Inside Hoops – Page 1063 – NBA Blog

Wolves sign first round draft pick Zach LaVine

The Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday announced the team has signed 2014 first-round draft pick Zach LaVine. LaVine, a 6-5 guard out of UCLA, was the 13th overall selection in this year’s draft.

All first round draft picks are guaranteed to receive a contract, assuming the player wants to come to the NBA right away. This signing is standard routine, and was expected.

LaVine appeared in all 37 games, making one start, as a freshman at UCLA this past season. He averaged 9.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, earning Pac 12 All-Freshman honors. He connected on 37.5% from three-point range, finishing the year with 48 made three-pointers, the second-highest made three-pointers by a UCLA freshman in school history. LaVine scored in double figures in 17 games, including nine of his first 10 contests.

LaVine will make his Wolves debut at the Samsung NBA Summer League 2014, which takes place in Las Vegas from July 11-21. Minnesota’s first game is against Dallas on July 12 at the Thomas & Mack Center at 5:30 p.m. CT.

Kings sign first round draft pick Nik Stauskas

The Sacramento Kings on Tuesday signed first-round draft pick Nik Stauskas (STOUS-kiss) to a contract, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. Sacramento selected Stauskas out of the University of Michigan with the eighth-overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

As a first round draft pick, Stauskas was guaranteed to receive a contract. This signing is standard and was expected.

An early entry candidate, the 6-6, 205-pound Stauskas earned numerous All-American honors and was named the 2013-14 Big 10 Player of the Year after averaging 17.5 points (.470 FG%, .442 3pt%, .824 FT%), 2.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 35.6 minutes per game in 36 appearances for the Wolverines during his sophomore campaign. In two seasons with Michigan, Stauskas helped the Wolverines to the NCAA Tournament title game in 2013 and a Big Ten Championship and an Elite Eight appearance in 2014, finishing with career averages of 14.1 points (.467 FG%, .441 3pt%, .832 FT%), 2.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 32.9 minutes per game in 75 contests. In the Michigan record books, he is ranked second all-time in career free throw percentage, fifth in three-point field goal percentage, eighth in three-point field goals made (172) and 10th in three-point field goals attempted (390).

Nets introduce new head coach Lionel Hollins

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Nets, who formally introduced new head coach Lionel Hollins yesterday:

In tone, message and appearance, Lionel Hollins was the anti-Jason Kidd in his introductory press conference with the Nets on Monday, even going so far as to say that he is not after general manager Billy King’s job, a startling remark that seemed appropriate given the tumult of the past week.

In the wake of the Kidd fiasco, Hollins, 60, reached an agreement with the Nets last Wednesday to become the 19th coach in the team’s long and increasingly strange history.

Implied in his hiring is the understanding that Hollins will bring stability to a franchise that was thrown for a loop when Kidd abruptly left to become head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks last week after he tried, unsuccessfully, to undercut King.

So it was telling that Hollins made it clear on Monday that he has no intentions of currying more influence within the Nets. He’s happy being a coach.

“It’s just nice to be able to do your job,” Hollins said, wearing a dark suit with his wife, Angela, beaming in the front row and King by his side. “That’s all I want to do. I’m a basketball coach. I don’t want to do Billy’s job. I don’t want to do anybody else’s job in the organization, but the one I’m hired to do. That’s important to me. I’m very low maintenance.”

Video: Top plays from Orlando Day 3

Here are video highlights of top plays from summer league Day 3 in Orlando:

Zach Randolph signs Memphis Grizzlies contract extension

The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that forward Zach Randolph exercised his player option for the 2014-15 season and signed a multi-year contract extension with the Grizzlies on June 30. We will add contract details to this page tonight.

Nicknamed “Z-Bo,” Randolph (6-9, 260) recently completed his fifth season in Memphis with averages of 17.4 points, 10.1 rebounds (9th in the NBA) and a career-high 2.5 assists on .467 shooting in 34.2 minutes in 79 games (all starts), guiding the team to a second consecutive 50-win season and a franchise-record fourth-straight appearance in the NBA Playoffs. Randolph led the Grizzlies in scoring average, rebounding average, total points (1,372) and total rebounds (795) for the fourth time since coming to Memphis.

This past season, Randolph tied for fourth in the NBA in double-doubles (47) and was one of seven NBA players to average at least 17 points and 10 rebounds, recording a double-double average for the seventh time in the last eight seasons and for the eighth time in his 13-year NBA career. He tallied his 190th double-double in a Grizzlies uniform on Jan. 28, 2014 at Portland, breaking the franchise record once held by Pau Gasol, and tallied his 400th career double-double on March 26, 2014 at Utah, becoming the fourth-quickest active player to reach 400 behind Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett.

“Zach has become a cornerstone of our franchise, and his contributions have been immense not just on the court but in the Memphis community,” said Grizzlies Interim General Manager Chris Wallace. “Through that process, he’s become one of the most popular Grizzlies in the history of the organization.”

In five seasons since coming to Memphis, the 32-year-old has averaged 17.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists on .480 shooting in 34.9 minutes in 339 games (317 starts). He earned All-NBA Third Team honors in 2011, his first All-NBA nod, and was named to his first two All-Star Teams in 2010 and 2013. Randolph is the first player in Grizzlies franchise history to be named to an All-NBA team and the only player to represent Memphis in multiple All-Star Games. He achieved another career first (and franchise first) when he was named Western Conference Player of the Month in January 2011.

Randolph also has shined in the postseason, averaging 18.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists on .441 shooting in 37.8 minutes in 41 playoff games (all starts) for the Grizzlies. Randolph guided Memphis to its first-ever playoff win and playoff series victory, knocking off the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the opening round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, and led the Grizzlies to the 2013 Western Conference Finals.

