Andre Miller to join Timberwolves

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting that crafty, talented super-veteran point guard Andre Miller will be joining the squad:

Andre Miller to join Timberwolves

It was less than two weeks ago that Flip Saunders, Wolves president of basketball operations, said his team might be in the market for a veteran point guard.

He has arrived.

A source confirmed a report that Wolves had come to an agreement on a one-year contract with veteran Andre Miller, who visited the Wolves on Wednesday.

It marks an evolution in Saunders’ thinking. Immediately after moving up to draft former Apple Valley star Tyus Jones late in the first round of the draft, Saunders sounded like he might be happy with Jones as Ricky Rubio’s backup. But the fact that Rubio is coming off ankle surgery and Jones is a rookie ultimately changed Saunders’ mind.

Raptors announce assistant coaching staff

raptors assistant coaches

The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they have hired Rex Kalamian (kah-LAY-mee-an), Andy Greer and Jerry Stackhouse as assistant coaches on head coach Dwane Casey’s staff.

“I am pleased to add Rex, Andy and Jerry to our coaching staff,” said Casey. “They are established winners at the NBA level, and bring valuable experience and a passion for the game to our team.

“Together with Nick and Jama, we have a group that will challenge our players daily to improve and compete.”

Kalamian joins the Raptors after six seasons with Oklahoma City, including the last two as lead assistant. The Thunder posted a 316-160 (.664) mark during the regular season and was 39-34 (.534) in the postseason during Kalamian’s tenure with the club, reaching the Western Conference finals three times with one NBA Finals appearance. Oklahoma City won eight-of-13 playoff series.

Kalamian participated in two All-Star games (2012, 2014) as an assistant coach and served as a head coach for the 2014 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend in New Orleans.

In addition to Oklahoma City, Kalamian had previous assistant coaching stints with Sacramento (2007-09), Minnesota (2005-07, where he was on Casey’s staff), Denver (2004-05) and the Los Angeles Clippers (1995-2003). He was a West Coast scout for Philadelphia during the 2003-04 season and was in the scouting department for the Clippers from 1992-95 before being elevated to assistant coach.

Prior to the NBA, Kalamian worked for two seasons as an assistant at his former school, East Los Angeles College. As a player, Kalamian was named team captain at East Los Angeles where he led the South Coast Conference in three-point shooting percentage during the 1988-89 season.

A graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, Kalamian earned a bachelor’s degree in business management.

Greer had spent the past five seasons as an assistant with the Chicago Bulls. During his time in Chicago, the club posted a .647 (255-139) regular-season winning percentage and ranked in the top 10 each season for opponent scoring average and opponent field goal percentage.

Greer’s NBA coaching resume also includes assistant positions with the Memphis Grizzlies (2007-09), Houston Rockets (2003-07) and New York Knicks (2001-03).

Before joining the NBA coaching fraternity, Greer coached at the collegiate level for nearly two decades. He spent four years at Northern Illinois University, where he logged three-and-a-half seasons as an assistant coach and a half-season as the team’s interim head coach, and four years as the head coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Greer also coached collegiately at Mansfield University, Brandeis University, Boston University and the University of Southern California. He received his first coaching job as an assistant coach at Genesee Community College in 1983.

Greer holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from SUNY Brockport and a master’s degree in education from Mansfield University.

Stackhouse played 18 seasons in the NBA, averaging 16.9 points, 3.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 31.2 minutes in 970 regular season games (564 starts). He also appeared in 75 playoffs contests and reached the NBA Finals in 2006 with Dallas. During the 2008-09 season, Stackhouse played under Casey while the latter was an assistant on Rick Carlisle’s staff.

A two-time All-Star with Detroit (2000, 2001), Stackhouse posted career highs of 29.8 points (second in the NBA) and 5.1 assists in 80 games during the 2000-01 campaign. He averaged at least 20 points in a season five times, including four consecutive years from 1999-2003.

The North Carolina product was selected third overall by Philadelphia in the 1995 NBA Draft and was a first-team All-Rookie selection with the 76ers.

During his playing career Stackhouse saw action with Philadelphia (1995-97), Detroit (1997-2002), Washington (2002-04), Dallas (2004-09), Milwaukee (2009-10), Miami (2010-11), Atlanta (2011-12) and Brooklyn (2012-13).

Although an early entrant for the NBA Draft, Stackhouse continued working on his degree and earned his bachelor’s in African American Studies from North Carolina in 1999.

