NBA Teams – Page 1075 – NBA Blog

Kings sign Orlando Johnson to 10-day contract

The Sacramento Kings today signed guard Orlando Johnson to a 10-day contract, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

Johnson averaged 2.4 points (.344 FG%, .195 3pt%, .773 FT%), 1.3 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 9.0 minutes per game with Indiana before being waived on February 20, 2014. In his third NBA season, he has accrued career averages of 3.3 points (.380 FG%, .326 3pt%, .741 FT%), 1.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 10.8 minutes per game in 89 contests.

Originally drafted by the Kings in the second round (36th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft, Johnson’s draft rights were traded to the Pacers for cash considerations on draft night, June 28, 2012.

Nuggets coach Brian Shaw feels his team sometimes gives up

Here’s the Denver Post blog reporting on the Nuggets and head coach Brian Shaw, who likes his players but doesn’t like seeing the squad give up when things look bad:

A new, potentially harmful narrative arose out of a couple of radio interviews Nuggets coach Brian Shaw conducted this week — one that he hates his roster and vice versa.

Not true, he insists.

“I can’t remember who it was that asked me yesterday; he said ‘Would you have taken this job with the roster, if it was just the guys who are healthy and playing right now would you have taken this job?’” Shaw said. “I said, after interviewing for head coaching jobs as many times as I did, 11 times prior to this interview, and not getting a job, I said ‘Yeah, I most likely would have taken it.’ But the expectation and everything else would have been different, knowing if there wasn’t going to be Gallo, JaVale (McGee), Nate (Robinson) for half the season and the situation be what it is.

“So, no, I don’t hate the roster. What I hate is having to beg guys to play. That simple. That shouldn’t be a part of what coaching should be. And circumstances are what they are. None of us asked for it.” …

Shaw: “I’ve always said I can live with the losses, as long as we fight. But what’s hard for me is when we go from a tie or something in the first quarter, to down 20 by halftime, and then we come out in the third quarter and we just give up. And I felt like that’s what some of our guys were doing. Now, it’s important for me to understand that those guys who are continuing to do that, going forward in the future, they aren’t going to get my vote of confidence to keep them here if that’s what they are showing when the going gets tough.”

Bucks, Caron Butler approaching buyout

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on the struggling Milwaukee Bucks who, as bad as they are, don’t seem to have a need for the services of Caron Butler:

Milwaukee Bucks swingman Caron Butler is scheduled to complete a contract buyout Wednesday that sets him up to become an unrestricted free agent by the end of the week, according to sources close to the talks.

Sources told ESPN.com that Wisconsin native Butler, who is earning $8 million this season on an expiring contract with his home-state Bucks, is on course to be released by Milwaukee on Wednesday and thus clear waivers Friday, well in advance of the Saturday midnight deadline by which time he must be set free to be eligible to play in the playoffs with another team.

Kings may say goodbye to Jimmer Fredette, hello to Orlando Johnson

Here’s News 10 reporting on some changes the Sacramento Kings may be set to make:

The Sacramento Kings are expected to sign shooting guard Orlando Johnson on Wednesday, once they complete a buyout of Jimmer Fredette, two sources tell News10.

Fredette and the Kings were still negotiating a buyout on to release the former BYU star on Tuesday evening. Kings head coach Michael Malone said before Tuesday’s game against the Houston Rockets that Fredette and the team will likely part ways on Wednesday.

According to two sources with knowledge of the situation who are not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, Sacramento will then sign Johnson, who was recently waived by the Indiana Pacers. The signing is believed to be a 10-day contract.

Grizzlies re-assign Jamaal Franklin to D-League

The Memphis Grizzlies have re-assigned guard Jamaal Franklin to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced today. This marks the rookie’s third assignment to Fort Wayne this season.

Franklin (6-5, 191) has recorded 10.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.3 minutes in three games through his first two assignments with Fort Wayne.

