Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Memphis Grizzlies sign guard Andre Barrett

Memphis Grizzlies sign guard Andre Barrett

The Memphis Grizzlies today signed free agent point guard Andre Barrett.

NBA preseason is ongoing, and that means many signings these days are merely “training camp deals,” and not guaranteed for the regular season. This may be the case with Barrett.

Barrett (5-10, 172) joins the Grizzlies after spending last season with the Maine Red Claws and Sioux Falls Skyforce in the NBA Development League. He averaged 7.5 points and 7.7 assists in 17 games for Maine and recorded 11.3 points and 7.9 assists in 16 appearances for Sioux Falls.

Undrafted in the 2004 NBA Draft, the 31-year-old holds NBA career averages of 3.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 12.2 minutes in 67 games (one start) in four seasons for the Houston Rockets (2004-05), Orlando Magic (2004-05), Phoenix Suns (2005-06), Toronto Raptors (2005-06), Chicago Bulls (2006-07) and Los Angeles Clippers (2007-08). The Bronx native also has had D-League stints with the Florida Flame (2005-06), Bakersfield Jam (2007-08), Austin Toros (2007-08) and Idaho Stampede (2009-10) and has played overseas for Regal FC Barcelona in Spain (2008-09) and Chorale de Roanne Basket in France (2011-12).

The Grizzlies’ roster now stands at 17 players.

Bobcats center Brendan Haywood to miss at least 12 weeks

Bobcats center Brendan Haywood to miss at least 12 weeks

The Charlotte Bobcats just lost some depth at the center spot.

The team announced today that center Brendan Haywood is expected to miss at least 12 weeks after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left foot that will require surgery.

An MRI and CT scan yesterday ordered by foot specialist Dr. Bob Anderson revealed the stress fracture in the navicular bone. Haywood will undergo surgery next week to place two screws in the bone to reinforce the stress fracture and help it to heal. Following 12 weeks of immobilization, he will undergo a follow-up CT scan to determine his return to normal activities.

OKC Thunder waive center Daniel Orton

OKC Thunder waive center Daniel Orton

The Oklahoma City Thunder waived center Daniel Orton, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Orton appeared in 13 games with the Thunder during the 2012-13 season, averaging 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 8.0 minutes per contest.

The center appeared in one preseason contest for Oklahoma City this year, recording six points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks in 19 minutes.

Oklahoma City’s roster now stands at 16.

D-League: Open tryouts for Delaware 87ers

So you think you’re good enough to play pro ball? Got $200 to chase the dream?

The Delaware 87ers, the 76ers-owned squad in the NBA Development League, will be holding open tryouts the next two Saturday mornings.

If you think you’re better than Leo Lyons, Tyler Wilkerson, Jerome Randle or Hamady N’Diaye – all on the 87ers’ current roster – here’s your chance to prove it.

This Saturday, tryouts will be held at the Community College of Philadelphia at 8 a.m. If you are planning to walk up to walk on, get there by 7. To get on the court, it will cost you $200. The team will be accepting cashier’s checks and money orders. But if you register on line, at www.nba.com/dleague/delaware, you’ll save $50. The deadline for online registration is noon tomorrow.

Reported by Mark Perner of the Philadelphia Daily News

Kobe Bryant return date: still weeks away

Kobe Bryant still weeks away from playing

Although Kobe Bryant is making steady progress in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, he’s still a few weeks away from playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bryant is back with the Lakers after a short trip to Germany to get treatment on his right knee, another trouble area for the 35-year-old guard. He sat on Los Angeles’ bench for an exhibition game Tuesday night, and he’ll travel with the team to China later this week.

But the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history isn’t committing to any return date until he gets in shape and figures out how his legs will hold up when he’s back in uniform.

“I haven’t said anything (about a return date),” Bryant said. “I just keep it all open right now. I don’t know why you guys are so hell-bent on deadlines. It’s like the most ridiculous thing to me. It’s entertaining. When I’m ready, I’m ready.”

Reported by the Associated Press

Rookie Ray McCallum fighting hard for Kings in preseason

The competition for minutes at point guard is in all likelihood still a two-man race between Isaiah Thomas and Greivis Vasquez.

But Kings coaches and management have remained pleased with the progress of the point guard Sacramento picked in the second round of June’s NBA draft, Ray McCallum.

Coach Michael Malone maintains McCallum is having one of the better showings in training camp, and his teammates have noticed, too.

McCallum had seven points, five assists, two steals and just one turnover in 18 minutes in the Kings’ loss Monday at Golden State in the preseason opener.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Mo Williams looking to do big things for Trail Blazers

Mo Williams looking to do big things for Trail Blazers

On the eve of the Trail Blazers’ training camp, Mo Williams issued an unusual and confident pledge to the rest of the NBA:

“My slogan for the year is, I’m going to be a problem,” he said.

And for the first time in a Blazers uniform, he offered a glimpse of what that looks like.

On a night in which the defense continued to look like a work in progress, when the offense sputtered to another sluggish start, when the Blazers lost for the second time this exhibition season — 104-98 to the Phoenix Suns — there was one encouraging development Wednesday night at the Moda Center.

Williams finally played. And, after shaking off a little rust, he looked dynamic, electric and every bit capable of being a difference-maker.

Reported by Joe Freeman of the Oregonian

Sixers are young, but hopefully also fun

Sixers are young, but hopefully also fun

The overwhelming belief is the 76ers are going to be the NBA’s worst team. But based on two preseason games in Europe, it still might be fun to keep tabs on their maturation process.

The Sixers push the ball, attack the rim, and keep defensive heat on opponents.

“I’m very proud of my teammates for playing hard and playing tough,” veteran guard Evan Turner said Tuesday after a 103-99 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Phones 4U Arena in Manchester, England. “Any time you do that, you give yourself a chance to win night in and night out.”

But the Sixers roster wasn’t built to win night in and night out.

The team has only six players with more than two years of NBA experience. Veteran holdovers Thad Young, Spencer Hawes, and Turner are the squad’s core players. For the most part, they are surrounded by former first-round picks who were cast away and undrafted rookies.

Reported by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Will Bynum likely out of playing rotation for Pistons

Will Bynum likely out of playing rotation for Pistons

As the Oct. 30 opener against the Washington Wizards inches closer, Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks is revealing more of his thoughts about the playing rotation.

After Wednesday’s practice, he was asked if he could play five guards as part of the rotation, and he was pretty definitive.

“You can’t,” Cheeks said. “How can you do it? I don’t think you can do it. It wouldn’t be fair to the guys that are playing.

“You’ve got to say somebody’s going to play and somebody’s not going to play.”

So that means someone among the group of Brandon Jennings, Chauncey Billups, Rodney Stuckey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Will Bynum will be on the outside looking in when it comes to playing time.

Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press