NBA News Blog – Page 513 – NBA Blog

Suns rookie Davon Reed out after knee surgery

Phoenix Suns guard Davon Reed yesterday underwent a meniscus repair of his left knee. The procedure was performed by Head Team Physician Dr. Tom Carter at Gateway Surgery Center in Phoenix.

Reed is expected to return to full basketball activity in approximately four to six months.

The team’s selection with the 32nd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Reed averaged 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals while appearing in all six of the Suns’ games at NBA Summer League 2017 in Las Vegas. Reed completed a four-year career at the University of Miami in 2017 by earning ACC All-Defensive Team and All-ACC Third Team honors, in addition to the ACC’s Skip Prosser Award, presented annually to the conference’s top scholar-athlete in men’s basketball.

Spurs re-sign Manu Ginobili

Manu Ginobili is keeping it going. The San Antonio Spurs re-signed him today.

According to the San Antonio Express News, “the 40-year-old Argentine dynamo re-signed a two-year deal worth about $5 million, according to league sources.”

The upcoming season will mark Ginobili’s 16th campaign with the Silver and Black, which will make him the eighth player in NBA history to spend his entire career with one team and play at least 16 seasons, along with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, John Stockton, Reggie Miller and John Havlicek.

Over the course of his 15-year NBA career, Ginobili has appeared in 992 games, averaging 13.6 points, 3.9 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.36 steals in 25.8 minutes. He has shot .447 (4,383-9,799) from the field, .370 (1,431-3,863) from three-point range and .826 (3,270-3,958) from the free throw line.

The native of Argentina was drafted by the Spurs with the 57th overall pick in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft. Coming to San Antonio in 2002, he is the Spurs all-time NBA leader in three-pointers made (1,431), while ranking second in steals (1,349), third in games (992), fourth in free throws made (3,270), as well as fifth in total points (13,467) and assists (3,838). He has twice been named to the All-NBA Third Team (2008, 2011). The 2008 NBA Sixth Man of the Year and two-time All-Star (2008, 2011), He and Parker currently have 652 wins together, fourth-most of any teammates in NBA history. Trailing only Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Ginobili owns the third-best winning percentage in NBA history of any player that has played at least 500 games (.729, 723-269).

The four-time NBA champion has appeared in 213 career playoff games, averaging 14.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.34 steals in 28.0 minutes. Ginobili and LeBron James are the only two players in NBA postseason history with at least 3,000 points (3,009) and 300 three-pointers (318) in the playoffs. One of 10 players ever to appear in over 200 playoff games, he has come off the bench 160 times and is the all-time leader in NBA postseason history as a reserve in points (1,969), assists (560), total rebounds (620), steals (198), three-pointers made (220), field goals made (615) and free throws made (519). Ginobili and Parker have 131 playoff wins together, which is tied for the most of any duo in postseason history.

Ginobili has been a member of the Argentinian National Team since 1998. He led his home country to the gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and is one of only two players to have won a Euroleague title, an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal (Bill Bradley).

Palace of Auburn Hills will close after Bob Seger concert

Here’s Michigan Live reporting on the end of an era in the greater Detroit area:

The Palace of Auburn Hills is officially closing for business.

Palace Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) confirmed on Thursday, Aug. 24, that Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band’s sold-out concert will mark the final event on Sept. 23 at the former home to the Detroit Pistons.

Speculation has been flowing for months about the closure of the major sports and concert venue, and a potential transformation into a mixed-use development after the Pistons officially announced their move to the nearly complete Little Caesars Arena in Downtown Detroit.

Spurs sign guard London Perrantes

The San Antonio Spurs have signed guard London Perrantes.

Perrantes, 6-2/190, most recently played with the Miami Heat in the 2017 MGM Resorts Summer League, averaging 10.0 points, 5.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.50 steals in 27.9 minutes. He also appeared in the 2017 Orlando Pro Summer League with the Heat, averaging 11.3 points, 4.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.33 steals in 28.4 minutes.

