Month: June 2008

Pistons coach Michael Curry has his assistants

New Pistons head coach Michael Curry now has his assistants.

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the team has signed Darrell Walker, Pat Sullivan and Harold Ellis as assistant coaches.

See more info here.

The big question for Detroit is what their roster will look like last year. I was surprised that Flip Saunders got fired. The team had a terrific regular season, and they were better than everyone in the East except the team that wound up winning the league championship. It’s not like they lost to the Hawks or Wizards or something. But still, management seems to feel change has to happen, and Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups, two guys getting up there in age a little, are still the favorites to go, if any of the core does get sent away.

Heat waive Alexander Johnson

The Miami Heat announced today that they have requested waivers on forward Alexander Johnson.

Johnson signed with the HEAT as a free agent on August 24, 2007, and appeared in 43 games (six starts) for Miami during the 2007-08 season. He averaged 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game.

Jeff of InsideHoops.com says: On paper, Johnson is one of those guys that could easily fall out of the league, but I’ve seen him enough to think that he honestly belongs on an NBA roster and can help a squad off the bench. He’s worth signing.

Draft Green Room players

The Draft prospects invited by the NBA for the annual day-before-draft special media session (the players who are also invited to the Draft’s ‘Green Room”) are: Joe Alexander (West Virginia), Darrell Arthur (Kansas), DJ Augustin (Texas), Jerryd Bayless (Arizona), Michael Beasley (Kansas State), Danilo Gallinari (Italy), Eric Gordon (Indiana), DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M), Brook Lopez (Stanford), Robin Lopez (Stanford), Kevin Love (UCLA), OJ Mayo (USC), Anthony Randolph (LSU), Derrick Rose (Memphis), Brandon Rush (Kansas) and Russell Westbrook (UCLA).

Bucks have a few contract issues

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Michael Hunt) reports: A tad more than $16 million, or almost 30% of the Bucks’ payroll, is committed this season to Bobby Simmons and Dan Gadzuric. To unload those contracts, the Bucks would have to take back roughly $16 million in salaries of players who have most likely been likewise financial drains on their franchises in hopes that the changes might do somebody good. Michael Redd and Mo Williams do not represent dead-money contracts, but they are scheduled to make almost $24 million between them this season. That’s about 40% of the payroll wrapped up in a backcourt that does not work well together. So you can see how creative Hammond is going to have to be to dig the Bucks out of this financial hole, and that’s not even to mention a resolution of the Yi Jianlian-Charlie Villanueva overlap, mostly because Villanueva’s rookie contract against his production would make him easy to move, should the Bucks opt to go that way.

Pat Riley almost drafted Kaman over Wade

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ira Winderman) reports: Pat Riley, you see, was leaning toward selecting Central Michigan center Chris Kaman with the No. 5 pick that night. “I looked at him as a little bigger Dave Cowens. And I thought he would develop into a real good interior scorer, rebounder, which he has,” Riley said in a reflective moment recently. “That particular draft, we definitely were in need of a post-up presence, of an inside presence.” While Riley was looking out for a power rotation rocked by the kidney illness of center Alonzo Mourning, his staff was looking out for its leader. The Riley cabinet, which included General Manager Randy Pfund, wanted Wade. Revisionist history offers the tale of Riley, on a treadmill in Milwaukee months earlier, being smitten by the performance of Marquette’s Wade during the NCAA Tournament. But at the 11th hour, there still was need for convincing.

Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer probably making Olympics roster

The Salt Lake Tribune (Ross Siler) reports: The official announcement won’t come until Monday, but USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo all but confirmed Friday that the Jazz’s Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams will be making the trip to Beijing as members of the Olympic team.    “They are two highly thought-of candidates to be on the team,” Colangelo said in a phone interview with The Tribune. “We’ve said that all along, but we’re not pre-announcing anything.”    Colangelo confirmed that he would be keeping three point guards on the U.S. roster – expected to be Jason Kidd, Chris Paul and Williams – and said he was still in the process of notifying players who were going to be on the 12-man team.

Wally Walker trying to help Seattle keep Sonics

The Tacoma News Tribune (Eric D. Williams) reports: “Although he remains unpopular with fans, former Seattle SuperSonics player and executive Wally Walker’s commitment to keeping professional basketball in his adopted hometown is undeniable. Walker was part of an effort to keep the Sonics, with whom he has been involved for more than 30 years, in Seattle for the long term, even after the ownership group he was part of – led by Howard Schultz – sold the team to Clay Bennett’s group. Attorneys for the Sonics have the documents to prove it. Walker’s role as a consultant for the City of Seattle, and his relationship with a private investment group led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, served as the focus Friday during the trial between the city and the Sonics over terms of the KeyArena lease.”

Ersan Ilyasova working out at Bucks facility

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Tom Enlund) writes: “Ersan Ilyasova has been working out at the Bucks practice facility but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he fits into the team’s plans for next season… The 6-foot-9 forward was a Bucks’ second-round draft in 2005 and played in 66 games in 2005-’06, averaging 6.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Last season, he played for the AXA FC Barcelona team in the Spanish League and averaged 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 18 minutes in 22 games. Ilyasova still owns a home in Mequon so he is back in town and, since the Bucks still own his rights, he has been working out at the team’s training facility. But since he has the opportunity to make more money in Spain, he will probably be headed back there next season.”

Pondering Bynum and Gasol

Fox Sports (Randy Hill) writes: “Assuming Andrew Bynum’s knee is sound and a happy contract-extension accord can be achieved, Andrew would provide a lot of what the Lakers require. Bynum, who was on the cusp of becoming a dynamic low-post presence when the injury occurred, may turn into an inside beast. Please mind that dunking-with-authority lesson, Pau Gasol. Ah yes, Pau Gasol. The skilled big man, purloined from the Memphis Grizzlies after Bynum was lost, demonstrated little of the ol’ nastiness needed to deal with the Cs. If he spends a hefty portion of the summer working on functional strength with shoulders a priority, Gasol could make next season a campaign of atonement. There’s nothing like adding a bit more muscle to inspire confidence, swagger and a relatively roughhouse maneuver or two. However, Coach Phil Jackson and his basic triangle set may not be the optimum alignment to maximize the potential created by having two 7-footers on the floor simultaneously. While Gasol is a typical European big man who’s defined by — ahem — finesse, he’s not much of a marksman away from the hoop.”

Dan Majerle happy to begin first coaching job

The East Valley Tribune (Jerry Brown) reports: “Thunder Dan” Majerle said officially joining Terry Porter’s staff as an assistant coach Friday will finally put him back in the game, chasing his goal of a championship while putting him back in the world where he feels most comfortable. “I can’t wait to start,” said Majerle, who joins Bill Cartwright, Alvin Gentry and Igor Kokoskov as Porter’s coaching staff. “I’ve never coached, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and this is the right time and the right team. The chance to stay with this organization, work for a guy I like and respect in Terry and with a team that I think is close to getting over the hump … it’s a perfect situation.” … Porter’s staff includes two former NBA head coaches in Gentry and Cartwright, who will head up the offensive and defensive ends, respectively. But no one on the staff embodies the change in philosophy more than Majerle, whose hustle, desire and preparation mirrored Porter’s career — two guys from small colleges with big dreams and the will to succeed.