Tim Quarterman

And-Ones: Dinwiddie, Ross, Rising Stars, Zion

There hasn’t yet been a league-wide push to retire Kobe Bryant‘s No. 8 or No. 24, but some players around the NBA have begun informally retiring those numbers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. As Charania tweets, the first of those players is Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who had worn No. 8 and will be switching to No. 26. Magic sharpshooter Terrence Ross is changing from No. 8 back to his old No. 31, Charania adds (via Twitter).

It’s not yet clear which other players will follow suit and make changes of their own. The NBA generally doesn’t allow players to change jersey numbers during the season, but Dinwiddie and Ross were granted permission, a source tells Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Given the special circumstances, it seems safe to assume the league would approve similar requests from others. However, Stein hears that they’ll be reviewed on a case-to-case basis (Twitter link).

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

  • The NBA’s announcement of the rosters for this year’s Rising Stars game has been pushed back to this Friday at noon eastern, the league announced today in a press release. A source tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link) that Pelicans forward Zion Williamson would be interested in participating now that he’s healthy, which would certainly add some extra excitement to the All-Star event.
  • Former Trail Blazers and Rockets guard Tim Quarterman has signed a G League contract and has been acquired off waivers by the Sioux Falls Skyforce, per the NBAGL’s transactions log. Quarterman, who appeared in 19 total games for Portland and Houston from 2016-18, spent last season playing in Israel and New Zealand.
  • A pair of former NBA guards have reached deals with international teams, according to reports from Sportando. Emiliano Carchia relays word of ex-Thunder guard Semaj Christon signing with Spanish team Baskonia, while Nicola Lupo has the details on former Pelicans guard Charles Cooke agreeing to sign with Atleticos de San German in Puerto Rico.

And-Ones: Team USA, Jefferson, Jennings, Bass

With another round of World Cup qualifiers scheduled to begin next week, USA Basketball has officially announced its latest 12-man roster for games against Argentina (November 29) and Uruguay (December 2). The roster is made up primarily of G League players, though NBA free agents Tyler Zeller, Jarnell Stokes, and Eric Moreland are also on the squad. Other former NBA players on the roster include Chasson Randle, DeAndre Liggins, and John Jenkins.

With one more qualifying window scheduled for February after next week’s set of games, Team USA is in prime position to secure a spot in the 2019 World Cup. Team USA currently has a 7-1 record in qualifying contests, which puts the club in a tie with Argentina for first place in Group E. Puerto Rico and Uruguay are tied for third at 5-3. The top three teams in the group will earn spots in the World Cup, and the fourth-place team will have a chance to qualify as well.

Let’s round up a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world…

  • With some help from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, longtime NBA forward Richard Jefferson published a piece on ESPN.com this week, sharing some of his memories from his NBA career and discussing his move into broadcasting.
  • After becoming a free agent this week, veteran guard Brandon Jennings may take the G League route as he tries to work his way back into the NBA, tweets Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports. However, Smith notes that nothing’s official yet.
  • Smith also checks in a pair of former NBA forward playing in China, reporting (via Twitter) that Brandon Bass is hoping to return to the NBA later in 2018/19, once the Chinese Basketball Association season ends. Jared Sullinger is also putting up huge numbers in China and is in good shape, according to Smith, who tweets that the former Celtic may be ready for another shot in the NBA.
  • Former Trail Blazers guard Tim Quarterman signed this week with Israeli team Ironi Nahariya, per his agency Prostep Sports (Twitter link). Quarterman was waived by the Rockets this past April.

Rockets Sign Aaron Jackson, Cut Tim Quarterman

8:34pm: The moves are official, per Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston.

7:18pm: The Rockets plan to sign guard Aaron Jackson for the remainder of the season, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. Jackson just recently finished his season as a member of the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Jackson, 31, graduated from Duquesne in 2009, leaving as the school’s all-time leader in games played, third all-time in assists, and sixth all-time in steals. He was a member of CSKA Moscow in Russia from 2012 to 2017, winning a EuroLeague title in 2016.

