Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Clippers waive Mustapha Farrakhan and JaMychal Green

clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today that they have waived Mustapha Farrakhan and JaMychal Green. The Clippers roster now stands at 16 players.

Farrakhan played seven minutes in last night’s 89-81 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, while Green had three rebounds in four minutes of action.

Farrakhan has spent the last two seasons in the NBA D-League with the Bakersfield Jam, Idaho Stampede, Sioux Falls Sky Force and Iowa Energy. In 72 career games (20 starts), he has averaged 8.0 points, 2.5 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 18.3 minutes. Farrakhan started the 2012-13 season with the Milwaukee Bucks, appearing in three preseason games for the Bucks before being released prior to the start of the regular season. He was the 13th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Development League by the Jam.

The 6’4” 175-pound guard played collegiately at the University of Virginia for four seasons. He averaged 13.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 31 games his senior season.

Green was a member of the Clippers 2013 Summer League team in Las Vegas. In four games (all starts), he averaged 7.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in 21.3 minutes of action. The Montgomery, Ala. native participated in training camp with the San Antonio Spurs prior to the 2012-13 season. The 6’8”, 240-pound forward spent all of last season with the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, averaging 12.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 40 games (25 starts).

An undrafted forward out of Alabama, Green averaged 14.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks his final season for the Crimson Tide en route to being named All-SEC First Team.

Hawks: Gustavo Ayon out 4-8 weeks with shoulder injury

Gustavo Ayon out 4-8 weeks with shoulder injury

The Atlanta Hawks just lost some frontcourt depth for the near future.

Hawks forward/center Gustavo Ayon experienced a right shoulder injury during Atlanta’s game last night at Miami. An MRI and examination today by Dr. Michael Bernot at Peachtree Orthopedics in Atlanta revealed inflammation and a strain to the rotator cuff.

Ayon will now undergo a period of rest, treatment and rehabilitation. The expected recovery time is approximately 4-8 weeks and his status will be updated as appropriate.

Miami Heat exercise option on Norris Cole for 2014-15 season

Miami Heat exercise option on Norris Cole for 2014-15 season

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have exercised their team option on guard Norris Cole for the 2014-15 season.

Cole has appeared in 145 career games (six starts) and averaged 6.1 points, 2.0 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 19.7 minutes while shooting 40.7 percent from the field. Last season, he led the Miami reserves in assists 37 times, steals on 29 occasions, points 12 times and in rebounds and minutes six times each. In his two seasons with the HEAT, Cole has helped Miami capture back-to-back NBA championships, appearing in 40 postseason games while averaging 4.1 points, 1.4 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 14.7 minutes of action.

Cole was originally drafted by Minnesota in the first round (28th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft before his draft rights were acquired by the HEAT in a draft night trade.

Memphis Grizzlies waive Josh Akognon and Derrick Byars

The Memphis Grizzlies waived Josh Akognon and Derrick Byars, the team announced today.

Akognon (5-11, 185) averaged 1.7 points in 3.0 minutes in three games for the Dallas Mavericks and also played for the Liaoning Jiebao Hunters in China last season. The 27-year-old Cal State Fullerton product was claimed off waivers by Memphis on July 23 after he was waived by Dallas on July 21.

Byars (6-7, 220) competed for ALBA Berlin in Germany and Caciques de Humacao in Puerto Rico last season. Memphis signed the 29-year-old Vanderbilt product as a free agent on Sept. 29.

The Grizzlies’ roster now stands at 16 players.

Trail Blazers rookie CJ McCollum suffers broken foot

trail blazers

Portland Trail Blazers rookie CJ McCollum broke his foot during practice Saturday and is out indefinitely

Terry Stotts initially told the media following practice Saturday that McCollum had sprained his foot and left practice early.

However, the Trail Blazers public relations department later announced via twitter around 4:30 this afternoon that McCollum sustained a fracture of the 5th metatarsal bone. The Trail Blazers announce that a date has not been announced for surgery.

Reported by Erik Gundersen of the Columbian

Nets coach Jason Kidd suspended by NBA

Nets coach Jason Kidd suspended by NBA

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd isn’t starting his coaching career on a high note.

Kidd has been suspended for two games for pleading guilty to driving while ability impaired, in violation of the law of the State of New York, the NBA announced today.

Kidd will be suspended for the first two games of the 2013-14 NBA regular season.

Brooklyn Nets General Manager Billy King issued the following statement on this news: “The decision is consistent with what the league has done in the past and we look forward to Jason leading our team versus Orlando and the rest of the year.”

San Antonio Spurs hire Dave Telep as draft scouting coordinator

Spurs hire Dave Telep

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Dave Telep has been hired as the team’s draft scouting coordinator.

Telep joins the Spurs organization after most recently serving as ESPN.com’s senior national recruiting analyst. He also spent time as a sideline reporter for ESPNU and a studio analyst for Recruiting Nation. During the past year, Telep has also served on the USA Developmental National Committee for the USA National Team.

He has been covering basketball recruiting for 16 years and in 2001 launched Dave Telep Scouting Services, which has been utilized by 230 Division I college programs around the country.

Russell Westbrook undergoes knee surgery, will miss 4-6 weeks of NBA regular season

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee earlier today, Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced.

“Russell has been incredible in his work and rehabilitation. He has been pain-free and has performed at a high level during practice, but has experienced recent swelling that had not subsided,” said Presti. “After careful consideration and recommendations from the medical team, we elected to do the procedure today based on our consulting physician’s belief that the swelling would be alleviated, and in turn give Russell the best chance for sustained performance throughout the season and beyond. During the procedure it was determined that the source of swelling was due to a loose stitch, and fortunately we were also able to confirm that the meniscus has healed properly.”

Westbrook is expected to miss the first 4-6 weeks of the 2013-14 regular season.

Knicks pick up option on coach Mike Woodson for 2014-15 season

Knicks pick up option on coach Mike Woodson for 2014-15 season

New York Knicks President and General Manager Steve Mills announced today that the team has picked up the option on Head Coach Mike Woodson’s contract for the 2014-15 season.

Woodson, entering his second full season at the helm of the Knickerbockers after being named interim head coach on Mar. 14, 2012, led the franchise to a 54-28 (.659) mark last season and the franchise’s first Atlantic Division crown since 1993-94. He finished third in media balloting for the 2012-13 NBA Coach of the Year award and was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for April. His .679 (72-34) winning percentage is second-best in franchise history.

“I have long respected Mike and think he has done a remarkable job since becoming the head coach of the Knicks,” Mills said. “After spending time with him recently, it is clear that picking up his option is an easy decision.”

Woodson guided the Knicks to an 18-6 mark as interim head coach after beginning the 2011-12 season as an assistant coach under Mike D’Antoni. He served six seasons as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks (2004-05 through 2009-10), amassing a 206-286 (.419) record and improving the Hawks win total in each season.