July 2015 – Page 22 – NBA Blog

Warriors: Kevon Looney signs rookie contract

warriors rookie kevon looney signs contract

The Golden State Warriors have signed forward Kevon Looney (keh-VON LOO-nee) to a contract, the team announced today.

All players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft are guaranteed to receive a contract, assuming they want to enter the league right away. Therefore, this was a standard signing, and was expected.

Looney, 19, was selected 30th overall by the Warriors in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft. He tallied averages of 11.6 points, 9.2 rebounds (second in the Pac-12), 1.4 assists and 1.28 steals in 30.9 minutes over 36 games as a freshman at UCLA during the 2014-15 campaign, earning Second Team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team accolades. Looney (6’9”, 220) led all freshmen in the nation with 15 double-doubles, setting career-highs with 27 points and 19 rebounds in a win over Stanford on Jan. 8 en route to Pac-12 Player of the Week honors.

A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Looney is scheduled to make his professional debut with the Golden State Warriors Summer League squad in Las Vegas on Friday, July 10 in an NBA Finals rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. The Warriors, who will tip-off their 10th summer at the annual event in Las Vegas, will face the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, July 12 (5:30 p.m.) and the Sacramento Kings on Monday, July 13 (3:30 p.m.) before playing at least two more games in the Summer League Tournament.

Jazz sign rookie Trey Lyles

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed 2015 first-round draft pick forward Trey Lyles (12th overall).

Players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft are guaranteed to receive a contract if they want to come to the league right away. So, this signing is standard — though, it came later than expected.

Lyles spent one season at the University of Kentucky. As a freshman, the 19-year-old forward was named to the 2015 All-SEC Freshman Team and helped lead the Wildcats to a 2015 NCAA Final Four appearance.

A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, the 6-10, 241-pound Lyles averaged 8.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 36 contests during his sole season at Kentucky. As a high school senior, Lyles was named 2014 Indiana Mr. Basketball and the 2014 Gatorade Indiana Boys Basketball Player of the Year. In addition, he participated in the 2014 McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic. Lyles has also played internationally for both Canada and the United States.

Lyles will wear jersey No. 41 for the Jazz.

Mark Cuban fined for free agency comments

Look. Maverick owner Mark Cuban gets fined by the NBA for saying what they feel is the wrong thing sometimes. It happens. Here is ESPN.com reporting:

The NBA has fined Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $25,000 for publicly confirming the team’s upcoming free-agent deals with DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews, league spokesman Tim Frank said Tuesday, confirming an ESPN.com report.

Mark Cuban addressed the Mavericks’ agreements with DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews during interviews last week. Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports
Sources said the Mavericks were informed of the fine Tuesday.

Teams and players are allowed to strike verbal agreements on new contracts during the league’s annual moratorium period in early July while the league’s salary cap and luxury tax figures are being calculated for the coming season, but team officials are not allowed to openly discuss those deals.

Bulls hire Randy Brown and Charlie Henry as assistant coaches

The Chicago Bulls announced today that Randy Brown and Charlie Henry have been hired as assistant coaches, while Mike Wilhelm will be retained as an assistant coach on Fred Hoiberg’s coaching staff.

Brown, 47, has spent the last six seasons with the Bulls as assistant general manager (2013-15), special assistant to the general manager (2010-13) and director of player development (2009-10). Prior to his return to Chicago, Brown spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings. 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.

Henry, 29, spent the last three seasons at Iowa State University as an assistant coach (2014-15), director of player development (2013-14) and graduate assistant (2012-13). A native of Canton, Mich., he spent the 2011-12 campaign with the Indiana Pacers as a video intern and the 2010-11 season as a graduate manager at the University of Utah. Henry graduated from Madonna University in Livonia, Mich., where he was a four-year member of the basketball team.

Wilhelm, 49, returns for his 14th season with the Bulls as an assistant coach. Prior to joining the Bulls, Wilhelm spent the 2001-02 season as a regional advance scout for the Denver Nuggets. He entered the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 1993-94 season as the team’s video coordinator, and in 1999 he became the team’s advance scout.

Brown, Henry and Wilhelm join associate head coach Jim Boylen and assistant coach Pete Myers to round out Fred Hoiberg’s coaching staff.

Warriors arena project update

The Golden State Warriors have named Stephen Collins Chief Operating Officer of GSW Arena LLC. Collins will oversee all operations as it relates to the Warriors state-of-the-art sports and entertainment center in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood set to open in 2018, reporting to Warriors President & Chief Operating Officer Rick Welts.

“Steve brings over 20 years of experience in operations and event management with the top venues in the industry, having served most recently in a similar position with Madison Square Garden in New York,” said Welts. “The addition of Steve to our project team in such a key role is another demonstration of our commitment to build and operate a world-class sports and entertainment arena in San Francisco.”

