Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Utah Jazz City Edition uniforms

The Utah Jazz have released their final 2017-18 uniform design today, their “City Edition” uniforms.

The team describes the design as the result of inspiration from the natural beauty and wonders of their home state. And accompanying the new jerseys is a new alternate matching court design.Both the new uniforms and new court design will make their debut on January 30 as the team hosts the Warriors.

“Our family is proud to have the Jazz jersey represent various parts of the state we all love,” said Greg Miller, NBA Board of Governors member for the Utah Jazz. “This year we feature the red rocks and canyon lands of Utah where we have spent so much time as a family.”

The “City Edition” Jazz uniforms are the only ones with the word “UTAH” across the chest. The team says that the color range, including gold and deep burgandy, represent famous rock formations, canyons, vistas, etc. found throughout southern Utah.

Here’s the design:

Mavericks sign Kyle Collinsworth, waive Antonius Cleveland and Jeff Withey

The Dallas Mavericks have signed guard Kyle Collinsworth to a two-way contract.

In a related move, the team today waived guard-forward Antonius Cleveland and center Jeff Withey.

Collinsworth (6-6, 210) has been with the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, for the past two seasons. He has averaged 8.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 30.1 minutes per game in 54 career G League games (34 starts). In 18 games (all starts) for the Legends in 2017-18, he averaged 11.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.7 steals in 35.8 minutes per game.

Not selected in the 2016 NBS draft out of BYU, Collinsworth played for Dallas at the 2016 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He spent the 2016 preseason with the Mavericks before being waived by the team on Oct. 22, 2016.

A native of Provo, Utah, Collinsworth played four years at BYU and averaged 12.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 30.9 minutes per game in 140 games. He was a three-time First Team All-WCC selection (2014-16) and set the NCAA career triple-double record with 12.

As a senior for the Cougars (2015-16), Collinsworth averaged 15.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 2.0 steals and 33.8 minutes per game en route to being named the WCC Player of the Year. The 6-6 point guard also tied the NCAA single-season triple-double record (set by himself in 2014-15) with six.

Collinsworth will wear No. 8 for the Mavericks.

Cleveland (6-6, 195) played in 13 games for Dallas in 2017-18, averaging 0.8 points and 0.8 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game.

Withey (7-0, 230) appeared in 10 games for the Mavericks this season, averaging 1.5 points and 1.0 rebound in 3.9 minutes per game.

The 2017-18 season marks the first year NBA two-way contracts will be implemented. NBA teams are allowed to have up to two players under two-way contracts who will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League and not more than 45 days with their NBA team.

Two-way players are paid a corresponding daily amount based on the number of days they play in each league. Only players with four-or-fewer years of NBA experience are able to sign two-way contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons.

Bulls waive Kay Felder

The Chicago Bulls waived guard Kay Felder today.

Standing just 5-foot-6, the 176-pound underdog played in 14 games for the Bulls, averaging 3.9 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 9.6 minutes. Felder also played in three games in the G League for the Windy City Bulls, averaging 17.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists, shooting 45.2 percent from the field (19-of-42).

The Bulls roster is now at 16 players, including two signed to two-way contracts.

Nets sign Milton Doyle to two-way contract

Nets sign Milton Doyle to two-way contract

The Brooklyn Nets yesterday (Monday) signed guard Milton Doyle to a two-way contract.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Doyle becomes a member of the Nets from the team’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. In the G League this season, he played in 17 games, averaging a team-high 21.3 points plus 5.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 34.7 minutes per outing.

Doyle becomes the third G League to NBA “call-up” in Long Island Nets history, and he’s the first for the team this season.

He played four college basketball seasons (2013-17) at Loyola University Chicago. In 121 career games (98 starts), he recorded averages of 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 30.4 minutes per contest.

NBA TWO-WAY CONTRACTS EXPLANATION

NBA teams are allowed to sign two players to two-way contracts in addition to the 15-man regular season roster. A two-way player for the Nets will provide services primarily to the team’s NBA G League affiliate – the Long Island Nets – but can spend up to 45 days with Brooklyn, not including any time prior to the start of Long Island’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.

Mike Conley injury update

Mike Conley injury update

The Memphis Grizzlies at 9-21 have the third worst record in the NBA through Monday’s games, and they’ll continue to be without their floor leader for the near future.

