NBA News Blog – Page 562 – NBA Blog

Report: Rockets trading K.J. McDaniels to Nets

The 40-18 Rockets are reportedly sending little-used shooting guard K.J. McDaniels to the Nets.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, via Twitter, “Houston has traded K.J. McDaniels to the Brooklyn Nets, league sources tell @TheVertical. Unloading McDaniels to the Nets frees $3M in cap space to use on the buyout market for Houston.”

McDaniels, a 6-6, 205-pound guard who played college ball at Clemson and is in his third NBA season, is averaging 2.8 points in 7.3 minutes per game this season.

Jeremy Lin finally set to return for Nets

Here’s the New York Post reporting on the Nets, who at 9-47 easily have the league’s worst record but at least are set to welcome entertaining point guard Jeremy Lin back to action:

The NBA season is two-thirds over, but for Jeremy Lin it might just as well be starting. With just 27 games left on the Nets’ schedule, and Lin finally making his return Friday in Denver, the team and its oft-injured floor general are hoping to win as many as possible.

“I’m excited to see Jeremy back and trying to get some momentum going into next season with our lineups and see who plays well with whom and who plays well with Jeremy at quarterback, your point guard,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “It’s important.”

“Win as many as you can. We’ve only won nine games, and that hurts everybody in the organization,’’ Lin said. “At this point I could really care less about a lot of other stuff, other than this team needs a win. We need to feel what it means to win. We need to build a winning culture, and my only goal is to get as many wins as we can.”

Sixers, Hawks trade Ersan Ilyasova, Tiago Splitter

The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired center Tiago Splitter, a second-round pick, and the option to swap a second-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for forward Ersan Ilyasova, President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo announced today.

The Sixers will also receive a second-round pick from Atlanta (via Miami) and the right to swap the least favorable of the 2017 second-round picks received in the Sixers trade with the Utah Jazz with Atlanta’s 2017 second-round pick.

“I want to thank Ersan Ilyasova for his positive contributions to this organization both on and off the basketball court,” Colangelo said. “Ersan is a true professional whose daily examples of hard work, focus and consistency have helped facilitate the ongoing growth of our program and culture.”

“We are excited to welcome Ersan, and his family, to the Atlanta Hawks. He’s a high-character, proven veteran who we’ve liked for many years and believe fits well within our system,” Hawks President of Basketball Operations/Head Coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We also want to thank Tiago for his contributions on and off the court. We wish him all the best in the future.”

Ilyasova was acquired by Philadelphia on November 1, 2016 in a deal with Oklahoma City. In the midst of his ninth NBA season, he has appeared in 583 career games (353 starts) and holds averages of 11 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes per game. A native of Turkey, Ilyasova played in 53 games (40 starts) with the Sixers this season, averaging 15 points and six rebounds on 44 percent shooting from the field.

Splitter, a veteran of six NBA seasons, has appeared in 347 career games (153 starts) with San Antonio and Atlanta. He holds career averages of eight points and five rebounds in 19 minutes per game, while shooting 56 percent from the floor. Originally selected in the first round (28th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft by the Spurs, the Brazilian native spent the first five seasons of his career in San Antonio (2010-15). During the Spurs’ run to the 2014 NBA title, Splitter saw action in all 23 playoff games (18 starts), posting eight points and six rebounds per contest.

Nets trade Bojan Bogdanovic and Chris McCullough to Wizards

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired forward Bojan Bogdanovic and forward Chris McCullough from Brooklyn in exchange for forward Andrew Nicholson, guard Marcus Thornton and a 2017 protected first round draft pick.

“Bojan is a very good shooter and a talented overall scorer whose versatility gives us an added dimension as we gear up for the stretch run,” said Grunfeld. “He is a proven starter that will provide us an added boost off the bench and allow us to be creative with our lineups.”

Bogdanovic (6-8, 225, name is pronounced BOY-ahn bog-DON-O-vich) has averaged career-highs of 14.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists this season while shooting .357 (99-277) from three-point range in 55 games (54 starts). He holds career averages of 11.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 212 career games (121 starts) while shooting .441 from the field, .366 from three-point range and .847 from the line in three seasons with Brooklyn. The 31st overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft averaged 11.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting .433 from the field and a career-best .382 from long distance in 79 games (39 starts) last season.

The 27-year-old sharpshooter has scored in double digits 44 times and tallied 20+ points 12 times this season. He played for the Croatian National Team during the 2016 Summer Olympics, leading all scorers with 25.3 points per game while shooting .506 from the field and .450 from three-point range. Bogdanovic was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 9.0 points and shooting .355 from three-point range in his first season (2014-15). Prior to the NBA, he played 160 games for Fenerbache Ulker of the Turkish Basketball League, averaging 13.7 points and 2.3 rebounds.

