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Michael Jordan donates money for good cause

NBA legend and Hornets majority owner Michael Jordan is trying to do some good. Here’s the Charlotte Observer reporting:

Michael Jordan speaks out, donates money

Charlotte Hornets majority owner Michael Jordan is once again in the news for giving away money, this time in response to the racial unrest between African-Americans and the law enforcement community.

In a lengthy letter published Monday on the The Undefeated website, Jordan said he is giving $1 million each to two organizations that he says are working to build trust between blacks and law enforcement: the Institute for Community-Police Relations, launched in May by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Cameron Payne undergoes foot surgery

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cameron Payne had a procedure today to fix a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot, team Executive VP and General Manager Sam Presti announced.

Selected in the lottery of the 2015 NBA Draft (No. 14 overall) out of Murray State, Payne averaged 5.0 points, 1.9 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 57 games during his rookie season. Payne recently topped all scorers in the Orlando Summer League, averaging 18.8 points to go along with 4.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds in four games.

Payne is expected to be ready for the start of 2016-17 season.

D-League: Noel Gillespie named head coach of Greensboro Swarm

Noel Gillespie has been named head coach of the Greensboro Swarm, the Charlotte Hornets’ new NBA Development League affiliate. Gillespie brings more than 14 years of NBA experience to Greensboro, including the last six as a full-time assistant coach.

“We are very excited to have Noel Gillespie as the head coach of our new D-League team,” said Hornets General Manager Rich Cho. “His impressive background in player development and his significant experience make him an ideal fit for this role. We are confident that he will be a great leader for the Swarm and will work well with Coach Clifford and the Hornets coaching staff in recognizing and growing potential talent within our system.”

Gillespie joins the Swarm from the Denver Nuggets, where he has spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach. Prior to his time in Denver, he spent 10 seasons with the Phoenix Suns. Gillespie started with the Suns in 2003-04, spending one season as assistant video coordinator and four seasons as video coordinator before becoming the team’s advance scout in 2008-09. He was promoted to assistant coach and advance scout in 2009-10, spending one season in the role before being named a full-time assistant coach starting with the 2010-11 season. In 2007, while with the Suns, he was an assistant coach for the Western Conference All-Star Team and the sophomore team at the Rookie Challenge during All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas.

Gillespie is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He got his start in the NBA as a video assistant with the Indiana Pacers in 2001-02 and served as a graduate assistant coach at Florida State University in 2002-03 before joining the Suns.

“I’m honored and excited to become a part of this organization and coach in Greensboro, a city that shares my passion for the sport of basketball,” said Gillespie. “To coach players and create an environment that allows them to reach their full potential is a great opportunity that I am very enthusiastic about.”

Sixers sign guard Brandon Paul

The 76ers have signed guard Brandon Paul.

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume this deal merely brings Paul to training camp.

Paul appeared in each of the Sixers’ six games at Samsung NBA Summer League 2016 in Las Vegas and averaged 11 points, three rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes per game. He scored 20 points (8-14 FG, 4-6 3FG) and grabbed six rebounds in the Sixers’ 108-71 victory over the D-League Select Team on July 13.

Last season, Paul started 25 of 33 games with FIATC Joventut in the Spanish Liga ACB, where he led the team in scoring with 13 points per game. In 2014-15, Paul appeared in 43 games, making 24 starts, for the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League, where he averaged 15 points, four rebounds and two assists in 26.3 minutes per contest. In his first professional season, 2013-14, Paul saw action in 22 games with Nizhny Novgorod in the Russian VTB United League, while also appearing in two games with the Charge.

Paul played four seasons at the University of Illinois prior to entering the 2013 NBA Draft. He was named Third Team All-Big Ten following his senior season, during which he averaged 17 points per game, leading the Illini to a 23-13 record and an appearance in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Trail Blazers sign guard Tim Quarterman

The Trail Blazers have signed free agent guard Tim Quarterman to a partially-guaranteed training camp contract, team president of basketball operations Neil Olshey announced today.

Undrafted out of LSU, Quarterman (6-6, 187) posted averages of 11.2 points (41.5% FG, 34.3% 3PT, 63.2% FT), 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.97 steals in 33 games (27 starts) his junior 2015-16 season.

Quarterman, 21, played three seasons for the Tigers, averaging 8.4 points (39.7% FG, 31.0% 3PT, 66.0% FT), 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.04 steals in 98 games (43 starts).

Clippers sign Raymond Felton

The Clippers have added another backup for Chris Paul and signed veteran guard Raymond Felton.

The Clippers start Paul and J.J. Redick in the backcourt, and have Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford as reserves. Felton adds additional depth to that mix.

Felton, 32, joins L.A. after spending last season with the Mavericks, where he averaged 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 80 games (31 starts). The South Carolina native appeared in five playoff games (four starts) for the Mavericks last season, averaging 15.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists.

The 11-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 776 games (646 starts) with the Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and Mavericks. He was named NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2006.

