NBA News Blog – Page 660 – NBA Blog

Magic trade Tobias Harris to Pistons for Brandon Jennings, Ersan Ilyasova

The Orlando Magic have acquired guard Brandon Jennings and forward Ersan Ilyasova (ER-san eel-ya-SO-va) from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward Tobias Harris, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

“Brandon (Jennings) and Ersan (Ilyasova) are two veterans that will help balance our roster and provide valuable experience to our team,” said Hennigan. “Both players bring scoring, competitiveness and added depth to our roster. We want to thank Tobias (Harris) for his contributions, both on and off the court.”

Jennings (6’1”, 169, 9/23/89) has played in 23 games (one start) this season with Detroit, averaging 6.8 ppg., 3.0 apg. and 2.0 rpg. in 18.1 minpg. He has led (or tied) the team in scoring once, in rebounding once and in assists three times this season. Jennings has scored in double figures six times this season, including a season-high 22 points on Jan. 30 @ Toronto.

Originally selected in the first round (tenth overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft by Milwaukee, Jennings has played in 435 career regular season NBA games with Milwaukee and Detroit, averaging 16.0 ppg., 6.0 apg., 3.2 rpg. and 1.34 stlpg. in 33.1 minpg., while shooting .800 (1,233-1,541) from the free throw line. He has also appeared in 11 career playoff games, averaging 16.7 ppg., 3.7 apg., 2.7 rpg. and 1.55 stlpg. in 34.7 minpg. Jennings was named to the 2009-10 NBA All-Rookie First Team and earned NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month four times (October/November 2009, December 2009, January 2010 and March 2010), becoming the first Eastern Conference rookie to capture monthly honors four times during one season. He poured in a career-high 55 points on Nov. 14, 2009 vs. Golden State.

Ilyasova (6’10”, 235, 5/15/87) has played and started in 52 games this season with Detroit, averaging 11.3 ppg., 5.4 rpg. and 1.1 apg. in 27.6 minpg. He has led (or tied) the team in scoring four times and in rebounding three times this season. Ilyasova has scored in double figures 30 times this season, including a season-high 23 points on Dec. 2 vs. Phoenix. He logged a career-high 54 minutes on Dec. 18 @ Chicago.

Originally selected in the second round (36th overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft by Milwaukee, Ilyasova has played in 505 career regular season NBA games with Milwaukee and Detroit, averaging 10.8 ppg., 6.0 rpg. and 1.1 apg. in 24.3 minpg., while shooting .369 (506-1,372) from three-point range. He has also appeared in 17 career playoff outings, averaging 9.8 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. in 24.5 minpg.

Harris (6’9”, 235, 7/15/92) has appeared and started in 49 games this season with Orlando, averaging 13.7 ppg., 7.0 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in a team-high 32.9 minpg. Originally selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft by Charlotte, he was acquired by the Magic from Milwaukee, along with Doron Lamb and Beno Udrih, in exchange for J.J. Redick, Gustavo Ayon and Ish Smith on Feb. 21, 2013. Harris played in 205 games (168 starts) with Orlando, averaging 15.6 ppg., 7.0 rpg. and 1.8 apg. in 33.2 minpg.

NBA may change intentional foul rules next season

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on Commissioner Adam Silver’s press conference from this evening:

The NBA may make changes to prevent the increasingly more-practiced, and increasingly loathed, hack-a-Shaq tactic.

Hack-a-Shaq is the strategy of fouling a poor free-throw shooter away from the basketball in an effort to limit an opponent’s scoring. The tactic is best known for being implemented against, and named for, former center Shaquille O’Neal.

“It’s an issue that we have been studying for some time now,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Saturday night at his all-star weekend news conference.

Jimmer Fredette wins MVP of 2016 D-League All Star Game

Westchester’s Jimmer Fredette scored a record 35 points to lead the Eastern Conference past the Western Conference 128-124 in the 2016 NBA D-League All-Star Game on Saturday afternoon at Ricoh Coliseum.

Fredette was named Most Valuable Player after setting a record for points in an NBA D-League All-Star Game and shooting 13-of-19 from the field, including 6-of-12 from three-point range. He added eight assists and six rebounds in 25 minutes.

The West was paced by Los Angeles’ Vander Blue, who finished with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbed four rebounds in 16 minutes.

In the NBA D-League’s 10th All-Star Game, Miami Heat assignee Jarnell Stokes hit the go-ahead hook shot with 37.1 seconds remaining as the East rallied from a nine-point deficit midway through the second half after leading by eight at halftime. Stokes scored 17 points for the game.

The East connected on 14 three-pointers and shot 58.1 percent (50-of-86) from the field and 93.3 percent (14-of-15) from the foul line. Meanwhile, the West shot 55.0 percent (55-of-100) but made only 25.9 percent (7-of-27) from beyond the arc and 63.6 percent (7-of-11) from the charity stripe.

Also Saturday, the Three-Point Contest took place prior to the D-League All-Star Game. Los Angeles’ Andre Ingram outscored Fredette 27-20 in the final round to take home the title.

Halftime of the game featured the Slam Dunk Contest, with Canton’s DJ Stephens and the hometown Raptors 905’s John Jordan advancing to the final round. Jordan, a 5-foot-10 guard, secured the victory with a two-handed, 360 tomahawk slam.