McCullough (6-9, 215) holds career averages of 3.9 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting .429 from the field in 11.4 minutes per game. As a rookie in 2015-16, the former 29th overall draft pick averaged 4.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 24 games (four starts). This season, the Syracuse alum has appeared in 14 games with Brooklyn averaging 2.5 points and 1.2 rebounds and has played in 31 games with the Long Island Nets of the D-League where he averaged 18.1 points and 7.7 rebounds to earn 2017 D-League All-Star honors.

“We feel Chris is an intriguing prospect as a first-round pick who was recently named a D-League All-Star,” said Grunfeld. “He has high potential and we look forward to our staff continuing his development.”

Nicholson has appeared in 28 games with Washington this season after signing with the team as a free agent on July 7, 2016, recording averages of 2.5 points and 1.2 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game. Prior to joining the Wizards, Nicholson spent the first four seasons of his NBA career (2012-16) with the Orlando Magic, appearing in 247 games and posting averages of 6.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game. The 27-year-old native of Mississauga, Ontario was originally selected with the 19th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by Orlando after a standout four-year career at St. Bonaventure University, where he earned Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors, as well as All-American Honorable Mention, while leading the Bonnies to their first-ever Atlantic 10 Tournament title in his senior season.

Thornton has appeared in 483 career games with New Orleans, Sacramento, Brooklyn, Boston, Phoenix, Houston and Washington, recording averages of 11.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 23.4 minutes per game. In 33 games this season with Washington, Thornton has averaged 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 17.4 minutes per game.

“We thank Andrew and Marcus for their professionalism and their contributions to our team,” said Grunfeld. “We wish them both the best moving forward in their careers.”

Miles Plumlee injured, will be re-evaluated in two weeks

The Charlotte Hornets announced today that center Miles Plumlee underwent a Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI), which revealed a second-degree calf strain in his right leg. Plumlee will be out for Charlotte’s game tomorrow at Detroit and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

The 6-11 center was acquired by Charlotte via trade on Feb. 2. He has appeared in five games with the Hornets, averaging 3.2 points on .727 shooting from the field and 3.8 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per contest.

Cavaliers sign Derrick Williams to second 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Derrick Williams to a second 10-day contract, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced today. Williams signed his first 10-day contract with the Cavs on February 9th.
Williams (6-8, 245) has appeared in four games for the Cavs this season, averaging 9.8 points on .600 shooting and 3.0 rebounds in 22.9 minutes per game. Prior to joining the Cavs, he played 25 games (11 starts) with Miami this season and averaged 5.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.1 minutes.

Timberwolves may want Derrick Rose

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune on the Timberwolves and Knicks PG Derrick Rose:

The Timberwolves are among several teams that have talked to New York about acquiring point guard Derrick Rose before Thursday’s trade deadline, ESPN.com reported Monday night.

Rose played for Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau in Chicago for five seasons, and his contract with this season’s $21.3 million salary expires this summer

Kings trade DeMarcus Cousins to Pelicans, Matt Barnes waived

The New Orleans Pelicans have completed a trade with the Sacramento Kings, acquiring center DeMarcus Cousins and forward Omri Casspi in exchange for guards Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, and two future draft picks.

Additionally, the Kings have waived forward Matt Barnes. A 14-year NBA veteran, the UCLA alum is averaging 7.6 points (.384 FG%, .327 3pt%, .758 FT%), 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 25.3 minutes per contest in 54 games (started 13) for Sacramento after joining the team prior to the start of this season.

“We’re thrilled to welcome DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi to the New Orleans Pelicans family,” stated Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps. “This is an exciting time for Pelicans fans as we continue our quest for long-term success. I know our fans are equally excited to welcome DeMarcus and Omri to our great city.
“I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Dennis Lauscha and Mickey Loomis for their continued support and providing the resources for us to be successful. I’d also like to thank Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway and Buddy Hield for their professionalism and hard work on the court and in the community during their tenure in New Orleans.”

“It was time for a change and I decided this was the best direction for the organization, said Kings Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac. “Winning begins with culture and character matters. With the upcoming draft class set to be one of the strongest in a decade, this trade will allow us to build the depth needed for a talented and developing roster moving forward. We thank DeMarcus for his contributions and wish him all the best in New Orleans. The fans in Sacramento are the best in the world and we are all committed to building a team that will continue to make Sacramento proud.”