Perrantes played four years at the University of Virginia and is the school’s all-time leader in games played (138) and minutes played (4,425). During his senior season, Perrantes averaged 12.7 points, 3.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 32.1 minutes, earning All-ACC Second Team honors. For his career with Cavaliers, he averaged 8.9 points, 4.1 assists, 2.7 rebounds in 32.1 minutes while shooting .409 (211-516) from beyond the arc, second all-time in UVA history.

Hornets sign Julyan Stone

The Charlotte Hornets signed guard Julyan Stone today.

Stone (6-6, 200) has appeared in 47 career NBA games (two starts) over three seasons with Denver (2011-13) and Toronto (2013-14), averaging 1.3 points, 1.1 assists and 1.0 rebounds in 7.0 minutes per contest. He most recently joins Charlotte after a stint with Reyer Venezia Mestre of the Lega Basket Serie A in Italy, appearing in 26 games and helping the squad to a 2017 Serie A Championship. Prior to his time with Reyer Venezia Mestre, Stone played with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League last season, seeing action in 33 games (31 starts), averaging 7.9 points, 8.6 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 34.7 minutes per contest.

The 28-year-old has additional playing experience with Royal Hali Gazientep (2015-16) of the Turkish Basketball Super League, a first stretch with Reyer Venezia Mestre (2014-15) and G League experience with the Iowa Energy (2013) and Idaho Stampede (2012).

Stone was a four-year collegiate player at the University of Texas-El Paso (2007-11), earning 2010-11 All-Conference USA Second Team honors following his senior season, where he averaged 8.5 points, 7.5 boards, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 36.5 minutes per contest.

Stone will wear No. 32 for the Hornets.

Cavs trade Kyrie Irving to Celtics for Isaiah Thomas

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have acquired four-time All-Star and 2016 NBA Champion Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for guard Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and the rights to the Brooklyn Nets’ 2018 first round pick.

“Kyrie is one of the best scorers in the NBA. He has proven that on the biggest stage, the NBA Finals, the last three years,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. “He’s been an NBA Champion, an Olympic Gold Medalist, and a four-time All-Star. For all he’s accomplished, we think his best years are ahead of him.”

“Isaiah and Jae have been a huge part of our success,” said Celtics Co-Owner and Governing Partner Wyc Grousbeck. “Isaiah’s playoff performance under very difficult circumstances will live on in history, and we wish them all the best.”

Selected by Cleveland with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Irving, 25, has posted career averages of 21.6 points (45.7% FG, 38.3% 3-PT, 87.3% FT), 3.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.32 steals and 34.2 minutes in 381 games (all starts) throughout six seasons with the Cavaliers. The 6-3 guard has registered a scoring average north of 20.0 points in four of his six NBA seasons, including a career-high 25.2 points in 2016-17.

Irving played a vital role in helping Cleveland capture its first NBA title in 2016, averaging 25.2 points on 47.5% shooting (44.0% 3-PT), and 4.7 assists during the Cavaliers 21-game playoff run to history. He scored a postseason-high 41 points on 17-of-24 shooting (5-7 3-PT) in a win against the Warriors in Game 5 of the NBA Finals that season, one of 18 games in which the Duke product logged at least 20 points. In three career postseason appearances, all of which resulted in trips to the NBA Finals, Irving has averaged 23.9 points (46.5% FG, 41.5% 3-PT, 87.6% FT), 3.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.46 steals and 36.4 minutes in 52 games.

In parts of three seasons with the Celtics, Thomas averaged 24.7 points (44.3% FG, 36.8% 3-PT, 88.9% FT), 2.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists. Crowder produced 12.8 points (44.4% FG, 35.3% 3-PT, 80.4% FT), 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in parts of three seasons in Boston.

“Isaiah embodied what it meant to be a Celtic. He captured fans’ hearts not only with his spirit, but his personality,” said Ainge. “Jae’s toughness was contagious for our team. He improved his skills each year, but it’s his energy and fight that will be remembered. We wish them and their families the very best.”

