Dallas Mavericks Blog – Page 41 – NBA Blog

Petteri Koponen aims to enter NBA in 2015

Here’s ESPN.com with an update on a talented international player:

Finnish point guard Petteri Koponen hopes to be playing in the NBA by the 2015-16 season.

Here at the 2014 FIBA World Cup, Koponen told ESPN.com he intends to make the jump to the NBA after completing the final season on his contract with BC Khimki in Russia.

“I always said my dream is to play in the NBA,” Koponen said. “Every summer we talk a little bit with Dallas to see what the situation is and what they think. I’ve got one more year left on my contract in Russia and then of course I would like to come over. I hope I get some options to go there and show I can play at that level.”

The Mavericks acquired Koponen’s NBA rights in 2011 in a draft-night trade trade with Portland. He was selected by Philadelphia on behalf of the Blazers with the last pick of the first round in 2007, having played in the Nike Hoop Summit that year against a future MVP named Derrick Rose.

Video: Best Dallas Mavericks plays of the 2013-14 season

The Dallas Mavericks finished last season with a 49-33 record. Enjoy these video highlights showcasing some of their best plays:

Mavericks sign Al-Farouq Aminu

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward Al-Farouq Aminu.

Aminu (6-9, 215) was the 8th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. After one season in Los Angeles he was traded, along with Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman and a first round pick, to New Orleans in the deal that landed Chris Paul with the Clippers. He averages 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 23.2 minutes in 303 career games (171 starts) with Los Angeles and New Orleans.

In 2013-14, Aminu played in 80 games (65 starts) for the Pelicans and averaged 7.2 points and 6.2 rebounds in 25.6 minutes. The highlight of his season came on Dec. 4 when he registered 16 points and 20 rebounds against the Mavericks in a 100-97 Dallas victory.

Aminu’s parents, Aboubakar and Anjiflic, hail from Nigeria and he competed for the Nigerian National Team in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

The Atlanta native was a McDonald’s All-American and one of the nation’s top recruits in 2008. He played collegiately at Wake Forrest where he was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team in 2009. Aminu declared for the NBA Draft after his sophomore season where he averaged 15.8 points and 10.7 rebounds for the Demon Deacons.

Mavericks sign Ivan Johnson

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward Ivan Johnson.

Johnson (6-8, 255) started all five games for the Mavericks at the Las Vegas Summer League and averaged 7.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 20.8 minutes per game.

Johnson spent the 2013-14 season playing for the Zhejiang Chouzhou Golden Bulls in China, where he averaged 26.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 2.9 steals and 32.8 minutes per game in 24 games.

The 6-8 forward began his professional career in the NBA Development League in 2007-08 with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Anaheim Aresenal.

Johnson was signed by the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 9, 2011 after impressing the club in a 2011 mini-camp and earning an invite to training camp. He appeared in 56 games for Atlanta in 2011-12 and averaged 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 72.0 percent from the foul line. Johnson was named NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for April. He ranked third among rookies in field goal percentage.

Johnson re-signed with Atlanta on Sept. 18, 2012. He averaged 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 15.0 minutes per game in 69 games (five starts) for the Hawks in 2012-13. Johnson holds career averages of 6.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 15.8 minutes per game in 125 NBA games (five starts).

Johnson finished up his collegiate career at Cal State San Bernardino in 2006-07, where he averaged 15.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 57 percent from the field. He earned All-California Collegiate Athletic Association First Team honors as a senior, and was named Second Team All-West Region by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Mavs sign Jameer Nelson

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard Jameer Nelson.

Nelson (6-0, 190) is a 10-year veteran and former NBA All-Star (2009) who has spent his entire career with the Orlando Magic. He has career averages of 12.6 points, 5.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 29.2 minutes in 651 games (556 starts) with the Magic. Nelson stands as the franchise’s all-time leader in assists with 3,501. He also ranks second in games played (651) and field goals attempted (7,033), third in minutes played (19,038), three-pointers made (874) and three-pointers attempted (2,335), fourth in scoring (8,184 points) and field goals made (3,109) and fifth in steals (619).

A native of Chester, Pa., Nelson was originally the 20th overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. His draft rights were traded to the Magic where he spent his career until Orlando waived him on June 30, 2014. Last season, Nelson averaged 12.1 points, 7.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 32.0 minutes in 68 games (68 starts).

Nelson was named to his first NBA All-Star Game in 2009 when he averaged 16.7 points, 5.4 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 31.2 minutes while shooting .503 from the field, .453 from three-point range and .887 from the foul line.

The former St. Joseph’s standout enjoyed a decorated collegiate career. As a senior, Nelson earned Naismith College Player of the Year, Associated Press Player of the Year and the John Wooden Award while leading St. Joseph’s to an undefeated regular season (27-0) and the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Dallas Mavericks sign Richard Jefferson

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward Richard Jefferson.

