NBA News Blog – Page 910 – NBA Blog

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

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.

Courtney Fortson named D-League Performer of Week

Courtney Fortson of the Los Angeles D-Fenders was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Dec. 10-16.

A 5-11, 185-pound guard out of Arkansas, Fortson led the D-Fenders to a 2-0 record for the week, averaging 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 46.5 minutes. He scored a team-high 36 points in a 134-124 triple-overtime win over the Reno Bighorns, 134-124, on Dec. 15 to go with a team-high eight assists.

A second-year member of the D-Fenders, Fortson earned two GATORADE Call-Ups during the 2011-12 season and owns NBA career averages of 3.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 9.5 minutes in 10 games for the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets.

Other top performers considered include Austin’s Tyler Wilkerson, Bakersfield’s Damion James, Canton’s Jon Leuer, Erie’s D.J. Kennedy, Fort Wayne’s Miles Plumlee, Idaho’s Joel Freeland, Iowa’s Chris Wright, Los Angeles’ Darius Johnson-Odom, Maine’s Shelvin Mack, Reno’s Garrett Temple, Rio Grande Valley’s Tim Ohlbrecht, Santa Cruz’s Travis Leslie, Sioux Falls’ Andrew Goudelock, Springfield’s James Mays, Texas’ Darius Rice and Tulsa’s Jeremy Lamb.

Paul George and David Lee named NBA Players of the Week

The Indiana Pacers’ Paul George and the Golden State Warriors’ David Lee today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 10, through Sunday, Dec. 16.

George led the Pacers to a 3-0 week which included wins over Central Division rivals Cleveland and Detroit. George averaged 23.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks. He shot .474 from three-point range on the week and ranks eighth in the league with 54 made three-point field goals on the season.

Lee helped the Warriors to a 3-1 record which included wins at Miami and Atlanta. Lee tallied 22.8 points on .606 shooting from the field, 12.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals. He posted a point-rebound double-double in all four contests and extended his double-double streak to seven consecutive games – the longest such streak in the NBA this season.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin, Miami’s LeBron James, Minnesota’s Nikola Pekovic, New York’s Carmelo Anthony, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Toronto’s Jose Calderon.

Grizzlies assign Josh Selby to D-League and recall Tony Wroten

The Memphis Grizzlies assigned guard Josh Selby to the NBA Development League’s Reno Bighorns and recalled guard Tony Wroten, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Selby (6-2, 183) will be assigned to Reno, the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate, for the first time this season. The 21-year-old enjoyed great success with the Bighorns during the 2011-12 season, posting 25.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists on .475 shooting in 34.1 minutes in eight games (four starts) over three assignments in Reno as an NBA rookie.

Selby will be with the Bighorns for their next game on Dec. 20 at Rio Grande Valley. Drafted by Memphis in the second round (49th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft, the Baltimore native has logged a total of 15 minutes over five appearances for the Grizzlies this season.

Wroten (6-6, 208) recorded 13.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists on .370 shooting (.438 three-point shooting) in 22.8 minutes in six games for Reno after being assigned on Nov. 27. The 19-year-old scored a D-League season-high 21 points in his Bighorns debut on Dec. 2 at Santa Cruz and matched that total in his next game on Dec. 7 vs. Bakersfield.

Drafted by Memphis in the first round (25th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft, the Seattle native has logged a total of eight minutes in three appearances for the Grizzlies during his rookie season.

Memphis hosts the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. tonight at FedExForum to tip off a three-game home stand that will also feature matchups on Wednesday, Dec. 19 vs. Milwaukee and Friday, Dec. 21 vs. Dallas.

Spurs re-assign Cory Joseph to D-League yet again

The San Antonio Spurs today re-assigned second-year guard Cory Joseph to the Austin Toros, the Spurs’ NBA Development League affiliate. The assignment is the 53rd of the 2012-13 NBA and NBA D-League seasons, while Joseph is one of 34 NBA players to have been assigned to the NBA D-League this season.

Joseph (6-3, 185) returns to the Toros having played in two games during an earlier assignment when he averaged 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 35.5 minutes.

Originally selected by the Spurs with the 29th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft out of the University of Texas, Joseph has appeared in nine games for San Antonio this season, averaging 2.1 points, 1.4 assists and 7.2 minutes.

Joseph is expected to join the Toros today and be available tomorrow when the team hosts the Texas Legends at 12 p.m. ET.

Thunder recall Jeremy Lamb and Daniel Orton from D-League, again

The Oklahoma City Thunder has recalled guard Jeremy Lamb and forward Daniel Orton from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Lamb has appeared in seven games (all starts) with the 66ers this season, averaging 23.0 points (2nd in the D-League), 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.1 blocks in 35.9 minutes.

Orton has seen action in nine games (nine starts) with Tulsa this season, averaging 11.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.9 blocks and 30.1 minutes.

Trail Blazers recall Victor Claver and Joel Freeland from D-League

The Portland Trail Blazers have recalled forwards Victor Claver and Joel Freeland from the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey.

Portland assigned Claver and Freeland to the Stampede on Dec. 14. The two rookies played in both of Idaho’s games vs. Santa Cruz this weekend in Boise.

Freeland posted averages of 20.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 37.0 minutes in the two contests. Freeland led the Stampede in scoring on Dec. 14 with 22 points.

Claver averaged 6.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 34.0 minutes in two games with Idaho. He recorded five steals against Santa Cruz on Dec. 14.

Both players will be available for Portland’s contest vs. New Orleans tonight.