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NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/14/16

December 14th, 2016 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s D-League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

The Suns have sent Tyler Ulis and Alan Williams to the Northern Arizona Suns, the team announced today in a press release. It will be the first D-League assignment of the season for both players, who are likely to be recalled to the NBA following tonight’s game against Santa Cruz.
Rookie swingman Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot is back from the D-League, with the Sixers announcing his recall today in a press release. Luwawu-Cabarrot was assigned for Tuesday night’s game, and helped the Delaware 87ers get a win, posting 16 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
The Rockets have recalled rookie forward Kyle Wiltjer from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, according to the team (Twitter link). Wiltjer has been the second-leading scorer for the Vipers so far this season, averaging 19.7 PPG in 10 games.
Rakeem Christmas is headed back to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pacers announced today in a press release. Indiana’s D-League affiliate doesn’t play until Friday, so it’s not clear if Christmas will stick with the team for that game, or if he’s just being sent down for practice.

Suns Notes: Williams, Ulis, Bender, Warren

November 24th, 2016 at 7:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

After spending last Thanksgiving in China, Phoenix native Alan Williams has landed his “dream job” with the Suns, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. The 23-year-old big man’s quest to play in the NBA started with a 10-day contract with Phoenix in March. He chose the Suns over the Rockets, who were willing to sign him for the remainder of the season. Williams’ gamble paid off when Phoenix gave him a multi-year contract, and his $875K salary for this season became guaranteed in September. He is averaging 6.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and posted two double-doubles last week. Suns coach Earl Watson believes Williams has a 10-year career ahead.

There’s more news out of Phoenix:

After seeing almost no action in his first 12 games, Tyler Ulis is becoming a reliable backup point guard, Coro writes in a separate story. The 5’10” rookie has averaged 6.8 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals over the last four games and is making a case to be part of the regular rotation. “I just come in and try to make the most of my minutes,” Ulis said. “Do what coach and the players want me to do. Get guys involved, get paint touches and get into my man defensively.”
Watson says rookie Dragan Bender has a bright NBA future, but that won’t guarantee playing time right now, Coro adds in the same piece. The Croatian power forward is seeing just 10 minutes per night through the first month of his career. “I think Dragan is going to have amazing opportunities moving forward,” Watson explained. “We understand he’s a big part of our future as a cornerstone. But the NBA is not just as easy as playing guys you like. There’s a lot of things that go into it.”
Small forward T.J. Warren is out indefinitely with a minor head injury, the Suns announced on their website. Warren left a game on Friday after just nine minutes of action and hasn’t played since. Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough said the organization has a policy of being extra cautious with injuries to the head and estimated Warren will be sidelined “a matter of weeks.” Warren has appeared in 13 games, all starts, and is averaging 17.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per night.

Suns Guarantee Contract Of Alan Williams

September 1st, 2016 at 8:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns kept power forward/center Alan Williams on their roster Thursday, guaranteeing his salary for the upcoming season, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Williams will receive a salary of $874,636.

GM Ryan McDonough called it an “easy decision” to retain the 6’8” Williams, who is the 14th player with a guaranteed contract on Phoenix’s roster.

“He’s played well at two summer leagues,” McDonough told Coro. “He’s really improved from the end of last season. He’s transformed his body. He’s developing his touch outside the paint and added a push shot.”

Williams appeared in 10 games with the Suns last season, averaging 2.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 6.8 minutes. He had 14 points and 12 rebounds in the Suns’ season finale. The former Cal-Santa Barbara star played in China before joining Phoenix in March.

Williams continued to impress the Suns brass by averaging 11.8 points and 11.2 rebounds in six Summer League games. Williams’ likely role will be the No. 3 center behind Tyson Chandler and Alex Len, though Len could also start at power forward. Lottery picks Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss, as well as veteran acquisition Jared Dudley, are the other big men on the roster.

You can find the upcoming deadlines for other players with non-guaranteed salaries here.

And-Ones: All-Star Game, Green, Alan Williams

July 22nd, 2016 at 9:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

New Orleans has emerged as the strong favorite to host the All-Star Game in February, a source close to the situation informed Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. The NBA pulled the game from Charlotte on Thursday in protest of a North Carolina law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people. Charlotte will host the 2019 ASG if sufficient changes are made to the law, Mahoney adds. Boston and Atlanta have also shown interest in hosting the event, Mahoney continues. The Pelicans franchise also hosted the ASG in 2008 and 2014.

