Chris Jent leaves Cleveland Cavaliers staff to work for Ohio State

Chris Jent is returning to his alma mater as an assistant men’s basketball coach, Thad Matta, head coach of the Buckeyes, announced Wednesday. Jent fills the spot previously held by Brandon Miller, who recently resigned to spend more time with his family.

Jent left the Cleveland Cavaliers where he was most recently an assistant coach after first joining the organization as the director of player development in November of 2006. He was promoted to assistant coach in 2009.

As a member of the Cavaliers coaching staff, Jent was instrumental in the Cavaliers success. In 2008-09, the Cavaliers notched a franchise and NBA-best 66 wins as Cleveland finished the regular season as the league’s best defensive team, allowing an NBA-low 91.4 points per game.

The team also continued its postseason success, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009, becoming the only team in the NBA to reach at least the Eastern Conference Semifinals from 2005-09. In the 2007 postseason, Cleveland reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history as they topped the Washington Wizards, New Jersey Nets and Detroit Pistons to claim the team’s first Eastern Conference Championship.

Previously, Jent was an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic during the 2004-05 season before being named Orlando’s interim head coach for the final 18 games of the season. Prior to his one year stint with the Magic, he spent the 2003-04 season with the Philadelphia 76ers as assistant coach/player development.

He spent 10 seasons playing professionally, including two years in the NBA. He was a member of the 1994 NBA Champion Houston Rockets and also played for the New York Knicks during the 1996-97 season. Jent played five seasons in the CBA and also spent time playing overseas in Australia, Italy, Spain and Greece.

Jent, a native of Sparta, N.J., graduated from Ohio State with a degree in communication in 2006 after spending the 2005-06 season with the Buckeyes as a volunteer assistant. He played four seasons (1988-92) at Ohio State and helped lead the Buckeyes to three-consecutive NCAA tournaments and back-to-back Big Ten championships. He played in 123 games and scored 1,007 career points, which included 112 made 3-point field goals. His career 3-point shooting percentage (.382/112-293) ranks No. 8 all-time in Ohio State history.

Golden State Warriors exercise options on Stephen Curry and Ekpe Udoh

stephen curry

The Golden State Warriors announced today that the team has exercised the fourth-year contract option on guard Stephen Curry and the third-year contract option on forward Ekpe Udoh, which are both for the 2012-13 NBA season.

Curry, 23, appeared in 74 games last season, averaging 18.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.47 steals in 33.6 minutes per contest, while leading the NBA in free throw percentage (.934) and ranking third in three-point percentage (.442). Overall in two NBA seasons, the 6’3” guard has appeared in 154 games, averaging 18.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.69 steals in 35.0 minutes per contest.

Udoh, 24, appeared in 58 games last season, averaging 4.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.48 blocks in 17.8 minutes per contest during his rookie campaign. The 6’10” forward started 18 games on the season, averaging 5.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.28 blocks in 25.5 minutes in those assignments.

Under the terms of the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft pick’s contract are guaranteed, while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option. Curry was selected by the Warriors with the seventh overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft, while Udoh was selected by Golden State with the sixth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Obviously it was an easy call to keep Steph Curry around. As for Udoh, he’s shown very good rebounding and shot-blocking ability in limited minutes, so the Warriors want to keep checking him out to see if he’s worth having long-term interest in.

Cleveland Cavaliers exercise option on Christian Eyenga

The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised the third-year contract option on guard/forward Christian Eyenga, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today.

Eyenga’s extension keeps him under contract with the Cavaliers through the 2012-13 season.  In 44 games played as a rookie during the 2010-2011 season, he averaged 6.9 points on .425 shooting and 2.8 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game. In 18 games as a starter, Eyenga posted averages of 8.0 points on .405 shooting, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.0 block in 26.3 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-7 guard/forward was selected with the 30th overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft by Cleveland. The 22-year old played in 29 games for DKV Joventut Badalona (Spain), where he averaged 3.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.0 minutes per game during the 2009-10 season.

NBA suspends Charlie Bell, Jarrett Jack one game each

Charlie Bell of the Golden State Warriors and Jarrett Jack of the New Orleans Hornets have each been suspended without pay for one game for separate violations of the law, the NBA announced today.

Bell has been suspended for pleading no contest to reckless driving, in violation of the law of the State of California.  Jack has been suspended for pleading nolo contendre to reckless driving, in violation of the law of the State of Georgia.

Both Bell and Jack will each be suspended for their team’s first game of the 2011-12 NBA regular season for which they are eligible and physically able to play.

