Brooklyn Nets General Manager Billy King announced today the additions of Randy Ayers and Bob Bender to the player personnel scouting staff. Ayers was named to the position of college scout, while Bender was named pro scout. Randy Ayers joins the Nets following a five-year stint as an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans, including serving the last four years as the team’s lead assistant coach. Ayers began his NBA coaching career as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1997 under head coach Larry Brown, helping to guide the Sixers to five consecutive playoff appearances, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2001. Bob Bender joins the Nets after most recently spending the 2013-14 season as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks. Before joining the Bucks, Bender spent nine seasons on the bench in Atlanta, serving his final three seasons as an assistant under Larry Drew.
Category: NBA News Blog
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Celtics assign Jordan Mickey and James Young to D-League
The Boston Celtics have assigned forward Jordan Mickey and guard/forward James Young to the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League.
Mickey, a 6’8” forward, played in seven preseason contests with the Celtics this year and averaged 5.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 9.8 minutes per game. He was selected with the 33rd overall pick by the Celtics in the 2015 NBA Draft and in one regular season appearance with the team has recorded two points, two rebounds and one assist in two minutes of action in his NBA debut against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 28, 2015.
Young, who is in his second NBA season, appeared in seven preseason matchups for the Celtics this year and averaged 4.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game over that span. He played in 17 contests for the Red Claws last season and averaged 21.5 points, including shooting 44.2 percent from beyond the arc, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 32.9 minutes per game.
Raptors sign Terrence Ross to contract extension
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The Toronto Raptors announced Tuesday they have signed forward-guard Terrence Ross to a multi-year contract extension.
According to Yahoo Sports, it is a “three-year, nearly $33 million contract” extension.
“Terrence has shown growth with each season,” said Raptors President and General Manager Masai Ujiri. “We are excited that he will be part of what we are building in Toronto. He is a great teammate and has worked hard to become one of our best shooters.”
Currently in his fourth season with the Raptors, the 24-year-old Ross has averaged 9.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and made 377 three-pointers in 239 career games. Ross tied the franchise record with a 51-point outing January 25, 2014 against the Los Angeles Clippers at Air Canada Centre. He also set career highs for field goals made (16), three-pointers made (10), free throws made (9) and minutes played (44) in that game.
Ross was selected eighth overall by Toronto in the 2012 NBA Draft and averaged 6.4 points and 2.0 rebounds, making 65 three-pointers, in 73 games his rookie season. He followed that with career highs of 10.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 81 games. He also posted career bests in three-point field goal percentage (.395) and three-point field goals made (161) in 2013-14.
Last season, Ross appeared in all 82 games averaging 9.8 points and 2.8 rebounds with 145 three-pointers as the Raptors won a franchise-best 49 games. In 11 career playoff appearances, he has averaged 5.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 24.1 minutes.
The Portland, Oregon native has represented Toronto twice in the Sprite Slam Dunk during All-Star Weekend. He won the 2013 event in Houston and was a member of the winning team along with Washington’s John Wall and Indiana’s Paul George at the 2014 contest in New Orleans.
Jabari Parker and Tyler Ennis medically cleared for Bucks
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker and guard Tyler Ennis have been medically cleared to return to game action on Wednesday, Nov. 4 when the team hosts the Philadelphia 76ers, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Game time for Wednesday’s contest at the BMO Harris Bradley Center is 7 p.m.
“We’re very excited to have both Jabari and Tyler medically cleared to play for us,” said Bucks Head Coach Jason Kidd. “Both players have put in a tremendous amount of hard work during the rehabilitation process. It’s a real credit to their work ethic and the talents of our world-class medical team and terrific coaching staff to have them ready to go. I know our fans are thrilled to have them back and will welcome them both on Wednesday night.”
In 25 games last season, Parker averaged 12.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 29.5 minutes per game. He earned Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors for October/November and was the first teenager in over 30 years to record multiple double-doubles in his first three career games. Parker, 20, underwent season-ending knee surgery on Jan. 5 after suffering a left knee ACL injury at Phoenix on Dec. 15.
After a standout season at Duke where he was named consensus First Team All-America, ACC Freshman of the Year and a finalist for the Naismith Trophy, Oscar Robertson Trophy and John R. Wooden Awards, Parker was the 2nd overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft by Milwaukee.
Ennis, 21, averaged 3.7 points, 2.2 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 33 games last season with the Bucks and Suns. He was acquired from Phoenix on Feb. 19 in a three-team trade that also brought Miles Plumlee and Michael Carter-Williams to the Bucks. In his first career start on Mar. 14 vs. Boston, Ennis became the third player in franchise history under 21 years old (B. Jennings, T.J. Ford) to record 10+ assists in a game. On May 19, he underwent labral repair surgery on his right shoulder.
In one season at Syracuse, Ennis was named to the All-ACC Second Team, ACC All-Freshman and ACC All-Defensive Teams.
