September 2013 – Page 12 – NBA Blog

Rick Barry happy to see Jason Kidd quickly break into NBA coaching ranks

“It’s all about timing. (Kidd) never had experience coaching. I actually had experience,” said the 69-year-old, Barry, who played two seasons with the New York Nets of the ABA. “I actually was a head coach in the minor leagues and I couldn’t even get an assistants job. He’s a very lucky young man to get a head coaching job for a team with that kind of talent on it, in that market. So he’s very fortunate. But I’m happy to see them get new blood in there. I’m so tired of these guys recycling guys. They go from one team to another. The guy loses, he gets fired, he gets hired someplace else by one of his buddies that’s a GM or something.

“Jason’s been there. He’s been there out on the floor and knows the things that has to be done. I think it gives him a tremendous advantage. I don’t care how much a guy has watched the game, studied the game, been around the game. If you haven’t played the game at that level, there are things about the game that you really don’t know.”

Barry said he was talked with former Nets coach Butch Beard about joining his staff in the 90s, but ownership nixed the idea. The New Jersey native (Elizabeth) never cracked the coaching ranks in the NBA. Always outspoken and often controversial, he has held several jobs in television and radio broadcasting – giving off the vibe that he’s either been blackballed, or he suffers from a persecution complex.

Reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Blog)

Wizards forward Chris Singleton having foot surgery, out 6-8 weeks

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced that forward Chris Singleton will have outpatient surgery today to repair a Jones fracture to the fifth metatarsal of his left foot. He will be out approximately six to eight weeks.

The injury occurred during a voluntary workout at Verizon Center on Tuesday. The Jones fracture was revealed following an X-Ray performed by team doctors and the surgery will be performed by Dr. Marc Connell and Dr. Ed Magur.

CSN Washington on Singleton: “He’s entering a contract year. The Wizards have the option on whether or not to pick up the final year of his rookie deal after the season and he already had more competition at his small forward spot with the addition of rookie Otto Porter. Singleton had a miserable 2012-13 in which his minutes were sporadic and he averaged just 4.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and shot less than 40% from the field and less than 20% from three-point range. Players have been training and doing individual workouts at Verizon Center since mid-August.”

Singleton averaged 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 57 games for the Wizards last season. He did not miss a game due to injury last season and appeared in every game during the 2011-12 season.

Emeka Okafor out indefinitely with herniated disc in neck

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that center Emeka Okafor will be out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a herniated C4 cervical disc.

“I have worked hard over the summer and was looking forward to the start of training camp next week, so this is a disappointing and frustrating situation for me,” said Okafor. “But I have confidence that my teammates and coaches will be able to continue to take steps towards our goal of making the playoffs and that I will be able to do my part to help them once I return.”

After consulting with several specialists and the team doctors, Okafor will begin rehabilitation to reduce the inflammation and correct the injury. The herniated disc was originally revealed through an MRI after Okafor experienced discomfort in his neck.

“Emeka’s professionalism and dedication to taking care of his body are among the best I have ever seen during my time in this league as a player, coach and executive and I know that he will be diligent in his efforts to return to the court as soon as possible,” said Grunfeld. “Until then, his absence will create opportunities for other players to step up and provide the rebounding and defense that Emeka normally contributes.”

Okafor averaged 9.7 points and 8.8 rebounds in 79 games for the Wizards last season. He missed two games due to the flu and the final game of the season with a sprained right ankle.

Boston Celtics waive Donte Greene

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have waived forward Donte Greene.

Greene, a 6’11” forward, was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies on August 15 in exchange for Fab Melo and cash considerations. Greene posted career averages of 6.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 253 games with Sacramento.

According to ESPN Boston, “Greene came to Boston in a swap with the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Fab Melo and cash considerations. The Grizzlies already waived Melo, which means the Celtics sent approximately $1.7 million to Memphis in order to clear a roster spot and dip below the luxury tax line. Boston now has 14 guaranteed contracts totaling approximately $71.2 million. The luxury tax line is set to be $71.7 million for the 2013-14 season.”

Will Bill Laimbeer eventually land an NBA head coaching job?

It sounds like his failure to land a top job in the NBA has more to do with his personality – and perhaps his past – than his coaching abilities.

Kate Fagan of ESPN.com wrote a lengthy feature story about Laimbeer that offers some insights as to why NBA general managers are turning their backs on the man who was perhaps the baddest of the Pistons legendary Bad Boys.

Under the headline “The Feminization of Bill Laimbeer,” Fagan discusses Laimbeer’s success in the WNBA – he won three titles with the now-defunct Detroit Shock – his brief tenure as an NBA assistant and some of the reasons he has failed to land a job as a head coach in the NBA.

Basically, it sounds like nobody wants to give Laimbeer a shot as a head coach because he’s the same guy who was despised as a player while helping the Pistons win back-to-back NBA titles in 1989-90.

