2012 March | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Sign Kyrylo Fesenko

March 23rd, 2012 at 5:23pm CST by Ryan Raroque

FRIDAY, 5:23pm: The team has confirmed the signing through a release on Pacers.com.

THURSDAY, 7:04pm: The Pacers have signed center Kyrylo Fesenko for the remainder of the season, according to a tweet by Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated.

The former 38th pick of the 2007 draft last played for the Jazz during the 2010/11 season, averaging 2 PPG and 2 RPG in 8.6 MPG through 53 games. Fesenko joins the team just a day after we learned that center Jeff Foster announced his retirement.

While it is unclear of how much playing time Kyrylo will receive with around 20 games left during the regular season, the Pacers could certainly use his 7'1'', 280 lb frame in spot minutes and in practice. While Roy Hibbert at 7'2'' still remains the tallest player on the team, no one else on the Pacers roster is listed above 6'9''.

Latest On Chris Kaman

March 23rd, 2012 at 4:22pm CST by Luke Adams

While last week's trade deadline received more attention, for good reason, another important deadline arrives tonight. If a player is currently on an NBA roster, he must be waived by 11:00pm CT if he hopes to play for another team in the postseason. Players waived after today can still be picked up by other clubs, but won't retain their postseason eligibility.

With just a few hours left until this deadline, speculation has increased that Chris Kaman could receive a buyout from the Hornets, allowing him to join another team for the playoffs. However, as we've heard a couple times already, New Orleans seems inclined to hang on to Kaman. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports (via Twitter) that the two sides still aren't discussing a buyout.

The NBA-owned Hornets are holding firm to that positon, Stein adds, which makes sense — Kaman could potentially have an impact on the NBA Finals if he were to sign with a team like the Heat, Bulls, or Thunder, which wouldn't look good for the league. According to Stein, however, Kaman's camp isn't pursuing a buyout either. Stein says that perhaps Kaman, who faces unrestricted free agency this summer, prefers to put up big numbers for the Hornets to preserve his free agent value (Twitter links).

With a few hours remaining until tonight's buyout deadline, perhaps this situation changes, but for now it appears Kaman will remain in New Orleans for the rest of the season.

Andres Nocioni Signs In Spain

March 23rd, 2012 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Three days after being officially waived by the 76ers, Andres Nocioni has signed with Spanish team Caja Laboral, the club announced today (Spanish link). El Correo (via Sportando) reports Nocioni signed a rest-of-season deal with Saski Baskonia (known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons).

Nocioni was no longer a part of the Sixers' plans, having played just 56 minutes over the course of this season. Holding a $7.5MM option for next year that it didn't intend to exercise, Philadelphia allowed Nocioni and agent Claudio Villanueva to explore other opportunities last week, with Villanueva saying there was a good chance his client would return to Europe. Nocioni previously played for Saski Baskonia, winning the ACB's Most Valuable Player award in 2004.

Spurs Sign Boris Diaw

March 23rd, 2012 at 3:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs have signed Boris Diaw, the team announced today. Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo! Sports first reported that Diaw and the Spurs had reached an agreement on a contract for the remainder of the season.

Diaw was bought out by the Bobcats on Wednesday, allowing him to sign with San Antonio in time to be eligible for the postseason. The Spurs will sign Diaw after he clears waivers, allowing them to pay him a pro-rated portion of the minimum salary while the Bobcats foot the rest of his bill. The 6'8" forward has a cap figure of $9MM this season.

In 37 games with Charlotte, Diaw averaged 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 27.5 minutes per game. The 29-year-old had some issues with his fitness and with coach Paul Silas, but remains relatively productive. He'll take San Antonio's last open roster spot.

Bulls Eyeing Rasual Butler, Prioritizing Big Man

March 23rd, 2012 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Mike James' second 10-day contract with the Bulls expires at the end of the day, which will leave Chicago with two open roster spots if the team doesn't re-sign James for the remainder of the season. With an eye on the postseason, the Bulls are considering how best to make use of those two spots.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that Chicago is a potential destination for Rasual Butler, who was waived by the Raptors today. Meanwhile, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune says (on Twitter) that landing a big man is still a priority for the Bulls.

The Bulls have been linked to Leon Powe and were also thought to have a little interest in Ronny Turiaf, but Turiaf quickly signed with the Heat upon clearing waivers. If Chicago decides to use its open roster spots, expect the club to add a shooting guard and a big, but as we heard earlier this week, the team's current players don't feel like an addition is a necessity.

Raptors Waive Rasual Butler

March 23rd, 2012 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have waived Rasual Butler, the team announced in a press release. By releasing him today, the Raptors allow Butler to sign elsewhere and be eligible for the playoffs.

