Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Rockets sign Jeff Green to 10-day contract

The Houston Rockets yesterday signed veteran free agent forward Jeff Green to a 10-day contract.

The team will reportedly also soon add small forward DeMarre Carroll, once he clears waivers.

The 6-foot-8, 237-pound Green, now in his 12th NBA season, has played in 890 games with 543 starts, averaging 13.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 29.6 minutes per game.

This season, he played limited minutes for the Utah Jazz.

Last season, in 77 games with 44 starts for the Wizards, Green averaged 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 3-pointers made in 27.2 minutes per game.

Per the Houston Chronicle:

Green, 33, also fits in the Rockets’ recent history of late-season veteran additions, moves that have brought in Michael Beasley and Joe Johnson and generated mixed results. On Thursday, they are expected to sign veteran forward DeMarre Carroll when he clears waivers, according to two individuals with knowledge of the team’s plans.

Even if Green replaces Sefolosha as the backup center, that would still give the Rockets 10 players in the rotation, assuming coach Mike D’Antoni looks at Carroll down the stretch, too. That would seem to be more than he would play in the postseason, making the final eight weeks of the season valuable to experiment.

The Rockets are 34-20 this season, which is the 5th best record in the Western conference.

The team recently traded the only center who played real minutes, Clint Capela, and didn’t replace him with a similar player. Smallball or bust, apparently.

Pistons waive Reggie Jackson, as part of buyout agreement

The Detroit Pistons and Reggie Jackson have agreed to part ways, completing a buyout agreement today. The Pistons therefore waive Jackson.

The Pistons originally acquired Jackson in a February, 2015 trade with the Thunder. As a Pistons, Jackson averaged 16.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, shooting .425 from the field and .354 from three-point range in 299 games (293 starts).

According to the Detroit Free Press, Jackson “was in the final year of a five-year, $80 million deal signed in 2015, and making $18 million this season.”

Jackson has spent much of this season limited due to injury, and has already missed 43 games in 2019-20.

Jackson’s career high in scoring with Detroit was 40 points, in a November, 2015 game against the Trail Blazers.

The Detroit News had this to say: “After Drummond was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jackson was one of the last vestiges of the Van Gundy era; the only remaining players from that group are Luke Kennard — who becomes the longest-tenured Pistons player — Blake Griffin and Langston Galloway. Galloway is in the final year of his contract and Kennard was rumored to be in trade talks before the deadline.”

Assuming he clears waivers, the veteran guard, per multiple reports, is expected to sign with the Clippers.

Spurs waive veteran forward DeMarre Carroll

The San Antonio Spurs waived forward DeMarre Carroll today, as the two sides came together in a buyout agreement.

In his one season with the Spurs, Carroll barely played, averaging 2.2 points and 2.1 rebounds and 9.0 minutes in 15 games played.

Here’s the San Antonio Express News:

Signed by the Spurs in free agency last summer to a three-year deal worth almost $21 million, Carroll has played in just 15 of the team’s 54 games and not at all since logging two minutes in a Jan. 8 win at Boston. He has been inactive for the last 15 straight contests and was not with the team Feb. 2 when it embarked on the first portion of the eight-game rodeo trip.

“I don’t know what went wrong, what happened,” Carroll said. “I felt like San Antonio was going to be a great place for me, for my talents, but it didn’t work out.”

And in another Express News report:

Under the contract Carroll signed with the Spurs in July, he was due a guaranteed $8 million after this season.

It is a rare step for a team to buy out a player with that much guaranteed money remaining on his deal. Most buyout deals — like Pau Gasol’s last year with the Spurs — tend to happen in the final year of a player’s contract.

Per multiple reports, Carroll is expected to sign with the Rockets.

The Spurs roster now stands at 16.

Celtics will retire Kevin Garnett’s jersey

The Boston Celtics announced tonight that Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Nominee and 2007-08 NBA Champion Kevin Garnett’s number 5 will be retired, joining other Celtics legends to receive the team’s ultimate honor. Garnett’s number will be elevated to the TD Garden rafters during the 2020-21 season.

“I’m honored and thankful to have my number retired with the Celtics,” said Garnett. “I will always have immense respect and appreciation for ownership, Danny Ainge, Doc Rivers, my past teammates and Celtic Nation!”

“From the moment he arrived in the summer of 2007, Kevin changed everything for us,” said Wyc Grousbeck, Celtics Co-Owner. “His complete commitment to winning was a decisive factor in our 2008 championship. He will always be one of my very favorite Celtics.”

“KG arrived in Boston as a quintessential Celtic who embraced the ‘team first’ ethic and brought a competitive fire,” said Steve Pagliuca, Celtics Co-Owner. “We will be forever grateful for his extraordinary contribution to bringing the 17th championship banner to Boston, and we will always remember him as a leader on and off the court. He was the true embodiment of Celtics pride.”

“Kevin gave everything he had to the Celtics in every practice, in every game, and his unique blend of energy, intelligence, and talent brought out the best in his teammates and coaches,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations.

Dame D.O.L.L.A. still expected to perform at 2020 NBA All-Star

Damian Lillard won’t be playing in the 2020 NBA All-Star game or firing threes in the three-point contest, due to injury. Suns guard Devin Booker has replaced him in both events.

