Two women wanted after $617K in jewelry taken from apartment of Knicks’ Derrick Williams

New York police say Knicks forward Derrick Williams has reported that $617,000 in jewelry has vanished from his apartment. Police say they are searching for two women in the case. They released surveillance video footage late Wednesday of two well-dressed women leaving a club in Manhattan’s meatpacking district early Dec. 19.

They say those women went to Williams’ home in the trendy TriBeCa neighborhood. They left after 90 minutes. Police say Williams later reported several pieces of jewelry missing. They included a $50,000 diamond Rolex watch, three diamond rings valued at $30,000 and three 24-karat gold chains worth $35,000.

Williams has declined to comment on the theft.

Williams attended La Mirada High and signed with USC before getting released from his letter of intent and attending Arizona after Coach Tim Floyd’s resignation from USC. After averaging 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds as a sophomore for the Wildcars, Williams was picked second in the 2011 draft.

He is averaging 7.3 points this season with the Knicks, who are the 24-year-old player’s third NBA team.

Ish Smith traded

The NBA-worst Philadelphia 76ers acquired point guard Ish Smith from the New Orleans Pelicans for two second-round draft picks. Smith averaged 8.9 points and 5.7 assists in 27 games. He’ll return to Philadelphia, where he played 25 games last season and averaged 12 points, six assists and three rebounds.

The 76ers also waived guard Tony Wroten, who has been bothered by injuries all season and averaged 8.4 points in eight games. He averaged 16.9 points in 30 games last season.

College basketball player suspended for reselling books

A University of Vermont basketball player was suspended for eight games for reselling textbooks. The university’s athletic department said that junior Dre Wills violated its student athlete code and NCAA rules regarding his athletic scholarship by selling the books.