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The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has assigned forward Cameron Bairstow to the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League, pursuant to the Flexible Assignment Rule.
Bairstow (6-9, 259) has appeared in two games for the Bulls this season, averaging 1.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in 5.0 minutes per game.
Here’s the Toronto Star reporting good news but also bad news on the 8-6 Raptors, who center Jonas Valanciunas is averaging 12.7 ppg and 9.3 rpg in 27.3 minutes per game this season:
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Big win. Big loss.
Unleashing a barrage of three-point shots against a woefully inept opponent, the Raptors snapped a three-game losing streak with a 102-91 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night but the victory came at a substantial cost.
Jonas Valanciunas could be lost for a substantial stretch after suffering a broken finger on his left hand when he was fouled by Kobe Bryant driving to the basket in the final minute of the second quarter.
The team said he suffered a fractured finger on his left, non-shooting hand and that he will have further testing before any timeline for rehabilitation or a return is offered.
Center Timofey Mozgov experienced a strained right deltoid during the second quarter of last night’s game against Milwaukee at The Q. Additional examination and MRI today at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health confirmed the strain. Mozgov will be OUT approximately 10 days to two weeks.
Guard Mo Williams missed last night’s game vs the Bucks and received additional examination and MRI today at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health, which showed posterior right ankle inflammation, along with continued soreness. He is listed as OUT for tomorrow’s game at The Q against Atlanta and doubtful for Monday’s contest vs. Orlando, also at The Q.
The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has waived guard Jimmer Fredette.
Fredette, 6-2, 195, who was re-signed by New Orleans on November 10 after the team received a hardship exception from the NBA, appeared in 13 minutes over four games. Originally signed by New Orleans on July 24, 2014, the BYU product appeared in 50 games for the Pelicans in the 2014-15 season, averaging 3.6 points and 1.2 assists in 10.2 minutes per game.
New Orleans’ roster now stands at 15.
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When a team with the exact same core of players that has proven to be successful in the very recent past under a certain coach stops performing up to expectations, what often happens?
The head coach gets fired, that’s what.
And that’s what is going down with the Houston Rockets, who are off to a 4-7 start and have reportedly fired head coach Kevin McHale, per a Yahoo Sports report.
McHale delivered the Rockets to the Western Conference Finals a year ago, but four straight blowout losses and a roster struggling to respond with effort pushed the organization to make a move to salvage what had been expected to be a season of championship contention.
Only 11 games into the season, the move reflects owner Leslie Alexander’s seriousness about winning within the present window with James Harden and Dwight Howard. Alexander and management, including executives Daryl Morey and Gersson Rosas, made the decision on Tuesday to replace McHale, league sources said.
McHale signed a three-year contract extension a year ago and is owed approximately $12 million.
A look at Rockets player shooting percentages this season is alarming: James Harden 37.2%, Trevor Ariza 33.6%, newly-acquired guard Ty Lawson 33.3%, Patrick Beverley 34.2%, Corey Brewer 29.9%.
Even worse, the team’s quality of play so far has actually appeared worse than their 4-7 record would suggest. The Rockets have been one of the lowest-rated squads in the league this short season both offensively and defensively per 100 possessions.
And per the Washington Post:
The symbol of Houston’s disastrous start has been Ty Lawson, a mercurial point guard the Rockets dealt for this summer after a tumultuous prior 12 months with the Denver Nuggets. Lawson – the player who organized Tuesday’s players-only meeting – has been awful thus far, averaging just 8.9 points and 5.6 assists while shooting 33.3 percent overall and 27.3 percent from three-point range. The combination of two ball-dominant guards in Lawson and James Harden, last year’s league MVP runner-up, has made for an awkward pairing.
The Rockets certainly have the roster needed to bounce back. But if it happens, it’ll be under new leadership.
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Nuggets Forward Wilson Chandler underwent successful surgery to repair a labral tear in his right hip, Nuggets General Manager and Executive Vice President Tim Connelly announced today.
The arthroscopic surgery was performed by Dr. Bryan Kelly at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, New York.
