NBA News Blog – Page 988 – NBA Blog

Bostjan Nachbar signs in Germany

Brose Baskets Bamberg added size and experience to its roster by inking versatile forward Bostjan Nachbar to a one-year deal, the club announced Tuesday. Nachbar (2.06 meters, 31 years old) arrives from Unics, where he averaged 4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 7 Turkish Airlines Euroleague games last season. He helped Unics to reach the Euroleague Quarterfinals and the VTB League title game. Nachbar had previously played for Efes Pilsen, where he averaged 8.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15 Turkish Airlines Euroleague games in 2010-11. Before that, Nachbar had a terrific 2008-09 Eurocup season with Dynamo Moscow. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 13 games, finishing fourth in the competition in scoring and third in free-throw shooting at on 91.2%.

— Reported by Euroleague.net

Chicago Bulls sign guard Nate Robinson

The Chicago Bulls announced Tuesday that the team has signed free agent guard Nate Robinson.

Robinson (5-9, 180), a seven-year NBA veteran, comes to the Bulls after spending last season with the Golden State Warriors. Drafted out of Washington in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft (21st overall) by the Phoenix Suns (his draft rights were traded by the Suns along with Quentin Richardson and future considerations to the New York Knicks in exchange for Kurt Thomas and Dijon Thompson), Robinson has held stints with the Knicks (2005-10), Boston Celtics (2009-11), Oklahoma City Thunder (2010-11) and the Warriors (2011-12).

Last season with the Warriors, Robinson appeared in 51 games (nine starts) and averaged 11.2 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.0 rpg, and 1.16 spg in 23.4 mpg. He shot .424 from the field, .365 from downtown and .832 from the line.

A native of Seattle, Wash., the 28-year old Robinson has played in a career 448 regular season games (81 starts) and posted averages of 11.2 ppg, 2.8 apg, 2.5 rpg, 0.90 spg, 23.0 mpg, .425 field goal shooting, .354 three-point shooting and .798 from the line. During the 2008-09 campaign with the Knicks, he posted career highs in points per game (17.2), rebounds per game (3.9), steals per game (1.28) and free throw percentage (.841). In 20 playoff appearances, he has averaged 4.0 ppg, 0.9 apg, 7.0 mpg, shot .366 from the field and .824 from the line.

Lakers have interest in C.J. Miles

Unrestricted free agent small forward C.J. Miles has narrowed his options down to a few teams, a league source told The Salt Lake Tribune on Tuesday, and the longtime Jazzman is drawing serious interest from the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 6-foot-6, 222-pound Miles could make a decision during the next 2-3 days. If he signs with the Lakers, the source said, it’ll likely be a one- or two-year deal via Los Angeles’ mini mid-level exception.

Miles, 25, has already met with Dallas and Cleveland since free agency started July 1.

He averaged 8.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists for Utah from 2005-12, playing in 389 games (159 starts).

— Reported by Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune (Blog)

Boston Celtics sign center Jason Collins

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed free agent center Jason Collins.

“Jason’s ability to defend in the post will be a great addition to this team,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations.

Collins, a 7’0” center, averaged 1.3 points and 1.6 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game last season with the Atlanta Hawks. The 11-year veteran from Stanford University has posted career averages of 3.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game. Collins recorded season-highs of eight points, seven rebounds and four assists against the Celtics on April 20 last season. Collins was a member of the New Jersey Nets teams that appeared in the NBA Finals during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

Celtics re-sign guard Keyon Dooling

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have re-signed guard Keyon Dooling.

“Keyon’s veteran leadership was a very welcome addition to our locker room last season,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations. “His infectious energy both on and off the court is a great asset for this team.”

Dooling, a 6’3” guard, averaged 4.0 points and 1.1 assist in 14.4 minutes per game for the Celtics last season. During the playoffs Dooling shot 39.3% from beyond the three-point line which was tops on the team. Dooling netted a season-high 18 points at Miami on December 27 which included four three-pointers. The 12-year vet out of the University of Missouri has career averages of 7.0 points and 2.2 assists in 19.5 minutes per game split between Boston, Milwaukee, New Jersey, Orlando, Miami and the LA Clippers.

Celtics sign Jamar Smith and Dionte Christmas

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed free agent guards Jamar Smith and Dionte Christmas.

