Cavs Sign Ben Uzoh To 10-Day Contract
The Cavaliers have signed Ben Uzoh to a 10-day contract, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). The team confirmed the signing.
Uzoh played 42 games last season for the Nets as an undrafted free agent, recording 3.8 points and 14.8 PER in just over 10 minutes per game. The 23-year-old had been playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the D-League this year, and was named the league's Performer of the Week from January 16-22.
Having waived Mychel Thompson on Monday, the Cavs won't need to make a move to clear a roster spot. Coach Byron Scott said the team signed Uzoh rather than D-League standout and ex-Cav Manny Harris because they need a point guard with Kyrie Irving out (Twitter link).
Kareem Rush To Sign With D-League
One more ex-NBA veteran is on the comeback trail. Kareem Rush announced today on Twitter that he'll sign with the D-League in hopes of making his way back to the Association (hat tip to Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside).
Rush, a former standout scorer at the University of Missouri, last saw NBA action in 2009/10, when he played in seven games for the Clippers before being released. For his NBA career, the 31-year-old averaged 6.4 PPG on 40% shooting in 346 games with the Lakers, Bobcats, Pacers, Sixers, and Clippers.
Rush, the older brother of the Warriors' Brandon Rush, is the latest former player to head to the D-League in hopes of returning to the NBA. Greg Ostertag, Rafer Alston, and Jerome James are among the other familiar names to sign with the D-League this season.
Hawks Sign Erick Dampier To 10-Day Contract
The Hawks have signed Erick Dampier to a 10-day contract, according to a team press release.
It was reported over the weekend that Atlanta was eyeing free agent centers, including Dampier, Kyrylo Fesenko, and Dan Gadzuric. The team announced on Saturday that Jason Collins would miss at least two weeks with a sprained elbow. Considering the Hawks are also without Al Horford, it makes sense that they'd add some frontcourt depth.
Dampier, 36, played in 51 games for the Heat last season, averaging 2.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 16 minutes per contest. The 6'11" center has also played for the Pacers, Warriors, and Mavericks since making his NBA debut in 1996.
Rockets Sign Greg Smith
The Rockets have officially signed Greg Smith to a three-year contract, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The deal is worth the pro-rated portion of the rookie minimum this season, is partially guaranteed for year two, and has a team option for the third year. The team waived Jeff Adrien to clear a roster spot.
Smith, 21, had averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and a .677 FG% in 18 games for the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers this season. The Fresno State product, who spent time with the Rockets during training camp, was drawing interest from around the league, Feigen adds.
Feigen first reported that the Rockets had reached an agreement with Smith, while Sam Amick of SI.com added that the deal was expected to be for multiple years.
Jazz Sign DeMarre Carroll
Former first round pick DeMarre Carroll has signed with the Jazz, according to an official team press release. Carroll began the season in Denver, where he averaged 3.0 PPG in just four games. He was waived by the team on February 4th.
After being drafted by Memphis with the 27th overall pick in 2009, the 6' 8" Carroll has yet to find a comfortable place in the league. Last year he was traded to the Rockets (scoring 0 points in 11 minutes), splitting time between Houston and the D-League's Dakota Wizards.
During a radio interview Wednesday afternoon, Jazz president Randy Rigby said Carroll was an "insurance policy." He's the Jazz's 14th player under contract.
Terms of the deal were not released.
D-League Moves: Hobson, Thomas
Earlier today, we learned Jerome James signed with the D-League in an attempt to make an NBA comeback. We'll track the rest of the day's D-League assignments, recalls, and notable signings here:
- Darington Hobson has signed with the D-League, according to Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside (via Twitter). Hobson was waived by the Bucks last Friday.
- Malcolm Thomas will re-join the D-League's Los Angeles D-Fenders, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. Thomas, who was cut yesterday by the Spurs, averaged 14.3 PPG and 8.3 RPG with a .673 FG% in six games for the D-Fenders earlier this season.
Diogu, McCants Sign In Puerto Rico
Caciques de Humacao of the Puerto Rican basketball league has signed former NBA players Ike Diogu and Rashad McCants, the team officially announced this week (hat tip to Sportando). The league will get underway in March, with Diogu and McCants expected to arrive later this month.
Diogu, the ninth overall pick in the 2005 draft, played briefly for the Spurs earlier this season before being released. Over the course of his NBA career, the 28-year-old has posted 6.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and a 15.6 PER in 225 games.
