NBA News Blog – Page 875 – NBA Blog

Thunder sign Derek Fisher, again

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed guard Derek Fisher, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

“We are excited to welcome Derek back to the Thunder organization,” said Presti. “He contributed to our team in various ways last season, and we are looking forward to him joining us again.”

Fisher appeared in 20 regular season games with Oklahoma City last season after signing with the Thunder on March 21. The guard averaged 4.9 points, 1.4 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game. In 20 playoff games with the Thunder, he averaged 6.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 22.3 minutes per game.

A five-time NBA champion, Fisher has appeared in 229 career playoff games (158 starts) averaging 8.6 points, 2.5 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 27.5 minutes per contest.

Thunder reach agreement to add Derek Fisher

The Oklahoma City Thunder have reached agreement to sign veteran guard Derek Fisher for the remainder of the season, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Fisher arrived in Oklahoma City Sunday night and will sign his contract on Monday.

Fisher, 38, signed with the Thunder late last season and helped Oklahoma City make its push to the NBA Finals. He joined the Dallas Mavericks early this season and played nine games in December before suffering a knee injury. He asked the Mavericks to release him, so he could spend more time with his family.

— Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports

Former Memphis Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley hospitalized

Former Memphis Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley is hospitalized in a Chicago-area hospital after recently suffering a stroke.

Heisley was stricken last weekend soon after returning home from Houston, where he attended the NBA All-Star game.

“The family appreciates all the thoughts and prayers,” Heisley’s wife, Agnes, said Saturday in a statement that requested respect for the family’s privacy.

Heisley, whose 76th birthday is March 13, has privately dealt with a few medical issues over the past several years. He underwent a heart procedure within the past two years. Even so, Heisley shed 80 pounds last summer and began a workout regimen that included three-mile walks.

— Reported by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal

Warriors center Andrew Bogut out resting his back

Warriors center Andrew Bogut didn’t fly with the team from Oakland as it started its final extended road trip of the season Saturday because of a disc protrusion that is causing back spasms, according to team officials.

The 7-foot, 260-pounder played only 12 of the team’s first 54 games because of left ankle surgery and missed Friday’s overtime win against NBA-leading San Antonio after his back started acting up. He missed 43 games with a stress fracture in his lower back in 2008-09, a game in 2009-10 with a mid-back strain and five games in 2010-11 with a sore back.

The Warriors say there is no real timetable for Bogut’s return, but they’re holding out hope that he can join the team at some point during their five-game trip.

— Reported by Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle (Blog)

Chris Kaman available again for Mavs

Dallas Mavericks center Chris Kaman is available to play Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers after missing the last 10 games due to a concussion.

Kaman, who continued to experience headaches for several days after passing the cognitive testing portion of the NBA’s concussion protocol that he referred to as “the stupidest test ever,” declared himself ready after Saturday’s practice.

“Hopefully, I’ll get a few minutes tomorrow,” Kaman told reporters. “The headaches are gone, so I’m clear. I’m going to play. It’s been too long.”

Kaman, who was injured during the Mavs’ Jan. 28 practice, fully participated in two practices this week after being medically cleared. The Mavs wanted him to practice twice before playing in a game.

— Reported by Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas

Danny Granger expected to play tonight for Pacers

As if the Pistons needed another scorer from the team that waxed them and clowned on them for the better part of 40 minutes on Friday, Pacers scorer Danny Granger will return tonight after a length absence, according to Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.

Granger hasn’t played at all this season due to recovering from a knee injury and will come off the bench, behind the emerging Paul George. He’s a likely candidate to get moved during the summer, and has been a Pistons’ killer in previous years against the likes of Tayshaun Prince.

— Reported by Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News (Blog)

Tony Parker will not play Sunday vs Suns

Spurs point guard Tony Parker has been ruled out of Sunday’s rodeo road trip finale with a right triceps contusion, the team reported this afternoon.

The All-Star apparently suffered the injury at some point in the Spurs’ 107-101 overtime loss at Golden State on Friday night. Parker scored 18 points in the defeat, his career-best 48th consecutive game in double figures but also his lowest-scoring game since putting up 17 in a Jan. 16 victory over Memphis.

Parker was the Western Conference’s Player of the Month for January, in which he averaged 21.9 points and 7.9 assists and shot 56.3 percent. He has built a solid case to repeat in February, averaging 26.6 points, 8.4 assists and shooting 55.2 percent this month.

— Reported by Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News

Jerry Colangelo may invite Damian Lillard to USA Basketball mini-camp

Portland Trail Blazers rookie point guard Damian Lillard continues to take the league by storm and now he’s well on his way to taking his game global.

CSNNW.com has learned that the three-time NBA Rookie of the Month and NBA Skills Challenge champion is on the verge of being invited to participate in the USA Men’s Basketball National Team mini camp.

“Damian is definitely on our radar,” Director of USA Basketball Jerry Colangelo told CSNNW.com. “He’s one of the bright young stars we have in this game and certainly his chances are very high that he makes our list.”

Colangelo says he will announce the names of those selected sometime after the season.

— Reported by Chris Haynes of CSN NW

Seattle judge rejects lawsuit to block Kings arena

A judge tossed out a lawsuit that could have seriously disrupted Seattle’s plan for a new NBA-ready arena.

Sacramento officials weren’t putting much stock in the lawsuit and are relying instead on their own proposal to secure the Kings.

Hours after the judge’s decision, Sacramento City Manager John Shirey said he was encouraged by preliminary talks last week on arena financing with a group of wealthy investors who want to keep the Kings in town.

In a potential stumbling block for Sacramento, the investors at first asked if the city could contribute more than the $255 million it pledged to an arena deal last spring, Shirey said. City officials didn’t present a counteroffer but, at a second meeting two days later, explained the details of the arena package approved by the City Council in March.

That second meeting “went well,” Shirey said. “They had a greater appreciation for what had been offered last year.”

— Reported by Dale Kasler, Ryan Lillis and Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee

Andrew Bynum finally practices with 76ers

The long and protracted wait by the 76ers to get center Andrew Bynum on the floor ended Friday as the center participated in a spirited practice, according to multiple sources.

According to at least two of the sources, Bynum, who has been working out with coaches and team medical personnel exclusively, participated in a five-on-five scrimmage with teammates. Just how long the scrimmage lasted was unknown.

This is a huge step for Bynum and the Sixers, who have just 30 games remaining in the regular season, including Saturday’s game with the defending champion Miami Heat, winners of nine straight. For both parties, the most important element now is to see how Bynum’s knees react in the coming days.

Earlier this week, Bynum, who has been recovering from bilateral bone bruises and weakened cartilage in both knees, told reporters that he thought he might be able to begin practicing with his teammates in one or two weeks. He also has said that he had ramped up his activity in recent days.

— Reported by John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer