NBA Teams – Page 966 – NBA Blog

Brandon Jennings bulked up this summer

Here’s the Detroit News reporting on Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings:

Brandon Jennings emerged from the informal workouts at The Palace practice facility, looking somewhat similar to the figure who departed to California after last season’s disappointing, playoff-less finish.

Playful swagger? Check.

Rare introspection? Check

Twenty-five extra pounds? Check…wait, that wasn’t here last season

“I’m about 185, 190 on my good days,” said Jennings, noticeably thicker but still wiry.

Training camp doesn’t begin until the first day of October but Jennings and his other 14 teammates have all been at The Palace for a few weeks, per new coach/president Stan Van Gundy’s request.

“Usually guys come in and you don’t see them until media day,” Jennings said. “It’s good, we’ve been together for three weeks strong, preparing for the season.”

Timberwolves sign second round draft pick Glenn Robinson III

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed 2014 second round draft pick Glenn Robinson III. Robinson III, a 6-6 forward from Michigan, was selected 40th overall in this year’s draft.

Robinson III played for the Wolves entry in the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 7.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in six games (four starts). His best performance came in the summer league finale, totaling 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting (2-of-6 from three-point range).

Robinson III started all 76 games in his Michigan career, averaging 12.0 points on 52.5% shooting and 4.9 rebounds per game in his two-year career. He was a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by the media, leading the Wolverines to appearances in the National Title game and Elite Eight in his two season at Michigan. Robinson III is the son of former NBA forward Glenn Robinson Jr., who was the first overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Brooklyn Nets sign Hamady Ndiaye

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent center Hamady Ndiaye, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Ndiaye most recently played for Senegal’s national team in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and spent part of the 2013-14 season with the Sacramento Kings. In 14 games with Sacramento, Ndiaye totaled six points, 18 rebounds and four blocks in 74 minutes of play. Ndiaye also played two games last season with the NBA Development League’s Reno Bighorns on assignment from the Kings, and after being waived by Sacramento in January, the 7’0” center spent 15 games with the D-League’s Delaware 87ers.

Selected out of Rutgers with the 56th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ndiaye was traded to the Washington Wizards on draft night. He played in 16 games for the Wizards in his rookie season in 2010-11, averaging 0.9 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.3 blocks in 5.0 minutes per game. Ndiaye also appeared in three games for Washington during the 2011-12 season. In 33 career NBA games, Ndiaye has averaged 0.6 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.3 blocks in 4.8 minutes per game. Over the course of his professional career, Ndiaye has also played in the NBA D-League with the Dakota Wizards (2010-11), Iowa Energy (2011-12) and Maine Red Claws (2011-12), as well as overseas with Guangzhou Liu Sui Whampoa of China’s National Basketball League (2012) and Tianjin Ronggang of the Chinese Basketball Association (2012-13).

Dwight Howard’s driver’s license suspended

Here’s Reuters, via the Toronto Sun, reporting that Dwight Howard, or whoever drives his car, makes questionable decisions on the road:

The Florida driver’s licence of Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard has been suspended for his failure to pay a fine for running a red light, court records show, but the team said on Tuesday he was playing basketball in Texas the day of the alleged infraction.

According to the court records, Howard’s licence had been suspended since at least Aug. 15 for his nonpayment of a $285 fine for running a red light in Winter Park, Fla., on April 14.

“It couldn’t have possibly been him,” said Houston Rockets spokeswoman Tracey Hughes, who told Reuters that Howard and the Rockets were playing the San Antonio Spurs in Houston on that date. “Dwight played 31 minutes. He scored 20 points and 17 rebounds.”

UPDATE: According to TMZ Sports, “Dwight Howard might be color blind — ’cause officials in Florida say he ran 10 RED LIGHTS in 2-and-a-half years — and now his license has been suspended.”

Deron Williams says ankles feel good

Here’s the New York Post with an update on Nets point guard Deron Williams:

Three months after undergoing surgery on both ankles, Deron Williams feels like a new man.

“[Before the surgery], I was just walking around and my ankles would swell up,” Williams said Monday at his charity dodgeball tournament in Manhattan, which benefited his Point of Hope Foundation. “Any time that happens, that’s bad.

“[Now] they feel good. I’ve been working out hard every day, getting ready to go.”

