Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Wizards sign forward Anthony Gill

The Washington Wizards have signed free agent forward Anthony Gill.

“We’re excited to welcome Anthony home and to add his versatile skill set to our roster,” said Wizards General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “He has proven himself playing at a high level overseas for the last three seasons and we look forward to helping him continue to develop his blend of inside physicality and outside shooting touch.”

Gill (6-8, 230) has played the last three seasons for BC Khimki in Russia, compiling overall averages of 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting .572 from the field and .406 from three-point range. The 28-year-old forward averaged 8.3 points and 4.5 rebounds this past season while shooting .567 from the field and .440 from three-point range.

Gill was undrafted out of the University of Virginia, where he played from 2013-16 after transferring from the University of South Carolina. He finished his career as the Cavaliers’ all-time leader in field goal percentage at .582 and averaged 13.8 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting .580 from the floor as a senior. Gill was named All-ACC Third Team as both a junior and a senior and was named to the All-ACC Tournament Team as a senior.

Nets re-sign guard Chris Chiozza

The Brooklyn Nets re-signed guard Chris Chiozza today.

Chiozza (5’11”, 176) returns to the Nets after originally signing a two-way contract with the team on Jan. 4. He appeared in 28 games last season split between Brooklyn and Washington, recording averages of 5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 14.3 minutes per game. In 18 games with the Nets, Chiozza posted averages of 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 15.5 minutes per contest. The Memphis, Tenn., native has seen action in 35 games across two NBA seasons with Brooklyn (2020), Washington (2019) and Houston (2019), averaging 4.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 12.4 minutes per game. Chiozza also appeared in and started 10 games last season with Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, registering averages of 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.8 steals in 31.8 minutes per game.

The 25-year-old went undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft after spending four years (2014-18) at the University of Florida. Following his senior season, the Gators’ all-time assists leader (571) was named to the All-SEC First Team.

Sacramento Kings sign rookie forward Robert Woodard II

The Sacramento Kings have signed rookie forward Robert Woodard II.

During the 2020 NBA Draft, Sacramento acquired the draft rights to Woodard II with the 40th selection from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to forward Xavier Tillman Sr. with the 35th selection.

As a sophomore at Mississippi State, the Columbus, Miss. native averaged 11.4 points (.495 FG%, .429 3pt%, .641 FT%), 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 33.1 minutes per game in 31 games (all starts) during the 2019-20 season. Woodard II led the Bulldogs in steals (35) and was one of three Power 5 players to accrue averages of more than 10.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks.

He also registered double figures in scoring for 19 games, ranking third on the team.

In high school, the four-star recruit and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year was the state of Mississippi’s top prospect for the Class of 2018.

Woodard will wear No. 13 for the Kings.

Mavericks re-sign guard Trey Burke

The Dallas Mavericks have re-signed guard Trey Burke.

Per multiple reports, Burke’s contract with the Mavs is a three-year, $10 million deal.

Burke (6-0, 185) returned for his second stint with the Mavs in 2019-20 after signing as a substitute player on July 1, 2020, prior to the league’s restart at the Disney bubble in Orlando. Burke stepped up in the bubble, playing in all eight (one start) of the team’s seeding games, averaging 12.0 points, 3.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 23.9 minutes per game.

Burke also appeared in all six (three starts) of Dallas’ first round playoff games against the L.A. Clippers, averaging 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 26.0 minutes.

Per the Dallas Morning News, “Burke was late to join the Mavericks in the bubble because he tested positive for COVID-19 just after signing his temporary contract this summer and had to quarantine for 25 days in a Dallas hotel.”

The seven-year veteran holds career averages of 10.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 23.0 minutes in 394 games (129 starts) with Utah, Washington, New York, Dallas and Philadelphia. He has compiled averages of 10.3 points, 2.9 assists and 19.0 minutes in 33 regular season games (two starts) with the Mavericks.

