February 2017 – Page 6 – NBA Blog

Lakers fire PR head John Black

The Lakers made big changes today, putting Magic Johnson in charge of the roster and saying goodbye to Mitch Kupchak, who has been a big part of the front office for a very long time. They also made a big change in their PR department.

The Lakers also announced they have parted ways with John Black who had been the Lakers Vice President of Public Relations for many years. Chief Operating Officer Tim Harris will immediately begin a search for a replacement.

Jeanie Buss added, “We thank John for his many years of service.”

Lakers hire Magic Johnson, fire Mitch Kupchak

Los Angeles Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss announced today that the team has named Earvin “Magic” Johnson as President of Basketball Operations.

In addition, General Manager Mitch Kupchak has been relieved of his duties, effective immediately.

Furthermore, Jim Buss will no longer hold his role as Lakers Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations.

“Today I took a series of actions I believe will return the Lakers to the heights Dr. Jerry Buss demanded and our fans rightly expect,” Jeanie Buss said. “Effective immediately, Earvin Johnson will be in charge of all basketball operations and will report directly to me. Our search for a new General Manager to work with Earvin and Coach Luke Walton is well underway and we hope to announce a new General Manager in short order. Together, Earvin, Luke and our new General Manager will establish the foundation for the next generation of Los Angeles Lakers greatness.”

“It’s a dream come true to return to the Lakers as President of Basketball Operations working closely with Jeanie Buss and the Buss family,” said Earvin “Magic” Johnson. “Since 1979, I’ve been a part of the Laker Nation and I’m passionate about this organization. I will do everything I can to build a winning culture on and off the court. We have a great coach in Luke Walton and good young players. We will work tirelessly to return our Los Angeles Lakers to NBA champions.”

According to the Orange County Register, “Jeanie Buss made the sweeping changes just two days before the NBA’s trade deadline. The Lakers are 19-39 this season, plummeting out of contention after an encouraging 10-10 start under new coach Luke Walton, who got a strong vote of confidence from Jeanie Buss. The Lakers are mired in the worst four-year stretch in franchise history, missing the playoffs in three consecutive years with their three worst records ever. They finished 17-65 last season, a franchise low in the last year of Kobe Bryant’s two-decade run with the franchise.”

Jeanie Buss added, “I took these actions today to achieve one goal: Everyone associated with the Lakers will now be pulling in the same direction, the direction established by Earvin and myself. We are determined to get back to competing to win NBA championships again.”

Regarding Mitch Kupchak, Jeanie Buss stated, “We are grateful for the many contributions Mitch has made to the Lakers over the years and we wish him all the best.”

With regard to fellow owner and brother, Jim Buss, Ms. Buss said, “Jim loves the Lakers. Although he will no longer be responsible for basketball personnel decisions, he is an owner of this team and we share the same goal: returning the Lakers to the level of greatness our father demanded. Our fans deserve no less.”

More from the OC Register: “Though he had initially said in a Spectrum Sports Interview that Jim Buss was in charge, Johnson said in subsequent interviews with CBS and ESPN that he would like to be in charge. Johnson has Hall of Fame credentials as a five-time NBA champion with the Showtime Lakers. But he has no front office experience.”

Timberwolves may want Derrick Rose

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune on the Timberwolves and Knicks PG Derrick Rose:

The Timberwolves are among several teams that have talked to New York about acquiring point guard Derrick Rose before Thursday’s trade deadline, ESPN.com reported Monday night.

Rose played for Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau in Chicago for five seasons, and his contract with this season’s $21.3 million salary expires this summer

Kings trade DeMarcus Cousins to Pelicans, Matt Barnes waived

The New Orleans Pelicans have completed a trade with the Sacramento Kings, acquiring center DeMarcus Cousins and forward Omri Casspi in exchange for guards Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, and two future draft picks.

Additionally, the Kings have waived forward Matt Barnes. A 14-year NBA veteran, the UCLA alum is averaging 7.6 points (.384 FG%, .327 3pt%, .758 FT%), 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 25.3 minutes per contest in 54 games (started 13) for Sacramento after joining the team prior to the start of this season.

