The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has elected to exercise its fourth-year team options for guard Alec Burks and center Enes Kanter.  The options for both players are through the 2014-15 season.

Burks (6-6, 205, Colorado) is entering his third NBA season after appearing in 64 games (all as a reserve) and averaging 7.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 17.8 minutes during his sophomore season for the Jazz in 2012-13.  He scored in double figures on 19 occasions, including a career-high 26 points in 27 minutes at Sacramento on February 9.

The 22-year-old was originally selected by the Jazz with the 12th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.  Burks averaged 11.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 23.9 minutes in eight preseason games for the Jazz.

The 21-year-old Kanter (6-11, 248, Kentucky) is also entering his third NBA season after appearing in 70 games (two starts) for the Jazz in 2012-13 and improving his averages in every major statistical category over his rookie campaign.

The center from Turkey averaged 7.2 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting .544 from the field in 15.4 minutes during his second season, scoring in double figures 22 times and grabbing double-digit rebounds twice, including career highs of 23 points and 22 rebounds vs. Charlotte on March 1.

Originally selected by the Jazz in the first round (third overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft, Kanter averaged 12.1 points and 5.5 rebounds on .513 (41-80) shooting in 23.6 minutes per game during the 2013 preseason.

The Toronto Raptors announced Saturday they have waived guard Carlos Morais and forward Chris Wright.

Morais totaled six points and 21 minutes in three preseason games, while Wright tallied 10 points, six rebounds and 26 minutes in five outings.

The roster now stands at 15. The Raptors open the 2013-14 season at home October 30 versus Boston (7 p.m.).

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have waived forward Josh Howard.

They signed him just yesterday. Why this quick series of events? According to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News earlier today before this move was announced, “NBA rules allow each team to allocate three players cut from the preseason roster to the Development League club of its choice. If the Spurs were to waive Howard before Nov. 1, they could place him in Austin — provided he agrees to sign a D-League contract — and monitor his progress there.”

Howard was originally drafted 29th overall in the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks where he played for seven seasons (2003-10). He has also suited up for the Washington Wizards (2010-11), Utah Jazz (2011-12) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (2012-13).

In 507 career NBA games, the Wake Forest University product has averaged 14.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 30.3 minutes.

The Milwaukee Bucks game vs. the Toronto Raptors earlier tonight, Oct. 25, was called by NBA referee Dan Crawford with 5:58 remaining in the first quarter due to concerns about conditions of the playing surface.

Crawford spoke with a pool reporter regarding the stoppage of the game at the BMO Harris Bradley Center:

“We (the officials) just concluded that the floor was just unplayable. We went out beforehand, because it’s under the control of the Bucks to make a decision initially. We went out initially and tested the floor and we thought the floor was OK. Once the players started slipping, we said we should end this just to make sure we have no issues later.

“They (the players) actually complained beforehand but we didn’t know what that was about. As I said, Karl (Lane) and I were out there and we thought the floor was playable. But we’re not making those instinctive moves and sharp cuts. I think they were having issues with the sharp cuts.

“There was no condensation at all. None whatsoever.

“We kept making eye contact out there and we saw the players were having issues with traction. Then when we had a few guys go down, we figured we should have a conference. And both teams wanted not to continue the game.”

The Orlando Magic have waived center Mickell Gladness, guard Manny Harris, forward Kris Joseph and forward Romero Osby, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.  The roster now stands at 15 players.

Gladness (6-11, 220, 7/26/86) was signed as a free agent on Sep. 27.  He played in three preseason games, averaging 1.3 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and 3.00 blkpg. in 12.3 minpg.

Harris (6-5, 185, 9/21/89) appeared in six preseason games, averaging 4.3 ppg. and 1.3 rpg. in 9.0 minpg.  He was signed as a free agent on Sep. 27. 

Joseph (6-7, 210, 12/17/88) was also signed as a free agent on Sep. 27.  He played in five preseason games, averaging 5.6 ppg. and 1.8 rpg. in 11.0 minpg.

Osby (6-8, 230, 5/7/90) was selected by Orlando in the second round (51st overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft.  He played in seven preseason games, averaging 5.7 ppg. and 4.0 rpg. in 15.4 minpg.

The Golden State Warriors have signed center Andrew Bogut to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced today.  According to the Associated Press, the deal is for three years and $36 million, but worth up to $42 million with incentives.

