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Mavericks sign center Chris Kaman

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent center Chris Kaman.

Kaman (7-0, 265) was the first round draft pick (sixth overall) in the 2003 NBA Draft of the Los Angeles Clippers. The 30-year old played eight full seasons with Los Angeles before being traded in December to the New Orleans Hornets in a deal that sent Chris Paul to the Clippers. He holds career averages of 11.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 blocks and 29.7 minutes in 540 career games with 458 starts.

“We are excited to welcome Chris Kaman to Dallas,” President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson said. “Chris is a former All-Star who has accomplished a lot in this league. He is extremely skilled on both ends of the floor and will bring a low-post presence and versatility to the center position. Chris is a true professional on and off the court and we are pleased to welcome him to the Maverick family.”

Kaman had a breakout season for the injury-plagued Clippers in 2007-08 when he averaged a double-double 15.7 points and 12.7 rebounds. In 2010, Kaman was at last named an NBA All-Star and participated as a Western Conference reserve for All-Star Weekend in Dallas. That year he averaged 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds in 76 games.

In 2008, Kaman joined Dirk Nowitzki as a member of the German National Team and helped the squad qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. It was the Germans first Olympic berth since 1992. Kaman is a dual citizen of both the United States and Germany.

The Grand Rapids, Mich., native spent his three-year collegiate career at Central Michigan University where he still ranks seventh on the school’s all-time rebounding list and 11th on the all-time scoring list while holding the school record for career field goal percentage (60.8%). His junior year, Kaman was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-America by Associated Press.

Bobcats sign guard Ramon Sessions

Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Ramon Sessions.

“Ramon is a quality point guard who can both distribute and score,” Higgins said. “We are excited to be adding a player of his caliber and ability to our franchise.”

A five-year NBA veteran, the 6-3 Sessions has played in 323 career games with the Bucks, Timberwolves, Cavaliers and Lakers, posting averages of 11.1 points, 5.0 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 25.4 minutes. The Myrtle Beach, SC, native was originally selected by Milwaukee with the 56th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft after three seasons at the University of Nevada, where he helped the Wolf Pack to three straight Western Athletic Conference championships.

Sessions split the 2011-12 season between the Cavaliers and Lakers, with overall averages of 11.3 points, 5.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 26.7 minutes. He also shot a career-best .443 from beyond the three-point line, making 43 three-point field goals on the season after totaling only 13 in his first four NBA seasons combined. Following a trade to the Lakers on March 15, Sessions averaged 12.7 points, 6.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 30.5 minutes, starting 19 of his 23 regular-season games with Los Angeles. While with the Lakers, Sessions shot .479 from the field and .486 from beyond the three-point line.

Sessions’ first name is pronounced ruh-MAHN.

Clippers re-sign Chauncey Billups

The Los Angeles Clippers today re-signed unrestricted free agent and five-time NBA All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups.

In 20 games (20 starts) played for the Clippers during the 2011-12 season, Billups averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 30.4 minutes per contest. Billups shot 36.4 percent from the field, 38.4 percent from behind the three-point line and 89.5 percent from the free throw line. Billups 2012 season ended prematurely on February 6th in Orlando when he suffered a torn left Achilles tendon after scoring 18 points (10 in the fourth quarter) in what would eventually be a 107-102 overtime road win for Los Angeles.

Billups averaged 16.8 points, 5.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 32.1 minutes in 72 games with Denver and New York during the 2010-11 season. He was traded to the Knicks on February 22, 2011 and was later claimed by the Clippers off of waivers on December 12, 2011.

The 15-year veteran point guard was an NBA All-Star in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2005-06 and the All-NBA Third Team in 2006-07 and 2008-09. Billups helped lead the Detroit Pistons to the 2003-04 NBA Championship and was selected the 2004 NBA Finals MVP for his stellar play in the series.

Originally drafted by the Boston Celtics with the third overall pick of the 1997 NBA Draft after a standout career at the University of Colorado, Billups has appeared in 1,002 career NBA games for Boston, Toronto, Denver, Minnesota, Detroit, New York and the Clippers, averaging 15.5 points, 5.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.

The 6-foot-3, 210 pound Colorado native was also a member of the gold medal winning USA Team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship.

Trail Blazers sign forward J.J. Hickson

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward J.J. Hickson, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey. We’ll post contract details here later today.

The Trail Blazers signed Hickson, 23, on March 21 for the remainder of last season after he was waived by Sacramento on March 19. He appeared in each of Portland’s final 19 games in 2011-12, including 10 starts.

“J.J. played very well for Portland late last year and we’re pleased to be able to bring him back for another season,” said Olshey. “He’s a very special athlete that will offer some depth on the front line and we expect him to pick up where he left off in April.”

Last season with Portland, Hickson averaged 15.1 points (54.3% FG), 8.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.95 blocks in 31.6 minutes per game. He led the Trail Blazers in rebounding and field goal percentage, while ranking third in scoring during his time in Portland. Hickson’s six double-doubles in the month of April tied for sixth in the NBA.

In four NBA seasons with Cleveland, Sacramento and Portland, Hickson has compiled averages of 9.0 points (49.0% FG), 5.8 rebounds and 21.3 minutes in 277 games (158 starts). He was originally selected by the Cavaliers with the 19th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Pacers re-sign Roy Hibbert, George Hill

The Indiana Pacers announced Friday they have re-signed free agents Roy Hibbert and George Hill. We’ll post contract details here later today.

