Heat re-sign Udonis Haslem

The Miami Heat have re-signed forward Udonis Haslem.

“It’s great to have our captain back,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “We’re looking forward to having UD back for his 16th season with the HEAT.”

Haslem, a three-time NBA Champion, has played his entire 15-year NBA career with the HEAT and currently holds the second-longest streak by any active player with only one team in the league. He has appeared in 844 career regular season games (498 starts) averaging 7.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 25.4 minutes while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 75.5 percent from the foul line. The Miami native is the franchise all-time leader in offensive, defensive and total rebounds and also ranks among the HEAT’s all-time leaders in games played (2nd), starts (2nd), minutes (2nd), double-doubles (4th), field goals made (5th), field goals attempted (6th), points (7th), field goal percentage (7th), free throws made (8th), free throws attempted (8th), double-figure scoring efforts (8th), blocks (9th), steals (10th), assists (16th) and free throw percentage (18th). Additionally, he is the only undrafted player in NBA history to lead a franchise in total rebounds and has served as captain of the HEAT in each of the past 11 seasons, the longest tenure in team history.

Haslem has also seen action in 147 postseason games (84 starts) as a member of the HEAT and has averaged 5.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 21.7 minutes while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 71.3 percent from the foul line. In addition to being the HEAT’s all-time leader in offensive rebounds in postseason play he also ranks among Miami’s all-time postseason leaders in games played (2nd), total rebounds (2nd), games started (3rd), minutes (3rd), defensive rebounds (3rd), double-doubles (4th), field goals made (5th), field goals attempted (5th), free throws made (5th), steals (5th), dunks (5th), points (6th), free throws attempted (6th), double-figure scoring efforts (tied-6th), blocked shots (7th) and assists (10th).

Cavs re-sign Rodney Hood

LeBron James is gone from Cleveland, but at least Rodney Hood is back.

That’s not really the same thing. But it’s the offseason, and now is the time to type silly things.

The Cavaliers re-signed Hood today, after originally extending a qualifying offer to him way back on June 29, 2018.

Hood is a solid contributor. A good member of a supporting cast, and a player who can do more than he showed last season in Cleveland. But the Cavs are in rebuilding mode. That’s what happens when LeBron leaves a team. Kevin Love can put up points and rebounds but isn’t about to carry a squad. This is a team in transition, and it will take multiple seasons to transform.

In 21 games (11 starts) with Cleveland last season, Hood averaged 10.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game. He was acquired by the Cavaliers from the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team trade on Feb. 8, 2018. On the season in 2017-18, Hood averaged 14.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 26.9 minutes per game over 60 contests (23 starts) with Utah and Cleveland. Hood also appeared in 17 playoff games (one start) during the Cavaliers’ 2018 NBA Finals run, averaging 5.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per contest.

The 6-8 guard out of Duke was originally selected by the Jazz with the 23rd overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He owns career averages of 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27.5 minutes per game over 248 total contests (178 starts). He has appeared in the playoffs in two seasons, averaging 6.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 19.2 minutes per game over 28 postseason contests (one start) with Utah and Cleveland.

On Mavericks big-man Dwight Powell

Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on Mavs forward-center Dwight Powell, who plays solid basketball when given some minutes, but still faces an uphill battle to get increased playing time:

On Mavericks big-man Dwight Powell

The big question regarding Powell is whether or not he can continue to prosper in a reserve role. It’s unlikely that he will become a regular starter in the coming season, given the Mavericks’ makeup. He’ll be playing behind DeAndre Jordan, Harrison Barnes and Dirk Nowitzki on the front line, which puts him in competition with Salah Mejri, Maxi Kleber and Dorian Finney-Smith for playing time. What the Mavericks need is for Powell to continue to be a rebounding beast per minute played, like he was at the end of last season. If he does that, his offense will continue to come and playing time will not be a problem.

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Devin Booker undergoes hand surgery

The Suns signed young star scoring guard Devin Booker to a big extension this summer. But he reportedly has something important to take care of before starting the 2018-19 NBA season. Here’s the Arizona Republic reporting:

The Phoenix Suns will likely start training camp without Devin Booker, whose injured hand is inflamed and may require surgery, a source close the Republic reports.

Booker, the Suns’ leading scorer and highest paid player, was bothered by the right-hand injury throughout the closing months of last season, missing the last 12 games.

At the time, Booker and the Suns took criticism, with some suggesting it was a tactic to improve the team’s position in the draft.

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UPDATE: Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker today underwent successful surgery to repair an injury to the fifth metacarpophalangeal joint in his right hand. The surgery was performed by Dr. Steven Shin at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. Booker’s expected recovery time is approximately six weeks.

In Dallas, all eyes on Luka Doncic

Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on Mavs rookie Luka Doncic, who will have the attention of much of the basketball world, let alone the city of Dallas:

A leap of faith.

That’s what Mavericks fans are taking when it comes to prized draft pick Luka Doncic.

He’s 19 years old. He’s been a professional in Europe for four years. He’s been an MVP at that level.

And virtually nobody in Dallas knows anything about him.

All that fans can really do is bank on the wisdom of owner Mark Cuban, president Donnie Nelson and coach Rick Carlisle.

Even a lot of the Mavericks’ players have yet to get a pulse on how good Doncic can be. Though he technically came in a trade with Atlanta, he’s the highest-drafted rookie (third) the franchise has had since Jason Kidd was taken second in 1994. But Kidd was a more known commodity.

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Lack of roster turnover good for Celtics

The Celtics were an excellent squad last season, came close to reaching the NBA Finals, and should have a healthy Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving this season. They kept all their key players, which is huge. Here’s NESN.com reporting what center Aron Baynes said on this topic:

Baynes indicated during a charity appearance Wednesday that the lack of roster turnover this summer could play an important role for the Celtics.

“Last year at this time we were learning peoples’ names; this year we can get into the finer points of the systems that we’re learning,” Baynes said, via Celtics.com. “We’ve still got a bit to learn and a way to go in incorporating the healthy guys back into it, but it’s definitely exciting that we’re starting at this base level compared to where we were last season.”

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Cavs sign guard David Nwaba

The Cleveland Cavaliers signed guard David Nwaba today.

Nwaba (6-4, 219) spent last season with the Chicago Bulls, playing in 70 games (21 starts) and averaging 7.9 points on .478 shooting and 4.7 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per contest. He scored in double figures in 32 games and recorded three double-doubles on the season.

The 6-4 guard out of Cal Poly, who went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, holds career averages of 7.5 points on .494 shooting and 4.3 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game during 90 games (23 starts) over two NBA seasons with Chicago and the Los Angeles Lakers. Nwaba also played in 40 games (31 starts) with the South Bay Lakers of the NBA G League in 2016-17, averaging 14.1 points on .647 shooting, 6.9 rebounds, 1.35 steals and 1.15 blocks in 28.7 minutes per contest while earning NBA G League All-Defensive Team and NBA G League All-Rookie Team honors.

Nwaba will wear jersey number 12 with the Cavaliers.

Hawks reportedly signing Cole Aldrich

Here’s the latest on center Cole Aldrich, who must work hard to solidify his place in the league beyond the training camp signing reported below by the St Paul Pioneer Press:

Hawks reportedly signing Cole Aldridge

Cole Aldrich is signing a training camp deal with the Atlanta Hawks, he told the Pioneer Press on Thursday.

In a cost-cutting move, the Timberwolves waived the veteran center earlier this offseason after inking Aldrich to a three-year, $21 million deal in 2016. The Bloomington Jefferson standout ended up on the end of the bench last season, playing in just 21 games.

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WNBA: Storm take 1-0 Finals lead vs Mystics

The 2018 WNBA Finals have begun. Here’s NBC Sports Washington on the results of Game 1:

Game 1 of the biggest stage in women’s basketball took place Friday night in Seattle.

Using a healthy 48-32 halftime lead, the Storm cruised to take a 1-0 series hold in the 2018 WNBA Finals defeating the Washington Mystics, 89-76.

Breanna Stewart, Natasha Howard and Jewell Loyd combined to score 60 of the team’s 89 points. The team shot a sizzling 54 percent from the floor.

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And here’s ESPNW.com:

The rim seemed huge for guard Jewell Loyd, who struggled a bit during the semifinals, and center Natasha Howard. And they took advantage of that, going a combined 17 of 21 from the field. Loyd led Seattle in scoring with 23 points. As good as the Mystics’ defense can be — even though we didn’t see it Friday — it’s still a bit of a relief for Loyd that she’s not still facing a defender as pesky as Phoenix’s Briann January…

Howard had 19 points, and MVP Breanna Stewart had 22…

The Storm led by as much as 27 in the third quarter. If this wasn’t their best offensive game on display, it was — at the very least — indicative of how potent a team Seattle is when things are working. Which has been the case most of this season.

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Anthony Davis reportedly parts ways with agent

Anthony Davis is one of the league’s top stars, though his Pelicans squad needs more talent for their win totals to turn anyone’s heads. But on an individual level, Davis has decided to make a change. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis has parted ways with longtime agent Thad Foucher, sources told ESPN.

To officially change agents, players are required to file paperwork with the players’ union and then wait 15 days. Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who represents LeBron James among others, is a leading contender to represent Davis, sources said.

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