Charlotte Hornets Blog – Page 19 – NBA Blog

Hornets sign center Mike Tobey to 10-day contract

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed center Mike Tobey to a 10-day contract. Tobey joins the Hornets from the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, becoming the Swarm’s first-ever D-League to NBA “call-up.” The Hornets roster now stands at 14 players.

The 7-0 Tobey has appeared in 29 games (19 starts) for Greensboro in his first D-League season, averaging 11.0 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game. He has scored in double figures 18 times and grabbed double-figure rebounds on 15 occasions, including each of the last five games. Tobey has posted 12 double-doubles, tied for fifth-most in the D-League, and also ranks 10th in the D-League in rebounds and 14th in blocks.

The Monroe, NY, native played for the Hornets in the 2016 Orlando Pro Summer League and signed with the team on July 25, 2016. In two preseason games with the Hornets, Tobey posted averages of 6.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 block in 18.8 minutes.

A four-year player at the University of Virginia (2012-16), Tobey’s 138 games played rank first in school history. He owns collegiate career averages of 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per contest, and was named the ACC Sixth Man of the Year following the 2014-15 season.

Hornets sign Ray McCallum to 10-day contract

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed guard Ray McCallum to a 10-day contract. McCallum joins the Hornets from the NBA Development League’s Grand Rapids Drive.

The 6-3 McCallum has appeared in 30 games (all starts) for the Drive this season, averaging 18.2 points, 7.5 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 2.4 steals in 37.9 minutes per game. He currently ranks third in the D-League in both assists and minutes, and fourth in steals. The 25-year-old has recorded two triple-doubles on the year, tallying 23 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists against the Maine Red Claws on Dec. 23 and posting 18 points, 13 assists and 12 boards against the Los Angeles D-Fenders on Jan. 7.

Originally selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, McCallum has appeared in 154 career NBA games (46 starts) over three seasons with the Kings, Spurs and Grizzlies, averaging 6.0 points, 2.4 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per contest. His last NBA action came during the 2015-16 season with Memphis, where he appeared in 10 contests (three starts) with averages of 6.9 points, 2.7 boards and 1.4 assists in 21.9 minutes. He was a member of the Detroit Pistons preseason roster prior to the 2016-17 season, but was waived on Oct. 24.

A native of Beverly Hills, Michigan, McCallum was a three-year collegiate player at Detroit Mercy (2010-13) and had career averages of 15.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.7 steals. He earned Horizon League Player of the Year honors for the 2012-13 season.

NBA trade: Bucks, Hornets swap Spencer Hawes, Roy Hibbert, Miles Plumlee

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond announced today that the team has acquired forward/center Spencer Hawes and center Roy Hibbert from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for center Miles Plumlee. In a related transaction, the Bucks have requested waivers on forward Steve Novak.

“Spencer and Roy are two proven NBA centers who give us additional depth and versatility in the front court,” said Hammond. “The trade also gives us future cap flexibility as we continue to shape our roster. Miles and Steve are true professionals both on and off the court, and we wish them all the best.”

Hawes, 28, has appeared in 35 games (one start) for the Hornets this season with averages of 7.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Hawes also spent the 2014-15 season with Charlotte and has split time with the Clippers, Cavaliers, 76ers and Kings during his 10-year NBA career. The No. 10 overall pick by Sacramento in the 2007 NBA Draft, Hawes has career averages of 8.8 points, 5.8 boards and 1.9 assists in 665 games (368 starts).

Hibbert, 30, has posted averages of 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 54.2 percent from the field in 42 games (13 starts) with Charlotte in 2016-17. Originally drafted by Toronto with the 17th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, and traded to Indiana on draft night, Hibbert played his first seven NBA seasons with the Pacers and then spent the 2015-16 season with the Lakers before joining the Hornets. Hibbert owns career averages of 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 assists in 656 games (586 starts) over nine seasons. He is a two-time NBA All-Star (2012, 2014) and was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team following the 2013-14 season.

