NBA News Blog – Page 878 – NBA 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

Knicks sign Kenyon Martin to 10-day contract

Veteran free agent forward Kenyon Martin finally has a new job. For 10 days, at least.

New York Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced today that the team has signed Martin to a 10-day contract.

Martin, 6-9, 230-pounds, holds averages of 13.0 points, on 48.1-percent shooting, 7.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.21 steals and 1.17 blocks over 31.6 minutes in 696 career games (641 starts), over 12 seasons with New Jersey, Denver and the L.A. Clippers. He has appeared in 100 postseason games (87 starts), averaging 13.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists over 33.4 minutes.

Last season, Saginaw, MI-native appeared in 42 games for the L.A. Clippers to post 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds over 22.4 minutes. He was originally selected by New Jersey, following a four-year collegiate career at the University of Cincinnati, with the first pick overall of 2000 NBA Draft. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2001 and represented the Eastern Conference at the 2004 NBA All-Star Game.

Martin should be able to play solid bench depth in limited minutes of action.

According to the New York Post, “Though Anthony once touted Ronnie Brewer in October as the Knicks’ unsung signing, he welcomed with open arms his former Denver teammate, Kenyon Martin, who replaced Brewer on the roster. “If he’s in shape and locked in, I think he can be a big attribute to this team,’’ Anthony said before last night’s defeat. “I’ve been able to play with him for a few years and I know from a basketball standpoint what he brings to the game when he’s locked in and focused. I haven’t talked to him yet. People that I know have spoken to him and say he’s been playing and he’s in shape, ready and focused. As long as that’s the plan, we’re all for it.’’

Charlie Villanueva will pick up $8.5-million player option

Charlie Villanueva laughed when asked about his future with the Detroit Pistons.

Specifically, he was asked if he was going to pick up the final season of the five-year, $35-million deal he signed in the summer of 2009.

He has the option of declining the $8.5-million player option by June 30 and becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Villanueva, 28, said there’s no decision.

“It’s obvious what I’m going to do,” Villanueva told the Free Press before the Pistons topped the Bobcats on Tuesday night. “Would you let that money go?”

— Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press

Former NBA player Robert Swift is now squatting in his foreclosed home

Former Seattle Sonic Robert Swift made a reported $20 million during his NBA career, but things haven’t gone as well for the first-round draft pick in recent years.

Swift lost his home to foreclosure, but apparently refuses to leave.

“And it seems like a very sad story and I definitely feel for him,” said the new owner, who wanted to hide her identity.

She thought she knew what she was getting when she bought the foreclosed home in January.

Cans of beer dot the grass outside the home. A bullet hole pierced the garage window at some point.

“Cars that don’t look like they’ve moved in a long time,” she noted.

Water festers in buckets outside of what was once a million dollar home in a wealthy Eastside suburb.

— Reported by Jon Humbert of KOMO News

Mavs trade Dahntay Jones to Hawks for Anthony Morrow

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have acquired guard Anthony Morrow from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for guard Dahntay Jones.

Morrow (6-5, 210) was originally signed by the Golden State Warriors after going undrafted in the 2008 NBA Draft. He averaged double figures in each of his first four seasons in the league and holds career averages of 11.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 26.2 minutes in 280 career games (120 starts) with Golden State, New Jersey and Atlanta.

The Charlotte, N.C., native is career .450 shooter from the field, holds a .425 career average from behind-the-arc and has shot .895 from the free throw line. Morrow scored a career-high 42 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 3, 2012.

Morrow played collegiately at Georgia Tech where he established a school record by shooting .867 from the free throw line for his career while also finishing third in all-time three-point field goals (258).

Morrow will wear number 23 for the Mavericks.

Jones was acquired by the Mavericks, along with Darren Collison, from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Ian Mahinmi on July 12, 2012. He saw action in 50 games (15 starts) and averaged 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 12.7 minutes per game.

Warriors trade Jeremy Tyler to Hawks

The Golden State Warriors have traded forward/center Jeremy Tyler and cash considerations to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for future draft considerations, it was announced today.

Tyler, 21, appeared in 20 games with the Warriors this season, averaging 1.1 points and 0.9 rebounds in 3.2 minutes (25 DNP-CDs, nine games on the inactive list). The 6’11” forward/center also spent various stints this season with the Warriors’ D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, where he averaged 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in 30.0 minutes in five outings.

Originally acquired by the Warriors on June 23, 2011, in a draft-night trade with the Charlotte Bobcats, Tyler appeared in 42 games (23 starts) during his rookie campaign last season, averaging 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes. Tyler was selected by the Bobcats in the second round (39th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft and boasts career averages of 3.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 62 games with Golden State.

Celtics trade Leandro Barbosa, Jason Collins to Wizards for Jordan Crawford

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the Wizards have acquired guard Leandro Barbosa and center Jason Collins from the Boston Celtics in exchange for guard Jordan Crawford.

“Our team has started to come together and play well over the last 20 games,” said Grunfeld. “This trade allows us to keep moving in that direction with the solid rotation and defensive commitment we have established on the court, helps us continue to build on the culture we are establishing in the locker room and gives us additional financial flexibility.”

“Jordan’s a scorer and he will provide versatility that will add great depth to our roster,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations.

Crawford, a 6’4” guard, has appeared in 43 games for the Wizards this season and is averaging 13.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 26.2 minutes per game. Crawford has recorded 12 games this season with 20 or more points including a season-high 27 points twice (December 28 against Orlando and December 18 against Atlanta). In the game against Atlanta on December 18, he also recorded a triple-double adding 11 assists and 11 rebounds to his season-high-tying 27 points. The third year pro out of Xavier University in Ohio has career averages of 13.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 149 games split between Atlanta and Washington.

Collins, the 18th overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, has appeared in 707 career games with five teams (New Jersey, Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston) while averaging 3.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 20.9 minutes per contest. This season with Boston, Collins has averaged 1.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 32 games.

Crawford was originally traded to Washington along with Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans and a 2011 First Round pick (Chris Singleton) for Hilton Armstrong and Kirk Hinrich on February 23, 2011. In parts of three seasons with the Wizards, Crawford averaged 14.5 points while appearing in 133 games. He averaged 13.2 points and 3.7 assists while appearing in 43 games for the Wizards this season.