Smith, a 6’3” guard, appeared in 44 games last season for BK Prostov in the Czech Republic and averaged 14.8 points and 2.5 assists while shooting 39.3% from three-point territory during league games. Smith also appeared in two games during EuroCup qualifications and in six games of the EuroChallenge. Smith played for the Celtics during the 2012 Orlando Summer League and averaged 9.2 points while shooting 45.0% from three. Smith was previously with the Celtics during training camp prior to the start of the 2010-11 season. Smith previously played for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League. He played collegiately for the University of Illinois and the University of Southern Indiana.

Christmas, a 6’5” guard, appeared in 26 games during the 2011-12 season for AGO Rethymno Aegean in Greece and averaged 18.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He shot 36.0% from three point territory and 46.3% from the field overall. He was an Honorable Mention All-American at Temple during his senior year (2008-09) and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Christmas played for the Celtics during their 2012 Summer League teams in Orlando and Las Vegas.

Philadelphia 76ers sign guard Maalik Wayns

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have signed rookie free agent guard Maalik Wayns.

Wayns (6-2, 200) was an early entry candidate for the 2012 NBA Draft following his junior season at Villanova. He was named second team All-BIG EAST in 2011-12 after averaging team-highs of 17.6 points and 4.6 assists to go along with 3.8 rebounds per game. Wayns ranked seventh in the nation in free throw shooting (89.2%) this past season.

As a member of the Orlando Magic in the 2012 Orlando Pro Summer League, Wayns appeared in three games, averaging 11.7 points, 5.7 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 2.33 steals in 26.7 minutes per game. He was ranked second in the league in both assists and steals per game.

A native of Philadelphia, Wayns attended Roman Catholic High School and was a Parade and McDonald’s All-American.

Lakers switching to Princeton offense

Kobe Bryant has been searching for spacing and freedom and flow on offense, for a way to counter defenses bent on sagging and suffocating him on the floor. Even before the Los Angeles Lakers delivered him point guard Steve Nash, Bryant had raised an idea with coach Mike Brown about the possibility of employing a distant cousin to the triangle – the Princeton offense.

So there was Brown and Bryant in a side room in a Las Vegas gymnasium during Team USA’s training camp in early July, listening to Eddie Jordan detail the offense’s intricacies, laying out how Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum would benefit with and without the basketball. Here was an old-school Ivy League blueprint daring to be a solution for the Showtime Lakers’ issues.

Jordan happens to be the foremost Princeton authority in the NBA, the heir to architect Pete Carril, and that’s an immense part of why the Lakers are moving toward an agreement to hire Jordan as an assistant coach. Jordan sold his vision of the offense to a most willing subject, and ultimately Bryant departed for these Olympics convinced that the Lakers have a sound plan of action for the 2012-13 season.

— Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports

The Princeton is similar to the Triangle in some ways. And it may seem odd that the Lakers are switching to an offense that doesn’t utilize traditional point guard play just as they’re bringing on the best traditional point guard in the league.

But Jason Kidd and Chris Paul have been MVP candidates running the Princeton, and Nash is a better shooter than either of them. Pau Gasol‘s passing skills are also a perfect fit for the Princeton, where the big men are often handling the ball in the (high or low) post.

— Reported by John Schuhmann of NBA.com

New Magic coach Jacque Vaughn discusses his coaching style

“I don’t think I’ll pigeonhole myself into a certain style,” he answered. “I’ve been kind of inclusive about the different styles I’ve played against. Coach [Jerry] Sloan had a style that he used for 20 years. Pop [Gregg Popovich] has been extremely innovative. I watch the game of basketball internationally, and I love some of the things that they do.

“For me, it’s about putting guys in a position to make plays. I will not call a play every single time down the floor. My demeanor on the sideline is more calm, not garish at all, and I think players will be receptive to that and want to play. As long as I can teach them, and they’re receptive to teaching, then I’ll let them make plays.”

— Reported by Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel

WWE apologizes for Kobe Bryant Colorado hotel room joke

The WWE has issued an full apology after an on-air personality joked that one of the wrestlers was “like Kobe Bryant at a hotel room in Colorado … he’s unstoppable.”

It all went down during a live broadcast of “Monday Night Raw” … when a manager named Abraham Washington — who was wearing a live mic — was ringside for a match involving a wrestler named Titus O’Neil … and during the action, A.W. let the Kobe crack fly.

The comment is an obvious reference to Kobe’s 2003 sexual assault case — when he was accused of raping a woman in his hotel room in Eagle, Colorado. The accuser eventually reached a settlement with Kobe and dropped her case.

— Reported by TMZ.com