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Alex Acker signs in Italy

Euroleague.net reports: Armani Jeans Milano has kept adding to its firepower with the signing this weekend of swingman Alex Acker, a former top-ten scorer in the Euroleague. Acker (195, 26) has spent two years in the Euroleague and finished the first, with Olympiacos in 2006-07, as the Euroleague’s ninth-best scorer, with an average of 14.3 points in 33 minutes per game. Acker was ranked that season’s 12th overall player according to performance index rating while leading the Reds to within a victory of the Final Four.

Talk world hoops in the InsideHoops international basketball forum.

Orlando Magic sign Jason Williams

Orlando Magic sign Jason Williams

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard Jason Williams, General Manager Otis Smith announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed. We’ll post contract info later today. We’re guessing it’s a very short deal for the league minimum or something close.

“Jason (Williams) provides depth and leadership to our backcourt,” said Smith.  “He is a veteran point guard that knows what it takes to help us reach our ultimate goal.  We are excited to add him to our team.”

Williams (6’1”, 190, 11/18/75) did not play during the 2008-09 season after announcing his retirement on Sept. 26, 2008.  He last played in 67 games during the 2007-08 campaign with Miami, averaging 8.8 ppg., 4.6 apg., 1.9 rpg. and 1.24 stlpg. in 28.1 minpg.

Originally selected in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft, Williams has played in 679 career NBA regular season games with Sacramento, Memphis and Miami, averaging 11.4 ppg., 6.3 apg., 2.4 rpg. and 1.28 stlpg. in 31.2 minpg.  He has also played in 53 career playoff contests, averaging 9.8 ppg., 3.7 apg. and 2.2 rpg. in 29.1 minpg.  Williams was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1998-99, currently stands as Memphis’ all-time leader in assists (2,041) and helped Miami capture the 2005-06 NBA Championship.

InsideHoops.com editor says: J-Will, aka “White Chocolate,” is back! Well, sort of. He’s old now and will add bench depth at the point guard spot. Tough to say how good he’ll actually be if forced to ever play real minutes. Usually when a team seeks an old veteran they want a tough, smart, high basketball-IQ player. Williams was talented but not a defensive stopper and a fun, wild player. Still, he can probably still keep defenders on their toes in limited minutes. Though, he’ll be 34 in November. But, maybe he’s spent his time getting into incredible shape or something. We’ll have to wait and see.

Read basketball fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Hornets trade Rasual Butler to Clippers

Hornets trade Rasual Butler to Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers today acquired veteran swingman Rasual Butler and cash from the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for a conditional second round draft pick in 2016.

Acccording to the Los Angeles Times, “the Hornets are expected to save about $8 million with the trade, including Butler’s $3.9-million contract and luxury tax implications. Meanwhile, the Clippers are absorbing his salary, thanks to a $7.3-million trade exception they had after shipping Zach Randolph last month to the Memphis Grizzlies.”

“Today’s move allows us to increase our financial flexibility while at the same time gives us an opportunity to improve at that position,” said Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower. “Due to the depth we have, it will allow us to open up minutes and opportunities for Julian Wright, Morris Peterson and rookie Marcus Thornton, all of whom we anticipate great contributions from this season.”

“We are very excited to add Rasual to our roster,” stated Clippers Head Coach and General Manager Mike Dunleavy. “We believe he is another piece who will help us get back to being a competitive playoff team.”

The seven-year NBA veteran registered his most productive season in 2008-09, averaging 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 31.9 minutes while playing in all 82 games (74 starts) for the Hornets. Butler also connected on 40 percent of his field goals and 37 percent of his shots from behind the three-point line last season. In five playoff games for the Hornets in 2009, Butler tallied 10.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per contest.

Over his career, Butler has tallied 8.3 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 40 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range.