Collins joins the Warriors most recently from Madison Square Garden, where he was Executive Vice President of Facilities, overseeing operations for all MSG properties including Madison Square Garden Arena, Radio City Music Hall, the Los Angeles Forum, the Beacon Theater and the Chicago Theater. Collins managed the $1 billion renovation of Madison Square Garden arena, as well as the $120 million renovation of the LA Forum. In addition, he was responsible for all facility operations including food and beverage, event production and operations, merchandising, guest services, security, finance, legal, human resources and construction.

“I am honored to be joining not only a NBA Championship Team, but also an all-around first class organization,” said Collins. “The opportunity to manage the Warriors’ new state-of-the-art sports and entertainment center in San Francisco is an exciting opportunity and I’m looking forward to bringing the vision Joe Lacob and Peter Guber have for this remarkable project to reality.”

Prior to Madison Square Garden, Collins led operations for Giants Stadium and Meadowlands Arena for the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. During his role with Giants Stadium, Collins was responsible for overseeing event management, physical plant, capital projects, and the practice facility. While with Meadowlands Arena, Collins ran event management and operations for nearly a decade.

Collins graduated from Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania with a degree in Business.

Mo Williams is headed to the Cavs

You can go home again. Veteran guard Mo Williams sees what’s up with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he wants in. Perfectly understandable, since LeBron James is back and he’s got people. Here’s the Northeast Ohio Media Group reporting:

Mo Williams was “very interested” in a return and he’s officially back.

The 32-year-old veteran point guard has agreed to a two-year, $4.3 million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a league source confirmed. He has a player option on the second year.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reported before the free-agency period began that Williams wanted to return to Northeast Ohio.

He played two seasons with the Cavaliers from 2008-10.

Zach LaVine ready to play more shooting guard next season

Here’s the St. Paul Pioneer Press reporting on a key member of the Minnesota Timberwolves youth movement — Zach LaVine, who averaged 10.1 points and 3.6 assists in 24.7 minutes per game last season, shooting 42.2 percent and may look to score more in 2015-16:

Zach LaVine admits he’s not very good at paintball.

In fact, the second-year Timberwolves guard has a scar on his neck to prove it after an intense introduction to the sport while spending the July 4 weekend with friends.

LaVine has been open to trying new things this summer. That also means playing more shooting guard for the Wolves.

“That’s my thinking; I played a little bit more (shooting guard) today,” he said after the first minicamp practice Monday. “You know I like to score.”

With Minnesota acquiring point guard Tyus Jones from Cleveland in a draft-day trade last month, LaVine’s future as a floor leader appeared to be numbered.

Warriors, Leandro Barbosa will stick together

The Golden State Warriors won 67 games last regular season and went on to win the 2015 NBA championship. Although guard Leandro Barbosa had a limited role on the team, he was part of a winning squad that clearly had nice chemistry beyond their stars, and it’s good news that he’ll be back for 2015-16. Here’s CSN Bay Area reporting:

Barbosa was a semi-polarizing figure insofar as the team’s front office was divided on his value to the team. The divide was not strident, but it definitely was there. It was easy to see why. The veteran guard was by turns exasperating and electrifying.

Kerr defended Barbosa at every turn. So did Barbosa’s teammates. They loved “LB” as a role model for putting in the extra work, for injecting humor and for his featured role in generating esprit de corps.

That is largely why the Warriors and Barbosa, who is an unrestricted free agent, will reunite next season. General manager Bob Myers issued a statement affirming the team’s intention, which can’t become official before Thursday, at the conclusion of the league’s moratorium period.

Barbosa agreed Monday to play his 13th season on a one-year contract worth a reported $2.5 million.

Kings and Kosta Koufos agree to deal

The Kings will add an underrated talent who has shown solid ability in very limited minutes to their frontcourt. Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting:

The Kings agreed to a four-year, $32 million contract with free-agent center Kosta Koufos, a league source confirmed Saturday night.

The deal has a player option after three seasons.

Koufos, 26, averaged 5.2 points and 5.3 rebounds as a backup with Memphis last season.

The 7-foot, 265-pound Koufos gives Sacramento an experienced backup for DeMarcus Cousins.

Jeremy Evans will sign with Mavericks

Jeremy Evans will sign with Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks have had an impressive offseason. And after striking agreements with starter-level talent these past few days, they’re solidifying their bench a bit. Here’s the Salt Lake Tribune reporting on an athletic former member of the Utah Jazz who will take his hops to Texas:

The Utah Jazz have lost their former NBA slam dunk champion.

A free agent forward, Jeremy Evans announced via Twitter on Sunday afternoon that he had reached a deal to join the Mavericks. According to an ESPN report, the deal is for two years at the league minimum.

The 27-year-old Evans was a second-round pick by the Jazz in 2010. But after being a regular rotation player two seasons ago for coach Tyrone Corbin, Evans saw his minutes and role dramatically reduced last season under new coach Quin Snyder.

“If I’m here, I’m going to be so happy,” Evans said during his exit interview in April. “I feel like this is my home. If not, I know it’s still going to be a bright future and wish everybody the best.”