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Samuel Dalembert fined by NBA for elbowing Jonas Valanciunas

New York Knicks center Samuel Dalembert has been fined $15,000 for elbowing Jonas Valanciunas of the Toronto Raptors in the face during the Raptors’ 118-108 victory over the Knicks on Sunday, Dec. 21, at Air Canada Centre, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

Dalembert’s actions, which resulted in a Flagrant Foul 2 and his subsequent ejection, occurred with 10:59 remaining in the third quarter of the game.

Dalembert this season is averaging just 3.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game for New York, who have the second worst winning percentage in the NBA through Sunday’s games.

Hawks recall Adreian Payne from D-League again

The Atlanta Hawks have recalled forward/center Adreian Payne from the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by Head Coach Mike Budenholzer.

Payne has appeared in 11 D-League games this season (six with Fort Wayne and five with Austin), averaging 13.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 29.1 minutes. In last night’s win over Rio Grande Valley, he totaled 18 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes (7-12 FGs).

Pistons waive Josh Smith

In a shocker, Detroit Pistons waive Josh Smith

The Detroit Pistons announced today the club has requested waivers on forward Josh Smith.

According to ESPN.com, Smith “still had two years and $26 million remaining on his contract after this season.” And according to Yahoo Sports, “the Pistons will use the stretch provision on the remaining $26 million, league sources told Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski. The provision allows the Pistons to stretch the money owed to Smith over a longer period of time for salary cap relief.”

The 5-23 Pistons are having a miserable season, and while Smith is a flawed player, he is still considered to have value in the right situation. This was an unexpected move for Detroit to make, but it is understandable that they would want to part ways, especially taking Smith’s contract into account.

Smith this season is averaging 13.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.7 bpg, shooting 39% FG, 24% just threes, and a very bad 47% from the free throw line.

“Our team has not performed the way we had expected throughout the first third of the season and adjustments need to be made in terms of our focus and direction,” said Stan Van Gundy, Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations for the Detroit Pistons. “We are shifting priorities to aggressively develop our younger players while also expanding the roles of other players in the current rotation to improve performance and build for our future. As we expand certain roles, others will be reduced. In fairness to Josh, being a highly versatile 10-year veteran in this league, we feel it’s best to give him his freedom to move forward. We have full respect for Josh as a player and a person.”

The 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward has averaged 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 39.1% from the field, 24.3% from three point range and 46.8% from the free throw line. In 105 games with the Pistons, the Georgia native averaged 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Smith was acquired by the Pistons as a free agent on July 10, 2013. Drafted with the 17th overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, the former Oak Hill Academy product has averaged 15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 blocks and 34.2 minutes in 781 career games (758 starts).

Danilo Gallinari suffers knee injury

Here’s the Denver Post reporting some unfortunate injury-related news on Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari:

Following his best game of the season, Gallinari was diagnosed with a meniscus tear in his right knee. He is expected to undergo surgery in the next couple of days, and there is a tentative three-week timetable for his return.

It is another blow to Gallinari, who has been trying to battle back from missing 19 months of action because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The latest injury is not connected to his other two ACL surgeries, which were performed on his left knee.

With Rondo gone, Marcus Smart gets first start for Celtics

Here’s ESPN Boston reporting on the post-Rajon Rondo Celtics:

Boston Celtics rookie Marcus Smart drew his first career start in Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat.

Three days after the Celtics traded All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks, Smart shuffled into the starting role. Evan Turner, who started Friday’s game, will come off the bench, where coach Brad Stevens thinks he can better utilize Turner’s versatility.

Smart has appeared in only 11 games this season while battling ankle and Achilles injuries.

Dwyane Wade misses game due to knee contusion

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel blog reporting on a Dwyane Wade injury that seems minor, but will still likely frighten some Miami Heat fans:

They are the three words in the same sentence that make Miami Heat fans cringe: Wade. Knee. Sidelined.

Sunday, for the first time this season, that was the case, with Dwyane Wade sidelined against the Boston Celtics at AmericanAirlines Arena due to a knee injury sustained during Wednesday’s loss to the Utah Jazz and exacerbated in Friday’s loss to the Washington Wizards.

The Heat listed Wade as being out with a “right knee contusion.” It is the first game Wade has missed this season due to a knee issue, after missing seven previous games due to a hamstring injury.

Nene coming off Wizards bench as healing process continues

Here’s the Washington Post blog reporting on key Wizards big dude Nene, who continues to play while recovering from injury:

On Friday night, Nene posted his best performance since coming back from a five-game absence because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot earlier this month. He posted 20 crucial points on 8-for-10 shooting in 26 minutes off the bench, as the Wizards came back to beat the Miami Heat on the road.

The showing indicated the Brazilian big man is getting closer to reclaiming his spot in the starting lineup. But though he believes he belongs in the starting five, pain remains in the foot and Nene isn’t in a rush to increase his workload

“Until I see improvement, I’m going to stay on the bench because the season is long,” Nene said. “I don’t want to do crazy stuff.”

Photo: All-Star NYC 2015 is coming

Photo of the Brooklyn Nets home court, serving a reminder that 2015 NBA All-Star weekend is coming to NYC. The joint hosts are the Nets and New York Knicks:

Knicks now 5-24 after loss to Suns

The New York Knicks have the second worst record in the NBA, and after Saturday’s home defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Suns, they have the most losses of any team in the league. The season remains a challenge. Which was expected. Phil Jackson isn’t likely to make his mark until the 2015 offseason. Here’s New York Newsday reporting on the latest setback:

Carmelo Anthony’s balky left knee felt good enough for him to face the Suns. But by the end of the game, he and the rest of the Knicks had the same feeling of pain, frustration and doubt.

The Knicks led at the start of the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon at the Garden but lost another winnable game in a fashion similar to so many other losses this season.

Poor execution on both ends with the game on the line led to the Knicks’ 99-90 loss to the Suns. It was their 14th defeat in the last 15 games, and they were booed as the clock wound down on their seventh straight home defeat.

The Knicks are 5-24 — and more fragile than you might think.

“It’s the same thing that’s happening game in and game out,” Anthony said. “I don’t know if we believe in ourselves at that moment that we can win the basketball game or have a chance to win the basketball game. I think it’s more mental than it is physical out there.”

Kings, Nets discussing a Deron Williams trade

Are the Sacramento Kings open to taking on veteran point guard Deron Williams’ hefty contract? Maybe. Though, just because a team discusses the mere possibility of trading for a player, it doesn’t mean they’d really do it. Or that they even want to. Also, Darren Collison stats this season: 15.6 ppg 3.6 rpg 6.1 apg. Deron Williams stats this season: 15.6 ppg 3.1 rpg 6.8 apg. Almost identical, yet worlds apart salary-wise. Here’s Yahoo Sports reporting a Kings-Nets rumor:

The Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings are discussing a deal centered on former All-Star guard Deron Williams, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

The Nets have been shopping their high-priced star players, and the Kings have been probing the market for an impact point guard.

No deal is imminent, but the talks are ongoing, sources told Yahoo Sports.

The talks have centered on sending the Nets point guard Darren Collison and forwards Derrick Williams and Jason Thompson as part of a multi-player package for Williams, league sources said.

Sacramento has significant interest with Williams, but a hurdle to a possible deal is the Kings’ desire to have center Mason Plumlee included into the package, league sources said. Brooklyn has considered Plumlee a significant part of its future core.