Butler, who signed with Toronto in December for the veteran's minimum, has played in 34 games for the club, averaging just 3.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game. The 31-year-old has a career-low .308 FG% (.273 3PT%) and has played just two minutes in March for the Raptors, his sixth NBA team.

The Raptors, who have also traded Leandro Barbosa and waived Anthony Carter this month, will reduce their roster to just 12 players after parting ways with Butler, so it wouldn't be a surprise if they added a player or two for the season's final few weeks.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) first reported that the Raptors had agreed to waive Butler.

Minor Moves: McCants, Walker, Caracter

March 23rd, 2012 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll track today's notable international and D-League-related transactions here:

After playing just one game for Piratas de Quebradillas in Puerto Rico, Rashad McCants was waived, according to Sportando. McCants is hoping his play in Puerto Rico will help propel an NBA comeback, but he's now been waived twice this week.
The D-League's Idaho Stampede have waived another comeback-hopeful, Antoine Walker, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The team needed to add a player to the roster using Walker's spot while he tends to personal matters, says Spears. The Stampede could add Walker back to the roster this weekend (Twitter link).
Derrick Caracter has been waived by the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers, adds Spears. Caracter, who played 41 games for the Lakers last year, was waived this year before his contract became guaranteed for the season.

Pacific Notes: Smith, Sessions, Hickson, Kings

March 23rd, 2012 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason Smith's flagrant foul on Blake Griffin last night didn't sit well with the Clippers and will almost certainly result in a suspension for the Hornets big man. However, ESPN.com's Marc Stein writes that the Clippers might owe Smith a thank you for his role in December's Chris Paul saga.

According to Stein, Smith rejected a sign-and-trade offer that would have made him part of the original three-way Paul trade between the Hornets, Rockets, and Lakers for salary purposes. While David Stern could have ultimately nixed the proposed Paul-to-the-Lakers deal regardless of Smith's involvement, the 26-year-old may have played a small part in Paul eventually heading to L.A.'s other team.

Here are a few more Friday odds and ends out of the Pacific Division:

Some of Ramon Sessions' new teammates expect him to decline his 2012/13 player option, says Mike Breshanan of the Los Angeles Times. Sessions' agent Jared Karnes says no decision has been made yet, but that his client was excited to have joined the Lakers: "It's a great fit for Ramon and when it's appropriate, we'll discuss his future and make a decision."
J.J. Hickson was dressed in Warriors gear, preparing to shoot around with the team, when he found out he'd been claimed off waivers by the Trail Blazers, writes Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
Kings coach Keith Smart discussed Terrence Williams' potential role with the team, and said the decision on when Tyreke Evans would return to the starting lineup is in Evans' hands. Matt Kawahara of the Sacramento Bee has the details.

Management Rumors: Bird, Grunfeld, Petrie

March 23rd, 2012 at 11:13am CST by Luke Adams

We've got plenty of rumors and notes today involving coaches, GMs, and team presidents, so let's round them all up in one place:

Pacers president Larry Bird is set to retire at season's end, reports Peter Vecsey of the New York Post. Speaking to Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star, Bird denied that he'd made a decision one way or the other yet.
Vecsey also wrote that Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld turned down a three-year, $4.5MM extension offer, but Michael Lee of the Washington Post says that's not true. One source told Lee the report was "made up," while multiple sources said Grunfeld has not been offered an extension.
"Word has it" that Kings president Geoff Petrie will sign a new deal soon, according to Vecsey. So far, Petrie hasn't refuted this one.
Amidst rumors that Vinny Del Negro is on the hot seat in Los Angeles, Kevin Arnovitz of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes that Del Negro is miscast coaching the current Clippers squad. Arnovitz cites a "profound disparity" between the pre-Chris Paul and post-Chris Paul goals for the Clippers, and argues that the team may need a new coach for its new era. For his part, Del Negro refuted reports that suggested he'd lost the team.
Recently retired T.J. Ford will become a volunteer assistant coach for the Spurs' D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros, says Kevin Robbins of the Austin American-Statesman.

Mavericks Sign Kelenna Azubuike

March 23rd, 2012 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks have officially signed Kelenna Azubuike, the team announced today in a press release. Azubuike will receive a minimum-salary contract for the rest of this season, with a team option for next year.

Azubuike, 28, is attempting a comeback after having not played in an NBA game since November 2009. He underwent patella surgery in 2009, and attempted to play last season with the Knicks, but never fully recovered and required additional surgery. The Mavs are intrigued enough by his rehab that they'll take a minimum-salary flier on him and start him out at their D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends.

In 205 career games over four seasons for the Warriors, Azubuike averaged 10.6 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 24.4 MPG. He'll take Sean Williams' place on the Mavericks' roster, after Williams was waived by the team.

Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News first reported the Mavs were closing in on Azubuike, with ESPN.com's Marc Stein adding details.

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