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The Philadelphia 76ers waived Hollis Thompson today.
Thompson appeared in 31 games this season and averaged six points, three rebounds and one assist in 18 minutes per game.
Thompson was originally signed by the Sixers on September 24, 2013 and appeared in 256 games (82 starts), posting averages of eight points, three rebounds and one assist on 42% shooting from the field in 24 minutes per game.
With the move, the Sixers roster currently stands at 14 players.
Sixers center Joel Embiid and Pelicans guard Buddy Hield today were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in December.
Embiid, 22, the third pick in NBA Draft 2014, led all rookies in scoring (19.8 ppg), rebounding (6.8 rpg) and blocked shots (2.40 bpg) in December. He also attempted a rookie-high 73 free throws in 10 games, hitting 78.1 percent. The 7-foot center scored 23 or more points in four of his last five games during the month, highlighted by a career-high 33-point performance to go with 10 rebounds in a 108-107 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 18.
Hield, 23, the sixth pick in NBA Draft 2016, led West rookies in scoring (10.6 ppg) and three-point field goal percentage (47.8) and topped all first-year players in three-pointers made (33). The 6-4 guard scored in double figures nine times in 16 games, including 12 or more points in each of the final three games of December (a 3-0 stretch for New Orleans). On Dec. 15, Hield set career highs with 21 points and five three-pointers in a 102-95 victory against the Indiana Pacers.
Other nominees for the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Brooklyn’s Isaiah Whitehead, Dallas’ Dorian Finney-Smith, Denver’s Jamal Murray, Memphis’ Andrew Harrison, Milwaukee’s Malcolm Brogdon, Philadelphia’s Dario Saric and Phoenix’s Marquese Chriss.
Wizards guard John Wall and Rockets guard James Harden today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in December.
Wall led the Eastern Conference in assists (10.7 apg) and steals (2.67 spg) and ranked fifth in scoring (24.5 ppg) as the Wizards (10-5) posted their first 10-win month since December 2014. The reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week was one of only three players to average a point-assist double-double in December, joining Harden and the LA Clippers’ Chris Paul. Wall, who scored a career-high 52 points in a 124-116 loss to the Orlando Magic on Dec. 6, shot 49.1 percent from the field and 81.4 percent from the free throw line for the month.
Harden led the league in assists (12.0 apg) and ranked fourth in scoring (28.3 ppg) as the Rockets (15-2) tied a franchise record for wins in a month and outscored their opponents by an average of 12.9 points per game. He became the first player in NBA history with at least 50 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a game when scored a career-high 53 points, equaled a career best with 17 assists and grabbed a Rockets-season-high 16 rebounds in a 129-122 win over the New York Knicks on Dec. 31, one of his five triple-doubles in December. Harden added 9.1 rebounds and 1.53 steals while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 85.9 percent from the free throw line.
Other nominees for Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Boston’s Isaiah Thomas, Cleveland’s LeBron James, Golden State’s Kevin Durant, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard and Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.
Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has waived guard Aaron Harrison.
Harrison (6-6, 212, Kentucky) was originally signed by the Hornets on July 14, 2015. The Kentucky product appeared in 26 games over two seasons with Charlotte, including two playoff outings in 2016.
Charlotte’s roster now stands at 14.
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The New Orleans Pelicans signed free agent forward/center Donatas Motiejunas (pronounciation: doh-NAH-tahs moe-tee-YOU-nus) today.
Motiejunas, 7-0, 222, played for the Houston Rockets from 2012-16. In 214 career regular season games, the Lithuanian native holds averages of 7.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.0 minutes per game. He was set to return to the Rockets this season but the two sides were unable to work things out.
Motiejunas will wear number #12 for the Pelicans.
The team’s roster currently stands at 15 players.
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The embodiment of the Eastern Conference was on full display at the United Center, as the Bulls and Charlotte Hornets are a little closer to finding out who they are but the difference between good and mediocre is slim.
So slim Dwyane Wade’s absence didn’t tilt the pendulum even more to the Hornets’ direction as they came in with confidence from a win last week, but the tables were turned in a big way.
An unexpected energy boost helped them early and their remaining star closed the night as Jimmy Butler pulled off yet another miracle at the United Center, scoring 27 of his season-high 52 points in the second half to help the Bulls to a 118-111 win over the Hornets Monday night.
Jumper after jumper, most in the face of defensive stopper Nic Batum, Butler did virtually everything in the fourth—and even reached the 50-point plateau for the second time in his career thanks to Hornets coach Steve Clifford picking up a technical late with Butler hitting the free throw.
Quick Take: Butler shot 15-24 FG and 21-22 FT for 52 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, one block and three steals. In general, though, the Bulls are struggling these days. They’re 17-18, but the biggest issue right now is point guard Rajon Rondo, who had been a starter but lately spends entire games sitting on the bench. He played 11 minutes Friday, zero minutes Saturday and zero minutes last night. What will happen with him is unclear.
The Charlotte Hornets announced today that center Cody Zeller has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol. Zeller was hit with an elbow to the head late in the fourth quarter of Charlotte’s game against Cleveland on Dec. 31, 2016.
Per the NBA’s Concussion Policy, Zeller will begin the process to return once he is deemed symptom free. No timetable is set for his return and further updates will be provided when available.
The fourth-year Indiana product is averaging 10.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks on 59.5% field goal shooting in 26.1 minutes per game, marking career-highs in all categories. Zeller has played in 31 games for Charlotte this season (starting in 29 of those contests).
The New Orleans Pelicans waived guard/forward Reggie Williams today.
Williams, 6-6, 210, was originally signed by the Pelicans on Dec. 10, 2016. In five games, Williams averaged 5.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per contest.
The Pelicans’ roster currently stands at 14.
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As often as James Harden had given the Rockets whatever they needed, part of the magic was knowing just what was required at any given time.
On Saturday against the Knicks, that was obvious.
They needed everything.
They needed more points than any Rockets player had ever scored in a triple-double, more points than he had ever scored in a game, and then they still needed more.
When he was through, Harden became the first player in NBA history with 50 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a game, driving the Rockets to a 129-122 win at Toyota Center.
With that, the Rockets went 15-2 in December, matching their most wins ever in a month. They sent it out in style.
Harden had a career-high 53 points, and matched his career high with 17 assists. His 16 rebounds were one shy of matching the most in his career.
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Rajon Rondo stood for plenty of moments during the Bulls’ 116-96 beating at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks, the first full game of his benching after sitting the entire second half Friday night against the Pacers.
The Bulls guard stood at his locker moments later, candidly and honestly answering questions from the media about his future — one that seems to be in doubt some 30 games into his first season as a Bull.
“Absolutely,” said Rondo when asked if he accomplished enough in the NBA for the Bulls to accommodate him on a trade or some transaction to allow him to seek another team should the benching continue.
“Gar (Forman, Bulls GM) and I will have a talk. We’ll talk tonight and go from there. I don’t know if it’s right now, maybe the next 30, 18, 45 minutes. Tonight, before ’17 (the clock strikes midnight).”
By then, one wonders if the Bulls and Rondo will be working on a buyout to free him from the remainder of his contract — one that includes a $3 million buyout that has to be exercised before next July.
“No, I’m not surprised. Not surprised,” Rondo said. “It’s been a tough season. Certain buttons are being pushed and the Bulls are trying to figure things out.”\
Quick Take: This is now a common theme with Rondo. If he can’t succeed alongside the likes of Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler, it’s hard to guess who he’d fit in with at this point.