The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent center Didier “DJ” Ilunga-Mbenga to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Mbenga, a 7-foot, 220 pound native of the Congo, signed with the Golden State Warriors November 17 after spending three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks prior to their request for waivers on him October 30. In 16 games with the Warriors prior to his release January 6, Mbenga averaged 1.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.63 blocked shots in 8.1 minutes.
After signing with Dallas as a rookie free agent in 2004, Mbenga, 27, played 79 games over three seasons with the Mavericks, totaling 106 points, 75 rebounds and 35 blocked shots in 374 minutes. In his rookie year of 2004-05, he averaged 4.10 blocks per 48 minutes played while improving to 5.00 blocks per 48 minutes in 2005-06. In 2006-07 he was limited to just 21 games after missing the first 16 games of the year with a left foot tendon strain and suffering a torn right ACL 2/7/07 vs. Memphis.
In 95 career games including two starts, Mbenga is averaging 1.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.47 blocked shots in 5.3 minutes.
The Lakers roster now stands at 15.
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Trevor Ariza breaks bone in foot
The Los Angeles Times (Mike Bresnahan) reports: Forward Trevor Ariza was diagnosed with a fractured bone in his right foot after hurting it today at practice. Ariza will see foot specialist Kenneth Jung on Monday, at which point a timetable for his return will be determined. It was unclear exactly how Ariza injured the fourth metatarsal in his foot, but he apparently came down on someone’s foot.
Spurs re-sign Jeremy Richardson
The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have re-signed guard/forward Jeremy Richardson. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Richardson has appeared in three games for the Spurs where he averaged 1.7 points in 3:23 minutes. He was originally signed on 1/10.
The 6-7, 195-pound Richardson was signed by the Memphis Grizzlies on 12/20. He did not register a point in three games with Grizzlies and was waived on 1/7.
Prior to joining the Grizzlies, Richardson was with the Fort Wayne Mad Antz in the NBA Development League. He was averaging a league-high 28.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.63 steals in 41.5 minutes in eight games. The 23-year-old spent the 2007 preseason with the Miami Heat before being cut on 10/29.
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Grizzlies sign Bobby Jones to second 10-day contract
The Memphis Grizzlies signed forward Bobby Jones to a second 10-day contract, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.
Jones, who signed his first 10-day contract on January 10, has appeared in five games (two starts) with Memphis, averaging 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.00 steals in 19.2 minutes.
In only his fourth game with the club, Jones made his first start this season vs. Seattle on Jan. 18 and posted career highs in points (20), rebounds (13), assists (7), steals (3) and minutes played (40) in a 124-100 victory over the SuperSonics at FedExForum.
The 6-7, 215-pound sophomore forward began the season with the Denver Nuggets, where he averaged 3.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 23 games (no starts) before he was waived on Jan. 7.
The Compton, California native appeared in 44 games in his rookie season with Philadelphia in 2006-07, and started five of the final six games, where the 24-year-old averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.20 steals on 53.8 percent shooting in 27.2 minutes per game.
Bucks assign David Noel to D-League
Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Larry Harris announced today that the team has assigned forward/guard David Noel (6-6, 230) to the Tulsa 66ers (Okla.) of the NBA Development League. Tulsa is led by Head Coach Joey Meyer and has served as the Bucks D-League affiliate since the 2005-06 season. He’ll join Bucks rookie guard Ramon Sessions (6-3, 190), who is currently assigned to Tulsa.
“This is an opportunity for David to see regular minutes in game conditions that he wouldn’t necessarily receive in Milwaukee,” said Harris. “We are encouraged with how well Ramon has performed in Tulsa and are looking forward to seeing David’s continued progress in the D-League, too.”
Currently in his second NBA season, Noel has not appeared in a game for the Bucks this season, having missed 27 games with a right wrist injury and been inactive (11 games) or a coach’s decision (two games) for the other 13 contests this season for Milwaukee. As a rookie, Noel appeared in 68 games for the Bucks and averaged 2.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist per contest.