“Re-signing Roy and George shows a commitment from Herb Simon to our franchise, our team and our fans that we fully intend to keep this team moving forward in the NBA,” said Donnie Walsh, Pacers President of Basketball Operations. “Both of these players were very important to our success last season and to have them locked up for the coming seasons is a great foundation to build off of.”

Hibbert, a 2012 NBA All-Star, is coming off his best season with the Pacers, averaging 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. He finished the season ranked fifth in the NBA in blocks per game. Originally drafted by the Toronto Raptors in the 2008 NBA Draft (17th overall pick), he was traded to the Pacers on July 9, 2008 and has spent all four of his seasons in the NBA with the Pacers. He has career averages of 11.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

“I’m happy to be back and I have unfinished business here,” said Hibbert. “I can’t wait for the season to begin.”

“As Donnie and I went through this process, it really wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ we would keep Roy and George. We had to keep them,” said Pacers General Manager Kevin Pritchard. “When you look at how this team, with the emphasis on team, is constructed, so many parts fit very well. These are two parts who are still young, who are going to get better and who are going to make our team better. Roy and George are also excellent representatives of the franchise and excellent representatives of the community. They are quality players and quality people.”

Hill, a native of Indianapolis, played both high school and college basketball locally at Broad Ripple High School and IUPUI. He was drafted by San Antonio as the 24th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and spent the first three seasons with the Spurs before returning home to play for the Pacers as part of a draft night trade on June 24, 2011. The 6-2, 180-pound guard has career averages of 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

“I’m happy to be staying home with family, friends and my AAU program,” said Hill. “The main thing was to keep this team together and keep moving forward. It was always a dream to be with the Pacers and now that it’s reality for a longer period of time, it’s great.”

Sixers re-sign center Spencer Hawes

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have re-signed center Spencer Hawes. According to multiple reports, the deal is for two years, $13.1 million.

Hawes (7-1, 245) was originally acquired by Philadelphia along with Andres Nocioni from Sacramento in exchange for Samuel Dalembert on June 17, 2010. In 118 games with 110 starts for the Sixers, Hawes has averaged 8.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.01 blocks in 22.4 minutes per game while shooting 47.4% from the floor.

Last season, the Sixers were 22-15 in games that Hawes played compared to a 13-16 mark in games that he missed. The fifth-year veteran recorded eight double-doubles in 37 games played last season after having just seven in 81 games played in 2010-11.

Sixers will sign Kwame Brown

The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to a $6 million, two-year contract with former No. 1 overall draft pick Kwame Brown.

Agent Mark Bartelstein announced the move Friday.

Brown will be reunited with Sixers coach Doug Collins. Collins was Brown’s first coach in Washington in 2001. Brown has averaged 6.8 points and 5.6 rebounds over an 11-year career.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Nuggets offer $50 million contract to JaVale McGee

The Nuggets continue to pursue restricted free-agent center JaVale McGee, who has a five-year, $50 million offer on the table, a source said. But McGee’s representatives don’t appear to be in a hurry to get a deal done and will continue to negotiate.

The Nuggets can match any offer another NBA team would make to McGee, 24.

In the 20 regular-season games he played for the Nuggets last season, the 7-footer averaged 10.3 points and 5.8 rebounds and made five starts.

— Reported by Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post

Pacers sign guard D.J. Augustin

The Indiana Pacers announced Friday they have signed free agent guard D.J. Augustin to a contract. Per club policy terms of the contract were not released.

“D.J. is an excellent pick-up for this team,” said Pacers General Manager Kevin Pritchard. “He’s an amazing kid that will fit well here with the Pacers’ family. His experience will be valuable as we move our franchise forward. Our priority is to keep our own players and then to fill in the holes that exist. D.J. helps us accomplish that.”

The 6-0, 180-pound Augustin joins the Pacers after spending the first four seasons of his NBA career with the Charlotte Bobcats. Drafted as the ninth overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Bobcats, he has career averages of 10.9 points and 4.4 assists per game. As a rookie, he was named to the 2008-09 All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 11.8 points, 3.5 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 72 games played.

“I’m very excited,” said Augustin. “It’s a great organization basketball-wise, they made the playoffs last year and to be part of a winning organization feels great.”

Grizzlies sign guard Jerryd Bayless

The Memphis Grizzlies signed guard Jerryd Bayless to a multi-year contract, Grizzlies General Manger and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are pleased to add Jerryd Bayless to our team,” Wallace said. “He is a rapidly-improving young player who is coming off his best season in the NBA. Jerryd will address two areas of need: three-point shooting and backup point guard play. He is a very hard-working player whose best days as a professional are ahead of him.”

Bayless (6-3, 200) established new career highs in scoring (11.4 points), assists (3.8), steals (0.77) and minutes (22.7) in 31 games (11 starts) last season with the Toronto Raptors. The 23-year-old also set personal bests for field goal percentage (.424), three-point field goal percentage (.423) and free throw percentage (.852).

In 11 games as a starter, Bayless posted 17.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists on .450 shooting (.429 three-point shooting) in 34.6 minutes. Those averages surged to 21.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists on .543 shooting (.571 three-point shooting) in 37.5 minutes during a five-game run as a starter from March 11-17, 2012. Bayless recorded 28 points, six rebounds and nine assists in an overtime victory over Memphis on March 16, 2012 at FedExForum.

The Phoenix, Ariz. native owns NBA career averages of 8.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists on .412 shooting in 229 games (36 starts) over four seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Hornets and Toronto Raptors. After becoming the first freshman since Sean Elliot (1985-86) to lead the University of Arizona in scoring, Bayless was selected by the Indiana Pacers in the first round (No. 11 overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft before his rights were traded to Portland on draft night.