Nets trade Yi Jianlian to Wizards for Quinton Ross

Nets trade Yi Jianlian to Wizards for Quinton Ross

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired forward Yi Jianlian and cash considerations from the New Jersey Nets in exchange for guard/forward Quinton Ross.

“This trade is a good opportunity to add a skilled seven-footer with significant NBA experience who was the sixth overall pick in the draft just three years ago,” said Grunfeld.  “Yi fits in very well with our ongoing plan of building towards the future with a core of young, talented players.”

Yi averaged career highs of 12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 52 games (51 starts) last season with New Jersey.  The seven-foot native of China holds career averages of 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in 179 games (152 starts) in three seasons with Milwaukee and New Jersey.

Originally selected by the Bucks with the sixth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Yi was traded to New Jersey along with Bobby Simmons in exchange for Richard Jefferson prior to the 2008-09 season.  He averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds as a rookie and was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December.  Yi followed his rookie campaign by averaging 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds with the Nets in 2008-09.  Prior to entering the draft, he led Guangdong to the Chinese Basketball Association title and competed for the Chinese National Team in the 2008 and 2004 Olympics.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Yi didn’t do much in New Jersey aside from frustrating teammate Brook Lopez by making various defensive mistakes. But he’s still a young player who can score and move around decently on offense. His passing, physical strength and defense is still a work in progress.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Heat waive James Jones

Heat waive James Jones

The Miami Heat announced today that they have requested waivers on forward James Jones, a 6’8”, 220-pound forward, was signed by the Heat as a free agent on July 9, 2008.

He appeared in 76 regular season games (seven starts) during his two-year stint with Miami, averaging 4.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 14.9 minutes while shooting 36.6 percent from the floor, 37.6 percent from three- point range and 83.1 percent from the foul line.

Additionally, he appeared in eight postseason contests (seven starts) with the Heat and averaged 8.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 30.5 minutes while shooting 51.5 percent from the field, 47.8 percent from three-point range and 92.3 percent from the foul line.

During the 2009-10 season, he appeared in 36 regular season games (six starts) and averaged 4.1 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 14.0 minutes while connecting on 36.1 percent of his field goal attempts, 41.1 percent of his three-point attempts and 82.1 percent of his free throw attempts. In his lone 2010 postseason appearance he had two points in nine minutes of action.

The seven-year NBA veteran, and University of Miami graduate, was originally drafted in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers with the 49th overall pick. He has appeared in 366 career games (65 starts) and has averaged 6.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 18.9 minutes while shooting 39.8 percent from the floor, 39.5 percent from three-point range and 86.1 percent from the foul line.

Dwyane Wade gives Heat a wish-list of free agent targets

Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports:

Dwyane Wade gives Heat a wish-list of free agent targets

Dwyane Wade has given the Miami Heat his “wish list” of potential targets he wants team president Pat Riley to pursue when free agency opens at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

Landing the services of LeBron James and either Amare Stoudemire or Chris Bosh in Miami would be the beginning of the kind of championship makeover Wade seeks this summer.

Wade stopped short of offering names of the marquee players he discussed with Riley in recent weeks. But the Heat’s star guard repeatedly mentioned James and Bosh when he talked about players who instantly could push a team to title contention.

Talk of James and Bosh coming to Miami intensified Monday amid national speculation the two were leaning toward joining Wade, with each taking slightly less money than the maximum they could command.

Cavs like Brian Shaw, Byron Scott

Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal reports:

While the Cavaliers await a decision on LeBron James’ future, their coaching search appears to be nearing the final stages.

Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw arrived in town Monday and will continue meetings with owner Dan Gilbert and General Manager Chris Grant today, the team confirmed. The Cavs would like to make a decision on their next coach today, according to a source with knowledge of their plans, although a ”decision” does not necessarily mean a contract offer today.

By the conclusion of the interviews with Shaw, however, the team will probably choose between him and Byron Scott.

Shaw, who is represented by CAA Sports, the same firm that represents James, is the second known candidate, after Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, to be brought to Cleveland for an interview. Team executives met with Scott in Michigan on Father’s Day, according to his agent, Brian McInerney, but no offer was made.

Marbury hopes Nets gets LeBron

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports:

Stephon Marbury said he is rooting for LeBron James to sign with the Nets to rescuscitate Newark and, eventually, his home borough, Brooklyn.

“LJ 23 should go to the Nets so that Newark would be able to grow and build businesses for the people there,” Marbury wrote in an e-mail to The Post. “After he builds the economy in Newark he can come to my borough and create a brand new life for people struggling to make it in this tough economy.”

Brandon Jennings discusses Corey Maggette

Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:

It didn’t escape Brandon Jennings’ notice that the Bucks also obtained veteran small forward Corey Maggette in a trade with Golden State, with center Dan Gadzuric and guard Charlie Bell going to the Warriors.

“He’s a guy who can get to the line,” Jennings said of the 30-year-old Maggette, who will be entering his 12th pro season. “That’s what we missed last year. He can get you 20 or more (points per game), so I’m excited.”

Maggette was part of a high-octane Warriors offense that featured shooting guard Monta Ellis and rookie point guard Stephen Curry.

“He runs the floor,” Jennings said of the 6-6 Maggette. “Even though he demands the ball a lot, that’s all right, though. We’re going to need somebody who can take over at the end of the game.”

Free-agent negotiations begin Thursday, and Jennings said he hopes guard John Salmons will choose to return to the Bucks.

