NBA News Blog – Page 915 – NBA Blog

Three Trail Blazers executives laid off

The Trail Blazers laid off three high-ranking xecutives Thursday morning when Chief Financial Officer Gregg Olson, Senior Vice President of tickets and marketing Michele Daterman and Senior Vice President of Human Resources Traci Reandeau were relieved of their duties.

The moves come eight days after Chief Operating Officer Sarah Mensah resigned and less than a month since team president Chris McGowan moved into his office.

Olson, who was named the CFO of the Year by the Portland Business Journal in 2009 in the large private business category, was in his 10th year with the organization.

— Reported by Jason Quick of The Oregonian

Raptors assign Quincy Acy to D-League

The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have assigned forward Quincy Acy to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League. Acy will continue to be included on the Raptors’ roster and will be placed on the team’s inactive list.

Acy has appeared in three games with the Raptors. He has played 21 minutes, averaging 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds. The club selected Acy with the 37th choice in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Acy is the sixth Raptor to be assigned to the NBA D-League. Solomon Alabi was designated on four occasions, three times to the Erie BayHawks (November 2010, January 2011 and March 2011) and once to Bakersfield (January 2012). Ed Davis was assigned to Erie for two games in December 2010. Nathan Jawai was designated on two occasions in the 2008-09 season to the Idaho Stampede. P.J. Tucker was assigned twice to the Colorado 14ers during the 2006-07 season and Pape Sow was assigned to the Arkansas Rimrockers in the 2005-06 campaign.

Bakersfield, led by Head Coach Will Voigt, has been appointed as Toronto’s NBA D-League affiliate for the 2012-13 season.

Lakers reportedly turned down Timberwolves trade offer for Pau Gasol

The Los Angeles Lakers recently rejected a Timberwolves trade offer for forward Pau Gasol that would revolve around Minnesota center Nikola Pekovic and forward Derrick Williams, according to an ESPN.com report citing sources with knowledge of the Lakers’ thinking.

The report claimed that the Lakers also turned down an offer from the Toronto Raptors.

Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn was unavailable for comment Thursday morning, Dec. 6.

This is not the first time the 32 year-old Gasol, a friend of Spanish countryman and Wolves point guard Ricky Rubio, has been linked to trade talks with Minnesota. The Wolves reportedly pursued Gasol in talks before the 2012 draft and last season’s trade deadline. Williams, the No. 2 pick in the 2011 draft, was mentioned as possible trade bait for Gasol in the past. So were then-Wolves forward Michael Beasley and a first-round pick.

— Reported by Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press

Nuggets center Koufos to miss Hawks game with flu

Denver Nuggets center Kosta Koufos has the flu and is not with the team for Wednesday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.

Coach George Karl says Koufos traveled with the team to Atlanta and remained at the team hotel. Koufos started each of the Nuggets’ first 18 games.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Bulls guard Richard Hamilton could miss 2 weeks

Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau says veteran guard Richard Hamilton could miss two weeks because of a foot injury.

Hamilton sustained a left plantar fascia tear in Saturday’s game against Philadelphia and didn’t play in Tuesday’s loss to Indiana. Thibodeau said before Wednesday night’s game against Cleveland that Hamilton, who is averaging 13.9 points, will probably miss a week or two.

— Reported by the Associated Press

NBA fines Gerald Wallace $5,000 for flopping

Brooklyn Nets forward Gerald Wallace has been fined $5,000 by the NBA for flopping, joining teammate Reggie Evans as the only repeat offenders under the league’s new penalty system.

The league also gave Clippers veteran Chauncey Billups a warning Wednesday for falling backward after launching a jumper against Utah with little or no contact.

Wallace was defending a driving LeBron James on Saturday in Miami when he went tumbling backward after James put his right hand on Wallace’s body while dribbling with his left.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Hawks recall John Jenkins from D-League

The Atlanta Hawks have recalled guard John Jenkins from the Bakersfield Jam, their NBA Development League affiliate, Hawks President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.

Jenkins was assigned on Dec. 1st and played in two games with the Jam, averaging 25.5 points on .529 shooting, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 33.0 minutes per game. In last night’s 109-95 victory over the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the 6-foot-4 guard from Vanderbilt scored a game-high 29 points on 10-21 shooting (.476) and added four rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes.

He will be available for tonight’s nationally-televised game on ESPN against the Denver Nuggets at 8 p.m.

Celtics recall Kris Joseph from D-League

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have recalled forward Kris Joseph from their NBA Development League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws.

Joseph, a 6’7 forward, appeared in one game for the Red Claws while on assignment and recorded 14 points, six rebounds and two assists against Sioux Falls on December 2. In his three games with the Red Claws he has averaged 21.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.33 steals.

Steve Blake has surgery, out 6-8 weeks

Lakers guard Steve Blake underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn abdominal muscle, it was announced by the team.

The surgery was performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Craig Smith. Blake is expected to be out approximately 6-8 weeks.

The Lakers have been without Blake as well as point guard Steve Nash for much of the season. Blake has played in just seven games, while Nash only played in two.

Spurs recall Cory Joseph from D-League

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have recalled guard Cory Joseph from the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League.

Joseph, who has been assigned to the Toros twice this season, has appeared in two games with Austin, averaging 12.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 steals in 35.5 minutes.

The University of Texas product has appeared in four games this season for the Spurs, averaging 1.8 points and 1.5 assists in 7.8 minutes.