NBA Teams – Page 987 – NBA Blog

Hornets re-sign Jannero Pargo

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has re-signed guard Jannero Pargo.

“We’re pleased that Jannero will be back with us again this season,” Cho said. “He is a great veteran presence in our locker room who is always ready when called upon.”

The 6-1 Pargo has seen action in 47 games for the team after initially joining the franchise on March 14, 2013, when he signed the first of two 10-day contracts. He later signed for the remainder of the 2012-13 season and re-signed as a free agent prior to the 2013-14 season. In 47 games, he has averaged 6.1 points, 1.8 assists and 0.9 rebounds in 11.4 minutes, while shooting .419 from the field (109-260), .389 from beyond the three-point line (53-136) and .800 from the free-throw line (16-20).

A nine-year NBA veteran, Pargo has played in 490 career games with the Lakers, Raptors, Bulls, Hornets, Hawks, Wizards and Bobcats. He has career averages of 6.4 points, 2.0 assists and 1.4 rebounds, while shooting .391 from the field (1213-3105), .355 from beyond the three-point line (391-1102) and .864 from the free-throw line (317-367).

James Harden discusses the Rockets

Here’s CSN Houston reporting on the Rockets:

While in the Philippines for a basketball charity event, James Harden shared his opinion on how the Houston Rockets will move forward without some of the players who’ve been lost or jettisoned this offseason. His thoughts sound a lot like the ones Dwight Howard shared earlier this month.

“Dwight (Howard) and I are the cornerstones of the Rockets,” said Harden told The Philippine Star. “The rest of the guys are role players or pieces that complete our team. We’ve lost some pieces and added some pieces. I think we’ll be fine next season.”

Howard, who was speaking at his basketball camp in Atlanta, said, when asked about losing Chandler Parsons to Dallas, “It won’t affect us at all. We have myself and James. We have the best center and the best two guard in the game on the same team. It’s on us.”

More summer hoops for Kelly Olynyk

Here’s ESPN Boston with a report on a key young Celtic:

Boston Celtics second-year forward Kelly Olynyk is expected to get additional offseason game reps as a member of Canada’s senior men’s basketball team.

Olynyk reported for camp earlier this week in Toronto before the team, which did not qualify for this year’s World Cup in Spain, instead traveled to Slovenia to open an 11-game European exhibition schedule on Thursday.

Olynyk, a Toronto native who grew up in Kamloops, British Columbia, did not play for the national team last summer while sidelined by a case of plantar fasciitis. He did attend camp with the national team and expressed a desire to compete for his county.

Blake Griffin withdraws from 2014 USA Basketball participation

Los Angeles Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin today announced that he will not participate on the USA Basketball Men’s National Team this summer. Griffin was one of 19 players selected to the USA roster from which the 2014 USA World Cup Team will be selected.

“I appreciate the invitation to play for Team USA this summer,” Griffin said. “It is a special opportunity anytime you have a chance to represent your country, and I was honored to be included. However, right now I want to focus and dedicate 100 percent of my energy on improving and preparing for the upcoming season with the Clippers.”

Mavs sign Jameer Nelson

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard Jameer Nelson.

Nelson (6-0, 190) is a 10-year veteran and former NBA All-Star (2009) who has spent his entire career with the Orlando Magic. He has career averages of 12.6 points, 5.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 29.2 minutes in 651 games (556 starts) with the Magic. Nelson stands as the franchise’s all-time leader in assists with 3,501. He also ranks second in games played (651) and field goals attempted (7,033), third in minutes played (19,038), three-pointers made (874) and three-pointers attempted (2,335), fourth in scoring (8,184 points) and field goals made (3,109) and fifth in steals (619).

A native of Chester, Pa., Nelson was originally the 20th overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. His draft rights were traded to the Magic where he spent his career until Orlando waived him on June 30, 2014. Last season, Nelson averaged 12.1 points, 7.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 32.0 minutes in 68 games (68 starts).

Nelson was named to his first NBA All-Star Game in 2009 when he averaged 16.7 points, 5.4 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 31.2 minutes while shooting .503 from the field, .453 from three-point range and .887 from the foul line.

The former St. Joseph’s standout enjoyed a decorated collegiate career. As a senior, Nelson earned Naismith College Player of the Year, Associated Press Player of the Year and the John Wooden Award while leading St. Joseph’s to an undefeated regular season (27-0) and the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Phoenix Suns waive Dionte Christmas

The Phoenix Suns have waived guard Dionte Christmas, the team announced today.

In his rookie NBA season of 2013-14, Christmas averaged 2.3 points, 1.2 rebounds and 6.4 minutes in 31 games with the Suns. Christmas also played with the Suns’ entry at NBA Summer League 2014 in Las Vegas earlier this month, averaging 10.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in five games.

Andrew Wiggins signs Cavs rookie contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed their 2014 NBA Draft picks, Andrew Wiggins and Joe Harris, to contracts, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Per NBA rules, rookies cannot be traded for 30 days once they sign their initial contract.

