Ron Baker Rumors | Hoops Rumors

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/23/16

December 23rd, 2016 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

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

1:05pm:

The Suns have sent forward Derrick Jones to the D-League, the team announced today (via Twitter). It will be the third assignment of the season for Jones, who will get a chance to play in the D-League’s lone Christmas Day game on Sunday, assuming he isn’t back with Phoenix by then.
The Knicks have assigned Ron Baker, Maurice Ndour, and Marshall Plumlee to the NBADL, according to the team (Twitter link). They’ll play for the Westchester Knicks tonight, in their game against the Raptors 905.

10:34am:

After recording 16 points and 10 assists for the Raptors 905 on Thursday, Fred VanVleet has been recalled to the NBA, according to the Raptors (Twitter link). Bruno Caboclo, who was assigned to the D-League on Thursday along with VanVleet, remains with Toronto’s affiliate for now.
The Celtics have assigned rookie guard Demetrius Jackson to the D-League, the team announced today (via Twitter). The Maine Red Claws, Boston’s NBADL affiliate, is in action tonight against Grand Rapids, so Jackson figures to suit up for that game.
Following a quick stint with the Salt Lake City Stars, Hawks rookie DeAndre’ Bembry has been recalled to Atlanta, according to a press release issued by the team. Bembry struggled in his latest D-League game, scoring just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting for the Stars in Thursday night’s loss.
While Bembry was ineffective on Thursday night, his Salt Lake City teammate Joel Bolomboy had another big game, putting up 23 points and 23 rebounds. The Jazz announced today in a press release that they’ve recalled Bolomboy from their D-League affiliate.

Atlantic Notes: Horford, Rose, Raptors 905

December 19th, 2016 at 10:42pm CST by Austin Kent

Al Horford has enjoyed one of his best individual seasons as a professional so far this year and he owes it to increased time at the four. The big man has lined up as the Celtics power forward alongside the springier and lankier Amir Johnson.

Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe recently explored the new opportunities created by head coach Brad Stevens when he made the decision to utilize this type of lineup.

“When I was playing [center] for many years, one of the things was I wasn’t able to impact as many shots as I wanted at the defensive end, because I was always having to go against bigger guys,” Horford told Himmelsbach. “Now, I feel like I’m seeing guys more my size, and I’m able to play more freely, which just opens up my game.”

Horford’s 2.3 blocks per game, nearly one block more than he’s averaged in any other season prior to 2016/17, rank fourth in the NBA. His 5.4 assists per game are nearly two higher than he ever averaged in nine seasons with the Hawks. The Celtics currently sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 15-12 record.

There are a few more headlines from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors are making the most of their D-League affiliate in nearby Mississauga, Ontario and point guard Fred VanVleet is a shining example of the value that having such a resource can bring. Doug Smith of the Toronto Star explains how the franchise has found success shuttling players back and forth.
Derrick Rose has emerged as a critical piece of the Knicks, writes the New York Post’s Fred Kerber. Head coach Jeff Hornacek says the team has been “scrambling” ever since the point guard went down with back spasms last Tuesday. The team expects Rose back in the lineup Tuesday.
With Rose sidelined for much of the past week, undrafted rookie Ron Baker has made the most of his time as the Knicks‘ backup point guard. Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Baker and his coach, a late draft pick out of Iowa, see themselves in one another and consider themselves to be cut from the same cloth.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 11/10/16

November 10th, 2016 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Thursday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

The Knicks have recalled guard Ron Baker and center Marshall Plumlee from Westchester, the club announced today (via Twitter). The duo participated in a D-League exhibition game on Wednesday against Brooklyn’s affiliate, with Baker scoring 26 points en route to a Knicks win.
The Celtics have assigned rookie guard Demetrius Jackson to the Maine Red Claws, the club announced today (via Twitter). Like most assignments so far this season, Jackson’s will likely be a brief one, designed to get him some extra practice time.
The Pelicans have assigned forward Cheick Diallo to the Austin Spurs via the flex assignment rule, according to Chris Reichert of The Step Back.
The Nets assigned forward Chris McCullough to the Long Island Nets, the club announced via press release. McCullough has appeared in three games for Brooklyn this season, averaging 0.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 5.7 minutes per game.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 11/8/16

November 8th, 2016 at 10:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s D-League assignments and recalls:

10:35pm:

The Knicks have assigned Ron Baker and Marshall Plumlee to their D League affiliate in Westchester, Ian Begley of ESPN.com tweets. The duo are expected to participate in the team’s scrimmage against the Nets’ affiliate on Wednesday, Begley adds.
The Thunder have recalled Huestis from their D-League affiliate, the team announced via press release.