In other news around the league:

Warriors All-Star forward Draymond Green has reached a plea agreement that will allow him to avoid jail time and reduce the charges he faced for allegedly slapping a Michigan State University football player on July 10th, Christopher Haxel of the Lansing State Journal writes. The former MSU All-American will pay a $500 fine and $60 restitution fee, Haxel adds.
Power forward Alan Williams has a strong chance to remain on the Suns’ roster, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports. The 23-year-old Williams appeared in 10 games with the Suns last season, averaging 2.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 6.8 minutes. Williams’ $874,636 contract for next season becomes guaranteed if he’s on the roster through Sept. 1. “Chances are, he’ll have a spot,” Suns GM Ryan McDonough told Coro.
Former NBA power forward D.J. White has re-signed with Torino in Italy for another season, according to E. Carchia of Sportando.com. The 29-year-old White played for the Thunder, Celtics and Hornets before going overseas. His most recent NBA stint was 2013/14, when he appeared in two games with Charlotte.

Pacific Notes: Durant, Garnett, Williams

July 18th, 2016 at 6:32pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kevin Durant didn’t consider signing with the Lakers because the timing wasn’t right, Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com passes along (Twitter links). “Nothing against the Lakers, but I already had my eyes set on who I wanted to talk to,” Durant said. “I really respect their team, but I just thought they were a couple years away from where I wanted to be.”

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Suns have hired Marlon Garnett as an assistant coach/ player development coordinator, reports Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Garnett previously worked for the Spurs as a video coordinator.
Alan Williams‘ Summer League performance could guarantee him a roster spot on the Suns, Matt Petersen of NBA.com speculates. The big man earned first team honors out in Vegas, pulling down 11.2 rebounds per game.
Patrick McCaw proved that he deserves to make the Warriors‘ roster with his play out in Summer League, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders argues. The No. 38 overall pick accumulated 15.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game out in Vegas.

Pacific Notes: Cauley-Stein, Williams, Wilcox

March 22nd, 2016 at 8:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein takes umbrage with those who label him as strictly a defensive player, noting that he has a complete set of skills, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee relays. “I’m a hooper. I do everything – I do it all,” Cauley-Stein said. “So when that stipulation leaves, it’s going to be cool where you’re just not [a defender], but I don’t think it ever will. People don’t want to see that. People ain’t ready for that. They want it to be, ‘You’re a defensive stopper.’ Well, I’m a defensive stopper, and I’ll go get 20 on you if I get the chance. I haven’t got the chance thus far in my career, but I’ve got it in me. I’ve got a lot of different things. Just waiting on the time to do them or having the green light to just hoop. But that comes; I’m a rookie. I kind of have to just wait and perfect it in practice.” The 22-year-old is averaging 6.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 block per game to go along with a slash line of .592/.000/.622.

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

Alan Williams‘ multiyear deal with the Suns calls for him to earn $875K next season and that amount is non-guaranteed, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter link). It looks like Pincus is rounding up from the one-year veteran’s minimum salary of $874,636.
Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes is eligible to become a restricted free agent this offseason and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes that he’ll command an average salary of around $20MM per year on his next deal and that the player will receive multiple free agent offers, as he told 95.7 The Game (Twitter link). Golden State, provided it submits a qualifying offer worth $5,194,227, will have the right to match any offer sheet that Barnes signs.
The Clippers have assigned shooting guard C.J. Wilcox to the D-League, the team announced. Wilcox, who is making his fourth trek to the D-League on the campaign, will report to the Canton Charge as part of the league’s flexible assignment rule, since L.A. does not have its own affiliate.

Suns Sign Alan Williams To Multiyear Deal

March 18th, 2016 at 6:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns have signed forward/center Alan Williams to a multiyear contract, the team announced today. Williams inked a 10-day deal with Phoenix on March 8th and saw his first action in Thursday’s game at Utah.

A Phoenix native and UC Santa Barbara product, Williams wasn’t taken in last year’s NBA draft. He went to China, where he posted averages of 20.8 points and 15.4 rebounds for Qingdao, becoming the top rebounder in the Chinese Basketball Association. He’s also the top rebounder and second-leading scorer in UC Santa Barbara history.

Williams played for the Rockets’ entry in the 2015 Summer League, earning All-NBA Summer League Second Team honors. He averaged 20.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in four games in the Las Vegas league.

Suns Sign Alan Williams To 10-Day Deal

March 8th, 2016 at 11:39am CST by Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 11:39am: The signing is official, the team announced. The contract will cover five games, against the Knicks, Nuggets, Warriors, Timberwolves and Jazz.

MONDAY, 2:59pm: The Suns plan to sign Alan Williams to a 10-day contract, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The big man who went undrafted out of UC Santa Barbara this past summer is a Phoenix native who led the Chinese Basketball Association in rebounding, as Charania points out. The 23-year-old Williams posted 20.8 points and 15.4 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game for Qingdao in the months after making summer league appearances for the Rockets and Hornets. Phoenix has two open roster spots and is in line to save money with the Sixers reportedly poised to claim Sonny Weems off waivers, so the Suns have no shortage of flexibility for the Williams deal, which would cost a paltry $30,888.

