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Tayshaun Prince will be returning to the Detroit Pistons after reaching agreement on a $27 million, four-year contract, a league source told ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher.
Prince, an unrestricted free agent, has spent his entire career with the Pistons since coming into the league in 2002.
— Reported by ESPN.com
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Former Dallas Mavericks forward Caron Butler agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract with Los Angeles Clippers Thursday, according to his agent Raymond Brothers.
Butler had also considered San Antonio, New Jersey and Chicago, but ultimately the opportunity to team with Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon in Los Angeles proved too enticing.
“He’s very excited to be with Blake,” Brothers said. “And very excited to be with a young upcoming team he believes he can help win a championship.”
— Reported by Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com
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In the latest twist of his expected departure from the Dallas Mavericks, Tyson Chandler is closing in on a deal with the New York Knicks, according to sources close to the process.
“New York is Tyson’s first choice,” one source told ESPN.com, confirming a Thursday report from CBSSports.com that the Knicks have jumped ahead of the Golden State Warriors in the race to sign Chandler.
“It’s 98 percent sure that Tyson is going to wind up with the Knicks.”
To create sufficient salary-cap space to sign Chandler, New York is expected to shed the contracts of Chauncey Billups and Ronny Turiaf, through either trades or the forthcoming amnesty clause.
Signing Chandler, sources said, could free up the Knicks to offer star forward Amare Stoudemire to the New Orleans Hornets in a trade scenario for Chris Paul, who badly wants to reunite with Chandler after their time together with the Hornets. Sources say that’s one option New York is considering.
— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com
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The New Jersey Nets have named P.J. Carlesimo and Mario Elie as assistant coaches, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. Carlesimo and Elie join assistant coaches Popeye Jones and Tom Barrise and assistant coach/player development Doug Overton on Head Coach Avery Johnson’s staff. In addition, the Nets have named Dr. Jeremy Bettle as the team’s strength and conditioning coach.
P.J. Carlesimo brings over 35 years of coaching experience to the Nets, most recently serving as an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors in 2010-11. A three-time NBA head coach, Carlesimo previously held the top job in Portland (1994-97), Golden State (1996-2000) and Seattle/Oklahoma City (2007-09). In seven NBA seasons, Carlesimo had an overall NBA coaching record of 203-284 (.417). In addition, Carlesimo spent five seasons (2002-2007) as Gregg Popovich’s lead assistant with the San Antonio Spurs, where they captured three NBA titles in 2003, 2005 and 2007.
Carlesimo began his coaching career as an assistant at Fordham University in 1971, before serving as head coach at New Hampshire College, Wagner College, Seton Hall University, where he guided the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament championship game in 1989.
Carlesimo served as an assistant coach for USA Basketball for the gold-medal winning team at the 1992 Olympic Games, the 1990 World Championships, the 1990 Goodwill Games and the 1988 Olympic Trials. In addition, Carlesimo was the head coach of three other U.S. Teams, including the 1991 World University Games squad, winners of the gold medal, and at the Olympic Festival in Norman and Oklahoma City in 1989.
A native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Carlesimo graduated from Fordham University in 1971. He has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame (1992 USAB Dream Team), Pennsylvania Hall of Fame, the Wagner Hall of Fame and the Seton Hall Athletic Hall of Fame. His father, the late Pete Carlesimo, was the long-time executive director of the NIT. Between coaching stints, Carlesimo has been a broadcaster for NBC Sports, Turner Sports and Spurs Television.
Mario Elie comes to the Nets after spending the last two seasons as an assistant with Sacramento. Following an 11-year playing career, Elie entered the coaching ranks as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003-04. From there, Elie went on to serve as an assistant coach for Golden State (2004-06) and Dallas (2007-09), before joining the Kings in 2009.
Elie enjoyed a successful NBA playing career averaging 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 732 regular season games with Golden State, Philadelphia, Portland, Houston, San Antonio and Phoenix. He also played in 116 career playoff contests, winning three NBA Championships with Houston (1994 & 1995) and San Antonio (1999).
A native of New York City, Elie was drafted in the seventh round by the Milwaukee Bucks (160th overall pick) in 1985 out of American International College – a Division II school in Springfield, Mass. Elie played in Portugal, Argentina, Ireland, the USBL, the WBL and the CBA before making his NBA debut with the Philadelphia 76ers in December 1990.
