Raptors trade James Johnson to Kings

Raptors trade James Johnson to Kings

The Sacramento Kings today acquired James Johnson from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for a second round pick in 2014, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

“We’re excited to add a talent like James to our young nucleus of players,” said Petrie. “He’s an outstanding defender with athleticism who can play at both positions up front while providing some versatility offensively and adding a dimension to what we can do on the floor.”

Johnson, a 6-9, 245-pound forward, is entering his fourth NBA season. He averaged career-highs of 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 25.2 minutes per game in 62 contests with the Raptors last season. In his 40 starts during the 2011-12 campaign, Johnson increased his statistical production to 10.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 26.9 minutes per game. He has recorded career averages of 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 24.0 minutes per game in 165 outings, of which he started 76.

Johnson was selected in the first round (16th overall) by Chicago in the 2009 NBA Draft. He was traded to Toronto on February 22, 2011. He enjoyed a two-year career at Wake Forest, averaging 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 61 contests. He entered the draft after his sophomore season.

Nets sign forward Mirza Teletovic

The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent forward Mirza Teletovic, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Teletovic (6-9, 242), spent the 2011-12 season with Caja Laboral Vitoria of the Spanish ACB League.  In 34 games, he averaged 16.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 31.1 minutes.  Teletovic shot .463 from the field, .360 from behind the arc and .684 from the line.  In 10 Eurocup games with Caja Laboral Vitoria, he averaged 21.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 block in 34.4 minutes while shooting .434 from the field including .431 from three-point range and .700 from the line.

Jacque Vaughn wants Magic coaching job

According to multiple reports, Indiana assistant Brian Shaw and Golden State aide Michael Malone have been crossed off the list of candidates for the coaching job in Orlando.

That leaves the 37-year-old Vaughn, three seasons retired from backing up Tony Parker, as one of the leading applicants to fill Stan Van Gundy’s old chair with the Magic.

Others remaining in the hunt include Utah assistant Jeff Hornacek, Chicago assistant Lindsay Hunter and Philadelphia aide Michael Curry, a former head coach in Detroit.

For players, summer league often represents a chance to showcase new skills or audition for a roster spot. For Vaughn, this week has become an opportunity to try on the head coach’s shoes — in this case, casual white sneakers — and see if he likes them.

So far, they fit.

“It’s fun,” Vaughn said. “It’s good fun to get a group together in a short time and get them to play together. That’s the test and the joy of it.”

— Reported by the San Antonio Express-News

Blake Griffin update: knee surgery today

Blake Griffin update: knee surgery today

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin will undergo arthroscopic surgery today to repair the medial meniscus tear of his left knee which he suffered during Team USA’s practice in Las Vegas on Wednesday, July 11th. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic.

Griffin experienced discomfort following Wednesday’s practice in Las Vegas. He underwent a magnetic resonance imaging examination on Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles which revealed the injury. MRI data was then analyzed by Clippers’ Team Physician, Dr. Steven Shimoyama, and Dr. ElAttrache.

Sixers waive center Darryl Watkins

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have waived center Darryl Watkins.  He was acquired by the Sixers in a three-team trade last Wednesday.

The Sixers obtained Watkins from New Orleans and forward Dorell Wright from Golden State while sending the rights to Edin Bavcic to the Hornets, who also traded Jarrett Jack to the Warriors.

In 14 career games across two seasons with Sacramento and New Orleans, Watkins has averaged 2.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game.

Timberwolves sign Nicolas Batum to offer sheet

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed restricted free-agent forward Nicolas Batum to an offer sheet. Under the terms of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Portland Trail Blazers will have three days to match Minnesota’s offer. The deadline for Portland to match the offer sheet is Wednesday, July 18 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Reports have said the deal could be worth around $46 million over four years, but that is not confirmed.

