Brooklyn Nets Blog – Page 91 – NBA Blog

Knicks hosting free open scrimmage Sunday

On Sunday, Dec. 18 the New York Knicks will open the doors of Madison Square Garden for an inside look at the team during the Knicks Orange & Blue Scrimmage.

This free event will give fans a chance to reconnect with the team and see Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler and their teammates go through a workout and scrimmage, as the Knicks prepare for the 2011-12 regular season that will tip off on Christmas Day at noon against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden.

There will be performances by the Knicks City Dancers, Knicks City Kids and King Charles Unicycle Troupe, music from DJ Clue of Power 105.1 FM, and more.

Doors will open at 11 a.m. ET.

Note to fans: You’ll be watching Knicks players. You won’t be trying out.

Rafer Alston seeks NBA comeback

Veteran point guard Rafer Alston seemed done with the NBA, but has apparently had a change of heart and is looking to extend his pro career.

Alston’s agent and long-time friend Eddie Lau on Wednesday told InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner that the guard, who last played in the NBA for the Miami Heat and New Jersey Nets in the 2009-10 season, wants to return to the league. Lau says he is in contact with multiple teams.

The 6-2, 175-pound Alston has an NBA career average of 10.1 points, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Lately, he’s been coaching at the high school level.

Nets rookie Jordan Williams suffering from severe dehydration

Rookie Jordan Williams is suffering from dehydration and will miss at least five days of practice, Nets coach Avery Johnson said. The 21-year-old Williams apparently succumbed after Tuesday’s practice, when he got ill after lunch. He spent this morning at the doctor’s office, getting intravenous fluids, Johnson said.

“He’s suffering from … severe dehydration, so he’s going to be out for a while,” Johnson said of Williams. “He’s had some issues in practice, in terms of breaking down, a little bit, so we’ve got to keep a close eye on him.”

— Reported by Colin Stephenson of the Newark Star-Ledger

Nets sign forward Shelden Williams

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent forward Shelden Williams, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

“We are pleased to add Shelden to our roster,” said King. “He is a proven veteran who will add depth to our frontcourt rotation.”

Williams (6’9”/250), a five-year NBA veteran who has played for six teams, holds career averages of 4.5 points and 4.6 rebounds in 303 games.

Selected out of Duke by Atlanta with the fifth overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Williams played one and a half seasons with the Hawks before being traded to the Sacramento Kings during the to the 2007-08 season.

After splitting the 2008-09 season between Sacramento and Minnesota, Williams signed as a free agent with Boston for the 2009-10 season, where he appeared in 54 regular season games and eight postseason contests, helping the Celtics reach the NBA Finals.

Last season, Williams played in 42 games with the Denver Nuggets before a mid-season trade that sent him to New York, where he appeared in 17 games. Totaling 59 (38 starts) games in 2010-11, Williams had season averages of 4.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Dallas Mavericks sign guard Vince Carter

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed free agent guard Vince Carter. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Carter (6-6, 220) is an eight-time NBA All-Star who currently ranks 35th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list (eighth among active players) with 20,250 career points. The former Rookie of the Year (1998-99) and Slam Dunk Contest winner (2000) holds career averages of 22.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 925 games (907 starts) with Toronto, New Jersey, Orlando and Phoenix.

Originally the fifth overall selection in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, Carter was traded on draft day to the Toronto Raptors where he would help lead that franchise to its first Playoff appearance in 2000. In December of 2004, Carter was traded to the New Jersey Nets where he would team with current-Maverick Jason Kidd. Carter spent five seasons in New Jersey and is still ranked in the franchise’s Top 10 in 19 statistical categories.

The native of Daytona Beach, Fla., was traded to the Orlando Magic on draft day in 2009. Carter would play in his home state for a little more than a season, but in his short time there he helped take the Magic to the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals where they lost in six games to the Boston Celtics. In December of 2010, Carter was traded to the Phoenix Suns where he finished out last season and scored his 20,000th point becoming just the 37th NBA player to accomplish that feat.

Carter was a standout at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he led the Tarheels to two consecutive Final Four berths (1997, 1998). Carter declared himself eligible for the 1998 NBA Draft after his junior season in Chapel Hill.

Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov to run for Russian presidency

Mikhail Prokhorov, one of Russia’s richest tycoons and the owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team, said Monday he will run against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in the March presidential election.

Prokhorov has been cautious not to cross Putin’s path in the past, but the billionaire may pose a serious challenge to Putin, whose authority has been dented by alleged widespread fraud during Russia’s Dec. 4 parliamentary election.

Putin’s party only won about 50 percent of that vote, compared to 64 percent four years ago, and the fraud allegations have allowed opposition parties to successfully mount massive anti-Putin protests in Russia.

