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Forward Andrew Nicholson’s time on the Trail Blazers was short-lived.
The Blazers waived Nicholson today, president of basketball operations Neil Olshey announced.
Portland acquired Nicholson from the Brooklyn Nets on July 25 in exchange for Allen Crabbe.
The Sixers have signed forward James Michael McAdoo to a two-way contract, and also agreed to terms with guard James Blackmon Jr.
Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to sign two players to two-way contracts in addition to the 15-man NBA regular-season roster. A two-way player for the Sixers will provide services to the team’s G League affiliate – the Delaware 87ers – but can spend up to 45 days with the Sixers, not including any time spent with the Sixers prior to the start of Sevens’ training camp or following the conclusion of the Sevens’ regular season. McAdoo is the first player that the Sixers have signed to a two-way contract.
A three-year pro, McAdoo originally signed with Golden State on Sept. 2, 2014 following three seasons at the University of North Carolina. In 108 NBA games (three starts), he has averaged three points and two rebounds per game. A member of two championship-winning teams with the Warriors, McAdoo has seen action in 26 career playoff games. The 6-foot-9 forward has seen success in the G League as well, being named a 2015 All-Star, selected to the All-Rookie First Team and the All-NBA D-League Second Team as part of the league champion Santa Cruz Warriors.
McAdoo is a relative of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo, who spent the final year of his 14-year career with the Sixers.
Blackmon Jr. played for the Sixers’ Summer League teams in the Utah Jazz Summer League and MGM Resorts NBA Summer League. He appeared in five games (one start) across the two leagues and posted an average of eight points in 16 minutes per game.
A 6-foot-4 guard, Blackmon Jr. played three seasons at Indiana University from 2015-17 and averaged 16 points, five rebounds and two assists per game over 76 contests (75 starts). A 2014 McDonald’s All American, Blackmon Jr. was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team in his first season with the Hoosiers.
The Portland Trail Blazers have announced a contract extension for President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey, taking him through the 2020-21 season.
“Neil has done an excellent job improving our team and getting us into the playoffs. With our young and improving roster, I expect our franchise to keep improving,” said Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen. “Continuity in the front office is important as we continue to grow, and this extension shows the confidence we have in Neil’s leadership.”
“I appreciate the confidence Paul Allen has in myself and the entire Basketball Operations staff,” said Olshey. “I look forward to building on the foundation we have developed and the continued partnership with Bert Kolde, Chris McGowan, Terry Stotts and the entire Trail Blazers organization. On a personal note, I’m very happy for my family as we’ve really embraced Oregon and the incredible spirit of Rip City.”
Promoted to President of Basketball Operations in 2015, Olshey was named the 10th General Manager in franchise history on June 4, 2012, and finished his fifth season at the helm in 2016-17. In his role, Olshey leads the organization’s Basketball Operations, overseeing talent evaluation, player personnel decisions, contract negotiations and salary cap management.
Less than a month after joining the Trail Blazers, Olshey drafted Damian Lillard (sixth overall), the fourth unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year in league history, and Meyers Leonard (11th overall). He then named veteran coach Terry Stotts head coach of the Trail Blazers on August 7, 2012. Olshey also drafted and developed guard CJ McCollum (10th overall in 2013), winner of the 2015-16 NBA Most Improved Player award.
Last season, Olshey made a trade-deadline move to acquire center Jusuf Nurkic and a 2017 first-round draft pick from Denver in exchange for Mason Plumlee and cash considerations on February 13. That move ignited the Trail Blazers’ climb into the NBA Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season – even with the youngest roster in the NBA.
“Knowing Neil will continue to lead Basketball Operations well into the foreseeable future is a great thing for our franchise,” said Trail Blazers President and CEO Chris McGowan. “I am excited to continue our partnership in running this organization on and off the court with the goal of delivering a world-class experience for our fans.”
The Trail Blazers will tip-off the 2017-18 regular season beginning October 18 with road games at Phoenix, Indiana and Milwaukee, before returning to Portland for their home opener versus New Orleans on October 24.
