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And-Ones: Ball Brothers, McDaniels, E. Okafor

December 13th, 2017 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Lithuanian team Prienu Vytautas made it official this week, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed LiAngelo Ball and LaMelo Ball, and expect Lonzo Ball‘s younger brothers to report to the team in early January. However, it’s not a long-term agreement. As Nicola Lupo details for Sportando, the deal for the two American teenagers includes a team opt-out after the first month, so it could end up being a brief experiment.

Still, Vytautas director Adomas Kubilius admits that he’s intrigued by exposure the Ball brothers will bring to the franchise, not to mention the potential financial benefits (Twitter link via Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas). The club didn’t speak directly with its new players during negotiations, having worked things out with agent Harrison Gaines, but Kubilius suggests that – outside of guaranteed playing time – the Ball brothers didn’t make any major requests (Twitter link via Urbonas). And for what it’s worth, LaVar Ball would also be “warmly welcomed” in Prienai, according to the team (Twitter link).

As we wait to see how LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball adjust to Lithuania, let’s round up a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world….

  • Veteran swingman K.J. McDaniels has signed a G League contract and been claimed off waivers by the Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons‘ affiliate, tweets Chris Reichert of 2 Ways & 10 Days. McDaniels, who spent time with the Nets and Rockets in 2016/17 and was in camp this fall with the Raptors, has averaged 5.3 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 148 total NBA games.
  • Bobby Marks’ latest piece for ESPN Insider is packed with team-by-team details on trade restrictions and notes that will be relevant as the February deadline approaches. Among the info Marks passes along: Which teams can only send or receive limited amounts of cash, which players can veto trades, and which can’t be traded until certain special dates.
  • Sean Deveney of The Sporting News examines the job security for head coaches around the NBA, concluding that Frank Vogel (Magic), Mike Budenholzer (Hawks), Dave Joerger (Kings), and Fred Hoiberg (Bulls) are among those whose seats are hottest.
  • Former second overall pick Emeka Okafor continues to try to make it back to the NBA, with Blake Murphy taking an in-depth look at the big man’s comeback efforts in an excellent piece for Uproxx.com.
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Terrence Jones To Join Warriors’ G League Team

December 13th, 2017 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

Former first-round pick Terrence Jones is poised to join the Warriors’ G League affiliate, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. As Amick reports, the Santa Cruz Warriors currently have the top waiver priority, so they intend to snag Jones once the veteran power forward officially signs a G League contract and enters the waiver pool.

The 18th overall pick in the 2012 draft, Jones spent his first four NBA seasons with the Rockets, flashing some potential during his time in Houston before spending last year with the Pelicans and Bucks. Over the course of his five-year NBA career, the former Kentucky Wildcat has posted solid averages of 10.5 PPG and 5.7 RPG in 24.0 minutes per contest (232 games).

Still, the Rockets opted not to re-sign Jones when he was eligible for restricted free agency in 2016, and he was waived by both New Orleans and Milwaukee last season, signaling that his stock had dipped. After failing to find a suitable NBA offer during the 2017 offseason, Jones signed with the Qingdao Eagles, but his stint in the Chinese Basketball Association was short-lived — he was waived by the Eagles last month after being kicked out of a practice.

When he discussed his move to China earlier this year, Jones suggested he was hoping to parlay a strong performance overseas into another NBA opportunity, but that didn’t happen. Now, he’ll look to rebuild his value and earn another shot at the NBA as he prepares to suit up for Santa Cruz.

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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/12/17

December 12th, 2017 at 11:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

  • The Hawks assigned rookie big man John Collins to their G League affiliate today, but only briefly. Collins participated in practice with the Erie BayHawks, then was recalled to the NBA by Atlanta later in the day, the team announced. Collins, who last played on November 30, continues to recover from a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder.
  • The Hawks also assigned guard Tyler Dorsey to their G League affiliate on Tuesday, the team announced in a press release. Dorsey has appeared in nine games with Atlanta this season, averaging 2.4 PPG.
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Isaiah Canaan Joins Suns’ G League Affiliate

December 12th, 2017 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Isaiah Canaan has landed with the Suns’ G League affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. After Canaan signed a G League contract, he was claimed off waivers by the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, who flipped him to the Northern Arizona Suns for a first-round pick in the 2018 G League draft.

Canaan, 26, began his NBA career with the Rockets in 2013/14, and has since bounced around the league, spending time with the Sixers and Bulls before briefly returning to Houston this season. Canaan signed with the Rockets in October after Chris Paul was sidelined with a knee issue, but he was waived just four days later.