The team said Monday that point guard Mike Conley is still participating in therapy and treatment to alleviate soreness in his left heel, as he makes progress towards returning to on-court activities.

The team says the next Conley injury status update will be in around two weeks.

Memphis is led in scoring this season by center Marc Gasol (19.1 ppg) and shooting guard Tyreke Evans (18.6 ppg). Conley is third at 17.1 ppg. No one else on the team averages double-digit points per game.

Kristaps Porzingis exits game with knee issue

The Knicks beat the Nets Thursday night in Brooklyn. This despite Kristaps Porzingis exiting early with a knee issue. Here’s what the 7-foot 3-star had to say after the game:

On what’s going on with his knee: “It was one play, when I actually made the pass to the corner to Courtney (Lee), the three. I felt my knee, it just kind of buckled maybe a little bit and I felt a little pain there. So yeah, it’s more just being cautious, a little sharp pain there and that’s it. I honestly don’t have any more information about what is going on
there, but it shouldn’t be – hopefully, it’s not too serious.”

On if the doctors took a look at his knee and where he stands: “I don’t know. I don’t know honestly, we’ll see tonight how I feel and then tomorrow if there’s any
swelling. I think tomorrow it will be much clearer what is going on.”

On what he saw from his team down the stretch to get the win on the road: “It was a fun game. It was a physical game – very physical guys. Ron Baker had two blocks and it was fun to
watch. Our guys just played really hard. We tried to match their intensity. We know they play really hard.
They play with a lot of energy and we try to match them and Courtney was able to make some big plays in
the end and we were able to get the win.”

Luc Mbah a Moute out with dislocated shoulder

The Houston Rockets forward Luc Mbah a Moute suffered a dislocated left shoulder in the second quarter of yesterday’s game against the Hornets.

He will be re-evaluated in around one week.

The Rockets are having a fantastic season. They have the best record in the NBA, and have played fantastic basketball, especially with Chris Paul healthy and in the lineup.

Mirza Teletovic out with lung issue

Bucks forward Mirza Teletovic will be out of action due to pulmonary emboli in both lungs.

The Bucks discovered Teletovic’s condition after he experienced unusual fatigue earlier this week.

Teletovic will undergo a 10-day rest period, then begin a supervised rehabilitation program. More should be known about his possible return date at that time.

The 32-year-old Teletovic has missed the last 16 games, including 10 after successful arthroscopic surgery to fix cartilage in his left knee on Nov. 21.

Teletovic is averaging 7.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 15.9 minutes per game this season, in ten games played. He is shooting 46.7 percent from 3-point range.

Suns sign Isaiah Canaan

A post shared by Isaiah Canaan (@da_future3) on

The Phoenix Suns have received an injury hardship exemption by the NBA, and the team today announced they’re using it to sign guard Isaiah Canaan.

Canaan (6-0, 200-pounds) is in his fifth NBA season.

This NBA season, he appeared in one game for the Rockets.

For his NBA career, Canaan is avearging 8.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 20.2 minutes over 186 games (60 starts). He’s played for Houston (2013-15; 2017), Philadelphia (2015-16) and Chicago (2016-17).

Canaan played some real postseason minutes as a member of the Bulls. In three playoff games for Chicago, he averaged 11.7 points on 50.0 percent shooting.

He’s the 4th G League to NBA “Call-up” of the season.

Drafted 34th overall by Houston in the 2013 NBA Draft, Canaan had an excellent college basketball career at Murray State University.

Canaan will wear uniform No. 2.

The Suns roster now stands at 18 players.

Cody Zeller out after knee surgery

Cody Zeller out after knee surgery

Hornets center Cody Zeller had arthroscopic surgery in his left knee today. The team didn’t estimate a return date for him, so for now he’ll be listed as Out Indefinitely.

The injury occurred in the third quarter in the team’s December 6 game against the Warriors.

Zeller this season is averaging 7.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game.

Overall during his 298 games with Charlotte, Zeller has averaged 8.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per outing.

The Hornets are just 10-16 this season, which is the 13th best record in the Eastern conference. They were expected to be better than this.

The team is led in scoring by Kemba Walker (22.5 ppg), Dwight Howard (16.0 ppg), Jeremy Lamb (14.8), Frank Kaminsky (10.5 ppg) and Nicolas Batum (10.1 ppg).

The Hornets play the Rockets in Houston Wednesday night.