Today, Scotiabank and Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) announced an expanded sponsorship and philanthropic partnership which will see the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors transformed into the Scotiabank Arena in July, 2018.
This 20-year strategic partnership also includes new philanthropic opportunities with the MLSE Foundation, and a digital collaboration between MLSE and the Scotiabank Digital Factory.
“We have always sought new and innovative partnerships with the goal of building strong and enduring communities,” said Brian Porter, Scotiabank’s President and CEO. “Today’s announcement is an extension of Scotiabank’s unwavering love of sports and our commitment to help young people reach their full potential. We believe that MLSE is an ideal partner for Scotiabank to reach our objectives.”
Scotiabank supports more than 8,000 Canadian kids’ community hockey teams. This partnership will enrich that support in the Greater Toronto Area, and will help to expand community hockey programs for youth across the country. “Scotiabank is already a proud supporter of the MLSE Foundation and its LaunchPad program. Today’s announcement builds on our commitment to Canada’s young people,” said Brian Porter.
“For the past 18 years, Air Canada Centre has not only been home to the Maple Leafs and Raptors, it has also hosted hundreds of the most popular concerts and events in the industry, helping contribute to Toronto’s well-deserved reputation as one of the top sports and entertainment destinations in the world,” said Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman of the Board for MLSE. “We are grateful to Scotiabank for their continued support and this expanded partnership as we look ahead to what we expect to be 20 of the most exciting years in Toronto sports and entertainment history.”
“MLSE is proud to operate one of the top venues in sports and entertainment, in a world-renowned city backed by some of the best fans and partners in the industry,” said Michael Friisdahl, President and CEO of MLSE. “This expanded partnership with Scotiabank will not only support our pursuit of championships and delivering a world-class experience for our fans, but it will have a lasting impact on our community.”
As part of the transfer of the arena naming rights in 2018, MLSE and Air Canada have also reached an agreement on a long-term partnership renewal that will see the company continue as the official airline partner of both the Maple Leafs and Raptors.
“As Canada’s flag carrier and North America’s Best Airline as ranked by the Skytrax World Airline Awards, we are proud to continue our partnership with MLSE as the Official Airline of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors,” said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada. “We congratulate MLSE and Scotiabank as they build on the legacy we helped establish in 1999 and look forward to celebrating with fans and customers during our final season as title sponsor of the Air Canada Centre. Air Canada supports professional and amateur sports throughout Canada and our global hub in Toronto connects that city to the world, driving both the economy and communities.”
“MLSE is extremely grateful to Air Canada for their support as a founding partner of the Raptors and Air Canada Centre and we look forward to our continued partnership,” said Tanenbaum.
“Air Canada has been an integral part of the success of this arena and our teams over the past 18 years, and with our renewal agreement, we look forward to continued success with our partnership in the years to come,” said Friisdahl.
Since opening in February, 1999, Air Canada Centre has hosted more than 50 million fans over 3,500 premiere events including the 2016 NBA All Star Weekend, the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and many of the world’s most popular performing artists including U2, Justin Bieber and Drake. As one of the leading sports and entertainment venues in the world, Air Canada Centre was named last year as Canadian Venue of the Year by Canadian Music Week as well as the third busiest concert venue in North America and seventh-ranked facility in the world for concert attendance by Pollstar. The venue capacity is 19,800 for basketball and full-house concerts and 18,800 for hockey.
“We are thrilled that Scotiabank’s name will appear on the side of this iconic building for the next two decades, and are looking forward to all of the historic moments to come,” said Scotiabank’s
Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo announced yesterday that Elton Brand has been named General Manager of the Delaware 87ers, the 76ers’ NBA G League affiliate.
“We are thrilled that Elton has agreed to take on the GM position of the Sevens, a natural next step given both his personal and professional skillset,” Colangelo said. “The transition from a terrific playing career to team management was something that we have been talking about for some time and this opportunity is both timely and appropriate. I look forward to working side-by-side with Elton as we continue to grow and develop our overall basketball program.”
