NBA Teams – Page 520 – NBA Blog

On the Hornets front office job opening

The Hornets need a new GM. Perks include a roster that definitely still needs to make changes in the coming seasons for the team to become seriously competitive, and the chance to hang with team owner Michael Jordan once in a while. Here’s theCharlotte Observer with the latest:

While former Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is prominent in chatter about the Charlotte Hornets’ front office opening, he won’t be the only candidate.

Another established name with interest is Detroit Pistons general manager Jeff Bower.

Bower is No. 2 in the Pistons’ front office, working for Stan Van Gundy, who runs the basketball operation as coach and team president. According to a source familiar with the situation, Bower and Van Gundy are both under contract with the Pistons through the end of this season.

That same source said Bower, 56, would definitely be interested in the Hornets’ opening. Bower worked in Charlotte previously, in the original Hornets’ front office.

Utah Jazz submit bid to host the 2022 or 2023 NBA All-Star Game

The Utah Jazz submitted today a formal bid to the NBA to host the 2022 or 2023 NBA All-Star Game. Civic and community partners in the bid include the State of Utah, Salt Lake City and County, Utah Sports Commission, Utah Office of Tourism and Visit Salt Lake.

With a “Game Elevated” theme emphasizing guest experience, innovation, and arts and education, the Jazz submitted an electronic application to the league as well as shipping a custom-made box with an iPad of the presentation.

“On behalf of the State of Utah, we are committed to the hard work of bringing the NBA All-Star Game to Salt Lake City,” said Gov. Gary R. Herbert. “We know this about the Miller family, Utah Jazz organization, and our state — the NBA All-Star Game will be above the rim and the NBA family will fall in love again with the great people of our state.”

“We are very excited and well prepared to bring back the NBA All-Star Game to Vivint Smart Home Arena,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski. “We are a vibrant, diverse and culturally rich community that knows how to celebrate the experience of sport. Our 2002 Olympic Winter Games remain the standard against which all other Olympic Winter Games are measured.”

The proposed site for the NBA All-Star Game is Vivint Smart Home Arena, the 18,306-seat home of the Utah Jazz, with ancillary events at the Salt Palace Convention Center, Huntsman Center on the University of Utah campus, and The Complex entertainment venue.

Other bid attributes are the availability of 6,000 hotel rooms in the heart of downtown, the billion dollar expansion of the Salt Lake International Airport and the city’s big event experience with the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and annual Sundance Film Festival.

The 2023 All-Star Weekend would be the 30th anniversary of the 1993 game in Salt Lake City when Karl Malone and John Stockton were the co-MVPs.

“The 1993 NBA All-Star Game was memorable for many reasons. Our new arena was just two years old, and we were so proud to welcome the NBA family into our new home,” said Greg Miller, NBA Board of Governors member. “It is with great excitement and anticipation that we now invite the NBA to return this celebration of our sport back to Salt Lake City for a game elevated.”

Cavs sign Marcus Thornton to 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Marcus Thornton to a 10-day contract, Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman announced today.

Thornton will be assigned to the Canton Charge before tomorrow night’s Charge game against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in Canton.

Thornton (6-4, 190) has played in 37 games (32 starts) this season with the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively owned and operated NBA G League team, averaging 18.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting .408 from three-point range in 36.1 minutes per game. He was recently selected to the USA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team that will participate in the upcoming FIBA World Cup Qualifying first round.

Thornton spent the 2016-17 season with Consultinvest VL Pesaro in the Italian LBA, averaging 13.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 28.5 minutes over 30 games (21 starts). He also appeared in 12 contests with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G League and 28 games with the Sydney Kings of the Australian NBL in 2015-16.

The 6-4 guard played four years collegiately at William & Mary and was originally selected by the Boston Celtics with the 45th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Hawks sign Antonius Cleveland to 10-day contract

The Atlanta Hawks today signed guard Antonius Cleveland to a 10-day contract.

Earlier this season, Cleveland was on a two-way contract with Dallas, appearing in 13 games with the Mavericks. In seven NBA G League games this season (six with the Austin Spurs and one with the Texas Legends), he’s averaged 13.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 steals in 26.6 minutes (.547 FG%, .500 3FG%, .826 FT%).

Cleveland played four years at Southeast Missouri State (2013-17) and in 33 starts as a senior, put in 16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 32.9 minutes. He finished his high school career at Faith Baptist Christian Academy in Ludowici, GA after beginning at Overton High School in his hometown of Memphis, TN.

He will wear jersey No. 0.

Pacers sign Trey McKinney Jones to 10-day contract

The Indiana Pacers today signed Trey McKinney Jones to a 10-day contract.

The 6-5, 220-pound guard was in the Pacers’ training camp before joining the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers’ G League affiliate. He played in 26 games for the Mad Ants, averaging 11.4 points per game.