“We’re thrilled to welcome DeMarcus Cousins and Omri Casspi to the New Orleans Pelicans family,” stated Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps. “This is an exciting time for Pelicans fans as we continue our quest for long-term success. I know our fans are equally excited to welcome DeMarcus and Omri to our great city.
“I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Dennis Lauscha and Mickey Loomis for their continued support and providing the resources for us to be successful. I’d also like to thank Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway and Buddy Hield for their professionalism and hard work on the court and in the community during their tenure in New Orleans.”

“It was time for a change and I decided this was the best direction for the organization, said Kings Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac. “Winning begins with culture and character matters. With the upcoming draft class set to be one of the strongest in a decade, this trade will allow us to build the depth needed for a talented and developing roster moving forward. We thank DeMarcus for his contributions and wish him all the best in New Orleans. The fans in Sacramento are the best in the world and we are all committed to building a team that will continue to make Sacramento proud.”

Cousins, 6-11, 270, has appeared in 55 games this season, averaging 27.8 points (ranked fourth in the NBA), 10.7 rebounds (ranked 11th in the NBA), 4.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks. Drafted fifth overall by Sacramento in 2010 out of the University of Kentucky, Cousins has appeared in 470 career games, averaging 21.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks. Cousins is a three-time NBA All-Star (2015, 2016, 2017), named to the All-NBA Second Team twice (2015, 2016), was a member of the All-Rookie First Team in 2011, and has won gold medals with Team USA at the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

Casspi, 6-9, 225, has appeared in 22 games this season with the Kings, averaging 5.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Drafted by Sacramento with 23rd overall pick in 2011, Casspi has appeared in 485 regular season games with Sacramento, Cleveland and Houston.

A 6-5 guard and 2015-16 recipient of the John R. Wooden Award bestowed on the nation’s best collegiate basketball player, Hield joins the Kings in his rookie campaign after New Orleans tabbed him with the sixth overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft out of Oklahoma. In 57 contests with the Pelicans this season, he accrued averages of 8.6 points (.392 FG%, .369 3pt%, .879 FT%), 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 20.2 minutes per game in 57 contests (stated 37).

Evans returns to Sacramento where he earned 2009 Rookie of the Year honors after being selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. An eight-year league veteran, he has amassed 16.3 points (.444 FG%, .289 3pt%, .757 FT%), 4.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 32.5 minutes per game in 459 NBA games (started 370). The Memphis Tiger enjoyed his most prolific seasons in a Kings jersey, registering 17.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 35 minutes per contest in 257 games (started 247).

In his third NBA campaign, Galloway averaged 8.6 points (.374 FG%, .377 3pt%, .769 FT%), 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.4 minutes per contest in 55 games for New Orleans this season. The St. Joseph’s alum previously spent parts of two seasons with the New York Knicks, where he saw action in all 82 games in 2015-16.

Report: Kings trading DeMarcus Cousins to Pelicans

Mere minutes after DeMarcus Cousins deflected questions about a possible trade to New Orleans, the Pelicans and Sacramento Kings agreed to a deal that will pair the All-Star power forward with superstar Anthony Davis, a league source confirmed late Sunday night.

The Pelicans agreed to send rookie first-round pick Buddy Hield, veteran swingman Tyreke Evans and guard Langston Galloway along with their first- and second-round picks in June’s draft to Sacramento, the source said…

Pelicans general manager Dell Demps had been actively trying to land a complement to Davis before Thursday’s trade deadline. Demps also engaged the Philadelphia 76ers about acquiring forward Jahlil Okafor and the Brooklyn Nets about center Brook Lopez. ESPN reported Demps also had talks with the Indiana Pacers about All-Star small forward Paul George.

— New Orleans Times-Picayune

Anthony Davis wins 2017 NBA All-Star Game MVP

New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2017 NBA All-Star Game. Davis finished the game with 52 points, setting an NBA All-Star Game scoring record, previously held by Wilt Chamberlain (42 points, 1962) to go with 10 rebounds as the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 192-182 at the Smoothie King Center.

Davis, playing in his third All-Star Game (his fourth time named an All-Star overall), becomes the first player in franchise history to win the MVP award of the All-Star Game. Davis was named a starter on January 20, 2017.

Davis has appeared in 53 games this season for the Pelicans, averaging 27.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, ranking fourth, sixth, and second in the NBA in each category, respectively.

