Bucks sign Jerry Stackhouse

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed guard/forward Jerry Stackhouse to a contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Stackhouse, 35, is a 14-year NBA veteran who has appeared in 854 games (563 starts) with Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington and Dallas.

Stackhouse (6-6, 218) was the third overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1995 NBA Draft. He owns career averages of 18.4 points, 3.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 assist. His best statistical season came in 2000-01 when he averaged a career-best 29.8 points (second in the NBA), 5.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals. He has spent the last five seasons with the Dallas Mavericks.

The North Carolina alum has participated in the postseason seven times with 64 games (16 starts) in games played with Detroit and Dallas. Stackhouse’s playoff averages are 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Stackhouse was an NBA All-Star in both 2000 and 2001, was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1995-96 and earned the NBA’s Community Assist Award in October 2001. He ranks in the top 100 in NBA history in points (15,749, 90th), free throws (4,548, 41st) and three pointers (899, 78th). Stackhouse played two seasons at North Carolina, averaging 15.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 69 games. Like Bucks guard Brandon Jennings, he attended Oak Hill Academy high school.

Eddy Curry out six weeks after knee surgery

Eddy Curry out six weeks after knee surgery

New York Knicks center Eddy Curry is very big. Not as big as he was before, but the man is a giant. Despite being thinner now than he was a few months ago, each step he takes makes his knees cry.

And now, once again, he’s actually injured.

The AP reports:

Eddy Curry is expected to miss about six weeks after knee surgery, the latest setback for the injury-plagued Knicks center.

The Knicks said Curry will have an arthroscopic procedure on Monday to remove loose cartilage in his left knee. He will begin rehabilitation within a week.

Curry has only played seven games in 2009-10, averaging 3.7 points and little else in 8.9 minutes per outing.

Stephon Marbury may play basketball in China

Stephon Marbury to play basketball in China

Remember former NBA guard Stephon Marbury? Before he started doing wacky stuff on the internet and arguing with “haters” for seemingly 17 hours a day while reminding web users that “love is love” nearly every minute, he was a very good NBA player.

Not quite as good as his stats suggest. There were issues of bad chemistry, bad attitudes and not making teammates better. Still, Marbury was talented, exciting to watch, and occasionally spectacular and unguardable.

Before falling out of the NBA after years on the New York Knicks and a quick stint on the Boston Celtics, Marbury had made several mentions of wanting to play overseas; specifically Italy.

I’ve learned over the years that tons of overseas reports tend to jump the gun. And there are often language barriers and translation issues. So right now there are two reports. One seems to suggest Marbury will sign. The other says he may do it, but nothing is done.

Until it’s confirmed (hopefully by Marbury himself) that he’s really signing in China, these should just be considered reports on what may happen.

Reuters reports:

Twice NBA All Star point guard Stephon Marbury will become the highest profile American to play in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) after he agreed to join China’s Shanxi Club.

The 32-year-old, a free agent since leaving the Boston Celtics last season, had agreed a deal with the northern club and would arrive in Shanxi next week, the team announced on their official website (www.sxcba.com).

“The aim of signing Marbury is to pay back our fans and try to win more games in the rest of the season,” said Shanxi boss Wang Xingjiang.

AFP reports:

After bringing in NBA bad boy Bonzi Wells last season, Shanxi Zhongyu of the China Basketball Association are seeking to land former disgruntled New York Knick Stephon Marbury, the team said Monday.

“Marbury will come next week. We want to sign him and we want him to play for us,” club general manager Zhang Beihai told AFP by phone.

“When he arrives we will sit down and talk. Right now it is not clear if he wants to sign. After we talk we will make a decision.”

Assuming he’s kept in shape, Marbury should be able to destroy the competition. Which would be fun to keep track of.

InsideHoops.com will keep you updated.

Chris Wilcox stepping up for Pistons

Detroit Pistons big-man Chris Wilcox has mostly been a forgotten man this season, contributing about as much to the team as you. Which isn’t a lot. Unless you buy Pistons tickets, or gear, or something. Then it’s probably a tie.

Anyway, the 14-25 Pistons have been terrible this season, though constant injuries to key players is a very legitimate excuse. But they’ve rattled off several wins in a row, and Wilcox has helped.

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports:

Chris Wilcox stepping up for Pistons

After Wilcox, an eight-year veteran power forward, was benched for 13 of the first 26 games, it looked as if he wouldn’t have an impact on this season.

But Wilcox has helped the Pistons to a 3-1 record since coach John Kuester put him in the starting lineup.

And with a 14-point, 10-rebound effort in Saturday night’s victory over the Knicks, Wilcox proved that his athleticism and shooting touch could be a boon to the Pistons the rest of the season.

“I thought in the third period he did some great things,” Kuester said. “Playing the amount of minutes (16) and him giving us that kind of energy … that’s awfully impressive.”

For the season, Wilcox is averaging 4.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game. His stats are barely better than that in the three recent wins, but he’s hustled and helped the squad.

Elton Brand starting to come alive for Sixers

The Philadelphia 76ers are just 13-26 this season, but they’ve actually looked like an NBA team lately. A big reason why has been the emergency of power forward Elton Brand, who is starting to finally come alive.

Tom Moore of Philly Burbs reports:

Elton Brand starting to come alive for Sixers

After injuries limited him to 37 games during the previous two seasons, Elton Brand is finally starting to feel more like the Elton Brand who averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds in his first 10 NBA seasons. And it’s showing on the court.

In the Sixers’ last nine games, he’s shooting 58-for-108 (53.7 percent) from the field. The Sixers are 6-3 during that span, with Brand averaging 18.7 points and shooting 59.2 percent in the victories.

