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The Bulls’ charter plane experienced engine trouble roughly 20 minutes after takeoff and returned to Chicago late Saturday. Passengers heard a loud sound emanating from an engine, though most downplayed danger.
The Bulls’ traveling party went home late Saturday, borrowed the Blackhawks’ charter plane early Sunday and arrived in Indianapolis shortly before a lunch meeting and film session at the team hotel.
— Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune
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The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard/forward Terrence Williams to a multi-year contract.
Williams, a 6’6” guard/forward, joined the Celtics on February 20 on a 10-day contract and has appeared in four games for the Celtics this season averaging 3.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 11.5 minutes per game. He joined the Celtics after playing earlier this season for the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association where he averaged 17.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 29 games.
According to the Boston Herald, “Over a short period Ainge has been able to identify one special trait in Williams’ game. With Rajon Rondo out for the season, Williams is already the best passer on the roster. “He’s a better passer than anyone on our team,” Ainge said. “He can play (point guard, shooting guard and small forward) and handle the ball. The reason I like Terrence is that we don’t have a true point guard. All of our guys can play the point guard in pinches, and all of them can share ballhandling responsibilities. But Terrence can be the best on our team right now.”
The Boston Globe reports: “Though the 6-foot-6-inch Williams may be oversized for that position, his playmaking skills and court vision make the Celtics believe that’s the spot for him. The Celtics first developed that belief when Williams worked out for them last summer. “Just pickup games and just watching the way he played, you really felt that even in those situations that he’s more point than [shooting guard],” Rivers said. “I don’t think he’s ever going to be a great scorer in our league, but he can be a great playmaker.”
The New Orleans Hornets today signed center Henry Sims for the 19th Call-Up of the 2012-13 NBA Development League season. Sims joins more than 116 NBA players with NBA D-League experience currently on NBA rosters.
Sims (6-10, 245, Georgetown) has started all 36 games for the BayHawks this season, averaging 17.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. Sims was a 2013 NBA D-League All-Star and scored 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the floor for the Prospects team in a 139-125 win over the Futures squad. Sims recorded 12 double-doubles on the season, ranking him second among NBA D-League players. He scored in double-figures in 32-of-36 games for the BayHawks this season.
Sims signed with the New York Knicks during training camp, but was waived before the start of the regular season.
Sims is expected to join the Hornets today and be available when the team hosts the Orlando Magic on Monday, March 4.
According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, “It’s a good opportunity for him to see how he plays in practices and workouts and maybe he’ll get a shot in the game,” Hornets Coach Monty Williams said. “We need a backup center at this point with Jason (Smith) out for the season. We’ll probably piecemeal it together from here on out, but I like him (Sims) and his big body. It’s unfortunate when a guy has a decent body of work in college and has yet to make it with an NBA team. “I watched him at Georgetown. I love watching JT3 guys (John Thompson III). You have to have a clue if you’re going to play in his system. Guys are typically pretty smart players that come from Georgetown. I actually saw him play in the Big East tournament and he played pretty well.”
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived guard Josh Selby, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts. The Cavaliers roster now stands at 14.
Selby played in 11 games for the Canton Charge this season, averaging 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 32.9 minutes per games. He also appeared in 10 games for the Memphis Grizzlies this year, averaging 2.0 points in 5.9 minutes per game. Selby was acquired by the Cavs from the Grizzlies via a trade on January 22nd, 2013.
We have to assume that Selby will be picked up by another team. He’s a solid ability to score and compete.
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Bad news for the 46-14 San Antonio Spurs. They’ll be without their floor general until early April.
Spurs guard Tony Parker underwent an MRI examination this morning in San Antonio. The MRI confirmed that Parker has a Grade 2 left ankle sprain. He is expected to be out for approximately four weeks. The injury occurred in the third quarter of last night’s Spurs-Kings game.
Additionally, Spurs forward Boris Diaw (low back strain) is out for tomorrow’s game vs. Detroit. Guard Gary Neal (tightness, left calf) and forward Stephen Jackson (sprained right ankle) are listed as doubtful.
