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Heat waive Beno Udrih

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have waived guard Beno Udrih. It was a contract buyout, as agreed to by the player and the team.

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “the amount of Udrih’s buyout agreement is believed to be enough just to accommodate Johnson’s contract, a nominal amount, in the $50,000 range. However, if Udrih is claimed off waivers, the Heat then would immediately gain enough room below the luxury-tax ceiling to add at least one more player.”

Udrih appeared in 36 games (five starts) with the HEAT this season and averaged 4.4 points, 2.5 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 16.3 minutes while shooting 43.4 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three-point range and 88.2 percent from the foul line. He was originally acquired by the HEAT, along with Jarnell Stokes, via trade with the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Mario Chalmers and James Ennis earlier this season on November 10.

Brandan Wright out indefinitely with knee injury

After leaving in the third quarter during Saturday’s game in Phoenix, Grizzlies forward/center Brandan Wright underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which revealed a sprain of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee, the team announced today. Wright will be out indefinitely, but no surgery will be required.

“This is an unfortunate development for Brandan and our team,” Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace said. “Brandan had been playing his best basketball of the season recently and showing the positive impact he has on our roster. We expect a full recovery and will have further updates when appropriate.”

Wright (6-10, 210) has averaged 6.9 points on 67.3 percent shooting with 3.6 rebounds and 1.25 blocks in 17.7 minutes in 12 games (two starts) this season, his first with the Grizzlies and eighth in the NBA.

Heat, Beno Udrih may agree to contract buyout

The Miami Heat (33-26) were getting 4.4 points and 2.5 assists in 16.3 minutes per game from backup guard Beno Udrih before he suffered a season-ending injury. Now, the Heat and Udrih may agree to part ways. Here’s a report from The Vertical:

The Miami Heat are nearing agreement with guard Beno Udrih on a contract buyout to offset the salary and luxury-tax implications of signing Joe Johnson, league sources told The Vertical.

The Heat approached Udrih’s representatives late last week about a possible buyout and discussions progressed over the weekend, sources said. Ultimately, the choice to settle for a buyout or be released outright rests with Udrih.

Steve Novak suffers season-ending knee injury

Milwaukee Bucks forward Steve Novak suffered a left knee injury during the fourth quarter of last night’s game vs. Detroit. He underwent an MRI examination this morning that revealed a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL). Novak is expected to miss the remainder of the 2015-16 season.

Novak was signed by the Bucks as a free agent on Feb. 21 and averaged 2.3 points over three games.

Suns waive Kris Humphries

The Phoenix Suns today waived forward Kris Humphries.

Humphries, in his 12th NBA season, appeared in four games with the Suns after being acquired from Washington in a trade on Feb. 18, averaging 7.3 points and 8.0 rebounds.

The Suns’ roster now stands at 14 players.

Nets sign Sean Kilpatrick to 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Sean Kilpatrick to a 10-day contract, General Manager Sean Marks announced today.

Kilpatrick (6’4”, 219) joins the Nets from the NBA Development League’s Delaware 87ers, where he has appeared in 28 games this season, averaging a league-high 26.4 points per game on 47.2 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from three-point range, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 38.4 minutes per game en route to D-League All-Star honors. He has also appeared in eight games with the Denver Nuggets this season, averaging 3.4 points in 10.3 minutes per game, and spent the 2015 preseason with the New Orleans Pelicans. In 2014-15, Kilpatrick appeared in four games with the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 5.5 points in 18.0 minutes per game. He also played in 44 D-League contests split between Delaware and the Santa Cruz Warriors. Kilpatrick spent the 2014 preseason with the Golden State Warriors before being waived prior to the start of the 2014-15 regular season.

The 26-year-old Yonkers, N.Y. native went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft after a standout four-year collegiate career at the University of Cincinnati. Kilpatrick earned consensus second-team All-American honors after averaging 20.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 33.8 minutes per game.

Cavaliers sign Jordan McRae to 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Jordan McRae to a 10-day contract, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced today. The signing of McRae also marks the 22nd D-League to NBA Call-Up of the NBA’s 2015-16 season.

