August 2011 – Page 3 – NBA Blog

Rick Adelman interviewing for Timberwolves head coaching job

Rick Adelman is in town today to interview for the Timberwolves coaching job.

He’ll meet with president of basketball operations David Kahn, CEO Rob Moor and owner Glen Taylor.

The Wolves brass worked for weeks to get Adelman to come in for more than a phone interview. If he wants the job, and they can agree on a salary, the job is probably his.

The salary would probably have to be around $5 million per year.

— Report by Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune blog

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Pistons draftee Kyle Singler signs in Spain

As the NBA lockout continues, bench-level players keep signing overseas deals.

Detroit Pistons draft pick Kyle Singler has agreed to a contract with Alicante of Spain’s top professional league, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

The report says that the deal includes an out clause allowing Singler to leaveand return to the NBA when the lockout ends.

Luke Walton likely will be University of Memphis assistant coach until NBA lockout ends

Luke Walton, a member of the 2009 and 2010 NBA World Champion Los Angeles Lakers, has been recommended to join the Memphis men’s basketball coaching staff, head coach Josh Pastner announced Monday.

Walton’s hiring is pending approval of the University and Tennessee State Board of Regents.

Walton was also a member of two other Lakers squads that advanced to the NBA Finals (2004, 2008). Of his eight seasons in the NBA, Walton’s teams have made seven playoff appearances.

“Luke is going to bring great excitement and great energy to the Tigers program, and we’re thrilled to have him,” said Pastner. “Luke is someone who has not only played for but also learned from arguably one of the greatest coaches in basketball history in Phil Jackson. Luke’s also played with and against the best-of-the-best at the highest level of basketball in the NBA, including being a teammate of one of the NBA’s all-time greats in Kobe Bryant.

“Luke will be a great coach because he brings a wealth of knowledge and a winning attitude to the Tigers program. His experiences, which include playing in four NBA Finals and winning two NBA World Championships, are lessons that he can share with our players to help them grow and develop their games.”

Walton, who has two years left on his contract with the Lakers through 2012-13, will remain on the Tigers staff until the resumption of the current NBA season.

Warriors free agent forward Reggie Williams agrees to play in Spain

Golden State Warriors free agent forward Reggie Williams has signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with Caja Laboral Vitoria of the Spanish ACB League, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

The report says that there is a $1 million buyout should Williams look to get out of his contract early.

In the opinion of InsideHoops.com, even though the buyout is sizable, this sounds like a smart deal for Williams. With the current financial troubles many NBA teams are undergoing, Williams probably will receive minimum-level offers when he returns to the league

Police search Oregon home of Zach Randolph

A man who went to the Oregon home of Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph to sell marijuana said he was beaten with a pool cue in a dispute over the price of pot.

The man told sheriff’s deputies at least three men assaulted him but Randolph was not among them. No arrests have been made, and authorities said none were expected on Monday.

Police identified the victim as 26-year-old James Beasley of Portland.
Clackamas County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Rhodes said Randolph was in his home outside Portland when the beating occurred early Saturday. Beasley was treated for head and face injuries and released from a hospital later that afternoon, when he called police, Rhodes said.

Officers served a search warrant early Sunday. They spoke with 10 people in the home at the time and recovered pool cues and blood evidence. They did not find drugs in the home.

Rhodes said the evidence “was consistent with the victim’s statement about where and how he was assaulted,” and authorities were trying to figure out who was involved in the assault.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian get married

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports:

Kim Kardashian and New Jersey Nets player and former Minnesota Gopher Kris Humphries were married Saturday in a twilight wedding ceremony at a private estate in Montecito, Calif., People magazine reported on its website.

About 440 guests were present, including Demi Lovato, Babyface, Vera Wang, Mario Lopez, Mark Ballas, Ciaro and Carmelo Anthony, Eva Longoria and Eduardo Cruz, Alan Thicke, Sugar Ray Leonard, Venus and Serena Williams, Kathy Lee Gifford, Greta Van Susteren, Jillian Barberie, Avril Lavigne, Scottie Pippen and Lindsay Lohan.

Stepfather Bruce Jenner walked Kardashian, 30, down the aisle, wearing an ivory custom-designed Vera Wang gown, People reported.

The groom, 26, sported a white peak lapel tuxedo jacket, black tuxedo pants with white tuxedo shirt and white bow tie – all by Ermenegildo Zegna – and the couple exchanged rings by Lorraine Schwartz, People reported.

The Toronto Star reports:

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the price tag for the wedding — with 500-plus invited guests — will be $10 million U.S., but the cost might be covered by a number of side deals, including an exclusive contract with People magazine to publish wedding photos, said to be worth $1.5 million. Humphries, whose last contract with the New Jersey Nets was worth $9.6 million over three seasons, also reportedly received a discount on a $2 million ring, while Kardashian was given three $20,000 Vera Wang dresses to choose from.

Group of NBA players might tour Australia

NBA players – including Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol – are among an All-Star team that is willing to play a tour of Australia.

It’s understood the plan includes three All-Star matches at Rod Laver Arena later this year.

At least two sponsors have committed to back the tour and insurance issues – tipped to cost more than $1 million for the star-laden team.

— Reported by the Herald Sun

Andris Biedrins not signing overseas just yet

Andris Biedrins’ agent said Saturday that conflicting reports of the Warriors’ center signing with different European teams were erroneous, but Biedrins will explore overseas options next month.

“I think (Biedrins) would be open to playing overseas on a temporary or a long-term basis if the (NBA) lockout continues, but we’ve got to get him some insurance to protect his (NBA) contract,” agent Bill Duffy said. “He’s on a training regimen, and he usually takes it to another level at this time. In 20 to 30 days, he’ll be 100 percent conditioned.”

On Friday, TuBasket.com reported that Biedrins signed with VEF Riga, the Latvian League champions who will play next in the Euroleague. Blic, a Serbian tabloid newspaper, had him signing with Turkish team Anadolu Efes.

Duffy said Biedrins is friends with one of the Latvian team officials, who got excited about the chance of a signing and jumped the gun. Neither have has spoken with the Turkish team, which already has a glut of frontcourt players.

— Reported by Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle blog

Ronny Turiaf has broken left hand

Ronny Turiaf has been replaced by Ali Traore in France’s squad for EuroBasket, which begins on 31 August, the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) confirmed on their website on Friday.

Turiaf fractured his left hand on Tuesday during France’s game with Great Britain at the London Olympic Test Event.

Rumours since the break suggested that the injury was less significant than first suspected and that the 28-year-old centre would recover in time for the tournament, that also serves as a qualifier for next year’s Olympics.

The FFBB confirmed he has fractured the fourth metacarpal of his left hand and will be out for at least three to four weeks.

— Reported by FIBA

Chinese Basketball Association bans contracted NBA players from playing for local teams

This was widely reported as expected to happen, but now it appears the overlords of basketball in China have no interest in letting teams sign players with NBA contracts, only to see those players abandon their Chinese teams once the NBA lockout ends.

The Associated Press reports:

The Chinese Basketball Association will restrict contracted NBA players from playing for domestic teams in the event the season is canceled, but will still allow free agents, state media reported Friday.

The CBA would bar players under contract such as Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul. They and others had expressed interest in playing in China if the NBA lockout drags on and results in the cancellation of all or part of the 2011-12 season.

The CBA said it will welcome free agent NBA players, but will require them to play an entire season in China, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

This cuts off what was possibly going to be a huge destination for some pretty good NBA players in the event that the lockout was going to ruin a sizable chunk of next NBA season.