Drafted by Memphis in the second round (41st overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft, the 22-year-old has averaged 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 7.9 minutes in 19 appearances for the Grizzlies.

Wizards sign Drew Gooden to 10-day contract

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Drew Gooden to a 10-day contract.

“We will rely on all of our frontcourt players to step up and contribute as we go through this stretch without Nene,” said Grunfeld. “Signing Drew gives us size, shooting ability and experience to add to that mix.”

Gooden (6-10, 230) has played 11 seasons with Memphis, Orlando, Cleveland, Chicago, Sacramento, San Antonio, Dallas, the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee, appearing in 687 career regular season games (493 starts) while averaging 11.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 27.0 minutes per contest. He has shot .465 (3,213-6,913) from the field and .759 (1,634-2,154) from the free throw line. The former fourth overall pick (2002 by Memphis) last played during the 2012-13 campaign with Milwaukee, where he averaged 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 16 games. Gooden has averaged 10.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 27.1 minutes over 44 career postseason games with Orlando, Cleveland and San Antonio, including a run to the 2007 NBA Finals with the Cavaliers.

Will Cavs eventually lose Kyrie Irving?

Here’s ESPN.com on what would be a very sad day for the Cleveland Cavaliers, should Kyrie Irving someday decide to hit the road for good:

If Kyrie Irving truly wants to be on a different team next season he can probably make it happen.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will offer Irving a maximum contract extension once they’re allowed to on July 1, and if he hasn’t signed it by October, the team will likely be forced to trade him before the Oct. 31 deadline for third-year players to extend their contracts.

The Cavs aren’t without leverage. They can match any deal offered if Irving hits restricted free agency in the summer of 2015, and they control his rights through summer 2016. Waiting out that period would cost Irving millions, not to mention open himself up to losing it all should some unforeseen major injury occur. For these reasons, no player in Irving’s position has ever declined to a sign a maximum contract offer.

But the scars of LeBron James’ departure four years ago are far from healed, and they’re certainly going to affect the way the club and its current star player handle their future together.

LaMarcus Aldridge out for Blazers, taking time to heal

Here’s the Denver Post reporting on an upcoming Nuggets opponent:

The Nuggets will catch a break in facing Portland tonight with the Trail Blazers playing without star forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who is resting a groin injury.

And they’ll take it.

“I normally like to face a team when they’re at full strength, to get the best out of us and the best out of them,” Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said.

Then he smiled.

“But this is one instance where after that 44 that he gave us, his career high, I don’t mind that he’s out,” Shaw said. “We’ve played him twice, and he’s kind of had his way with us both times, so I hope whatever ailment he has, he gets better, but I’m not mad he’s not going to face us tonight.”

Celtics, Rajon Rondo controversy?

Here’s the Boston Herald reporting on Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, who doesn’t seem to be acting like much of a team captain right now:

The Celtics are not taking it as a major issue, but the team is still hoping to straighten things out with Rajon Rondo after his decision to stay in Los Angeles and not accompany the team to Sacramento for Saturday’s game.

While some were displeased by the move, for which Rondo did not receive official permission, others pointed out he was not scheduled to play in the game anyway (on the second night of a back-to-back), and that he may have simply been making some assumptions based on precedent. Multiple sources say he remained in LA for a birthday celebration. He turned 28 on Saturday.

The captain didn’t want to get into the matter before last night’s 110-98 loss to the Jazz.

“We already talked about it,” Rondo said. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

That doesn’t appear to be the case. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge said yesterday he is still looking into the situation.

Knicks reportedly interested in Earl Clark

Here’s Yahoo Sports with a report on the Knicks and Earl Clark, who does seem like he has the skills to stick around in the NBA:

The New York Knicks are pursuing a deal with free-agent forward Earl Clark, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Knicks are trying to sign two defensive-minded players before meeting the Miami Heat on Thursday in Miami, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

After acquiring him in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, Philadelphia released Clark, 26, and he cleared waivers to become a free agent.