Butler was originally drafted out of La Salle University by the Miami Heat in the second round (53rd overall selection) of the 2002 NBA Draft. After three seasons in Miami, Butler was eventually sent to the Hornets on August 2, 2005 as part of a five team, 13 player trade.

The Philadelphia native finished his four-year collegiate career as the fourth-leading scorer (19.1 ppg) in La Salle history and ranked fourth on the Explorers’ all-time three-point field goals made (282 3FGM) list.

InsideHoops.com editor says: This trade saves the Hornets money but makes them a bit worse, while the Clippers improve a bit.

Read fan reaction and post your own comments in this forum topic.

Dallas Mavericks sign Tim Thomas

Dallas Mavericks sign Tim Thomas

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed free agent forward Tim Thomas. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. We’ll add contract info later today.

Thomas (6-10, 230), a 12-year veteran, was the seventh overall selection in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and has played with six teams during his career (Philadelphia, Milwaukee, New York, Chicago, Phoenix and L.A. Clippers) including two stints with both New York and Chicago. In 806 career games, he holds averages of 11.6 points and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting .436 from the field, .369 from behind-the-arc and .757 from the foul line.

The Patterson, N.J., native has seen action in seven different Playoff runs (55 games). Thomas’ postseason averages show an increase in every major category over his career regular season numbers with averages of 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting .468 from the field, .436 from three-point range and .772 from the foul line.

Thomas was a standout at Villanova University where he played for one season before making himself eligible for the NBA Draft. In his only season as a Wildcat, Thomas averaged 16.9 points and 6.0 rebounds. He was named The Sporting News Freshman of the Year and Big East Rookie of the Year.

“We are excited to welcome Tim to Dallas as part of the Mavericks family,” President of Basketball Operation/General Manager Donnie Nelson said. “His versatility, post season experience and outside shooting are valuable assets that will fortify our bench. Throughout his career, Tim has established himself as a formidable long-range threat and we look forward to him filling that role on our roster.”

Blake Griffin has right shoulder strain

blake griffin shoulder strain

Los Angeles Clippers’ rookie forward Blake Griffin will spend the next three to four weeks resting a strain to his right shoulder which he incurred in the third game of the Clippers’ five game Las Vegas Summer League schedule last week. Griffin, named the League’s Most Outstanding Player, went on to average 19.2 points and 10.8 rebounds.

Griffin will maintain his normal lower body training and conditioning regimen, and will be further evaluated regularly. He was examined and diagnosed Tuesday by Clippers’ team physician Dr. Steven Shimoyama. A second examination today by Los Angeles-based specialist Dr. Lewis Yocum confirmed the earlier diagnosis and suggested protocol.

As a precaution, Griffin will be held out of the USA Basketball National Team Mini-Camp to which he was invited and which starts today in Las Vegas.

Clippers trade Quentin Richardson to Timberwolves for Sebastian Telfair, Mark Madsen, Craig Smith

Quentin Richardson is being traded all around the league this off-season.

The Los Angeles Clippers today acquired guard Sebastian Telfair, forward Craig Smith and forward Mark Madsen from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for forward Quentin Richardson.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Madsen and Smith have expiring contracts, as does Richardson, and Telfair has two years left, at $2.5 million and $2.7 million.

Richardson, who was re-acquired by the Clippers in a trade with Memphis on July 17, joins his fifth NBA team in the Timberwolves.

“We are really excited to add these three players to our team,” Clippers General Manager and Head Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “This move really gives some much needed depth.”

Telfair, 23, averaged a career-high 9.8 points, 4.6 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 27.9 minutes in 75 games last year for the Timberwolves. A five-year NBA veteran who was drafted by Portland with the 13th overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft, Telfair joins his fourth NBA team. A 6-foot point guard, Telfair brings career averages of 8.2 points, 4.0 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 349 total NBA games to Los Angeles.

A former New York City high school legend before being drafted by the Trail Blazers, Telfair led Brooklyn’s Abraham Lincoln High School to three PSAL titles and one state championship en route to becoming New York’s all-time leading prep scorer, surpassing Kenny Anderson.