Dr. Jeremy Bettle joins the Nets after serving at UC Santa Barbara as Director of Sports Performance and most recently, assistant athletics director. At UCSB, he was directly responsible for the strength and conditioning of all 20 intercollegiate programs. Prior to joining UCSB, Bettle was the Director of Wellness and Athletic Programs for Hayashida Physical Therapy in Santa Barbara, while also serving as the regional strength and conditioning coach for USA Rugby.
Bettle has also held positions as a strength and conditioning coach at Middle Tennessee State University, a technical manager for USA Rugby, and a speed development consultant with Viadana Rugby, the premier professional rugby organization in Italy.
Bettle holds a Ph.D in Human Performance from Middle Tennessee State. He also has a Master’s in exercise science from Middle Tennessee State and earned a degree in sports and exercise science from Leeds University (England). He holds a CSCS certificate from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
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After agreeing to sign a contract with the Spurs that will make him Tony Parker’s primary backup at the point guard position, former University of Texas star T.J. Ford said he was anxious to open training camp with the Spurs on Friday.
“I can’t wait to get there,” he said from his home in Houston.
Ford is expected to sign a contract for the NBA veteran minimum. With eight seasons in the NBA with Milwaukee, Toronto and Indiana, that makes the deal worth $1.266 million, which will be pro-rated for the shortened season.
Just one week removed from playing for KK Zagreb in the Euroleague, where he emigrated after the NBA locked out its players in July, Ford said he is more than ready for the start of Spurs camp.
— Reported by Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News (Blog)
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Amid reports that New Orleans’ discussions had cooled with the Clippers and Warriors over what each team was willing to trade for Chris Paul, the Celtics were in a holding pattern last night.
Though the Celtics appear willing to trade Rajon Rondo and perhaps Glen Davis to the Hornets for Paul despite a sizable risk of losing the high-scoring point guard to free agency next summer, the gamble could make for a very brief attempt at the 18th title in franchise history.
Though the combination of Paul, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen sounds intriguing, especially over the short span of a 66-game season, it still doesn’t appeal to the 26-year-old star.
A source who has spent time recently with Paul insisted yesterday that the Hornets star considers the Celtics a non-starter for his career, and has no intention of signing an extension to play with the C’s in the long term.
The team is simply too old to stir his interest.
— Reported by Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald
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The Celtics are close to bringing back free agent forward Marquis Daniels, according to two league sources.
Daniels, whose 2010-11 season was halted by a bruised spinal cord, is expected to be here today for a physical. Teams can begin signing players tomorrow at 2 p.m.
Daniels spent the past two seasons in Boston as a crafty slasher and reliable defender. But injuries have plagued the 30-year-old, and last season included the scariest moment of his career.
After a collision with the Magic guard Gilbert Arenas Feb. 6, Daniels lay motionless on the TD Garden parquet before being carried off on a stretcher. He missed the remainder of the season.
— Reported by Julian Benbow of the Boston Globe
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It is a move that the Heat will likely feel more in the locker room than on the court.
Jamaal Magloire, the bruising backup center who has been quite popular with Heat teammates, has agreed to terms with the Raptors, according to a source.
It makes plenty of sense for Magloire, who is from Toronto and would become the Raptors’ first Canadian player, and for the Raptors, who are looking to change their culture.
— Reported by Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post (Blog)
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The Knicks are on the verge of landing Grant Hill, according to two NBA sources.
Hill, the Suns free agent, deliberated for the past few days between making the jump to New York or staying with the Phoenix Suns, which are in rebuilding mode.
Hill is close to accepting the big challenge of the Big Apple.
“It’s not 100 percent done, but he’s leaning,’’ one source said.
Hill and his wife, Tamia, a recording artist, are enamored with New York but were concerned about uprooting their two kids in grade school. Hill also was worried about leaving the renowned Suns’ training staff.
— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post
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The Sacramento Kings have offered a four-year contract valued at $20 million to Houston Rockets free agent Chuck Hayes, according to a team source.
The under-the-cap Kings, according to the source, are optimistic Hayes will accept the deal, which would pay the 6-foot-6 forward in the mid-level exception ballpark of $5 million annually.
Said another source close to the process: “Look for [Hayes] to take it.”
— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com
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