Felton was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats with the 5th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft from the University of North Carolina, where he became the first player in Tar Heels history to total 1,000 points, 600 assists, 300 rebounds, 150 steals and 100 3-pointers. In three years at UNC, Felton averaged 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists.

Hornets sign center Mike Tobey

The Hornets have signed center Mike Tobey. Until we hear otherwise, we will assume this is a non-guaranteed contract.

“We really liked what we saw in Mike during mini-camp and he continued to impress throughout Summer League,” Hornets General Manager Rich Cho said. “He is a talented young big man with a lot of potential and we look forward to seeing what he can do moving forward.”

Tobey, a four-year player at Virginia, saw action in 138 games during his career, posting averages of 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per game. His .622 two-point field goal percentage ranked third in the ACC during the 2015-16 season. The 7-0 center tallied 11 outings of double-digit scoring and 15 games of five-or-more rebounds, including one double-double in his final collegiate campaign. He was named ACC Sixth Man of the Year following the 2014-15 season.

The Monroe, N.Y. native, went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft and played in all five games for the Hornets at the Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League. He averaged 10.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steals in 20.8 minutes per game, tallying three games of ten-or-more points including one double-double.

Thunder sign guard Alex Abrines

The Thunder have signed guard Alex Abrines to a multi-year contract.

Abrines was originally selected by the Thunder with the 32nd overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and this past season, Abrines appeared in 37 games with FC Barcelona where he averaged 8.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists. During EuroLeague competition Abrines shot 41.7 percent from 3-point range.

“We are pleased to welcome Alex to the Thunder organization,” said Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. “He brings a unique blend of international experience and skill for his age. He will continue to add depth and versatility to our core of perimeter players.”

At the conclusion of the 2015-16 season, Abrines was named the EuroLeague’s Rising Star, as voted on by the league’s coaches. Additionally, Abrines received All-Spanish Liga Endesa Honorable Mention honors this past year after helping lead FC Barcelona to the Supercup and a spot in the League Finals.

“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to join an organization like the Oklahoma City Thunder,” said Abrines. “I look forward to meeting my teammates and contributing any way that I can as a member of the team.”

A member of the Spanish National Team, Abrines previously won a gold medal at the 2011 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship and a bronze medal at the 2012 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship.

Arn Tellem is happy

“Superagent” Arn Tellem is a legend who, after achieving incredible success, decided to take his career in a different direction. Here’s the Detroit Free Press:

Tellem was one of sports’ king-makers. The lead character of the successful HBO series “Arliss” was loosely based on his career. He single-handedly altered the way NBA teams looked at 18-year-old draft prospects when, in the 1996 draft, he craftily steered a gangly teenager named Kobe Bryant to the Charlotte Hornets, who traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers a couple weeks later.

“At the end of the day,” Tellem said this week, “I was at an age where I had a great run and a great career. But I was at a stage of my life where I wanted more, something that could effectuate more change to a larger number of people. The great thing about the agent business was the one-on-one relationships. I was very proud advising them and trying to steer them into making the right decisions in their lives. But I was at the point in my life where I wanted a broader platform.”

One year after accepting Pistons owner Tom Gores’ offer to become vice-chairman of Palace Sports & Entertainment, Tellem says he has never been happier. He said he’s more connected to the greater Detroit community in his first 12 months here than he was in the more than 30 years he lived in Los Angeles.

Pelicans sign rookie Cheick Diallo and re-sign Alonzo Gee

The Pelicans have signed 2016 second round draft pick Cheick Diallo and re-signed guard/forward Alonzo Gee.

Many second round draft picks never get signed to NBA contracts. It’s always worth noting the one that do.

Diallo, 6-9, 220, was the 33rd overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of the University of Kansas. His rights were acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in a draft night transaction where New Orleans sent the 39th (David Michineau, 6-3, 175, France) and 40th (Diamond Stone, 6-11, 255, Maryland) overall selections to the Clippers. In his lone season at Kansas, Diallo, averaged 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.

“We targeted Cheick early in the draft process and believe he will become a good NBA player,” said Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Dell Demps. “Cheick is a self-driven, relentless worker that is determined to succeed. He showed us flashes in Summer League and we feel like he will develop into a player that will impact winning.”

Diallo appeared in five games for the Pelicans during the 2016 Samsung NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 10.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.

Gee, 6-6, 225, who was originally signed by New Orleans on July 16, 2015, appeared in 73 games (38 starts) for the Pelicans during the 2015-16 season, averaging 4.5 points while shooting .518 from the field, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 22.4 minutes per game.

“Alonzo is someone that comes to work every day and gives you all that he has every time he steps on the floor,” stated Demps. “He’s a tough, competitive basketball player that can defend multiple positions. We’re really happy to welcome him back to the Pelicans.”

Undrafted in 2009, the University of Alabama product has appeared in 404 career regular season games with Washington, San Antonio, Cleveland, Denver, Portland and New Orleans, holding averages of 6.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.9 steals in 22.2 minutes per contest.