Jefferson (6-7, 234) is a 13-year veteran with career averages of 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 32.1 minutes in 934 games (772 starts) with New Jersey, Milwaukee, San Antonio, Golden State and Utah. He appeared in two NBA Finals as a New Jersey Net alongside former Mavericks Jason Kidd and Vince Carter and won a bronze medal as a member of Team USA at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

Last season, Jefferson played in all 82 games (78 starts) for Utah averaging 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 27.0 minutes while shooting .450 from the field, .409 from three-point range and .741 from the foul line.

A standout at the University of Arizona, Jefferson led the Wildcats to the 2001 NCAA Championship Game before being drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 13th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.

Dallas Mavericks sign Rashard Lewis

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward Rashard Lewis.

Lewis (6-10, 235) is a 16-year veteran and two-time NBA All-Star (2005, 2009). He has career averages of 14.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 32.0 minutes in 1049 career games (842 starts) for Seattle,
Orlando, Washington and Miami.

The Pineville, La., native returns to the state where he played his high school basketball. Lewis was a standout and Alief Elsik High School in Houston. He entered his name in the 1998 NBA Draft out of high school and
was selected with the 32nd overall pick by the Seattle Supersonics.

Lewis spent the past two seasons in Miami Heat and was a member of the Heat’s 2013 NBA Championship Team. Last season, he averaged 4.5 points, 1.8
rebounds and 16.2 minutes in 60 games (6 starts). In the 2014 NBA Playoffs, Lewis increased his averages to 5.3 points and 2.1 rebounds while also being moved into the Heat’s starting lineup. The Heat fell to San Antonio in the NBA Finals.

Mavericks sign forward Eric Griffin

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward Eric Griffin.

Griffin (6-8, 194) has played in four games for the Mavericks at the Las Vegas Summer League and has averaged 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.3 steals in 19.3 minutes.

During the 2013-14 season, he played seven preseason games with the Miami Heat and averaged 1.7 points and 1.1 rebounds. Following his stint with the Heat, he went on to play internationally with Gauros de Lara in Venezuela and Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico. In 2012-13, he played for Fileni BPA Jesi in Italy and averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 28 games (27 starts).

Collegiately, Griffin played all 31 games as a senior for Campbell University. He averaged 15.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.4 blocks in 30.3 minutes for the Fighting Camels and was named All-Big South Conference First Team and NABC District 3 First Team that season.

Mavericks re-sign Devin Harris

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have re-signed guard Devin Harris.

Harris (6-3, 185) returned to Dallas last offseason for his second stint with the Mavericks, but missed the first 41 games while recovering from left foot surgery. Returning from injury, he averaged 7.9 points, 4.5 assists and 20.5 minutes in 40 games.

The 10-year veteran elevated his game in the postseason by averaging 11.4 points, 3.9 assists and 25.1 minutes while shooting .470 from the field, .440 from three-point range and .875 from the foul line in seven games against the eventual World Champion San Antonio Spurs.

Harris holds career averages of 12.5 points, 4.8 assists, 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 27.3 minutes in 641 games (442 starts) with Dallas, New Jersey, Utah and Atlanta. He had a standout 2008-09 season in New Jersey when he was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team.

Dallas originally acquired Harris from Washington, along with Jerry Stackhouse and Christian Laettner, in a draft day trade for Antawn Jamison on June 24, 2004. He played for the Mavericks from 2004-08 and was an integral part of the 2005-06 Western Conference Championship squad that earned the franchise’s first Finals appearance. Harris was traded from Dallas to the New Jersey Nets on Feb. 19, 2008 in a deal that brought Jason Kidd to the Mavericks.

The Milwaukee native was named 2003-04 Big Ten Player of the Year at Wisconsin where he broke Michael Finley’s single-season scoring record with 624 points (19.5 ppg) in his junior season. He was also named Second Team All-America by The Associated Press.

Mavericks officially add Chandler Parsons as Rockets decline to match offer

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed forward Chandler Parsons.

According to multiple reports, the deal is for three years, $46 million.

Parsons (6-9, 227) was a restricted free agent who played the first three years of his career with the Houston Rockets. As a Rocket, he averaged 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 34.5 minutes in 213 games (207 starts).

Last season, Parsons started all 74 games in which he played averaging 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 37.6 minutes while shooting .472 from the field, .370 from three-point range and .742 the foul line.

Recently, Parsons was added to the 2014 USA Basketball Men’s National Team roster and will participate in the team’s training camp beginning July 28 in Las Vegas.

The Casselberry, Fla., native was a standout at the University of Florida. As a senior, Parsons was named the 2011 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and Associated Press honorable mention All-America. He was drafted by Houston with the 38th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.