Charlotte Hornets Blog – Page 58 – NBA Blog

Knicks sign Derrick Brown off waivers

New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that forward Derrick Brown has been claimed off waivers.

Brown, 6-8, 227-pounds, holds career averages of 3.4 points on .500 shooting, 1.7 rebounds and 10.4 minutes in 98 games (one start) over two seasons with Charlotte. The Dayton, OH native is averaging 3.7 points on .549 shooting and 2.0 rebounds over 11.9 minutes in 41 games (one start) during the 2010-11 season. He was originally selected by Charlotte in the second round (40th overall) of 2009 NBA Draft after a three-year playing career at Xavier University. He was waived by the Bobcats on Feb. 24.

Bobcats waive Morris Peterson

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has waived guard Morris Peterson. The Bobcats roster now stands at 14 players.

Peterson was acquired by the Bobcats along with forward DJ White from Oklahoma City in exchange for center Nazr Mohammed on Feb. 24.

The 6-7 Peterson is in his 11th season in the NBA, having played in 711 games for Toronto, New Orleans and Oklahoma City, and has career averages of 10.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27.2 minutes. Originally selected by the Raptors with the 21st pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, he was named to the All-Rookie First Team following the 2000-01 season. Peterson has scored in double figures 362 times in his 711 career games and has averaged double-figure scoring in four of his full 10 NBA seasons, including a career-best 16.8 points for Toronto in 2005-06.

Bobcats trade Nazr Mohammed to Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired center Nazr Mohammed from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for forward D.J. White and guard Morris Peterson it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

“We would like to thank both D.J. and Morris for their many contributions here in Oklahoma City on and off the court,” said Presti. “For the past three seasons, D.J. has been the ultimate teammate and one of our hardest workers. Morris has been a consummate professional and I wish them both success. Nazr will bring veteran leadership and playoff experience to our roster and we are excited for him to join our team in Oklahoma City.”

A member of the 2004-05 San Antonio Spurs NBA championship team, Mohammed has made six trips to the postseason since being drafted out of the University of Kentucky in 1998. In 44 playoff games, Mohammed has posted averages of 6.1 points and 5.0 rebounds in 17.6 minutes.

In 747 career regular season games the 6’10’’, 250-pound center owns career averages of 6.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game. This season he is averaging, 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game.

Bobcats trade Gerald Wallace to Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired forward Gerald Wallace from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for center Joel Przybilla, forward Dante Cunningham, forward/center Sean Marks, a 2011 conditional first round pick acquired from New Orleans and a conditional 2013 first round pick, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.

“I want to welcome Gerald to the Trail Blazers,” said Trail Blazers Owner Paul Allen . “He is just the sort of talent we were looking for. I’m sure our fans will embrace him and hopefully he can help us make some noise in the playoffs.

“I also want to thank Joel, Dante and Sean. Joel has been a warrior for this franchise over the past six and 1/2 seasons and Dante has played an important role in the success this team has had this season.”

Wallace, 28, posted averages of 15.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.23 steals, 1.00 blocked shots and 39.0 minutes in 48 games (all starts) with the Bobcats this season. He scored 20 points or more 17 times and recorded 14 double-doubles.

“I’d like to thank Joel, Dante and Sean for their hard work and professionalism while in Portland,” said Cho. “We are very excited to add a player of Gerald Wallace’s caliber to the roster and feel that his athletic, defensive-minded style of play will be a great fit for us.”

Wallace (6-7, 220) was named to the 2010 Eastern Conference All-Star Team and the 2009-10 All-Defensive First Team.

Bobcats extend contract of coach Paul Silas

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has extended the contract of Paul Silas through the 2011-12 season and removed the interim tag, effective immediately. Silas becomes the fourth head coach in team history.

Silas was named Interim Head Coach on Dec. 22 and has guided the Bobcats back into playoff contention with a 15-13 record, highlighted by a 109-89 win over the Lakers on Feb. 14, a franchise-record 22-point comeback on Feb. 12 at Atlanta, a 94-89 victory over defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston on Feb. 7 and a pair of wins over Chicago.

“This team has made great strides in the eight weeks since Paul has taken over,” Higgins said. “Under his leadership we have seen our team play with confidence, enthusiasm and pride. He and his staff have helped make our young players better and have gotten positive contributions out of every player on our roster. Just as we were confident eight weeks ago that he was the right choice to lead this team for the remainder of this season, we are confident that he is the right choice to lead this club into the future.”

Currently in his 11th season as an NBA head coach, Silas has a career record of 370-413 with the Clippers (1980-83), Hornets (1999-2003), Cavaliers (2003-05) and Bobcats. He also spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach for the Hornets, Knicks, Nets and Suns.