“This is a great day for the Warriors and we’re very happy to know that Andrew will be our center beyond this season as we continue to progress as a team,” said General Manager Bob Myers. “Andrew possesses a wide-ranging skillset that makes him a great fit alongside the other core pieces that we have assembled on our roster.  He is still just 28 years old and has established himself as one of the premier centers in the NBA.  He is a leader on our team and was a key part of our success during last season’s playoff run.”

Bogut enters the 2013-14 season owning career averages of 12.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.58 blocks and 32.1 minutes in 440 career regular-season games over eight seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors.  In 32 regular-season games for the Warriors last season, he averaged 5.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.72 blocks in 24.6 minutes per contest before helping Golden State advance to the Western Conference Semifinals. 

In 12 postseason games last season, the 7’0” center averaged 7.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.50 blocks, while shooting 58.2% from the field.  Bogut became the first Warriors player to average double-digit rebounds in the postseason (minimum five games) since Larry Smith in 1987.  He tallied career playoff-highs of 14 points and 21 rebounds in Game 6 of the First Round against the Denver Nuggets, one of his three postseason double-doubles and one of five games with 10-or-more rebounds.

“I am so happy to get this deal done and want to personally thank Bob Myers and the Warriors owners, Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, for believing in me as a person and my skills on the court,” said Bogut.  “I absolutely love living in the Bay Area and playing in front of our incredible fans.  I’ve said all along that this is where I want to be long term and now I look forward to starting the season and working with my teammates and coaches to continue building on the foundation that we laid last year.”

Originally drafted by Milwaukee with the first overall selection in the 2005 NBA Draft, Bogut had his finest NBA season in 2009-10, earning All-NBA Third Team honors after averaging a career-high 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.54 blocks per contest.  After seven-plus seasons with the Bucks, the Melbourne, Australia, native was acquired by Golden State, along with Stephen Jackson, on March 13, 2012, in exchange for Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown.

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has waived guards Lorenzo Brown and Othyus Jeffers. The Timberwolves roster now stands at 16 players.

Brown, 23, averaged 12.6 minutes in three preseason contests this year, averaging 4.0 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.

Jeffers, 28, played in six preseason games with Minnesota this season, averaging 4.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game.

The Atlanta Hawks have waived Royal Ivey, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry.

Ivey appeared in three preseason contests for the Hawks. The roster stands at 16.

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have requested waivers on Renaldo Balkman, Devin Ebanks, D.J. Kennedy and Fab Melo.

Balkman (6-8, 225) saw action in four preseason games for the Mavericks and averaged 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per contest.

Ebanks (6-9, 215) played in three Mavericks’ preseason games and averaged 4.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 10.4 minutes. 

Kennedy (6-6, 215) averaged 1.0 point, 1.2 rebounds and 7.4 minutes for Dallas in five preseason games. 

Melo (7-0, 255) competed in three games this preseason and averaged 1.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 8.9 minutes for the Mavericks.

The Mavericks’ roster now stands at 16.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived guard Michael Lee, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced tonight. The Cavs roster now stands at 19.

The 6-9, 207-pound rookie guard from St. Bonaventure, appeared in three preseason games for the Cavs this year, averaging 1.7 rebounds in 4.3 minutes per game.

Mark Cuban, the flamboyant billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, did not engage in insider trading when he sold his stock in an Internet company in 2004, a Texas jury decided on Wednesday.

Cuban, 55, estimated by Forbes magazine to have a net worth of $2.5 billion, was accused by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of trading on non-public information when he sold his 600,000 shares in Internet search company Mamma.com - worth $7.9 million - and avoided a $750,000 loss.

Cuban nodded and smiled, and he blasted SEC lawyer Jan Folena in remarks after the verdict, saying she had tried to bully him and “lied” to the court.

– Reported by Reuters

The Atlanta Hawks have signed forward Cartier Martin, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ferry.

Martin played in 41 games (three starts) last season for the Washington Wizards, and averaged 6.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 16.9 minutes (.381 FG%, .397 3FG%, .714 FT%). The five-year veteran has appeared in 161 career NBA games (nine starting assignments) with Charlotte, Golden State and Washington, averaging 5.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 14.2 minutes (.389 FG%, .381 3FG%, .725 FT%). Martin has also seen action in China, Turkey, Italy and in the NBA Development League with Iowa. The 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward played four seasons collegiately at Kansas State (2003-07).

The training camp roster stands at 18.

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived guard/forward Dahntay Jones.

Jones originally signed with Chicago as free agent on Sept. 27, 2013.

Chicago’s training camp roster now stands at 15.

