Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Sixers win 10th game in a row

The Sixers overcome a second hit to the starting lineup Sunday to pull off a 119-102 victory over the Hornets, extending their winning streak to 10 games and improving to 46-30.

The Sixers have not won 10 straight since the beginning of the 2000-01 season.

“The spirit of the group has been excellent,” Brett Brown said. “We are playing good basketball, and I am sure because of all of that, it is all interconnected. Our 10 wins have those types of qualities.”

Daric Saric joined Joel Embiid on the injury list after being sidelined by a sore right elbow (see story). He actually suffered the injury Wednesday, the same game in which Embiid was hurt (orbital fracture, concussion), but played Friday.

— NBC Sports Philly

Mavericks sign Aaron Harrison for remainder of season

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Aaron Harrison for the remainder of the season.

Harrison (6-6, 210) has appeared in four games (one start) for Dallas this season and is averaging 4.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 20.3 minutes per game. He originally signed a 10-day contract with the Mavericks on March 22.

Before signing with the Mavericks, Harrison was competing for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League. In 41 games (17 starts) for Reno in 2017-18, he averaged 18.7 points (.437 FG, .425 3FG, .839 FT), 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steal in 26.9 minutes per game. He had had a 45-point effort against the Oklahoma City Blue on March 17.

After going undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, Harrison signed with the Charlotte Hornets as a rookie free agent. He appeared in 26 games for Charlotte over the span of two seasons from 2015-17. Harrison also competed for five different G-League teams (Oklahoma City Blue, Erie BayHawks, Greensboro Swarm, Delaware 87ers, Reno Bighorns) over a span of three years from 2015-18.

The Richmond, Texas native was a two-year player at Kentucky and helped lead the Wildcats to back-to-back Final Four appearances. He played 79 games (78 starts) as a Wildcat and had career collegiate averages of 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 29.2 minutes per contest.

Bucks sign Brandon Jennings

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard Brandon Jennings to a multi-year contract.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Jennings’ new deal keeps him with the Bucks on a guaranteed contract for the remainder of this season, including being eligible for the playoffs. His contract for next season is unguaranteed, though that allows him to stick with the team during the summer, into training camp and potentially into next season. “I think it’s just all the hard work that I put in when I was in China, getting myself back healthy and getting my (mentality) right,” Jennings said of being in this situation after starting the season in China. “Just to be back in a Bucks uniform and going to the playoffs in a Bucks uniform is definitely special.”

In 10 games for the Bucks this season, Jennings is averaging 5.5 points, 3.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per contest. He signed his first 10-day contract on March 11 and a second 10-day contract on March 21.

Sacramento Kings sign Nigel Hayes

The Sacramento Kings on Saturday signed forward Nigel Hayes.

The 6-foot-8 Hayes averaged 15.0 points (.442 FG%, .423 3pt%, .722 FT%), 6.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 34.0 minutes per outing in 43 games (35 starts) this season in the G League, playing for the Westchester Knicks and Raptors 905. He also appeared in two NBA games, for both the L.A. Lakers and Raptors, totaling nine points (3-5 FG, 2-4 3pt, 1-1 FT) and two assists.

The Wisconsin standout finished his collegiate career ranked third on the school’s all-time scoring list (1,857) and remains the only Badger in program annals with top-10 statistics in points, rebounds (802) and assists (309). His tenure included Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year accolades as a freshman (2014), First-Team All-Big Ten honors as junior (2016) and Third Team All-Big Ten nods following his sophomore and senior campaigns (2015 & 2017) while averaging 12.4 points (.446 FG%, .332 3pt%, .666 FT%), 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 29.6 minutes per contest in 150 games (112 starts). A durable player, Hayes did not miss a game in his college career, a streak that featured 113 straight starts from 2014-17 (including 35 during Wisconsin’s 2014-15 run to the national championship game).

Klay Thompson set to return for Warriors

Warriors guard Klay Thompson is expected to return Saturday night at Sacramento from a fractured right thumb that has sidelined him more than two weeks.

“He just went through shoot-around fine,” Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said. “We’ll see how he goes tonight, but I’m assuming he’ll play.”

Thompson fractured his thumb during the second quarter of the Warriors’ March 11 loss to Minnesota, but continued to play, finishing with 21 points on 8-for-22 shooting and four turnovers in 40 minutes. He was initially ruled out for at least four games, though Kerr conceded at the time that Thompson was “probably looking at (missing) a couple weeks.”

— SF Chronicle

George Hill out with ankle sprain

Cavaliers point guard George Hill will miss Sunday’s home game against the Dallas Mavericks after an MRI Saturday confirmed he suffered a sprained left ankle in Friday’s home victory over the Pelicans.

The Cavs gave no timetable for Hill’s return.

On Sunday, the Cavs will also be without shooting guard Kyle Korver, who continues to receive treatment on his sore right foot. Korver has not played since March 19, leaving the team as his 27-year-old brother Kirk passed away on March 20.

— Akron Beacon Journal

Rockets sign Tim Quarterman for rest of season, waive Le`Bryan Nash

The Houston Rockets have signed free agent guard Tim Quarterman for the remainder of the season.

