NBA News Blog – Page 769 – NBA Blog

Rockets sign Kostas Papanikolaou

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed forward Kostas Papanikolaou.

Papanikolaou (6-9 225, Greece) was drafted 48th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. On July 16th, 2012 his rights were acquired by Portland in a trade that sent Raymond Felton to New York. Houston later acquired his rights in a trade that sent Thomas Robinson to Portland on July 10, 2013.

The Greek forward spent last season overseas playing for FC Barcelona of the Spanish Liga ACB, where he won the 2013-14 Spanish National Champiosnhip. Papanikolaou averaged 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 25 minutes per game with FC Barcelona during the 2013-14 season. The 24 year old spent the previous four seasons (2009-2013) with Olympiacos BC in his native Greece. In his stint there, Papanikolaou won two Euroleague Championships (2011-12, 2012-13), the Greek League Championship (2012) and two Greek Cup Championships (2010, 2011). He was also named Euroleague Rising Star (2013), Greek League All-Star (2013), two-time Greek League Best Five Team (2012, 2013), and two-time Greek League Best Young Player (2009, 2012).

Kostas Papanikolaou has played with two current Rockets in his time overseas. He shared the floor with Joey Dorsey during the 2013-14 campaign on FC Barcelona and played alongside Patrick Beverley in 2012-13 with the Olympiacos.

Sacramento Kings sign Ramon Sessions

The Sacramento Kings today signed free agent guard Ramon Sessions, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

Sessions was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round (56th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft. He is averaging 11.7 points (.439 FG%, .311 3PT%, .800 FT%) and 4.7 assists in 25.8 minutes per game through 467 career contests in seven seasons with five teams – Milwaukee (2007-08 – 2008-09, 2013-14), Minnesota (2009-10), Cleveland (2010-11 – 2011-12), L.A. Lakers (2011-12), and Charlotte (2012-13 – 2013-14).

The former Nevada Wolf Pack guard averaged 12.3 points (.429 FG%, .282 3pt%, .807 FT%), 2.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 26.7 minutes per game in 83 contests last season with Charlotte and Milwaukee.

Dallas Mavericks sign Doron Lamb

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard Doron Lamb.

Lamb (6-4, 200) is a three-year NBA veteran with career averages of 3.5 points, 1.0 rebound and 12.7 minutes in 100 games with Milwaukee and Orlando. Last season, the shooting guard averaged 3.6 points and 13.1 minutes in 53 games with the Magic.

The Queens, N.Y., native was a standout at the University of Kentucky where he was a member of the 2012 NCAA Championship squad. Lamb declared for the 2012 NBA Draft after averaging 13.7 points and 31.2 minutes while shooting .474 from the field and .400 from 3-point range during his sophomore season. He was drafted with the 42nd overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Chicago Bulls re-sign Nazr Mohammed

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has re-signed center Nazr Mohammed (pronounced “NAH-zee”).

Last season with the Bulls, Mohammed saw action in 80 games (one start) and averaged 1.6 ppg and 2.2 rpg in 7.0 mpg. He also appeared in two of Chicago’s five playoff contests.

A 16-year veteran of the NBA, Mohammed has also played with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2010-12), the Charlotte Bobcats (2007-10), the Detroit Pistons (2006-08), the San Antonio Spurs (2004-06), the New York Knicks (2003-05), the Atlanta Hawks (2000-04) and the Philadelphia 76ers (1998-01). In 977 career games, he has posted averages of 5.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 0.65 bpg in 16.1 mpg. He owns career shooting averages of .487 from the field and .640 from the line.

Hornets add Justin Cobbs, Dallas Lauderdale, Brian Qvale to training camp roster

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Justin Cobbs, forward Dallas Lauderdale and center Brian Qvale to its training camp roster.

The training camp roster now stands at 17.

A 6-3 guard, Cobbs was not selected in the 2014 NBA Draft. As a senior at California last season, he averaged 15.6 points, 5.8 assists and 2.9 rebounds. Over his three-year career at California, he appeared in 102 games averaging 14.4 points, 5.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 34.1 minutes. Prior to joining the Golden Bears, Cobbs played one season at the University of Minnesota.

