Heat Sign Jarvis Varnado
WEDNESDAY, 7:51am: The Heat signed Varnado to a 10-day contract late last night, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). It appears Miami waited until Wednesday to officially complete the move, which will allow them to keep Varnado around for an extra day next weekend.
TUESDAY, 11:20am: Jarvis Varnado was waived two days ago by the Celtics, meaning he's on track to clear waivers later this afternoon. When that happens, Varnado is expected to sign a 10-day contract with the Heat, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Varnado, who was drafted 41st overall by the Heat in 2010, spent two seasons overseas before joining Miami's camp this fall. However, he was cut by the team before the regular season began. The former Mississippi State product signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Celtics in December and appeared briefly in five games for Boston before being released in advance of this week's guarantee deadline.
The Heat are also working out Chris Andersen today, and signing Varnado wouldn't necessarily preclude adding the Birdman as well. After waiving Terrel Harris and Josh Harrellson this week, the Heat have two open roster spots.
T-Wolves Re-Sign Lazar Hayward
5:05pm: The team has officially signed Hayward to a 10-day contract, according to Mark Remme of NBA.com.
12:00pm: The Timberwolves are expected to re-sign Lazar Hayward to a 10-day contract, assuming he clears waivers later today, reports Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune (via Twitter). Hayward was released by the Wolves on Sunday.
Hayward, who was playing on a non-guaranteed deal, was cut before his contract became guaranteed for the season. The T-Wolves will have the option of keeping him around for 20 more days (two 10-day contracts) before deciding whether or not they want to sign him for the remainder of the season.
The 26-year-old, who was acquired by the Timberwolves on draft night in 2010, was traded to the Thunder before the 2011/12 season, and then sent to the Rockets in the James Harden deal before the 2012/13 season. The Wolves scooped Hayward back up after he was released by the Rockets.
Sixers Re-Sign Maalik Wayns
4:22pm: The Sixers have officially re-signed Wayns to a 10-day contract, the team announced in a press release. Wayns just cleared waivers at 4:00pm central time, so Philadelphia didn't waste much time bringing him back into the fold.
TUESDAY, 3:22pm: The Sixers haven't definitely decided to re-sign Wayns yet, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com (via Twitter). Wayns could ultimately rejoin the team, but the Sixers still seem to be exploring all their options, says Charnia, adding that Jannero Pargo doesn't appear to be on Philadelphia's radar.
MONDAY, 1:01pm: It's been less than 24 hours since we heard that Maalik Wayns had been released by the 76ers, but the rookie guard will re-sign with the team tomorrow, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. According to Kennedy, Wayns will rejoin the Sixers on a 10-day contract.
Wayns has appeared in 20 games for the Sixers this season, averaging 2.5 PPG in 7.8 minutes per contest. Bringing the 21-year-old back on a 10-day deal gives the Sixers the flexibility of not having to guarantee his contract for the season. Philadelphia is essentially just postponing its decision on whether or not to keep Wayns around all year — the team could sign him to two 10-day contracts before deciding whether to give him a rest-of-season deal.
A report in late December had indicated that Philadelphia was seeking point guard help, even with Wayns and Royal Ivey on the roster backing up Jrue Holiday. After Wayns was released yesterday, coach Doug Collins suggested the Sixers may seek out a point guard that can defend the pick-and-roll (Twitter link via Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com). It's not clear whether that's something the club will still pursue, or if Philadelphia is satisfied its point guards with Wayns back in the fold.
Jazz Recall Kevin Murphy From D-League
The Jazz are recalling Kevin Murphy from their D-League affiliate, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Murphy had been playing for the Reno Bighorns since being assigned by Utah on November 26th.
When Murphy was assigned to the D-League by the Jazz, GM Dennis Lindsey noted that he wanted to see the second-round pick operate as a team player, rather than dominating the ball and trying to rack up points. In 14 games, including 12 starts, for the Bighorns, Murphy averaged 13.2 PPG on .446/.350/.775 shooting.
Mavericks Sign Mike James
TUESDAY, 2:09pm: James has officially signed his 10-day contract with the Mavs, according to Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The team confirmed the news in a press release.
MONDAY, 2:01pm: The Mavericks will sign Mike James to a 10-day contract after the Texas Legends' game today, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). James had recently signed with the D-League squad hoping to impress the Mavs and earn another shot in the NBA.
In his lone game for the Legends so far, James helped lead the club to a comfortable victory over the Tulsa 66ers, pouring in 26 points in three quarters. He'll join a Dallas team that was seeking a veteran for its backcourt after losing Derek Fisher (Twitter link via Stein).
James, 37, has appeared in 539 NBA games since making his debut back in 2001. Last season, he signed a pair of 10-day contracts from the Bulls in 2012 before inking a deal for the remainder of the season.
Scott Skiles Out As Bucks Coach
10:06am: The Bucks have officially confirmed that Skiles is out as head coach and that Boylan will assume the reins.
