NBA News Blog – Page 713 – NBA Blog

Viktor Khryapa re-signs with CSKA Moscow

Here’s Euroleague.net reporting on a well-known overseas player:

CSKA Moscow reached a new agreement with team captain Viktor Khryapa to keep working together next season, the club announced Thursday. CSKA keeps an option to extend the deal until the end of the 2016-17 season. Khryapa (2.03 meters, 32 years old) is set to enter his 11th season with CSKA and has been ths club’s captain for the last six years. In his 10 seasons with the club, Khryapa helped CSKA win 10 Russian League titles, lifting the VTB League trophy five teams. Above all, Khryapa helped CSKA win the Euroleague title in 2008. Khryapa has made it to the Final Four nine times – an achievement that only Euroleague legend Theo Papaloukas can claim. He is the Euroleague Final Four’s all-time leading rebounder (92).

Carlos Arroyo signs in Barcelona

Here’s Euroleague.net reporting on a well-known former NBA point guard and international star, Carlos Arroyo:

FC Barcelona Lassa found a new point guard in Carlos Arroyo, who inked a one-year deal with his new team on Friday. Arroyo (1.88 meters, 35 years old) has played for Galatasaray Liv Hospital Istanbul in the last three seasons. He averaged 12.5 points and 4.3 assists in 15 Turkish Airlines Euroleague games last season. Arroyo went on to play for Cangrejeros de Santurce, averaging 14.7 points and 6.5 assists in 39 Puerto Rican League games, leading his team to the finals. He has also played for Toronto, Denver, Utah, Detroit, Orlando, Miami and Boston of the NBA, Tau Ceramica Vitoria of Spain, Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel and Besiktas Istanbul of Turkey.

Heat are sending Shabazz Napier to Magic

Here’s the Miami Herald reporting a Heat roster move:

For many in Miami, it was difficult to watch Shabazz Napier play basketball for the Heat and not think of LeBron James. That won’t be a problem anymore.

In an effort to clean up its offseason roster, the Heat traded Napier to the Orlando Magic on Sunday for almost nothing in return save closure.

It was James who wanted the Heat to draft Napier last year, but James never played with the point guard from the University of Connecticut. A few summer-league games into Napier’s stint with the Heat, James shocked the Heat’s front office with his move to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Kyrie Irving health update

Here’s the News Herald reporting on Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, who is still healing but seems to be progressing nicely:

Kyrie Irving broke his Twitter silence on July 6, after almost a month of going dark following the knee injury that ended the three-time All-star’s Finals run.

“Never missed the game this much ever in my life. Can’t take that feel of a basketball going through the net for granted. Ever.”

On July 25, Irving returned to the basketball court, publicly, for the Kyrie Irving Basketball ProCamp at Mentor High School and was able to participate with the over 500 campers in light drills. No crutches, no cast, no brace.

“It felt good. I only had the cast on for two weeks and then I was in a brace,” Irving said. “So then, when I finally got clearance from our doctors that I could start working out and stuff like that, and actually put pressure on my leg, I relished that. So, I’ve been in Miami working with a great rehab team at Pinecrest Physical Therapy and it’s been awesome.”

Cavs re-sign James Jones

The Cleveland Cavaliers have re-signed guard/forward James Jones, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Not a lot is expected of Jones, other than to come off the bench and catch-and-shoot three-pointers, while playing very limited minutes.

Jones appeared in 57 games (two starts) for the Cavs during the 2014-15 regular season and averaged 4.4 points in 11.7 minutes per game. He also shot .360 from the three-point line and .848 from the free throw line. For his career, the 12-year NBA veteran has played in 613 regular season games (91 starts) with averages of 5.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game with Miami, Portland, Phoenix, Indiana and Cleveland. His .398 percentage from behind the arc is the 12th highest among active players (min. 373 3FGM).

During Cleveland’s NBA Finals run in the 2015 playoffs, Jones appeared in all 20 games, averaging 4.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game. He originally signed with the Cavs as a free agent on August 5, 2014.

Trail Blazers sign Phil Pressey and Cliff Alexander

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Phil Pressey and forward Cliff Alexander, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey.

Pressey, 24, holds NBA averages of 3.1 points (33.3% FG, 35.7% 3-PT, 66.0% FT), 1.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 125 games (11 starts) over the past two seasons with the Boston Celtics.

Undrafted out of Missouri, Pressey (5-11, 175) averaged career highs in scoring (11.9 ppg) and assists (7.0 apg) his junior 2012-13 season, finishing No. 13 nationally in assists per game on his way to First Team All-SEC and All-SEC tournament honors.

Also undrafted, Alexander, 19, averaged 7.1 points (56.6% FG, 67.1% FT), 5.3 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 1.32 blocked shots in one season at Kansas in 2014-15. His field goal percentage led Kansas and ranked fourth in the Big 12 last season.

