NBA Teams – Page 997 – NBA Blog

Hornets trade Brendan Haywood to Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired center Brendan Haywood and the draft rights to forward Dwight Powell, the 45th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for guard Scotty Hopson and cash considerations, General Manager David Griffin announced today.

The 6-7 Hopson played in two games for the Cavaliers last season after signing with the team on March 31, 2014. Prior to that he played internationally in Greece (2011-12), Israel (2012-13) and Turkey (2013-14).

Haywood has played in 794 career NBA games (548 starts) over his 12-year career for Washington, Dallas and Charlotte with averages of 6.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 23.4 minutes. His career field goal percentage of .528 ranks ninth among active players. Haywood was a member of Dallas’ 2011 NBA Championship team, and has appeared in 53 career postseason games, averaging 6.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, while shooting .564 from the field. The New York native played four seasons at the University of North Carolina before being selected by Cleveland with the 20th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. His rights were traded on draft night to Orlando, who later traded him to Washington. The 7-0, 263-pound center missed the entire 2013-14 season due to a stress fracture in his left foot.

Powell played four years at Stanford, appearing in 136 games (105 starts) with averages of 10.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 26.2 minutes per game. The 6-11, 240-pound forward from Ontario, Canada is a two-time First Team All-Pac 12 selection. He averaged 14.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals during his senior season and was the Pac 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Powell also played for Canada in the World University Games in the summer of 2013.

Jazz match Hornets offer sheet, and keep Gordon Hayward

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has retained its right of first refusal and matched the offer sheet extended to guard/forward Gordon Hayward by the Charlotte Hornets. According to multiple reports, it is a four year deal for $63 million.

“As we have said since the start of last season, we have always seen Gordon Hayward as a significant part of the future of the Utah Jazz,” said Jazz General Manager Dennis Lindsey.

“Gordon is a young, multi-faceted player and a high-character individual who we are pleased will remain a member of the Jazz for many years to come.”

Hayward (6-8, 220, Butler) appeared in 77 games (all starts) for the Jazz in 2013-14, averaging career-highs of 16.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 36.4 minutes (10th in NBA) to become just the second player in Jazz history to average at least 16 points, with five-or-more rebounds and assists in a season (Pete Maravich in 1974-75 and 1976-77). He led the Jazz in scoring and minutes played, ranked second in assists and third in rebounds last season while posting career highs in nearly every major statistical category. Hayward registered nine double-doubles on the season (seven points/rebounds, two points/assists), tallying seven double-digit rebound performances, and six games with 10+ assists. He scored in double figures 63 times, reaching 20-plus points on 22 occasions. He also recorded single-game career highs of 37 points (Jan. 7 vs. Oklahoma City), 13 rebounds (Dec. 13 at Denver) and 12 assists (Nov. 25 vs. Chicago).

“Gordon is a foundational piece for the Utah Jazz and an important member of the Utah community,” said Jazz President Randy Rigby. “We have appreciated his commitment in the past and look forward to his continued growth both on and off the court.”

The 24-year-old career Jazzman was originally selected by Utah in the first round (ninth overall selection) of the 2010 NBA Draft, and has appeared in 287 career games (179 starts) and owns averages of 12.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 28.4 minutes.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to coach Gordon,” said Head Coach Quin Snyder. “He is a talented and versatile player, and will play an integral role in our effort to build the Utah Jazz into a championship-caliber team. We look forward to seeing him continue to develop as a leader on our team.”

Kings sign-and-trade Isaiah Thomas to Suns

The Phoenix Suns completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Sacramento Kings that will send guard Isaiah Thomas to Phoenix in exchange for the rights to forward Alex Oriakhi, the club announced today.

“We welcome Isaiah Thomas,” said President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby. “His addition to our backcourt makes it one of the deepest and most dynamic in the league. We have enjoyed getting to know him during his visit to Phoenix this week. He will quickly become a fan-favorite.”

“Isaiah is one of the most dynamic scorers and playmakers in the NBA,” said General Manager Ryan McDonough. “I have always admired his competitive spirit and his love for the game. He will be a great fit for our up-tempo attack and he will help solidify what we believe is the best backcourt in the league.”

