Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Boston Celtics lose Gerald Wallace for season

Here’s the Boston Globe reporting on the Celtics, who have already been facing an uphill battle all season and now get even weaker due to injury:

Boston Celtics lose Gerald Wallace for season

There was a time where the Celtics’ roster was loaded with players, depth wasn’t an issue for coach Brad Stevens.

Those days are long gone after an eventful Friday at the team’s practice facility, when Stevens revealed that veteran forward Gerald Wallace has a torn meniscus and bone spurs in his ankle and is out for the season.

Team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge confirmed Wallace is out for the season and will need surgery. He has two more years on his contract. Also, Stevens said Vitor Faverani had a second opinion on his sore left knee and may also need surgery, although Ainge said it was “premature” to assume the burly center will miss the rest of the season.

Celtics sign Chris Babb to 10-day contract

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard Chris Babb to a 10-day contract.

Babb, a 6’5” guard was playing for the Celtics’ NBA Development League affiliate, Maine Red Claws where he averaged 12.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.18 steals and 37.5 minutes in 33 games. He is the 26th Gatorade Call-Up this season from the NBA Development League and the third time the Celtics have signed someone from the D-League this season joining Chris Johnson and Vander Blue. Babb was on the Celtics roster during the 2013 preseason where he appeared in five games for the Celtics and averaged 3.2 points in 6.0 minutes per game while shooting 44.4 percent from three-point territory.

Gustavo Ayon out for season after shoulder surgery

Hawks forward/center Gustavo Ayon had surgery today to repair a right shoulder injury. The surgery was performed at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta by Dr. Xavier Duralde and accompanied by Hawks Team Physician Dr. Michael Bernot from the Peachtree Orthopaedic Clinic.

Ayon will now undergo a period of rest, treatment and rehabilitation. He will be out through the remainder of the season.

At the time of his injury, Ayon had averages of 4.3 points on .510 shooting, 4.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.0 blocks in 16.5 minutes per game in 26 games (14 starts).

Milwaukee Bucks waive Caron Butler

Milwaukee Bucks waive Caron Butler

The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on forward Caron Butler (6-7, 228), General Manager John Hammond announced today. The two sides agreed on a contract buyout.

“When you talk about being a professional and handling yourself with class, that’s what Caron has done here in Milwaukee,” Hammond said. “We thank him for his many positive contributions both on and off the court and wish him and his family well.”

Butler, 33, appeared in 34 games (13 starts) for the Bucks this season, averaging 11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest. The native of Racine, Wis., scored in double figures in 18 games, including a season-high 38 points on Nov. 22 at Philadelphia. He also tallied a game-high 30 points in a win over Detroit on Jan. 22, giving him multiple 30-point games in a season for the first time since 2008-09. He notched two point/rebound double-doubles this season, giving him multiple double-doubles for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign.

“It’s been a dream come true to wear the Milwaukee uniform which so many of my idols growing up wore,” Butler said. “I’d like to thank Sen. Herb Kohl, John Hammond and Larry Drew for the opportunity to live out my dream of playing for the Bucks. The entire organization has treated me and my family in a first-class manner that we will never forget. I would be remiss if I didn’t also thank the great fans of Milwaukee, Racine and the entire state of Wisconsin for always standing with us during a challenging season. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

Butler was acquired by the Bucks from Phoenix on Aug. 29. Now in his 12th NBA season, he has played in 764 regular season games for Miami, the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington, Dallas, the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee, and holds career averages of 15.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Sacramento Kings, Jimmer Fredette agree to contract buyout

The Sacramento Kings and guard Jimmer Fredette have mutually agreed to a contract buyout, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

“This was a very tough decision, but we’re confident that the agreement reached today represents the most productive path forward, both for Jimmer and the Kings,” said D’Alessandro. “Echoing a sentiment that everyone who knows him appreciates about Jimmer, he’s a tremendous person and a consummate professional. We thank him for the meaningful contributions he made to the team and in the Sacramento community. On behalf of an entire organization, we wish him nothing but great success in the future.”

Through 41 games, Fredette is averaging 5.9 points (.475 FG%, .493 3pt%, .895 FT%), 1.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 11.3 minutes per game in 41 games off the bench. He has accrued career averages of 7.0 points (.416 FG%, .402 3pt%, .855 FT%), 1.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 15.0 minutes per game in 171 career contests with Sacramento.

DeMarcus Cousins suspended and fined

Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins has been suspended one game without pay and fined $20,000 for his actions in separate incidents, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

Cousins has been suspended for punching Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley in the stomach with 9:44 remaining in the first quarter of the Kings’ 129-103 loss to the Houston Rockets on Feb. 25, at Sleep Train Arena.