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The Miami Heat are strongly considering signing 40-year-old forward Juwan Howard, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
After playing the past two years with the Heat, Howard has remained unsigned this season. He has stayed in shape and has been working out throughout the season.
The Heat created a roster spot at the trade deadline, sending Dexter Pittman to the Memphis Grizzlies for a trade exception.
Howard had been a respected leader on the Heat and was popular with teammates, coaches and management.
— Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports
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The Chicago Bulls today signed forward Lou Amundson (AH-mund-son) to a 10-day contract.
Amundson (6-9, 225) will be in uniform tonight (No. 17) when the Bulls host the Brooklyn Nets at the United Center at 7:00 p.m. (CT).
In his seventh season out of UNLV, Amundson has played in 308 regular season games (seven starts). During that time, he has posted averages of 3.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 0.75 bpg in 12.9 mpg. He also owns shooting averages of .493 from the field and .443 from the line.
A native of Ventura, Calif., the 30-year old forward appeared in 20 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this season. He has also played with Philadelphia (twice), Utah, Phoenix, Golden State and Indiana.
With his signing, Chicago’s roster now stands at 15.
Sioux Falls Skyforce forward Demetris Nichols has been named NBA Development League Player of the Month for games played in February. The honor is the first of Nichols’ career.
Nichols (6-8, 215, Syracuse) led Sioux Falls (21-14) to a 7-3 record in February, averaging 22.7 points on 53 percent shooting from the floor, to go with 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 35.4 minutes. He scored in double figures in eight of the team’s 10 games, including an NBA D-League-wide season-high 42 points in a 117-112 win over the Iowa Energy on Feb. 19. He recorded one double-double during the month, scoring 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a 115-107 road loss to the Erie BayHawks on Feb. 8.
A 2013 NBA D-League All-Star, Nichols scored 15 points in 21 minutes for the Prospects Team on Feb. 16 in Houston at 2013 NBA All-Star weekend.
Nichols has appeared in 35 games for Sioux Falls this season, averaging 18.5 points, good for 10th best in the NBA D-League, along with 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 35.0 minutes.
Other top NBA D-League prospects considered for the honor were Austin’s Cory Joseph, on assignment from the San Antonio Spurs; Bakersfield’s Jerel McNeal; Canton’s Jorge Gutierrez; Erie’s Henry Sims; Fort Wayne’s Tony Mitchell; Idaho’s Justin Holiday; Los Angeles’ Courtney Fortson; Maine’s Shelvin Mack; Reno’s Samardo Samuels; Rio Grande Valley’s Glen Rice, Jr.; Springfield’s Willie Reed; Texas’ Justin Dentmon; and Tulsa’s Rasual Butler.
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New Orleans Hornets General Manager Dell Demps announced Friday that backup forward/center Jason Smith will miss the remainder of the season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He will have surgery to repair the injury early next week and details regarding a rehab schedule will be released then.
Smith has played through the injury since December after he blocked an attempted slam dunk by Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant. He was expected to undergo surgery after this season but re-injured his shoulder during Tuesday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. He did not play in Wednesday night’s 45-point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
— Reported by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Out all season with bad knees, Andrew Bynum’s latest setback may be the one that finally ends his year.
Bynum admitted for the first time that he may not play for the Philadelphia 76ers because of swelling in his right knee. Bynum had been steadfast since training camp that he would eventually make his Sixers’ debut, even setting an All-Star break target date. Bynum backed off Friday because he still had swelling in his right knee from five-on-five drills last week. Bynum, an All-Star last season with the Lakers, refused to commit to a comeback.
“It’s getting really late,” he said. “I don’t know.”
Building around their 7-foot center, the Sixers (22-34) expected to contend for the Atlantic Division title and make a deep run in the playoffs. Without him, they have lost seven straight entering Saturday’s game against Golden State and are well behind the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Not even Bynum could help them salvage a playoff berth now.
— Reported by the Associated Press