May 2014 – Page 8 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Warriors will hire Steve Kerr for coaching job

Steve Kerr has turned down Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks to accept a five-year, $25 million offer to become the Golden State Warriors’ next coach, saying “it just felt like the right move on many levels.”

“They have a good young team. The location is ideal,” Kerr said in a phone interview with NBA.com on Wednesday night. “My daughter goes to Cal and plays volleyball. My oldest son is in college in San Diego and our youngest is a junior in high school. It’s just a short flight for them.”

Kerr had been in talks with the Knicks about becoming their next coach after Jackson took over as team president in March.

— ESPN.com

Utah Jazz may be interested in John Stockton as coach

Here’s ESPN.com reporting an interesting possibility:

The Utah Jazz, as part of a broad coaching search expected to feature some 20 candidates, plan to reach out to Jazz legend John Stockton to gauge whether he has any interest in the position, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Sources told ESPN.com that Jazz officials intend to at least pose the question to the Hall of Fame guard about his willingness to move into coaching, while mindful of Stockton’s lack of previous coaching experience and the fact that he has long loathed the sort of spotlight associated with the job.

Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey declined comment Tuesday night about Stockton or any other prospective candidates when reached by ESPN.com.

Sale of Milwaukee Bucks likely coming soon

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on the Bucks:

The $550 million sale of the Milwaukee Bucks to hedge fund billionaires Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry is expected to be finalized by the NBA on Thursday, a source involved in the process told ESPN.com.

In the wake of the Donald Sterling scandal, there was a push within the league to have an extra thorough vetting of the new owners, sources said. That process, however, is complete and the league’s Board of Governors will approve the transaction that was initially signed last month.

The timing of the sale will allow Edens and Lasry to take control of the team before next Tuesday’s draft lottery in New York, which was a priority. The Bucks, at 25 percent, have the highest odds to win the lottery after an NBA-worst 15-67 season. The high draft choice in what is expected to be a deep draft was one of the attractive selling points of the team.

Carmelo Anthony might start his own hat line

Here’s TMZ reporting on some off-court fun:

Carmelo Anthony could be the next John B. Stetson … because the NBA superstar tells TMZ Sports he’s gunning to start his very own HAT LINE … and it’s gonna be awesome.

Anthony is a huge fan of fancy headgear … from fedoras to berets and even baseball hats — and most recently rocked a top hat to the Met Gala in NYC.

So, when we heard he was going to be starting his own line — we had to ask about it … and yesterday in New York, the big man confirmed the wheels are definitely in motion.

Detroit Pistons hire Stan Van Gundy as head coach and president of basketball operations

The Detroit Pistons have a new leader. The team announced today that Stan Van Gundy has been appointed head coach and president of basketball operations.

“Stan is a proven winner in our league. He instills his teams with passion, purpose and toughness. He is a great teacher who will help our players grow and develop,” said Pistons Owner Tom Gores. “Stan is more than just a great coach, he’s a great leader. What I’m most excited about is how Stan can help us shape the franchise and instill what it means to be the best. He’s also a great communicator. My time with Stan has me convinced that he will bring our players, team and community to a very proud place.”

“It is an honor to be chosen to help Tom Gores build the Pistons into a team that competes for championships,” said Van Gundy. “Tom’s vision of building for the future, while seeking immediate improvement is a challenge that I embrace. We will work to put a team on the floor that reflects the franchise’s rich tradition and embodies the toughness and work ethic of fans in the Detroit area.”

Van Gundy has an NBA career regular-season record of 371-208 (.641) in seven-plus seasons as a head coach and has reached the NBA Playoffs seven times. His .641 winning percentage is sixth-highest among NBA coaches with 500 or more games of head coaching experience. Van Gundy became the seventh-fastest NBA coach to record 300 wins (12/25/10 vs. Boston), has coached the Eastern Conference All-Star team twice (2005, 2010) and has earned NBA Coach of the Month honors six times during his career.

Van Gundy joins the Pistons after serving five years as head coach of the Orlando Magic from 2007-2012, where he led the Magic to a 259-135 (.692) regular-season record, five playoff appearances and an NBA Finals appearance in 2009. His 2008-09 team led the league in defensive efficiency. In 2009-10, Van Gundy guided the Magic to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season after compiling a 59-23 (.720) regular-season record. It was the second-best mark in the NBA, and Orlando captured the Southeast Division title for the third consecutive season.

