Phoenix Suns Blog – Page 55 – NBA Blog

Suns sign Dwayne Jones

The Phoenix Suns today announced that the club has signed forward/center Dwayne Jones. Jones was traded by the Suns along with Leandro Barbosa to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu on July 14, and was waived by the Raptors on August 16.

Originally signed by Phoenix on April 5, 2010, Jones saw action in two regular season games and two playoff contests for the Suns. The 6-11, 250-pound Jones spent the 2009-10 season with the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League before Phoenix made him the league’s 34th GATORADE Call-Up last year.

The 2009-10 D-League rebounding leader averaged 17.6 points (18th) and a league-best 16.0 rebounds in 40.0 minutes in 48 games (48 starts) for the Toros. Jones averaged four rebounds more than any other D-Leaguer and led the league with 43 double-doubles, 15 more than the nearest player. His 59.8-percent field goal percentage ranked third-best.

A D-League standout, the St. Joseph’s (PA) product also has NBA experience after spending parts of each of the last five seasons with the Suns, Charlotte Bobcats (2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2006-07, 2007-08) and Boston Celtics (2005-06). His longest NBA stint came in 2007-08 with the Cavs where he saw action in 56 regular season games, averaging 1.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.4 minutes. Jones also earned postseason experience after seeing action in five games with Cleveland in the 2008 NBA Playoffs.

Jones owns career D-League averages of 14.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 35.4 minutes in 110 games (106 starts) with the Florida Flame (2005-06), Albuquerque Thunderbirds (2006-07), Iowa Energy (2008-09), Idaho Stampede (2008-09) and Austin Toros (2008-09, 2009-10).

The Arizona Republic reports:

The Suns took little risk in bringing back Jones. The structure of the one-year deal pays him a small amount to come to training camp and another small portion if he makes the opening night roster. The Suns would have the ability to waive him at no extended cost all the way up until the January date that contracts become guaranteed.

They like Jones, enough to carry a 14th player on the roster (13 is the minimum) now that they are under the luxury tax threshold. But not so much that they would not scoop up another more attractive big man should one come available. Like many teams, the Suns had some interest in Erick Dampier if Charlotte intended on waiving him but the Bobcats now are looking for a trade.

Is Shaq marrying Hoopz from the VH1 Flavor of Love show?

I will assume this gossip story is NOT TRUE until proven otherwise, but check out what some blogs are reporting about Shaq and Nicole “Hoopz” Alexander:

The Clutch Blog on MTV.com reports:

Is Shaq marrying Hoopz from Flava of Love?

Remember Hoopz, the girl who won Flava Flav’s heart on the first season of “Flava of Love”? Apparently she’s marrying Shaq! We knew they were dating, but the St. Louis Post Dispatch says that things are about to get much more serious. According to the paper, they were together at a St. Louis restaurant when Shaq “brought a chair into the middle of the dance floor and he put a ring on her finger.” Sounds like a proposal to us.

And Blog.VH1.com reports:

Adding fuel to these (very speculative!) fires is a story on the (pretty reputable) sports website Sports By Brooks that says, and we quote, the site “has also been informed that O’Neal has spent much of his summer in Alexander’s hometown of Maryville, TN. In fact, the current Celtic now has a home with Alexander in Maryville’s Royal Oaks golf community.”

UPDATE: Mike Wise (Washington Post) wrote the following on Twitter (thanks to Howard Beck of the New York Times for spotting this): “The Daddy not engaged to Hoops. Shaquille O’Neal’s text message reply to my congrats: “What engagement dnt believe dat.”

Celebs enjoy the festivities during the gala opening of the Casino Club At The Greenbrier in West Sulfur Springs, West Virginia on July 2, 2010. Restriction applies: NO NEW YORK NEWSPAPERS Fame Pictures, Inc

Full 2010 preseason schedule

The NBA today released its 2010 preseason schedule, which is highlighted by a comprehensive international slate of games that includes seven contests in China, Europe and Mexico. The preseason slate tips off on Oct. 3, when the New York Knicks visit Armani Jeans Milano – the former team of Knicks forward Danillo Gallinari and head coach Mike D’Antoni – in Milan, Italy, and the New Jersey Nets host Maccabi Haifa.

