Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Grizzlies sign MarShon Brooks to a 10-day contract, and waive Brice Johnson

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced the team signed guard MarShon Brooks to a 10-day contract. In addition, the team waived forward Brice Johnson.

Brooks (6-5, 200) recently completed his third season with the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association. The 29-year-old started 28 of his 36 games and averaged 36.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.00 steals in 37.6 minutes while shooting 51.0 percent from the field, 40.7 percent from three-point range and 80.7 percent from the free throw line in leading the Dragons to a 26-12 regular season record. He has averaged at least 35 points per game in all three of his seasons with the Dragons.

Selected with the 25th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft following a four-year collegiate career at Providence, Brooks has appeared in 164 regular season games (49 starts) during his three-year NBA career and has averaged 7.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 17.5 minutes for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets (2011-13), Los Angeles Lakers (2013-14), Boston Celtics (2013-14) and Golden State Warriors (2013-14). He was named to the 2011-12 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

The Long Branch, New Jersey native also has played in the NBA G League for the Maine Red Claws (2013-14) and Santa Cruz Warriors (2013-14) and internationally for Emporio Armani Milano (2014-15) in the Italian Lega Basket Serie A.

Johnson (6-10, 230) has appeared in 21 games as a reserve during his two-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies and has averaged 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 5.1 minutes. The 23-year-old University of North Carolina product made nine appearances off the bench for the Grizzlies after he was acquired from the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 8.

Bulls waive Jaylen Johnson, sign CJ Fair

The Chicago Bulls signed forward CJ Fair today. And in a related move, prior to signing Fair the Bulls waived forward Jaylen Johnson.

This season, Fair (6-8, 218) appeared in 47 G League games (25 starts), splitting time between the Windy City Bulls and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. On the year, he averaged 10.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.4 minutes per game.

Hawks sign Damion Lee to second 10-day contract

The Atlanta Hawks signed guard Damion Lee to a second 10-day contract today.

Lee has appeared in five games (two starts) with the Hawks, averaging 10.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 23.7 minutes (.447 FG%, .375 3FG%, .800 FT%).

He’s also played in 38 games this season (13 starts) with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League, putting up 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 steals in 29.7 minutes (.454 FG%, .915 FT%).

Grizzlies sign Marquis Teague to 10-day contract

The Memphis Grizzlies signed guard Marquis Teague to a 10-day contract today. The move is a “Call-Up” from the NBA G League’s Memphis Hustle.

Teague (6-2, 180) started in all 47 of his games with the Hustle this season and averaged 17.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 32.5 minutes while shooting 45.5 percent from the field, 42.7 percent from three-point range and 78.2 percent from the free throw line. He has led the Hustle in total points, total assists and free throws made and attempted during the team’s inaugural season in the G League. In the month of March, Teague averaged 22.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 34.7 minutes for the Hustle.

Selected in the first round (29th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft following his freshman year at the University of Kentucky, Teague has appeared in 88 regular season games (three starts) during his two-year NBA career and has averaged 2.3 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 9.5 minutes for the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. The 25-year-old has appeared in 161 G League games (125 starts) and has averaged 15.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 30.8 minutes for the Iowa Energy, Oklahoma City Blue, Fort Wayne Mad Ants and Memphis Hustle.

The Indianapolis, Indiana native also has played internationally for Ironi Nahariya in Israel (2016) and BC Avtodor Saratov in Russia (2016-17).

Bulls sign Jaylen Johnson

The NBA season is winding down, but teams are still adding to their benches. Even teams that won’t be in the playoffs.

Today, the Chicago Bulls signed forward Jaylen Johnson.

Johnson (6-9, 230) has played in 49 games (37 starts) this season for the Windy City Bulls. He holds G League averages of 11.7 points, 7.6 boards and 2.9 assists in 29.0 minutes per game.

Kyrie Irving out 3-6 weeks after knee procedure

Here’s what the Boston Celtics say about Kyrie Irving’s knee procedure:

Celtics guard Kyrie Irving today underwent a minimally-invasive procedure to remove a tension wire in his left knee. The wire was originally placed as part of the surgical repair of a fractured patella sustained during the 2015 NBA Finals. While removal of the wire should relieve irritation it was causing in Irving’s patellar tendon, the fractured patella has fully healed and Irving’s knee has been found to be completely structurally sound. Irving is expected to return to basketball activities in 3-6 weeks.

Lakers sign Travis Wear for rest of season

The Lakers signed forward Travis Wear for the remainder of the season today.

Wear has averaged 4.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 12.1 minutes in 10 games since signing the first of two 10-day contracts with the Lakers on March 2. Initially called up from the South Bay Lakers, the Huntington Beach native is shooting 40.0 percent from three-point range.

The Lakers roster stands at 16, including two two-way players.

Bulls guard Antonio Blakeney will miss remainder of season

Bulls guard Antonio Blakeney underwent an MRI today on his left wrist, followed by an examination by the team’s hand specialist, Dr. John Fernandez. Initially diagnosed with a left wrist sprain, the MRI confirmed that he sustained a non-displaced scaphoid fracture in his left wrist. As a result of the injury, Blakeney will miss the remainder of the season.

Blakeney incurred the injury in Chicago’s game at New York on Monday night. A two-way player who split time this season between the Bulls and the Windy City Bulls, Blakeney saw action in 19 games with Chicago and averaged 7.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.5 minutes.

Mavericks sign Aaron Harrison to 10-day contract

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Aaron Harrison to a 10-day contract.

Harrison (6-6, 210) went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft and joined the Charlotte Hornets at the Orlando Pro Summer League. The Hornets signed him to a mulit-year contract on July 14, 2015. In two seasons with Charlotte, Harrison saw action in 26 games and averaged 0.7 points and 0.7 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per contest. He was waived by the Hornets on January 3, 2017.

This season, Harrison is averaging 18.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 26.9 minutes in 41 games while shooting .437 from the floor, .425 from behind-the- arc and .839 from the foul line with the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G-League. On Saturday, the shooting guard registered a 45-point effort in the Bighorns loss to the Oklahoma City Blue. In that game, Harrison knocked down 8 three-pointers while also collecting 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.

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. As a senior at Fort Bend Travis High School, Harrison and his twin brother, Andrew, were both named McDonald’s All-Americans. Andrew currently plays for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Harrison will wear number 9 for the Mavericks.

Dwight Howard suspended due to techs

Charlotte Hornets center Dwight Howard has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2017-18 season, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game.

Howard received his most recent technical foul with 10:48 remaining in the third quarter of the Hornets’ 111-105 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on March 21 at Barclays Center. Howard will serve his suspension March 22 when the Hornets play host to the Memphis Grizzlies at Spectrum Center.