Burke was originally acquired by the Mavericks in the seven-player trade that brought Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee to Dallas on Jan. 31, 2019. After playing in 25 games for Dallas over the second half of the 2018-19 season, Burke signed with Philadelphia as a free agent on July 30, 2019. He appeared in 25 games for the Sixers in 2019-20, before being waived on Feb. 6 and subsequently signing with Dallas.

Burke was an early entry candidate for the 2013 NBA Draft after his sophomore season at Michigan. He was selected ninth overall by Minnesota before having his draft rights traded to Utah for the 14th and 21st picks.

The Columbus, Ohio, native was named the National College Player of the Year, a consensus First Team All-American and the Bob Cousy Award winner as a sophomore while helping the Wolverines reach the national championship game in 2013.

After wearing No. 23 with Dallas in 2018-19 and No. 32 for the Mavericks in the bubble, Burke will don No. 3 for the club in 2020-21.

Mavericks re-sign Jose Juan Barea

Once again, Jose Juan Barea is back on the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavs re-signed 5-foot-10, 180-pound Barea today. The guard has now spent 11 of his 14 NBA seasons with Dallas.

Barea’s NBA career average is 8.9 points, 3.9 assists and 19.6 minutes in 831 games (107 starts) with Dallas and Minnesota.

In 50 playoff games (11 starts) for Dallas, Barea averages 7.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 19.7 minutes. The point guard helped the Mavericks to their first NBA title in 2011, appearing in 21 games throughout the run.

Among Mavs franchise leaders, Barea ranks fifth in games (637), seventh in 3-pointers made (596) and eighth in assists (2,441).

A native of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Barea went undrafted in 2006, and was signed by Dallas as a rookie free agent on Aug. 17, 2006.

Barea attended Northeastern University where, as a senior, he averaged 21.0 points, 8.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds for the Huskies.

Rockets bring back Gerald Green

The Houston Rockets today signed free agent guard/forward Gerald Green.

Green’s contract is reportedly just a non-guaranteed, one-year deal.

Green (6-6, 205) suffered a left foot injury in a preseason game for the Rockets on Oct. 10, 2019 and did not appear in a game last season prior to being acquired via trade by Denver on Feb. 5, 2020.

From the time Green previously signed with Houston on Dec. 28, 2017 through the end of the 2018-19 season, he had the most 3-pointers made (255) of any reserve in the NBA. Over that span, he appeared in 114 games for the Rockets while averaging 10.3 points and 2.3 3-pointers made in 21.1 minutes per game.

Dating back to 2011-12, Green is one of six players with at least 450 games played to have averaged at least 10.0 points in fewer than 22.0 minutes per game. The Houston native was originally the 18th overall pick by Boston in the 2005 NBA Draft.

Hornets sign rookie center Vernon Carey Jr.

The Charlotte Hornets have signed center Vernon Carey Jr.

Drafted by the Hornets with the 32nd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the 6-10 Carey played one season at Duke, where he was named USBWA Freshman of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year, while earning Consensus All-American Second Team, All-ACC First Team and ACC All-Freshman Team honors. Carey averaged 17.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.0 assists in 24.9 minutes per game, while shooting .577 from the field, including .381 from three-point range. The Miami, Florida, native led the ACC in field goal percentage and ranked third in scoring, fourth in rebounding and sixth in blocks, making him the only player in the conference to rank in the top 10 in each of those categories.

Rockets hire John Lucas, Jeff Hornacek, Will Weaver, Rick Higgins, and DeSagana Diop as assistant coaches

The Houston Rockets today announced John Lucas, Jeff Hornacek, Will Weaver, Rick Higgins, and DeSagana Diop [sa-GAH-na JOP] will join head coach Stephen Silas’ staff as assistant coaches.

Lucas, who was the first overall pick by Houston in the 1976 NBA Draft, re-joined the Rockets organization as their Director of Player Development prior to the 2016-17 season. He was head coach of San Antonio and Philadelphia for stretches during the 1990’s and for Cleveland in 2001-02 and 2002-03. Lucas is widely respected throughout the sports community for his ability as a mentor and has helped numerous athletes develop professionally and personally.