2:51pm:

The newest member of the Bulls, R.J. Hunter, has been assigned to the team’s D-League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, according to a press release. Hunter signed with Chicago during the first week of the regular season after being cut by Boston, but has yet to appear in a game for the Bulls.
For the second time in two days, the Nets assigned Chris McCullough to the Long Island Nets to practice with the D-League squad, then recalled him later in the day, the club announced in a pair of press releases. McCullough is expected to be active for Brooklyn’s game tonight against the Timberwolves.
Josh Huestis, who recently changed agents, was assigned to the Oklahoma City Blue today by the Thunder to participate in the D-League team’s practice. The Thunder issued a press release confirming the move.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 11/5/16

November 5th, 2016 at 9:35pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Here are Saturday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the league:

The Knicks assigned Ron Baker, Maurice Ndour and Marshall Plumlee to their D-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, earlier today so they could practice with the team, according to their Twitter feed. New York has since recalled all three players.
The Pistons have assigned Henry Ellenson and Michael Gbinije to the Grand Rapids Drive, the team’s D-League affiliate, according to a team press release. Ellenson has only appeared in two games for Detroit, while Gbiniji has only seen action in one.
The Thunder assigned Josh Huestis to the Oklahoma City Blue earlier today so he could participate in practice, per a team press release. The practice has commenced and the team has subsequently recalled the forward.

Knicks Notes: Ndour, Randle, Rose, Amundson

October 23rd, 2016 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Defense was behind the Knicks’ decision to keep Maurice Ndour over Chasson Randle, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The 6’9″ Ndour provides a defensive presence with the bench unit, something coach Jeff Hornacek felt was important after watching the team in preseason. “He’s an activity guy when we need to mix it up,’’ Hornacek said of Ndour. “You saw in some of the preseason games when he face-guarded a point guard and ran around to deny him the ball. He creates havoc out there. He’s done a nice job with the second group. His activity of cutting to the basket, moving around, we liked that energy.’’ Ndour, a Senegal native, first impressed the Knicks while playing for their 2015 summer league team. He appeared in six games this preseason, averaging 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds.

There’s more news out of New York:

Randle is examining his options, but Hornacek would like to see him join the Knicks’ D-League affiliate in Westchester, Berman relays in the same piece. Randle is recovering from an orbital fracture and is expected to be sidelined for another month. He has a $100K guarantee, and it’s possible that he could be brought back to the roster when he’s healthy in place of Ron Baker. “He’s done a great job for us,’’ Hornacek said of Randle. “We hope all these guys get other jobs and another team picks them up, but our hope is if he doesn’t go to another team, he stays with our organization. We really like what he did for us.”
Derrick Rose rejoined the Knicks Saturday after missing nine practices and five preseason games because of a sexual assault civil trial in Los Angeles, Berman writes in another story. Rose, who played in just one preseason game, is excited to be able to concentrate solely on basketball. “I’ve been preparing for this for a long time,” he said. “Ever since I didn’t make the playoffs last year, I’m still chasing something right now. I just want to hoop and let my game speak for itself.”
New York’s frontcourt depth worked against veteran Lou Amundson, who was among five players waived Friday, according to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. The 33-year-old power forward has been in the league for 10 years and spent most of the past two seasons with the Knicks. New York decided to part ways with Amundson even though he is guaranteed more than $1.5MM for this season. “Lou, it came down to a matter of how many bigs we have,” Hornacek said. “We have a lot of bigs on the team. So that was a tough one.”

Knicks Cut Chasson Randle, Lou Amundson, Others

October 21st, 2016 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have waived point guard Chasson Randle, according to multiple reports, including one from Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). In addition to parting ways with Randle, the team has also cut big man Lou Amundson and shooting guard J.P. Tokoto, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The team confirmed those three cuts and announced two more, tweeting that small forwards Cleanthony Early and Damien Inglis have also been released.

New York had been carrying 15 guaranteed salaries on its roster, along with five non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deals, so its roster decisions had looked fairly simple on the surface. However, Randle and Ron Baker – two players without guaranteed deals – had impressed the team in training camp, complicating those decisions. The Knicks also had to weigh the fact that Randle is set to miss the next few weeks due to a left orbital fracture.

