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Heat Won’t Bring Back Josh Harrellson

January 19th, 2013 at 2:52pm CST by Chuck Myron

Josh Harrellson's 10-day contract expires at midnight tonight, and it will signal the end of his tenure with the team, according to Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald, who tweets that the team will not give the second-year big man another 10-day deal. The same appears to be the case for Jarvis Varnado, who became a free agent today after the Heat failed to re-sign him to another deal when his 10-day contract ended last night.

Harrellson will explore other options that will net him more playing time, Goodman notes. He made the Heat out of training camp on a non-guaranteed deal before he was waived January 7th, and he returned January 10th on his 10-day pact. Still, the 6'10" University of Kentucky product appeared in just six games for a total of 31 minutes after averaging 14.6 minutes across 37 contests for the Knicks last year. New York let him go over the summer in the sign-and-trade deal that brought Marcus Camby to the Knicks, and the Rockets waived Harrellson shortly thereafter.

The Heat are set to have 13 players on their roster once Harrellson's deal is finished tonight, giving them plenty of flexibility to shore up their rebounding woes. The Heat recently auditioned Chris Andersen, and Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors examined the Birdman and other options who could help the team improve its work on the boards. Miami is 30th in the league in total rebounds this season.

Timberwolves Sign Mickael Gelabale

January 19th, 2013 at 10:30am CST by Sean Highkin

SATURDAY, 10:30am: The T'Wolves formally announced the signing.

FRIDAY, 8:25am: The T'Wolves have signed Gelabale to a 10-day contract, his agent confirmed to Shams Charania of RealGM.com (via Twitter). If he plays well, Gelabale will earn another 10-day contract from the Wolves, according to Charania. The Frenchman will take Lazar Hayward's roster spot, after Hayward's 10-day deal expired last night.

THURSDAY, 8:11pm: The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to sign French swingman Mickael Gelabale, the team announced Thursday. It is unclear what the terms of the contract are, or whether it will be a 10-day contract or a deal for the rest of the season.

Gelabale played in 109 games between 2006 and 2008 for the Seattle Supersonics and has played overseas subsequently. His signing helps to shore up depth for the Timberwolves, who have battled various injuries all season.

Heat Assign Dexter Pittman To D-League

January 18th, 2013 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll track today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any further moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

The Heat have assigned Dexter Pittman back to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the team announced today in a press release. It'll be Pittman's second stint this season in the D-League, where he's averaged 12.0 PPG and 8.5 RPG in 10 contests. Pittman had been recalled from Sioux Falls before last night's game to provide frontcourt depth for the Heat, but didn't see any action.

Mavericks Re-Sign Mike James

January 18th, 2013 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 11:08am: The Mavericks officially confirmed James' second 10-day contract in a press release.

THURSDAY, 2:04pm: The Mavericks have re-signed James to a second 10-day contract, according to an AP report (link via NBA.com). Because James' first 10-day deal hasn't technically expired yet, I assume the new one will begin tomorrow.

9:43am: Mike James has appeared in five games for the Mavericks since signing a 10-day contract last week, but he saved the best for last, helping propel Dallas to a win over the Rockets last night with four points and five assists. With his contract set to expire at midnight tonight, James is expected to sign another 10-day deal with the Mavericks, according to Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (via Twitter).

For the Mavs, there's little risk in extending another 10-day contract to the veteran guard. The team wouldn't be able to offer James a third 10-day deal when his second one expires, but there'd be no obligation to sign him for the rest of the season either. For his part, coach Rick Carlisle suggested last night that he'd like to see James remain on the Mavs' roster.

"I’d say that there’s a great chance that he’s going to be there tomorrow, after tonight," Carlisle said, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. "And by the way, I thought his play at the end of the third quarter and early in the fourth may have been the difference in the game."

As our 10-day contract tracker shows, James signed a pair of 10-day deals with the Bulls last season before eventually joining the team for the remainder of the year, a feat the 37-year-old is hoping to replicate this season in Dallas.

Pacers Re-Sign Dominic McGuire

January 17th, 2013 at 1:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have re-signed Dominic McGuire to a second 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. McGuire was initially signed by the Pacers on January 7th, the first day teams could sign 10-day deals, so his contract expired last night.

McGuire, 27, appeared in just two games for the Pacers, averaging six minutes per contest and failing to score a single point. However, he was productive at times for the Raptors and Hornets earlier this season, appearing in 24 games for the two teams, including nine starts for Toronto.

Besides playing for Indiana, New Orleans, and Toronto this season, the well-traveled McGuire has also played for the Warriors, Bobcats, Kings, and Wizards in his six-year NBA career, averaging 2.7 PPG and 3.4 RPG in 342 total contests. The Pacers won't need a corresponding move to make room for the former second-round pick, since a roster spot opened up when his first 10-day deal expired.