The Pacers are 33-25 so far this season, which is the 5th best record in the Eastern conference. They’re being led in scoring this season by All-Star shooting guard Victor Oladipo at 24.4 ppg. Six Pacers players, including Oladipo, are averaging double-digit scoring.

According to Bobby Marks of ESPN, “McKinney-Jones was a training camp casualty in 2013 with Milwaukee and this past October with the Pacers. The 27 year-old will earn $46K.”

Pelicans sign Walter Lemon Jr. to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Pelicans today signed free agent guard Walter Lemon Jr. to a 10-day contract.

Lemon, Jr., 6-3, 180, has appeared in 36 games this season with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA G League, posting averages of 22.7 points while shooting .495 from the field, 4.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.1 steals.

Undrafted out of Bradley University of 2014, Lemon, Jr. has also played internationally in Hungary, Germany, Turkey and Greece.

Lemon, Jr. will wear #25 for the Pelicans.

New Orleans’ roster stands at 16, including one two-way player (Charles Cooke).

Blazers sign Brandon Rush to 10-day contract

The Portland Trail Blazers signed guard/forward Brandon Rush to a 10-day contract today.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Rush (6-6, 220) holds career averages of 6.8 points (42.6% FG, 40.2% 3-PT, 70.6% FT), 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 481 games (163 starts) playing for Indiana, Golden State, Utah and Minnesota. Rush played 47 games (33 starts) for the Timberwolves during the 2016-17 season, averaging 4.2 points (37.4% FG, 38.6% 3-PT, 72.2% FT), 2.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 21.9 minutes.

Rush was originally selected by the Trail Blazers with the 13th pick of the 2008 NBA draft before being traded to the Indiana Pacers.

He will wear No. 21 for the Trail Blazers.

Suns sign Shaquille Harrison to 10-day contract, and release Josh Gray

The Phoenix Suns have signed guard Shaquille Harrison to a 10-day contract, calling him up from the Northern Arizona Suns of the NBA G League.

Phoenix has also released guard Josh Gray.

The team’s roster remains at 17 players.

Harrison, a 6-4, 190-pound guard, will be making his NBA debut when he first appears for the Suns. In 36 games with the NAZ Suns this season he averaged 11.0 points, shooting 46.4 percent from the field, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals (10th in G League). In five games after taking over the starting point guard role on February 2, Harrison averaged 14.0 points on 48.3 percent shooting, 9.2 assists, 7.0 rebounds and 2.4 steals, guiding the NAZ Suns to a 4-1 record in those games. On February 9 at the South Bay Lakers, Harrison scored 25 points and dished out a career-high 12 assists.

The 33rd GATORADE Call-Up in the NBA this season and league-high fourth from the NAZ Suns, Harrison has averaged 10.3 points on 45.8 percent shooting, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals in 84 career G League games, all with the NAZ Suns over the past two seasons.

The 24-year-old went unselected in the 2016 NBA Draft out of the University of Tulsa. In addition to two seasons with the Suns’ NBA G League affiliate, Harrison participated in Phoenix’s training camp prior to the 2016-17 season and played for the Suns’ Summer League team in 2017, averaging 10.3 points on 61.1 percent shooting in three games.

A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Harrison left Tulsa as the only player in Golden Hurricane basketball history to start every game in a four-year career. He averaged 11.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 133 games for his career, finishing second in program history with 461 career assists and third with 244 steals.

Gray first signed a 10-day contract with the Suns on February 2 and averaged 6.4 points, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 17.2 minutes over five games.

Harrison will wear uniform No. 10

Reggie Jackson still recovering from ankle sprain

Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson is entering the next stage of his rehabilitation this week in preparation for a return from a Grade 3 right ankle sprain suffered Tuesday, December 26 vs. Indiana.

Jackson has been cleared to begin light running, shooting and continued ankle strengthening exercises. The Detroit Pistons medical staff will monitor progress throughout the week in anticipation of beginning an escalation process towards resuming normal basketball activities.

No timeframe has been set for a return to practice or game action.

Knicks and Joakim Noah will not reunite anytime soon

The Knicks have barely used well-paid center Joakim Noah this season. Currently, the two sides are taking a break from each other. Which isn’t really an ideal situation. How will it resolve? Tough to say, because Noah has a lot more Knicks money coming to him. Here’s NY Newsday with the latest:

Jeff Hornacek wouldn’t comment on reports that he pushed Joakim Noah during their heated exchange last month in Denver. But Hornacek gave the strongest indications yet that Noah won’t be back with the Knicks.

“I think that is the plan,” Hornacek said following practice Tuesday night.

That was the expected outcome when the Knicks sent Noah away after he and Hornacek got into it at a practice Jan. 24 in Denver. Noah was upset that he played less than five minutes the night before in a lopsided loss to the Warriors when the Knicks were without Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle O’Quinn.

“That’s something that happened three weeks ago, four weeks ago,” Hornacek said. “We handled that thing with Jo. It’s not finalized because he’s still on the roster. We’ve dealt with that situation.

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