A 6-8 forward, Lauderdale was not selected in the 2011 NBA Draft. He averaged 7.5 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 blocks last season with the Idaho Stampede in the NBA D-League. Lauderdale, who also played one season professionally in Poland, spent four seasons at Ohio State, averaging 4.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 138 games.

A 6-11 center, Qvale was not selected in the 2011 NBA Draft and has spent the last three years playing internationally in Turkey, Belgium and Germany. He was named 2010-11 Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Sky Conference after averaging 14.9 points on .626 shooting (189-302) and 8.8 rebounds as a senior at Montana. The school’s all-time leader in blocks, Qvale appeared in 117 career games for the Grizzlies, averaging 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 23.2 minutes.

Lakers sign Wayne Ellington

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed shooting guard Wayne Ellington, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

The five-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 6.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists over 312 games (35 starts) with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, and most recently, the Dallas Mavericks. Last season in Dallas, Ellington shot career-bests from the field (.437) and three-point range (.424), appearing in the postseason for the first time in his career.

The 26-year-old Ellington played three seasons at the University of North Carolina (2006-09), leading the Tar Heels to the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship in 2009 while being named Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

Sacramento Kings sign Ryan Hollins

The Sacramento Kings today signed free agent Ryan Hollins, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

A 7-foot center, Hollins was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats in the second round (50th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft. He has accrued career averages of 3.8 points (.576 FG%, .657 FT%) and 2.2 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game through 435 career contests in eight seasons with six teams – Charlotte (2006-07 – 2008-09), Dallas (2008-09), Minnesota (2009-10), Cleveland (2010-11 – 2011-12), Boston (2011-12) and L.A. Clippers (2012-13 – 2013-14).

In 61 contests as a reserve for the Clippers last season, the former UCLA Bruin posted 2.3 points (.736 FG%, .625 FT%), 1.5 rebounds and 7.9 minutes per game.

Timberwolves sign Kyrylo Fesenko, Brady Heslip

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed center Kyrylo Fesenko and guard Brady Heslip.

Fesenko, 27, appeared in five games (three starts) for the Wolves entry in 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 8.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game. The 7-1 center’s best game came in Minnesota’s win over the Phoenix Suns, a 17-point, 8-rebound performance in 26 minutes. Fesenko, originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round (38th overall pick) of the 2007 NBA Draft, has averaged 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game over his five-year NBA career.

Heslip, 24, appeared in five games (two starts) for the Wolves entry in the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The 6-2 guard averaged 6.2 points per game in Vegas, including connecting on 61.1% of his shots and 70.0% from three-point range (7-for-10). As a senior with Baylor this past season, Heslip connected on 118 three-pointers (T-2nd in Big 12 history) at a 46.5% clip, the ninth-best single-season three-point percentage in Big 12 history. He finished his four-year career at Baylor first in school history in three-point percentage (.437) and second in made three-pointers (301).

Sacramento Kings sign Omri Casspi

The Sacramento Kings today signed free agent forward Omri Casspi, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

The first Israeli-born player to be selected by an NBA team and compete in the league, Casspi was originally tabbed by the Kings in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft. He has accrued averages of 7.7 points (.421 FG%, .352 3pt%, .667 FT%), 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 20.7 minutes per game in 327 career contests with three teams – Sacramento (2009-10 – 2010-11), Cleveland (2011-12 – 2012-13) and Houston (2013-14).

In 71 games with the Rockets last season, Casspi posted 6.9 points (.422 FG%, .347 3pt%, .680 FT%), 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest.

Chicago Bulls sign E`Twaun Moore

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed guard E’Twaun Moore (EE-twan).

Moore (6-4, 191), comes to the Bulls after spending the last two seasons with the Orlando Magic. Drafted out of Purdue University in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft (55th overall) by the Boston Celtics, Moore spent one season with the Celtics (2011-12).

Last season with the Magic, Moore appeared in 79 games (three starts) and averaged 6.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg and 1.4 apg in 19.1 mpg. He shot .428 from the field, .354 from downtown and .765 from the line.

A native of East Chicago, Ind., Moore has played in 192 regular season games (24 starts) and posted averages of 6.2 ppg, 1.8 apg, 1.8 rpg, 18.3 mpg, .407 field goal shooting, .350 three-point shooting and .791 from the line.