Brand, a 17-year NBA veteran, spent parts of five seasons with the Sixers and appeared in 263 games (222 starts) with the team from 2008-12 and in 2015-16, reaching the postseason twice. For his career, Brand posted averages of 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 74 percent from the free-throw line in 33 minutes per game. He played in 1,058 NBA contests (868) starts with Chicago, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Sixers, Dallas and Atlanta.
“I’m extremely excited to begin a new role as General Manager of the 87ers,” said Brand. “I want to thank Josh Harris, David Blitzer, Bryan Colangelo and staff for the opportunity to develop, cultivate and elevate talent in our program. I look forward to building upon the successes the Sevens have had both on the court and in the community in Delaware.”
A native of Peekskill, New York, the 6-foot-8 forward was originally selected by the Chicago Bulls with the first overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft following two seasons at Duke University. He was named 2000 Co-Rookie of the Year after averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in his debut campaign. In 2005-06, Brand posted a career-high 25 points per game and was selected to one of his two All-Star Games. That season, he helped the Clippers reach the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Brand’s 1,828 career blocks place him 22nd all-time in NBA history.
On Oct. 20, 2016, following training camp with the 76ers, Brand announced his intent to retire from the NBA. Brand rejoined the team on Dec. 6 as a player development consultant, a role that he held until accepting the Sevens General Manager position.
In a related move, the Sevens promoted Matt Lilly to Director of Basketball Operations & Scouting. Lilly spent the past two seasons as Basketball Operations Assistant and Video Coordinator for the Sevens. The Towson University graduate enters his fifth season overall in the NBA G League, including two seasons with the Erie BayHawks from 2012-2014.
The Dallas Mavericks have re-signed center Nerlens Noel.
According to the Dallas Morning News, “restricted free agent center Nerlens Noel has ended a summer-long negotiations stalemate by signing a one-year qualifying offer of $4.1 million to return to Dallas for the 2017-18 season.”
Noel (6-11, 220), who was acquired by the Mavericks from the Philadelphia 76ers in a trade-deadline deal on Feb. 23, averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.1 blocks and 21.9 minutes in 22 games (12 starts) with Dallas last year.
More from the Dallas Morning News: “The Mavericks source confirmed an earlier report by ESPN’s Chris Hayes. Saturday’s news comes less than a week after Noel replaced agent Happy Walters with Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul, who also represents LeBron James. It’s also a bold and risky move by Noel, who could have signed a more lucrative long-term deal with the Mavericks or another franchise before the regular-season begins on Oct. 17.”
For the 2016-17 season, Noel posted averages of 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.3 steals, 1.0 block and 20.5 minutes in 51 games (19 starts) with Philadelphia and Dallas.
The three-year veteran out of Kentucky holds career averages of 10.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.5 blocks and 27.6 minutes in 193 games (152 starts) with the Sixers and the Mavericks. He has shot 51.1 percent from the floor for his career.
A native of Malden, Mass., Noel was originally selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. His rights were later traded to Philadelphia along with a future first-round pick in exchange for Jrue Holiday and Pierre Jackson.
As a rookie in 2014-15, Noel averaged 9.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.9 blocks and 30.8 minutes per game in 75 games (71 starts) while garnering NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.
In his lone season at Kentucky (2012-13), Noel averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 2.1 steals, 4.4 blocks and 31.9 minutes en route to earning First Team All-SEC, SEC Defensive Player of the Year and SEC Rookie of the Year honors. On Jan. 29, 2013, Noel set the UK single-game record with 12 blocked shots in a victory over No. 16 Ole Miss.
Noel suffered a torn ACL in a game against the Florida Gators on Feb. 12, 2013, ending his 2012-13 season. Despite the injury, Noel declared for the 2013 NBA Draft following his freshman year. He missed the entire 2013-14 NBA season recovering from knee surgery.
