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Cavs waive A.J. Price

Cavs waive A.J. Price; roster down to 14 players

The Cleveland Cavaliers (1-1) have waived guard A.J. Price, according to Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin.

Price, thought of as a backup in the league, appeared in six preseason games for the Cavs, averaging 7.2 points and 1.5 assists in 13.3 minutes per game.

According to Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports, the Cavs will use the empty roster spot to sign point guard Will Cherry.

In a surprise, the Cavs, playing at home in Cleveland, dropped their first game of the season to the New York Knicks. They bounced back in their second game against the Bulls in Chicago, squeezing out an overtime win.

Playing with a re-assembled roster featuring star additions LeBron James and Kevin Love, as well as some new bench players, the Cavs will likely continue to be a work in progress as they develop chemistry.

As for today’s roster move, with Price waived the Cavs roster now stands at 14.

Russell Westbrook health update: Surgery on hand complete

Russell Westbrook health update: Surgery on hand complete

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook underwent successful surgery today to address a fracture in the second metacarpal in his right hand, Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Thomas Graham with Thunder medical personnel present at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Westbrook will be re-evaluated in four weeks, at which time a further update will be provided.

The three-time All-Star scored 38 points to go along with six assists in Wednesday’s opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, before sustaining the injury in the first half of Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Sixers exercise contract options on Michael Carter-Williams, Nerlens Noel, Tony Wroten

The Philadelphia 76ers, in serious rebuild mode and making decisions as to which players will be their building blocks for the future, announced today that they have exercised the third-year options on the contracts for Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel as well as the fourth-year option on Tony Wroten’s contract.

None of this is a surprise, as Carter-Williams and Noel are two of their prime young prospects, while Wroten has shown impressive skills lately.

The Sixers are focused on the future, gathering losses and lottery picks.

According to CSN Philly, “By exercising the deals, Noel is slotted to make $3.5 million as the No. 6 pick in the 2013 draft while Carter-Williams, the No. 11 pick, is due 2.4 million. Wroten, drafted by Memphis as the No. 25 pick in 2012, is set to earn $2.2 million in the last year of the deal.”

Carter-Williams was named the 2013-14 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, joining Allen Iverson as the only players to win the award in franchise history. He also joined Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as the only rookies in league history to average at least 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists.

Noel made his NBA debut in the Sixers season opener at Indiana on Wednesday night and had a game-high tying 10 rebounds along with three blocks. The 20-year-old became the first player with at least 10 boards and three blocks in his debut since Dwight Howard in 2004.

Wroten started the season opener for the Sixers and had 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Last season, the 21-year-old joined Calvin Murphy as the only players in NBA history to average at least 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in fewer than 25.0 minutes per game.

Russell Westbrook injured, suffers hand fracture

The 2014-15 Oklahoman City Thunder season is off to an injury-filled start. With star forward Kevin Durant already out, pressure was on the shoulders of super-energetic star guard Russell Westbrook to carry much of the load. But now Westbrook is hurt too, with a real injury that could keep him out for some time. Here’s the Oklahoman reporting:

The early indication is that Russell Westbrook could miss four to six weeks after fracturing the second metacarpal in his right hand Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

It could keep the Thunder’s electric point guard sidelined through mid-December and add him to an already ridiculously long list of injured Oklahoma City players who are expected to miss the season’s first month.

The projected recovery time would cost Westbrook 15 games on the low end and as many as 21 contests. He would rejoin the lineup between Nov. 28 and Dec. 12.

Westbrook is scheduled to undergo further tests Friday in Oklahoma City.

Hawks decline team option on John Jenkins

Here’s the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting on a roster decision made by the Atlanta Hawks:

The Hawks declined to exercise the fourth-year team option on former first-round pick John Jenkins. The shooting guard who have been due $2,228,025 for the 2015-16 season but now becomes an unrestricted free agent following this season.

The team exercised the third-year option on Dennis Schroder. The point guard will make $1,763,400 next season.

Jenkins, who was selected with the 23rd overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft out of Vanderbilt, has been slowed by injury during his Hawks career. He averaged 6.1 points in 14.8 minutes as a rookie in 74 games. However, last season was an injury plagued year for the shooting guard. He missed substantial time that summer and training camp with a back injury. The 23-year old appeared in only 13 games last season when the injury re-occurred and eventually required season-ending surgery in February.

