Allen Iverson Not Interested In D-League
TUESDAY, 9:11am: It appears Iverson won't be taking up the Legends on their offer, according to a message posted on his Twitter account this morning:
"I thank Donnie [Nelson] and Dallas for the consideration and while I think the D-League is a great opportunity, it is not the route for me," Iverson tweeted.
Iverson added that he still hopes to "complete [his] legacy" in the NBA, but that whether or not he's able to return to the league isn't necessary up to him (Twitter links).
MONDAY, 9:55am: The Texas Legends have recently added Delonte West and Rashad McCants to their roster, and now the team is eyeing another veteran guard. According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Mavericks' D-League affiliate is making a hard push to convince Allen Iverson to sign with them.
According to Stein, the Legends have made overtures to Iverson before, which the former MVP has resisted. The Legends are ramping up their pursuit of Iverson again now because they're set to return to the top of the D-League's waiver line once they finalize Mike James' rest-of-season contract — when a non-assigned player called up from the D-League spends 21 consecutive days with the NBA team that signed him, the D-League squad moves to the top of the waiver process. So if Iverson were to join the D-League, the Legends would be first in line to claim him.
Iverson, 37, hasn't appeared in an NBA game since the 2009/10 season, but has long been seeking a return to the league. To date, he hasn't been willing to join the D-League as a step toward a potential comeback. We heard in the fall that Iverson was reportedly seeking a $1MM contract to play in the Chinese Basketball Association, a figure that significantly exceeds a D-League pay check.
Back in September, Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside made the case for why Iverson should seriously consider the D-League route.
D-League Moves: Thunder, Mavs, Rockets, Suns
Here are today's D-League assignments and recalls, with the latest moves at the top of the page:
- Jeremy Lamb and Daniel Orton, who have been shuttled back and forth between the Thunder and the Tulsa 66ers all season, were recalled from the D-League, the club announced today in a press release.
- The Mavericks have re-assigned Jared Cunningham to the D-League, according to a team release. The move will give Cunningham a chance to play more minutes, as he'd only appeared briefly in one game for the Mavs since being recalled from the Texas Legends on December 31st.
- The Rockets have recalled rookie big man Donatas Motiejunas from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the team announced in a press release. Motiejunas had been on his third assignment to the D-League, where he has averaged 20.3 PPG and 9.7 RPG for the Vipers in seven games this season.
- Diante Garrett has been recalled from the D-League by the Suns, the team announced today (Twitter link). In seven games for the Bakersfield Jam since being assigned to the team earlier this month, Garrett averaged 15.1 PPG and 7.4 APG, shooting a blistering 62.5% on three-pointers.
- The Nets have recalled Tornike Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor from the Springfield Armor, the team announced today in a press release. Both players have played extremely well in their two D-League stints this season, with Shengelia averaging 28.3 PPG, 13.7 RPG, and 7.0 APG in three games, while Taylor has recorded 26.5 PPG and 7.5 APG in four contests. However, Shengelia is currently out indefinitely with concussion symptoms.
Delonte West Joins Texas Legends
FRIDAY, 12:15pm: The Texas Legends have officially added West to their roster, the team announced today in a press release. Despite the fact that the Legends are the Mavericks' D-League affiliate, we probably shouldn't assume West will return to the Mavs after the way the two sides parted ways earlier in the season. Still, if West impresses in the D-League, he could earn an NBA contract before season's end.
WEDNESDAY, 7:05pm: Free agent guard Delonte West has filed paperwork to join the NBA Developmental League, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Ironically, the Texas Legends, affiliate of the Mavericks, are the first team in the waiver line (Twitter link). Dallas cut West loose in November.
Earlier this week it was reported that the Grizzlies were giving serious consideration to signing West as they look to fill out their roster. However, Stein (via Twitter) hears that Memphis is likely to pass on him. The Lakers gave some thought to signing West at one point this season but they opted against it in an effort to maintain some level of stability.
Odds & Ends: Cavs, Blazers, Grizzlies, McCants
Even after pulling off one deal that used up a chunk of their leftover cap space, the Cavaliers are still aggressively exploring the trade market, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. Of course, as Amico adds, about 20 other teams are doing the same thing, and there's no guarantee the Cavs will make another move before February 21st. Here are a few more odds and ends from around the Association:
- When weighing trade possibilities, Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey is looking for players who are good influences in the locker room as well as good fits on the court, as he tells Ian Thomsen of SI.com.
- Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien isn't expecting the Grizzlies to make another deal before the trade deadline, tweets Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- The Mavericks' D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, officially announced today that they've added former UNC standout Rashad McCants. We heard yesterday that McCants may be on his way back to the Legends.
- Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld examines the teams that will have the most cap flexibility going forward.
