Houston Rockets Blog – Page 57 – NBA Blog

Rockets re-assign Marcus Morris to D-League

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that forward Marcus Morris will be re-joining Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley.

“Marcus’ ankle has healed and he has been cleared to practice and play,” said Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey. “With limited practice time available, we have decided to send Marcus to Rio Grande Valley to give him an opportunity to play and recondition his ankle.”

Morris (6-9, 235, Kansas), who was selected by Houston with the 14th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, has averaged 22.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in four starts with Rio Grande Valley this season. He made his debut with the Vipers by posting 33 points (13-24 FG), 16 rebounds, five assists and two steals vs. Dakota (1/6/12).

Kyle Lowry takes plea in Las Vegas misdemeanor case

Kyle Lowery

Allegedly also likes playing dodgeball

A lawyer has entered a no contest plea for Kyle Lowry in a bid for dismissal of a misdemeanor battery case alleging the Houston Rockets guard threw a basketball at a female referee and threatened her during a game at a Las Vegas gym last September.

A court clerk said the 25-year-old Lowry didn’t appear Thursday with his lawyer, Patrick McDonald, before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Eric Goodman.

Goodman agreed to dismiss the case July 19 if Lowry completes 100 hours of community service at a battered women’s shelter or a similar program, completes an impulse control counseling program and stays out of trouble for six months.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Yao Ming looking to enter movie business

The retired Chinese basketball superstar Yao Ming has been looking for business opportunities in the film industry, but has not entered it yet, Yao’s agent said Tuesday, responding to media’s reports claiming that Yao will set up a film finance fund.

Foreign media report that Jay Cohen, an American film producer, is setting up a film finance fund with Yao Ming, which has caught the attention of China’s media and public.

“Yao Ming and our team has not joined or set up any such organizations as the film finance fund,” Yao’s agent Zhang Mingji told Xinhua, adding that they are open to such kind of business, and are looking for good investment opportunities.

— Reported by Xinhua / CRI.cn

Courtney Lee uninjured in car accident

Houston Rockets guard Courtney Lee says he wasn’t injured when his car was struck by another vehicle after Saturday night’s game against the New York Knicks.

Rockets spokesman Nelson Luis said Sunday that Lee contacted a team security guard to tell him he was OK.

Lee tweeted about the incident, saying he was thanking God and “thanking Cadillac for air bags!! Without them, I could have lost my life tonight and two others close to me.”

— Reported by the Associated Press

Detroit Pistons plane makes emergency landing in Houston

The Pistons team plane landed safely at Hobby International this afternoon after a hydraulic issue forced emergency personnel to greet the aircraft, according to team spokesman Kevin Grigg, who was not traveling with the team.

TV station KHOU 11 reported that personnel was alerted because an alarm was sounded, signaling the hydraulic issue.

But Grigg said it was a precaution and everyone was safely at the team hotel. Passengers weren’t even aware there was a problem until they were greeted by emergency vehicles.

A Houston Airport System spokesman says the crew of MD-80 displaying the Pistons team logo reported problems with the hydraulics operating the aircraft’s left-side landing gear and declared an emergency.

— Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press

Yao Ming becomes political adviser in Shanghai

Retired NBA star Yao Ming has added another line to his post-basketball resume — politician — becoming a member of an advisory body to Shanghai’s legislature.

Since the 31-year-old Yao announced last July that injuries had ended his career with the Houston Rockets, he has become a university student and set up a wine business to go with owning a professional basketball team in China.

Photos in official media on Monday showed Yao at the weekend closing ceremony for the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Shanghai Committee.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Kyle Lowry charged with battery of ref in Vegas from September

Houston Rockets guard Kyle Lowry is facing a misdemeanor battery charge amid accusations that he threw a basketball at a referee and threatened her during a game at a Las Vegas training gym.

The criminal complaint says the 25-year-old Lowry was taunting 30-year-old Infini Robinson while she was officiating a game between NBA players Sept. 22.

Police say that when the game ended, he threw a ball at her torso and cursed at her for calls he didn’t agree with.

Robinson later was hit in the shoulder by another basketball in an area designated for officials. She said the ball hit her with such force that it pushed her body back in the chair where she was sitting, and said it likely would have broken her nose had she not been bent over changing her shoe.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Rockets assign Marcus Morris to D-League

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has assigned forward Marcus Morris to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley. It marks the first assignment for Morris to the D-League.

“The Rockets assignment of Marcus Morris to the Vipers is another example of our belief in player development through the D-League,” said Rockets Vice President of Player Personnel/Vipers General Manager Gersson Rosas. “We have found success in developing young players like Aaron Brooks and Patrick Patterson in our minor-league program and believe that Marcus will be the latest to benefit from this process. The opportunity for Marcus to continue his development in a primary role in games and practices for the Vipers is invaluable and necessary at this stage of his career.”

Morris (6-9, 235, Kansas), who was selected by Houston with the 14th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, has appeared in three games this season with the Rockets. An early entry candidate for the 2011 NBA Draft, Morris finished his Kansas career 25th on the all-time KU scoring list with 1,371 points scored, 16th all-time in rebounds with 676, ninth in double-doubles for a Jayhawk with 19 and 12th on the single-season scoring list with 654 points during the 2010-11 season. Chosen right after his twin brother, Markieff (13th overall by Phoenix), Morris was selected the Big 12 Player of the Year and the Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player following a standout junior season. He added First-Team All-Big 12 accolades, as well as USBWA, NABC and AP All-America Second Team in 2010-11. An Oscar Robertson Trophy finalist, Morris was one of 20 college players chosen by USA Basketball to train against the USA Men’s National Team during the 2010 offseason.

Kings and Chuck Hayes agree to new deal

The Sacramento Kings have agreed to a contract with forward Chuck Hayes just days after voiding a deal because of a failed physical.

Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie announced the multiyear agreement Thursday night. Terms were not immediately available.

The Kings voided a $21.3 million, four-year contract with Hayes on Monday, saying he failed a physical. The team previously said a heart exam on Hayes showed an abnormality that would require further testing.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Houston Rockets sign forward Jeff Adrien

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed free agent forward Jeff Adrien. According to the Houston Chronicle, it is a two-year contract with the first year partially guaranteed.

Adrien (6-7, 243, Connecticut), who had been playing with Benetton Treviso in Italy, appeared in 23 games over two stints with Golden State in 2010-11. His second stint with the Warriors was as a GATORADE Call-Up from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA D-League. Overall, Adrien appeared in 27 D-League games last season between the Erie BayHawks and Rio Grande Valley, averaging 18.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.03 steals and 1.44 blocks in 32.7 minutes per contest. He was named the 2010-11 NBA D-League Impact Player of the Year (as voted by the league’s head coaches) after helping the Vipers to an 18-4 record in his 22 games with the team following a trade from Erie. The D-League Player of the Month for Jan. 2011 was also a D-League All-Star in 2010-11.

As a collegian, Adrien finished his career at the University of Connecticut with 1,603 points and 1,126 rebounds, becoming only the second Husky with over 1,600 points and 1,100 rebounds in a career since Jim Calhoun became coach in 1986. He was also just the fifth player in school history to amass over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. Adrien ranked 12th on the career points list and finished with the third-highest rebounding total ever by a Husky. As team captain in 2008-09, Adrien helped lead UConn to the NCAA Final Four.