Van Gundy served as head coach of the Miami Heat for two-plus seasons from 2003-05, posting a regular season record of 112-73 (.605) and a postseason mark of 17-11 (.607). His 112 coaching victories are the fourth-most in the franchise’s history and he led Miami to its third-best regular-season record in club history during the 2004-05 season (59-23). Van Gundy led Miami to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2005 as well as leading the Heat to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in consecutive years (2004, 2005) for the first time in team history.

Van Gundy spent 12 years with the Heat, arriving prior to the 1995-96 season and served as assistant coach under Pat Riley for two seasons. He was promoted to assistant head coach in 1997, a position he held for six seasons. Van Gundy was the team’s lead assistant until being named head coach on Oct. 24, 2003. He resigned as head coach on Dec. 12, 2005 for personal reasons, but remained with the organization as an NBA scout and later a consultant.

Prior to his tenure with Miami, Van Gundy coached at the University of Wisconsin for three seasons, including head coach in 1994-95. He began his coaching career as an assistant at the University of Vermont from 1981-83, then served as head coach at Castleton State College (VT) from 1983-86. After stints as an assistant coach at Canisius College (1986-87) and Fordham (1987-88), he was head coach at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell from 1988-92. In eight years as a college head coach, Van Gundy compiled a record of 135-92 (.595).

A native of Indio, Ca., Van Gundy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Bachelor of Science in physical education from SUNY-Brockport in 1981. While at SUNY-Brockport, Van Gundy played basketball for his father, Bill.

NBA Advisory/Finance Committee spoke again today

The following statement has been issued by Mike Bass, Executive Vice President, Communications, regarding today’s meeting of the NBA Advisory/Finance Committee:

“The Advisory/Finance Committee met again this afternoon via conference call. The Committee discussed the recent media appearances by Donald Sterling and Shelly Sterling, received updates on the hiring of Dick Parsons as the Los Angeles Clippers interim CEO and on his meeting yesterday with Clippers employees, and reviewed the status of the charge for termination of the Clippers’ ownership. The Committee will reconvene next week.”

Phoenix Suns now have one dedicated D-League team

The Phoenix Suns, Bakersfield Jam, and NBA Development League today announced that the Suns have entered into a single-affiliation relationship with the Jam beginning with the 2014-15 season. With the partnership, the Suns become the record 15th NBA franchise to have a one-to-one relationship with an NBA D-League team, solidifying half of the NBA’s 30 teams as singly-affiliated.

Full story: Phoenix Suns and Bakersfield Jam enter single-affiliation relationship

Video: Damian Lillard helps Blazers win Game 4 against Spurs

Monday in Portland, the Trail Blazers were facing elimination, but stepped up and beat the Spurs 103-92. San Antonio still leads the series 3-1, but at least the Blazers stayed alive to fight another day. Damian Lillard shot 11-of-21 for 25 points and five assists in the win. Here are some Lillard video highlights:

Eric Gordon might come off bench for Pelicans next season

Here’s the New Orleans Times Picayune reporting on the Pelicans:

Going into next season, New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard Eric Gordon could have to adjust coming off the bench instead of starting for the first time in his career.

With swingman Tyreke Evans emerging as a solid starter in the backcourt after Gordon missed the final 14 games because of a left knee injury, Pelicans coach Monty Williams said he has thoughts about Evans in a starting role, but it will be something under discussion throughout the offseason before a final decision is made.

Gordon, though, is gearing toward returning as a starter. When asked if he would feel comfortable assuming the team’s sixth man role he said in an email response Sunday,”I won’t get into that because I thought they brought me here to lead and set the tone for the team.

“I’ve got a lot to prove in my career and I’m still young (25).So the more durable I am will really show what I’m capable of,” said Gordon, who is the highest paid player on the Pelicans’ roster with two years remaining at $30.4 million.

Joe Johnson says LeBron James flopped late in Heat-Nets Game 4

Here’s the New York Post reporting on the Heat vs Nets series, which Miami now leads 3-1:

Joe Johnson wasn’t impressed with LeBron James’ defense against him in the final minutes of the Nets’ 102-96 loss to the Heat in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal Monday night.

“I wasn’t necessarily trying to draw the foul on him,” said Johnson, although James had five fouls while defending him, “but I thought he was aggressive, so I was just trying to use his aggressiveness against him.

“[But] he flopped that last one.”

Johnson, who had 18 points but went just 5-for-15 from the floor — including 0-for-4 in the fourth quarter — twice found himself matched up against James inside the final two minutes. But after James successfully defended Johnson’s fallaway jumper with the score tied at 94 with 1:16 remaining, Johnson tried to make a step-back jumper as James banged into him and fell to the floor. Johnson missed the shot with 40.7 seconds remaining and the Nets trailing 97-94.