Williams, sporting a tan and a relaxed demeanor, was excited to be able to participate in the fifth annual version of his tournament, which he couldn’t do last year because of a sprained ankle. He was in a walking boot, kept out of all of training camp and for all but nine minutes in the final one of the Nets’ seven preseason games.

Nets coach says Kevin Garnett still a starter

Here’s the New York Post with an update on the Nets:

Throughout the offseason, there has been plenty of speculation about Kevin Garnett’s status for the upcoming season.

But not only is Garnett going to be back — something the Nets have expected for months, and which was confirmed by multiple players saying Monday he has been working out at the team’s practice facility for the past couple weeks — new coach Lionel Hollins said Garnett will be the team’s starting power forward when the season begins next month.

“There is nobody in the gym that I would put in his place,” Hollins said. “He has earned the right to have that opportunity, to be the starter from Day 1.

“Somebody has got to knock him out. … It’s got to be like a heavyweight fight. I don’t see that really happening, but if it happens then I will deal with that decision when it comes. But I think when we start playing, [Garnett] will be the starting power forward.”

Heat sign forward Khem Birch

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed forward Khem Birch.

We assume this is a non-guaranteed training camp signing that merely gives Birch a chance to compete for a regular season contract.

Birch appeared in six games (all starts) with the Washington Wizards during the 2014 Vegas Summer League and averaged 5.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.17 blocks and 19.3 minutes while shooting 47.8 percent from the field. He led the team in offensive rebounds and finished second in blocks, third in total rebounds and fourth in field goals made, free throws made and minutes. Additionally, he posted a seven-point, 11-rebound game vs. Miami on July 15 while shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the field and a perfect 1-of-1 from the foul line.

Last season at UNLV he averaged a double-double after appearing in 33 games (32 starts) with the Rebels averaging 11.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.76 blocks, 1.2 assists and 31.4 minutes while shooting 51 percent from the field. He was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-Defensive Team and All-Mountain West Second Team honors. He finished second in the NCAA in blocks per game and total blocks (124) and tied for seventh in total rebounds (337). He capped the season leading the team in blocks, free throws made (131), minutes (1,037), offensive rebounds (131) and tied for total rebounds.

The HEAT’s roster now stands at 17.

Tobias Harris hopes for contract extension from Magic

Here’s the Orlando Sentinel reporting on the Magic:

Every player reaches some kind of crossroads, and Magic forward Tobias Harris is looking both ways as he steps into the 2014-15 season.

Harris will get an idea how the Magic value him, perhaps before the regular season begins. The deadline for rookie-scale extensions — Harris is part of the 2011 class — is Oct. 31

Does he fit into Orlando’s long-term plans or not?

He and the team can strike a new deal. The Magic also can still retain the ability to match any offer for Harris next summer if he becomes a restricted free agent.

“Obviously, I want to be here. … I love the fans, the city of Orlando and the guys. Management knows I want to be here. It’s the perfect situation for me,” Harris said after presenting a $50,000 check to Orange County Public Schools on Friday at the Orange County National Golf Club.

Rudy Gay suffers fracture in jaw, broken tooth at World Cup

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on a Team USA player that recently took a nasty hit while playing in the World Cup:

$Rudy Gay suffers fracture in jaw, broken tooth at World Cup$

Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay said he has a fracture in his jaw and a broken tooth, but he insists that won’t keep him off the court as Team USA plays Serbia in the gold medal game of the FIBA Basketball World Cup on Sunday.

Gay suffered the injuries after getting elbowed in the fourth quarter of Team USA’s 96-68 victory over Lithuania in the semifinals on Thursday night in Barcelona.

“I’ve got a fracture in my jaw, a broken tooth and am going to probably need a root canal,” Gay told USA Today Sports on Saturday. “The top is where I got hit. It’s painful. It’s uncomfortable, and it still bleeds, so I’ve got to continuously gargle. It is what it is, man.”

James Young eager to play with Rajon Rondo

Here’s ESPN Boston reporting on the Celtics:

What is James Young looking forward to most during his rookie season with the Boston Celtics?

“Playing with [point guard Rajon] Rondo,” Young told the team’s official website during a recent video Q&A. “He’s a player I looked up to growing up, and he sees the floor very well and has a high IQ for the game. So just getting open with him and seeing if we have can have a good connection.”

Young and Rondo are both Kentucky products and Young is clearly eager to see if Rondo’s playmaking can generate some open looks at the NBA level.