Reported by Brendan Savage of Michigan Live

Celtics need a fine season from Avery Bradley

The data, and the eye test, suggest Bradley took a step back in 2012-13. As much as the Celtics’ announcers raved over his improved jump shot, Bradley’s overall field goal percentage fell to 40.2 percent from 49.8 percent the previous year, while he went from hitting one out of every two shots from 10-15 feet to hitting only one out of every three from that range, according to HoopData. His 3-point shooting accuracy fell to 31.7 percent from 40.7 percent. Most worrisome, his accuracy on corner threes dropped to 34.7 percent last season from 55.6 percent (in an extremely small sample) in 2011-12.

These numbers aside, anyone could see Bradley’s difficulties at the other end of the court in the playoffs, when his most obvious skill, his on-ball defense, virtually disappeared. Raymond Felton made a mockery of the Celtics’ boast that Bradley was “the best ball-stopper in the league” by having his way with No. 0 in the pick-and-roll. With Jeff Green and Brandon Bass stepping up defensively on Carmelo Anthony, a fair argument could be made that the Celtics would have won their series against the Knicks if somebody, anybody, had been able to slow down Felton.

Reported by Ben Watanabe of NESN

Charlotte Bobcats will return to UNC Asheville for training camp

Bobcats Sports & Entertainment announced today that the Charlotte Bobcats will return to UNC Asheville’s Kimmel Arena for their training camps in 2013 and 2014. This year’s training camp will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Prior to training camp, the team will hold Media Day on Monday, Sept. 30, at Time Warner Cable Arena.

“We had great success with our training camp at UNC Asheville last year,” said Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins. “As we anticipated, it was a perfect venue for us, and we are excited to have the opportunity to go back to Kimmel Arena this season and next season.”

Kimmel Arena, which opened in November 2011, is home to the UNC Asheville Bulldogs men’s and women’s basketball teams. The arena is located in the Wilma M. Sherrill Center and has a capacity of over 3,200 for basketball. The multipurpose facility has hosted over 100,000 guests since its opening, and offers the modern amenities fans, players, and coaches expect, including wide concourses with views of the court, large video boards, intimate and comfortable seating and outstanding training facilities.

Chicago Bulls announce basketball operations staff promotions

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has promoted Randy Brown to Assistant General Manager, Ivica Dukan to Director of International Scouting/Special Assistant to the General Manager, Nick Papendieck to Head Strength Coach, and also hired Matt Johnson as Assistant Strength Coach.

Brown is entering his fifth season with the Bulls and has spent the last three seasons serving as the Special Assistant to the General Manager. He served as the team’s Director of Player Development during the 2009-10 campaign. Originally drafted by the Kings in the second round (31st overall) of the 1991 NBA Draft, Brown played 12 seasons and was a member of three NBA Championship teams with the Bulls (1996, 1997, 1998), including the 1996 team that won an NBA-record 72 games during the regular season.

Dukan will begin his 23rd season with the Bulls after being hired as the Director of International Scouting on Aug. 20, 1992. Prior to being hired full-time, Dukan worked as a part-time scout for the Bulls during the 1991-92 season. Dukan had a successful 14-year career overseas, as he played in England, Switzerland, France and Yugoslavia. A native of Croatia, he served as captain of the team in Split, Croatia and played for the Yugoslavia National Team.

Papendieck is entering his third season with the Bulls, as he spent the last two seasons as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach. Prior to joining the Bulls, he was a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Virginia. A native of Edgerton, Wis., Papendieck earned a B.S. degree in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2009 and an M. Ed. degree in Kinesiology in 2011 from the University of Virginia.

Johnson begins his second season with the Bulls, and first in a full-time capacity, after spending the 2012-13 season as a Strength and Conditioning Intern. Prior to joining the Bulls, Johnson served as an intern with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Strength and Conditioning department. Johnson received his B.S. degree in Exercise and Sport Science with an emphasis in Strength and Conditioning, as well as his M.S. degree in Human Performance, from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2012.

Lakers sign forward Marcus Landry

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Marcus Landry, it was announced today.

Landry, a 6-7 forward out of Wisconsin, has spent time over the past three years with the Maine Red Claws and Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League and internationally with teams in Spain, China, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. During his two seasons (2010-11 and 2012-13) with the Bighorns, Landry played in 84 games (83 starts) averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 36.0 minutes.

Signing with the New York Knicks as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2009, Landry played for both the Knicks and Celtics during the 2009-10 campaign averaging 2.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in 6.1 minutes over 18 games.

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native and younger brother of NBA veteran Carl Landry, most recently was a member of the 2013 Lakers Summer League team where he played in all five games (4 starts) averaging 15.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in 26.5 minutes.

No charges filed against Detroit Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks

Detroit Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks will not be charged in a domestic incident that occurred Aug. 30 in Birmingham, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper told the Free Press today.

Cheeks went to the Birmingham police station for questioning and was released after police were called to a Woodward Avenue address. He was not arrested. Birmingham police conducted an investigation and presented its findings to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.

Cooper said the witness in the investigation was uncooperative with prosecutors and refused to press charges.

Reported by the Detroit Free Press