Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Warriors sign rookie center Damian Jones

Warriors sign rookie center Damian Jones

The Golden State Warriors have signed rookie center Damian Jones to a contract.

All players selected in the first round of the draft are guaranteed to receive a contract, assuming they wish to begin their NBA career right away.

Jones, 21, was selected by the Warriors with the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft on June 23. In three seasons at Vanderbilt University, the 6’10” center averaged 13.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.69 blocks and 27.2 minutes in 99 games, garnering First Team All-SEC honors as both a sophomore and junior. Jones hit 56.6 percent from the field during his collegiate career, the third-best mark in Vanderbilt history, while finishing second on the school’s all-time blocks list (167). In his junior season in 2015-16, Jones averaged 13.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.64 blocks in 33 games, helping the Commodores to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2011-12.

Warriors re-sign James Michael McAdoo

Warriors re-sign James Michael McAdoo

The Golden State Warriors have re-signed free agent forward James Michael McAdoo.

McAdoo, 23, appeared in 41 regular-season games with the Warriors last season (one start), averaging 2.9 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.4 minutes per contest. In eight postseason games, the 6-9 forward tallied 0.6 points and 1.0 rebounds in 4.8 minutes.

A two-year NBA veteran, McAdoo owns career averages of 3.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 7.1 minutes in 56 regular-season games (one start) with the Warriors. As a rookie in 2014-15, the University of North Carolina product was a member of Golden State’s first championship season in 40 years.

Timberwolves sign Cole Aldrich

Timberwolves sign Cole Aldrich

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed center Cole Aldrich, a Bloomington, Minnesota native.

Aldrich’s deal is reportedly a $22 million dollar contract, over three years.

Aldrich, 27, averaged 5.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 13.3 minutes per game last season with the Los Angeles Clippers. Aldrich started five games for the Clippers in 2015-16, averaging 15.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.4 steals in 29.6 minutes per contest. Aldrich posted career highs in field goal percentage (59.6%), blocks per game (1.13) and steals per game (0.78) and was the only player in the NBA last season to record a game of at least 21 points, 18 rebounds and 5 steals.

The 6-11 center owns career averages of 3.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in parts of six NBA seasons with Los Angeles, New York, Sacramento, Houston and Oklahoma City. Aldrich was originally the 11th overall selection in the 2010 NBA Draft by New Orleans before his draft rights were traded to Oklahoma City on July 8, 2010.

Aldrich starred for Bloomington Jefferson High School, earning 2007 Minnesota State High School Player of the Year honors from Gatorade, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press as he led the Jaguars to Lake Conference and Section 2AAAA titles. Aldrich was also named a McDonald’s All-American in 2006.

Aldrich went on to play for the University of Kansas where he averaged 9.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in three years as a Jayhawk. Aldrich was a consensus 2nd Team All-America selection and a Wooden Award Finalist his junior season before declaring for the NBA draft.

Sixers sign Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez

Sixers sign Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez

The Philadelphia 76ers have signed guards Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez.

Bayless’ deal is reportedly a $27 million dollar contract, over three years.

“We are very excited to add a proven veteran and skilled combination guard like Jerryd Bayless to the Sixers’ family. Jerryd’s shot-making ability and versatility combined with his professional and hyper competitive approach to the game will serve us well both on and off the basketball court,” said Sixers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo. “Sergio Rodriguez is another experienced and solid professional that we are happy to bring back to the NBA and to Philadelphia. Sergio has competed against the world’s best point guards at both the international and NBA level, and he has proven to be a great floor leader and decision maker while finding much team success throughout his career.”

In the 2015-16 season, Bayless shot just under 44 percent from three-point range, which ranked fourth-best in the league behind only J.J. Redick (Los Angeles Clippers), Stephen Curry (Golden State) and Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio).

An eight-year NBA veteran, Bayless has appeared in 510 games (81 starts) for Milwaukee, Boston, Memphis, Toronto, New Orleans and Portland. He holds career averages of nine points, three assists and two rebounds in 21 minutes per game. Bayless played one season at the University of Arizona before being selected by Indiana with the 11th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

A native of Tenerife, Spain, Rodriguez has spent the last six seasons playing for Real Madrid in the Spanish Liga ACB. This past season, he helped lead Real Madrid to its third league championship in four seasons, as he averaged 11 points and a league-leading six assists per contest. Rodriguez was named the 2013-14 Euroleague MVP after shooting 51 percent from the field (including 50 percent from three-point range) and 91 percent from the foul line, while averaging 14 points, five assists and two rebounds over 31 games.

Rodriguez was originally selected by Phoenix with the 27th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. Over the course of four seasons, Rodriguez appeared in 285 games (22 starts) for New York, Sacramento and Portland. He holds NBA career averages of four points and three assists in 13 minutes per game.

Miami Heat sign Stefan Jankovic

The Miami Heat have signed forward Stefan Jankovic.

Until we hear otherwise, we will assume this is a non-guaranteed contract that merely brings Jankovic to training camp.

Jankovic, a 6’11”, 234-pound forward, is currently playing on Miami’s Summer League team in Las Vegas where he has appeared in two games, both HEAT wins, totaling eight points, three assists and two rebounds in 26:44 minutes of action.

Prior to that he competed in the Orlando Pro Summer League with Miami appearing in three games, helping the HEAT to a perfect 3-0 record in those contests, averaging 7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 13.5 minutes while shooting 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from the field, 40 percent (2-of-5) from three-point range and 80 percent (4-of-5) from the foul line. He posted a 17-point game off the bench against the Los Angeles Clippers on July 2 after shooting 7-of-10 from the field, 2-of-4 from three-range and a perfect 1-of-1 from the foul line.

