NBA News Blog – Page 904 – NBA Blog

Houston Rockets assign Royce White to D-League

The Houston Rockets today assigned rookie forward Royce White to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment is the record 84th of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, while White becomes the 45th NBA player to be assigned to the NBA D-League this season, another new League record.

White (6-8, 260, Iowa State) was selected in the first round (16th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Rockets and appeared in four preseason games for the team, averaging 2.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 12.3 minutes. He has been on Houston’s inactive list for much of the season.

White is expected to join the Vipers tonight and be available Sunday, Dec. 30, when the team travels to face the Bakersfield Jam at 10 p.m. ET.

It’ll be interesting to see if White can progress to eventually becoming a true member of the Rockets.

Brandon Roy issues statement, plans to continue his basketball career

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Brandon Roy issued the following statement today regarding his recovery:

“Last week while practicing, I suffered a setback in my recovery. I’ve felt better since the recent surgery, but I am not all the way better. The past two days I have been weighing all of my options as I try to continue my basketball career. I have decided to explore additional treatment options and an extensive rehabilitation plan. My goal has been, and continues to be, to return to the basketball court as healthy as possible in order to help our team. “

Eric Gordon set to return for Hornets

New Orleans Hornets shooting guard Eric Gordon will make his much-anticipated season debut off the bench Saturday night against the reeling Charlotte Bobcats, losers of 17 straight games.

Gordon, who spent nearly two months in Los Angeles rehabilitating his sore right knee, will likely play about 25 minutes against the Bobcats, he said, as he gradually works back into game conditioning with a future return to the starting lineup still undetermined.

“I’m just looking forward to getting out there and playing and I thought this was somewhat of a good time to get started,” Gordon said before the game. “It’s still somewhat of a progression for me. I’m just going to get out there and play.”

— Reported by Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Tulsa 66ers (D-League) acquire Chris Quinn

The Tulsa 66ers, proud affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder, announced Friday that they have acquired guard Chris Quinn.

Quinn, 6-2/174, brings five seasons of NBA experience to Tulsa. After four years at the University of Notre Dame, Quinn was signed as an undrafted free agent to the Miami Heat. Quinn spent three seasons (2006-2009) with Miami, averaging 5.6 points, 2.2 assists 1.3 rebounds in 168 games (26 starts).

The guard spent the next two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Nets, bringing his NBA average to 4.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.1 rebounds.

The 29 year-old played overseas in 2011-12 with Khimki Moscow in Russia, averaging 7.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 21 league games.

Quinn’s most recent NBA experience came as part of the Utah Jazz 2012-13 training camp and preseason roster. Following Utah’s training camp, Quinn signed with Valenica in Spain, averaging 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in four league games.

He is expected to be in uniform when Tulsa takes on the Canton Charge on Friday night at 6:30 in Canton.

Nik Caner-Medley, playing in Israel, will miss one month

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv power forward Nik Caner-Medley will be sidelined for one month due to a leg injury, the club announced Thursday. Caner-Medley got injured in Maccabi’s final regular season game against Alba Berlin. Further research confirm that he had a hamstring tear which will keep him sidelined for one month. Caner-Medley has averaged 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10 Turkish Airlines Euroleague games this season.

— Reported by Euroleague.net

NBA fines Dwight Howard for flagrant foul on Kenneth Faried

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard has been fined $35,000 for his Flagrant Foul Two against Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, in which Howard made excessive contact with Faried above the shoulders, occurred with 5:02 remaining in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 126-114 loss to the Nuggets at Pepsi Center on December 26.

Deron Williams surprised by Avery Johnson firing

Deron Williams’ reaction to Avery Johnson being fired

Deron Williams was in the practice facility when he heard that his coach was about to get canned, and one of his immediate thoughts flashed back to Utah: “Here we go again.”

Just like in Utah two years ago, where coach Jerry Sloan retired following a reported rift with his point guard, Williams was blamed for the departure of Avery Johnson, who was abruptly fired Thursday morning by Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

“I was surprised,” Williams said in a telephone interview with Daily News. “I never had any conversation with (GM) Billy King about not liking coach, nothing about coach Johnson. Avery was a big reason I came back, because him and Billy. So I was surprised.

“We’ve never had an argument, we’ve never had a fight, any disagreements, anything. So, I think it was more kind of what happened in Utah, people still saying I got coach Sloan fired even though he resigned and that’s going to stick with me for a while.”

— Reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News

Pacers re-assign Orlando Johnson to D-League

The Indiana Pacers today re-assigned rookie guard Orlando Johnson to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment is the record 81st of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, and is the second for Johnson this year. He is one of 43 NBA players who’ve been assigned to the NBA D-League this season.

Johnson (6-5, 220, UC-Santa Barbara) has played nine minutes in three games for Indiana this season. In his previous two-game assignment with Fort Wayne, Johnson averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals.

Selected in the second round (36th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, Johnson was acquired by the Pacers via trade on June 28, 2012. In just three seasons at UC-Santa Barbara, Johnson became the Gauchos all-time leading scorer (1,825 points), and is the only player in school history to have scored 500 or more points in a season three times. His 674 points as a junior and 39 points in a game vs. Cal-Davis are also school records

Johnson is expected to join the Mad Ants today and be available when the team hosts the Texas Legends on Friday, Dec. 28.

Brooklyn Nets name P.J. Carlesimo interim head coach

The Brooklyn Nets, who today fired head coach Avery Johnson, have appointed Assistant Coach P.J. Carlesimo as the team’s interim head coach, it was announced by General Manager Billy King.

A search for a new head coach will commence immediately.

Carlesimo has previous NBA head coaching experience in Portland, Golden State and Seattle/OKC. He owns a career coaching record of 204-296 in the regular season and 3-9 in the playoffs.

Brooklyn Nets fire head coach Avery Johnson

The Brooklyn Nets have relieved Avery Johnson of his head coaching duties, it was announced today by General Manager Billy King.

“The Nets ownership would like to express thanks to Avery for his efforts and to wish him every success in the future,” said Brooklyn Nets principal owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

Johnson was named head coach of the Nets on June 15, 2010. In two-plus seasons as head coach of the Nets, Johnson compiled a record of 60-116.

The Nets are expected to name current assistant P.J. Carlesimo as the interim head coach.

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