Chicago Bulls exercise option on Taj Gibson

taj gibson

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has exercised its fourth-year option for the 2012-13 season for forward Taj Gibson.

In two seasons with Chicago, Gibson (6-9, 225) has appeared in 162 games (89 starts) and averaged 8.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, and 1.30 bpg in 24.4 mpg; he has shot .485 from the field and .659 from the line.  The Bulls selected Gibson in the first round (26th overall) in the 2009 NBA Draft.

InsideHoops.com editor says: This was an easy call for the Bulls. Gibson is a very solid backup forward who is capable of starting for stretches.

OKC Thunder sign Nazr Mohammed to contract extension

nazr mohammed

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed center Nazr Mohammed to a contract extension, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. We’ll post contract details here later on Wednesday.

“We are pleased to be able to keep Nazr in the Thunder family,” said Presti. “He is a valuable part of our organization both on and off the floor. His professionalism, experience, and on-court play have had a positive impact on our young and evolving roster.”

Mohammed (6-10, 250) owns career averages of 6.9 points, 5.4 rebounds in 17.9 minutes in 771 career NBA games. He appeared in 24 games (seven starts) for the Thunder after being acquired from the Bobcats on February 24th. Mohammed averaged 6.9 points and 4.8 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game with Oklahoma City.

Originally selected in the first round (29th overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz, Mohammed has appeared in 58 NBA Playoff games during his 13-year career. Mohammed’s career has been highlighted by winning two NCAA Championships (University of Kentucky 1996 and 1998) and an NBA Championship (San Antonio Spurs, 2005).

Timberwolves exercise options on Wayne Ellington, Lazar Hayward, Wes Johnson

Wayne Ellington

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that the team has exercised the fourth-year option on guard Wayne Ellington, and the third-year options for forwards Lazar Hayward and Wes Johnson.

Ellington, the 28th overall pick by Minnesota in the 2009 draft, has appeared in 138 games over two seasons in Minnesota, averaging 6.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Ellington shot 39.5 percent from behind the arc in 2009-10, the best mark by a rookie in Wolves history.

Hayward, the 30th overall pick by Minnesota in last year’s draft, averaged 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 42 games during his rookie season. He tallied a season-high 16 points on Mar. 2 at Detroit, and added 14 points at Indiana on Feb. 11.

Johnson averaged 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 79 appearances during his rookie season. The 4th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Johnson earned All-Rookie Second Team honors and was named to the rookie team for the Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, where he tallied 25 points. Johnson’s 103 three-pointers made last season were the most ever by a Wolves rookie.

Sacramento Kings season ticket sales are surging

Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee reports:

The Sacramento Kings’ season ticket sales have already surpassed last year’s total, team officials said this week, thanks to NBA marketing assistance and a newfound ardor among fans after the team nearly left town this spring.

But that bonanza could slow, starting Friday.

The NBA’s collective bargaining agreement expires at midnight Thursday. If the league and players don’t come to a new agreement by then, a lockout may ensue, and with it the possibility that the upcoming season will be shortened or canceled entirely.

That untimely drama creates new questions about the team’s future in Sacramento. Can the team owners, who have struggled financially, handle months of lost momentum as they try to rebuild fan and corporate support in Sacramento?

Antoine Walker pleads guilty to casino debts

The AP reports:

antoine walker

Former NBA star Antoine Walker has pleaded guilty to passing bad checks in the form of unpaid gambling debts in Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Sun reports the former all-star shooter who now plays for the NBA Development League’s Idaho Stampede will be put on probation and work toward paying off $750,000.

InsideHoops.com editor says: In case you were wondering, no, he did not fire any off-balance, deep three-pointers at any point during the legal proceeding.

Memphis Grizzlies extend qualifying offer to Hamed Haddadi

Hamed Haddadi

The Memphis Grizzlies extended a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Hamed Haddadi, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Haddadi, a 7-2, 265-pound center, completed his third NBA season with averages of 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds on a career-high .517 shooting in 5.4 minutes in 31 games. The 26-year-old appeared in nine postseason games, posting 1.2 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.56 blocks in 3.4 minutes.

The first Iranian-born player in NBA history, Haddadi owns career averages of 2.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.45 blocks on .457 shooting in 86 games, all with the Grizzlies. Memphis signed Haddadi as a free agent on Aug. 28, 2008.

Extending a qualifying offer prior to the June 30 deadline gives Memphis the ability to match any offer sheet a player signs with another team during the offseason.