Eric Musselman has completed a verbal contract to return to coach the Venezuela National Team this summer.

Musselman is currently head coach of the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the D-League.

With Musselman on the sidelines last summer the Venezuela National Team finished fifth in the FIBA Americas Pre Olympic Tournament held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, and advanced to the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, to be played in Caracas, Venezuela, this coming July 2-8

The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned Derrick Caracter to the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League.

Caracter, who underwent surgery on December 14th to remove part of a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, originally sustained the injury two days prior during Lakers training camp.

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed guard Courtney Fortson of the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

Fortson (5-11, 185, Arkansas) has appeared in 17 games for the D-Fenders this season, averaging 15.9 points, 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds. He has scored in double digits 12 times, including an NBA D-League career high 30 points in a 104-97 win over the Mad Ants in Fort Wayne on Dec. 30.

An MRI on Chris Paul's injured left hamstring has come back negative, but sources say they will sign Courtney Fortson from the D-League's Los Angeles D-Fenders.

Fortson, who was with the Clippers during training camp, will give the team backcourt depth.

The San Antonio Spurs today signed forward Malcolm Thomas of the Los Angeles D-Fenders. With the signing, which came during the 2012 NBA D-League Showcase in Reno, Nev., the number of current NBA players with NBA D-League experience increases to 95.

In six games (two starts) with the D-Fenders this season, Thomas (6-9, 225) averaged 14.3 points and 8.3 rebounds. He scored a season-high 19 points to go with nine rebounds and four blocks in a 117-112 road win over the Erie BayHawks.

Undrafted in 2011, Thomas was in training camp with the Los Angeles Lakers before being waived on Dec.22, 2011 and joining the D-Fenders.

The Los Angeles D-Fenders defeated the Springfield Armor by a 97-82 final in the 2012 D-League Showcase.

The D-Fenders were led by 29 points by Brandon Coster on 12 shots.

“I was able to get into a pretty good rhythm early, and my teammates continued to find me in the right spots,” said Costner. “I tried to exploit mismatches and be aggressive, and when they started doubling, I started kicking it out and making the right basketball play.”

Costner is averaging 24.4 points per game.

L.D. Williams and JamesOn Curry each scored 19 points for Springfield (8-9), which shot only 35 percent from the field.

Malcolm Thomas of the Los Angeles D-Fenders has been called up to the San Antonio Spurs, according to a source.

Thomas is averaging 14.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.

Los Angeles D-Fenders forward Brandon Costner has been named NBA Development League Player of the Month for games played in Nov. and Dec. The honor, the first of the 2011-12 season, is also the first of Costner’s NBA D-League career.

Costner (6-9, 235, North Carolina State), led Los Angeles to a 10-6 record during Nov. and Dec., averaging 25.7 points on 47-percent shooting to go with 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He scored a season-high 42 points in a 90-97 loss to the Idaho Stampede on Dec. 10, and four-times notched 30-plus point games.