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Brooklyn Nets General Manager Billy King announced today that the team has voided the contract of Hamady Ndiaye due to Ndiaye failing the required physical.
Ndiaye was signed by the Nets on September 17th.
The roster now stands at 16 players.
Utah Jazz Finalize Idaho Stampede Basketball Staff
The Utah Jazz today announced that Andrae Patterson and Travis Walton have been named assistant coaches on Idaho Stampede Head Coach Dean Cooper’s staff. In addition, the Jazz announced that Brady Howe will serve as the head athletic trainer and strength-and-conditioning coach and Hans Steinbrenner as the director of basketball operations for the Stampede, the team’s NBA Development League affiliate.
“Both Andrae and Travis are talented young coaches with strong pedigrees and winning backgrounds,” said Stampede coach Dean Cooper. “I look forward to working closely with our staff and the Jazz to build a team that is both growth-oriented and competitive.”
Patterson arrives to Boise with domestic and international playing and coaching experience, most recently spending two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Texas at Arlington after two years as the school’s director of basketball operations/video coordinator and one as a student assistant. Prior to joining UT Arlington, Patterson enjoyed a successful professional playing career that began when he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 46th overall pick of the 1998 NBA Draft, where he played from 1998-2001. Following his NBA career, he played nine seasons internationally for clubs in the top European leagues, including both CB Estudiantes (2001-05) and Bàsquet Manresa (2005-06) of the premier Spanish ACB League, as well as KK Zadar (Croatia-A1) and Panellinios BC (Greece-A1) in 2006, Ironi Ashkelon (Israel) in 2007, before finishing his playing career with Egaleo AO (Greece-A1) from 2007-09. As a collegian, the native of Abilene, Texas, played for Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight for four seasons at Indiana University (1994-98), where he was an All-American and four-time All-Big Ten selection and led the Hoosiers to four NCAA Tournament appearances while earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
Walton brings NBA Development League experience, having played from 2011-12 for the Dakota Wizards, Fort Wayne Mad Ants as well as the Canton Charge, under then Charge head coach and current Jazz assistant Alex Jensen. Walton also played professionally for ratiopharm Ulm (Germany-1) from 2010-11 and Lugano Tigers (Switzerland) from 2009-10 following a four-year standout career playing for head coach Tom Izzo at Michigan State (2005-09). One of three three-year captains in Michigan State history, Walton finished his collegiate career as the Spartans all-time leader in games played (143), and ranking fourth in school history for steals (167) and sixth in assists (555). Selected as the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year his senior year, Walton led the Spartans to the NCAA Tournament all four seasons, including being selected to the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional All-Tournament Team en route to the Final Four and appearance in the 2009 National Championship Game. Walton served as a student assistant coach at Michigan State for the 2009-10 season while completing his bachelor’s degree in family child ecology, and has run his own basketball skill development and motivational speaking company, Team Walton, since 2012.
Howe previously served as head athletic trainer, strength coach and equipment manager for the Utah Flash (now the Delaware 87ers) of the NBA D-League from 2009-11, as well as the assistant athletic trainer/strength coach and clubhouse manager for the Ogden Raptors (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate) of the Pioneer Baseball League from 2011-13. He has also worked as the head athletic trainer for basketball, head strength-and-conditioning coach for basketball and softball and an adjunct professor at Weber State University since 2011. Howe earned a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine and clinical athletic training from Weber State, and a master’s degree in sport performance and strength-and-conditioning from Southern Utah University.
A native of Boise, Idaho, Steinbrenner earned a bachelor’s degree in statistics at the University of Utah while serving for four seasons as student manager for the Utes’ men’s basketball program under former Stampede and Milwaukee Bucks head coach and ex-Jazz player Larry Krystkowiak.
The Jazz and Stampede have a single affiliation partnership that begins with the 2014-15 NBA D-League season. The partnership, also referred to as a “hybrid affiliation,” is the ninth of its kind in the NBA D-League and enables the Jazz to manage all aspects of the Stampede’s basketball operations, while the existing local ownership group headed by Bill Ilett maintains primary responsibility for the team’s off-the-court business operations and community initiatives.
Sacramento Kings sign Ryan Hollins
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The Sacramento Kings today signed free agent Ryan Hollins, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.
A 7-foot center, Hollins was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats in the second round (50th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft. He has accrued career averages of 3.8 points (.576 FG%, .657 FT%) and 2.2 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game through 435 career contests in eight seasons with six teams – Charlotte (2006-07 – 2008-09), Dallas (2008-09), Minnesota (2009-10), Cleveland (2010-11 – 2011-12), Boston (2011-12) and L.A. Clippers (2012-13 – 2013-14).
In 61 contests as a reserve for the Clippers last season, the former UCLA Bruin posted 2.3 points (.736 FG%, .625 FT%), 1.5 rebounds and 7.9 minutes per game.
Timberwolves sign Kyrylo Fesenko, Brady Heslip
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The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed center Kyrylo Fesenko and guard Brady Heslip.