A Murray State alum, Canaan has appeared in 186 regular season NBA games, averaging 8.4 PPG in 20.2 minutes per contest.

While Canaan doesn’t currently have an NBA contract or even a two-way deal, he finds himself in an interesting spot. With Eric Bledsoe having been traded last month and Brandon Knight out for the season, the Suns have been leaning on Tyler Ulis and Mike James at the point this year. Neither player is viewed as the cornerstone point guard in Phoenix, so if the team likes what it sees from Canaan in the G League, he could become a candidate for a call-up later in the season.

Free agent forward Derrick Jones has also joined the Northern Arizona Suns after being waived last week by Phoenix, tweets Brian M. Bergner Jr. of The Daily Courier. Jones spent time on assignment in Northern Arizona when he was under contract with Phoenix, but now will be on a straight G League deal as he seeks another NBA opportunity.

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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/11/17

December 11th, 2017 at 6:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Monday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

  • The Nets assigned guard Isaiah Whitehead to their Long Island affiliate, according to the G League team’s Twitter feed. Whitehead has averaged 22.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 3.3 APG in three G League games this season. He has also appeared in nine games for the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 7.0 PPG, 2.0 RP and 1.7 APG in 12.1 MPG.
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And-Ones: Ball Brothers, Seattle, Mexico, World Cup

December 11th, 2017 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

LiAngelo Ball and LaMelo Ball may end up playing together in Lithuania, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony of ESPN, who report that the Ball brothers are in “serious discussions” with Prienu Vytautas. The Lithuanian team intends to decide within the next day or two whether to officially sign Lonzo Ball‘s two younger brothers, sources tell Wojnarowski and Givony.

LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball, who are looking to play together for a professional team after officially hiring an agent and forgoing their NCAA eligibility, likely wouldn’t get a chance to play many minutes in the Lithuanian (LKL) league, per ESPN’s report. According to Wojnarowski and Givony, the Ball brothers would likely see more action – perhaps 20 to 25 minutes per game – in the less competitive Baltic League. As Givony tweets, the pay for the Balls would almost certainly be minimal, and the small Lithuanian town of Prienai would hardly be a “glamorous” place to continue their careers.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • TNT’s David Aldridge is the latest reporter to examine the possibility of the NBA returning to Seattle. While the city looks like a good bet to be awarded an NHL franchise, the NBA and its team owners are less gung-ho about the idea of expansion, according to Aldridge, who notes that team owners wouldn’t want to further split the money from the league’s $24 billion TV deal.
  • In a separate – and interesting – piece for NBA.com, Aldridge takes an in-depth look at the range of emotions experienced by NBA head coaches who get fired.
  • With the NBA making a concerted effort to grow its brand in Mexico, this season’s G League All-Star Game will be replaced by a contest that pits G League All-Stars against the Mexican national team, per The Associated Press.
  • FIBA officially announced on Monday that the 2023 Basketball World Cup will be staged in multiple countries, with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines earning hosting rights..
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/10/17

December 10th, 2017 at 4:28pm CST by marksuleymanov

Here are Sunday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

  • The Spurs announced on Sunday that guard Derrick White has been assigned to the team’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs. Through six games with San Antonio, White averaged 1.5 PPG and 1.5 RPG in less than eight minutes per game.
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/9/17

December 9th, 2017 at 10:57pm CST by clarkcrum

Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/8/17

December 8th, 2017 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Friday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

  • The Hornets have assigned point guard Julyan Stone to the G League, the team announced today in a press release. Stone appeared in Charlotte’s first two games this season, but has battled a hamstring injury since then and it’s not clear if there’s room for him in the rotation anymore.
  • Second-year guard Isaiah Whitehead has been recalled from the G League by the Nets, according to a press release from the club. Whitehead, who will join the Nets in Mexico City, has played in eight NBA games and three G League games so far this season.
  • Rookie guard Furkan Korkmaz continues to bounce back and forth between the NBA and the G League, with the Sixers sending him back to Delaware today (link via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer). Korkmaz will suit up for the 87ers – Philadelphia’s G League affiliate – in Canton tonight.
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/7/17

December 7th, 2017 at 9:52pm CST by Austin Kent

Here are the G League transactions from around the NBA today:

  • The Sixers assigned Furkan Korkmaz to the Delaware 87ers and then recalled him later in the day, the team announced in a pair of press releases (via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer). Korkmaz has played seven games with the G League affiliate so far this season, averaging 16.3 points per contest.
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