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived guards Kalin Lucas and Patrick Christopher.

Both players originally signed with Chicago as free agents on Sept. 27, 2013.

Chicago’s training camp roster now stands at 16.

Steve Mills is returning to the New York Knicks as president and general manager, replacing Glen Grunwald in a front-office shake-up just days before the start of training camp.

Mills spent a decade as an executive at Madison Square Garden and before that worked at the NBA for 16 years. He left MSG in 2009 after the arrival of Donnie Walsh as Knicks president.

Grunwald took over when Walsh left in 2011 and constructed much of the roster that helped the Knicks win a playoff series last season for the first time since 2000. He will remain with the organization as an adviser, the Knicks said in a release Thursday.

Madison Square Garden Chairman James Dolan called Mills ”a well-respected sports executive with a strong background in basketball, as well as a familiarity with NBA operations and our company.”

”We look forward to his leadership and believe he is the right person to help us reach our ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship,” Dolan said.

Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed 2013 second-round pick Lorenzo Brown. The Wolves also today signed Robbie Hummel and Othyus Jeffers.

Brown, a 6-5 guard, was selected by the Wolves with the 52nd overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and appeared on the team’s 2013 Las Vegas Summer League team, averaging 8.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists. At North Carolina State, Brown started 95 of the 101 games he played during his three-year career and averaged 11.6 points. He left the Wolfpack as one of only three players in school history to record over 500 career assists (589). Brown was selected Second Team All-ACC as a junior and a Third-Team All-ACC as a sophomore. In 2012-13, he averaged 12.4 points and led the ACC in assists (7.2 apg – 6th in the nation) and ranked second in the conference in steals (2.0 spg).

Hummel, originally selected with the 59th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by Minnesota, heads to training camp with the Wolves after appearing on the team’s 2013 Las Vegas Summer League team, averaging 8.6 points and 5.8 rebounds. The 6-8 forward also spent time on the Wolves’ 2012 Las Vegas Summer League entry. He spent the 2012-13 season with Obradoiro CAB in the Spanish League where he averaged 10.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in 30 games. Hummel averaged 14.0 points and 6.8 rebounds in 127 games over his four-year collegiate career for the Purdue Boilermakers.

Jeffers, a 6-5 guard, played for the Wolves in the 2013 Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 8.2 points and 3.8 rebounds. Jeffers played for the Iowa Energy of the NBADL in 2012-13, averaging 14.7 points, on .486 shooting, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists. In 2010-11, he played 16 games with the Washington Wizards, averaging 5.7 points and 4.1 rebounds, and saw action in one game with the San Antonio Spurs. That year, Jeffers played in 38 games for the Iowa Energy, averaging 21.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Jeffers split 2009-10 between Cantu in the Greek League, Iowa and the Utah Jazz. He appeared in 14 games with the Jazz, averaging 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds. He played in 47 games with Iowa in 2008-09, averaging 21.0 points, on .535 shooting, 9.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists en route to earning Rookie of the Year honors. He appeared in the 2009 and 2011 NBADL All-Star Games.

Today’s transactions bring the Wolves training camp roster to 17 players.

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed center Eric Boateng and guard Darius Johnson-Odom, it was announced today. 

Boateng, a free agent center out of Arizona State University, has split time over the last three seasons playing for the Idaho Stampede and the Austin Toros of the NBA’s Development League in addition to playing internationally for the Greek Basket League team Peristeri and the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig in Germany. The 6-10 center, who played one year (2005-06) at Duke before transferring to Arizona State University (2007-10), finished his collegiate career averaging 4.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13.8 minutes over 116 games. Born in London, Boateng is also a member of the Great Britain national basketball team.

Johnson-Odom, the 55th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, was acquired by the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks on draft night. The 6-2 guard out of Marquette appeared in four games for the Lakers last season, where he totaled four rebounds and one assist in six minutes. Johnson-Odom also played in 13 games for the Los Angeles D-Fenders where he averaged 21.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 39.8 minutes. After being waived by the Lakers in January, the Raleigh, North Carolina native spent the remainder of the 2012-13 season playing in Russia for BC Spartak Saint Petersburg.

Most recently, Johnson-Odom participated in the 2013 NBA Summer League games held in Orlando and Las Vegas. In three games as a member of the Boston Celtics summer league entry in Orlando, Johnson-Odom averaged 10.3 points and 1.3 assists in 23.7 minutes. In six games played as a member of Denver’s summer league team in Las Vegas, Johnson-Odom averaged 7.2 points and 3.0 assists in 15.8 minutes.

