Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Rockets add Bobby Brown and Chris Johnson to training camp

The Houston Rockets have re-signed guard Bobby Brown and signed free agent guard/forward Chris Johnson in advance of training camp, which will take place from Tuesday, Sept. 26 through Monday, Oct. 2.

Brown joined the Rockets prior to the start of last season after spending the previous six years playing overseas. Over his final 14 games played in 2016-17, Brown shot 50.0% from the floor. He shot 40.0% from 3-point range during the regular season and 45.5% in the playoffs.

Johnson is a four-year veteran, most recently appearing in 70 games for Utah in 2015-16. He spent last season playing for the Rockets G League affiliate, Rio Grande Valley, averaging 13.5 points and 6.2 rebounds. Johnson was also the Rockets second-leading scorer at MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2017 with 14.0 ppg on 50.0% shooting.

The Rockets five-game preseason opens on Tuesday, Oct. 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. and concludes at home against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, Oct. 13. For the second straight year, the Rockets will host the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association at Toyota Center on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Bulls sign Jarell Eddie and Jaylen Johnson to training camp roster

The Chicago Bulls announced today the signing of free agents Jarell Eddie and Jaylen Johnson to round out their 2017-18 training camp roster.

Eddie (6-7, 218) saw action in five games for the Phoenix Suns last season, along with 45 appearances in the NBA G League for the Austin Spurs and Windy City Bulls. Eddie totaled 4.8 ppg and 1.4 rpg in 12.4 mpg for the Suns during a 10-day contract. In his G League action, he averaged 14.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg and 1.5 apg in 28.3 mpg total, including 17.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 2.0 apg in 20 games for the Windy City Bulls. The Tampa, Florida, native played in 26 games for the Washington Wizards in 2015-16, scoring 2.4 ppg in 5.7 mpg.

Johnson (6-9, 230) played three seasons at Louisville (2014-17). He saw action in 88 games (48 starts) in his three-year tenure with the Cardinals, improving his averages in every statistical category after each season. In his final season in 2016-17, Johnson started 26 games and played 20.5 mpg, posting 8.0 ppg and 5.8 rpg while shooting .589 from the floor.

Spurs add Amida Brimah to training camp

The San Antonio Spurs 2017-18 training camp roster stands at 19 players, and includes the addition of Amida Brimah.

Brimah (6-10/230) played four seasons at the University of Connecticut, averaging 7.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.64 blocks in 24.7 minutes over 33 games last year in his senior season. A native of Ghana, Brimah is UConn’s all-time leader in career field goal percentage (.637, 347-545) and ranks third in school history in career blocks (367) and blocks per game (2.76), helping the Huskies to the 2013-14 NCAA Championship.

Pistons add Beno Udrih, Derek Willis and Landry Nnoko to training camp

The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Beno Udrih, forward Derek Willis and center Landry Nnoko to training camp contracts.

Udrih, 6-4, 205, averaged 5.8 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 39 games with the Pistons last season. The 13-year NBA veteran has averaged 8.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 21.9 minutes in 831 career NBA games (272 starts) with San Antonio, Sacramento, Milwaukee, Orlando, Memphis, New York, Miami and Detroit.

Willis, 6-9, 211, played four seasons at the University of Kentucky and averaged 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 103 career games. Last season, he averaged 7.0 points and career-high 5.4 rebounds in a career-high 38 games as a senior.

Nnoko, 6-10, 255, played professionally overseas last season with VL Peasaro of the Italian League and averaged 6.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in 30 games (24 starts). Nnoko played four years at Clemson University (2012-2016) and averaged 5.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 128 collegiate games.

Thunder sign Bryce Alford, Markel Brown, Isaiah Canaan and Rashawn Thomas

The Oklahoma City Thunder signed guards Bryce Alford, Markel Brown, Isaiah Canaan and forward Rashawn Thomas.

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume the signings are only for training camp.

Alford (6-3, 185) spent four years at UCLA, leaving as the school’s No. 5 all-time leading scorer with 1,922 career points. He set UCLA’s career record for most three-pointers made (329), eclipsing a record previously set by Jason Kapono (317 three-pointers from 2000-03). In his career, Alford appeared in 141 total games and averaged 13.6 points and 3.8 assists per game.

Brown (6-3, 190) spent the 2016-17 season in Russia with BC Khimki, playing in 32 games and averaging 5.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist. The Oklahoma State product spent two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets and appeared in 109 games (35 starts) and averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

Canaan (6-0, 201) is a four-year NBA veteran, having spent the 2016-17 season with the Chicago Bulls. In 185 games (60 starts) with the Bulls, Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers, he averaged 8.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Thomas (6-8, 230) concluded his collegiate career with Texas A&M Corpus Christi as the all-time leading scorer (2,034 points). The Oklahoma City native was named the 2015-16 Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Southland.

