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Grizzlies medical updates on Jordan Adams and Jarell Martin

The Memphis Grizzlies today announced medical updates for guard Jordan Adams and forward Jarell Martin.

Adams (6-5, 209) will undergo a surgical procedure on his right knee on Tuesday, January 12 at the Campbell Clinic, which will be performed by team physician Dr. Fred Azar and Dr. Robert Miller. There currently is no timetable for his return. The 21-year-old holds career averages of 3.2 points and 0.9 rebounds in 8.2 minutes in 32 games (zero starts) since he was selected by Memphis in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at UCLA. The Atlanta native has appeared in two games this season.

Martin (6-10, 239) sustained a bone bruise in his left foot while playing for the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, and will be re-evaluated in 7-10 days. The injury is unrelated to his previous foot injury. Selected by Memphis in the first round (25th overall) of the 2015 NBA Draft after his sophomore season at Louisiana State University, the 21-year-old Baton Rouge native has played two games for the Grizzlies and four games for the Energy during his rookie season.

DeMarre Carroll undergoes knee surgery

The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday forward DeMarre Carroll had arthroscopic surgery this morning on his right knee. The procedure was performed by Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Carroll’s status will be updated as appropriate.

Carroll sat out Monday’s game at Cleveland with a swollen right knee. He had played in the previous five contests after missing nine games (December 7-22) with a right knee contusion.

Carroll has averaged 11.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 31.9 minutes in 23 games. He had a season-high 21 points on two occasions: October 30 at Boston and November 22 at the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Raptors face the Brooklyn Nets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Barclays Center.

Day after loss to Sixers, Timberwolves hold team meeting

The Philadelphia 76ers are an improved basketball team lately. Still, a loss to them can put some teams over the edge. Not to be over-dramatic; the Minnesota Timberwolves have been searching for an identity all season. But after falling to Philly yesterday, the Timberwolves (12-23 record, tied for 25th in the league) decided today was going the time for some good honest conversation. Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting:

Instead of a regular practice Tuesday, the Timberwolves did a little housecleaning.

Interim coach Sam Mitchell and the players watched some film. Then players and coaches went out onto the practice court, stood in a circle near midcourt, and spent about 90 minutes clearing the air.

“We talked about what we wanted to be as a team,” Mitchell said. “Normally the coach is the one who’s always talking. But we let the players talk. What are the goals for the year, as a team, individually? And I think it was good for us.’’

Mitchell encouraged everyone to talk, both veterans and young players.

Some of the themes?

According to Mitchell, much of the talk was about sacrifice. What sacrifices – both great and small – that each player needs to make to make the team better. The need for the young players to learn to focus for the length of a game was talked about, too.

Utah Jazz waive Elijah Millsap

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has waived guard/forward Elijah Millsap. Following the move, Utah’s roster now stands at 14 players.

Millsap (6-6, 225, Alabama-Birmingham) appeared in 67 games (five starts) over two seasons for the Jazz, averaging 4.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.4 minutes of action. He saw action in 20 games this season (all as a reserve), averaging 1.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 8.7 minutes. He originally joined the team on a 10-day contract on Jan. 5, 2015, after being called up from the NBA Development League’s Bakersfield Jam.

A native of Monroe, La., Millsap played two seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette (2006-08) before transferring to University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) (2008-10).

John Wall, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook all named NBA Players of Month for December, 2015

Washington Wizards guard John Wall and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant and Thunder guard Russell Westbrook today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in December.

Wall averaged 22.6 points, 11.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals to lead the Wizards to an 8-8 record, despite the absence of several key players to injury. He is the first player to average at least 22.0 points, 11.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in a month since Chris Paul in April 2009. Wall scored 20 or more points 11 times, his career high for a month, and recorded 10 games with at least 20 points and 10 assists, the most in team history for a month. The guard also became the first player to post three straight games with at least 26 points, 12 assists and five rebounds since Dwyane Wade in November 2006. Wall shot 46.0 percent from the field and 83.6 percent from the free throw line.