Because Houston already has a full 15-man roster, the team plans to release recently signed guard Tim Quarterman in order to make room for Jackson, Charania adds.

Quarterman was signed on March 30 to a two-year deal, but next season’s contract was reportedly non-guaranteed. Quarterman should earn a little over $96K for his brief stint in Houston.

Rockets Signing Tim Quarterman To Two-Year Deal

MARCH 30, 12:43pm: The Rockets have signed Quarterman to a multiyear contract rather than just a 10-day deal, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). According to Charania, the agreement covers this season and next season, with 2018/19’s salary not guaranteed.

The Rockets have a full 15-man roster, so they’ll have to make a corresponding move to formally sign Quarterman. Terminating Le’Bryan Nash‘s 10-day contract – which will expire Sunday night – would be the simplest path to a roster spot, though the team could also waive a player on a full-season contract.

MARCH 29, 3:45pm: The Rockets are set to sign shooting guard Tim Quarterman to a 10-day contract, Marc Stein of The New York Times tweets. Quarterman last suited up for the Trail Blazers in 2016/17.

The undrafted 23-year-old had planned to sign in China but passport complications prevented that earlier this year. Now the wing will look to provide depth for the No. 1 team in the NBA.

Quarterman went through training camp with the Rockets last October and was one of the final four players cut prior to the season.

In 16 games for Portland last season, Quarterman averaged 1.9 points and 0.7 assists in just 5.0 minutes of action. Now he’ll be charged with the task of carving out a role for himself on a team with no shortage of offensive weapons already on its bench.

And-Ones: BIG3, G League, Quarterman, J. Brown

Two more former NBA players have signed on with the BIG3, including one that just formally announced his retirement from the NBA this past summer. Veteran big man Jason Maxiell was one of those players joining the BIG3 player pool this week, according to the league (Twitter link). After playing more than 600 NBA regular season games and another 35 postseason contests, Maxiell signed a one-day contract in August and retired as a Piston. Now, he’ll have a chance to compete against – or team up with – former teammate Chauncey Billups in the BIG3.

Veteran forward Jamario Moon, who played in 286 total games for the Raptors, Heat, Cavaliers, Clippers, and Hornets from 2007 to 2012, also signed a BIG3 contract this week, according to an announcement from the league (Twitter link).

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

  • Multiple 2018 NBA draft prospects who aren’t currently playing NCAA ball have been informed that they’re ineligible to play in the G League this season, a league source tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. As Givony explains, players who were enrolled in college during an academic calendar year are ineligible to sign a G League contract in the same season unless they’ve been ruled permanently NCAA-ineligible. Mitchell Robinson, De’Anthony Melton, and Brian Bowen are among the potential 2018 first-rounders currently in limbo.
  • Former Trail Blazers guard Tim Quarterman had been set to join the Jiangsu Dragons in China, but passport complications prevented him from finalizing his deal, per international basketball reporter David Pick (Twitter link). According to Pick, the Chinese club signed ex-Lakers guard Jabari Brown instead.
  • Former first-round pick Archie Goodwin is back in the Suns‘ system, having been traded to Phoenix’s G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, earlier this week. Northern Arizona sent out a first-round pick and a second-round pick for the 2018 G League draft in the three-team deal.
  • The NBA’s next wave of international stars appears to have arrived, Michael Lee writes in an interesting feature for Yahoo Sports.

Ike Diogu, Tim Quarterman To Play In China

A pair of former NBA players have signed to new teams in China to kick off the 2018 calendar year, according to international basketball reporter David Pick. Former first-rounder Ike Diogu has signed with the Sichuan Whales, while former Trail Blazers guard Tim Quarterman has agreed to join the Jiangsu Dragons, per Pick (Twitter links).

Diogu, 34, was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2005 draft by the Warriors. The veteran big man ultimately appeared in 225 NBA regular season games, spending time with the Dubs, Pacers, Trail Blazers, Kings, Clippers, and Spurs.

