NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog
NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
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The Philadelphia 76ers have exercised their fourth-year team option on the contract of forward Hollis Thompson.
Over the course of three NBA seasons, Thompson has appeared in 225 games (81 starts) and averaged eight points and three rebounds per contest while shooting 39 percent from three-point range. His 331 career three-pointers are the eighth-most in Sixers history.
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The Orlando Magic have extended qualifying offers to center Dewayne Dedmon and guard/forward Evan Fournier, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.
By extending qualifying offers to Dedmon and Fournier prior to the June 30 deadline, Orlando owns the right to match any offer sheet they may sign with another team. Both players will become restricted free agents on July 1.
Dedmon (7’0”, 245, 8/12/89) played in 58 games (20 starts) with Orlando last season, averaging 4.4 ppg. and 3.9 rpg. in 12.2 minpg., while shooting .559 (99-177) from the floor. He led (or tied) the team in scoring once and in rebounding four times. Dedmon scored in double figures eight times, including a career-high 18 points (also had season-high 13 rebounds) on Mar. 26 vs. Chicago.
Undrafted by an NBA franchise, Dedmon has appeared in 148 career NBA regular season games (41 starts) with Golden State, Philadelphia and Orlando, averaging 3.8 ppg. and 4.4 rpg. in 13.1 minpg., while shooting .540 (228-422) from the field. He was originally signed as a free agent by the Magic to a 10-day contract on Feb. 25, 2014.
Fournier (6’7”, 205, 10/29/92) appeared in 79 games (71 starts) with Orlando last season, averaging a career-high 15.4 ppg., 2.8 rpg., 2.7 apg. and 1.22 stlpg. in a career-high 32.5 minpg., while shooting a team-high .400 (156-390) from three-point range and a team-high .836 (199-238) from the free throw line. He was tied for 17th in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage and ranked 35th in free throw percentage. Fournier led (or tied) the team in scoring 19 times, in rebounding once and in assists seven times. He scored in double figures 61 times, had 20+ points 24 times and had 30+ points twice, including a career-high 30 points on Nov. 3 @ New Orleans and Mar. 15 vs. Denver.
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The Orlando Magic have named Chad Forcier, Corliss Williamson and David Adelman assistant coaches.
In addition Jay Hernandez will remain as assistant coach/player development, completing Frank Vogel’s coaching staff.
“Our staff possesses a tremendous work ethic, has great attention to detail, and will help our players reach their full potential,” said Vogel. “Their talents and experience complement each other and we are thrilled to have them with us.”
Forcier has spent the last nine seasons (2007-16) as an assistant coach with San Antonio. With the Spurs, he was responsible for player development. Forcier was a member of the San Antonio staff that won the NBA World Championship in 2013-14.
Forcier began his coaching career in 1992 as an intern with the Seattle SuperSonics while still attending Seattle Pacific University, where he graduated in 1995. He spent five seasons (1992-97) with the Sonics, working for George Karl. From 1994-97, Forcier served as varsity assistant coach and junior varsity head coach at Lake Washington High School in Kirkland, Washington. In 1997, he was named an assistant coach at Oregon State University. After three seasons at Oregon State (1997-2000), Forcier spent one season as an assistant coach at the University of Portland.
In 2001, Forcier continued his NBA coaching career under Rick Carlisle. He spent two seasons as an assistant coach with Detroit (2001-03) and four seasons as an assistant coach with Indiana (2003-07). After the 2006-07 campaign, Forcier joined Gregg Popovich’s staff in San Antonio. His brother, Todd, is the sports performance coach for the Portland Trail Blazers.
A 12-year NBA veteran, Williamson has spent the last three seasons (2013-16) as an assistant coach with Sacramento. Prior to joining the Kings, he was head coach at the University of Central Arkansas for three seasons (2010-13). Williamson also spent three seasons at Arkansas Baptist College, two as an assistant coach and one as head coach (2009-10).
Originally selected in the first round (13th overall) of the 1995 NBA Draft by Sacramento, Williamson played in 822 career NBA regular season games (293 starts) with Sacramento, Toronto, Detroit and Philadelphia, averaging 11.1 ppg., 3.9 rpg. and 1.2 apg. in 22.8 minpg., while shooting .490 (3,603-7,355) from the floor. Nicknamed “Big Nasty,” Williamson earned the NBA Sixth Man Award in 2001-02 and an NBA World Championship in 2003-04 as a member of the Pistons.
Born on December 4, 1973, Williamson is considered one of the greatest players to ever come out of the state of Arkansas. While at the University of Arkansas, he helped guide the Razorbacks to the NCAA Championship in 1994 and earned the Most Outstanding Player award following the 1994 NCAA Tournament. During the following season, Williamson once again led Arkansas to the NCAA National Title game. He was named to the Associated Press All-American Second Team in both 1994 and 1995.
Adelman has spent the last five seasons (2011-16) with Minnesota, including the last three as an assistant coach. His NBA career began in 2011 as a player development coach under his father, Rick Adelman. Prior to joining the Timberwolves, Adelman spent five seasons as head basketball coach at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon.
Adelman went 83-53 (.610) during his five seasons at Lincoln, leading the Cardinals to three Portland Interscholastic district championships (2006-07, 2009-10, 2010-11). He also guided Lincoln to the Oregon Class 6A state championship final in 2009.
Prior to coaching at Lincoln, Adelman was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Jesuit High School in Portland, from 2001-06, helping the team win the state championship in 2005. He also helped Jesuit capture a state title as a player in 1999.
The Detroit Pistons announced today that the team has named Jon Phelps as general manager and Rex Walters as head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive – the NBA D-League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons.
