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The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed forward D.J. White to a multi-year contract. More details later today.
White, a 6’9” forward, has appeared in four games for the Celtics since he was signed to his original 10-day contract on February 28. In those four games, White has averaged 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in 6.8 minutes per game. He recorded a high of six points against Charlotte on March 16 and recorded four rebounds also against Charlotte on March 12.
Travis Leslie emerged from the locker room before practice in sweats. He walked over to the few players and coaches already on the court. He shook hands and disappeared back into the locker room and back to the D-League.
Ten days after it began for Leslie, his stint as a member of the Utah Jazz was over.
The Jazz opted not to sign Leslie to a second 10-day contract after the athletic D-League All-Star Game MVP, who before his call-up played for the Santa Cruz Warriors, did not appear in a game in a brief stint with the team.
“He did nothing wrong,” coach Tyrone Corbin said.
— Reported by Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune
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All-Star point guard Tony Parker participated in his first full practice since suffering a Grade 2 left ankle sprain almost three weeks ago, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said Tuesday.
Popovich ruled Parker out for Wednesday’s home game against Golden State, but said again that the Frenchman will likely beat the initial one-month timeline given after his injury against Sacramento on March 1. The Spurs follow the Warriors with Utah at home on Friday, Houston on the road on Sunday and Denver at home next Wednesday.
“I think it will be sooner than four weeks, but it won’t be tomorrow,” Popovich said. “He did everything today. It’s very encouraging.”
The Spurs are 5-2 without Parker, a likely MVP candidate in the midst of arguably his best season.
— Reported by Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News (Blog)
An innocent slip of the foot turned into a life-changing experience for Chris Wright.
That slip, which occurred last March while Wright was playing basketball in Turkey, ultimately led to the 6-1 point guard discovering that he was suffering from multiple sclerosis, a disease which impacts the brain and spinal cord when the protective sheaths around the nerves are damaged.
“I was in practice running sprints and at the end of practice I went down to touch the line and came up and I slipped,’’ Wright said. “My foot gave out and I thought nothing of it.
“I thought I just slipped, but eventually it got worse and I had numbness in my right foot, and then it started the next month to progress to the whole right side of my body. I lost basically all sensation, and I went to the doctor and that’s when they diagnosed me with MS.’’
— Reported by Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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Andray Blatche says money won’t mean much when he negotiates his next contract this summer, and there are complicated circumstances that give you reason to believe him.
In other words, Brooklyn – which won’t have cap space and doesn’t own Blatche’s Bird Rights – has an opportunity to re-sign its top free agent.
“I’m very aware (of my unique situation),” Blatche told the Daily News. “That’s what I’m saying. Everybody is probably thinking I’m looking to get that big check. I’m not. Not at all. I’m looking at what’s best for me.”
So what is best for the 26-year-old center?
“An opportunity to continue to play and win.”
— Reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News
Did Coach Mike D’Antoni run his players into the ground with heavy minutes on back-to-back nights?
Sure, but did that have anything to do with the loss in Phoenix on Monday night?
“We’ve been playing a seven-man rotation, and I think it caught up with us,” said Steve Nash after the game.
It’s not like D’Antoni had any other choice. He could have tried to work in Robert Sacre, Darius Morris, Chris Duhon or Devin Ebanks, but D’Antoni would have certainly preferred Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol or even Jordan Hill — but none was available.
Injuries have been the reality for the Lakers all season. D’Antoni won’t get a full roster for his entire initial season with the team. It hasn’t happened and it won’t with Hill out for the year (hip).
— Reported by Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times (Blog)
Of the 14 remaining games this season, 11 come against teams that are playoff-locks or opponents on the fringe (Lakers, Utah, ) with attainable post-season aspirations.
“It’s not an easy stretch, but it’s the type of challenge you want,” Mason said. “For us, I think it will be a good measure of where our heart is at and how we compete going into next season.
“We have to learn. Obviously this has been a tough stretch here. No one is going to come to save us. It’s going to come (from) within. I think we have a resilient group. I’m excited about these next few games to see how we respond. It’s always run to see how things go when there’s a challenge ahead. And we have a challenge ahead right now, but I think we’ll be OK.”
The biggest challenge for the Hornets, though, will be to rediscover how to play defense.
— Reported by Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune
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Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters left last night’s game vs. the Indiana Pacers at Quicken Loans Arena during the first half with left knee soreness and did not return to play. Waiters was examined at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health today by Cavaliers Head Team Physician Dr. Richard Parker.
The exam, including an MRI, revealed a small, loose cartilage fragment in his left knee.
Waiters will be OUT for approximately one week while he undergoes a period of rest, treatment and additional observation and examination.
Following this period, and based on the continued evaluation of his knee, next steps regarding his treatment and recovery will be established, including the potential for an arthroscopic procedure.
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If Dirk Nowitzki put up his post-All-Star break numbers all season long, he probably wouldn’t have been able to take a midseason vacation on a Mexican beach.
Since his 11-year streak of All-Star appearances was snapped, Nowitzki has averaged 18.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 50 percent from 3-point range.
“What we’re seeing now with Dirk is what we can expect to see next year and the year after, if he stays healthy,” Mark Cuban said. “And the year after that.”
Three more years of All-Star caliber play from a power forward who turns 35 this summer?
“At least,” Cuban said.
“I’m not sure about all that,” Nowitzki said. “We’ll just have to wait and see. Hopefully I can finish this season strong and have a good summer like I basically did last year with a lot of lifting and running and hopefully not have a setback with a surgery. We’ll see how consistent I can be again next season.”
— Reported by Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas
The Los Angeles Clippers announced today that they have signed guard Maalik Wayns to a second 10-day contract.
Wayns appeared in one game for the Clippers, scoring two points and dishing out five assists in a 129-97 win over the Detroit Pistons on March 10.
Wayns, who was the 23rd D-League to NBA “Call-Up” of the 2012-13 season, averaged 12.4 points and 3.0 assists in nine games (three starts) for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League this season.
The 6’2” undrafted Villanova product started the season in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers and appeared in 21 games for the Sixers. In those 21 games (one start), he averaged 2.7 points and 1.0 assist in 7.8 minutes of play.