Warriors exercise contract options on Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli

Warriors exercise contract options on Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli

The Golden State Warriors have exercised fourth-year contract options on forward Harrison Barnes and center Festus Ezeli, which are for the 2015-16 NBA season.

The Warriors declined to exercise their third-year contract option on guard Nemanja Nedovic.

Barnes, 22, has appeared in 160 games (106 starts) over three seasons with the Warriors, averaging 9.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 26.8 minutes per contest. The 6’8” forward has appeared in all 19 of the team’s postseason games in that span, earning 12 starting assignments and posting averages of 13.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 32.5 minutes. Barnes, who was selected by the Warriors with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft, was a First Team All-Rookie selection in 2012-13.

Ezeli, 25, has appeared in 79 games (41 starts) over three seasons in Golden State, averaging 2.5 points and 4.0 rebounds to go with 0.94 blocks. In 12 postseason appearances (all in 2012-13), the 6’11” center averaged 2.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.2 minutes. Ezeli, the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft, missed the entire 2013-14 season while recovering from right knee surgery.

Nedovic, 23, appeared in 24 games with the Warriors last season as a rookie, averaging 1.1 points in 5.9 minutes per contest. Originally selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft, he was acquired by the Warriors in a draft-night deal.

Under the terms of the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft pick’s contract are guaranteed, while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option.

Julius Randle injury update: Out for season after surgery

Julius Randle Injury Update: Out For Season After Surgery

The Los Angeles Lakers 2014-15 regular season already didn’t look on paper like many wins should be expected, but the situation is now even bleaker after a tragic injury in the team’s season-opener last night.

Lakers rookie forward Julius Randle will likely miss the remainder of the 2014-15 season. He suffered a fractured tibia of his right leg in Tuesday night’s game in Staples Center against the Houston Rockets, and today underwent surgery to fix the fracture. The recovery time suggests we won’t see Randle on an NBA court again this season.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Donald Wiss at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The Lakers expect that Randle, the team’s prized rookie, will make a full recovery.

Mavericks waive Gal Mekel

Mavericks Waive Gal Mekel To Make Room For Jose Juan Barea

The Dallas Mavericks have requested waivers on guard Gal Mekel, in a move that is likely only taking place because the team expects to bring back guard Jose Juan Barea. It’s been widely reported that the Mavs like Mekel a lot. But Barea is a proven veteran who adds bench depth, and the team is looking to win as immediately as possible.

Mekel (6-3, 202) was in his second year with the Mavericks after signing as a free agent on July 11, 2013. Last season, he averaged 2.4 points, 2.0 assists and 9.4 minutes in 31 games (1 start) for Dallas.

Despite not playing much for the Mavs, Mekel will likely land a job with another NBA team in the near future. He isn’t considered a starter, but certainly belongs on someone’s bench.

Originally from Petah Tikva, Israel, Mekel spent the entire preseason with the Mavericks, and averaged 7.6 points, 3.9 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 19.4 minutes in 8 preseason games (2 starts).

Julius Randle leg injury: fractured tibia

Julius Randle leg injury: fractured tibia suffered on NBA opening night

$Julius Randle leg injury: fractured tibia$

The Los Angeles Lakers season has begun in dramatically bad fashion, with the brightest young talent on the roster suffering what has been diagnosed as a major injury. This on opening night for the 2014-15 NBA regular season.

Lakers rookie forward Julius Randle left Tuesday’s game against the Houston Rockets in the fourth quarter with an injury to his right leg. The initial diagnosis by team doctors at the arena is a fractured tibia.

Randle will undergo further evaluation tomorrow, and an update on his status will be given at that time.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News blog, “Randle was taken off the court in a stretcher before being taken to a nearby hospital. The Lakers will have more information likely by Wednesday, including when Randle will presumably have surgery. But given that it appears Randle broke his leg, the Lakers sounded well aware of the devastating implications. Lakers coach Byron Scott also reported players told him they heard a “pop” when Randle fell to the floor.”

The Rockets won 108-90, but the results of the game, which took place in Los Angeles’ Staples Center, takes a back seat to news of this injury.

Bucks waive Michael Eric

As teams around league trim rosters to 15 players, Milwaukee Bucks waive Michael Eric

The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on Michael Eric, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Eric, 26, was signed to Milwaukee’s training camp roster on Sept. 27. He appeared in four games this preseason for the Bucks and averaged 5.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per game.