McRae (6-6, 185) was a 2016 NBA Development League All-Star this year after appearing in 29 games (all starts) for the Delaware 87ers and averaging 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals in 35.5 minutes per game. Against the Canton Charge on Jan. 26, he scored a D-League record 61 points on 21-34 (.618) shooting from the field, to go along with 11 rebounds and seven assists in 46 minutes. McRae also had two 10-day stints with the Phoenix Suns this season, appearing in seven games with averages of 5.3 points and 1.4 assists in 11.7 minutes.

Originally selected as the 58th overall pick out of the University of Tennessee by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2014 NBA Draft and traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on draft night, McRae played professionally in Australia in 2014-15 before joining Delaware for the season’s final 13 games. McRae will be available for today’s contest at Washington and will wear jersey number 12.

Heat sign Joe Johnson

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed seven-time NBA All-Star Joe Johnson.

Johnson is one of only five players in NBA history to record at least 18,000 points, 4,500 assists, 4,000 rebounds and 1,500 made three-point field goals. With his addition to the HEAT roster, Miami now features 38 total All-Star appearances, the most in the NBA.

Johnson has appeared in 1,119 career games (1,049 starts) and averaged 17.0 points, 4.2 assists and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 44.1 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from three-point range and 80.1 percent from the foul line. Earlier this season, he hit the game-winning three-point shot in a 105-104 win vs. Denver on February 8, and has now hit the game-tying or game-winning shot nine different times in his career (with one second or less remaining), the third-most by any player since he entered the league, fourth on that list is Dwyane Wade with seven. Additionally, Johnson and Wade now become the only active players in the league to each score at least 18,500 career points on the same roster.

Johnson appeared in 57 games (all starts) with the Brooklyn Nets this season averaging 11.8 points, 4.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 33.9 minutes while shooting 40.6 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from three-point range and 85.2 percent from the foul line. He led the team in three-point field goals made (85) and finished second in three-point field goal percentage. The 15-year veteran has appeared in the playoffs 10 times over his career, totaling 87 postseason games (81 starts) averaging 17.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 42.6 percent from the field, 34.9 percent from three-point range and 77.3 percent from the foul line.

Kyle Lowry scores 43 points vs Cavs

Friday night in Toronto, the Raptors beat the Cavaliers 99-97. Awesome in the win was Raptors guard Kyle Lowry: 15-of-20 shooting for 43 points, five rebounds, nine assists and four steals, plus the game-winning shot. Here’s the Akron Beacon Journal reporting:

Lowry’s jumper with 3.8 seconds left over an outstretched Matthew Dellavedova gave the Raptors a 99-97 victory over the Cavaliers on Friday night, shaving the Cavs’ lead for the top seed in the conference to just two games and more importantly giving the Raptors the tiebreaker.

The Raptors won the season series 2-1.

The Cavs gave away leads of 12 and 14 points and lost for the second time in their last three games despite LeBron James playing the entire second half.
The Cavs had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but James’ 3-pointer missed everything.

Kevin Love’s initial inbounds pass was batted back toward him by Bismack Biyombo. Love narrowly got out of the way of the ball touching him, which would’ve given possession back to the Raptors. The Cavs were awarded the ball again after a lengthy review and Love quickly inbounded to James, who is shooting under 28 percent from 3-point range this season. James shot an airball from the top of the perimeter, which deftly summed up the Cavs’ evening.

Joe Johnson will reportedly join Heat

Small forward Joe Johnson averaged just 11.8 points on 40.6% shooting this season for the Brooklyn Nets, plus 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists per outing. His career is winding down. Still, he’d make a terrific addition to just about any team that wants him as a member of the supporting cast. Here’s the Akron Beacon Journal reporting:

Six years later, the Cavaliers have reportedly lost out on another free agent to the Miami Heat. This one, however, doesn’t sting nearly as much.

Joe Johnson will join the Miami Heat after he clears waivers Saturday night, according to multiple reports. The soon-to-be free agent guard was considering the Cavs, but has chosen South Beach instead. Yahoo Sports reported Johnson chose the Heat for the chance to start and play meaningful minutes.

LeBron James, who also spurned Cleveland for Miami in 2010, confirmed earlier Friday the Cavs had interest in Johnson, but stopped short of saying he would reach out to him.