The 2014 Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year, Alexander (6-8, 240) was a 2014 McDonald’s All-American, a member of Team USA at the 2014 Nike Hoop Summit and earned co-MVP honors at the 2014 Jordan Brand Classic.

Sixers sign guard Scottie Wilbekin

The Philadelphia 76ers have signed guard Scottie Wilbekin.

Wilbekin was eligible for the 2014 NBA Draft following a standout career at Florida. As a senior, he was named SEC Player of the Year and earned Third Team All-America by the Associated Press. Wilbekin was also a two-time SEC All-Defensive selection and finished his career with 167 steals.

Last season, Wilbekin played 32 games for Cairns Taipans of the Australian National Basketball League and was named the club’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named First Team All-NBL after averaging 15 points, four assists, four rebounds and one steal per game with the Taipans. He later joined AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League, averaging eight points and four assists in nine games played.

Wilbekin competed for the Sixers in the 2014 Orlando Pro Summer League and the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where he finished second on the team in scoring with 14 points per game and averaged three 3-pointers made per game.

Hawks sign Lamar Patterson and Terran Petteway

The Atlanta Hawks have signed guard/forwards Lamar Patterson and Terran Petteway (tur-RAN PET-uh-way), it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

Both players competed for the Hawks in the recently-completed NBA Las Vegas Summer League.

Patterson started all seven games for the summer Hawks, averaging team-bests of 13.1 points, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals while adding 5.1 rebounds in 25.8 minutes (.452 FG%, .375 3FG%).

Chosen by Milwaukee in the second round (48th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft, he was acquired by the Hawks on draft night in exchange for a 2015 second round pick. Patterson played in 29 games last season for Tofas in Turkey, putting up 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 28.6 minutes.

The 6-foot-5 Patterson played at Pittsburgh from 2009-14, seeing action in a school-record 148 games (starting his final 106 contests). He was named All-Atlantic Coast Conference Second Team as a senior after averaging 17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.6 minutes (.441 FG%, .388 3FG%, .754 FT%) in 36 contests.

In Las Vegas, Petteway appeared in seven games (six starts) and averaged 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 block in 26.0 minutes.

An early-entry candidate for the 2015 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-6 junior led Nebraska in scoring last season, averaging 18.2 points (fourth in the Big Ten) along with 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists (14th) and 1.1 steals (5th). Petteway was selected Third-Team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media, also earning Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America accolades. He topped the Conference in scoring (18.2) as a sophomore, leading the Cornhuskers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1998. Petteway began his college career at Texas Tech (2011-12) before transferring to Nebraska.

Mavericks sign John Jenkins and Jarrid Famous

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard John Jenkins and free agent forward Jarrid Famous.

Jenkins (6-4, 215) joins the Mavericks after spending the past three seasons with the Atlanta Hawks where he was drafted with their first round pick (23rd overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft. In 98 career games (5 starts) as a Hawk, Jenkins averaged 5.6 points and 1.6 rebounds in 13.8 minutes while shooting .451 from the floor, .375 from three-point range and .849 from the foul line.

As a standout Vanderbilt, Jenkins played three seasons for the Commodores before foregoing his senior year to enter the 2012 NBA Draft. He led the Southeastern Conference in scoring as both a sophomore and a junior and left Nashville as Vanderbilt’s 10th all-time leading scorer. In his final season as a Commodore, Jenkins averaged 19.9 points and tied the SEC single-season record with 134 made three-pointers. He was named First Team All-SEC and Third Team All-America.

Famous (6-11, 240) signs with Dallas after competing for the Washington Wizards at the 2015 Las Vegas NBA Summer League. In five games (all starts) for the Wizards’ summer league squad, he averaged 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in 20.2 minutes.

Famous went undrafted out of South Florida in 2011. He spent the 2014-15 season with the Iowa Energy and Texas Legends of the NBA D-League, before signing with GlobalPort Batang Pier in the Philippines.

Cavaliers trade Rakeem Christmas to Pacers

Cavaliers trade Rakeem Christmas to Pacers

The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday they have acquired forward Rakeem Christmas from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for the 2019 second-round Lakers draft pick that the Pacers acquired in the recent trade for Roy Hibbert.

Christmas, 6-9, 250, was a second-round pick in June’s NBA Draft. He was selected 36th overall by Minnesota and was traded later draft night to the Cavaliers. He played collegiately at Syracuse where in his senior season he averaged 17.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. In his four-year career with the Orangemen, he played 142 games.

“We really liked Rakeem when he came in for pre-draft workouts,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird. “He is a solid player who was a contributor all four years at Syracuse and we look forward to having him on our team.”