According to ESPN.com, “Wiggins has been involved in trade discussions between the Cavs and Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a deal that would send Kevin Love to Cleveland. Because of league rules on rookie contracts, such a deal now cannot be completed for 30 days. Wiggins, who signed a four-year deal, will have a starting salary of $5.5 million after the Cavs gave him the allowed 20 percent premium on the rookie scale, sources said.”

But for at least the next 30 days, and perhaps much longer, Wiggins is a member of the Cavaliers.

Wiggins was the first overall pick in the June draft. An early entry candidate from Kansas University, Wiggins, 19, was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-League in his only year at Kansas. In 35 contests with the Jayhawks last year, the 6-8, 194-pound guard averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 block in 32.8 minutes per game. In four games during the 2014 NBA Summer League, Wiggins averaged a team-high 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks in 29.9 minutes per game.

Harris was selected 33rd overall after playing four years at Virginia where he was named Second Team All-ACC as a senior and First Team All-ACC as a junior. The 6-6, 225-pound guard averaged 12.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 30.3 minutes for his career at Virginia (135 games). In four games during the 2014 NBA Summer League, Harris averaged 7.8 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.6 minutes per game.

Magic sign rookie guard Devyn Marble

The Orlando Magic have signed rookie guard Devyn Marble, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today. The draft rights to Marble (56th overall pick), along with Evan Fournier, were acquired from Denver in exchange for Arron Afflalo on June 26.

Marble (#11, 6’6”, 200, 9/21/92) played in 136 career games during four years at the University of Iowa, averaging 12.5 ppg., 3.4 rpg., 2.9 apg. and 1.29 stlpg. in 27.6 minpg. He ranks second on the school’s all-time games played list with 136. Marble also ranks in Hawkeyes’ history in scoring (fifth, 1,694 points), assists (sixth, 397) and steals (seventh, 176).

As a senior (2013-14), Marble played and started in 33 games, averaging 17.0 ppg., 3.6 apg., 3.2 rpg. and 1.82 stlpg. in 30.2 minpg. He was named First Team All-Big Ten after leading the team in scoring and ranked second in assists. Marble scored in double figures 27 times.

During his junior campaign (2012-13), Marble played and started in 37 games, averaging 15.0 ppg., 4.0 rpg., 3.0 apg. and 1.14 stlpg. in 30.5 minpg. He led the Hawkeyes in scoring and assists, and was named Third Team All-Big Ten.

Marble is the son of Roy Marble, a former NBA player and the all-time leading scorer in Iowa history.

Suns re-sign forward P.J. Tucker

The Phoenix Suns have re-signed forward P.J. Tucker to a multiyear contract, the team announced today.

“We are pleased to have been able to reach an agreement with P.J. Tucker on a multiyear contract,” said President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby. “His new contract fulfills one of our most important goals for this summer.”

“P.J. is one of the most rugged competitors in the entire league,” said General Manager Ryan McDonough. “We love his passion and his fire. We are happy that he will remain in a Suns uniform for the foreseeable future.”

Tucker started 81 games in his second season with the Suns of 2013-14, posting career-highs of 9.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.7 minutes. Tied for the Suns’ team-lead with a career-best 11 double-doubles, Tucker also had career-highs with 38 games of double-digit scoring and 15 games of double-digit rebounds. Recognized for his intensity and versatility on the defensive end, Tucker won the Dan Majerle Hustle Award for the second consecutive season in 2013-14.

Against Oklahoma City on April 6 this past season, Tucker scored a career-high 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting, making a career-high four three-pointers in the Suns’ win. Tucker also became the first Sun since 2007 to have at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and four steals in a game when he scored 16 points along with a career-high 15 rebounds and four steals in a win against Golden State on Feb. 8.

Initially signing with the Suns as a free agent on Aug. 1, 2012, Tucker has established new career-highs in virtually every statistical category in each of his first two seasons with the club, in addition to earning a reputation as one of the league’s toughest defenders.

Prior to joining the Suns, Tucker played professionally in Germany, Puerto Rico, Italy, Greece, Israel and Ukraine, after his rookie NBA season of 2006-07 with the Toronto Raptors. A standout performer at the University of Texas, Tucker played three seasons with the Longhorns, earning consensus Big 12 Player of the Year honors as a junior before entering the 2006 NBA Draft.

Pelicans waive Omri Casspi

The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that the team has waived forward Omri Casspi.

Casspi has appeared in 327 games (96 starts) over the course of five NBA seasons with Sacramento, Cleveland and Houston, holding career averages of 7.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.7 minutes per game.

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, “Casspi was included in the deal in which the Pelicans acquired starting center Omer Asik from the Rockets. Casspi had a year remaining on his non-guaranteed contract valued at just more than $1 million. If Casspi had remained on the Pelicans’ roster by Aug.1, his contract would had become guaranteed.”

It is likely that Casspi will find a new NBA home soon.