Samuel Dalembert Rumors

Henry Sims To Play In China

December 15th, 2016 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

Journeyman center Henry Sims is headed overseas, according to international basketball journalist David Pick, who reports (via Twitter) that Sims has struck a deal with the Shanxi Brave Dragons in China. The Chinese club has cut former NBA big man Samuel Dalembert to clear room on its roster for Sims.

An undrafted free agent out of Georgetown, Sims made his NBA debut in 2012/13, ultimately appearing in 135 total regular season contests for New Orleans, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn over the course of four seasons. In those games, the 26-year-old averaged 7.6 PPG and 5.0 RPG, making 47.1% of his shots from the floor.

After participating in camp with the Jazz this fall, Sims started this season in the D-League, putting up 18.0 PPG and 8.7 in 11 games for the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s NBADL affiliate. A report earlier this week indicated that Sims’ D-League contract had been bought out, signaling that he was likely headed to a team in Europe or Asia.

With the move, Sims be moving from a Salt Lake City club that was 2-10 to a Shanxi team that is playing better ball, with a 9-8 record so far in CBA play. Former Grizzlies second-rounder Jamaal Franklin, who is averaging an impressive 37.2 PPG so far, will be among Sims’ teammates in China.

And-Ones: Dalembert, S. Jackson, Larkin

September 13th, 2016 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA center Samuel Dalembert is facing battery charges for allegedly pushing his girlfriend and then choking her cousin when he tried to intervene, according to an Associated Press report (link via ESPN.com). Dalembert, whose last NBA action came with the Knicks in 2014/15, played in China last season, so it’s not clear whether he’s still hoping for an NBA comeback — if he is, his arrest likely reduced his chances of returning.

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

Stephen Jackson continues to seek an NBA job, and tells Rodger Bohn of SlamOnline.com that he isn’t interested in heading overseas or playing in the D-League. “NBA or nothing, man,” Jackson said. “I don’t need the money. I just want to give back to the game. Anything else is a step down, so I just want to give the NBA a shot.”
Former first-round pick Shane Larkin, who spoke to HoopsHype last month about his decision to opt out of his Nets contract and sign in Spain, discussed the move overseas with Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Larkin stressed that he’s excited about the opportunity to play for Baskonia, pointing to the impressive list of NBA players who have played for the team in the past.
As Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk passes along, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue told TMZ that his old NBA Finals nemesis Allen Iverson would be welcome to “come coach with me” if Iverson has interest in pursuing a coaching career.

Samuel Dalembert, Jamaal Franklin To Play In China

December 17th, 2015 at 3:58pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Former NBA center Samuel Dalembert and shooting guard Jamaal Franklin have signed with Shanxi of the Chinese Basketball Association, international journalist David Pick reports (Twitter links). Dalembert’s contract will pay him approximately $200K, but the amount of Franklin’s pact has not been announced, Pick notes. It is unclear if either deal includes an NBA out clause. If their arrangements do not include such provisions, Dalembert and Franklin would be eligible to sign with an NBA team in the spring when the CBA season is complete.

Dalembert, who was in training camp with the Mavericks this year, played for the Knicks last season, appearing in 32 games and notching 4.0 points and 5.3 rebounds. The 34 year old’s career stats through 886 regular season contests are 7.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks.

Franklin, 24, made three appearances for the Nuggets during the 2014/15 campaign, averaging 1.0 point and 1.0 assist in 4.3 minutes per contest. The shooting guard had been playing for the Lakers’ D-League affiliate after being waived by the Nuggets back in July. This won’t be Franklin’s first stint playing in China, as he previously spent time with Zhejiang Guangsha.

Mavericks Waive Samuel Dalembert

October 24th, 2015 at 12:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

12:45pm: Dalembert has been released, Dallas announced via a press release.

11:43am: The Mavericks are waiving center Samuel Dalembert, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reports (Twitter link). The veteran big man’s minimum salary arrangement was fully guaranteed, so Dallas will be responsible for the $947,276 owed to the player for the 2015/16 campaign.

Dalembert was the Mavs’ No. 1 center as recently as 2013/14, when he started 68 games for them. He was then included in the Tyson Chandler swap with the Knicks. The 34-year-old only played 32 games for New York, including 21 starts, and averaged 4.0 points and 5.3 rebounds. Dalembert’s career stats through 886 regular season contests are 7.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks.

Dallas’ roster count now stands at 19 players, which means the team still needs to part ways with a minimum of four players prior to Monday’s deadline.

