Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Pistons recall Khris Middleton and Kim English from D-League

The Detroit Pistons announced today that they have recalled rookies Khris Middleton and Kim English from their NBA Development League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

Middleton averaged 11.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 26.3 minutes in three games (all starts).  He scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds against the Maine Red Claws on 12/14 – both highs for his D-League stint.  Middleton was drafted 39th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Pistons.  The Texas A&M product has appeared in three Pistons’ games this season averaging 1.3 points, 0.7 assists and 0.7 steals.  He scored a season-high four points and recorded two steals at Houston (11/10).

English averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 36.7 minutes in three games (all starts).  He scored 24 points and grabbed six rebounds against the Maine Red Claws on 12/14 – both highs for his stint in the D-League.  English was the 44th pick of the 2012 NBA Draft from the University of Missouri and has seen action in 10 games with the Pistons this season.  He scored a season-high eight points twice [vs. Houston (10/31) and at L.A. Lakers (11/4)] and is averaging 3.2 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists while shooting 50% (8-16) from three-point range.

Isiah Thomas to join NBA TV as studio analyst

Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas will join NBA TV as a studio analyst.

Thomas will debut Friday and make several appearances a month. He’ll also be a regular contributor to NBA.com.

The 12-time All-Star point guard led the Detroit Pistons to two NBA titles. But he’s more recently remembered for his stint running the New York Knicks, who failed to win a playoff game with Thomas as coach or president.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Thunder re-assign Perry Jones and DeAndre Liggins to D-League

The Oklahoma City Thunder today re-assigned Perry Jones and DeAndre Liggins to the Tulsa 66ers, the Thunder’s NBA Development League affiliate.  The assignments are the second for both Jones and Liggins, and the 59th and 60th of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons. They are among the 36 NBA players who have been assigned this season.

Jones (6-11, 235, Baylor) has appeared in 10 games for the Thunder this season, averaging 1.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 7.6 minutes. In his first NBA D-League stint, he played in two games for the 66ers. On Dec. 5 vs. Sioux Falls, he tallied 21 points and seven rebounds.  Originally selected 28th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Thunder, Jones averaged 13.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 32.3 minutes in his collegiate career.

Liggins (6-6, 209, Kentucky) joins Tulsa having appeared in seven games for the Thunder this season.  A second-year guard, Liggins was originally selected by the Magic in the second round, 53rd overall, of the 2011 NBA Draft and was acquired by the Thunder in September.  In 17 games for Orlando during his rookie campaign, he averaged 1.9 points and 6.8 minutes.

Jones and Liggins are expected to join the 66ers and be available this Friday when Tulsa plays host to the Iowa Energy at SpiritBank Event Center.

Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters returns to action

Dion Waiters

Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters is back in the starting lineup after missing eight games because of a sprained left ankle.

Cleveland hosted Toronto on Tuesday night.

Waiters is averaged 15 points and more than three assists per game. He was injured on Dec. 1.

Waiters was cleared to play late last week. Coach Byron Scott wanted Waiters to go through Monday’s practice session before he returned.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Rockets recall Donatas Motiejunas from D-League

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has recalled forward/center Donatas Motiejunas from Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

Motiejunas (7-0, 222, Lithuania), who was re-assigned to Rio Grande Valley on Dec. 14, has averaged 23.5 points and 10.8 rebounds over four starts with the Vipers this season.

Jury returns $17.3M verdict against Clippers owner

A jury has returned a $17.3 million verdict against Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling in a lawsuit by an actress who lost most of her belongings in a fire at a West Hollywood apartment building he owns.

City News Service says the jury awarded $15 million in punitive damages to Robyn Cohen on Tuesday in her breach-of-contract and emotional distress lawsuit. The panel awarded her $2.3 million in general damages on Monday.

She sued Sterling over a 2009 fire caused by an electrical problem. She said a fire alarm horn and a dozen smoke detectors in the building weren’t working.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Knicks briefly assign Stoudemire, Copeland and White to D-League

The New York Knicks today assigned Amar’e Stoudemire, Chris Copeland and James White to the Erie BayHawks, the Knicks’ NBA Development League affiliate.

Copeland (6-8, 225, Colorado) joins the BayHawks having played in 14 games for the Knicks this season, averaging 5.7 points and 8.0 minutes.

White (6-7, 215, Cincinnati) has appeared in 18 games for the Knicks this season, averaging 1.8 points and 6.6 minutes.

All three players are expected to practice with the BayHawks at MSG Training Center in Greenburgh, N.Y. today.

It seems like this is just for practice purposes. All three players may be called back up to the Knicks in a day or so.

Kings recall Tyler Honeycutt from D-League

The Sacramento Kings recalled second-year forward Tyler Honeycutt from the Reno Bighorns of the NBA D-League today, according to Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. Honeycutt was assigned to the Bighorns on November 8, 2012.

The first D-League assignment in the NBA this season, Honeycutt averaged 10.9 points (.462 FG%, .357 3pt%, .786 FT%), 9.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.3 steals, 1.7 blocks, and 31.1 minutes per game in seven contests, starting three. He recorded three double-doubles. Honeycutt recorded 18 points (8-11 FG, 2-2 3pt), 12 rebounds, four steals, and two blocks in 35 minutes off the bench in a 127-98 win over Bakersfield (December 7). The next night against Bakersfield, Honeycutt tallied 17 points (7-11 FG, 2-3 3pt, 1-2 FT), 15 rebounds, three assists, five steals, and two blocks in 40 minutes in the 106-86 win. His third double-double of the season came in a 134-124 triple-overtime loss on December 15 at L.A. Defenders as he recorded 18 points (7-15 FG, 1-4 3pt, 3-3 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and four blocks in 37 minutes in his third start of the season.

Selected in the second round (35th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft by the Kings, Honeycutt finished his rookie campaign (2011-12) averaging 1.3 points per game (.333 FG%, .333 3pt%, .600 FT%) in 15 games off the bench for Sacramento, but has yet to see any action this season.

Pacers re-assign Miles Plumlee to D-League

Pacers re-assign Miles Plumlee to D-League

The Indiana Pacers today re-assigned rookie Miles Plumlee to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ NBA Development League affiliate.  The assignment is the 55th of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, while Plumlee is one of 35 NBA players to have been assigned to the NBA D-League this season.

Plumlee (6-11, 255, Duke) re-joins the Mad Ants having played in four games for Fort Wayne during his previous assignments when he averaged 16.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 33.3 minutes.  He has appeared in four games for the Pacers this season, scoring four points and grabbing five rebounds in 16 minutes.  Selected 26th overall by the Pacers in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft, Plumlee was a four-year member of the Blue Devils where he won an NCAA Championship in 2010.

Plumlee is expected to join the Mad Ants today and be available tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 18, when the team hosts the Canton Charge at 7 p.m. ET.