- Robert Dozier, who was in camp with the Heat during the preseason, has signed with the Alaska Aces in the Philippines, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
D-League Moves: Josh Selby, Cory Joseph
Here are today's D-League assignments and recalls, with additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Cavaliers have assigned newly-acquired Josh Selby to the Canton Charge, according to a team release. Selby was one of three players the Cavs landed from the Grizzlies, along with Marreese Speights and Wayne Ellington, in exchange for Jon Leuer.
- Involved in his third transaction in the last two days, Cory Joseph has been re-assigned to the Austin Toros, the Spurs announced today in a press release. When Joseph was assigned to the D-League yesterday, I noted that the timing was unusual, considering the Spurs were set to be without Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard last night. The team apparently reached the same conclusion, quickly recalling Joseph in time to dress against the Hornets, though he didn't appear in the game.
Northwest Notes: McCants, T’Wolves, Thunder
Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that former Timberwolves first-round pick Rashad McCants might be on his way back to the D-League's Texas Legends. The 28-year-old, who averaged nearly 20 PPG in China this year, played for the Mavericks affiliate in their debut season. Here's more on the T'Wolves and the rest of the Northwest..
- The Thunder will pursue small forward Pete Mickeal when his contract with FC Barcelona is over, according to a report from TuBasket.com passed along by HoopsHype. Mickeal was drafted by Dallas in the second-round of the 2000 Draft but was waived that summer.
- The T'Wolves were in on Australian center Aron Baynes early on before the Spurs scooped him up, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. San Antonio won out thanks to their personal connections with the big man in conjunction with their offer of a guaranteed deal.
- The Raja Bell saga has gone on for months in Utah but his reps are hopeful that a settlement can be struck at some point, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM. The Jazz and Bell haven't made much progress on a buyout over the last month.
Spurs Recall Cory Joseph From D-League
Here are today's D-League's assignments and recalls, with any further moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- Well, that was fast. The Spurs announced that they have recalled Joseph from the Austin Toros just five-and-a-half hours after his assignment. Joseph will be in uniform for tonight's game against the Hornets.
- The Spurs have re-assigned Cory Joseph to the Austin Toros, the club announced today in a press release. Joseph appeared in just one game during his most recent stint with the Spurs, playing briefly at the end of the club's January 16th win over Memphis. The timing of the move is a little curious, since the Spurs also announced they'll be without Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard tonight vs. the Hornets. With Joseph headed to the D-League, that'll be one fewer body on the bench for San Antonio.
D-League Moves: Jones, Nets, Grizzlies, Rockets
We’ll track Tuesday’s D-League assignments and recalls right here, with additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Rockets announced today that they have re-assigned forward/center Donatas Motiejunas to the Vipers. The move will create roster space for Terrence Jones, who was recalled earlier today.
- The Nets announced that have assigned forward Tornike Shengelia and guard Tyshawn Taylor to the Springfield Armor. This will be the second stint for both players in the D-League this season. Shengelia was a practice favorite of former coach Avery Johnson.
- On the heels of their trade with the Grizzlies, the Cavaliers have recalled Kevin Jones from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. Jones, who was assigned to the Canton Charge just yesterday, helped lead the team to a 78-69 victory over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, racking up 25 points and 11 boards.
- The Rockets will recall Terrence Jones from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, tweets Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. In his four D-League stints this season, Jones has appeared in 12 games, averaging 19.1 PPG and 9.8 RPG.
D-League Moves: Lamb, Orton, Jones, Tyler
We'll track today's D-League assignments and recalls right here, with additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Thunder have re-assigned Jeremy Lamb and Daniel Orton to the Tulsa 66ers, tweets Adam Zagoria.
- The Cavaliers have re-assigned Kevin Jones to the Canton Charge, the team announced today in a press release. Jones has seen limited action in Cleveland this season, but was very productive in five games for the Charge, averaging 23.6 PPG and 12.6 RPG.
- Jeremy Tyler has been recalled from the D-League, the Warriors announced today in a press release. Tyler was sent to Santa Cruz yesterday and helped the Warriors' affiliate pull out a 96-95 win over the Erie BayHawks.
- The Bucks have recalled Doron Lamb from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the club announced today (Twitter link). After being assigned to the D-League for the first time on January 12th, the rookie appeared in two games, averaging just 7.5 PPG while shooting 22.7% from the floor.
Heat Recall Dexter Pittman From D-League
Two days after being assigned to Sioux Falls Skyforce, Dexter Pittman has been recalled by the Heat, according to a team release. Pittman will be available for Miami's home game against the Raptors on Wednesday night.
Pittman was recalled to the Heat on January 17 for one game and was then re-assigned to the D-League. He was initially sent down on December 26 after nearly two months in the NBA. In 12 games for Sioux Falls, Pittman has averaged 13.3 points and 9.2 rebounds and was named to the 2013 NBA D-League Showcase Second Team.