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Mavericks re-assign Jared Cunningham to D-League

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have re-assigned Jared Cunningham to the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League.

Cunningham (6-4, 194) is headed for his second stint in the D-League this season. He was originally assigned to the Legends on Dec. 11 and averaged 18.1 points, 3.0 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 37.0 minutes in seven games.

The Mavericks 2012 first round pick has seen action in eight games this season with Dallas and holds averages of 2.0 points and 3.3 minutes per game.

Cunningham will play for the Legends on Feb. 1 when they take on the Santa Cruz Warriors at Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas at 7:00 pm.

Mavericks sign Mike James for rest of season

Mike James may be old, but he’s apparently still good enough to get a job in the league.

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed guard Mike James for the remainder of the season.

James (6-2, 188) signed the first of two 10-day contracts with the Mavericks on Jan. 8 and played in all nine games during the 20 days he was under contract. He averaged 2.9 points, 1.0 assists and 9.9 minutes in nine games off the bench.

The Copiague, N.Y., native is a 10-year veteran and has played in 548 games (263 starts) with Miami, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Houston, Toronto, Minnesota, New Orleans, Washington, Chicago and Dallas. He holds career averages of 10.2 points, 3.5 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 24.7 minutes per game.

Indiana Pacers re-sign free agent Sam Young

Free agent Sam Young has an NBA job again. The Indiana Pacers announced Monday they have re-signed Young to a contract.

The Pacers originally signed Young on Sept. 12, 2012 and waived him on Jan. 6, 2013. He played 28 games with the Pacers, averaging 3.6 points and 2.9 rebounds.

Young is a 6-6 small forward/shooting guard who played three NBA seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers. He has career averages of 6.3 points per game and 2.4 rebounds per game. He was a second-round pick (36th overall) of the Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA Draft.

The 26-18 Pacers are currently the 5th seed in the Eastern conference.

Still unclear when Chris Paul will return for Clippers

There still is no set date for the return of injured Clippers point guard Chris Paul, Coach Vinny Del Negro said Sunday.

“Day to day, no timetable,” Del Negro said of Paul, the team’s star playmaker who is out because of a bruised right kneecap.

“With a bone bruise it’s just a matter of letting it calm down,” and then the Clippers have to wait “until he gets out on the court [in practice] and see how he reacts,” Del Negro said.

In the meantime, “it’s a matter of when [head trainer] Jasen [Powell] gives him the OK to get out there and start working,” Del Negro said.

— Reported by Jim Peltz of the Los Angeles Times

Sixers sign Shelvin Mack to a second 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have signed guard Shelvin Mack to a second 10-day contract. He signed his first 10-day contract on January 17 and was the 15th GATORADE Call-Up of the 2012-13 NBA Development League season.

Mack (6-3, 207) has appeared in two games for the Sixers this season. In nine total games for Washington and Philadelphia, he is averaging 4.3 points, 2.6 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game.

At the time he left the Maine Red Claws to join the Sixers, Mack ranked third in the D-League in scoring (20.5 ppg) and first in assists (8.0 apg).

Nets recall Tornike Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor from D-League again

The Brooklyn Nets have recalled forward Tornike Shengelia and guard Tyshawn Taylor from the Springfield Armor of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by General Manager Billy King. The two players were assigned to Springfield on January 22.

In three games for the Armor this season, Shengelia holds D-League averages of 28.3 points, 13.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game. Shengelia posted a franchise-high tying 39 points to go along with 18 rebounds on January 24 vs. Maine.

Taylor has averaged 26.5 points, 7.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in four D-League contests this season.

Dallas Mavericks decide to keep Mike James

Mike James will be sticking around.

The guard’s second 10-day contract expired after Sunday’s game, and the Mavericks had to make a decision about whether to keep him or cut him loose.

They elected to sign him for the rest of the season, meaning the roster will remain full with 15 players heading toward the trade deadline.

“He’s done a terrific, solid job since he’s been here, so it’s good news for us,” coach Rick Carlisle said.

— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News

Delonte West signs with Texas Legends in the D-League

The Texas Legends have acquired guard Delonte West. West, a former member of the Mavericks, will be making his way back to Dallas in an effort to once again reach the NBA.

West (6-4, 180, St. Joseph’s) was selected 24th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2004 NBA Draft. West played in Boston for three years averaging 12.25 pts, 3 reb, and 4.4 ast his third season. Following that, West was traded to Cleveland where he played for three years before returning to Boston for the 2010-11 season and then to Dallas where he averaged 9.5 pts, 2.3 reb, and 3.1 ast last season. West helped his team to post-season play in six of his eight seasons in the NBA.

With the acquisition of West, the Texas Legends currently have five former first-round picks on the roster. West also makes the seventh player on the current roster with NBA experience (Justin Dentmon, Melvin Ely, Luther Head, Rashad McCants, Sean Singletary, Delonte West, Sean Williams).

Nets guard C.J. Watson warned for flopping

Nets guard C.J. Watson was warned by the NBA for flopping Thursday for a play in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s win at Minnesota.

The warning comes as no surprise after Watson all but admitted to flopping to draw an offensive foul on serial offender J.J. Barea with nine minutes to go in the fourth of what became a 91-83 Nets win.

”J.J. Barea’s a flopping guy, so I tried to give him a taste of his own medicine,” Watson told the YES Network in a postgame interview. “I hope I don’t get fined, though.”

— Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post

Bobcats issue statement about Hornets name change

Bobcats Sports & Entertainment President & COO Fred Whitfield released the following statement today after the announcement was made by New Orleans team officials regarding their intentions to change their official team nickname:

“We are aware of the impending change regarding the team nickname in New Orleans. We are currently in contact with the NBA and conducting our own due diligence relative to this matter. We will not have any further comment until we have completed this process.”

From InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner: I assume this means the Charlotte Bobcats are considering the possibility of once again being called the Charlotte Hornets. The current Hornets will become the Pelicans at the conclusion of the 2012-13 NBA season, so the Hornets name won’t be in use anymore.