Warriors announce coaching staff

Warriors announce coaching staff

The Golden State Warriors will bring back all but one member of Head Coach Steve Kerr’s coaching staff that, in their first season together in 2014-15, produced a franchise-record 67 regular-season wins and the team’s first NBA Championship in 40 years, the team announced today.

Luke Walton, 35, will slide into the seat previously occupied by Alvin Gentry, who was named head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this offseason. Entering his second season as an assistant coach with the Warriors, Walton previously served as a player development coach for the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA D-League in 2013-14 and as an assistant coach at the University of Memphis during the 2011 NBA Lockout. The San Diego native enjoyed a 10-year playing career in the NBA (2003-13) with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers, capturing NBA championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010.

Ron Adams, 67, returns for his second season with the Warriors after helping the team finish first in defensive rating (98.2) in 2014-15. Overall, Adams owns more than 20 seasons of experience on the bench as an NBA assistant coach, including stints with the Boston Celtics (2013-14), Chicago Bulls (2003-08, 2010-13), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-10), Milwaukee Bucks (1998-2003), Philadelphia 76ers (1994-96) and San Antonio Spurs (1992-94). During his time as an assistant coach, Adams has made 14 appearances in the NBA Playoffs.

Jarron Collins, 36, has been promoted to the role of assistant coach and will move to the front of the bench after spending the 2014-15 season as a player development coach. Prior to joining the Warriors, he served two seasons as a personnel scout for the Los Angeles Clippers. The Stanford grad played 10 seasons in the NBA (2001-11) with the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers.

Bruce Fraser, 50, will return in his role as player development coach, working closely with the players on individual skill development. In addition to his work with the Warriors last season, Fraser previously coached at both the college and professional levels, having worked at the University of Arizona under Lute Olson (1987-90), the University of Missouri under Quin Snyder (1999-2000) and the Indiana Pacers under Larry Brown (1994-95). Additionally, he served as a scout for the Phoenix Suns from 2004-10. The Long Beach, CA, native was a teammate of Kerr’s at the University of Arizona, where Fraser played from 1983-87.

Additionally, the team announced the promotion of Theo Robertson to the role of video coordinator/player development. Robertson, who played collegiately at Cal from 2005-10, served as a video intern during his first season with the Warriors in 2014-15.

Kings waive Eric Moreland

The Sacramento Kings today waived forward Eric Moreland, according to Kings Vice President of Basketball and Franchise Operations Vlade Divac.

In 2014-15, his first season with the Kings, Moreland totaled two points (1-1 FG) and one rebound in three minutes off the bench in three games with the Kings. His season ended when he suffered a left shoulder labral tear, forcing him to miss the final 52 games of the regular season. Assigned to the Kings’ D-League affiliate Reno Bighorns during the season, Moreland averaged 13.7 points (.592 FG%), 12.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.29 steals, 1.57 blocks and 28.7 minutes per game in seven contests, including six starts.

Ekpe Udoh signs in Turkey

Here’s Euroleague.net with an update on a player NBA fans will be familiar with:

Ekpe Udoh signs in Turkey

Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul bolstered its frontcourt by inking center Ekpe Udoh to a one-year deal on Tuesday. Udoh (2.08 meters, 28 years old) arrives from Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA, where he averaged 0.8 points in 37 games last season. He started his career with Golden State of the NBA and joined Israeli side Bnei Eshet Tours Hasharon for just one game in the 2011-12 season, in which he had 22 points, 16 rebounds and 4 blocks.

Bucks sign Chris Copeland

Bucks sign Chris Copeland

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free agent forward Chris Copeland, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Copeland is a crafty, smart player who should provide nice depth off the bench.

Copeland, 31, was undrafted out of the University of Colorado in 2006 and spent six seasons split between the NBA D-League and professional teams overseas before landing in the NBA with the New York Knicks in 2012-13. He has posted career averages of 6.4 points and 1.8 rebounds over three seasons with New York and Indiana, and has averaged 3.5 points and 0.7 rebounds through 21 playoff games (1 start).

Copeland spent the last two seasons in Indiana, and in 2014-15 averaged 6.2 points and a career-high 2.2 rebounds in 50 games (12 starts). In a 21-point effort at Atlanta on Nov. 1, 2014, he hit a career-high six 3-pointers. In his rookie campaign, Copeland finished first among NBA rookies in 3-point field goal percentage, connecting on 42.1 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. That number was also good enough to tie for 13th among all NBA players that season. Copeland was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in April of 2013.