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New Orleans basketball fans didn’t have to wait long to get their NBA All-Star moment on Sunday night.

Just 10 seconds into the game, hometown hero Anthony Davis drained a 21-foot jumper from the top of the key. And with that, the tone was set and the most New Orleans-flavored All-Star Game in history was underway.

The bucket was the first of 26 by Davis as he took home MVP honors by shattering Wilt Chamberlain’s 55-year-old All-Star Game scoring record with 52 points.

— New Orleans Times-Picayune

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a team-high 30 points and pounded home some crowd-pleasing dunks, but the Western Conference all-stars pulled away in the final quarter for a 192-182 victory over the East in the NBA All-Star Game at the Smoothie King Center.

New Orleans forward Anthony Davis set an NBA All-Star Game record with 52 points to lead the West, beating the mark of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. Russell Westbrook just missed beating Chamberlain’s mark, scoring 41 points.

Antetokounmpo was impressive with 14-of-17 shooting on layups and dunks. He attempted a single three-pointer and missed it. He scored in the last second to reach the 30-point mark, the most scored by a Bucks player in an NBA All-Star Game. He also had six rebounds, three steals and one assist while playing 23 minutes.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Glenn Robinson III wins 2017 Slam Dunk contest

From the NBA down to the D-League, players with Indiana ties were flashing their skills all over New Orleans on Saturday during the NBA All-Star weekend.

But let’s start with the show-stealing Glenn Robinson III, the Gary native and Indiana Pacer who blew away his competition to win the 2017 All-Star Slam Dunk Contest.

Robinson beat Derrick Jones Jr. of the Phoenix Suns in the final round. Robinson clinched the win with a perfect 50 on the final dunk of the night — going over three people for a reverse dunk and nearly touching his head on the rim in the process…

Robinson started with a dunk where he leaped over Indiana teammate Paul George, grabbing the ball from the All-Star before his slam that merited 44 points…

DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers and Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic were eliminated in the first round. Gordon finished second to Minnesota’s Zach LaVine in last year’s contest.

— Indianapolis Star

Kristaps Porzingis wins 2017 Skills Challenge

The Knicks are amid the throes of losing, but all Kristaps Porzingis did during All-Star Weekend was win.

After scoring 24 points in the World Team’s victory Friday in the Rising Stars Challenge, the 7-foot-3 Porzingis captured the Skills Challenge on Saturday, knocking off Gordon Hayward in the finals.

It marked the second straight year a big man has won the skills, after Karl-Anthony Towns captured the 2016 crown.

Sitting with a big gold trophy in the interview room and asked about tasting victory after a 23-34 start, Porzingis, the man nicknamed “The Unicorn” by Kevin Durant, beamed.

“It feels good to win no matter what,” Porzingis said. “Even yesterday it felt good to get a win.’’

— NY Post

Eric Gordon wins 2017 Three-point Contest

The 3-point shootingest team in NBA history has its first 3-point shooting champion.

Eric Gordon had to work overtime. He had to overcome the distraction of James Harden’s fishing lure shiny jacket. He even had to tune out the smattering of boos around Smoothie King Arena, where he played for five seasons before he escaped the “dysfunction” to join the Rockets.

Gordon, however, had spent the season coming off the bench and shooting 3s. With 3 ½ months of preparation, he had the best round of the competition and a triumphant extra round, taking the championship before he even reached his final rack…

Gordon defeated Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving in the overtime shootout, fittingly defeating a player that grabbed headlines with a flat Earth theory in a game of ‘around the world.’

— Houston Chronicle

Willis Reed thinks Phil Jackson should be Knicks coach

Knicks legend Willis Reed knows what ails the franchise — not having Phil Jackson as its head coach.

Attending the Hall of Fame press conference Saturday, Reed, a Louisiana resident, told The Post that Jackson has assembled enough talent to win but needs a great coach. A coach like Jackson.

Reed never mentioned coach Jeff Hornacek by name, but said the Knicks aren’t getting the most out of their roster…

“Unfortunately for us as Knicks fans, if Phil Jackson had been coaching all year, we would’ve won more games,’’ Reed told The Post. “His toughness and ability to make guys concentrate, that’s what I loved about him as a coach. He got guys to play harder and smarter.”

— NY Post