But his alter ego, Dame D.O.L.L.A., is still likely snatching the mic and spitting lyrics. Here’s NBC Sports Northwest reporting:

For the past three summers, Dame D.O.L.L.A. has released an album each offseason: The Letter O, Confirmed, and BIG D.O.L.L.A. He has also released three singles: “Bigger than Us,” “Run It Up” feat. Lil Wayne and “Shot Clock.”

It won’t be his first time performing live since Dame D.O.L.L.A. put on a concert in 2016 for Rip City.   

It’ll be fun to see what Dame can do live on a big stage with a mic instead of a basketball.

TNT to Air 2020 NBA All-Star Game’s Untimed 4th Quarter Commercial-Free

For the first time, TNT’s exclusive presentation of the 69th edition of the NBA All-Star Game 2020 presented by Kia will include commercial-free coverage coinciding with the NBA’s newly formatted, untimed fourth quarter on Sunday, Feb. 16.

The NBA announced a number of changes to this year’s NBA All-Star Game, which airs live at 8 p.m. ET, including a new fourth quarter format that will honor the late Kobe Bryant, who earned 18 NBA All-Star selections and a record-tying four NBA All-Star Game MVP awards.

Additional special elements during TNT’s NBA All-Star Game presentation will include a Los Angeles Lakers-themed tribute to Bryant within the virtual shot clock – displaying a combination of gold and purple accents at 24 seconds and eight seconds remaining on the clock during the fourth quarter, representing Bryant’s jersey numbers.

“Presenting the fourth quarter completely free of any commercial breaks creates a unique opportunity to showcase the new All-Star Game format, provide the best fan experience, and align with the league’s overarching plans to pay tribute to Kobe Bryant this weekend,” said Craig Barry, EVP and Chief Content Officer, Turner Sports.

On Sunday, Team Giannis and Team LeBron will compete to win each of the first three quarters, all of which will start with the score of 0-0 and will be 12 minutes long. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the game clock will be turned off and a Final Target Score will be set.

There are 19 international players participating in NBA All-Star 2020

A record 19 international players from 15 countries will participate in NBA All-Star 2020, which will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages on their televisions, computers, mobile phones and tablets. This includes NBA Rising Stars on Friday, Feb. 14 at 9 p.m. ET, All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. ET, the 69th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET, as well as behind-the-scenes coverage and interviews throughout the week.

Among the record eight international NBA All-Stars, a record four international players were voted NBA All-Star Game starters: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011) and Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012). Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz; France), Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia), Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers; Lithuania) and Ben Simmons (76ers; Australia) round out the record eight international NBA All-Stars.

Heat sign Gabe Vincent, waive Daryl Macon

The Miami Heat today signed guard Gabe Vincent to a two-way contract, and waived guard Daryl Macon.

Vincent, who was originally signed by the Sacramento Kings on October 3, 2018, has spent the last two seasons with their G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings. He has appeared in 20 games (three starts) this season with Stockton averaging 23.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.30 steals and 31.8 minutes while shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from three-point range and 89.7 percent from the foul line. He helped lead Stockton to a 13-8 record, which was third-best in the Western Conference, while leading the team in scoring average, points, field goals made, three-point field goals made and plus/minus. He played all four years at UC Santa Barbara, appearing in 113 collegiate games (105 starts), finishing as the school’s all-time leader in three-point field goals made (243) and among the Top 10 in points (1,441) and assists (116).

Macon appeared in 17 games (15 starts) this season with the HEAT’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaging 19.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 31.4 minutes. Additionally, Macon appeared in four games with Miami this season totaling three points and an assist in 14:06 minutes of action.

Blazers’ Skal Labissiere out with knee injury

Trail Blazers forward/center Skal Labissiere has a left knee articular cartilage lesion, the results from a second MRI have confirmed.

The injury occurred at the 10:20 mark of the first quarter of Portland’s game vs. the L.A. Lakers on December 28.

Labissiere will continue his rehabilitation protocol and be re-evaluated in four weeks.

In 33 games (one start) this season, Labissiere is averaging 5.8 points (55.1% FG, 23.1% 3-PT, 75.8% FT), 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.94 blocks. He has scored in double figures eight times and recorded one double-double.

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo plans to return on January 29

Indiana Pacers star shooting guard Victor Oladipo plans to return to action on Wednesday, January 29 for the team’s home game against the Chicago Bulls.

The news came in the form of a video from Oladipo himself that the team shared on social media.

Oladipo’s hasn’t played since January 23, 2019, in a Pacers win against the Raptors. He played 10 minutes, scoring four points, before leaving with injury. Just over a year later, he’ll be making his return from an injury that was reportedly a ruptured quadriceps tendon in his right knee.

The Pacers are already having a very good season. They have a 23-14 record, and have gotten terrific play from offseason addition Malcolm Brogdon. Power forward Domantas Sabonis has emerged as a serious force. And T.J. Warren is scoring in very efficient fashion. It’ll be worth seeing how the Pacers play through early to mid February as they adjust to having Oladipo back in the mix.