Jankovic played two seasons at the University of Hawai’i after beginning his collegiate career at the University of Missouri. During the 2015-16 season as a junior at Hawai’i, he was named the Big West Player of the Year after averaging 15.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.21 blocks, 1.2 assists and 24.7 minutes in 33 games (all starts) while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor, 39.3 percent from three-point range and 77.2 percent from the foul line. He helped the Rainbow Warriors capture the Big West Tournament Championship and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In addition to being selected to the All-Big West First Team and to the Big West All-Tournament Team, he led Hawai’i in points, rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage for the season and topped the Big West Conference in free throws made and attempted. Additionally, he posted five double-doubles and scored a career-high 34 points, while tallying eight rebounds and two blocks, against California State University, Northridge on February 18. In his two seasons at Hawai’i he appeared in 57 games (47 starts) and averaged 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.28 blocks and 22.9 minutes while connecting on 52.4 percent from the floor, 36.6 percent from behind the three-point arc and 75 percent from the foul line.

Pelicans waive Toney Douglas

Pelicans waive Toney Douglas

The New Orleans Pelicans today announced that the team has waived guard Toney Douglas.

Douglas, 6-2, 185, appeared in 61 games (18 starts) for the Pelicans during the 2015-16 season, holding averages of 8.7 points, 2.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals. Originally signed by New Orleans on February 4, 2015, Douglas appeared in 73 total games for the Pelicans, averaging 8.0 points, 2.5 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 19.7 minutes per contest.

Originally drafted 29th overall out of Florida State University in 2009 by the Los Angeles Lakers, Douglas has appeared in 370 career regular season games with New York, Houston, Sacramento, Golden State, Miami and New Orleans, averaging 7.8 points, 2.3 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game.

Steve Novak hoping for return to Bucks

Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting on outside-shooting veteran big man Steve Novak:

Steve Novak hoping for return to Bucks

The 33-year-old has been working out in Las Vegas this week with Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams, and both of them have showed up to support the team’s entry in the NBA Summer League.

But at this point Novak has no guarantees he will return. The 6-foot-10 forward and former Marquette star is a free agent and is waiting to see how the Bucks will fill out their 15-man roster…

The Bucks already have made two big moves in free agency, signing forward Mirza Teletovic to a three-year, $30 million contract and point guard Matthew Dellavedova to a four-year, $38 million deal.

Twelve of the team’s 15 roster spots are filled. Restricted free agent center Miles Plumlee could return, which would leave just two spots. The Bucks likely will be looking for another wing player in addition to the possibility of bringing Novak back.

Grizzlies sign Andrew Harrison

Grizzlies sign Andrew Harrison

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced that the Grizzlies signed rookie guard Andrew Harrison to a multi-year contract.

Harrison (6-6, 213) spent last season playing for the Grizzlies’ NBA Development League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, where he appeared in 46 games (42 starts) and averaged 18.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.46 steals in 35.3 minutes while shooting 43.7 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from three-point range and 78.3 percent from the free throw line. Harrison scored in double figures 41 games, netting 20-or-more points 17 times and 30-or-more points on six occasions. The 21-year-old posted a D-League career-high 36 points on Feb. 16 vs. Canton.

The San Antonio, Tex. native was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the second round (44th overall) of the 2015 NBA Draft following a two-year collegiate career at the University of Kentucky, where he helped lead the Wildcats to consecutive NCAA Final Fours and was a member of the first team in men’s college basketball history to begin a season with a 38-0 record. Phoenix traded his draft rights to Memphis on draft night for Jon Leuer.

Pistons sign Boban Marjanovic

Pistons sign Boban Marjanovic

The Detroit Pistons have signed free agent center Boban Marjanovic (BO-bahn Mar-YAWN-oh-vich) to a multi-year contract.

Marjanovic’s deal is reportedly a $21 million dollar contract, over three years.

In very limited minutes with the Spurs, the giant-sized center showed big flashes of potential. It’s best to never read too much into limited-minute stats, but there’s legit reason to be excited to see what he can do with more time. Though on the Pistons he’ll still be a backup, playing behind center Andre Drummond.

Marjanovic, 27, appeared in 54 games as a rookie last season with the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 5.5 points (60.3% FG, 76.3% FT) and 3.5 rebounds in 9.4 minutes. He scored in double-figures 12 times, including a career-high 22 points (7-9 FG, 8-8 FT) at Dallas (4/13). Marjanovic also notched three double-doubles, grabbed 10-plus rebounds four times and became the first Spurs player in franchise history to record at least 12 rebounds in 15 minutes-or-less when he grabbed 12 rebounds in 15 minutes vs. Phoenix (12/30).

The 7-3, 290-pound center began playing professionally in Europe in 2006 and most recently played with Crvena Zvezda Telekom Beograd of the Adriatic League from 2013-15. Marjanovic helped Crvena Zvezda win both the Adriatic League and Serbian League Championships in 2015, was named to the 2015 All-Euroleague First Team and was named the All-Serbian League and All-Adriatic League Player of the Year. A native of Zajecar, Serbia, Marjanovic has also played professionally for Hemo-farm Vrsac (2006-10), CSKA Moskow (2010-11), Nizhny Novgorod (2011-12) and Mega Vizura (2012-13).