The Lakers training camp roster now stands at 18 players. 

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has named Henry Bibby and Maz Trakh as assistant coaches joining John Loyer, who’s been on Detroit’s coaching staff the last two seasons. Additionally, Rasheed Wallace and Bernard Smith have been named player development coaches, Kamran Sufi has been hired as advance scout and Raman Sposato as video coordinator.

Bibby enters his first season with Detroit after spending the last five seasons on the Memphis Grizzlies coaching staff. During his stint in Memphis, Bibby helped coach the Grizzlies to the playoffs for three consecutive years (2011-13). Prior to joining the Grizzlies, Bibby served two-plus seasons (2005-08) as an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers under Maurice Cheeks. He served as the head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of Southern California, where he was named the 2002 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 15 Co-Coach of the Year, along with Paul Westphal, and was a finalist for the 2002 Naismith Coach of the Year Award. He also had coaching stints in the CBA, IBA, WNBA, USBL and in overseas leagues. Bibby averaged 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 675 career games over nine NBA seasons (1972-81). He won an NBA championship with the Knicks as a rookie in 1973. Collegiately, he played three seasons (1969-72) at UCLA where, under head coach John Wooden, he was the starting point guard on three NCAA title teams, earning consensus All-American honors as a senior while serving as the team’s captain.

Trakh joins Detroit after serving the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Prior to Oklahoma City, he spent five years in Asia as a head coach in the Jordan Basketball League. In 2005, he led Jordan Fastlink to the FIBA Asia Club Championship, marking the first time a Jordanian team won the Asia Club Championship. Trakh has also coached in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), American Basketball Association (ABA) and the collegiate level with Cabrillo College, UC Irvine, Riverside Community College and Long Beach State. Prior to his coaching career, Trakh played collegiately at Southern Utah University.

Wallace begins his first year as a player development coach after a 16-year NBA playing career. He returns to the Pistons where he played five-plus seasons (2004-09) and helped the team to the 2004 NBA Championship. Wallace averaged 14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals in 1,109 career games with Washington, Portland, Atlanta, Detroit, Boston and New York. He was acquired by the Pistons from the Hawks on February 19, 2004 and was a key member of the Pistons’ team that made back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2004 and 2005.

Smith enters his first season as a player development coach with the Pistons. He previously worked under Cheeks in both Portland and Philadelphia. He served as video coordinator for the Trail Blazers for two seasons (2002-04) and was promoted to assistant coach prior to the start of the 2004-05 season.

Sufi has spent the last three seasons working in the Chinese Basketball Association and served as an assistant coach with the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Development League from 2007-09. He played professional basketball in the ABA and overseas.

Sposato joins Detroit after spending the last eight seasons working for the L.A. Clippers organization where he started as a video coordinator in 2005. Prior to the Clippers, he spent 2003-05 as the video coordinator of the Portland Trail Blazers on Cheeks’ staff.

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent center Dewayne Dedmon and free agent guard Cameron Jones to contracts, the team announced today.

Dedmon, 24, played the last two seasons at USC, averaging 7.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.67 blocks over 51 games (49 starts).  In 31 games (29 starts) this past season as a redshirt junior, the 7’0” center averaged 6.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.13 blocks and 1.10 steals in 22.3 minutes per contest.  Dedmon did not play organized basketball until his senior year of high school due to religious reasons and played one season at Antelope Valley College in his hometown of Lancaster, CA, before transferring to USC.  He will wear uniform #21.

Jones, 24, played last season for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Development League, averaging 12.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.26 steals in 27.0 minutes per contest.  The 6’4” guard also played for the Warriors Summer League squad in Las Vegas this past July, averaging 11.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in seven games.  Prior to playing his rookie season with the D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants in 2011-12, Jones played four seasons at Northern Arizona University and ended his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer.  He will wear uniform #6.

The Warriors now have 16 players under contract.

NBA star DeAndre Liggins just surrendered after being charged with beating his girlfriend and throwing an Xbox at her.

Liggins allegedly ran into the bedroom he shared with his GF in Oklahoma City … then grabbed her by the hair, pulling her out of the bed. Then, for bad measure, he allegedly punched her 11 to 12 times and then hurled an Xbox and a box fan at her head — striking her. He then allegedly held her at bay.

Reported by TMZ.com

Note from InsideHoops.com: Just a reminder that this is all ALLEGED. Liggins may be completely innocent.