Kemba Walker makes NBA All-Star team

The Charlotte Hornets have themselves an All-Star. The reserves were announced earlier today. Here’s the Charlotte Observer reporting:

Point guard Kemba Walker was named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve Thursday, the first time the Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats have had an NBA All-Star since 2010.

Walker was selected as one of seven reserves, in a vote of Eastern Conference head coaches. He is having his best of five NBA seasons, averaging 23 points, 45.9 percent shooting from the field and 41.4 percent from 3-point range.

The Hornets last had an All-Star when forward Gerald Wallace was selected as a reserve for the 2010 game in Arlington, Tex.

Nicolas Batum out with hyperextended knee

Charlotte Hornets guard Nicolas Batum underwent a Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) today which confirmed the previous diagnosis of a hyperextended right knee. The MRI also showed that Batum withstood no structural damage to his knee.

Batum will be out for Charlotte’s game tomorrow at San Antonio and his status moving forward will be day-to-day. He suffered the injury with 4:48 remaining in the third quarter of the Hornets game at Detroit last night.

The 6-8 shooting guard is averaging career highs of 15.1 points and 5.8 assists per game, along with 7.4 rebounds per game in 36 appearances (all starts) in the 2016-17 season. In nine seasons, Batum holds career averages of 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 587 contests (534 starts).

Hornets waive Aaron Harrison

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has waived guard Aaron Harrison.

Harrison (6-6, 212, Kentucky) was originally signed by the Hornets on July 14, 2015. The Kentucky product appeared in 26 games over two seasons with Charlotte, including two playoff outings in 2016.

Charlotte’s roster now stands at 14.

Cody Zeller placed in NBA concussion protocol

The Charlotte Hornets announced today that center Cody Zeller has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol. Zeller was hit with an elbow to the head late in the fourth quarter of Charlotte’s game against Cleveland on Dec. 31, 2016.

Per the NBA’s Concussion Policy, Zeller will begin the process to return once he is deemed symptom free. No timetable is set for his return and further updates will be provided when available.

The fourth-year Indiana product is averaging 10.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks on 59.5% field goal shooting in 26.1 minutes per game, marking career-highs in all categories. Zeller has played in 31 games for Charlotte this season (starting in 29 of those contests).

Hornets have not beaten the elite East teams

A line of demarcation has formed between the Charlotte Hornets and the top teams in the NBA’s Eastern Conference – and it goes deeper than what is now a combined 0-6 record this season against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics.

“There’s a reason why they’re the three best teams,” said coach Steve Clifford after his team lost 121-115 to the defending champion Cavaliers on Saturday at Spectrum Center. “Every team has a talent level. For us to beat the top teams, we’re going to have to be at or near our best. For (Cleveland on Saturday), for instance, they were really good, but they really didn’t have to be.”

The loss to the Cavs dropped Hornets to 19-15, good enough to remain in first place in the Southeastern Division as they head to Chicago for a game Monday against the Bulls. Do the math: the Hornets are 19-9 against the rest of the league.

— Charlotte Observer

Andre Drummond fined for elbowing Roy Hibbert

Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond has been fined $15,000 for striking Charlotte Hornets center Roy Hibbert in the back of the head with an elbow, it was announced yesterday by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, for which Drummond was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 4:09 remaining in the second quarter of the Pistons’ 112-89 win over the Hornets on Nov. 29 at Spectrum Center.

To view the incident, click on this link.

Jeremy Lamb out with hamstring injury

Hornets guard Jeremy Lamb suffered a strained left hamstring in the Hornets home game on Oct. 29, 2016 against the Boston Celtics. The injury occurred with 4:40 remaining in the second quarter and he did not return to the game.

Lamb is listed as out and will be reevaluated in one to two weeks.

The fifth-year Connecticut product is averaging 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game in three appearances in the 2016-17 season. In five seasons, Lamb has averaged 7.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in 217 games (8 starts).

The Hornets are 2-1 this season, which began less than one week ago. They’re getting 23.3 points per game from point guard Kemba Walker, while Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Frank Kaminsky are all averaging 11.0 ppg.