Al Horford replaces Chris Bosh on 2016 NBA All-Star team

Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford has been named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and will join teammate Paul Millsap in competing in the 2016 All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 14 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Horford will replace Miami’s Chris Bosh, who is unable to play due to injury.

Horford, making his second consecutive appearance and fourth overall in the midseason classic, is averaging 15.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.8 steals in 31.6 minutes (.507 FG%, .340 3FG%, .778 FT%) while starting all 55 games. He ranks 17th in the NBA in blocks per game and 20th in FG%.

Horford has scored in double-figures 49 times, including nine 20-point contests (two 30-point nights), and owns 11 double-digit rebound games. He also has 10 double-doubles, including four 20-point/10-rebound outings.

The nine-year veteran has hit 55 3FGs this season after making 21 triples in his previous eight years combined. He knocked down a career-best five 3FGs at Houston (12/29) and has made two-or-more three’s in a game 13 times.

CJ McCollum replaces Chris Bosh in 2016 NBA Three-point Competition

Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum has been added to the 2016 Three-Point Competition, the NBA announced today.

McCollum, 24, is already competing in the Skills Challenge, and will replace Miami’s Chris Bosh in the Three-Point Competition. Both events are part of All-Star Saturday Night at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

In 52 games played this season, McCollum ranks second on the team in both scoring (20.7 ppg) and assists (4.2 apg). He is shooting a team-high 39.2% from beyond the three-point line, and ranks ninth in the NBA with 125 three-point field goals.

McCollum recorded 35 points (14-28 FG), 11 rebounds, nine assists and four steals against Sacramento on Dec. 27, making him the first NBA player to log at least 35 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and four steals in a game since Kevin Garnett on Dec. 10, 2004.

He becomes the eighth Trail Blazer in franchise history to compete in the Three-Point Contest, joining Kiki Vandeweghe (1987), Danny Ainge (1991), Clyde Drexler (1991), Terry Porter (1991, 1993), Cliff Robinson (1996), Damian Lillard (2014) and Wesley Matthews (2015). No Portland player has ever won the event.

McCollum will compete against Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Houston’s James Harden, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, the L.A. Clippers’ JJ Redick and Phoenix’s Devin Booker.

Chris Bosh will miss 2016 NBA All-Star events

The Miami HEAT announced today that Chris Bosh has sustained a strained right calf and will not participate in Saturday’s Three-Point Shootout competition or play in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game.

“I am honored to be selected to participate in the All-Star Weekend festivities, and will still be here to support my fellow East All-Stars,” said Bosh. “But I will also use this weekend to try to heal and focus on the second half of the HEAT season.”

Tyreke Evans undergoes season-ending knee surgery

New Orleans Pelicans guard Tyreke Evans underwent surgery today on his right knee. As a result of the procedure, Evans will miss the remainder of the 2015-16 season.

Evans, 6-6, 220, had appeared in 25 games this season for New Orleans (all starts), averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.3 steals.

Originally drafted fourth overall by Sacramento out of the University of Memphis in 2009, Evans has appeared in 433 career regular season games with the Kings and Pelicans, holding career averages of 16.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.3 steals.

Devin Booker replaces Nerlens Noel in 2016 Rising Stars Challenge game

Phoenix Suns rookie Devin Booker will replace injured U.S. Team selection Nerlens Noel of the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 12 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

The BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star features first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against first- and second-year NBA players from around the world. TNT will televise the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge in the U.S. at 9 p.m. ET, and Sportsnet ONE and TSN will simulcast the game in Canada. ESPN Radio also will provide coverage.

Booker, the 13th pick of NBA Draft 2015 presented by State Farm, is averaging 10.6 points and shooting 40.3 percent from three-point range in 48 games. The 19-year-old guard is averaging 15.2 points in his 23 starts, including a career-high 32-point performance against the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 19. Booker will also compete in the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest on Saturday, Feb. 13 at Air Canada Centre as part of State Farm® All-Star Saturday Night.

Noel, a second-year forward-center, will not play due to tendinitis in his right knee. He is averaging 10.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.6 blocks in 46 games.

Emmanuel Mudiay replaces injured Patrick Beverley in 2016 Skills Challenge

Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay will replace injured defending champion Patrick Beverley of the Houston Rockets in the 2016 Skills Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 13 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

The Skills Challenge is part of All-Star Saturday Night and this year includes some big-men. In the past, the event was entirely guards.

Mudiay, the seventh pick of NBA Draft 2015, ranks first among rookies in assists (5.9 apg), second in minutes (30.2 mpg) and fifth in scoring (11.4 ppg). A native of what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mudiay will also compete for the World Team in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 12 at Air Canada Centre.

Beverley, who won the 2015 Skills Challenge in his event debut, will miss this year’s competition due to an ankle injury.

Latest Michael Kidd-Gilchrist injury: torn labrum in right shoulder

Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has suffered another major injury.

The team announced today that Kidd-Gilchrist underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which revealed a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He sustained the injury with 8:39 remaining in the third quarter of Charlotte’s 117-95 win against the Indiana Pacers on Feb. 10. Kidd-Gilchrist will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break and further updates on his status will be provided when available.

Kidd-Gilchrist is averaging 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 29.3 minutes per game in seven contests (all starts) for the Hornets this season. The fourth-year forward from Kentucky has averaged 9.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game in 202 games (198 starts) with Charlotte.

These days, his talent as an excellent defensive player is being overshadowed by his injury woes.