J.R. (Isaiah) Rider arrested

The AP reports:

Former NBA player Isaiah Rider has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting his fiance and reneging on a $150 cab fare.

Police say the 39-year-old Rider was taken into custody Thursday after an officer spotted him driving erratically in a vehicle with three small children inside.

Neighbors reported seeing Rider argue with his fiance outside their Mesa home Sunday and have a tug-of-war over her purse. Police say Rider then took a cab ride to Phoenix and ran away instead of paying the driver.

Celtics waive Marcus Landry

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have requested waivers on forward Marcus Landry.

Landry, a 6’7 forward, was acquired by the Celtics along with guard Nate Robinson on February 18.  Landry appeared in one game for the Celtics after he was acquired from New York and played three minutes.  In 18 combined games for New York and Boston this season Landry averaged 2.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game.

Bulls waive Jerome James, sign Rob Kurz

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived center Jerome James and signed forward Rob Kurz for the remainder of the season.

James (7-1, 285), joined the Bulls on Feb. 19, 2009 in a four-player trade with the New York Knicks.  In one and a half seasons with Chicago, James did not appear in a game due to a ruptured right Achilles he suffered during the 2008-09 season.

Kurz, 25, appeared in 39 games (35 starts) for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League.  With the Mad Ants, he averaged 17.5 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.46 bpg in 37.2 mpg and shot .494 from the field, .435 from the three and .808 from the line.  The 6-9, 230 pound forward also held a stint with the Golden State Warriors during the 2008-09 campaign.  In 40 games (five starts) with the Warriors, he posted averages of 3.9 ppg and 2.0 rpg in 11.1 mpg.  In four years at the University of Notre Dame, Kurz posted career averages of 9.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 1.13 bpg in 108 games.

Kurz will wear number 31.

InsideHoops.com Says: Center Jerome James got paid many millions of dollars to sit, be fat, tumble into planes, and roll around the nation. The man is a perfectionist and lived up to full expectations of his job. Being serious, though, I strongly encourage all 30 NBA teams show respect to fans by never, ever signing this guy again.

Rockets sign Alexander Johnson, waive Hilton Armstrong

Rockets sign Alexander Johnson, waive Hilton Armstrong

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed forward Alexander Johnson for the remainder of the season and waived forward Hilton Armstrong. Johnson, who joins the Rockets from the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA D-League, marks his first Call-Up to the NBA this season.

Johnson (6-9, 240, Florida State) averaged 23.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.32 blocks in 22 games (10 starts) with Sioux Falls during the 2009-10 D-League regular season. The former Florida State standout finished the season ranked 12th in the D-League in scoring average and was tied for seventh in the league in rebounds per game. Johnson also played in five games (four starts) with the D-League’s Arkansas RimRockers in 2006-07.

Originally selected by the Indiana Pacers in the second round (45th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft, Johnson has averaged 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 102 NBA games (25 starts) with the Memphis Grizzlies (2006-07) and Miami Heat (2007-08).

Armstrong (6-11, 235, Connecticut), who was acquired by Houston from Sacramento in a three-team trade on Feb. 18, averaged 1.1 points and 0.7 rebounds in nine games with the Rockets.

Johnson will wear jersey #30 with the Rockets.

Butler coach Brad Stevens signs new 12-year contract

David Woods of the Indianapolis Star reports:

Stevens, 33, who took Butler on a surprising run to the NCAA championship game, was awarded a new 12-year contract by the university Thursday.

Terms of the contract, which extends through the 2021-22 seasons, were not divulged.

It is widely speculated that Stevens’ total package is at least $1 million annually. The Board of Trustees was discussing that amount, perhaps even before Butler reached the Final Four. Stevens’ base salary two years ago was $395,000, and the total package has been estimated at $750,000.

By comparison, Purdue coach Matt Painter recently agreed to a contract worth $1.3 million a year and incentives that could add another $1 million a year. Indiana coach Tom Crean, the state’s highest-paid employee, makes $2.3 million annually.