Diogu has played for a variety of international teams since 2012, and according to Pick, he’ll replace former NBA guard Jamaal Franklin on the Whales, who have a CBA-worst 3-20 record this season.

As for Quarterman, the former LSU standout began his NBA career with the Blazers last season, appearing sparingly in 16 games in his rookie season. The 23-year-old shooting guard was traded to the Rockets in June and was later cut by Houston.

Quarterman, who averaged 11.2 PPG, 7.1 APG, and 6.3 RPG in 22 G League games last season, is signing a one-month contract with the Dragons. He’ll step in for former NBA guard MarShon Brooks, who is returning to America for the birth of his son, Pick reports.

Chris Johnson Among Four Rockets Cuts

The Rockets have waived Chris Johnson, Isaiah Taylor, Tim Quarterman and George de Paula, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. The four cuts slash Houston’s roster down to 15 players in time for the 2017/18 season.

Johnson, the 27-year-old veteran out of Dayton, last suited up for the Jazz back in 2015/16 while point guard Taylor spent time with Houston in 2016/17.

Quarterman on the other hand was acquired by the Rockets in the flurry of trades leading up to the Chris Paul deal and de Paula, the undrafted rookie out of Brazil, has yet to make his NBA debut.

West Notes: Cash Considerations, Dudley, Zhou

As the smoke clears from the chaos of the Chris Paul trade, details have emerged regarding the numerous side deals that went down in order for the Rockets to acquire the superstar point guard from the Clippers.

We broke down the math behind the trades but Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders has provided insight as to the exact financial details of the deals that brought players on non-guaranteed deals to the Rockets in exchange for cash considerations.

There’s more out of the Western Conference:

  • Veteran Suns forward Jared Dudley underwent surgery to repair a lingering toe issue and will be sidelined 3-4 months, ESPN relays.
  • Although he’s justifiably upset about the end of Lob City, Doc Rivers isn’t ready to give up competing for a title. “That part is over. And that bugs me,” Rivers told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. “But we’re not done trying to reach our goal. Sometimes you gotta do it a different way. Because the way we tried to do it didn’t work.”
  • The Nuggets will get a good idea of where they stand in the eyes of free agents this summer, Chris Dempsey of  Altitude Sports writes. The scribe asks whether Nikola Jokic‘s breakout campaign will be enough of a foundation for the club to recruit off of.
  • The Rockets could look to sign Zhou Qi to a multiyear deal by using a portion of their mid-level exception, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes, but they wouldn’t be opposed to siging him to a shorter deal if that meant landing another coveted free agent.

Rockets Acquire Tim Quarterman From Blazers

The Trail Blazers have traded Tim Quarterman to the Rockets in exchange for cash considerations, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter). It’s Houston’s third reported trade agreement of the day.

Quarterman, an undrafted free agent who signed with Portland out of LSU last offseason, played sparingly in his NBA rookie season, appearing in 16 games for the Trail Blazers and averaging 1.9 PPG (in 5.0 MPG).

The Rockets appear to be aggressively attempting to acquire players who can be included in Houston’s blockbuster deal with the Clippers for Chris Paul. Based on the terms initially reported, the Rockets aren’t sending out enough salary in that trade, but the team can acquire players using its cap room and flip them again right away in another deal.

Assuming the Rockets intend to use Quarterman and DeAndre Liggins along with Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, and Sam Dekker in the Paul trade and complete the move before the new league year begins on Saturday morning, they’ll still need to find about $1.589MM in additional salary to include in the deal.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 4/1/17

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

10:39pm:

  • The Trail Blazers recalled Tim Quarterman from the Long Island Nets, the team announced on its website. Portland is among the NBA teams without a direct D-League affiliate. Quarterman has appeared in 13 Trail Blazers games this season, averaging 1.5 points and 3.4 minutes per night.

3:26pm:

  • The Rockets assigned Chinanu Onuaku to the D-League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports (Twitter link). Onuaku has started 39 games with Rio Grande this season, averaging 13.7 points with 10.7 rebounds.