In a related move, the Rockets have released forward Le’Bryan Nash.

Quarterman (6-6, 190) was called-up from the NBA G League’s Agua Caliente Clippers. In 11 games with five starts, he averaged 8.9 points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals.

As a rookie with Portland last season, Quarterman appeared in 16 games and recorded career-highs of 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in the Blazers season finale vs. New Orleans on April 12, 2017. He also averaged 11.2 points, 7.1 assists, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 22 games played while on assignment in the G League.

Quarterman will wear #55 for the Rockets.

Joel Embiid needs surgery to repair orbital fracture

After suffering an injury at the 11:50 mark of 2nd quarter of last night’s game against New York, Joel Embiid was initially evaluated in the locker room and later taken to Jefferson Hospital for further evaluation and testing. Immediately following the injury, Embiid was assessed for a concussion, was asymptomatic at that time, and passed the NBA’s locker room concussion assessment tool.

However, he later began experiencing symptoms, has since been diagnosed with a concussion, and has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol. Embiid also underwent a CT scan, which revealed an orbital fracture of his left eye.

Surgery will be performed in the coming days to address the orbital fracture, and further updates will be provided as appropriate.

Magic sign Rodney Purvis for remainder of season

The Orlando Magic have signed guard Rodney Purvis for the remainder of the 2017-18 regular season, the team announced yesterday.

Purvis (6’4”, 205, 2/14/94) has played in six games with Orlando, averaging 6.3 ppg. in 13.7 minpg. He has led (or tied) the team in scoring once and netted a career-high 19 points on Mar. 22 vs. Philadelphia. Purvis appeared and started in 39 games this season for the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s NBA G League affiliate, averaging 20.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg., 3.4 apg. and 1.38 stlpg. in 38.1 minpg. He finished the season second in the NBA G League in minutes played and tied for fifth in scoring. Purvis led (or tied) the team in scoring 17 times and in assists 10 times. He scored 30+ points four times, including a season-high 40 points on Dec. 21 @ Westchester.

Purvis was selected to participate in the USA World Cup Qualifying Team training camp Feb. 15-20 and the G League International Challenge on Feb 18. After camp, Purvis was then selected to the 12-man team for the USA’s World Cup Qualifying first round, second-window games, including Cuba on Feb. 23 and Puerto Rico on Feb. 26 in Santa Cruz, Calif., where he averaged 13 ppg. in 23.0 minpg., while shooting 50 percent from the field. The FIBA World Cup Qualifying games are being used to qualify 31 of the 32 nations that will compete in the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Purvis played in 137 career games (100 starts) during four years at both North Carolina State (2012-13) and the University of Connecticut (2014-17), averaging 11.6 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and 1.8 apg. in 29.1 minpg. Last season, he appeared in 33 games (32 starts), averaging 13.8 ppg., 4.2 rpg., 2.5 apg. and 1.03 stlpg. in 36.9 minpg. As a sophomore (2014-15), Purvis led the Huskies in scoring during the postseason, averaging 17.8 ppg., and was named to the 2015 American Athletic Conference’s All-Tournament Team.

Jazz sign David Stockton to second 10-day contract

The Utah Jazz have signed guard David Stockton to a second 10-day contract.

Stockton has appeared in one game for the Jazz this season, tallying two points in three minutes at Golden State on March 25.

Prior to signing two 10-day contracts with the Jazz, Stockton played for the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, where he appeared in 39 games (15 starts), averaging 16.3 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 28.2 minutes per game this season. He was also selected to the official 12-member 2017 USA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team, coached by Jeff Van Gundy, where he saw action in two wins against Cuba and Puerto Rico, owning averages of 8.5 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 18.4 minutes per game.

The Spokane, Wash., native has additional NBA experience, signing a 10-day contract with the Kings on Feb. 20, 2015, and then to a multi-year contract by Sacramento on April 12, 2015. During his stint with the team, he saw action in three contests with averages of 2.7 points and 3.0 assists in 11.0 minutes.

Stockton has played in the NBA G League the past four seasons with the Reno Bighorns (2014-18), having averaged 18.0 points, 7.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 142 career games (106 starts). He was named to the 2015 All NBA D-League Rookie Second Team following his first professional season.

He has also competed internationally, having played with the New Zealand Breakers of Australia’s National Basketball League (2016-17), appearing in 10 games (six starts), averaging 8.3 points, 5.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds and Cedevita Zagreb of the Croatian ABA League (2016), where he averaged 13.8 points, 6.0 assists, 2.8 boards and 2.3 steals in league play.

Stockton was a four-year collegiate player at Gonzaga, appearing in 138 career games (39 starts), posting averages of 4.8 points, 3.1 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 19.9 minutes per game. In his senior season, he averaged 7.4 points, 4.2 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 27.8 minutes per game. He helped Gonzaga to four-straight NCAA Tournaments and earned 2014 All-WCC Tournament Team honors, helping the squad to a 2014 WCC Tournament Championship.