Additionally, Randolph is the Grizzlies’ all-time leader in offensive rebounds (1,309), leading the NBA in total offensive boards since joining the Grizzlies and pacing the league in the category in both the 2009-10 and 2012-13 seasons. He also ranks third in the NBA in total double-doubles (210) behind only Kevin Love and Dwight Howard.

The Marion, Ind. native has been an active member of the Memphis community and is a three-time winner of the NBA Kia Community Assist Award (December 2010, January 2013, November 2013). Committed to making a deep and meaningful impact in the lives of single mothers and children living in poverty, Randolph makes generous contributions of both time and money throughout the year to help those in need.

Randolph holds NBA career averages of 17.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists on .472 shooting in 32.0 minutes in 845 games (696 starts) with the Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies. He was drafted by Portland in the first round (19th overall) of the 2001 NBA Draft after helping lead Michigan State to the 2001 NCAA Final Four as a freshman and won the 2003-04 Most Improved Player Award after averaging 20.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists with the Trail Blazers.

Memphis acquired Randolph from the Los Angeles Clippers for Quentin Richardson on July 17, 2009. He signed his first contract extension with the Grizzlies on April 20, 2011.

Grizzlies sign first round draft pick Jordan Adams

The Memphis Grizzlies signed 2014 first round draft pick Jordan Adams to a multi-year contract, the team announced today. As a first round selection, Adams was guaranteed to receive a contract. So this is standard, and was expected.

Adams (6-5, 209) was selected by Memphis in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft after two seasons at UCLA (2012-14), where he averaged 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and a school-record 2.43 steals on .467 shooting in 30.2 minutes in 69 career games. His 168 career steals rank seventh in Bruins history.

As a sophomore last season, Adams earned First Team All-Pac 12 honors, leading the Bruins in scoring with 17.4 points and a conference-high 2.64 steals while shooting .485 from the field in 30.1 minutes in 36 games. The Atlanta native totaled a single-season school-record 95 steals, ranking second in the NCAA, and his 626 points marked the second-highest single-season total at UCLA in the last 19 seasons behind Kevin Love (681 in 2007-08).

As a freshman, Adams tallied 15.3 points, fifth on UCLA’s all-time freshman scoring list, and a conference-best 2.21 steals on .447 shooting in 30.3 minutes in 33 contests.

The 19-year-old currently is averaging 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.00 steals in 30.0 minutes through two games (one start) for Memphis at the 2014 Orlando Pro Summer League. He is shooting .440 overall (11-of-25 FG), .556 from three-point range (5-of-9 3FG) and a perfect 1.000 from the free throw line (15-of-15 FT).

Brian Wright is new Detroit Pistons assistant general manager

Detroit Pistons Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations Stan Van Gundy announced today that the team has named Brian Wright as assistant general manager.

“I’m pleased to welcome Brian Wright to the Detroit Pistons,” said Van Gundy. “Brian understands our vision and what we are trying to accomplish as a front office staff. He has a sharp basketball mind and will be an asset for our organization.”

Wright joins the Pistons after eight seasons with the Orlando Magic. He served as the Director of College Scouting last season, overseeing and managing all aspects of the college scouting department and executing preparations the NBA Draft. He was also responsible for overseeing the player development department.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to come to Detroit and begin working with the staff,” Wright said. “I firmly believe in the basketball vision that Stan (Van Gundy) and Jeff (Bower) have outlined for the organization and look forward to being a part of that process.”

Wright began his career with the Magic as a summer intern in 2006 and was hired as the scouting coordinator prior to the 2006-07 season. He also served as scouting manager and spent the 2012-13 season as the team scouting/player development manager.

Wright attended graduate school at the University of Central Florida, earning an MBA and Master’s in sports business management from the DeVos Sports Business Management Program. Prior to his time at UCF, he was an undergraduate student-athlete playing basketball at La Sierra University in Riverside, CA.

Video: Top plays from Orlando Day 2

Here are video highlights of top plays from summer league Day 2 in Orlando:

Miami Heat interested in Marvin Williams

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on the Miami Heat and free agency:

Pat Riley called adding a Carmelo Anthony-type max-salary player to the Heat “a pipe dream,’’ and so far during free agency the Heat president has been proven correct.

Marvin Williams, formerly with the Hawks and Jazz and considered a third-tier free agent, is the latest player to be recruited by the Heat, which on Sunday was still waiting to get a commitment from LeBron James.

But James, in turn, is waiting to see what Riley gets in the free-agent market before he reups for perhaps only one more season. And so far, it can’t be very encouraging for the four-time MVP. The Heat hasn’t added anyone, although Miami has gone after Kyle Lowry, Luol Deng, Marcin Gortat, Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza.

If Riley doesn’t get moving, James just might start looking at teams that have already visited his agent, Rich Paul, in Cleveland. Those teams include the Lakers, Suns and Cavaliers.

LeBron to meet with Heat before making free agency decision

Here’s the Associated Press, via StarTribune.com, reporting on superstar free agent LeBron James:

Before LeBron James makes his next decision, Pat Riley will get a chance to convince him to stay in Miami.

Two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press late Sunday night that James will meet with the Heat president this week before making a decision about where to play next season. The time and location of the meeting were still being scheduled, said the people who spoke on condition of anonymity because neither the Heat nor James announced their plans publicly.

“In the next two or three days,” one of the people said.

Monday would seem difficult, unless James’ schedule changes. He has a commercial shoot planned and was expected to travel to Las Vegas later in the day for his annual camp with some of the nation’s best young basketball players, an event that opens Wednesday. James also has been planning a trip to Brazil for the World Cup final on July 13.