Western Notes: Kroenke, Lillard, D-League

October 7th, 2015 at 10:28pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The National Football League gave its OK to Stan Kroenke’s plan to transfer ownership of the Nuggets to his wife, Ann Walton Kroenke, satisfying an NFL rule barring its owners from also owning another pro sports team in an NFL city, report Nathan Fenno and Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. Kroenke’s son Josh, who already serves as Nuggets team president and is the team’s representative on the board of governors, will continue to run the Nuggets and the National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche, Fenno and Farmer add. Stan Kroenke owns the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.

Here’s more from the West:

Damian Lillard, with input from C.J. McCollum, organized a team getaway to San Diego for the Trail Blazers in an effort to draw together all the newcomers from an offseason of upheaval in Portland, writes Anne M. Peterson of The Associated Press. It furthers the notion that Lillard, who signed a five-year max extension this summer, has replaced LaMarcus Aldridge as the team’s central figure, Peterson writes. “It’s still going to take us time to get to know each other. It’s going to take more than a week in San Diego, or getting here early before camp,” Lillard said. “It’s going to take more than that. Being out together in the preseason, we’ll learn more about each other. … I think it’s about the growth, the process.”
The Spurs announced via a press release that Patrick Mutombo and A.J. Diggs have been hired as assistant coaches for their D-League affiliate, the Austin Spurs. “The additions of Patrick and AJ bring a wealth of NBA and player development experience to our team that will serve our group well moving forward,” said coach Ken McDonald. “We are fortunate to continue to attract strong candidates to join our coaching staff.”
The Mavericks‘ rotation at center is unsettled and while it’s not ideal, the team is counting on veteran big man Samuel Dalembert to contribute this season, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. “Dalembert’s having a solid camp,” coach Rick Carlisle said after Tuesday night’s preseason contest against the Nuggets. “He came in a little bit out of shape. He’s working really hard to get himself where he needs to be. I thought his minutes tonight were positive.”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Western Notes: Morris, Brase, Arthur

August 11th, 2015 at 9:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Markieff Morris, who has reportedly cut off contact with the Suns and supposedly wants out of Phoenix in the wake of his twin brother, Marcus Morris, being dealt to the Pistons, is considered a good teammate, according to Phoenix guard Archie Goodwin, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. In an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio on Monday, Goodwin said, “I can’t speak too much on that situation but I can say that the last couple years I’ve been with [him], Markieff is a great guy, one of my favorite guys to be around. He’s a really positive guy to me and for everybody else. He’s always been a team-first guy. I love Markieff. I love Marcus. I hope [Markieff] stays with us. I don’t know what’s going to happen with that situation. That’s why I really can’t speak on it. I really enjoy being around him and I wish the best for him whether he is with us or another team.” Coro recently chatted with Hoops Rumors about a number of topics regarding the Suns, and you can read the full interview here.

Here’s more out of the Western Conference:

Matt Brase is expected to be named head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets‘ NBA D-League affiliate, sources have informed Adam Johnson of D-League Digest. Brase is currently the director of player personnel for Houston, and was a former assistant coach for the Vipers, Johnson notes. Brase replaces former coach Nevada Smith, who spent two seasons with the Vipers and compiled an overall record of 60-46, including a mark of 27-23 last season, Johnson adds. The Rockets organization cut ties with Smith at the end of 2014/15.
Samuel Dalembert received a fully guaranteed minimum salary on his one-year deal with the Mavericks, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. Dallas will pay $947,276 and the league will cover the rest of the $1,499,187 tab for the 14-year vet. The club currently has 15 guaranteed contracts and 19 players overall, Pincus adds.
The Nuggets used their room exception to re-sign Darrell Arthur to a two-year pact, and the forward’s deal includes a player option worth $2,940,630 for the 2016/17 season, Pincus tweets.

Chuck Myron and Dana Gauruder contributed to this post.

Mavs Sign Samuel Dalembert

August 6th, 2015 at 1:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

AUGUST 6TH, 1:27pm: The deal is official, the team announced via press release.

JULY 25TH, 1:19pm: The Mavericks have reached a one-year agreement with veteran center Samuel Dalembert, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports tweets. According to ESPNDallas.com’s Tim MacMahon, Dalembert will receive the veteran’s minimum (Twitter link).

This comes as no surprise, as ESPN’s Marc Stein reported nearly two weeks ago that the parties had mutual interest. Stein tweeted on Saturday that the Mavs are still looking at other center options, as they are in advanced talks with Tunisian center Salah Mejri and have not ruled out JaVale McGee if he’s healthy.

Dalembert was the Mavs’ No. 1 center as recently as 2013-14, when he started 68 games for them. He was then included in the Tyson Chandler swap with the Knicks. The 34-year-old only played 32 games for New York, including 21 starts, and averaged 4.0 points and 5.3 rebounds.