Batum, a 6-8 forward from France, was originally selected with the 25th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. Portland acquired his rights in a draft-night trade in exchange for the draft rights to Darrell Arthur and Joey Dorsey. In his four seasons with the Blazers, Batum has averaged 10.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 255 games (202 starts). He averaged a career-high 13.9 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game in 2011-12, while also establishing career bests with 90 steals and 60 blocked shots. The 23-year-old has career shooting averages of 46.0 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from three-point range and 83.6 percent from the free throw line. Batum scored a career-high 33 points on Feb. 4 vs. Denver, and set a Portland single-game record with nine three-pointers. He also tallied 33 points on Feb. 14 vs. Washington. Batum played professionally in France for four years before coming to the NBA.

Phoenix Suns land Luis Scola via amnesty wire auction

What was expected became official Sunday, when it was announced the Phoenix Suns had won the amnesty wire auction for Scola’s services.

Scola, 32, won’t become a free agent. The Spurs, like all other teams whose payroll exceeds the salary cap, never had a shot to even offer him a contract.

(And before Spurs fans get any more ideas, Phoenix is now prohibited from trading Scola until July 1 of next year).

None of this is surprising to those of us who were paying attention. Under the NBA’s amnesty rules, only teams under the salary cap were allowed to bid on Scola during the waiver process.

The only way for him to become a true free agent would be for every team permitted to bid on Scola to shockingly decline to do so.

— Reported by Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News Blog
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2012/07/15/no-surprise-spurs-dont-get-shot-at-scola-now-a-sun/

Bulls have interest in O.J. Mayo

Bulls have interest in O.J. Mayo

The new hot topic among Bulls fans is O.J. Mayo. The Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard is an unrestricted free agent and the Bulls have interest. The big question is what they have to offer.

The main competition appears to be Phoenix, which has about $8-9 million of salary cap room after New Orleans matched the Suns’ offer sheet to Eric Gordon.

Complete details of the Kirk Hinrich acquisition and Kyle Korver trade to Atlanta have yet to be revealed, but those transactions should help the Bulls in the Mayo chase.

If the Bulls get a second-round draft pick out of the Korver trade, they’ll have a traded-player exception worth $5 million. To use that on Mayo, they’d have to talk the Grizzlies into doing a sign-and-trade and send some sort of draft pick and/or cash in return.

— Reported by Mike McGraw of the Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Jason Kidd arrested on drunken-driving charge

Newly signed New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd has been arrested on a drunken-driving charge after police said he crashed an SUV into a telephone pole in the Hamptons.

Southampton Town police say Kidd was released without bail after being arraigned Sunday on a misdemeanor driving-while-intoxicated charge. Police say Kidd was treated at Southampton Hospital for minor injuries after his arrest.

His agent hasn’t immediately answered phone or email messages.

Police say Kidd was alone in the Cadillac Escalade when it hit a pole and veered into the woods around 2 a.m. Sunday in the hamlet of Water Mill.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Knicks decline to match offer; Raptors sign Landry Fields

Knicks decline to match offer; Raptors sign Landry Fields

The Toronto Raptors announced Sunday they have signed guard-forward Landry Fields after the New York Knicks chose to not match Toronto’s offer sheet for the restricted free agent.

The Raptors signed Fields to an offer sheet Wednesday. Under the terms of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, beginning Thursday the Knicks had three days to match the Raptors’ offer.

According to multiple reports, the deal is for three years, $19 million.

Fields, 6-foot-7, 215 pounds, has averaged 9.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 30 minutes in 148 games. He has appeared in every contest the past two seasons, making 143 starts.

Fields was a 2010-11 T-Mobile All-Rookie First Team selection and twice named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month (November and December 2010). He paced the Knicks in rebounding 22 times, and set a franchise rookie-record making 86 three-pointers. He had two 20-plus scoring games and 11 double-doubles. He scored a career-high 25 points versus Philadelphia on February 6, 2011 and recorded a career-best 17 rebounds on November 16, 2010 at Denver.

Fields scored in double figures in 25 outings last season, with a high of 21 at Sacramento on December 31. He posted double-digit scoring efforts in nine of 10 games from January 18 – February 3, averaging 13.6 points. He also contributed seven games with at least three steals,

A native of Southern California, Fields was an All-Pac-10 First Team selection as a senior at Stanford in 2009-10, with averages of 22.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 36.3 minutes in 32 games (all starts).