Brand had 25 points on 11-for-16 shooting in a Dec. 28 victory over the Trail Blazers, another 25 in a Jan. 9 drubbing of the Pistons and 18 in Monday’s 96-92 win over the Hornets.

Up next for the Sixers is a road game in Minnesota and tough home games vs Portland and Dallas.

Bucks to sign Jerry Stackhouse

Jerry Stackhouse is 35 years old and hasn’t brought much to an NBA court over the last few seasons, but he’ll reportedly get a shot at helping the Milwaukee Bucks, who will be without Michael Redd for the rest of the season.

ESPN.com reports:

Bucks to sign Jerry Stackhouse

The Milwaukee Bucks will sign veteran guard Jerry Stackhouse to a contract for the rest of the season, according to NBA front-office sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that Stackhouse is expected to formally sign with the Bucks on Monday or possibly Tuesday after the Martin Luther King holiday.

The former All-Star guard has been looking for a new team since the summer and was targeted by the Bucks — who began play Sunday two games out of the final playoff spot in the East — after Michael Redd suffered a season-ending knee injury last Sunday in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

Stack averaged 12.0 points per game for the Dallas Mavericks in 2006-07, 10.7 ppg on 40.5% shooting (and just 32.6% threes) in 2007-08, and last season played just 10 games for just 4.2 ppg on 26.7% shooting.

Warriors sign Anthony Tolliver to 10-day contract

Warriors sign Anthony Tolliver to 10-day contract

The Golden State Warriors have signed forward Anthony Tolliver to a 10-day contract, the team announced today.

Tolliver, 24, is a call-up from the NBA Development League’s Idaho Stampede, where he has appeared in 14 games this season, averaging 21.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.29 steals and 1.21 blocks in 35.0 minutes per contest.  Amongst D-League statistical leaders, he currently ranks eighth in scoring and third in rebounding.  A 6-9, 240-pound forward, Tolliver was called-up earlier this season by the Portland Trail Blazers on December 17 and appeared briefly in two games before being waived on December 29.

Last season, Tolliver split time between the D-League and the San Antonio Spurs, for whom he played 19 games and averaged 2.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per contest.  A graduate of Creighton University, Tolliver went undrafted in the 2007 NBA Draft and began his professional career in 2007-08 with the D-League’s Iowa Energy.

Golden State’s roster now stands at 17 players. The Warriors are able to add Tolliver to the roster under the NBA’s hardship rules, which allow a team the ability to sign an additional player if that team already has 15 players on its Active and Inactive Lists and has four-or-more players unable to perform playing services due to injury or illness for an extended period of time.  Golden State currently has two additional players on its roster under the NBA’s hardship rules, as the team has no fewer than five players out with injury for an extended period.

Tolliver will wear uniform #44.

Bulls improving with lineup changes, Tyrus Thomas return

Sam Smith of Bulls.com reports:

Slowly, though perhaps steadily, the Bulls are turning into a team. That’s 8-3 now since they moved Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson into the starting lineup, since Tyrus Thomas returned from injury, the team’s second four-game winning streak in that span with Friday’s 121-119 double overtime victory over the Washington Wizards thanks to Derrick Rose’s game winning 10 footer in the lane with 5.4 seconds left.

Not long ago a team that routinely was collapsing down the stretch, unable to find enough points and big game players, uncertain and uneven, the Bulls go into their final Western Conference trip of the season averaging 108 per game the last six games and with Rose officially a closer as he finished off Friday with a career high 37 points.

“Usually we were always a team that let it slip toward the end if we were in a close game,” said Rose, who rimmed out a potential game winner at the end of regulation. “It shows how much we’re improving and we’ll get better. These are the type of games you dream about when you are younger. I’m playing in my hometown, so everybody is standing up cheering. I’ve got the ball in my hand and everybody is looking at you and seeing what you are going to do. You hit the shot. It’s crazy. I really couldn’t believe it. I don’t show no emotion anyway, but I was happy. I think I missed like 20 something of these to lose games, too. To hit this one told me I’ve come a long way.”

Stan Van Gundy talks with frustrated Rashard Lewis

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports:

Stan Van Gundy talks with frustrated Rashard Lewis

Coach  Stan Van Gundy said he met with PF  Rashard Lewis on Thursday “for quite a while” to discuss his frustration — and the team’s.

Lewis said after Wednesday night’s game loss to the Denver Nuggets that he wasn’t getting quite enough shots.

Does he have a point?

“Yes and no. We need to find more shots for our keys guys, but part of it is the defense is keying on those guys, especially on Rashard,” Van Gundy said. “Part of it his energy and aggressiveness. I talked to him quite a while (Thursday).

“I think he’s frustrated. That’s a bit of the problem. There’s sort of a frustration running through our team. Rashard had made a comment that sometimes it feels like we’re a last-place team. That sort of sums up a little bit of where our guys are right now.”

Shawne Williams indicted, arrested on drug charges

Hank Dudding of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports:

Shawne Williams indicted, arrested on drug charges

Former Memphis Tigers basketball player Shawne Williams, who was waived by the NBA’s New Jersey Nets today, was indicted by a Shelby County Grand Jury on Tuesday on eight drug charges.

According to the Shelby County District Attorney’s office, Williams was indicted on four counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture/deliver/sell, and four counts of conspiracy to manufacture/deliver/sell a controlled substance, a codeine-based syrup. Both are considered Class E felonies and carry standard sentences of 1-2 years, if convicted.

Williams turned himself into authorities and was booked today into the Shelby County Jail. His bond has been set at $16,000. He is one of 24 defendants indicted following the Memphis Police Department’s “Operation: Lockdown” investigation.