Williams impressed on Houston’s Las Vegas summer league team, earning All-Tournament Second Team honors after putting up 20.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per contest over four appearances. It was a breakout performance after Charlotte gave him only 8.1 minutes per game in the Orlando summer league. Still, he was on NBA radars before that. He posted double-figure rebounding averages in each of his final three seasons in college and worked out for the Suns, among other NBA teams, before the draft.

Phoenix is dabbling heavily in short-term deals with only 12 players signed through at least the end of the season. The Suns already have point guard Phil Pressey on his second 10-day contract, which expires Thursday night. Williams is about to become the sixth player to sign a 10-day contract with the Suns this year, as our 10-day Tracker shows.

And-Ones: Williams, Thomas, Nunnally

August 22nd, 2015 at 10:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Alan Williams, who starred at UC Santa Barbara and made an impact during summer league, was surprised that no NBA team was willing to give him a guaranteed contract, according to Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Instead, Williams signed with the Double Star Eagles in Qingdao, China, grabbing an overseas spot that usually isn’t available once NBA training camps end in October. “It gave me financial stability, which is something a lot of people don’t get in their first year,” Williams said. “It gives me an opportunity to go out there and develop my game more and play for a pretty good team. Culturally, I get to go to a whole different continent and see how they play.” Williams thought he might get more interest from NBA teams after an impressive performance with the Rockets‘ summer league squad. He averaged 20.5 points and 11.8 rebounds in four games and was named to the all-NBA Summer League second team. Williams is hoping for another shot at the NBA once his CBA season ends in February or March.

There’s more news tonight from around the basketball world:

Tyrus Thomas, the fourth pick in the 2006 draft, still dreams of returning to the NBA, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Thomas missed the entire 2013/14 season after undergoing an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for an arachnoid cyst. He signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies in January, but only appeared in two games. At 29, he is training for another shot at the league and hopes to be in someone’s camp next month.
James Nunnally has signed with Sidigas Avellino of the Italian Serie A, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Nunnally, another UC Santa Barbara product, appeared in a combined 13 games with the Hawks and Sixers during the 2013/14 season. He spent last season with teams in Spain and Israel, and played for the Pacers‘ entry in this year’s summer league.
Several teams took risks this summer, and Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders evaluates the best and worst of them, including the Lakers‘ and Knicks‘ draft picks, the Rockets‘ deal for Ty Lawson, the Raptors giving big money to DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph and the Kings‘ gamble on Rajon Rondo.

Western Notes: Lakers, Duncan, Ginobili, Wolves

June 18th, 2015 at 9:45am CST by Chuck Myron

Mitch Kupchak admits that finding someone who can make an immediate impact as Kobe Bryant nears retirement factors into his approach to the offseason, as the Lakers GM tells Chris Mannix of SI.com. Climbing merely to mediocrity would be a dangerous proposition, Kupchak cautions.

“To some degree,” Kupchak said. “We feel we want to make significant progress from this year to next year. And if we can do that and not mortgage the future — in other words, with a player who is in free agency that’s a veteran — then yeah. It’s a factor because we do want and we need in this city to show progress. And we’ve not made the playoffs for two years running, I suppose you can do it a third year, but our fans are impatient, and they’re used to a good product, and that’s not what we want to do. And we know Kobe is not as happy when the town around him is not enough to win. But, we’ve got to be careful that we don’t do something that puts us in the middle of the pack for the next six or seven years. Because all that does is get you the eighth seed in the playoffs and a draft pick that’s not very good.”

There’s more on the Lakers amid the latest from the Western Conference:

Tony Parker is optimistic that both Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili will return to the Spurs for next season, though he admits that his hope that they indeed come back may cloud his ability to accurately predict what they’ll do, as Parker tells Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. Regardless, Duncan said to Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.com that the loss of more than $20MM that he alleges that a former financial adviser swindled him out of won’t play a role in his decision whether to return.
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor dismissed any lingering doubt Wednesday, declaring that president of basketball operations Flip Saunders will continue as coach of the team for next season, as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities relays (on Twitter).
The Pelicans would like to add former Nuggets interim coach Melvin Hunt as an assistant coach, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
The Lakers have interest in trading the No. 27 pick to clear the salary that goes with it, and talk has also centered on the team packaging the pick with other assets in an offer for another pick higher in the order, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes within his mock draft.
Notre Dame swingman Pat Connaughton, N.C. State shooting guard Trevor Lacey, Iowa State shooting guard Bryce Dejean-Jones, Tennessee Tech center Charles Jackson and UC Santa Barbara center Alan Williams were among those who worked out for the Wolves this week, Wolfson reports (Twitter link).