McCants, 27, was selected just five picks after Diogu in 2005, going 14th overall to the Timberwolves. The former UNC star hasn't played in the NBA since he was waived by the Kings in January 2010. McCants averaged 10.0 PPG on 43.1% shooting in 249 career NBA games.
The signings of Diogu and McCants were mentioned by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports earlier this week when he discussed the Puerto Rican league's interest in Allen Iverson.
Hornets Sign Donald Sloan To 10-Day Contract
The Hornets have signed Donald Sloan to a 10-day contract, tweets John Reid of the Times-Picayune. Sloan is the second player to sign a 10-day deal with the Hornets, who added Lance Thomas earlier this week.
Sloan, 24, appeared in five games for the Hawks earlier this season before being waived. That was the first NBA action for former Texas A&M guard, who went undrafted after graduating in 2010.
NBA teams were allowed to sign players to 10-day contracts as of February 6th. For a breakdown of how the deals work, check out our primer.
Jerome James Signs With D-League
Former NBA big man Jerome James is attempting a comeback. James has signed with the D-League in hopes of returning to the NBA, reports Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside. The 36-year-old will join a D-League team after he clears waivers.
James, who made his NBA debut for the Kings in 1998, hasn't logged significant minutes in the Association since 2006/07. He appeared in a total of four games for the Knicks in the following two seasons before he was traded to the Bulls in 2009 and eventually waived in 2010, the final year of his contract.
As James' career averages of 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game suggest, he was never more than a part-time contributor in Sacramento, Seattle, or New York. The best stretch of his career, as Schroeder recalls, came in 2005 with the Sonics, when the seven-footer parlayed a strong postseason performance into a five-year deal with the Knicks.
According to Basketball-Reference, James earned nearly $45MM in his NBA career, but it's hard to imagine this comeback attempt earning him another NBA paycheck.
Decisions On Non-Guaranteed Contracts
February 10th marks the day that all players on non-guaranteed contracts will have their deals guaranteed for the remainder of the season. However, if a team wants to meet that Friday deadline, it will need to make its decisions today, allowing its player(s) to pass through waivers in time.
Some non-guaranteed players, such as DeJuan Blair and Jeremy Lin, are in no danger of being waived. However, with a few dozen players on non-guaranteed deals across the league, there will be plenty of cuts before the day is out. Some of those players will sign 10-day contracts shortly after being cut, while others could join the D-League or find a place on our list of current unrestricted free agents.
We'll track all the day's decisions on non-guaranteed contracts right here, with the latest news up top:
- Other players who will have their contracts guaranteed for the remainder of the year: Ivan Johnson, Jannero Pargo, Jerry Stackhouse (Hawks), Cory Higgins (Bobcats), Brian Scalabrine, John Lucas (Bulls), Samardo Samuels, Alonzo Gee (Cavaliers), Sean Williams (Mavericks), Julyan Stone (Nuggets), Vernon Macklin, Damien Wilkins (Pistons), Dominic McGuire, Chris Wright (Warriors), Sundiata Gaines, Keith Bogans (Nets), Steve Novak, Jerome Jordan (Knicks), Ryan Reid (Thunder), DeAndre Liggins (Magic), Lavoy Allen, Francisco Elson (Sixers), Danny Green, Gary Neal (Spurs), Jeremy Evans (Jazz).
- The Jazz will guarantee Jamaal Tinsley's contract, according to Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter).
- The Pistons are keeping guard Walker Russell, agent Giovanni Funicello told HoopsHype (via Twitter).
- The Hornets have waived DaJuan Summers and Carldell Johnson, league sources tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- The Rockets waived Jeff Adrien, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The move clears a roster spot for Greg Smith.
- The Wizards have waived Hamady N'Diaye, according to a team release.
- Chris Johnson received a call from Trail Blazers GM Chad Buchanan this morning saying his contract would be guaranteed, tweets Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
- The Celtics will hang on to Greg Stiemsma and guarantee his deal, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- The Lakers have waived Derrick Caracter. Caracter broke the news himself, tweeting "It's over before it begun!!! …. On to the next chapter of my life" (Twitter links). The Lakers will hang on to Devin Ebanks, Andrew Goudelock, and Darius Morris, tweets Mike Breshnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
- The Clippers have cut Solomon Jones, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
- The Heat have waived Mickell Gladness, the team announced (Twitter link). Miami's other two players on non-guaranteed deals, Eddy Curry and Terrel Harris, look safe, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- The Grizzlies have waived Josh Davis, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- The Spurs announced they've waived Malcolm Thomas, who was assigned to the team's D-League affiliate last week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.