Durant (24.9 ppg) and Westbrook (23.8 ppg), co-winners in the West, ranked sixth and seventh in the NBA in scoring, respectively, as the Thunder went 12-3 in December. Durant added 7.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists while shooting 50.8 percent from the field. He reached the 20-point mark in all 15 games and shot 87.3 percent from the free throw line. Westbrook led the league in steals (2.73 ppg) and contributed 8.9 assists (fourth in the West) and 5.9 rebounds. He had three 30-point games, handed out at least 10 assists seven times and posted his third triple-double of the season.

Other nominees for NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Atlanta’s Paul Millsap, Detroit’s Reggie Jackson, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, the Los Angeles Clippers’ J.J. Redick, Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic, Portland’s CJ McCollum and San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard.

Brook Lopez, Draymond Green named NBA Players of Week

Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green were today named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 28 through Sunday, Jan. 3.

Lopez led the Nets to a 2-1 week behind averages of 26.7 points (second in the Eastern Conference), 13.3 rebounds (third in the conference) and 3.67 blocks (second in the conference). He made 60.9 percent of his field goals, sixth best in the East. Lopez recorded point-rebound double-doubles in all three contests, including his 30-point, 13-rebound effort in a 100-97 win over the Boston Celtics on Jan. 2.

Green helped the Warriors to a 3-1 week behind averages of 18.8 points, 11.3 rebounds (tied-fourth in the Western Conference) and 9.5 rebounds (fourth in the conference). Green recorded two triple-doubles, raising his league-leading total to six on the season. On Jan. 2, Green powered the Warriors with 29 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists in a 111-108 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, Cleveland’s LeBron James, the Los Angeles Clippers’ J.J. Redick, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, Portland’s CJ McCollum, San Antonio’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan.

Sixers sign Elton Brand, waive Christian Wood

The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to terms with free agent forward Elton Brand, who will mostly serve as a mentor for Jahlil Okafor and other young Sixers.

In a related move, the Sixers waived forward Christian Wood.

Brand has played 16 seasons in the NBA, most recently two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-2015). He has appeared in 1,041 career NBA games and made 867 starts, posting averages of 16 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks per game. His 34,685 career minutes played ranks him 70th all-time in NBA history. Brand was also the recipient of the 2005-06 Joe Dumars Trophy, presented each season to the player who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.

Brand will join the Sixers for the second time in his career. He spent four seasons in Philadelphia from 2008-2012, averaging 13 points and seven rebounds per game. Brand averaged 16 points and eight rebounds for the Sixers in the 2011 NBA Playoffs and averaged 11 points across 18 total playoff games during his tenure in Philadelphia.

A two-time NBA All-Star, Brand was the first overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls and was named Rookie of the Year.

O.J. Mayo fined by NBA

Milwaukee Bucks guard O.J. Mayo has been fined $25,000 for aggressively pursuing a game official and failing to leave the court in a timely manner upon his ejection, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred after Mayo was assessed his second technical foul of the game with 4:08 remaining in the first quarter of Milwaukee’s 95-85 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, Jan. 2 at Target Center.

Jarrett Jack suffers torn ACL knee injury

A tough season for the Brooklyn Nets just got tougher.

Nets guard Jarrett Jack has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and small medial meniscus tear in his right knee. The injury occurred during the second half of the Nets’ game at Boston on Saturday, January 2. Jack will miss the remainder of the season and will undergo surgery on a date that has yet to be determined.

Jack has played and started in 32 games for Brooklyn this season, posting averages of 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and a team-high 7.4 assists per game.

The Nets are 10-23 this season – the third worst record in the league.

Al Jefferson out six weeks after knee surgery

Charlotte Hornets center Al Jefferson underwent successful arthroscopic surgery today to address a tear in the lateral meniscus of his right knee. The procedure was completed by Hornets Team Physician Dr. Marcus Cook at Novant Orthopedic Hospital in Charlotte. Jefferson’s recovery and rehabilitation is expected to take approximately six weeks.

The 11th-year center from Prentiss, Miss. is averaging 12.5 points (.482), 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 25.2 minutes per game in 19 contests (17 starts). In three years with Charlotte, Jefferson has averaged 18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32.0 minutes per game. In his first season in Charlotte, he was named to the 2013-14 All-NBA Third Team.