Sixers Sign Shelvin Mack To 10-Day Contract

January 17th, 2013 at 10:40am CST by Luke Adams

The 76ers have signed Shelvin Mack to a 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. No corresponding roster move is required to make room for Mack, since Philadelphia has a roster spot open, and will open up another one when Maalik Wayns' 10-day deal expires tonight.

Mack, 23, has averaged 3.8 PPG and 2.2 APG in 13.0 minutes per contests in 71 career NBA games with the Wizards, but was cut by Washington earlier this month. The Butler product has been very productive for the D-League's Maine Red Claws this season, averaging 20.5 PPG and 8.0 APG while shooting .462/.418/.896 in 14 games.

As for Wayns, he's set to become a free agent and will be able to sign another 10-day contract with the Sixers or any other NBA team. Grantland's Zach Lowe (Twitter link) hears the rookie is already drawing interest from D-League clubs.

D-League Moves: Pittman, Jones, Plumlee

January 16th, 2013 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll keep track of today's D-League assignments and recalls right here, with any additional moves posted to the top of the list throughout the day:

The Heat will recall Dexter Pittman from their D-League affiliate in time for tomorrow's game, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. When I examined potential solutions for Miami's rebounding woes earlier today, I noted that giving Pittman and other internal frontcourt options more minutes could be a short-term approach for the club.
Terrence Jones has been re-assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets announced today in a press release. Jones was recalled from the D-League on Monday, but wasn't active for Houston's game against the Clippers last night.
The Pacers have re-assigned Miles Plumlee to the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. It's already the fifth time this season that Plumlee has been assigned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. While he's barely seen the court for the Pacers, the 2012 first-round pick has averaged a double-double in eight games with Fort Wayne, posting 13.4 PPG and 11.5 RPG.

Armstrong, Butler, Boone Join D-League

January 16th, 2013 at 3:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Three more former NBA players are headed to the D-League as they attempt to work their way back into the NBA, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein. Stein reports (via Twitter) that Hilton Armstrong will join the Santa Cruz Warriors, Rasual Butler will join the Tulsa 66ers, and Josh Boone will join the Iowa Energy.

Armstrong, 28, was drafted 12th overall in 2006 and played in parts of five NBA seasons for the Hornets, Kings, Rockets, Wizards, and Hawks. The big man averaged 3.1 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 277 career contests, last playing in the NBA during the 2010/11 season. He'll join a Santa Cruz team that's fully owned and operated by Golden State.

Butler, who began his NBA career with the Heat in 2002/03, has averaged double-digit points three times and played in 638 NBA games, but was waived by the Raptors last season after appearing in 34 games for Toronto. The 33-year-old is headed for a 66ers squad that's owned and operated by the Thunder.

Boone, the Nets' 23rd overall pick in 2006, played four seasons with New Jersey, but hasn't played in an NBA game since his rookie scale contract expired in 2010. The former UConn big man averaged 5.2 PPG and 4.9 RPG in his career, and will join an Iowa Energy team that's shared as an affiliate by four NBA teams.

All three veterans will remain NBA free agents, free to sign with any team if they impress in the D-League.

D-League Moves: Beverley, Wroten, Jones, Joseph

January 14th, 2013 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Monday's D-League assignments and recalls, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

After Jeremy Lin sprained his ankle at practice today, the Rockets will recall the recently-signed Patrick Beverley from the D-League, tweets Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Since joining the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Beverley has averaged 13.7 PPG, 7.0 APG, and 6.7 RPG in three contests.
After a brief stint with the Reno Bighorns, Tony Wroten has been recalled from the D-League by the Grizzlies, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (via Twitter). Quincy Pondexter is out with a knee injury, and Rudy Gay will miss tonight's game while attending his grandmother's funeral, so Wroten will provide some extra depth for Memphis.
Terrence Jones has been recalled from the D-League by the Rockets, tweets Feigen. Jones, 2012's 18th overall pick, had been on his third D-League assignment with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, having averaged 19.2 PPG and 11.0 RPG in nine contests for the club this season.
The Spurs have recalled Cory Joseph from their D-League affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. Joseph was assigned to the Austin Toros back on December 17th for the third time this season. In 14 games with the Toros, Joseph has averaged 20.7 PPG and shot 44.2% from three-point range.

Nets Sign Damion James To 10-Day Contract

January 13th, 2013 at 8:37am CST by Sean Highkin

The Brooklyn Nets have signed forward Damion James to a 10-day contract, the team announced in a press release. James had previously been playing for the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA D-League.

James, drafted 24th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 2010 and acquired by the Nets in a draft-day trade, has played parts of two seasons with the team, averaging 4.5 PPG and 7.7 RPG.