InsideHoops.com Joke: Stevens will be 24 years old when the new 12-year deal ends in 2022.

Spurs sign Manu Ginobili to contract extension

Spurs sign Manu Ginobili to contract extension

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that guard Manu Ginobili has signed a multi-year contract extension. Per club policy terms of the contract were not announced.

According to CBS Sports, “Ginobili, 32, will make $11.8 million in 2010-11, $12.9 million in ’11-12 and $14.1 million in the final year of the deal, bringing the total to more than $38,8 million, sources said.”

The 6-6 Ginobili was selected by San Antonio with the 57th pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. In his eight seasons, Ginobili has helped navigate the Spurs to three NBA Championships. He and Bill Bradley are the only two players to win a NBA Championship, an Olympic gold medal and a Euroleague Championship.

“It is quite obvious how important Manu has been to our program,” said Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich.  “It is a great feeling to know that one of the best players in the world will continue to be a Spur.”

The 32-year-old Ginobili was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2008.  That season he was also selected to the All-NBA Third Team, becoming the first South American – and first sixth man – to earn All-NBA honors.  Among active NBA players in playoff action Ginobili ranks eighth in three-pointers made (170), fifth in steals (148) and is tied for ninth in free throws made (478). An All-Star in 2005, he has also been named the NBA’s Player of the Week three times.

In 550 regular season games Ginobili has averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.51 steals in 27.8 minutes. He is the Spurs franchise leader in three-pointers made (801) and attempted (2,125) and is seventh all-time in points (8,232), eighth in assists (2,058) and fifth in steals (834). Ginobili has appeared in 107 playoff games and averaged 16.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.38 steals in 32.9 minutes. On San Antonio’s all-time playoff leaders, he ranks first in three-pointers made (170) and attempted (447) and is fourth in points (1,710), third in rebounds (510), fourth in assists (378) and second in steals (148).

A member of the Argentinean National Team since 1998, Ginobili led Argentina to the gold medal in the 2004 Olympics after averaging 19.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.38 steals in 29.9 minutes in eight games.  During the 2000-01 season he was named the MVP of both the Italian League and the Euroleague Finals as Virtus Bologna captured the title in both the Italian and Euroleague Championships.

Spurs, Ginobili set to announce extension

Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports:

Spurs, Ginobili set to announce extension

The deal that will keep guard Manu Ginobili with the Spurs for three more seasons has been completed, and the team plans to announce the contract extension on Friday.

Negotiations on final details were hammered out late Thursday afternoon and Ginobili was expected to sign the new contract, the details of which were approved by the NBA office on Thursday.

The extension will pay Ginobili $38.9 million through the 2012-13 season.

George Shinn negotiating to sell Hornets

The AP reports:

New Orleans Hornets majority owner George Shinn is negotiating to sell his stake in the NBA club to south Louisiana businessman Gary Chouest, who has owned 25 percent of the team since 2007, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person familiar with both men’s plans and the anticipated sale, told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because an agreement has not been signed.

Shinn, a 68-year-old businessman who made his fortune developing a chain of business schools in his native North Carolina, has been either the sole or majority owner of the Hornets since the club’s inception in Charlotte in 1988. The club moved to New Orleans in 2002 and three years ago Chouest paid about $62 million for his share of the team.

Andrew Bynum likely to rest until playoffs

Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register reports (via blog):

Andrew Bynum likely to rest until playoff opener

Andrew Bynum said Thursday he is leaning toward sitting out until the Lakers open the playoffs rather than risk a setback in his strained left Achilles’ tendon.

Bynum referred to coming back for the last two games of the regular season “possible,” but he later noted: “It’s like, what’s the point? Another possibility to go back a couple steps.”

Bynum was firm in his declaration that he would play in the playoff opener, likely to be April 18. If Bynum doesn’t play until then, he will have missed a month since being hurt March 19.

“I’m going to play in the first game of the playoffs,” he said.