In addition, Cousins has been fined for verbally abusing a game official and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection with 8:21 remaining in the third quarter of the same game.

Cousins will serve his suspension on Friday, Feb. 28, when the Kings visit the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center.

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Atlanta Hawks sign Mike Muscala

Atlanta Hawks sign Mike Muscala

The Atlanta Hawks have signed forward/center Mike Muscala to a contract, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry.

Prior to signing with the Hawks, Muscala had played the 2013-14 season with Blusens Monbus Obradoiro of the ACB League in Spain. The 6-foot-11, 230-pounder had averages of 14.6 points (seventh in the ACB) on .546 shooting, a league-leading 7.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 26.3 minutes per game through 20 games.  He shot .871 from the free throw line and ranked sixth in the league (17.0) in Performance Index Rating, a Euroleague basketball statistic similar to the NBA’s PER.

“We are really excited that Mike was available to join our team. We’ve closely monitored Mike and his progress throughout the ACB season.  Coach Fernandez and his Obradoiro CAB club did an excellent job with his continued development,” Ferry said. “Due to our current injuries, Mike’s representatives presented the concept of Mike joining us for the remainder of the season. With our roster situation and his strong play, we felt now was a good time to add Mike to our program,” Ferry said.

The Hawks acquired the draft rights to Muscala (44th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft) in a trade with Dallas on June 28, 2013. He will wear No. 31.

A four-year letterman at Bucknell (2009-2013), Muscala (muss-KAL-uh) finished his career first on the school’s all-time scoring list (2,036 points), and second in rebounds (1,093) and blocks (271).  He was named the Patriot League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year as a senior, while also garnering First Team All-Patriot League and Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America honors, after averaging 18.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2.3 assists in 31.7 minutes in 34 games (.509 FG%, .453 3FG%, .789 FT%).  In 133 career games, the 6-11 forward/center tallied 15.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.6 in assists in 28.7 minutes (.501 FG%, .435 3FG%, .819 FT%). Muscala, 22, is a native of St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Grizzlies claim Beno Udrih off waivers

grizzlies sign beno udrih

The Memphis Grizzlies claimed guard Beno Udrih (BEYN-oh OO-dreeh) off waivers, the team announced today.

Udrih (6-3, 205) joins Memphis with career averages of 8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists on .461 shooting in 23.3 minutes in 659 games (255 starts) over 10 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs (2004-07), Sacramento Kings (2007-11), Milwaukee Bucks (2011-13), Orlando Magic (2012-13) and New York Knicks (2013-14).

The 31-year-old averaged 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists on .425 shooting in 19.0 minutes in 31 games (12 starts) with New York this season before being waived on Feb. 24.

A two-time NBA champion with San Antonio (2005, 2007), Udrih owns career postseason averages of 2.9 points and 0.9 assists in 8.6 minutes in 36 playoff appearances.

The Celje, Slovenia native was drafted by San Antonio in the first round (28th overall) of the 2004 NBA Draft. Prior to his NBA career, he played internationally in Slovenia (1998-2002), Israel (2002-03), Italy (2003-04) and Russia (2003-04).

The Grizzlies’ roster now stands at 15 players.

Knicks sign Shannon Brown, Earl Clark to 10-day contracts

shannon brown

New York Knicks President and General Manager Steve Mills announced today that the team has signed guard Shannon Brown and forward Earl Clark to 10-day contracts.

Brown, 6-4, 210-pounds, holds career averages of 8.0 points and 1.9 rebounds over 18.5 minutes in 384 games (58 starts) over eight seasons with Cleveland, Chicago, L.A. Lakers, Charlotte, Phoenix and San Antonio. He appeared in 10 games (one start) for San Antonio this season, averaging 2.3 points and 1.3 rebounds over 10.3 minutes. The two-time NBA Champion (2009, 2010) with the Lakers was originally selected following junior season at Michigan State University by Cleveland in the first round (25th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft.

Clark, 6-10, 234-pounds, holds career averages of 4.5 points and 3.1 rebounds over 14.3 minutes in 242 games (54 starts) over five seasons with Phoenix, Orlando, L.A. Lakers and Cleveland. He averaged 5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds over 15.5 minutes in 45 games (17 starts) with Cleveland this season before he was acquired by Philadelphia on Feb. 20. He was originally selected following his junior season at the University of Louisville by Phoenix in the first round (14th overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft.