NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
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The Atlanta Hawks have requested waivers on forward Austin Daye, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.
Daye signed consecutive 10-day contracts with Atlanta (March 15 and March 25) last season before signing a multi-year contract on April 4. He saw action in eight games with the Hawks, averaging 3.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 9.5 minutes per game.
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The New Orleans Pelicans today announced that at 12:01 p.m. local time in Hong Kong, China, All-Star forward Anthony Davis signed a contract extension with the club. According to multiple reports, it is a five-year, $145 million deal.
“Words cannot describe the excitement of the New Orleans Pelicans to have Anthony Davis as the cornerstone of our organization,” said Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps. “Anthony is a great person, a phenomenal player and the ideal representative of his family, the Pelicans and the New Orleans community.
“We are thrilled to have Anthony commit to the Pelicans as we continue to build our team to have sustained success.”
Davis has appeared in 199 games over his first three seasons in the NBA, all with New Orleans, posting career averages of 19.7 points while shooting .525 from the field, 9.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2.5 blocks per game. The 6-10 forward currently ranks fifth in New Orleans franchise history in defensive rebounds (1,346) total rebounds (1,891) and steals (264), third in points (3,917), points per game and field goal percentage, second in rebounding average (9.5) and first in blocks (501).
“I am very excited to continue to play for the Pelicans and remain a proud resident of the City of New Orleans,” stated Davis. “I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Dell Demps, Coach Gentry, the entire Pelicans’ organization, my agent Thad Foucher, my family and, of course, all of the incredible fans for their unwavering support. I look forward to many great years together.”
Originally selected by New Orleans with the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, Davis earned All-Rookie First Team honors after appearing in 64 games and averaging 13.5 points on .516 shooting from the floor, 8.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. In 2013-14, the Chicago native appeared in 67 games, averaging 20.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and a league-best 2.8 blocks per game while being named to his first All-Star Game. This past season, 2014-15, Davis, 22, averaged a career-best 24.4 points on .535 shooting from the floor, 10.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, ranking fourth, seventh, eighth, and first in the NBA in those respective statistical categories. Davis was selected to his second All-Star game, his first as a starter, while earning All-Defensive Second Team and All-NBA First Team honors, and helping New Orleans make their first playoff appearance since 2011. In four post-season games against the Golden State Warriors, Davis averaged 31.5 points on .540 shooting from the floor, 10.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks, becoming the first player in 41 years to average at least 30 points and 10 rebounds through their first four career playoff games.
At least Ridnour wasn’t traded again. For now.
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The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have waived guard Luke Ridnour. The club acquired Ridnour and cash considerations from the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 30 in exchange for the draft rights to forward Tomislav Zubcic.
Ridnour, 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, has averaged 9.3 points, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 26.1 minutes in 830 career games (493 starts). He has played with Seattle (2003-08), Milwaukee (2008-10, 2013-14), Minnesota (2010-13), Charlotte (2013-14) and Orlando (2014-15).
DeAndre Jordan reneges on agreement with Mavs, re-signs with Clippers
Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on a massively frustrating turn of events for the Mavericks:
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Maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much and set up so many potential ramifications if it weren’t so tantalizingly close for the Mavericks.
Even if you have no love for owner Mark Cuban or his team, you have to admit it’s cruel and unusual the way they lost DeAndre Jordan.
He was poised to become the biggest free-agent acquisition in franchise history. It doesn’t come any closer than having a commitment in hand.
Then, after a hard-fought recruiting battle the likes of which even Michael Jordan never got, DeAndre Jordan on Wednesday evening switched his commitment from the Mavericks and returned to the Los Angeles Clippers, who announced that it was official on a social-media platform sent from the team’s account minutes after the moratorium on free-agent signings was lifted at 11:01 p.m. (CDT) Wednesday. The deal was four years for more than $87 million.
Here’s the Oregonian reporting on a solid veteran that you haven’t thought much about lately:
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Bogans was a surprise addition to the Blazers’ summer league roster, which typically features first-and second-year NBA players with guaranteed contracts or 20-something free agents looking to fight for a training camp invitation. But for Bogans, summer league is an opportunity to fight for one last chance to end his career the right way.
He hasn’t played in a game since Jan. 7, 2014, when he scored nine points in 13 minutes for the Boston Celtics during a blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets. A week later, he was excused from the Celtics for “personal reasons,” although multiple reports indicated Bogans was frustrated with his playing time (he played just 55 minutes over six games) and that contributed to his dismissal from the team.
He sat out the rest of the season and, after a series of trades, was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers during training camp last October. NBA rosters were more or less set by then, so he decided to take a season off and clear his head.
Here’s the Oregonian reporting that Wesley Matthews is still leaving the Trail Blazers to sign with the Dallas Mavericks, whether DeAndre Jordan joins the Mavs or decides to cancel his reported agreement and returns to the Clippers:
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Wesley Matthews says he will sign with the Dallas Mavericks regardless if center DeAndre Jordan changes his mind and returns to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources close to the player told The Oregonian/Oregonlive.
Matthews, who last week gave a verbal agreement to Dallas to sign a four-year deal worth around $13 million the first year, is expected to sign and be introduced to the Dallas media on Thursday, the first day the NBA moratorium ends.
Here’s the Atlanta Journal Constitution reporting that the Hawks are adding to their backcourt depth:
The Hawks reached a contract agreement with Justin Holiday Wednesday, according to several people familiar with the situation. The deal is for two years fully guaranteed.
The addition will give the Hawks needed depth at the wing following the loss of DeMarre Carroll to free agency last week.
Holiday, a 6-foot-6, 185-pound shooting guard/small forward, played last season for the Warriors. In 59 games, he averaged 4.3 points and 1.2 rebounds in 11.1 minutes. He also appeared in nine games for the 76ers in the 2012-13 season. Holiday has appeared in 68 career NBA games, including four starts, and averaged 4.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and .9 assists in 11.8 minutes.
Here’s Eurocupbasketball.com reporting on a name NBA fans will recognize:
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan bolstered its backcourt by signing shooting guard Charles Jenkins on Wednesday. Jenkins (1.91 meters, 26 years old) spent the past two seasons with Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade, and helped the club reach Euroleague Top 16 and win the domestic triple crown – Serbian League, Serbian Radivoj Korac Cup and Adriatic League last season with a key role coming off the bench. He also led Zvezda to the Eurocup semifinals in the 2013-14 season. He averaged 6.6 points, 1.3 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 24 Euroleague games last season.
NBA playoff seedings might change. Maybe. Here’s a possibility.
Here’s the Dallas Morning News blog reporting on a possible change to NBA playoff seedings. Many suggestions have been made as to improve the postseason seeding system. The current setup works fine. The playoffs are awesome. But there are definitely some possible tweaks that make sense, and what’s mentioned below is one of them.
A subtle, but significant, change to the NBA playoff seedings is being considered by the league’s competition committee.
It could have a positive impact on the Dallas Mavericks and everybody else in the ultra-tough Southwest Division.
League officials are considering seeding teams one-through-eight in each conference for the playoffs without regard for division winners being placed no lower than fourth, sources said.
While this would devalue winning a division, it could make a difference for teams in the Southwest Division. All five teams made the playoffs in the Southwest last season.
There’s good news in New Orleans. Anthony Davis recently agreed to a massive contract extension. The team has potential. And fans are on board with it all. Here’s the New Orleans Times Picayune reporting:
Last season the New Orleans Pelicans ranked 24th in the NBA in attendance, which included 24 sellouts announced by the franchise.
Pelicans president Dennis Lauscha said during Tuesday night’s conference call with season-ticket holders that they are on track to do much better next season.
”We’re very pleased and happy to say that we’re now in the top three in the NBA in new tickets sales for the season, Lauscha said. ”We’ve had the highest renewal rate in the history of the franchise, well over 90 percent.”
Lauscha also said they have 55-percent increase for deposits on group tickets than they had at the same time last year.