The 5-9, 185-pound Thomas is a three-year NBA veteran who averaged career-highs of 20.3 points on 45.3 percent shooting, 6.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 72 games with the Kings last season. One of just six players in the NBA to average at least 20 points and six assists in 2013-14, Thomas registered a career-high of 38 points on two occasions this past season. Thomas also recorded his first career triple-double with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Washington on March 18.

A career 44.7 percent shooter from the floor, including 36.0 percent from three-point range, Thomas is an efficient scorer whose 15.3-point career average has come on 11.6 field goal attempts per game. In Thomas’ two games at US Airways Center last season, the guard from Tacoma, Wash., averaged 26.0 points on 57.6 percent shooting, including a 29-point performance in Phoenix on Dec. 13.

The final selection (60th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft out of the University of Washington, Thomas has posted the fourth highest scoring average of his draft class through three seasons. In 216 career games, all with Sacramento, he has scored in double figures 162 times, including 72 games with 20-plus points and eight games scoring 30-plus points. Thomas has also posted 12 career games with double-digit assists, with each performance also representing a double-double.

A second round pick (57th overall) by the Suns out of the University of Missouri in the 2013 NBA Draft, Oriakhi played internationally and in the NBA D-League this past season. Oriakhi, who had been included on the Suns’ summer league roster, will no longer play with the Suns at NBA Summer League 2014 in Las Vegas.

Spurs sign first round draft pick Kyle Anderson

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed Kyle Anderson.

The Spurs selected Anderson with the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft.

All first round draft picks are guaranteed to receive a contract if they want to come to the NBA right away, so this signing is standard and was expected.

Anderson, 6-9/230, recently completed his sophomore season out of UCLA. In 36 games he averaged 14.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.78 steals in 33.2 minutes while shooting .480 (153-319) from the field and .483 (28-58) from three-point range. The forward became the first player in Pac-12 conference history to record 200 rebounds and 200 assists in the same season and the first player at UCLA since 1973-74 to average 10-plus points, 5-plus rebounds and 5-plus assists (Bill Walton). Following his sophomore campaign, he was voted to the All-Pac 12 First Team and was a Third Team AP All-America selection.

Over the course of his career he appeared in 71 games, averaging 12.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.77 steals in 31.6 minutes. Anderson helped lead UCLA to the Pac-12 regular season title in 2013 and to the Pac-12 Tournament title in 2014 where he was named the Most Outstanding Player.

Anderson is currently on the Spurs Las Vegas Summer League roster and finished with 6 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds in 26 minutes in his first game.

Memphis Grizzlies sign Vince Carter

The Memphis Grizzlies signed free agent Vince Carter to a multi-year contract, the team announced today. According to multiple reports, the deal is likely for three years, $12 million total.

Carter (6-6, 220) comes to Memphis with career averages of 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 34.2 minutes in 1,148 games (950 starts) over 16 seasons with the Toronto Raptors, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks. He owns career shooting percentages of .442 from the field, .378 from three-point range and .799 from the free throw line.

Among all-time NBA leaders, Carter ranks seventh in three-point field goals made (1,809), eighth in three-point field goals attempted (4,788), 20th in field goals attempted (19,045), 25th in points (23,190), 31st in minutes played (39,240), 46th in games played (1,148), 47th in free throws made (4,551), 49th in points per game (20.2) and 49th in free throw attempts (5,694).

An eight-time All-Star (2000-07), Carter was voted as a starter in seven seasons and was the league’s leading vote-getter four times. He was named to the 2000-01 All-NBA Second Team and the 2001-02 All-NBA Third Team and averaged at least 20 points per game for 10 consecutive seasons (1999-09). Carter also helped Team USA’s men’s national team capture the gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Last season, Carter averaged 11.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 24.4 minutes in 81 games (zero starts) for Dallas while shooting .407 from the field, .394 from three-point range and .821 from the free throw line. The 37-year-old led the league in three-pointers off the bench (146). Over the course of the season, he advanced from 11th place to 7th place on the NBA’s all-time three-point field goals made list, surpassing (in order) Steve Nash, Dale Ellis, Peja Stojakovic and Rashard Lewis. Carter also became the 27th player in NBA history to score 23,000 career points on March 16, 2014 at Oklahoma City and passed Adrian Dantley for 25th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list on April 12, 2014 vs. Phoenix.