On Sunday, President Dmitry Medvedev promised on his Facebook page that the alleged vote fraud will be investigated. But Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, predicted Monday the probe will show that little vote fraud occurred and that it had no effect on the outcome of the ballot.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Mavericks sign forward Brandan Wright

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed free agent forward Brandan Wright. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Wright (6-10, 210) is a former first round draft pick (eighth overall) and joins the Mavericks as a free agent from the New Jersey Nets. Wright was traded to New Jersey last February from the Golden State Warriors, where he began his career in 2007. He holds career averages of 5.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 12.6 minutes in 114 career games with 31 starts.

Wright was a standout at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he started all 37 games as a freshman and was named Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and All-ACC Second Team. He was an early-entry candidate into the 2007 NBA Draft and was the eighth overall pick by the Charlotte Bobcats. Wright was acquired by Golden State in a draft-day trade in exchange for Jason Richardson and the draft rights to Jermareo Davidson.

A native of Nashville, Tenn., Wright was a two-time Parade All-American and was the first athlete in the state ever to earn “Mr. Tennessee” honors three times. He also led Brentwood Academy to four consecutive state championships.

Nets sign rookies MarShon Brooks and Jordan Williams

The New Jersey Nets have signed first round draft pick MarShon Brooks and second round draft pick Jordan Williams, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released.

Brooks (6’5”/200), was drafted by Boston in the first round (25th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft and then traded to New Jersey in exchange for the rights to the 27th pick, JuJuan Johnson, and the Nets’ 2014 second round pick on June 23, 2011. As a senior at Providence College, Brooks was named Third Team AP All-America and was a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award. He was also a First Team All-Big East selection and scored a Big East record 52 points vs. No. 9 Notre Dame, converting a league-record 20 field goals. The 52 points tied Jimmer Fredette’s performance vs. New Mexico for the most in Division I in 2010-11. Brooks averaged 24.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks in 32 contests for the Friars.

Williams (6’10”/260) was drafted by New Jersey in the second round (36th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft. As a sophomore at Maryland, he led the ACC in rebounding (11.8 rpg), ranking third nationally, and was second in Division I with 25 double-doubles, establishing a school record. A First-Team All-ACC pick and an AP All-America Honorable Mention choice, Williams was a midseason candidate for the Wooden and Naismith awards and was named to the ACC All-Rookie Team as a freshman. He is only the third Terp freshman in history with 250 points and 250 boards (Joe Smith, Buck Williams).

Nets sign three players to training camp roster

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agents JamesOn Curry, Dennis Horner, and Jerry Smith, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreements were not released. All three players come from the Springfield Armor, the Nets D-League affiliate, after appearing in the Armor’s first three games of the season. The Nets training camp roster stands at 14 players.

Curry, a 6’4” guard, has spent the previous four seasons in the D-League with Iowa and Springfield. After being selected in the second round, 51st overall, by the Chicago Bulls in the 2007 NBA Draft, Curry spent time with Iowa on assignment during the 2007-08 season and rejoined the team during the 2008-09 campaign. The Oklahoma State alum was taken 14th overall in the first round of the 2009 NBA D-League Draft as the first selection in Springfield Armor history. Curry played in one game with the Los Angeles Clippers in January of 2010 after earning a 10-day contract. In three seasons with Springfield, Curry has appeared in 74 games and averaged 15.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 36.3 minutes. He is the Armor’s franchise leader in points, assists, steals and games played. In three contests in 2011-12, all starts, Curry has averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 assists in 38 minutes.

Horner, a 6’9” forward, is a New Jersey native who spent four years at N.C. State. After leaving school following the 2009-10 campaign, Horner joined VOO Verviers-Pepinster in Belgium’s First Division before moving to Hasapis Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus’ Division A. During the 2010-11 season, he averaged 11.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 13 games with Hasapis Omonia Nicosia. Horner was selected by the Springfield Armor in the third round (47th overall) in the 2011 NBA Development League Draft. In three games with the Armor this season, all starts, he averaged 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 30 minutes.

Smith, a 6’2” guard, played four years at Louisville before being selected by Springfield in the fifth round, 69th overall, in the 2010 NBA D-League Draft. Entering the 2011-12 campaign, Smith is ranked in the Armor’s top five all-time in points, assists, steals, and minutes played. In 49 career games with the Armor, Smith has averaged 13.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 25 minutes. In three contests this season, he has averaged 20.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 34 minutes.

Dwight Howard reportedly favors joining Nets

Dwight Howard is preparing to ask the Orlando Magic to trade him to the New Jersey Nets, according to sources close to the situation.

Howard’s representatives have told the Nets that they are his preferred destination.

Howard has yet to tell the Magic he will not re-sign with them after this season, but the sources said he will within the next few days, perhaps as early as Friday. There is also a chance that Howard will not attend the opening of training camp Friday, according to a source.

As ESPN.com reported last week, the Nets are ready to offer the Magic a package built around center Brook Lopez and two first-round draft picks, New Jersey’s own and one the Nets acquired from Houston in a previous trade, according to sources.

— Reported by Chris Broussard of ESPN the Magazine

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