The 23-year-old was the top-rated player by both ESPNU recruiting and Scout.com coming out of high school and was rated the second-best prospect by Rivals.com
The Mavericks’ 2017-18 training camp roster is now set at 20 players.
The Erie BayHawks, NBA G League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, will hold its only open tryout on Sunday, September 24 at the Georgia State University Sports Arena (125 Decatur Street, Atlanta GA 30303). This will be a one-day tryout and will take place from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Staff members from both the Erie BayHawks and Atlanta Hawks will be on hand to evaluate all participants. Players will be taken through a series of skill work and live scrimmages. Prospects who participate in the open tryout will compete for an invitation to the BayHawks training camp.
There is a non-refundable registration fee of $150 and can be paid by money order or cashier’s check payable to the Erie BayHawks. Pre-registration is highly advised as space is limited and walk-up registrations the day of the event are subject to availability.
For more info, go to www.eriebayhawks.com/player-tryouts-17-18/
The Salt Lake City Stars, the NBA G League affiliate of the Utah Jazz, have finalized their coaching staff for the 2017-18 season. Bryan Bailey and Nathan Peavy will join new head coach Martin Schiller on the bench. Bailey and Peavy both played for Schiller with the Bundesliga’s Artland Dragons.
“I had the pleasure of coaching both Bryan Bailey and Nathan Peavy while I was an assistant with the Dragons and am very happy to add them to the Stars’ bench,” said Schiller. “They bring a diverse background in basketball from playing overseas to coaching in the NBA G League and I know they will be a tremendous asset to our team.”
Bailey joins the Stars after spending the 2016 season as an assistant coach for the Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League. Bailey spent 13 years playing professional basketball in Europe, including the Euroleague and Eurocup. He began his career with DJK s.Oliver Würzburg (2002-03). He’s also played for Landstede Zwolle (2003-04); two stints with the Artland Dragons (2004-07, 2010-12); KK Bosna (2007-08), where he won the Bosnian League championship as the starting point guard; PGE Turow (2008-09), where he reached the final four of the Polish Cup; EWE Baskets Oldenburg (2009); Keravnos (2010); Virtus Roma (2013); and Medi Bayreuth (2012-15), selected to the 2013 German All-Star Game.
The Hempstead, N.Y., native is the co-founder of DIME Athletics, which focuses on assisting competitive high school, collegiate and professional basketball players on improving their basketball skills, strength, conditioning and overall athleticism to reach their highest performance level. Bailey played four years at Bucknell University (1998-02) and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Peavy, who just completed the 2016-17 season playing for Cariduros de Fajardo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league in Puerto Rico, has played professionally for eight seasons overseas. The 6-8 forward began his career in 2007 with the Uni Baskets Paderborn in the German Basketball Bundesliga League. He also played for the Artland Dragons (2009-12), Alba Berlin (2012-13), Atenienses de Manati (2015-16) and was member of the Puerto Rican National Team (2010-12). The Dayton, Ohio, native played four seasons at Miami (OH) from 2003-07.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Solomon Hill has been diagnosed with a proximal hamstring tear in his left leg, it was determined following examination by Dr. Michael Gerhardt and consultation with Pelicans Director of Medical Services/Head Team Physician Dr. Misty Suri. The injury occurred while Hill was participating in a basketball workout in Los Angeles, CA.
Hill underwent successful surgery by Dr. Gerhardt in Santa Monica, CA and is expected to make a full recovery. An injury of this nature takes approximately 6-8 months to heal.
A timetable for his return will be determined at a later date.
Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight today underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. The procedure was performed by Head Team Physician Dr. Tom Carter in Phoenix. Knight will remain out for the 2017-18 season.
For his career, Knight holds averages of 15.2 points, 4.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 382 games with Detroit, Milwaukee and the Suns. Knight averaged 11.0 points, 2.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds over 54 appearances in 2016-17, his sixth NBA season and third with the Suns after initially being acquired by the team in February of 2015.