Marc Berman of The New York Post had speculated earlier today that Randle and Baker would both make the cut for the 15-man roster, with the Knicks cutting a pair of guaranteed salaries – Amundson and Maurice Ndour – along with Tokoto. While the team did eat Amundson’s guaranteed contract, it appears Ndour is safe, given Randle’s release. The Knicks are down to 15 players, so their regular-season roster seems set.

Among today’s cuts, Tokoto and Randle each had partial guarantees of $100K on their contracts, so the Knicks will carry that money on their cap. Both players are candidates to join the D-League’s Westchester Knicks, as are Early and Inglis. Randle may also receive consideration to re-sign with the Knicks when he gets healthy — Baker’s salary won’t become fully guaranteed until January 10, so the club will have some flexibility with that final roster spot.

Contract Details: Raptors, Bucks, Knicks, Spurs

August 2nd, 2016 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors officially announced earlier today that their deal with undrafted free agent Jarrod Uthoff is done, and Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders has the details on that agreement. As Pincus outlines, it’s a two-year, minimum-salary pact with a $50K guarantee in year one. If Uthoff earns a spot on the regular-season roster and remains on the team beyond January 10, his first-year salary will become guaranteed. In that scenario, he’d have $100K of his 2017/18 salary guaranteed if he’s still on the roster past next July 25.

Pincus has specifics on a few more contracts from around the NBA, so let’s round up some of those updates…

Second-round pick Malcolm Brogdon received a three-year deal with the Bucks that will be worth more than the minimum for the first two years. Those first two years are also fully guaranteed, per Pincus, who suggests that the total three-year value is just below $3MM.
The Knicks formally signed undrafted rookie Ron Baker to a one-year contract on Monday, and the guaranteed portion of that deal is worth $75K, according to Pincus.
Argentinian forward Patricio Garino got a two-year, minimum-salary deal from the Spurs that includes a $100K guarantee in its first year, Pincus reports. San Antonio should have a roster spot or two open heading into the season, so it’s worth noting that other players contending for those openings have slightly guarantees that are slightly higher (Bryn Forbes, $125K) or lower (Ryan Arcidiacono, $75K) than Garino’s.

Knicks Sign Ron Baker

August 1st, 2016 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 1: More than a month after agreeing to terms with Baker, the Knicks formally announced today that the deal is official (Twitter link).

JUNE 24: The Knicks didn’t have a pick in Thursday’s draft, but the team didn’t waste much time in securing at least one prospect from this year’s class. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter), New York agreed to a partially-guaranteed, one-year deal with Wichita State’s Ron Baker.

Baker ranked as a top-20 senior in this year’s class and a top-80 prospect overall, per DraftExpress.com. The 23-year-old wing wasn’t drafted on Thursday night, despite a solid senior season that saw him average 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game for the Shockers.

Baker’s contract will likely be a minimum-salary pact, so even if he receives a decent guarantee in terms of salary, that won’t necessarily guarantee him a roster spot in New York this fall.

Still, the Knicks’ roster is currently fairly barren, with only five players under contract before Baker signs, as the team’s depth chart at Roster Resource shows. The roster will obviously fill up in July, but Baker should be in good position to vie for a place on the regular-season roster.

Draft Notes: Valentine, Murray, Diallo, Brown

June 17th, 2016 at 2:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Here’s the latest news and notes regarding the 2016 NBA Draft, which will be held next Thursday in Brooklyn, New York:

The Bucks have a group workout scheduled today for Wade Baldwin (Vanderbilt), Dejounte Murray (Washington), Carrington Love (UWBG), Ron Baker (Wichita State), Goodluck Okonoboh (UNLV) and Prince Ibeh (Texas), the team announced.
Milwaukee will also hold an individual workout today for former Michigan State guard Denzel Valentine, the team announced.
French swingman Timothe Luwawu worked out for the Nuggets on Thursday, the team announced.
The Jazz have a group workout set for today with Nic Moore (SMU), Fred VanVleet (Wichita State), John Brown (High Point), Elgin Cook (Oregon), Jameel McKay (Iowa State) and Marshall Plumlee (Duke), the team announced.
Former Kansas big man Cheick Diallo will work out for the Pacers today and will display his wares for the Grizzlies on Saturday, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv tweets.
The teams that have done the most research on former California forward Jaylen Brown are the Suns, Celtics and Wolves, Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com tweets.