As is the case these days, the action starts overseas, with a few NBA squads heading to Europe.

I’ve always had mixed feelings about teams playing preseason ball overseas. Because generally it’s just a warmup. I think if NBA fans overseas are going to get a rare taste of live NBA action, it should be the best basketball possible, and we usually don’t see that before the regular season begins.

See the complete 2010-11 NBA preseason schedule.

Stephon Marbury done playing in NBA

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports:

Stephon Marbury told The Post yesterday that he is done with the NBA. He will never get a second chance with the Knicks like Isiah Thomas, whose NBA life was resuscitated by James Dolan on Friday.

“Good luck, New York,” Marbury said wryly in reacting to Thomas’ return to the Knicks as a part-time consultant. “Good luck, New York.”

Marbury, who began training Friday in Los Angeles to get ready for the Chinese Basketball Association season that starts in December, and Thomas still are next-door neighbors in Purchase, N.Y. The two are intertwined in Knicks history with their falling-out symbolizing the franchise’s plummet to rock bottom.

Suns name Lance Blanks GM

The Phoenix Suns have named former player and veteran NBA executive Lance Blanks the club’s general manager, the team announced today.

“After a thorough search, we believe we have found the perfect choice to serve as our general manager,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby. “Lance Blanks is a first-rate talent evaluator, basketball executive and person. We are thrilled that he will be joining the Phoenix Suns.”

An experienced and successful talent evaluator, Blanks combines the high basketball IQ of a former player with a 10-year track record in the front offices of two of the league’s most successful franchises over the last decade. The 43-year-old Blanks joins the Suns after spending the last five seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers as vice president of basketball operations and assistant general manager, a tenure during which the Cavs owned an overall record of 272-138 (.663).

Prior to joining the Cavaliers in 2005, Blanks spent the previous five seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, originally joining the club in 2000 as a scout. Blanks was then promoted to the role of director of scouting in September 2002. During his time in the Alamo City, the Spurs won two NBA Championships and drafted Tony Parker and Luis Scola.

Celtics sign Shaquille O’Neal

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed free agent center Shaquille O’Neal. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“It is not every day that you can add a player of Shaquille’s caliber to your team,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations. “His past experience speaks for itself and we believe that he is a great fit for our roster.”

O’Neal, a 7’1” center, posted averages of 12.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and shot 56.6% from the field last season in 53 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The former Louisiana State Tiger is a three-time NBA Finals MVP (2000, 2001, 2002) and former NBA MVP (2000). He has been named to 15 All Star games and also has been named All-Star Game MVP three times. His 15 All-Star appearances are the second most all-time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 17. He is a member of four NBA Championship teams (3, Los Angeles Lakers, 2000, 2001, 2002; 1, Miami Heat, 2006). One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history (he was youngest member of this team, at the age of 24, when it was named in 1996), O’Neal also is one of just three players in NBA history to be named league MVP, All-Star Game MVP and Finals MVP in the same season (1999-2000).

“I am honored to be joining the Celtics,” said O’Neal. “I have played against Paul, Ray, Kevin, Rajon, and Jermaine for many years and it will be great to be able to call them my teammates. I cannot wait to get to Boston to get started in pursuit of another championship.”

The first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft by Orlando, O’Neal has posted career averages of 24.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He also has appeared in 214 career playoff games with averages of 24.5 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. O’Neal is the fifth leading scorer in NBA history (28,255 points) and is 14th in NBA history in total rebounds (12,921).

Suns sign Matt Janning

The Phoenix Suns have signed guard Matt Janning to a multi-year contract, the team announced today.