Carter holds career postseason averages of 21.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 38.1 minutes in 67 playoff games (56 starts) with Toronto, New Jersey, Orlando and Dallas. During the 2014 NBA Playoffs, Carter recorded 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 27.1 minutes in helping eighth-seeded Dallas take the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs to seven games in the opening round. In Game 3 of that series, he connected on a buzzer-beating three-pointer from the corner to give the Mavericks a 109-108 victory at American Airlines Center.

Drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the first round (5th overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft after a three-year collegiate career at the University of North Carolina, Carter was named the 1998-99 NBA Rookie of the Year with Toronto. One of the most exciting and innovative dunkers in NBA history, Carter memorably won the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend in 2000.

Spurs re-sign Patty Mills

The 2013-14 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have re-signed guard Patty Mills.

Last season Mills appeared in a team-high 81 games and averaged 10.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in a career-high 18.9 minutes while shooting .464 (309-666) from the field and .425 (135-318) from beyond the arc. He ranked seventh in the league in three-point percentage and connected on a team-high 135 three-pointers for the season. In the 2014 Finals Mills averaged 10.2 points while shooting .543 (19-35) from the field and .565 (13-23) from beyond the arc.

Mills was part of San Antonio’s bench in 2013-14 that averaged an NBA-best 45.1 points per game, marking the Silver and Black’s highest bench average in franchise history. The guard scored in double-figures 37 times and had eight games where he scored 20 points-or-more.

A product out of St. Mary’s, Mills recently completed his fifth NBA season and his third with the Spurs. Mills, who initially signed with San Antonio on March 27, 2012, was originally drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 55th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Isaiah Thomas headed to Suns in sign-and-trade deal

Here’s ESPN.com reporting that a pretty talented guard is finding a new home:

The Sacramento Kings will send restricted free agent Isaiah Thomas to the Phoenix Suns in a sign-and-trade deal after reaching a new four-year, $28 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst.

In return, the Kings will acquire a $7 million trade exception and the rights to forward Alex Oriakhi, the 57th overall pick in 2013.

Yahoo! Sports first reported the deal.

Thomas averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 assists per game last season, both career-highs.

Cavs season tickets selling fast

Here’s ESPN.com reporting good news from Cleveland:

Cleveland embraced the return of the “King” as expected, as the Cavaliers had all but sold out of season tickets less than eight hours after LeBron James announced he would come back to accomplish some unfinished business with the team.

A Cavaliers source confirmed to ESPN.com that the team capped season-ticket sales at slightly more than 12,000 tickets Friday, leaving roughly 8,000 tickets per game to be used for group sales and ticket plans.

Shortly before 12:30 p.m. ET, when James’ decision was revealed, the Cavaliers’ ticket phone lines were so jammed that the team began rerouting lines in the office to be used for ticket sales. The Cavaliers sell season tickets only over the phone.

Chris Bosh will reportedly re-sign with Heat

Bosh is staying in Miami, agreeing Friday to a five-year contract that will be worth about $118 million, said two people familiar with the deal. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side had confirmed it publicly.

Keeping Bosh addresses one of the Miami’s top priorities after getting the news earlier in the day that James was leaving the Heat and returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

There’s still plenty of work for Heat President Pat Riley to do, however. But first, he and the team lauded what James meant to them over the last four seasons.

— Associated Press

Pat Riley statement on LeBron James decision to leave the Heat

The following statement was released today by Pat Riley of the Heat, on the decision by LeBron James to leave Miami and once again become a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers:

“While I am disappointed by LeBron’s decision to leave Miami, no one can fault another person for wanting to return home. The last four years have been an incredible run for South Florida, HEAT fans, our organization and for all of the players who were a part of it. LeBron is a fantastic leader, athlete, teammate and person, and we are all sorry to see him go.”

“Over the last 19 years, since Micky and I teamed together, The Miami HEAT has always been a championship organization; we’ve won multiple championships and competed for many others. Micky, Erik and I remain committed to doing whatever it takes to win and compete for championships for many years to come. We’ve proven that we can do it and we’ll do it again.”