"Scott and I met yesterday after practice and after some honest discussion, we both came to the conclusion that it was best to part ways," Hammond said in the press release. "It is never an easy decision to make, but in the end a decision we felt was best for both parties. I want to thank Scott for his hard work, dedication and the imprint he leaves on our team and our entire organization. We all wish him and his family well."
TUESDAY, 12:09am: Boylan will coach the Bucks for rest of the season, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. Woelfel hears the team was close to firing Skiles recently, but the coach earned extra time when the Bucks beat the Heat on December 29th. That wasn't his first brush with an exit from Milwaukee. Skiles, thinking he wouldn't be back, cleaned out his desk at the end of last season, Woelfel notes (All Twitter links).
MONDAY, 11:51pm: Assistant coach Jim Boylan will take over for Skiles on an interim basis, just as he did when the Bulls fired Skiles in 2007, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
11:32pm: The Bucks and Scott Skiles have agreed to part ways immediately, reports Sam Amick of USA Today. The move comes on the heels of a report by TNT's David Aldridge that indicated Skiles would not return to the team when his contract expires this summer.
Skiles and GM John Hammond entered the season with high stakes on the team's performance, but after a strong start, the Bucks have lost four in a row to drop to 16-16. Skiles' agent, Keith Glass, denied rumors last year that Skiles was seeking a buyout of the final year of his deal. A reputed taskmaster, Skiles has clashed with some players, notably Stephen Jackson, who recently scoffed at the suggestion that he and Skiles had spoken since the team dealt him away last season. Skiles "hated his team" this season, a close friend told Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Skiles finishes his tenure in Milwaukee with a 162-182 record, highlighted by a 46-36 campaign in 2009/10, when the sixth-seeded Bucks took the No. 3 seed Hawks to seven games in the first round even without an injured Andrew Bogut. That was the only playoff appearance in Skiles' four and a half seasons with the team. He's 443-433 all-time as a head coach, including stops with the Suns and Bulls.
D-League Moves: Beverley, Leuer
We'll keep track of today's D-League movement in this post, with the latest news on top. You can follow all of this season's D-League assignments and recalls right here.
- The Rockets, in a press release that officially announced the signing of Patrick Beverley, also revealed that he's been assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the D-League. The 6'1" point guard has yet to play in either the NBA or the D-League after going undrafted in 2009. Houston brought Beverley over from Spartak St. Petersburg in Russia, for whom he was named Eurocup MVP last season.
- The Cavaliers have recalled Jon Leuer from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. Leuer figures to be on the bench for the Cavs' game tonight in Chicago. Leuer was assigned to the Canton Charge last week, and played in two games for the club during his stint. The 23-year-old had double-doubles in both contests, leading the Charge to a pair of victories. Canton is now 7-1 this season with Leuer, and just 3-7 without him.
Lakers Waive Darius Johnson-Odom
The Lakers have waived Darius Johnson-Odom, the team announced today in a press release. Johnson-Odom was one of two Lakers on non-guaranteed deals, along with Robert Sacre. Given the injury woes plaguing the team's frontcourt, Sacre's job appears safe.
Johnson-Odom, 23, was drafted 55th overall in last June's draft, with a pick L.A. acquired from the Mavericks in exchange for cash. The Marquette product didn't see much action for the Lakers, failing to score his first NBA point in four games (six total minutes).
The move opens up a roster spot for the Lakers, which may be useful — with Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, and Jordan Hill all ailing, the club could decide to bring in a big man on a 10-day contract. For now though, the move is just about today's guarantee deadline, rather than clearing a spot for another player, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Pacers Sign Frank Vogel To Extension
The Pacers have signed head coach Frank Vogel to a contract extension, the team announced today in a press release. Vogel had been in the final year of his contract, though the Pacers held a team option for 2013/14, so it's not clear whether the club simply picked up that option or further extended Vogel's contract.
Since taking over as Indiana's head coach during the 2010/11 season, Vogel has led the team to an 82-56 record and a pair of playoff berths. The Pacers are also off to a strong start (20-14) this season despite not having top scorer Danny Granger in the lineup.
"This is a good deal for Frank and the franchise," said Pacers president Donnie Walsh in a statement. "Frank has done a great job turning our team around since he became coach and deserves the chance to continue the work he and his staff have started."
Wizards Waive Shelvin Mack
The Wizards have released Shelvin Mack, the team announced today in a press release. It's the second time Mack has been cut by Washington this season, and it ensures that his salary won't become guaranteed.
Mack inititally received a $300K guaranteed on a minimum-salary contract from the Wizards, but was waived prior to the start of the regular season. He rejoined the team just before Christmas on a non-guaranteed deal and appeared in seven games, averaging 5.3 PPG and 3.3 APG in just over 20 minutes per contest.
The Wizards now have 14 players remaining on their roster, including Garrett Temple, whose contract will become guaranteed for the remainder of the season, according to Michael Lee of the Washington Post (via Twitter).