“We’re fortunate to be able to fill these two positions with guys we feel very comfortable with,” said Stan Van Gundy, president of basketball operations and head coach of the Detroit Pistons. “Jon was in Grand Rapids with the Drive the last two years so there’s familiarity and continuity there. We’re confident he will continue to do a good job and transition well into this new role. “Rex Walters brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and experience and has a passion for developing young players. He’s spent some time with us here and already has a good understanding of how we operate. We look forward to working with both of them.”
Phelps spent the last two seasons as director of basketball operations with the Drive. Previously, he was an attorney at a civil litigation firm in New Orleans, LA. Phelps attended Tulane University School of Law, earning his J.D. in 2012 with a certification in sports law. While there, he was a research assistant for Professor Gabe Feldman, a renowned expert in sports law. As part of that experience, Phelps spent time extensively studying the collective bargaining agreements of both the NBA and NFL.
A 2004 graduate of Siena College with a degree in English, Phelps served as a student manager for the men’s basketball team and, after graduating, spent one season as director of basketball operations for the Saints.
Walters spent the last eight seasons as head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of San Francisco where he guided the Dons to two 20-win seasons and two postseason appearances. USF finished in the top three of the West Coast Conference twice in the last six years, including 2013-14, when they tied for second with a 13-5 conference mark. During the 2013-14 season, the team finished with a 21-12 record, tied for second in the WCC with a 13-5 mark and earned a bid to the National Invitation Tournament. The 21 victories marked the Dons’ highest win total since the 1981-82 team posted a 25-6 record while their 13 conference victories were the most since the 1976-77 team went 14-0 in league play while spending most of the season ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Walters, a native of Omaha, NE., was named West Coast Conference Coach of the Year in 2013-14, becoming the first USF coach to win the award since Pete Barry in 1980-81. Walters amassed a 126-125 record at USF. Prior to becoming head coach at USF, he served two seasons (2006-08) as head coach at Florida Atlantic University and posted a 31-33 record. Overall, Walters is 157-158 (.498) as a collegiate head coach.
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Hornets forward Frank Kaminsky will not play 2016 summer league. On Wednesday, June 29, Kaminsky will undergo a minor procedure to repair a small pocket of air in his chest wall. The recovery time for the procedure is approximately six weeks.
Kaminsky averaged 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.1 minutes per game during his rookie campaign, appearing in 81 games (three starts). He became the sixth rookie in Charlotte NBA history to play at least 81 games in a single season. Kaminsky was one of only two rookies to total more than 600 points, 300 rebounds and 50 three-point field goals during the 2015-16 campaign. The Lisle, Ill., native connected on 68 three-point field goals in his inaugural season, ranking fifth among qualified NBA rookies.
Summer league is approaching. It’s a time for rookies and young players to show some of what they can do. And it’s often a chance for assistant coaches to do the same. Here’s the Palm Beach Post blog reporting:
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With Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra preparing to walk down the aisle and become a married man next month, assistant coach Juwan Howard will slide over into the big chair on bench.
The Heat confirmed to The Post that Howard will coach the Heat’s summer league teams in Orlando and Las Vegas while Spoelstra gets married and honeymoons.
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Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced that the Grizzlies claimed guard Tony Wroten off waivers.
Wroten (6-6, 205) holds career averages of 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 21.2 minutes in 145 games (34 starts) over four seasons with the Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers. The 23-year-old averaged 8.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 18.0 minutes in eight games (three starts) last season for the 76ers before being waived on Dec. 24. He finished last season with the New York Knicks after signing on March 16 but did not appear in any games while he rehabbed from injury. He was waived by New York on June 22.
A native of Seattle, Wash., Wroten was originally selected by Memphis in the first round (25th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft following his freshman season at the University of Washington.
Here’s the Oklahoman reporting on that a Thunder rookie will be battling in the Olympics instead of playing summer league ball:
A few of OKC’s young pieces are expected to compete: Cameron Payne, Josh Huestis and Mitch McGary. But perhaps the Thunder’s most anticipated young talent, rookie Domantas Sabonis, won’t be in Orlando for summer league, The Oklahoman has learned. But it’s for good reason.
Sabonis, the 11th overall pick acquired in the Serge Ibaka trade, will focus on competing for his home country of Lithuania in the summer Olympics.
Summer leagues start soon. Rosters don’t come out all at one time. Teams figure them out one by one. No official summer squad rosters have been released by the teams yet. As for the Knicks, here’s the New York Post with an update:
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The Knicks need a center, and at least their summer league team has a familiar name — Duke’s 7-footer Marshall Plumlee, according to a source. Plumlee, who finished his senior season with the Blue Devils, went undrafted on Thursday and could be invited to training camp if he shows well in Orlando, Fla., where the Knicks open July 2. Their first summer league practice is Wednesday.
Plumlee’s two brothers are in the NBA. Mason is an ex-Net who now plays for the Blazers. Miles is on the Bucks but once played for Jeff Hornacek in Phoenix.
Marshall Plumlee, who turns 24 in July, averaged 8.6 rebounds for Duke, shot 68.8 percent, blocked 1.6 shots but averaged just 8.3 points last season.
Hassan Whiteside is one of the most intriguing young centers in the league. At worst, he’s an excellent defensive addition to any team. And at best — well, we don’t know yet because he’s still developing. Here’s ESPN.com reporting the latest on Whiteside’s free agency situation:
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The Los Angeles Lakers plan to aggressively pursue Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside when NBA free agency starts, according to league sources.
With rim protection and perimeter shooting ranking as the Lakers’ foremost areas of concern heading into the open market, sources told ESPN.com that Whiteside has emerged a priority target for L.A.
The Lakers, like the Heat, are still hopeful of securing a face-to-face recruiting meeting with Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant once free agency season commences at 12:01 a.m. on July 1. But the Lakers, sources say, are highly intrigued by Whiteside and what he could bring them as a double-double presence inside.