We’re grateful to have a partnership with Idaho and the D-League to help us develop our young players.”
Green, 21, is averaging 2.3 points, 1.3 assists and 6.0 minutes in four games with the Trail Blazers this season after being selected by Portland with the 52nd overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
The 6-0, 177-pounder spent three seasons at the University of Florida, where he guided the Gators to back-to-back NCAA National Championships as the team’s starting point guard.
Green becomes the 17th NBA player assigned to the D-League this season, and the fourth in Trail Blazers history.
This is the first season the Trail Blazers are affiliated with the Boise-based Stampede.
Pistons assign Cheikh Samb to D-League
The Detroit Pistons announced today that they will assign rookie center Cheikh Samb to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, on Monday, December 10. The Mad Ants are scheduled to play Dakota on Thursday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m.
Samb was acquired by the Pistons on draft day from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Maurice Evans on June 28, 2006. Drafted by the Lakers with the 51st pick in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft, Samb spent the 2006-07 season playing overseas with WTC Cornella in the Spanish LEB2 League.
The 7-foot-1, 215-pound center made his NBA debut with the Pistons at the L.A. Lakers on November 16, scoring two points with four rebounds and two blocks in 15 minutes. In two games this season, Samb is averaging 1.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 10.5 minutes per game.
No timetable has been set for his return.
David Noel out 4-6 weeks
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports: The Milwaukee Bucks announced before Friday’s game that forward David Noel would be out for from four to six weeks with a sprained right wrist. Noel underwent an examination under anesthesia by Dr. Donald Bynum at the University of North Carolina Orthopedics in Chapel Hill, N.C. The diagnostic arthroscopy confirmed a right wrist sprain.
Bulls waive Thomas Gardner, sign Demetric Nichols
The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived guard Thomas Gardner. In a subsequent move, the team also announced that it has picked up forward Demetris Nichols on waivers.
Gardner (6-5, 225), an undrafted rookie out of the University of Missouri, appeared in four games with the Bulls this season and averaged 5.3 ppg (9-23 FG) and 1.0 rpg in 11.3 mpg. He shot .391 from the field and .250 from behind the arc. Gardner signed with Chicago prior to training camp on Oct. 1.
Nichols (6-8, 215) comes to Chicago after spending time with New York and Cleveland earlier this season. In three games this year, he has scored two points and grabbed one rebound in 14 minutes. Originally selected by Portland in the second round (53rd selection) of NBA Draft 2007, Nichols enjoyed a four-year collegiate career at Syracuse where he averaged 10.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg and 1.1 apg.
Nichols will join the team tomorrow when the Bulls host the Boston Celtics. With his signing, Chicago’s roster now stands at 15.
Brewer bricks but breaks out
Wolves rookie Corey Brewer, although he shot just 3-of-15, turned in his best all-around performance of the season last night in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Playing a career-high 44 minutes, the former Florida Gator did not turn the ball over once and grabbed 18 rebounds, handed out five assists and swiped four steals, all career-bests for the seventh overall pick in last summer’s draft. Brewer’s 18 rebounds were the most by a Timberwolves rookie in over a decade and the third-most all-time.
Joe Johnson beats Wolves at buzzer
The Timberwolves lost a heartbreaker last night in Atlanta, falling 90-89 on a Joe Johnson fadeaway at the final buzzer. After falling behind by as many as 19 points in the first half, the Timberwolves rallied after the intermission.
Down 13 to start the third, the Wolves opened the quarter on a 15-4 run and took a 63-61 lead, their first of the game, on Marko Jaric lay-up with 1:45 remaining in the period.
The final quarter featured four ties and five lead changes, including four lead changes in the final 30 seconds. After another Jaric lay-in gave the Wolves a one-point advantage with :20.9 to play, Atlanta reclaimed the lead on a Josh Smith bank shot with :07.9 remaining. Another Jaric basket put the Wolves back on top with :02.8 to play before Johnson hit the game-winner.
Jaric nearly posted a triple-double on the night, tallying 18 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. Craig Smith came off the bench to lead the Wolves with 20 points while Corey Brewer pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds in over 44 minutes of action.
The Hawks were led by Smith, who finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and seven blocks. With the win, Atlanta took the season series 2-0.
Jazz assign Morris Almond and Kyrylo Fesenko to D-League
The Utah Jazz has assigned rookies Morris Almond and Kyrylo Fesenko to their D-League affiliate, the Utah Flash, Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today.
Fesenko, a 7-1, 20-year-old center, was originally sent to the Flash on Nov. 10. There he played four games, averaging 13.8 points and seven rebounds before being recalled by the Jazz on Nov. 30. The native of Ukraine appeared in his lone Jazz game the night he was recalled, scoring six points and grabbing seven rebounds in a 120-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Almond, a 6-6, 225-pound guard from Rice, was selected in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft (25th overall) and has appeared in four Jazz games this season.
The Utah Flash now has the maximum number of assigned players allowable on their roster. Almond and Fesenko join Gabe Pruitt and Brandon Wallace, who are on assignment from the Boston Celtics, the other parent club for the Utah Flash. The only other time a D-League team has had the maximum number of assigned players was from Jan. 3-10, 2006 when the Florida Flame had four players on assignment from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat.
“As a coach for our organization I’m obviously excited to have four NBA guys on our roster,” Flash head coach Brad Jones said. “This is a good accolade and tribute to what Freddy (Flash GM David Fredman) and (owner) Brandt (Andersen) are doing that NBA teams feel comfortable enough to send players our way. The challenge for the coach is I have to get these guys to mesh together, play as a team and get better every day.”
The Flash is 3-3 and in third place in the D-League’s West Division.