Chandler has missed all 10 games this season and will miss the remainder of the season.
He is expected to make a full and complete recovery for the start of the 2016-17 campaign.
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker underwent an MRI this morning to address discomfort in his right foot. The scan revealed a mid-foot (talonavicular joint) sprain. Parker will undergo additional testing today and did not accompany the team on this week’s three-game road trip. His status will be updated as appropriate.
Parker returned to action on Nov. 4 after missing the final 57 games of the 2014-15 season and the first four games of this season while recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee. He has averaged 7.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game in five appearances this season, including season highs of 12 points and 30 minutes in Saturday’s double-overtime win over Cleveland.
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Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner underwent successful surgery Monday afternoon to repair a chip fracture in his left thumb, sustained during the first half of last Wednesday night’s game at Boston.
The surgery was performed at OrthoIndy Hospital by hand surgeon Dr. Tim Dicke. Turner is expected to miss six weeks.
The Trail Blazers on Sunday took a loss at the hands of the Charlotte Hornets. Nicolas Batum unleashed a huge performance in the win. The Hornets are now 5-5, the Blazers 4-7. Here’s the Columbian blog reporting:
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The Portland Trail Blazers lost their fifth straight game, extending their season-long losing streak, Sunday afternoon in Charlotte against the Hornets 106-94. Former Blazer Nicolas Batum led the Hornets with 33 points, six assists and five rebounds. Damian Lillard had 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the loss. Hornets shot just under 50 percent and had 29 assists as a team.
Terry Stotts changed up his starting line-up on Sunday against the Hornets. Against the prodding, more bruising Memphis Grizzlies, Stotts went with veteran big man Chris Kaman who to that point in the season had barely seen the floor. He played well, but against the small-ball styled Hornets, he went with second-year man Noah Vonleh at power forward.
The Blazers went to Vonleh on their first possession, where he airballed a shot off a post-up. The Blazers went to him again on the left block, this time it ended with a sweeping hook. We’ve not seen Vonleh get this much meaningful playing time or use so many possessions. He was called for a cheap foul on a lay-up and fumbled a few passes, but overall continued to stoke curiosity about what is there.
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Forward Hedo Turkoglu, who played 15 seasons in the NBA and eight with the Orlando Magic, has announced his retirement yesterday. Turkoglu will be honored and recognized by the Magic during a special ceremony on Friday, December 18, when Orlando hosts Portland at Amway Center (7 p.m. start).
“I am very thankful and grateful for the opportunity to live out my dream and play in the NBA,” said Turkoglu. “I will always remember my teammates, coaches, staff members and all of the fans who made my career so wonderful for myself and my family.”
Turkoglu played in 497 regular season games (412 starts) with Orlando from 2004-09 and 2010-13, averaging 14.5 ppg., 4.5 rpg. and 3.9 apg. in 32.7 minpg., while shooting .379 (794-2,005) from three-point range and .805 (1,402-1,741) from the free throw line. He also appeared and started in 49 playoff games with the Magic, averaging 14.4 ppg., 4.5 rpg. and 4.5 apg. in 38.0 minpg.
Turkoglu earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award in 2007-08 and helped Orlando reach the 2009 NBA Finals. He ranks on the Magic’s all-time list in nearly every statistical category, including minutes played (fourth, 16,233), three-point field goals made (fourth, 794), points scored (sixth, 7,216), games played (sixth, 497), free throws made (sixth, 1,402), rebounds (2,221) and assists (sixth, 1,927).
Originally selected by Sacramento in the first round (16th overall) of the 2000 NBA Draft, Turkoglu appeared in 997 regular season games (571 starts) during his 15-year NBA career with Sacramento, San Antonio, Orlando, Toronto, Phoenix and the L.A. Clippers, averaging 11.1 ppg., 4.0 rpg. and 2.8 apg. in 26.8 minpg., while shooting .384 (1,246-3,246) from three-point range. He has also appeared in 109 career playoff outings (72 starts), averaging 9.7 ppg., 3.8 rpg. and 2.6 apg. in 27.4 minpg.