During his four-plus seasons as head coach of the Hornets, Silas compiled a 208-155 (.573) record and led the team to the playoffs in each of his four full seasons. He remains the team’s all-time leader in coaching wins and ranks second in winning percentage. Silas was named interim head coach of the Hornets on March 7, 1999, and led the team to a 22-13 record over the final 35 games of the 1998-99 season after replacing Dave Cowens.

A 16-year NBA veteran, Silas averaged 9.4 points and 9.9 rebounds in 1,254 career games for the Hawks, Suns, Celtics, Nuggets and SuperSonics. He was a two-time All-Star (1972 and 1975) and won three NBA Championships (1974 and 1976 with Boston and 1979 with Seattle). Silas currently ranks 19th on the NBA’s career lists for rebounds (12,357) and games played (1,254).

Bobcats continue mastery of Lakers, 109-89

The AP reports:

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson was so upset he spoke to reporters for 5 seconds and then walked away. Kobe Bryant sneaked out of the locker room before addressing the press at all.

A once promising road trip has quickly turned sour for the two-time defending champions, although they probably should have seen their most lopsided loss of the season coming.

The Charlotte Bobcats somehow own them.

Gerald Wallace had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Gerald Henderson added 18 points and helped slow Bryant, and the Bobcats cruised to a 109-89 victory on Monday night to extend one of the more unusual one-sided matchups in the NBA.

The Bobcats have won eight of the past 10 meetings. The Lakers, 5-8 all-time against the NBA’s newest team, hold a losing record against only one other club — the Boston Celtics.

This latest loss, full of missed shots and poor defense and coming on the heels of an ugly defeat in Orlando, left Jackson steamed.

“I’m embarrassed about what we did and that’s it,” Jackson said as he began to stroll away. “Thank you.”

Michael Jordan suits up for practice with his Bobcats

The AP reports:

Short on players for practice, the Charlotte Bobcats found an extra body in the front office: Michael Jordan.

The Hall of Famer and Bobcats owner suited up for Thursday’s workout, participating in a full-court scrimmage and showing a few of the old moves that helped make him a six-time NBA champion.

“He’s Mike. He’s been kicking our (butts). He still has it,” forward Gerald Wallace said. “He doesn’t have this quickness, but he can score, he’s a shooter. The last thing to ever go is your jump shot and he has that.”

Jordan, who turns 48 next week, has been spending more time at practices and shootarounds, getting on the floor and doing some teaching. Thursday’s practice was his most involved yet.

“He’s holding these guys accountable and it’s great. I love him out here,” coach Paul Silas said. “He’s teaching them how to protect the basketball, how to play hard on defense, how to talk. It’s a good thing.”

Tyrus Thomas out eight weeks with knee injury

Charlotte Bobcats forward Tyrus Thomas will be sidelined for approximately eight weeks after a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a tear of the lateral meniscus of the left knee. Surgery is expected in the coming days.

Thomas was a game-time scratch for tonight’s home game against Philadelphia, after he experienced swelling in the knee earlier today.

In 34 games played this season, Thomas has averaged 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 21.6 minutes off the bench.

Tyrus Thomas suspended for foul on Emeka Okafor

Tyrus Thomas of the Charlotte Bobcats has been suspended one game without pay for his Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two against Emeka Okafor of the New Orleans Hornets, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident, in which Thomas made elbow contact to Okafor’s head and was ejected following the Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two call, occurred with 2:38 remaining in the 4th period of the Bobcats 88-81 loss on Saturday to the New Orleans Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte.

Thomas will serve his suspension today when the Bobcats visit the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center.

Bobcats center DeSagana Diop out for season

Charlotte Bobcats center DeSagana Diop will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2010-11 season after a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed a rupture of his right Achilles tendon. Diop suffered the injury during the second quarter of Friday’s game against Golden State.

The 7-0 Diop, who was acquired by the Bobcats via trade on Jan. 16, 2009, has appeared in 552 career NBA games spread between Cleveland, New Jersey, Dallas and Charlotte. He has career averages of 2.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, while shooting .433 from the field. This season, he appeared in 16 games with averages of 1.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 11.3 minutes.

Originally drafted by the Cavaliers with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, Diop had his best season as a professional during the 2005-06 season in Dallas, when he appeared in 81 games (45 starts) with averages of 2.3 points and 4.6 rebounds. He shot a team-best .487 from the field and led the Mavericks with 146 blocks. During that season he also ranked 14th in the NBA in blocks per game and set a career high with 16 rebounds and tied a career high with six blocks in 37 minutes of action versus Denver on Nov.15, 2005. Diop also appeared in 28 postseason games in Dallas, with 22 of them coming during the Mavericks run to the 2006 NBA Finals before falling to eventual champion Miami in six games.