NBA News Blog – Page 993 – NBA Blog

Suns will send Robin Lopez, Hakim Warrick to Hornets

The Hornets, Suns and Timberwolves have agreed to a multiplayer trade sending 7-foot center Robin Lopez and forward Hakim Warrick from Phoenix to New Orleans, while moving forward Wesley Johnson and a first-round draft pick from Minnesota to Phoenix, a person familiar with the deal said.

The person told The Associated Press about the trade on condition of anonymity Wednesday because it has not been announced pending the completion of some routine logistical matters.

The deal also sends guard Jerome Dyson and retiring center Brad Miller’s $5.1 million contract from New Orleans to Minnesota, allowing the Timberwolves to clear space under the NBA’s salary cap as they pursue free agents. Minnesota also will receive two second-round draft picks from New Orleans, while the Hornets will receive cash.

Minnesota general manager David Kahn declined to confirm the deal when asked about it on a conference call Wednesday, saying only that he is “not allowed to comment on anything that hasn’t been consummated.”

— Reported by the Associated Press

Lakers sign Antawn Jamison

The Los Angeles Lakers have added experienced depth at the forward spot.

The team today signed free agent forward Antawn Jamison, it was announced by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Jamison, a 6’9” 235-pound forward out of North Carolina, has averaged 19.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 985 career games (858 starts) over 14 NBA seasons with Golden State, Dallas, Washington and Cleveland. Drafted by the Toronto Raptors with the fourth overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft before being traded to Golden State in exchange for college teammate Vince Carter, Jamison averaged 19.0 points and 9.9 rebounds in three seasons at UNC. In his final season with the Tar Heels, Jamison averaged 22.2 points and 10.5 rebounds, while earning AP Player of the Year, the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year Award.

Ranked in the top ten on the NBA active leaders list in both points (8th/19,246) and rebounds (10th/7,740), Jamison was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 2003-04 season as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and is a two-time NBA All-Star (2005, 2008).

Last season, Jamison averaged 17.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 33.1 minutes in 65 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers, ranking 26th league-wide in points per game. Jamison also joined Dirk Nowitzki as the only player in NBA history to accumulate at least 19,000 points, 7,000 rebounds and 1,000 three-pointers made over his career.

Knicks sign guard Ronnie Brewer

The New York Knicks today added some defensive guard depth.

Knicks Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald announced that the team has signed free agent guard Ronnie Brewer to a contract.

Brewer, 6-7, 227-pounds, holds career averages of 9.0 points, on 50.1-percent shooting, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.37 steals over 25.2 minutes in 418 games (267 starts) over six seasons with Utah, Memphis and Chicago. He appeared in 66 games (43 starts) for Chicago in 2011-12, averaging 6.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.09 steals over 24.8 minutes. The Fayetteville, AR-native was originally selected by the Jazz in the first round (14th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft following his junior season at the University of Arkansas.

Mavs sign second round pick Bernard James

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed second round draft choice Bernard James.

James (6-10, 240) was the 33rd overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was acquired by the Mavericks on June 28, 2012, along with the draft rights to 24th overall pick Jared Cunningham and 34th overall pick Jae Crowder, in exchange for guard Kelenna Azubuike and the draft rights to the 17th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Tyler Zeller.

The Savannah, Ga., native started all five games for Dallas at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He averaged 10.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 1.4 steals and 26.1 minutes while shooting .605 from the field and helped the team to a 4-1 record.

James is a former Staff Sergeant who served six years in the Air Force including three tours to Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar. In his senior season at Florida State, James averaged 10.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while being named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Defensive team. James also won the Most Courageous Award by the United States Basketball Writers of America.

Trail Blazers coaching search may still be in early stages

The Trail Blazers’ search for a head coach still appears to be in the early stages, as general manager Neil Olshey has yet to inform any candidates that they have reached the second round.

On Tuesday, Warren LeGarie and Steve Kauffman – two agents with the most clients in the Blazers’ process – said Olshey has yet to reveal his intentions since he interviewed their clients…

The candidates who are known to have interviewed with Olshey are Indiana assistant Brian Shaw; Golden State assistant Michael Malone; Dallas assistant Terry Stotts; Memphis assistant David Joerger; former Orlando assistant Steve Clifford, who is nearing a deal to be an assistant in Chicago; Phoenix assistant Elston Turner; Atlanta assistant Lester Conner; Miami assistant David Fizdale, Chicago assistant Adrian Griffin and former Knicks and Phoenix assistant Phil Weber.

— Reported by Jason Quick of the Oregonian

Lakers interested in Delonte West

The Los Angeles Lakers have expressed interest in free-agent guard Delonte West, according to a league source.

West, who turns 29 this week, averaged 9.6 points, 3.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game for the Dallas Mavericks last season. He appeared in just 44 games because of a fractured right ring finger and picked up one of the more bizarre fines in league history when he was docked $25,000 for giving Utah’s Gordon Hayward a “wet willy.”

West shot 46.1 percent from the floor and 35.5 percent on 3-pointers, and the Lakers view him as a versatile player who could back up both Kobe Bryant at shooting guard and Steve Nash at point guard while bringing his outside touch to a team that ranked 25th in the NBA in 3-point accuracy last year (32.6 percent).

— Reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles

Keyon Dooling will return to Celtics

The Boston Celtics will re-sign veteran combo guard Keyon Dooling to a one-year deal, according to his agent.

Dooling, who cemented himself as a locker room leader last season and overcame early injuries to be a solid on-court contributor in the second half of the year, will ink a one-year, veteran-minimum deal.

Dooling’s agent, Kenge Stevenson, said his client is excited to be back in Boston. The Celtics owned Dooling’s rights, but will re-sign him at a one-year minimum deal. Dooling, who will earn $1.35 million (of which the Celtics are responsible for only $854,389) is taking a pay cut (he made $2.2 million last season), but clearly enjoyed his time in Boston and wants to be part of another title quest.

— Reported by Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston

Timberwolves trade Wayne Ellington to Grizzlies for Dante Cunningham

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies swapped some bench depth today.

The Wolves have officially traded guard Wayne Ellington to the Grizzlies for forward Dante Cunningham.

“We thank Wayne for his three seasons with the Wolves. He was the consummate professional and we wish him the best in Memphis, ” said David Kahn, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. “In Dante Cunningham we are getting a versatile forward who brings a defensive presence and an efficient offensive game to our team. Also, the addition of Dante helps balance our roster.”

Cunningham, 25, was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft. In three seasons in the NBA, the 6-8 forward has averaged 5.2 points, on 48.5 percent shooting, and 3.3 rebounds in 205 games (25 starts).

As a rookie with Portland in 2009-10, Cunningham averaged 3.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 63 games. The 6-8 forward started the 2010-11 season with Portland before being traded on Feb. 24, 2011, along with Joel Pryzbilla, Sean Marks and two future first round draft picks to the Charlotte Bobcats for Gerald Wallace. For the season, Cunningham averaged 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds. He signed with the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 20, 2011, and averaged 5.2 points, shooting a career-best 51.6 percent from the field this past season. Cunningham also pulled down a career-high 3.8 rebounds per game, including grabbing a career-high 14 boards vs. Minnesota on March 27, 2012.

Ellington (6-4, 200) joins the Grizzlies with career averages of 6.1 points and 1.9 rebounds on .412 shooting (.376 three-point shooting) in 18.7 minutes in 189 games (13 starts) over three seasons with Minnesota. The 24-year-old posted 6.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in a career-high 19.1 minutes in 51 games (four starts) for the Timberwolves last season.

The Wynnewood, Penn. native was selected by Minnesota in the first round (No. 28 overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft after being named Most Outstanding Player of the 2009 NCAA Final Four and leading North Carolina to a national title. He earned All-ACC Tournament honors in each of his three collegiate seasons and finished his Tarheels career ranked second in UNC history with 229 made three-pointers.

Nets sign forward Tornike Shengelia

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward Tornike Shengelia, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

“Toko had a very good summer league which led us to signing him for this season,” said King.

Shengelia (6-10, 230), whose draft rights were acquired by Brooklyn from Philadelphia in exchange for cash considerations, was selected in the second round (54th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft. Shengelia has been a member of the Republic of Georgia’s National Team since 2008. He played the 2011-12 season for Belgacom Spirou where he averaged 8.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 18.4 minutes in 20 Belgium League games. He helped his team qualify for Euroleague play, and posted 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds during nine games over the season. Shengelia represented the Republic of Georgia at 2011 Eurobasket, averaging 8.8 points and 4.6 boards for the Senior National Team.

Playing in five games for the Nets in the 2012 Orlando Pro Summer League, Shengelia posted averages of 10.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per game, while shooting .529 from the field and .824 from the free throw line.

Sixers sign rookies Maurice Harkless and Arnett Moultrie

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have signed rookies Maurice Harkless and Arnett Moultrie. Harkless was the 15th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft by Philadelphia while Moultrie was the 27th overall pick by Miami. The Sixers acquired the rights to Moultrie from the HEAT in exchange for the draft rights to Justin Hamilton (45th overall pick) and a protected future first round pick.

Harkless (6-8, 208) was an early entry candidate for the draft following his freshman season at St. John’s and turned 19 years old back in May. He was named Big East Rookie of the Year after averaging 15.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks while shooting 45.2% from the floor. Harkless ranked sixth in the nation in scoring among freshman and second in rebounding.

The freshman started all 32 games for the Red Storm last season, scoring in double-figures 26 times, including seven games with 20-plus points. Harkless had a career-high 32 points on 14-of-17 shooting vs. Providence and tallied 30 points and 13 rebounds at Duke. Overall, he recorded 11 double-doubles.

Moultrie (6-11, 249) was an early entry candidate for the draft following his junior season at Mississippi State. He was named First Team All-SEC after averaging 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists this past season while shooting 54.9% from the floor. Moultrie led the conference in rebounding and ranked tied for 10th in the nation.

The 21-year-old averaged 3.7 offensive rebounds this past season, grabbing 6-plus seven times including a career-high 11 vs. Northwestern State. Moultrie recorded 18 double-doubles in 30 games.