The 6-4, 198-pound Janning was a member of the Suns’ 2010 entry in the Las Vegas Summer League. The Minnesota-born guard started all five games for the Summer Suns, averaging 12.6 points, third-most on the team behind only Gani Lawal and Earl Clark, and 5.8 rebounds, second-most of any Sun (Lawal).

A four-year collegiate performer at Northeastern University (2006-10), Janning was a two-time selection to the All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) First Team as both a junior and senior, and was named the CAA’s Most Valuable Player as a junior. The 22-year-old averaged 14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 128 career games (127 starts) for the Huskies. As a senior, Janning averaged a team-leading 15.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in earning the 2010 Herbert Gallagher Award as Northeastern’s top male scholar-athlete.

Report: Mike D’Antoni will not be with Team USA this summer due to back issue

ESPN.com reports:

New York Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni will not accompany Team USA to the World Championships in Turkey later this summer so he can fully treat an increasingly troublesome back, according to Team USA sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that D’Antoni is not expected to need surgery but has been advised to forsake the considerable international travel Team USA has scheduled this summer. D’Antoni will undergo treatment and rehabilitation to prevent the condition from worsening before the start of NBA training camp in late September.

D’Antoni, sources said, will be with Team USA throughout its next round of practices next week in New York — which will be capped by an Aug. 15 exhibition against France at Madison Square Garden — but then stay behind when the Kevin Durant-led squad heads to Europe for exhibitions in Spain and Greece before the World Championships begin Aug. 28.

Suns sign Gani Lawal

The Phoenix Suns have signed Gani Lawal (GONN-ee luh-WALL), the 46th overall selection (second round) in the 2010 NBA Draft, the team announced today.

A three-year standout at Georgia Tech, Lawal was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Third Team in both his sophomore and junior seasons after leading his team in both scoring and rebounding in each campaign. The 6-foot-9, 234-pound forward is an athletic and productive rebounder who averaged 14.0 points and 8.9 rebounds in 67 games (66 starts) over his final two collegiate seasons. An able finisher around the basket, Lawal shot 54.8 percent from the field for his career and averaged 6.0 free-throw attempts in his sophomore and junior seasons.

In his final collegiate season in 2009-10, the 21-year-old Lawal averaged 13.1 points and 8.5 boards, both team-bests, while playing in the frontcourt alongside Derrick Favors, who was selected No. 3 overall in the 2010 draft by the New Jersey Nets. Lawal finished his career with 27 double-doubles overall, second-most among active ACC players. He grabbed 3.6 offensive rebounds as a sophomore in 2008-09, tops in the ACC.

Lawal became the 18th early entry selection in franchise history and the third Georgia Tech product selected by the Suns, joining Bruce Dalrymple (46th overall, 1987) and Malcom Mackey (27th overall, 1993).

Lawal made his Suns debut in the 2010 Las Vegas Summer League where he was selected to the All-Tournament Team after averaging team-highs of 15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. He shot 49.2 percent from field and earned 41 free-throw attempts, most of any summer Sun.

Amare Stoudemire visiting Israel to trace Jewish roots

The AP reports:

Amare Stoudemire in Israel to trace Hebrew roots

NBA star Amare Stoudemire says he has come to Israel to explore whether he has Jewish heritage.

He tells The Associated Press on Friday that he believes he has “Hebrew roots” through his mother, Carrie.

The five-time All-Star who recently signed with the New York Knicks is on a weeklong visit to learn about Israel, its language and religions.

The New York Post reports:

Two weeks ago, new Knicks power forward Amar’e Stoudemire arrived in Vegas for Knicks summer league with a tattoo of the “Star of David” on his arm.

“What’s that?,” he was asked by The Post.

“What does it look like?” Stoudemire replied.

When asked if that means he is Jewish, Stoudemire replied flatly: “Yes.”

The New York Post reports:

However, Stoudemire posted on his Twitter account yesterday: “To clear everything up: I’m studying history & want to learn about all religions. I think I might have some Hebrew Roots and I’m researching it.”