Magic sign Adreian Payne to two-way contract

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent forward Adreian Payne to a two-way contract, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

Payne (6’10”, 237, 2/19/91) appeared in 18 games last season with Minnesota, averaging 3.5 ppg. and 1.8 rpg. in 7.5 minpg. He also spent time with the Erie BayHawks of the NBA G League. Originally selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft by Atlanta, Payne has played in 102 career NBA regular season games (24 starts) with Atlanta and Minnesota, averaging 4.0 ppg. and 3.0 rpg. in 13.3 minpg. He has also spent time with Fort Wayne, Austin and Erie of the NBA G League.

Payne played in 138 career games (94 starts) during four years at Michigan State University, averaging 8.9 ppg., 5.3 rpg. and 1.02 blkpg. in 20.0 minpg., while shooting .526 (447-850) from the floor. He finished his career as the Spartans’ all-time leader in blocked shots with 141. Payne helped Michigan State reach the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in three consecutive seasons (2011-14) and the Elite Eight in 2013-14. He was named Second Team All-Big Ten in both 2012-13 and 2013-14. As a senior (2013-14), Payne played in 31 games (28 starts), averaging 16.4 ppg., 7.3 rpg. and 1.3 apg. in 28.1 minpg. During the second round of the NCAA Tournament, he poured in a career-high 41 points, including 17-of-17 from the free throw line, on Mar. 20 vs. Delaware.

NBA Two-Way Contracts Explained

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

Rockets sign Demetrius Jackson to two-way contract

The Rockets have signed free agent guard Demetrius Jackson to a two-way contract.

Jackson (6-1, 201) was the 45th overall pick by Boston in the 2016 NBA Draft following his junior season at Notre Dame. He appeared in five games for the Celtics last season, spending the majority of 2016-17 assigned to their D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. In 32 D-League games, Jackson averaged 14.8 points, 6.0 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals.

In his NBA debut, Jackson had 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists in 11 minutes of play vs. Denver on Nov. 6, 2016. He averaged 9.3 points, 4.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.00 steals while shooting 46.4% from the floor and 50.0% from 3-point range for Boston in the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2017.

About Two-Way Contracts

NBA rosters have expanded from 15 to 17 players with the additional spots available for players under two-way contracts. Teams may have up to two players under two-way contracts who will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League (formerly NBA Development League) and not more than 45 days with their NBA team. Only players with four or fewer years of NBA service are able to sign two-way contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons.

Mavericks sign Jeff Withey

The Dallas Mavericks have signed free agent center Jeff Withey.

Withey (7-0, 230) is a four-year veteran who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (39th overall pick) of the 2013 NBA Draft. His draft rights were acquired by the New Orleans Pelicans on July 10, 2013. He spent his first two seasons in New Orleans before signing with the Utah Jazz as a free agent on Aug. 24, 2015. He has averaged 3.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 10.3 minutes in 197 career games (15 starts) with New Orleans and Utah.

The San Diego, Calif., native played four years at the University of Kansas where he saw action in 117 career games (76 starts) for the Jayhawks. In his senior campaign, Withey averaged 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per contest while earning NABC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Big 12 and Second Team All-American.

Adetunji Adedipe named Lakeland Magic assistant GM

Adetunji Adedipe has been named assistant general manager of the Lakeland Magic (G League), it was announce today by Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman.

Adedipe is in his third season with the Orlando Magic organization. He began his career as a basketball operations assistant for the Erie BayHawks of the NBA G League during the 2014-15 season prior to joining IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. While at IMG, Adedipe coached the Ascenders junior varsity and assisted in NBA pre-draft workouts. During the summer of 2015, he interned with the Philadelphia 76ers in the basketball operations department. Adedipe joined the Orlando Magic in September of 2015 as a basketball operations associate and served as basketball operations coordinator with the Erie BayHawks in 2016-17.

Adedipe was a three-year letterman and former captain of the Ohio University men’s basketball team. The Bobcats advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2010 with a win over Georgetown. A native of Cleveland, Oh., Adedipe graduated from Ohio University in 2010 and received a master’s degree in comparative politics in 2012.