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Pistons waive Josh Smith

In a shocker, Detroit Pistons waive Josh Smith

The Detroit Pistons announced today the club has requested waivers on forward Josh Smith.

According to ESPN.com, Smith “still had two years and $26 million remaining on his contract after this season.” And according to Yahoo Sports, “the Pistons will use the stretch provision on the remaining $26 million, league sources told Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski. The provision allows the Pistons to stretch the money owed to Smith over a longer period of time for salary cap relief.”

The 5-23 Pistons are having a miserable season, and while Smith is a flawed player, he is still considered to have value in the right situation. This was an unexpected move for Detroit to make, but it is understandable that they would want to part ways, especially taking Smith’s contract into account.

Smith this season is averaging 13.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.7 bpg, shooting 39% FG, 24% just threes, and a very bad 47% from the free throw line.

“Our team has not performed the way we had expected throughout the first third of the season and adjustments need to be made in terms of our focus and direction,” said Stan Van Gundy, Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations for the Detroit Pistons. “We are shifting priorities to aggressively develop our younger players while also expanding the roles of other players in the current rotation to improve performance and build for our future. As we expand certain roles, others will be reduced. In fairness to Josh, being a highly versatile 10-year veteran in this league, we feel it’s best to give him his freedom to move forward. We have full respect for Josh as a player and a person.”

The 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward has averaged 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 39.1% from the field, 24.3% from three point range and 46.8% from the free throw line. In 105 games with the Pistons, the Georgia native averaged 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Smith was acquired by the Pistons as a free agent on July 10, 2013. Drafted with the 17th overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, the former Oak Hill Academy product has averaged 15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 blocks and 34.2 minutes in 781 career games (758 starts).

Pelicans waive Gal Mekel

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has waived point guard Gal Mekel.

Mekel, 6-3, 191, was signed by the team on December 5 as an unrestricted free agent. Mekel appeared in four games with New Orleans, averaging 1.5 points and 3.3 assists.

The Wichita State product appeared in 31 games during the 2013-14 season for the Dallas Mavericks and appeared in all eight of Dallas’ 2014 preseason games.

New Orleans’ roster now stands at 14.

Celtics trade Rajon Rondo to Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have acquired four-time All-Star Rajon Rondo and center Dwight Powell from the Boston Celtics in exchange for center Brandan Wright, forward Jae Crowder, guard Jameer Nelson, a 2015 first round pick and a 2016 second round pick.

Rondo (6-1, 186) is an eight-year guard who has spent his entire professional career with the Celtics. In addition to being a four-time NBA All-Star (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013), Rondo has been named All-NBA Defensive Team four times (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), All-NBA Third Team (2012) and was the starting point guard on Boston’s 2008 NBA Championship team. He has played in 527 career games (474 starts) and holds averages of 11.0 points, 8.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 32.9 minutes per game.

The veteran point guard also has extensive postseason experience having competed in two NBA Finals and starting each of his 92 career Playoff games. Rondo holds postseason career averages of 14.5 points, 9.2 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 38.5 minutes per game.

Rondo currently leads the NBA in assists with 10.8 assists per game. He led the league in that category in both 2011-12 (11.7 apg) and 2012-13 (11.1 apg). He also holds several Celtics’ franchise assists records including single-season total with 794 assists (2009-10), assists per game with 11.7 apg (2011-12) and assists in an NBA Playoff game with 20 (2011).

The Louisville, Ky., native was originally the 21st pick of the 2006 NBA Draft after declaring as an early-entry candidate out the University of Kentucky. In just his freshman season as a Wildcat, Rondo set Kentucky’s all-time single-season steals mark with 87 steals in 34 games.

Powell (6-11, 240) is a rookie center who hails from Toronto, Canada and has seen action in five games this season with averages of 1.8 points, 0.2 rebounds and 1.8 minutes per game.

A former Stanford University standout, Powell was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 45th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He was originally traded from Charlotte to Cleveland before being acquired by the Celtics in a late-September trade that landed him in Boston, along with John Lucas III, Malcolm Thomas and Erik Murphy, while Keith Bogans was sent to the Cavaliers.

As a senior at Stanford, Powell was named All-Pac-12 First Team while averaging 14.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He was also named Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Jabari Parker knee injury ends his season

Jabari Parker knee injury ends his season

Milwaukee Bucks rookie forward Jabari Parker suffered a left knee injury during the third quarter of last night’s game in Phoenix. He returned to Milwaukee this afternoon to undergo an MRI that revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. Parker will undergo surgery to repair the injury and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2014-15 season.

This is a horrible blow to a Bucks team that is enjoying a very respectable season.

Parker was also a top favorite to win the 2014-15 Rookie of the Year award.

In 25 games this season, Parker averaged 12.3 points (2nd among rookies) and 5.5 rebounds (3rd) in 29.5 minutes per game (3rd) while helping the Bucks to a 13-12 record. He scored in double figures 17 times, including a career-best 23 points at Brooklyn on Nov. 19 that stands as the highest-scoring game by a Bucks teenager in franchise history.

The Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in October/November, Parker began his career by posting double-doubles in two of his first three games (11 points and 10 rebounds on Oct. 31 vs. Philadelphia, and 13 points and 11 rebounds on Nov. 1 at Washington). In doing so, he became just the 14th player in the last 30 seasons to record multiple double-doubles within his first three career games, and the only teenager to accomplish the feat.

Blazers center Robin Lopez breaks hand

Portland Trail Blazers center Robin Lopez breaks hand

Here’s the Columbian reporting some rough news for the Trail Blazers:

The Trail Blazers scored another win against a Western Conference contender, even though the win came with a caveat and a cost.

Behind 21 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and six assists from Damian Lillard, the Blazers defeated a short-handed San Antonio Spurs squad 108-95 Monday at the Moda Center.

But starting center Robin Lopez left the game in the third quarter with a right hand injury and did not return. Terry Stotts said he would be out “a while” with a fractured hand.

“I haven’t seen the play,” said Lopez, with a cast covering his right hand. “I think it’s a couple of fractures.”

Alec Burks injury update: Cleared to resume practice

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz guard Alec Burks, who has missed the last two Jazz games with left shoulder inflammation:

After undergoing testing and consultations with the Utah Jazz medical staff and multiple outside medical experts, the findings were consistent and a unanimous agreement was reached that Burks is cleared to resume practice activities at this time.

Burks will be listed as QUESTIONABLE for Monday night’s game at Sacramento.

The 23-year-old Burks (6-6, 211, Colorado) has appeared in 18 games (all starts) and is averaging 13.3 points and career-highs of 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 33.7 minutes. The fourth-year guard was originally selected by the Jazz in the first round (12th overall selection) of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Pelicans sign Gal Mekel

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Gal Mekel. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Mekel, 6-3, 191, appeared in 31 games (one start) last season with the Dallas Mavericks, posting averages of 2.4 points and 2.0 assists. Mekel appeared in all eight of Dallas’ 2014 preseason games (two starts), averaging 7.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

Prior to joining the Mavericks, Mekel spent five years playing professionally in Israel, winning two Israeli Super League championships with Hapoel Gilboa Galil in 2010 and Maccabi Haifa in 2013, as well as being named the 2009 Israeli Super League Rising Star and winning the league MVP award twice (2011, 2013). Before starting his professional career, the Israeli native played two seasons at Wichita State University from 2006-08.

Mekel will wear #24 and will be available for New Orleans’ game tomorrow night in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

New Orleans’ roster now stands at 15.

Pelicans sign Dante Cunningham

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has signed free agent forward Dante Cunningham.

Cunningham, 6-8, 230, was the 33rd overall pick out of Villanova in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. A five-year veteran, Cunningham has appeared in 366 career NBA games (41 starts) with Portland, Charlotte, Memphis and Minnesota, holding career averages of 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds.

Cunningham will be available for the Pelicans’ game tonight at Golden State. He will wear #44.

New Orleans’ roster stands at 14.

Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins named NBA Rookies of Month for October/November, 2014

Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Andrew Wiggins today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in October/November.

Parker, the second overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft, ranked first among all rookies in scoring (11.9 ppg). Additionally, among first-year players, Parker ranked second in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and steals (1.33 spg). Parker recorded a career-high 23 points against the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 19, in a triple-overtime victory. He also recorded double-doubles in two of his first three career games.

Wiggins, the first pick in June’s Draft, ranked second among all first-year players in scoring (11.6 ppg) and first in three-point field goal percentage (.440). Among Western Conference rookies, he ranked first in steals (1.13 spg) and minutes played (28.7 mpg). On Nov. 22 vs. the Sacramento Kings, he led Minnesota with a career-high 29 points during a 113-101 loss.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Brooklyn’s Bojan Bogdanovic, Houston’s Kostas Papanikolaou, Minnesota’s Zach LaVine, Orlando’s Elfrid Payton and Philadelphia’s K.J. McDaniels.

Ersan Ilyasova injury update

$Ersan Ilyasova nasal fracture$

Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova was inadvertently struck in the face/nasal area late in the second quarter of yesterday’s game at Cleveland. After being examined in the locker room at halftime, he was taken to the Cleveland Clinic where he underwent a CT scan that revealed a nasal fracture. He also displayed symptoms of a mild concussion. Ilyasova was held overnight for observation, released this morning, and is returning to Milwaukee.

Ilyasova will not play in tonight’s contest and is not expected to travel on the team’s next trip to Dallas (Dec. 7) and Oklahoma City (Dec. 9). Further updates will be made when appropriate.

In 19 games this season, Ilyasova is averaging 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game. Prior to last night’s game he had scored in double figures in eight straight games, averaging 15.8 points while shooting 56.0 percent from the field.