NBA News Blog – Page 765 – NBA Blog

Miami Heat sign Larry Drew II

The Miami HEAT signed Larry Drew II today.

Drew, a guard, played in 11 games (two starts) with the HEAT during the 2014 summer leagues, where he averaged 4.4 points, 3.6 assists, 1.55 steals and 1.5 rebounds on 43.9 percent shooting from the field, 50 percent from three-point range and 77.8 percent on free throws.

Drew spent the 2013-14 season playing for Miami’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and helped them reach the playoffs after appearing in 41 regular season games (36 starts) and averaging 11.4 points, 7.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.66 steals and 35.5 minutes while shooting 47.4 percent from the field, 41.1 percent from three-point range and 70.9 percent from the foul line. He scored 20-or-more points six times, including a season-high 23-point game vs. Erie on February 9, and dished out double-figure assists on seven occasions. Additionally, he appeared in five postseason games (all starts) with the Skyforce and averaged 8.2 points, 4.2 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 1.20 steals and 34.2 minutes.

Drew was originally signed by the HEAT as a free agent on September 23, 2013. He appeared in one preseason game with Miami totaling 5:52 minutes of action vs. Atlanta on October 7 before being waived on October 21, 2013.

The HEAT’s roster now stands at 19.

Cavaliers waive Chris Crawford, Stephen Holt

The Cleveland Cavaliers today waived guards Chris Crawford and Stephen Holt, according to Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin.

Crawford received limited court time in five preseason games for the Cavs, averaging 2.4 points and 1.6 assists in 7.6 minutes per game.

Holt played (just barely) in two preseason games, averaging 3.0 points in 2.3 minutes per game.

The Cavs roster now stands at 16. The regular season NBA roster maximum is 15 players, so at least one more player will be thanked for his time and sent on his way.

Kings exercise Ben McLemore contract option

Guard Ben McLemore can jump high, play basketball, and do other things as well. He needs to shoot better, but has the potential to improve in that category. The Sacramento Kings appreciate this about him.

The Kings announced today they have picked up the 2015-16 option on McLemore’s contract, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

Entering his second NBA season, the 6-5 guard averaged 8.8 points (.376 FG%, .320 3pt%, .804 FT%), 2.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 26.7 minutes per contest as a rookie last season.

Brook Lopez out 10-14 days with foot sprain

The Brook Lopez health circus continues. Fortunately, this time, it’s a minor bump in the road — hopefully.

The Brooklyn Nets center sustained a mild right midfoot sprain in the first quarter of the Nets’ preseason contest against the Sacramento Kings on October 15th, Nets General Manager Billy King announced.

Statement from Nets Medical Director Dr. Riley Williams III:

“Brook Lopez experienced right foot soreness after being stepped on during the pre-season game against the Kings Wednesday night. X-ray and CT scan studies done Thursday in New York reveal no fractures or bone injuries. Brook has been diagnosed with a mild midfoot sprain and is likely to be out for approximately 10-14 days.”

Bucks exercise contract options on Giannis Antetokounmpo and John Henson

The Milwaukee Bucks have exercised the third-year contract option on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the fourth-year contract option on John Henson, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Antetokounmpo, 19, appeared in 77 games last year during his rookie season and averaged 6.8 points with 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 24.6 minutes per contest. He ranked among the NBA’s rookie leaders in scoring (11th), rebounds (T-4th), assists (T-10th), field goal percentage (9th), 3-point percentage (4th), free throw percentage (9th), steals (6th), blocks (4th) and minutes (5th). He made the first of his 23 starts on Dec. 18 vs. New York and finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. In four preseason games this season, Antetokounmpo is averaging 7.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 block in 24.7 minutes.

Henson, 23, played in 70 games last season and ranked among the league leaders in blocks per game (1.7, 9th) and field goal percentage (.538, 13th). He also averaged 11.1 points and 7.1 rebounds in 26.5 minutes per game. Henson posted streaks of 21 and 15 consecutive games with at least one blocked shot, joining Serge Ibaka (OKC) and DeAndre Jordan (LAC) as the only players in the league with multiple streaks of 15-plus such games during the season. In his two NBA seasons, Henson has played in 133 games (32 starts), averaging 8.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20.2 minutes per game. Through four preseason games, Henson is averaging 11.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.

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.

Milwaukee Bucks waive Chris Wright and Elijah Millsap

Milwaukee Bucks general ganager John Hammond announced today that the team has requested waivers on Chris Wright and Elijah Millsap.

The 26-year-old Wright appeared in eight games for the Bucks in 2013-14 and averaged 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. He also played in 41 games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League last season and earned an All-Star berth with his 19.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. Wright did not appear in a 2014 preseason game for the Bucks.

And 27-year-old Millsap was signed to Milwaukee’s 2014 training camp roster on Sept. 27. He appeared in one game for the Bucks this preseason, recording four points, one rebound and one assist in seven minutes. Last season, Millsap split time between Maccabi Ashdod of the Israeli League and the L.A. Defenders of the NBA D-League.

Dallas Mavericks sign guard Yuki Togashi

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard Yuki Togashi.

Togashi (5-7, 143) was most recently a member of the Mavericks’ NBA Summer League team. In his four games, he averaged 5.3 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting .467 from the field.

A native of Niigata, Japan, Togashi attended high school in the United States at Montrose Christian School which produced NBA players Kevin Durant, Terrence Ross and Greivis Vasquez. He was part of the 2011 Montrose team that captured the ESPN Rise National High School Invitational title.

Togashi graduated high school in 2012 and returned to Japan to play professionally in the Basketball Japan League. He signed with the Akita Northern Happinets and averaged 16.3 points, a league-high 7.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 58 games during the 2013-14 season.

Spurs waive guard John Holland

The San Antonio Spurs waived guard John Holland today.

Holland, who was signed by San Antonio on September 25, did not play in either of the Spurs’ first two preseason games.

The San Antonio roster now stands at 18.

NBA regular season rosters have a maximum of 15 players, so expect at least three more Spurs players to be cut in the coming weeks.

Philadelphia 76ers promote Rod Baker to scout

The Philadelphia 76ers today announced they have called up Delaware 87ers Head Coach Rod Baker and promoted him to join the Sixers front office as a scout.

Baker brings over 35 years of experience on the professional and collegiate level to the Sixers. Prior to his season with the Sevens, Baker was an assistant coach with the Bakersfield Jam and spent seven seasons as head coach of the Rochester RazorSharks of the Premier Basketball League, where he was named Coach of the Year three times.

A graduate of Holy Cross, Baker has an extensive college coaching background. He began his career as an assistant at Columbia University and has also coached at Tufts University, Seton Hall, UC Irvine, Cincinnati and Rutgers.

Miami Heat waive Chris Johnson and Reggie Williams

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have waived center Chris Johnson and guard Reggie Williams.

Johnson, who was signed as a free agent on September 26, appeared in one game with the HEAT this preseason totaling one rebound, one assist and a block in six minutes of action.

Williams, who was signed as a free agent on August 12, did not appear in a game with Miami.

The HEAT’s roster now stands at 18.