Inglewood native and former Fairfax High School star Smith returns to Los Angeles after averaging a career-high 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 19.7 minutes in 74 games last season for Minnesota. A career 55 percent shooter from the field, Smith shot 56.3 percent in 2008-09. Smith has appeared in 233 career NBA games since his rookie year of 2006-07, when he played in all 82 contests for the Timberwolves.

Smith was drafted by Minnesota with the 36th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft after a standout career at Boston College that saw him average 18.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 steals in 130 games from 2002-2006. Smith finished his Eagles career as the school’s all-time leading rebounder (1,114) and second in points (2,349) and was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference first Team in 2005-06.

A nine-year NBA veteran, the 33-year old Madsen is back in the city where he started his NBA career from 2000-2003 as the 29th overall pick out of Stanford University in the 2000 draft by the Lakers. The 6-foot-9, 255 pound Madsen has played in 453 career NBA games and averaged 2.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists in 11.8 minutes. Madsen joined the Timberwolves in 2003 and played in 19 contests, starting one and average 0.3 points and 0.9 rebounds last season.

InsideHoops.com editor says: At this rate, Quentin Richardson will have been traded to all 30 NBA teams before the season even starts. In fact, there’s breaking news now that Quentin Richardson has been traded to InsideHoops.com for 27 GMail accounts, some gum, and the rights to Manute Bol. The NBA should establish a new league rule stating that all trades must involve Q-Rich in some way.

Read basketball fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Blake Griffin rocks first summer league game

The AP reports: Blake Griffin scored seven points in the opening 75 seconds of the Clippers’ first NBA Summer League game and finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds in a 93-82 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. “Right now, just like everyone else, I’m trying to show my coaches and teammates what I can do,” Griffin said. “It was just another game. I was relaxed. I hadn’t played a game in months, so it was nice to get back out there.” … With NBA commissioner David Stern sitting courtside at the Thomas & Mack Center, the 6-foot-10 Griffin went 6 of 6 from the field in the first half and didn’t miss a shot until the third quarter. He finished 11 of 15 from the field and played 29 minutes.

Clippers hire Tony Brown as assistant coach

The Los Angeles Clippers today added coaching veteran Tony Brown as an Assistant Coach to Head Coach and General Manager Mike Dunleavy’s staff.

Brown joins the Clippers after last serving as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2007-08 campaign. This will mark Brown’s third stint under Dunleavy, serving as an assistant coach on Dunleavy’s staff in Portland (1997-2001) and as an advance scout in Milwaukee from 1994-97. This also is a return to the Clippers for Brown, who averaged 4.7 points in 22 games played for Los Angeles during the 1991-92 season.

Overall, Brown has spent 11 seasons as an NBA assistant coach, serving a three-year stint with the Boston Celtics (2004-07), before joining the Bucks in 2007. Prior to his three-years in Boston, Brown served as the lead assistant to Kevin O’Neill in Toronto (2003-04). He also spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons from 2001-03. During his time with the Pistons, the club registered back-to-back 50-win seasons, captured two Central Division titles, and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2003. Brown’s time in Portland saw the Trailblazers make four straight post-season appearances as well as two consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances (1999 and 2000).

In seven seasons as an NBA player, Brown split his time with nine teams, finishing with career averages of 6.0 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 359 games. His best statistical season came in 1986-87 with New Jersey when he averaged 11.3 points in 30.4 minutes per game. The University of Arkansas product was a fourth-round draft choice of New Jersey in the 1982 NBA Draft.

Brown also played in the Continental Basketball Association (Lancaster Lightning, Ohio Mixers, Kansas City Sizzlers and Albany Patroons) and overseas with Reggio Emilia in the Italian League (1992-94).

Brown joins returning Clippers assistant coaches Kim Hughes and Fred Vinson.