Memphis Grizzlies Blog – Page 35 – NBA Blog

Memphis Grizzlies recall Jamaal Franklin from D-League

The Memphis Grizzlies have recalled guard Jamaal Franklin from their NBA Development League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced today.

Franklin (6-5, 191) was assigned to Fort Wayne on Jan. 5 and recorded 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and four steals in 23 minutes in his D-League debut on Jan. 6 against the Santa Cruz Warriors. The game was played in Reno, Nev. as part of the 2014 NBA D-League Showcase.

Drafted by Memphis in the second round (41st overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft, the 22-year-old has averaged 1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds in 9.2 minutes in 14 appearances as a rookie for the Grizzlies.

Three-team trade sends Jerryd Bayless to Celtics, Courtney Lee to Grizzlies

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have completed a three team trade with the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder in which they acquired guard Jerryd Bayless from Memphis and forward Ryan Gomes from Oklahoma City. The Celtics sent guard Courtney Lee and a 2016 second round draft pick to the Memphis Grizzlies. In a related transaction, the Celtics have waived forward Ryan Gomes. Memphis also traded a conditional 2017 second round draft pick to Oklahoma City.

Bayless, a 6’3” guard, has appeared in 30 games for the Grizzlies this season averaging 8.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per game. The 11th overall pick in the 2008 Draft by the Indiana Pacers has a season-high of 22 points against the Celtics on November 27 when he was 6-of-10 from the field and 9-of-11 from the free throw line. Bayless has posted career averages of 8.2 points, 2.8 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per game split between Portland, New Orleans, Toronto and Memphis. An early entry candidate into the 2008 Draft from the University of Arizona, Bayless averaged 19.7 points and 4.0 assists while earning All-Pac 10 Second Team and All-Freshman honors. He was the first freshman in Arizona history to lead the team in scoring as well as being the first freshman to win team MVP since Sean Elliot in the 1985-86 season.

Gomes, a 6’7” forward, has appeared in five games for the Thunder this season totaling six points and four rebounds in 34 minutes played. Playing in his eighth NBA season, Gomes was originally drafted by the Celtics with the 50th pick in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft. The former Providence College Friar has posted career averages of 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 487 games split between Boston, Minnesota, the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City.

Three-team trade sends Jerryd Bayless to Celtics, Courtney Lee to Grizzlies

Lee (6-5, 200) joins the Grizzlies with career averages of 9.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists on .446 shooting (.387 3FG shooting) in 25.9 minutes in 395 games (174 starts) with the Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics. The 28-year-old has averaged 7.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.8 minutes in 30 games (zero starts) with Boston this season, recording career-high shooting percentages both from three-point range (.442) and overall (.492). The Indianapolis, Ind. native scored a career-high 30 points on March 8, 2010 at Memphis as a member of the New Jersey Nets.

The six-year veteran was drafted by Orlando in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft following a successful four-year collegiate career at Western Kentucky University. Lee was named 2007-08 Sun Belt Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Sun Belt honors for three consecutive seasons (2005-08), starting in every game he played with the Hilltoppers.

Memphis Grizzlies waive guard Seth Curry

The Memphis Grizzlies waived guard Seth Curry, the team announced today.

Curry (6-1, 180) was signed by Memphis on Dec. 24 after averaging 21.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.58 steals on .439 shooting in 37.3 minutes in 12 games (11 starts) for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Development League.

The 23-year-old made one appearance for the Grizzlies, logging four minutes in his NBA debut on Jan. 5 at Detroit.

Zach Randolph fined $25,000 for public criticism of NBA officiating

Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph has been fined $25,000 for public criticism of officiating, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

Randolph made his comments following the Grizzlies’ 100-92 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday, Dec. 26, at Toyota Center.

Playing without injured, defensive-minded star center Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies are 12-16 so far this season and sit last in the competitive Southwest division.

Quincy Pondexter out after foot surgery

The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that Grizzlies guard/forward Quincy Pondexter underwent surgery to repair a tarsal navicular stress fracture in his right foot. The surgery was performed today by team physicians Dr. Fred Azar and Dr. Drew Murphy at the Campbell Clinic.

Pondexter (6-6, 225) is out indefinitely.

Currently in his fourth NBA season, Pondexter averaged 6.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 18.0 minutes in 15 games (two starts) before sustaining the injury in the first half of the December 7 game against Golden State. The 25-year-old scored a career-high 22 points on Nov. 30 vs. Brooklyn.

Drafted by Oklahoma City in the first round (26th overall) in the 2010 NBA Draft, Pondexter holds career averages of 4.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 15.9 minutes in 204 games (17 starts) with Memphis and New Orleans.

Memphis signed the University of Washington product to a multi-year contract extension on Oct. 31.