Hornacek was a key member of the Utah Jazz during the mid-to-late 1990’s and for his career, shot 49.6% from the floor, 40.3% from 3-point range, and 87.7% from the foul line. He joined the Jazz as a shooting coach in 2007 and became an assistant coach in 2010-11. Hornacek was head coach of Phoenix for two and a half seasons from 2013-16 and for two seasons with New York from 2016-18. Rockets forward P.J. Tucker played for Hornacek during his time with the Suns.

Weaver joins the Rockets after guiding the Sydney Kings of the NBL in Australia to the best record in the league and the championship game in his first season as head coach. In 2018-19, he was named NBA G League Coach of the Year after leading the Long Island Nets to the championship game. Weaver began his NBA career as the video coordinator for Philadelphia in 2013-14 before transitioning to the role of special assistant to the head coach for two seasons, followed by two seasons in that capacity for Brooklyn.

Higgins spent the past two seasons with Orlando as associate coach/player development. Prior to joining the Magic, he was with Charlotte for eight seasons, serving as a basketball operations assistant, video scout and coaching associate/video coordinator. Higgins played collegiately for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His father, Rod, played in the NBA for 13 seasons and is currently the vice president of basketball operations for the Atlanta Hawks.

Diop was the eighth overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft and was a starter for Dallas during its run to the Finals in 2006. Following a 12-season career, he joined the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League as a player development coach in 2014-15 before being promoted to assistant coach the following season. Diop spent the past four seasons as a coaching associate on Quin Snyder’s staff in Utah.

Hornets re-sign center Bismack Biyombo

The Charlotte Hornets have re-signed center Bismack Biyombo.

The Hornets originally acquired Biyombo in a three-team trade with the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls on July 8, 2018.

According to the Charlotte Observer, Biyombo “will provide needed depth at the position, and increased his role as a mentor to some of the team’s young players last season.”

Biyombo, listed at 6-foot-9, appeared in 53 games, including 29 starts, during the 2019-20 season for Charlotte. He averaged a career-high 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocked shots in 19.4 minutes per game. Biyombo recorded double-digit scoring 22 times last season, including eight double-doubles.

The ninth-year veteran first began his NBA career with the Hornets after being selected by Sacramento in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft and sent to Charlotte in a draft night trade. Biyombo has appeared in 636 career NBA regular season games (271 starts) with Charlotte, the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic, averaging 5.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 20.2 minutes per game, while shooting .520 (1232-2367) from the floor. He has also played in 23 career NBA playoff contests (11 starts), averaging 5.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 24.1 minutes per game.

Biyombo, who played for Charlotte from 2011-14 and 2018 to present, stands third in Hornets history in career blocks (533), fifth in career offensive rebounds (772) and ninth in total rebounds (2,278).

Facundo Campazzo signs with Nuggets in the NBA

The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Facundo Campazzo to a multiyear contract.

Campazzo, 5-11, 194, most recently appeared in 20 games (16 starts) for Real Madrid of the Spanish Liga ACB in 2020, averaging 10.2 points, 5.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 41.0% from the field in 24.1 minutes per game. The 29-year-old is a two-time Euroleague Champion (2015, 2018) and a three-time Liga ACB winner (2015, 2018, 2019) while also winning the Liga ACB finals MVP in 2019.

According to the Denver Post, “despite his 5-foot-11 frame, Campazzo’s a gifted passer known for his flash and creativity. The Argentinian guard has been with Real Madrid since 2014, where he was once teammates with Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic.”

The native of Cordoba, Argentina went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft and signed with Real Madrid in 2014. Over five seasons he appeared in 270 games (175 starts), averaging 8.6 points, 4.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 41.9% from the field in 21.2 minutes. Campazzo has played in 63 games for the Argentine national team including eight games in the 2012 London Olympics and led them to a silver medal at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

More from the Post: “He’ll likely share backup point guard duties with Nuggets reserve Monte Morris, who’s made himself a vital part of the rotation.”