He gives the club additional depth behind Zaza Pachulia, who wound up with Dallas in a trade with the Bucks after top free agent target DeAndre Jordan decommitted and re-signed with the Clippers.

Mavs Interested In Reunion With Samuel Dalembert

July 13th, 2015 at 5:08pm CST by Chuck Myron

5:08pm: Dalembert and the Mavs will meet in person Tuesday, sources tell Stein (Twitter link).

1:49pm: The Mavericks again have interest in Samuel Dalembert as they look far and wide for a rim protector, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Dallas signed the Haitian-born center two years ago and he spent much of the season as the team’s starting center, but the Mavs dealt him to the Knicks in the Tyson Chandler trade, and Dalembert has been a free agent ever since New York waived him as part of a three-team trade in January.

The reacquisition of Dalembert would represent a step back of sorts for the Mavs, who seemed eager to replace him with Chandler last year. Chandler, who at one point was reportedly the Mavs’ top fallback at the position to DeAndre Jordan as they planned this summer’s free agency, quickly committed to the Suns, leaving Dallas scrambling when Jordan pulled his about-face to return to the Clips. Still, the Mavs reportedly saw Dalembert heading into free agency as one of an assortment on minimum-salary options for them. The trade Dallas made for Zaza Pachulia has already given the team a potential starter, but the Mavs’ continued search, which also encompasses JaVale McGee, indicates that Dallas, with plenty of cap room left to burn, isn’t prepared to simply sit tight.

Dalembert, 34, put up numbers this year that were his lowest since his rookie season of 2001/02. He started 21 games for the Knicks, but quickly fell out of favor.

Mavs Notes: Oden, Villanueva, Ellis

June 20th, 2015 at 8:14pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Earlier today, it was reported that Greg Oden will work out for the Mavs as part of a mini-camp the team is conducting. Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link) adds that Oden is on a list with guys like Samuel Dalembert and Jermaine O’Neal for a potential minimum-salary arrangement to be one of the team’s backup big men. Charlie Villanueva, Amar’e Stoudemire and Greg Smith are all free agents this summer, leaving Dwight Powell as the only remaining big man under contract that primarily came off the bench last season.

Here’s more from Dallas:

The team would welcome back Villanueva if he is willing to play for the veteran’s minimum again, MacMahon writes. The forward enjoyed playing in Dallas last season, which included his first career playoff appearance. “I like my role,” Villanueva said. “I embraced it, I accepted it. I’ve been in the league for 10 years and been coached by nine different coaches. I would love to experience the same coach again next year, but we’ll see.”
The Mavericks’ entire offseason hinges on Monta Ellis‘ decision to either opt in or out of his contract, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News opines. The shooting guard is expected to opt out in search of a more lucrative contract. If Ellis leaves in free agency, it would leave a huge void in the team’s backcourt. However, Sefko notes it would free up additional cap space to pursue LaMarcus Aldridge and retain Tyson Chandler. That potential series of moves would give Dirk Nowitzki a role off the bench, which is something he is willing to consider.

Knicks Rumors: ‘Melo, Shumpert, Smith

January 7th, 2015 at 12:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

It’s likely that the Knicks will eventually decide to shut down Carmelo Anthony for the rest of the season so he can rest his sore left knee, a source tells Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck. ‘Melo plans to return January 15th for New York’s game against the Bucks, but he acknowledged that if he’s still feeling pain once he starts playing again, he might undergo surgery, as Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. A long season is just getting longer for the 5-32 Knicks, who top our Reverse Standings with the league’s worst record. Here’s more from New York:

Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith, traded Monday to the Cavs, were probably ‘Melo’s closest friends on the Knicks, Berman writes in the same piece. “When I first committed back to New York, it’s something I always said I have to trust they know what they’re doing,” Anthony said today. “That was one of the reasons I wanted to come back. So here’s an opportunity with the trust. Everything starts now.‘’
The Knicks worried that Smith’s poor work ethic and Samuel Dalembert‘s frequent tardiness to practices would be negative influences on the team’s younger players, sources tell Beck for the above-linked piece.
Team president Phil Jackson asked Knicks players at the end of last season to identify a reliable second-best player on the team after ‘Melo, and no consensus emerged, Beck also writes.
There’s a “slight chance” the Knicks will re-sign Lance Thomas to a 10-day contract should he clear waivers, Berman tweets. New York is set to waive Thomas, as well as Alex Kirk and Lou Amundson.
The D-League affiliate of the Knicks is unlikely to trade for the rights to Toure’ Murry, which belong to Houston’s D-League affiliate, a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest (Twitter link). Murry is reportedly joining the D-League after having been waived by the Jazz this past weekend.