Jazz make qualifying offers to Kyrylo Fesenko, Wesley Matthews

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has tendered qualifying offers to center Kyrylo Fesenko and guard Wesley Matthews.  Per team policy, financial terms were not released.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer by June 30.  A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.

A three-year NBA veteran, Fesenko (7-1, 300, Ukraine) appeared in 49 games (five starts) for the Jazz in 2009-10, averaging 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.3 minutes.  He also appeared in all 10 Jazz playoff games (nine starts), averaging 3.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.50 blocks in 18.0 minutes.  Fesenko scored in double figures three times on the season, and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in Game 4 of the Conference Semifinals vs. the L.A. Lakers.  Originally selected by Philadelphia in the second round (38th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Jazz acquired Fesenko’s rights in a draft night deal that sent the draft rights to Herbert Hill (55th overall pick) to the 76ers. Fesenko has appeared in a total of 79 regular season games (all with the Jazz) and owns career averages of 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.0 minutes per game.

Matthews (6-5, 220, Marquette) appeared in all 82 games (48 starts) for the Jazz as a rookie in 2009-10, averaging 9.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.7 minutes.  He also started all 10 Jazz playoff games, where he averaged 13.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.80 steals in 37.1 minutes.  Matthews became just the ninth rookie in Jazz history to appear in all 82 games, and his 48 starts marked the most by a Jazz rookie since Jarron Collins (68) in 2001-02.  Matthews scored in double figures 40 times, scoring 20+ points on three occasions, and started the team’s final 28 games of the regular season.  He finished the season ranked in the Top 10 in scoring, minutes and free throw percentage among NBA rookies.  Matthews was not selected in the 2009 NBA Draft and appeared with the Jazz in the team’s summer league entry in the 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League before making the team as an undrafted rookie free agent in training camp.

Brian Shaw visits Cavaliers to discuss head coaching job

The AP reports:

Los Angeles Lakers assistant Brian Shaw is meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers about their coaching vacancy.

Shaw arrived in Cleveland on Monday to visit with owner Dan Gilbert and front-office members, the Cavs said. It is not yet known if the club has offered him the job.

The 43-year-old Shaw has spent five seasons on Phil Jackson’s staff in Los Angeles. A 14-year NBA veteran, Shaw is also considered a candidate to replace Jackson if the 11-time champion retires. Jackson is expected to announce his plans later this week.

The Cavaliers have been looking for a coach since firing Mike Brown after their second-round playoff loss to Boston. The team was previously turned down by Tom Izzo, who rejected a reported $30 million offer to stay at Michigan State.

Joseph Ondrejko named Philadelphia 76ers new Vice President of Ticket Sales

Joseph Ondrejko, an experienced veteran of selling tickets to professional sporting events and teams, was today named the Philadelphia 76ers new Vice President of Ticket Sales.

“Joe brings a tremendous amount of sales experience to the Sixers,” said Sixers Senior Vice President of Business Operations Lara Price. “As we begin a new era in Sixers basketball with the second overall pick Evan Turner and Head Coach Doug Collins, we’ll rely heavily on Joe to create and implement new and exciting opportunities for our fans to enjoy Sixers basketball.

“He has done incredible jobs with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Tampa Bay Lightning and we’re looking for similar results here in Philadelphia,” added Price.

Ondrejko joins the Sixers from the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League, where he was responsible for significant increases in new season ticket sales and renewal percentages for the team, while also increasing revenue growth via inside sales, group sales and mini-game plans. He started with the Blue Jackets as Director of Group Ticket Sales, successfully restructuring the department which led to an increase in group sales during his first and only year in that position.

Prior to joining Columbus, Ondrejko spent five years with the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) of Palace Sports and Entertainment becoming the team’s Corporate Partnerships Manager, where he was responsible for developing new revenue streams, all arena signage, in-game promotions, and Lightning Network Broadcast advertising.

He began his tenure with the Lightning as a Corporate Account Manager, before being promoted to Senior Suite Sales Manager, during which time he was charged with developing and leading suite sales campaigns as well as maintaining, adding and renewing suite business on a yearly basis.

Rockets launch free agency fan caravan

The Houston Rockets today held a send off for the 2010 Rockets Free Agency Caravan. Held on the pad in front of Toyota Center, the first-of-its-kind event featured three Rockets-Red Tundras full of Red Rowdies departing on a mission to rendezvous with Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey for the start of the official NBA free agency period that begins on July 1. Nearly 200 Rockets employees joined Morey in sending off the Caravan, which is expected to meet him in the eventual destination city and deliver him to his initial meeting with one of Houston’s primary free agent targets.

“We have such great fans in Houston, and we wanted to bring that passion and energy to our initial free agent meeting,” said Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey. “We are always looking for ways to engage our fans. The inspiration for this Caravan came directly from their creative spirit.”

The 2010 Rockets Free Agency Caravan was inspired by one of the thousands of ideas submitted from fans via e-mail to the team. Morey asked Rockets fans to submit their suggestions for free agency recruitment to ideas@rocketball.com in a quest to find unique recruiting tactics.

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports:

When Rockets general manager Daryl Morey begins pursuing free agents this week, he will not be alone.

A band of roughly a dozen Rockets fans will be traveling the country in a week-long expedition with the hopes they will be in a city when Morey arrives to meet with a free agent target.

Hoping to bring attention to the Rockets’ free agency goals, the group left Monday morning from Toyota Center, but initially can only guess where to go. When the free agency period officially begins, at 11 p.m. CDT Wednesday, Morey can tweet or text members of the group so they can travel to the city in which he talks to a player.