Memphis Grizzlies sign forward James Johnson

The Memphis Grizzlies signed forward James Johnson of the NBA Development League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the team announced today.

Johnson (6-9, 245) joins the Grizzlies after averaging 18.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.90 steals and 3.40 blocks on .496 shooting in 29.9 minutes in 10 games (all starts) for Rio Grande Valley this season. The 26-year-old is the only D-League player this season to rank in the top 15 in scoring (14th), rebounding (12th) and assists (14th) by average. He also places third in the D-League in blocks per game and is tied for seventh in steals per game.

Johnson owns NBA career averages of 6.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.98 blocks on .443 shooting in 18.3 minutes in 219 games (87 starts) in four seasons with the Chicago Bulls (2009-10 to 2010-11), Toronto Raptors (2010-11 to 2011-12) and Sacramento Kings (2012-13). He played the 2013 preseason with the Atlanta Hawks but was waived on Oct. 21, 2013.

The Cheyenne, Wyo. native’s best season as a pro came in 2011-12 with Toronto when he averaged career highs across the board with 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.15 steals and 1.35 blocks in 25.2 minutes. He was one of just seven qualifying NBA players that season to average at least one steal and one block per game, joining Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Josh Smith, DeMarcus Cousins and Kenyon Martin.

He holds career D-League averages of 18.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.50 steals and 3.00 blocks on .513 shooting in 30.9 minutes in 18 games (all starts) for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Iowa Energy.

Johnson was drafted by Chicago in the first round (16th overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft after two seasons at Wake Forest University. He led the Demon Deacons in rebounding each year and as a sophomore guided the team to a 24-5 record and a No. 1 ranking during the 2008-09 season.

Quincy Pondexter (Grizzlies) injured, has stress fracture in right foot

The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that guard/forward Quincy Pondexter underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) this morning and has been diagnosed with a tarsal navicular stress fracture in his right foot. He will be out indefinitely.

Pondexter (6-6, 225), who sustained the injury in the first half of the December 7 game against Golden State, was evaluated at the Campbell Clinic by team physician Dr. Fred Azar.

The 25-year-old has averaged 6.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 18.0 minutes in 15 games (two starts) this season, his fourth in the NBA. He scored a career-high 22 points on Nov. 30 vs. Brooklyn.

Memphis signed the University of Washington product to a multi-year contract extension on Oct. 31.

Lionel Hollins wants another NBA head coaching job

Here’s ESPN Los Angeles on former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins, who wants to run a team again.

As sabbaticals go, the one Lionel Hollins has been on the last few months has been pretty nice, but the former Memphis Grizzlies coach said in an extended interview with ESPN.com that he is ready to get back to work.

Since not being retained by the Grizzlies’ new ownership group, Hollins has been playing golf, attending charity events, doing a little broadcasting for NBA TV and watching his son Austin Hollins a senior guard for Minnesota, play college basketball. This week, he was in Hawaii to watch the Gophers in the Maui Invitational.

Nice as the time off has been, however, Hollins is ready to return to the NBA.

“I believe I’ve established myself as a head coach and I’d like another opportunity to show that [my success] wasn’t a fluke,” Hollins said. “I feel like I’ve proven I can take a young team and develop it, then sustain what I’ve done by what I did in the last five years in Memphis.”

Hollins was let go by the Grizzlies despite winning a franchise-record 56 games and leading Memphis to its first Western Conference Finals appearance last season.

Marc Gasol injured with MCL sprain in his left knee

The Memphis Grizzlies announced today that center Marc Gasol underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which revealed a MCL sprain in his left knee. He will be out indefinitely and no surgery will be required.

Gasol (7-1, 265), who sustained the injury in the second quarter last night against San Antonio, was evaluated at the Campbell Clinic today by team physician Dr. Fred Azar.

The reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Gasol ranked second on the Grizzlies in scoring, rebounding and assists and led the team in blocks entering the game against the Spurs. The 2012 All-Star and 2012-13 Second Team All-NBA center has missed just four games dating back to the start of the 2010-11 season, playing and starting in 239 of a possible 243 regular season contests.

Tony Allen suspended for kicking Chris Paul in the face

Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen has been suspended one game without pay for kicking Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers in the face, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

That’s right, folks. Just in case you were wondering, kicking a player in the face is not considered a valid defensive basketball play. And now you know!

But seriously: Allen jumped high in the air and while it’s not like he wound up and unleashed a blatant, premeditated roundhouse kick, it was still a wild, out-of-control move, and the end result was what amounted to a boot to CP3’s head.

The incident, for which Allen was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 1:51 remaining in the first quarter of the Grizzlies’ 106-102 win over the Clippers on Monday, Nov. 18, at Staples Center.

Allen will serve his suspension on Wednesday, Nov. 20 when the Grizzlies play the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena.

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