Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Thaddeus Young happy for new start with Timberwolves

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer blog reporting on Thaddeus Young, whose time on the 76ers is over as he starts fresh with the young Minnesota Timberwolves:

Thaddeus Young happy for new start with Timberwolves

Young, who will earn $9.1 million this season and has a $9.7 million player option for the 2015-2016 season, can’t wait to get started in his new setting.

“It feels great,” Young said. “They came after me and they sent two guys and a pick over to get me so that says a lot about what the organization wanted and they went and got me. I’m very happy, very excited.”

Young, who averaged 17.9 points and 6.0 rebounds, is expected to be one of the Wolves leaders. He is just 26 years old but is entering his eighth NBA season.

“It’s a great thing for the younger guys, it’s a great thing for me,” Young said. “I can step into a situation were I already kind of know some of the concepts and I can help the young guys get better.”

Derrick Rose feeling fine as World Cup action continues

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on Team USA and Bulls guard Derrick Rose:

Derrick Rose feeling fine as World Cup action continues

Rose has seemed more at ease since the squad left the United States for Europe. He’s facing all the questions about his knees from nosy reporters head-on, even after Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski told ESPN.com last week that he sensed “a part of [Rose] that’s like, ‘Quit asking me how I feel, I’m good.'”

“I’m just trying to put that behind me,” Rose said of any trepidation he’s feeling as he ramps up his comeback from the two devastating injuries that limited him to 10 games over the past two seasons with the Bulls.

“I know the questions are going to come and they’re going to be there the whole year. So I can’t get tired of it. I’m feeling good right now.

“Just trying to get in better shape, get in better condition, so that when I do need to score the ball, then it’ll be there.”

Before the tournament started, Rose likened the prospect of five games in the first six days of the World Cup to an “AAU-type schedule.”

Petteri Koponen aims to enter NBA in 2015

Here’s ESPN.com with an update on a talented international player:

Finnish point guard Petteri Koponen hopes to be playing in the NBA by the 2015-16 season.

Here at the 2014 FIBA World Cup, Koponen told ESPN.com he intends to make the jump to the NBA after completing the final season on his contract with BC Khimki in Russia.

“I always said my dream is to play in the NBA,” Koponen said. “Every summer we talk a little bit with Dallas to see what the situation is and what they think. I’ve got one more year left on my contract in Russia and then of course I would like to come over. I hope I get some options to go there and show I can play at that level.”

The Mavericks acquired Koponen’s NBA rights in 2011 in a draft-night trade trade with Portland. He was selected by Philadelphia on behalf of the Blazers with the last pick of the first round in 2007, having played in the Nike Hoop Summit that year against a future MVP named Derrick Rose.

Memphis Grizzlies waive Jamaal Franklin

Memphis Grizzlies waive Jamaal Franklin

The Memphis Grizzlies waived guard Jamaal Franklin, the team announced today.

Franklin (6-5, 191) averaged 1.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 7.7 minutes in 21 games (zero starts) and shot .410 from the field as a rookie for the Grizzlies last season. The 23-year-old was drafted by Memphis in the second round (41st overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft following his junior season at San Diego State.

Patrick Sund and Jonnie West named associate general managers of Santa Cruz Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have named Patrick Sund and Jonnie West as associate general managers for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Development League, the team announced today. In these roles, Sund and West will co-manage all basketball operations activities for the Warriors D-League team.

Additionally, it was announced that Kirk Lacob will relinquish his duties as the D-League team’s GM, a position he held for the last three seasons. Lacob, who is the assistant general manager for the Golden State Warriors and was instrumental in moving the D-League team from Bismarck, ND, to its current home prior to the 2012-13 campaign, will continue to work with Santa Cruz in an advisory role.

“I’m extremely proud of what we have accomplished in Santa Cruz over the last two years and look forward to the future development of everyone involved with the organization,” said Lacob. “This is a terrific, and well-deserved, opportunity for both Pat and Jonnie. I believe that they will do a wonderful job and I am very excited to see them lead the Santa Cruz Warriors to even greater heights.”

Sund, 28, is entering his sixth season with the Golden State Warriors organization. During his first five years with the club, Sund has assisted with various aspects of the day-to-day basketball operations efforts, while also assisting with the team’s annual NBA Draft preparations. Last season, Sund served as the team’s Manager of Scouting and was responsible for developing and maintaining the team’s internal college scouting database and statistical analysis. Additionally, he served as a collegiate scout and also worked on special projects for basketball operations. Sund originally joined the organization as a basketball operations assistant prior to the 2009-10 campaign and spent the next three seasons as a basketball operations coordinator focusing on analytics, college scouting, and working to help implement the SportVu system. A graduate of Indiana University with a degree in Sports Marketing and Management, Sund worked with the IU basketball team under Tom Crean during the 2008-09 season before joining the Warriors. Patrick’s father, Rick Sund, is a longtime NBA executive and currently a senior advisor to basketball operations for the Atlanta Hawks.

West, 26, is entering his third season as a member of the Santa Cruz Warriors organization, having served last season as the team’s director of player personnel. In that role, he assisted in all player personnel matters for Santa Cruz, including decisions on the draft, trades and free agent signings. He joined the team prior to the 2012-13 season as director of basketball operations and also assisted with personnel and advance scouting duties. West, who played collegiately for four seasons at West Virginia and worked at Wasserman Media Group prior to joining the Warriors organization, has also served as a scout for Golden State in each of the past two seasons. Jonnie’s father, Jerry West, is a longtime NBA executive and currently an executive board member for the Golden State Warriors.

Utah Jazz sign guard Toure` Murry

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed free-agent guard Toure’ Murry.

Murry (6-5, 195, Wichita State) played his rookie season with the New York Knicks, averaging 2.7 points and 1.0 assists in 7.3 minutes in 51 games during the 2013-14 campaign. He shot 43.4 percent from the field (56-of-129), including 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from beyond the arc.

Undrafted in the 2012 NBA Draft, the 24-year-old guard was selected 15th overall by the Austin Toros in the 2012 NBA Development League Draft. His rights were eventually traded to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Murry helped the Vipers to the 2013 NBA D-League Championship, averaging 8.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals in 23.5 minutes in 46 games (30 starts) during the 2012-13 season.

Prior to the NBA, Murry played four seasons at Wichita State from 2008-12, including winning the 2011 NIT Tournament during his junior season. He averaged 12.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 29.3 minutes in 32 games during his senior campaign, helping the Shockers advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

A native of Houston, Texas, Murry’s first name is pronounced “TOU-Ray” and he will wear uniform #23.