Cousins, 6-11, 270, has appeared in 55 games this season, averaging 27.8 points (ranked fourth in the NBA), 10.7 rebounds (ranked 11th in the NBA), 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks. Drafted fifth overall by Sacramento in 2010 out of the University of Kentucky, Cousins has appeared in 470 career games, averaging 21.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks. Cousins is a three-time NBA All-Star (2015, 2016, 2017), named to the All-NBA Second Team twice (2015, 2016), was a member of the All-Rookie First Team in 2011, and has won gold medals with Team USA at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Casspi, 6-9, 225, has appeared in 22 games this season with the Kings, averaging 5.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Drafted by Sacramento with 23rd overall pick in 2011, Casspi has appeared in 485 regular season games with Sacramento, Cleveland and Houston.

A 6-5 guard and 2015-16 recipient of the John R. Wooden Award bestowed on the nation’s best collegiate basketball player, Hield joins the Kings in his rookie campaign after New Orleans tabbed him with the sixth overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft out of Oklahoma. In 57 contests with the Pelicans this season, he accrued averages of 8.6 points (.392 FG%, .369 3pt%, .879 FT%), 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 20.2 minutes per game in 57 contests (stated 37).

Evans returns to Sacramento where he earned 2009 Rookie of the Year honors after being selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. An eight-year league veteran, he has amassed 16.3 points (.444 FG%, .289 3pt%, .757 FT%), 4.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 32.5 minutes per game in 459 NBA games (started 370). The Memphis Tiger enjoyed his most prolific seasons in a Kings jersey, registering 17.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 35 minutes per contest in 257 games (started 247).

In his third NBA campaign, Galloway averaged 8.6 points (.374 FG%, .377 3pt%, .769 FT%), 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.4 minutes per contest in 55 games for New Orleans this season. The St. Joseph’s alum previously spent parts of two seasons with the New York Knicks, where he saw action in all 82 games in 2015-16.

Report: Kings trading DeMarcus Cousins to Pelicans

Mere minutes after DeMarcus Cousins deflected questions about a possible trade to New Orleans, the Pelicans and Sacramento Kings agreed to a deal that will pair the All-Star power forward with superstar Anthony Davis, a league source confirmed late Sunday night.

The Pelicans agreed to send rookie first-round pick Buddy Hield, veteran swingman Tyreke Evans and guard Langston Galloway along with their first- and second-round picks in June’s draft to Sacramento, the source said…

Pelicans general manager Dell Demps had been actively trying to land a complement to Davis before Thursday’s trade deadline. Demps also engaged the Philadelphia 76ers about acquiring forward Jahlil Okafor and the Brooklyn Nets about center Brook Lopez. ESPN reported Demps also had talks with the Indiana Pacers about All-Star small forward Paul George.

— New Orleans Times-Picayune

Anthony Davis wins 2017 NBA All-Star Game MVP

New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2017 NBA All-Star Game. Davis finished the game with 52 points, setting an NBA All-Star Game scoring record, previously held by Wilt Chamberlain (42 points, 1962) to go with 10 rebounds as the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 192-182 at the Smoothie King Center.

Davis, playing in his third All-Star Game (his fourth time named an All-Star overall), becomes the first player in franchise history to win the MVP award of the All-Star Game. Davis was named a starter on January 20, 2017.

Davis has appeared in 53 games this season for the Pelicans, averaging 27.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, ranking fourth, sixth, and second in the NBA in each category, respectively.

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New Orleans basketball fans didn’t have to wait long to get their NBA All-Star moment on Sunday night.

Just 10 seconds into the game, hometown hero Anthony Davis drained a 21-foot jumper from the top of the key. And with that, the tone was set and the most New Orleans-flavored All-Star Game in history was underway.

The bucket was the first of 26 by Davis as he took home MVP honors by shattering Wilt Chamberlain’s 55-year-old All-Star Game scoring record with 52 points.

— New Orleans Times-Picayune

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a team-high 30 points and pounded home some crowd-pleasing dunks, but the Western Conference all-stars pulled away in the final quarter for a 192-182 victory over the East in the NBA All-Star Game at the Smoothie King Center.

New Orleans forward Anthony Davis set an NBA All-Star Game record with 52 points to lead the West, beating the mark of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. Russell Westbrook just missed beating Chamberlain’s mark, scoring 41 points.

Antetokounmpo was impressive with 14-of-17 shooting on layups and dunks. He attempted a single three-pointer and missed it. He scored in the last second to reach the 30-point mark, the most scored by a Bucks player in an NBA All-Star Game. He also had six rebounds, three steals and one assist while playing 23 minutes.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel