NBA News Blog – Page 657 – NBA Blog

Mavericks sign David Lee, waive John Jenkins

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward/center David Lee.

In a related move, the Mavericks also requested waivers on guard John Jenkins.

Lee (6-9, 245) was originally drafted by the New York Knicks with the 30th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. He spent the first five years of his career as a Knick before signing as a free agent with the Golden State Warriors prior to the 2010-11 season. He played five seasons with the Warriors before being traded to the Boston Celtics this past offseason.

The two-time NBA All-Star (2010, 2013) holds career averages of 14.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 30.9 minutes in 725 career games (494 starts) with New York, Golden State and Boston. Lee was named All-NBA Third Team in 2013 and was a member of Golden State’s 2015 World Championship squad.

The Saint Louis, Mo., native was waived by the Celtics February 19 and cleared waivers before the Mavericks signed him as a free agent. Lee will wear number 42.

Jenkins was signed by the Mavericks as a free agent on July 24, 2015. He saw action in 21 games for Dallas this season (1 start) and averaged 3.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per contest.

Anthony Davis scores 59 points against Pistons

The Pelicans are having a mess of an NBA season, but their star Anthony Davis will make fans forget that for a day, unleashing an epic performance against the Pistons Sunday. Here’s Michigan Live reporting:

Davis had a career-high 59 points, the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season, to go with 20 rebounds, and willed the New Orleans Pelicans to a 111-106 victory Sunday.

Davis became the first NBA player ever to record a 50-point game at The Palace of Auburn Hills, He also became just the third player in the last 30 years with a 50-20 game, along with Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 and Chris Webber in 2001.

The Pelicans’ power forward was 24 of 34 from the field, including making both his 3-point attempts, and 9 of 10 from the free-throw line.

Meantime, the Pistons (27-29) have major problems after slipping two games under .500 for the first time.

Nets waive Andrea Bargnani

The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on Andrea Bargnani, General Manager Sean Marks announced today. It was a buyout agreement between the two sides.

Bargnani, who signed with the Nets on July 17, 2015, appeared in 46 games for Brooklyn, with averages of 6.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game.

The Nets roster now stands at 14 players.

Clippers sign Alex Stepheson to 10-day contract

The L.A. Clippers announced today the team has signed forward/center Alex Stepheson to a 10-day contract.

Stepheson, 28, appeared in 31 games (all starts) for the Iowa Energy in the NBA Developmental League this season and was a 2016 D-League All-Star, averaging 15.9 points, a league-high 13.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks

The Los Angeles native and former Harvard-Westlake star has played professionally in Greece, Slovenia and Turkey since finishing his collegiate career at the University of Southern California.

The 6-foot-10 inch forward/center averaged 12.3 points and a league-leading 9.2 rebounds in 26.8 minutes over 29 games (21 starts) during the 2014-15 season for Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediyesi.

Undrafted in the 2011 NBA Draft, Stepheson also made three appearances for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Suns sign Phil Pressey to 10-day contract

The Phoenix Suns have signed point guard Phil Pressey to a 10-day contract. An NBA veteran in his third season, Pressey played in 14 games with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this season and has averaged 13.0 points and 6.4 assists in 25 games with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League.

A 5-11, 175-pound guard, Pressey has played in 139 NBA games (11 starts) with Boston and Philadelphia, most recently averaging 3.9 points and 3.3 assists in 12.1 minutes in 14 games with the 76ers earlier this season. The 25-year-old played his first two seasons with the Celtics, averaging 3.1 points and 2.9 assists in 13.9 minutes in 125 games over 2013-14 and 2014-15. After going undrafted in 2013, Pressey recorded four of his seven career double-digit scoring games as a rookie with Boston, including a career-high 20 points at Washington on Jan. 22, 2014. Pressey twice recorded his career-high of 13 assists in the 2013-14 season.

Originally the first GATORADE Call-Up in the NBA this season when he signed with Philadelphia on Nov. 4, Pressey has averaged 13.0 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 25 games with Idaho since being waived by the 76ers on Dec. 4. His averages in assists and steals rank fifth and 11th, respectively, among D-League leaders this season. Pressey has twice recorded his season-high of 21 points with the Stampede and has posted three double-doubles, including 20 points and a season-high 13 assists against Los Angeles on Feb. 8.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Pressey competed collegiately at the University of Missouri where he played three seasons and helped the Tigers reach the NCAA tournament in each. Pressey earned First Team All-SEC honors in 2012-13 after averaging career-highs of 11.9 points and a conference-best 7.1 assists. Pressey’s father, Paul Pressey, played 11 seasons in the NBA with Milwaukee, San Antonio and Golden State and is now an assistant coach with the L.A. Lakers.

Pressey will wear number 25. The Suns’ roster now stands at 15

Hornets sign Jorge Gutierrez to 10-day contract

The Charlotte Hornets have signed guard Jorge Gutierrez to a 10-day contract. Gutierrez joins the Hornets from the Canton Charge of the NBA D-League, becoming the 17th D-League to NBA “Call-Up” this season. He will wear No. 12.

Gutierrez provides bench depth. Like most players on a 10-day deal, he isn’t expected to have a big role.

The 6-3 Gutierrez has appeared in 22 games (20 starts) for the Charge this season, averaging 11.3 points, 5.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 27.8 minutes per game. He currently ranks fourth in the D-League in steals and eighth in assists. Gutierrez has scored in double figures in 13 games and has handed out 10-or-more assists twice. He recorded his first D-League triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on Jan. 9 vs. the Los Angeles D-Fenders at the NBA D-League Showcase.

The Chihuahua, Mexico, native has appeared in 35 career NBA games (three starts) over two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 3.3 points, 1.5 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 12.0 minutes. He saw action in 15 games with the Nets in 2013-14 and played in 10 games each for the Nets and Bucks last season. Gutierrez began the 2015-16 season as a member of the Bucks preseason roster, but was waived on Oct. 21.

After a four-year career at the University of California, Gutierrez initially joined the Charge in 2012-13. Since then, he has played in 122 games (103 starts) for the team, with career averages of 12.0 points, 5.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 30.9 minutes per game. In 2013-14, while playing for current Hornets assistant coach Steve Hetzel, he earned First Team All-Defensive and Second Team All-D-League honors after averaging career highs of 13.9 points, 6.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 32.7 minutes played.

The Hornets roster now stands at 15 players.

Nuggets waive J.J. Hickson and Steve Novak

The Denver Nuggets have waived forwards J.J. Hickson and Steve Novak, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Hickson, 27, appeared in 162 games (69 starts) for Denver over the past three seasons, averaging 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 22.1 minutes per game. The eight-year NBA veteran has played in 519 career games (307 starts) for Cleveland, Portland, Sacramento and Denver, averaging 6.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 22.7 minutes. He was drafted by Cleveland out of North Carolina State University with the 19th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. He joined Denver as a free agent on July 11, 2013.

Novak, 32, has appeared in seven games for the Thunder this season, averaging 2.4 points in 3.4 minutes of action. He has appeared in 456 career games (six starts), averaging 4.7 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting 43.2% from three-point range in 10 seasons with New York, L.A. Clippers, Houston, Toronto, San Antonio, Utah, Dallas and Oklahoma City. The Marquette University product was drafted by Houston with the 32nd overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft.

The Nuggets roster currently stands at 13 players.

Celtics waive David Lee

The Boston Celtics have waived little-used forward/center David Lee.

“We thank David for his contributions to our organization and wish him nothing but the best in the future,” said President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge.

Lee has appeared in 30 contests for the Celtics during the 2015-16 season and averaged 7.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 15.7 minutes per game over that span. He recorded a season-high 14 points, to go along with one rebound and one assist, in 15 minutes on November 18, 2015 against the Dallas Mavericks.

The 6’9” forward/center was originally acquired by the Celtics on July 27, 2015 and owns career averages of 14.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 725 regular season games.

Joey Dorsey signs in Barcelona, Spain

You remember Joey Dorsey. He’s built like a truck. It is best to avoid getting in his way.

Here’s Euroleague.net with the latest on his basketball travels, which have taken him away from the NBA:

FC Barcelona Lassa reached an agreement with former Euroleague champion center Joey Dorsey to reunite for the remainder of the current season, the club announced Friday. Dorsey (2.03 meters, 32 years old) takes over for Shane Lawal, who was sidelined with a torn meniscus last week. Dorsey arrives from Galatasaray Odeabank Istanbul, were he averaged 7.9 points and 6.5 rebounds in 15 Eurocup games this season.

It remains to be seen if he’ll ever return to the league. It certainly seems possible.

Ray Allen opening an organic fast-food restaurant

When you are a jumpshot-maker who currently isn’t shooting jumpshots for anyone, you need something else to do.

And, people gotta eat.

Here’s the Miami Herald reporting on what Ray Allen has been up to lately:

Ray Allen and his wife, Shannon, are trying their hand at nutritious meals with Grown, an organic fast-food restaurant set to open in March in South Miami at 8211 S. Dixie Hwy.

James and his wife, Savannah, opened The Juice Spot in Brickell in December 2013 before closing the juice bar almost as quickly as LeBron James came and went from the Miami Heat.

The Juice Spot closed early this year, leaving a vacancy in the field of basketball player-owned healthy eateries in Miami.

But Allen’s will be different.

The very idea of healthy, organic “fast food” is one of the best I can think of in regard to how the world should be eating. For that reason alone, I hope Allen succeeds.