Hawks sign John Jenkins

The Atlanta Hawks signed John Jenkins today.

Jenkins was originally Atlanta’s first-round pick (23rd overall) in the 2012 NBA Draft and spent his first three NBA seasons with the Hawks. He has also played with Phoenix and Dallas in his five-year NBA career. In 145 career regular season games (eight starts), he’s averaged 5.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 12.8 minutes (.448 FG%, .364 3FG%, .849 FT%).

He starred collegiately at Vanderbilt, where he was a two-time First Team All-Southeastern Conference performer. Jenkins attended Station Camp High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

He will wear jersey No. 30.

Knicks trade of Carmelo Anthony to Thunder now official

The Carmelo Anthony era in New York is officially over.

The Knicks acquired center Enes Kanter, forward Doug McDermott and Chicago’s 2018 second-round draft pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Anthony today.

“This is a deal we feel works for both this franchise and Carmelo. We thank him for his seven seasons in a Knicks uniform and all that he accomplished off the court for the City of New York by using his platform to address social issues,” President Steve Mills said. “We will continue to focus on this team looking forward towards the immediate and long-term future. As we have said recently, this is a new beginning for the New York Knicks.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Carmelo to Oklahoma City and the Thunder organization,” said Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. “In addition to his skill level, experience, and unique talents, Carmelo is another high character, professional player for our roster.”

Anthony, (6-8, 240) a 10-time All-Star and 14-year NBA veteran joins the Thunder having appeared in 976 career games (all starts) while averaging 24.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.06 steals in 36.2 minutes.

Anthony currently ranks 25th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list (24,156 points) and he is one of six players in league history (alongside Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce) to record 24,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, 2,500 assists, 1,000 steals and 1,000 3-point field goals.

Anthony led the NBA in scoring during the 2012-13 season (28.7 points per game) and during the 2009-10 season, he became the third youngest player in NBA history to reach the 12,000-point plateau (behind LeBron James and Kobe Bryant).

A three-time Olympic gold medalist, Anthony is the United States Olympic Men’s National Team’s all-time leading scorer. After winning Gold in Rio de Janeiro, Anthony was named the 2016 Basketball Co-Male Athlete of the Year.

Originally selected by the Denver Nuggets with the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, Anthony helped lead Syracuse to a National Championship during his freshman season in which he was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.

Kanter, 6-11, 245-pounds, is a six-year NBA veteran who holds career averages of 11.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in 445 games played for Utah and Oklahoma City. In 72 games for the Thunder last season, the 25-year-old Switzerland native averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds, while recording the second-most point-rebound double-doubles in the NBA off the bench with 18.

McDermott, 6-8, 225-pounds, is a three-year NBA who holds career averages of 8.0 points in 183 games played for Chicago and Oklahoma City. In 66 games for the Bulls and Thunder last season, the 25-year-old Grand Forks, ND native averaged 9.0 points and 22.8 minutes.

“We acquired two 25-year-old players in this deal that we can develop, while sticking with our overall strategy of emphasizing youth and athleticism. With this trade, we have added scoring and aggressiveness to our frontcourt, and bolstered the team’s perimeter shooting,” Knicks General Manager Scott Perry said. “We are glad to have finalized a trade that made sense for all of us.”

Sixers add Kris Humphries and Emeka Okafor to training camp roster

The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to terms with forward Kris Humphries and center Emeka Okafor and signed those players to their training camp roster.

Humphries, a 13-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 800 career games (203 starts) with Utah, Toronto, Dallas, New Jersey/Brooklyn, Boston, Washington, Phoenix and Atlanta. The Minnesota native holds career averages of seven points and five rebounds in 18 minutes per game. He averaged a double-double in consecutive seasons from 2010-12 with the Nets.

Originally selected with the second overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the then-Charlotte Bobcats, following an NCAA Tournament win with UConn, Okafor has played nine NBA seasons. He has competed in 590 career games (584 starts) with Charlotte, New Orleans and Washington and holds career averages of 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game.

Training camp will be held from Tuesday, Sept. 26 through Friday, Sept. 29.

Clippers trade DeAndre Liggins to Hawks, who quickly waive him

The Atlanta Hawks have acquired guard/forward DeAndre Liggins and cash considerations from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for draft considerations, the team announced today.

Liggins, 29, holds career averages of 2.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 119 appearances over four seasons with Orlando, Oklahoma City, Miami, Cleveland and Dallas.

UPDATE: The Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club has waived DeAndre Liggins, the team announced today.