Fesenko, 27, appeared in five games (three starts) for the Wolves entry in 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 8.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game. The 7-1 center’s best game came in Minnesota’s win over the Phoenix Suns, a 17-point, 8-rebound performance in 26 minutes. Fesenko, originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round (38th overall pick) of the 2007 NBA Draft, has averaged 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game over his five-year NBA career.
Heslip, 24, appeared in five games (two starts) for the Wolves entry in the 2014 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The 6-2 guard averaged 6.2 points per game in Vegas, including connecting on 61.1% of his shots and 70.0% from three-point range (7-for-10). As a senior with Baylor this past season, Heslip connected on 118 three-pointers (T-2nd in Big 12 history) at a 46.5% clip, the ninth-best single-season three-point percentage in Big 12 history. He finished his four-year career at Baylor first in school history in three-point percentage (.437) and second in made three-pointers (301).
Sacramento Kings sign Omri Casspi
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The Sacramento Kings today signed free agent forward Omri Casspi, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.
The first Israeli-born player to be selected by an NBA team and compete in the league, Casspi was originally tabbed by the Kings in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft. He has accrued averages of 7.7 points (.421 FG%, .352 3pt%, .667 FT%), 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 20.7 minutes per game in 327 career contests with three teams – Sacramento (2009-10 – 2010-11), Cleveland (2011-12 – 2012-13) and Houston (2013-14).
In 71 games with the Rockets last season, Casspi posted 6.9 points (.422 FG%, .347 3pt%, .680 FT%), 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest.
New Rocket Jason Terry a long-time fan of Houston arena
Here’s the Houston Chronicle blog reporting on new Rockets guard Jason Terry:
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If Jason Terry did not already know, Daryl Morey made sure to fill him in about his reputation with Rockets fans.
The Rockets general manager might not have used the term “Rockets killer,” but in one of his first conversations with Terry after reaching agreement on the trade that officially brought Terry to Houston on Wednesday, Morey told him that many Rockets fans have considered him one of their most bitter rivals.
Being regarded as a particularly vexing nemesis could have been considered a complement, but Terry said some of the same emotions that inspired his play against the Rockets will also allow him to return to that level now that he’ll play for the Rockets.
“It was always special playing in the Houston Rockets’ arena,” Terry said. “There’s about six or seven arenas around the league that when you step foot in that arena, you feel like, ‘Man, I want to have a big game.” So every time I faced Houston … I always wanted to … perform at high level. Now that I’m joining the Rockets, hopefully I can provide that same energy, that same excitement that they faced for years.”
Dwyane Wade says NBA dress code helped fashion sense
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David Stern might be responsible for the fashionable basketball players in the NBA – well, at least for Dwyane Wade.
The Miami Heat star says while he always was a fan of fine dressing, it wasn’t until the former commissioner of the league instituted a dress code that he started taking more interest in what he would wear off the court.
“It was like, `OK, now we got to really dress up and we can’t just throw on a sweat suit,”‘ he said. “Then it became a competition amongst guys and now you really got into it more and you started to really understand the clothes you put on your body, the materials you’re starting to wear, so then you become even more of a fan of it.”
Now Wade is considered among the more fashion-forward stars in a league where players dress to impress. Wade admits there’s some competition among the league – and sometimes they take it over the top in what they wear in postgame press conference.
Chicago Bulls sign E`Twaun Moore
The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed guard E’Twaun Moore (EE-twan).
Moore (6-4, 191), comes to the Bulls after spending the last two seasons with the Orlando Magic. Drafted out of Purdue University in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft (55th overall) by the Boston Celtics, Moore spent one season with the Celtics (2011-12).
Last season with the Magic, Moore appeared in 79 games (three starts) and averaged 6.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg and 1.4 apg in 19.1 mpg. He shot .428 from the field, .354 from downtown and .765 from the line.
A native of East Chicago, Ind., Moore has played in 192 regular season games (24 starts) and posted averages of 6.2 ppg, 1.8 apg, 1.8 rpg, 18.3 mpg, .407 field goal shooting, .350 three-point shooting and .791 from the line.
Man arrested in Paul George burglary
Here’s ESPN.com reporting that the person who allegedly did Paul George wrong has been caught:
Police have arrested a man in connection with the April burglary at the Indianapolis home of Indiana Pacers star Paul George.
Indianapolis police say 43-year-old Michael Lewis of Whitestown was arrested Wednesday on burglary and theft charges for the April 28 break-in during which George’s platinum All-Star ring, valued at $15,000, was taken.
Police say detectives believe the burglary was a random act and that Lewis didn’t specifically target George’s home, which is on the city’s northeast side.
Rockets maintain relationships in China
Here’s the Houston Chronicle Blog reporting on the Rockets:
Rockets CEO Tad Brown, former player Clyde Drexler and point guard Pat Beverley just returned from a trip to China where they met with some of the Rockets’ business partners and interacted with the fan base.
“It’s always great to go to China,” Brown said. “We are the most popular NBA team in China by a longshot and its great to reconnect with the fan base every year and see the passion they have for the Rockets.”
It was a quick trip — the three left Friday and returned Tuesday morning. In the short amount of time, they were able to make time for a handful of events and appearances to go along with the business meetings.
Brown said that Beverley was a hit among the fans.