Sessions, 21, was selected by the Bucks with the 56th overall pick in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft and was assigned to Tulsa on November 8, 2007. In 21 games for the 66ers, Sessions has averaged 19.9 points (13th in NBDL), 6.3 rebounds (T-21th) and 7.0 assists (T-4th). He also earned D-League Performer of the Week over the first weekend of the D-League schedule by posting 30.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists in two Tulsa victories. Sessions played three seasons at the University of Nevada as a point guard and earned Second Team All-WAC honors during his junior season, in addition to being a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. During the 2006-07 season, he was third on the team in scoring (12.3), second in rebounding (4.7) and first in assists (4.7, second in the WAC).
Anthony Johnson suspended for foul on Jose Calderon
Atlanta Hawks guard Anthony Johnson has been suspended for one game without pay, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations. Johnson was assessed a Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two and ejected for flagrantly fouling Jose Calderon of the Toronto Raptors by striking him in the head with a forearm.
The incident occurred with 41.3 remaining in the second period of Atlanta’s 89-78 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Friday, Jan. 18 at Air Canada Centre. Johnson will serve the suspension when the Hawks host the Portland Trail Blazers at Phillips Arena on Jan. 21.
Jermaine O’Neal out at least 2 weeks
Pacers forward Jermaine O’Neal will miss a minimum of two weeks, starting with Saturday night’s home game against Sacramento, due to a bone bruise on his left knee.
In 33 games this season the 6-11, 260-pound O’Neal has averaged 15.3 points (just 44.3% shooting), 7.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 blocks.
Warriors sign C.J. Watson to another 10-day contract
The Golden State Warriors have signed guard C.J. Watson to a second 10-day contract prior to this evening’s game against the Chicago Bulls, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today.
Watson, who signed his first 10-day with the Warriors on January 8, has appeared in five games with Golden State, averaging 4.4 points and 2.0 assists in 14.8 minutes. Watson began the season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League, where he averaged 26.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.38 steals in 38.1 minutes per contest. At the time of his call-up ranked third in the D-League in scoring and fifth in assists. He was named the NBA Development League Player of the Month for December.
MSG-produced Knicks game to be in HD on NBC4 HD
This is local news for the NYC area:
MSG, a premier sports and entertainment network, will partner with NBC4 HD in New York to air the New York Knicks game against the Boston Celtics on Monday, January 21 at 1:00 p.m.
The matchup will be produced by MSG and air in high-definition. MSG announcers will call the action, with Mike Breen on play-by-play and Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier serving as analyst. After the game concludes on NBC4 HD, a half-hour post-game show will air on MSG followed by an “In 60” version of the matchup.
New York Knicks basketball is directed by Howie Singer and produced by Spencer Julien. Jeff Filippi serves as coordinating producer for the Knicks.
Clippers sign Guillermo Diaz to another 10-day contract
The Los Angeles Clippers signed guard Guillermo Diaz to a second consecutive 10-day contract today. Signed to his first 10-day contract on Jan. 8, Diaz has appeared in one game grabbing one rebound in five minutes of action.
Diaz was the NBA’s ninth call-up from the NBA Development League and played with the Anaheim Arsenal this season.
In 14 games with Anaheim, Diaz tallied 16.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while connecting on 75-of-154 field goals (.487) and 72-of-84 free throws (.857).
Diaz, the Clippers’ second round selection (52nd overall) in the 2006 NBA Draft, averaged 5.7 points and 1.7 assists in seven contests for the Clippers during the 2007 preseason. Diaz was waived by the Clippers on October 25th, prior to the start of the regular season.
Diaz spent the 2006-07 season in the Czech Republic, where he averaged 20.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 15 games for CEZ Basketball Nymburk. He also played in five games with AEP Olimpiada Patron in the Greek League in 2007, tallying 13.0 points per game.
A 6’2” native from Puerto Rico, Diaz contributed 10.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in five games for the Clippers entry in the 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
In three years at the University of Miami, Diaz tallied 15.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Diaz led Miami in scoring as a sophomore and a junior and was named to the All-ACC Second Team following both of those seasons.