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Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova out for rest of season

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond provided the following update regarding Ersan Ilyasova:

“Ersan had his right ankle examined by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Richard Ferkel in Los Angeles on Tuesday (March 25). Dr. Ferkel’s recommendation was a period of rest and rehabilitation beginning immediately, rather than surgery. Based on this medical recommendation, Ersan is not expected to play the remainder of the 2013-14 season.”

In 55 games this season (47 starts), Ilyasova, 26, has averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 26.9 minutes per game.

Report: Detroit Pistons will get their own D-League team

Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting:

The Detroit Pistons are getting an NBA Development League affiliate in Grand Rapids, and they won’t have to share it with any other NBA teams, a person with knowledge of the situation said.

The person told the Free Press that the move to get a D-League team in Michigan and be solely affiliated with the Pistons was pushed for by Pistons owner Tom Gores.

The Grand Rapids franchise, which is expected to debut next season, will relocate from Springfield, Mass., where it is nicknamed the Armor. There was no immediate word about what the Grand Rapids team’s nickname will be.

Sixers sign James Nunnally to second 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers today announced that they have signed forward James Nunnally to a second 10-day contract. He signed his first 10-day contract on March 17, 2014 and was the 37th “Call-Up” of the 2013-14 NBA Development League season.

Nunnally has appeared in five games for the Sixers this season. In 35 games for the Bakersfield Jam and the Texas Legends of the D-League, Nunnally is averaging 18.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. The D-League All-Star was also called up by the Atlanta Hawks on January 11, 2014 and appeared in four games.

The 15-56 Sixers are on a 25-game losing streak, and face the Houston Rockets tonight.

Warriors demote assistant coach Brian Scalabrine

Here’s ESPN.com News Services reporting on the Golden State Warriors and Brian Scalabrine:

The Golden State Warriors have demoted assistant coach Brian Scalabrine to their D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, Calif., with 11 games to play in the regular season for what coach Mark Jackson called a “difference in philosophies.”

Jackson’s Warriors sit in sixth place at 44-27, only 1½ games ahead of the eighth and last spot for the playoffs despite winning 15 of 23 games since the beginning of February.

He said Scalabrine’s reassignment to the Santa Cruz Warriors was his call.

“I made the decision,” Jackson said Tuesday after practice, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “I’m fortunate enough to have an ownership group and a management group that allows me to pick my staff. We’re just going in a different direction. That’s that.”

Bucks sign D.J. Stephens to 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free-agent guard/forward D.J. Stephens (6-5, 188) to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Stephens joins the Bucks from Ilysiakos in the Greek League, where he signed after going undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft. The former Memphis Tiger has appeared in 18 games for Ilysiakos and averaged 9.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.2 blocks per contest. Stephens has scored in double figures in eight contests, including a season-best 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in a loss to Panathinaikos on Dec. 2.

The Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in in 2012-13, Stephens enjoyed a four-year career at Memphis in which he appeared in 129 games and shot 62.7 percent from the field – the second-best career mark in Tigers history. Stephens’ collegiate career peaked during his senior season in which he averaged 7.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game en route to All-Conference USA Third Team honors. His 95 total blocks on the year are the fourth-most in a single season in Memphis history. Stephens’ Memphis teams won the Conference USA Tournament during each of his final three seasons.

Stephens will wear #15 for the Bucks.

Ryan Anderson will not return to play this season for Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that Ryan Anderson will miss the remainder of the season due to a herniated cervical disc. Anderson was injured on January 3, 2014 in a game against the Boston Celtics.

After consulting with a team of physicians, it has been determined that surgery will provide Anderson the best opportunity to have a full recovery. Anderson will undergo surgery on April 8, 2014.

In 22 games this season, Anderson averaged 19.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 36.1 minutes per game. The sixth-year veteran holds career averages of 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 357 games.

Nuggets forward J.J. Hickson has knee surgery

Nuggets forward J.J. Hickson undergoes knee surgery

Denver Nuggets forward J.J. Hickson underwent surgery this morning to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, Nuggets General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

The procedure was performed by team physician Dr. Steve Traina at Midtown Surgical Center.

Hickson, who signed with Denver as a free agent on July 11, 2013, averaged 11.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in 69 games (52 starts). He also posted a team-leading 26 double-doubles.

“J.J. is an extremely tough player who made an impact for us all season,” Connelly said. “We know he will attack his rehab with the same energy and hard work that he displays on the court every night.”

76ers sign Casper Ware to 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers today announced that they have signed guard Casper Ware to a 10-day contract.

Since graduating from Long Beach State in 2012, Ware has played in Italy. He spent the 2012-13 season with A.S. Junior Casale and was named MVP of Legadue Basket. This season, Ware played for Virtus Bologna of Lega Basket Serie A.

As a senior for the 49ers, Ware was named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press. He finished his career as the school’s all-time leader in assists.

In addition, Darius Johnson-Odom’s 10-day contract with the Sixers has expired.

Cavs sign Seth Curry to 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Seth Curry to a 10-day contract, Cavaliers acting General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts. To create the roster spot for Curry, the team released forward Shane Edwards from his 10-day contract that was set to expire today. The signing of Curry marks the 30th GATORADE Call-Up of the NBA’s 2013-14 season.

Curry has appeared in 36 games (35 starts) for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Development League this season, averaging 19.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.4 steals in 35.2 minutes per game. In his last six games for the Warriors, the 6-1, 180-pound guard from Duke averaged 20.8 points and 5.3 assists, while shooting . 476 (20-42) from three-point range. For the season, he has posted 21 games of at least 20 points, including a career-best 36 points in his first game with the Warriors on Nov. 22 versus Austin.

Curry was originally signed by the Golden State Warriors on August 23, 2013. This season, he was signed by the Memphis Grizzlies in December and waived in January. He appeared in one game for Memphis.

Curry will be available for tomorrow night’s game against the Houston Rockets at The Q. He will wear jersey number 31.

Celtics sign Chris Babb to multi-year contract

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard Chris Babb to a multi-year contract.

Babb, a 6’5” guard, has appeared in six games for the Celtics this season averaging 2.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game. He recorded a high of six points against Brooklyn on March 7 and a high of five rebounds against Golden State on March 5. He originally signed a 10-day contract with the Celtics on February 28 after appearing in 33 games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League where he averaged 12.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.18 steals in 37.5 minutes per game.