NBA News Blog – Page 799 – NBA Blog

Owner of Timberwolves plans to buy Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper

Minnesota Timberwolves owner and printing company billionaire Glen Taylor has signed a letter of intent to buy the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the newspaper announced Tuesday.

Details of the cash offer weren’t announced, and Taylor wouldn’t elaborate in an interview with The Associated Press. He said he expected the deal to close in May following due diligence.

“I think it’s going to be a good business decision and also because it’s a Minnesota type of asset,” Taylor said. “I just think it’s something we can do very well in the state and get it back to private ownership and I think the challenge of it is something that just excites me.”

The sale would put Minnesota’s largest newspaper in the hands of one of the state’s richest men.

— Associated Press

Brandon Jennings fined $5,000 for flopping

Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Jennings has been fined $5,000 by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-flopping rules for the second time this season.

The incident occurred with 3:01 remaining in the fourth quarter of Detroit’s 116-111 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, March 31 at Palace of Auburn Hills.

To view the play, click on this link.

Sacramento Kings sign Jared Cunningham to 10-day contract

The Sacramento Kings today signed guard Jared Cunningham to a 10-day contract, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

In his second NBA season, Cunningham totaled two points (1-2 FG, 0-1 3pt, 0-2 FT), one rebound, three assists and 22 minutes in five games off the bench for the Atlanta Hawks before being waived on February 22.

Cunningham was selected out of Oregon State in the first round (24th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers before being traded along with Jae Crowder and Bernard James to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Tyler Zeller and Kelenna Azubike.

In his rookie campaign with the Mavericks, he recorded a total of 16 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 26 minutes in eight contests off the bench.

The 6-4, 194-pound guard has also spent time in the D-League, playing for the Texas Legends (2012-13) and Bakersfield Jam (2013-14). With the Legends, Cunningham averaged 15.3 points (.335 FG%, .257 3pt%, .721 FT%), 2.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 34.5 minutes per game in 15 games, of which he started 13. Cunningham posted averages of 16.5 points (.394 FG%, .330 3pt%, .803 FT%), 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 31.1 minutes per game in 22 contests, starting 19 of those.

Warriors sign Hilton Armstrong to 10-day contract

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent center Hilton Armstrong to a 10-day contract as a Call-Up from the Warriors’ NBA Development League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the team announced today.

Armstrong, 29, has appeared in 32 games (23 starts) with the Santa Cruz Warriors this season, averaging 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.75 blocks (seventh-best in the D-League) in 28.2 minutes while hitting 55.9 percent from the field (ninth). The 6-11 center has played in eight games with Golden State over two separate stints (December 11–29/February 22-March 3) this season, averaging 2.3 rebounds in 4.4 minutes.

Originally selected by the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets with the 12th overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft, Armstrong has played in six NBA seasons with the Hornets (2006-09), Sacramento Kings (2009-10), Houston Rockets (2009-10), Washington Wizards (2010-11), Atlanta Hawks (2010-2011) and Warriors, owning career averages of 3.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 11.6 minutes over 285 games (39 starts). He has also played professionally with ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne in France, Panathinaikos in Greece and Changsha Bank Guangdong in China.

He will wear uniform #57.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers sends Glen Davis to locker room during game

Here’s ESPN Los Angeles reporting on the Clippers, who on Saturday treated Big Baby Glen Davis like a big baby:

Los Angeles Clippers forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis was sent back to the team’s locker room by coach Doc Rivers with 10:21 left in the second quarter and missed the rest of Saturday night’s game for disciplinary issues.

Davis was visibly upset as he walked toward the team bench after being taken out of the game for Ryan Hollins in the 118-107 win over the Houston Rockets.

Davis exchanged words with Rivers and was told to sit down. Clippers assistant coach Alvin Gentry attempted to talk to Davis, but Rivers apparently had seen and heard enough and told team security to escort Davis back to the locker room.

“Nothing went on with me,” Rivers said after the game. “I thought Baby was just too emotional, and for me, if you’re too emotional I always send you back to the locker room and keep you back there until the next game. I love Baby. I just didn’t think emotionally he was ready to play tonight, so we told him to go to the locker room.”

Father of Timberwolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad sentenced to prison

Here’s the Los Angeles Times reporting on the father of Timberwolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad:

A federal judge sentenced the father of former UCLA basketball player Shabazz Muhammad to 37 months in prison Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Las Vegas.

Ron Holmes pleaded guilty in December in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with a $2.5-million mortgage fraud scheme.

Holmes, who played basketball at USC from 1981 to 1985, was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and must pay $1.7 million in restitution. He’s been under house arrest in Las Vegas since late May.

Kings sign Willie Reed for rest of season

The Sacramento Kings today signed forward-center Willie Reed for the remainder of the season, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. Reed will report immediately to the Reno Bighorns, the team’s D-League affiliate.

Reed, a 6-10, 220-pound forward-center, was averaging 14.8 points (.590 FG%, .612 FT%), 10.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.6 blocks per game in 31.8 minutes per game in 44 games of which he started 33 this season for the NBA D-League Springfield Armor.

Reed previously played with Sacramento during the 2012 preseason when he averaged 0.8 points (1-3 FG, 1-2 FT), 1.0 rebounds, and 2.8 minutes per game in four preseason contests before being waived. He went on to play in his first stint for the Springfield Armor, earning Honorable Mention All-Development League Team honors after averaging 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game before joining the Memphis Grizzlies for the remainder of the season.

Thunder sign Reggie Williams to 10-day contract, again

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed forward Reggie Williams to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Earlier this season, Williams appeared in one game for the Thunder where he scored five points in five minutes after being signed to a 10-day contract on March 6.

In 25 games this season with the Tulsa 66ers, Williams averaged 20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.56 steals in 38.0 minutes per game.

Williams has appeared in 178 NBA games (32 starts) and recorded career averages of 8.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 19.9 minutes per game as a member of the Warriors, Bobcats and Thunder.

The signing of Williams represents the 39th D-League Gatorade Call-Up this season and the eighth Call-Up all-time between the 66ers and the Thunder.

Williams is expected to join the Thunder prior to tonight’s game versus the Sacramento Kings.

The Thunder roster now stands at 15.

Jorge Gutierrez fined $15,000 for hard foul on Cody Zeller

Brooklyn Nets guard Jorge Gutierrez has been fined $15,000 for making excessive contact above the shoulders with Charlotte Bobcats center Cody Zeller, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The foul on Gutierrez, for which he was assessed a Flagrant 2 and ejected, occurred with 6:42 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Bobcats’ 116-111 overtime win over the Nets on Wednesday, March 26, at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Nets sign Jorge Gutierrez to multi-year deal

The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Jorge Gutierrez to a multi-year contract, General Manager Billy King announced today

Gutierrez, who signed 10-day contracts on March 6 and March 16, has appeared in five games for the Nets, averaging 3.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 13.4 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 10 points versus Boston on March 21.

The University of California product is in his first season in the NBA.