“Having Jabari and Tyler back on Wednesday is great news for our team,” said Head Coach Jason Kidd.
Hornets exercise option on Cody Zeller
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Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has exercised its fourth-year option on forward Cody Zeller.
“We are excited to keep Cody Zeller as a part of our core for another season,” Cho said. “We have been very pleased with Cody’s development on both ends of the floor and look forward to him continuing to expand his game as a member of our roster.”
The fourth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Zeller played in all 82 games of his rookie season and has appeared in 146 games total in his career (48 starts). The Washington, Ind. native holds career averages of 6.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.2 minutes per game. He saw significant statistical improvement from his first season to his second, increasing his scoring average, rebounding average, blocks average, field goal percentage and free throw percentage. Despite playing 20 fewer games than his first season, Zeller posted more double-doubles, more double-figure scoring games, more double-figure rebounding games and greater season totals in rebounds, assists, blocks and minutes played.
Zeller was named to the 2014 NBA All-Rookie Second Team and participated in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend 2015 in New York, where he recorded 12 points, four rebounds and three steals in 20 minutes of play. Zeller has spent his whole career in Charlotte after playing at Indiana University. As a Hoosier, Zeller averaged 16.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 29.0 minutes played per game and garnered multiple All-America and All-Big Ten honors in his two seasons there.
Hornets sign Jeremy Lamb to contract extension
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Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed Jeremy Lamb to a contract extension.
“We were thrilled with the opportunity to add Jeremy Lamb to our roster this past summer,” Cho said. “Through the preseason and start of our regular season, Jeremy has proven to be the type of player and professional we seek here in Charlotte. We’re excited to have him as a part of the Hornets for years to come.”
The fourth-year guard was acquired in a trade on June 25, 2015, after spending the first three seasons of his career in Oklahoma City. Lamb was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets and was acquired by the Thunder prior to the start of his rookie year. Lamb has appeared in 150 games (including eight starts) and holds career averages of 7.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 15.7 minutes per game. The University of Connecticut product has a career three-point percentage of .350 (139-397). On a per-36 minute basis, Lamb has averaged 16.1 points and 2.1 three-point field goals made for his career.
Lamb was an early entry candidate in the 2012 NBA Draft after spending two seasons at the University of Connecticut. He appeared in 75 games (including 73 starts) for the Huskies, averaging 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 32.1 minutes per game. He earned First Team All-Big East and Honorable Mention AP All-American honors as a sophomore, following up a freshman season in which he was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team, the NCAA West Region All-Tournament Team and the Big East All-Tournament Team as he and Hornets teammate Kemba Walker led UConn to the 2011 NCAA and Big East Tournament Championships.
Pacers assign Shayne Whittington and Rakeem Christmas to D-League
The Indiana Pacers have assigned
6-11 forward/center Shayne Whittington and 6-9 forward Rakeem Christmas to their affiliate in the NBA’s Development League, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Kendrick Perkins out with pectoral injury
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New Orleans Pelicans center Kendrick Perkins will be out indefinitely with a right pectoral injury. The injury occurred during the first quarter of last night’s game against the Golden State Warriors. A timetable for his return will be announced at a later date.
Perkins, 6-10, 270, had appeared in all three of the Pelicans’ regular season contests (all starts), averaging 5.3 points and 2.7 rebounds.
DeMarcus Cousins injury update: day-to-day, sore Achilles
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Sacramento Kings center-forward DeMarcus Cousins did not return after halftime due to a sore right Achilles sustained in the second quarter of tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the STAPLES Center. Cousins recorded 13 points (6-14 FG, 0-3 3pt, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and one steal in 15 minutes in the first half. He is listed as day-to-day.
Celtics exercise contract options on Marcus Smart, James Young, Kelly Olynyk
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The Boston Celtics have exercised their third-year options on guard Marcus Smart and guard/forward James Young, and their fourth-year option on forward Kelly Olynyk.
All of these moves were expected.
Smart, who is in his second NBA season, appeared in five contests for the Celtics this preseason and averaged 8.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.0 steal in 24.2 minutes per game. The 6’4” guard played in 67 games during his rookie year and averaged 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 27.0 minutes per game. Smart was named to the 2014-15 NBA All-Rookie Second Team, named the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for February 2015, and was selected with the sixth overall pick by the Celtics in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Young, who is also in his second NBA season, appeared in seven preseason matchups for the team this year and averaged 4.4 points, including connecting on 35.0 percent of his shots from beyond the arc, and pulled down 1.4 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game over that span. Young was selected with the 17th overall pick by the Celtics in the 2014 NBA Draft and is averaging 3.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game through 31 career contests.
Olynyk, who is in his third NBA season, appeared in six preseason games for the team this year and averaged 7.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.7 minutes per game. The 7’0” forward is averaging 9.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 21.1 minutes per game over his 134 game career. Olynyk was originally selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft before the Celtics acquired him in exchange for the draft rights to Lucas Nogueira and two future second round picks on June 27, 2013.