Inside Hoops – Page 1119 – NBA Blog

Father of Timberwolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad sentenced to prison

Here’s the Los Angeles Times reporting on the father of Timberwolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad:

A federal judge sentenced the father of former UCLA basketball player Shabazz Muhammad to 37 months in prison Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Las Vegas.

Ron Holmes pleaded guilty in December in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with a $2.5-million mortgage fraud scheme.

Holmes, who played basketball at USC from 1981 to 1985, was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and must pay $1.7 million in restitution. He’s been under house arrest in Las Vegas since late May.

Warriors coach Mark Jackson says he is not worried about extension

Here’s the Bay Area News Group reporting on the Golden State Warriors, whose head coach Mark Jackson recently demoted assistant coach Brian Scalabrine:

Warriors coach Mark Jackson said Thursday that not having a contract extension past next season does not bother him.

“There is not a piece of me that’s bothered that an extension has not been agreed upon or anything of that nature,” Jackson said on his weekly radio show on KNBR. “We move forward. I had the deal. They picked up my option for next year, and I think that obviously speaks volumes even though for some folks it doesn’t say anything.”

Jackson also said that he appreciated Stephen Curry’s vote of confidence in response to a Yahoo Sports report on the team’s “increasingly dysfunctional atmosphere” in the wake of assistant coach Brian Scalabrine’s reassignment earlier this week. Curry said he and the rest of the team supported Jackson 100 percent.

“Obviously he’s a guy that had an opportunity and a platform to show his loyalty, his support for me,” Jackson said of Curry. “I don’t take it for granted, and it’s not a surprise because he knows how I feel about him.”

Metta World Peace reportedly interested in returning to Knicks

Here’s the New York Post reporting on former Knicks forward Metta World Peace, a veteran who at this point in his NBA career would be best given limited minutes off the bench as a defensive stopper:

It was equivalent to a job interview. Metta World Peace, who lives in Beverly Hills, ran up to Phil Jackson’s Staples Center suite during halftime from his courtside seat for a chat Tuesday night during the Knicks’ 127-96 blowout loss to the Lakers.

World Peace is more than a month removed from a Knicks buyout — one he wouldn’t have asked for had he known the Zen Master was waiting in the wings as team president.

World Peace has told confidants he yearns for a second chance as a Knick after his first stint went sour. When asked if the former Ron Artest wants another shot at New York when he’s a free agent this summer, the confidant told The Post:

“Abso-bleeping-lutely.’’

Kings sign Willie Reed for rest of season

The Sacramento Kings today signed forward-center Willie Reed for the remainder of the season, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. Reed will report immediately to the Reno Bighorns, the team’s D-League affiliate.

Reed, a 6-10, 220-pound forward-center, was averaging 14.8 points (.590 FG%, .612 FT%), 10.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.6 blocks per game in 31.8 minutes per game in 44 games of which he started 33 this season for the NBA D-League Springfield Armor.

Reed previously played with Sacramento during the 2012 preseason when he averaged 0.8 points (1-3 FG, 1-2 FT), 1.0 rebounds, and 2.8 minutes per game in four preseason contests before being waived. He went on to play in his first stint for the Springfield Armor, earning Honorable Mention All-Development League Team honors after averaging 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game before joining the Memphis Grizzlies for the remainder of the season.

Thunder sign Reggie Williams to 10-day contract, again

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed forward Reggie Williams to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Earlier this season, Williams appeared in one game for the Thunder where he scored five points in five minutes after being signed to a 10-day contract on March 6.

In 25 games this season with the Tulsa 66ers, Williams averaged 20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.56 steals in 38.0 minutes per game.

Williams has appeared in 178 NBA games (32 starts) and recorded career averages of 8.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 19.9 minutes per game as a member of the Warriors, Bobcats and Thunder.

The signing of Williams represents the 39th D-League Gatorade Call-Up this season and the eighth Call-Up all-time between the 66ers and the Thunder.

Williams is expected to join the Thunder prior to tonight’s game versus the Sacramento Kings.

The Thunder roster now stands at 15.

Jorge Gutierrez fined $15,000 for hard foul on Cody Zeller

Brooklyn Nets guard Jorge Gutierrez has been fined $15,000 for making excessive contact above the shoulders with Charlotte Bobcats center Cody Zeller, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The foul on Gutierrez, for which he was assessed a Flagrant 2 and ejected, occurred with 6:42 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Bobcats’ 116-111 overtime win over the Nets on Wednesday, March 26, at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Nets sign Jorge Gutierrez to multi-year deal

The Brooklyn Nets have signed guard Jorge Gutierrez to a multi-year contract, General Manager Billy King announced today

Gutierrez, who signed 10-day contracts on March 6 and March 16, has appeared in five games for the Nets, averaging 3.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 13.4 minutes per game. He scored a season-high 10 points versus Boston on March 21.

The University of California product is in his first season in the NBA.

Canadian point guard Tyler Ennis will enter 2014 NBA Draft

Here’s the Toronto Sun with an update on a talented young basketball player:

Canadian point guard Tyler Ennis is leaving Syracuse to enter the NBA draft.

“I’d like to thank Coach (Jim) Boeheim, the coaching staff, my teammates and the amazing fans of Syracuse for the opportunity to play at a great university like Syracuse,” said Ennis, a Brampton native, in a statement Thursday afternoon.

“I feel this experience has helped prepare me to fulfill my lifelong dream — to play in the NBA.”

Ennis, expected to be taken somewhere in the mid-late lottery, averaged 12.9 points, 5.5 assists and 3.4 rebounds in his freshman season, which ended abruptly with a loss to Dayton early in the NCAA tournament in Buffalo.

Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova out for rest of season

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond provided the following update regarding Ersan Ilyasova:

“Ersan had his right ankle examined by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Richard Ferkel in Los Angeles on Tuesday (March 25). Dr. Ferkel’s recommendation was a period of rest and rehabilitation beginning immediately, rather than surgery. Based on this medical recommendation, Ersan is not expected to play the remainder of the 2013-14 season.”

In 55 games this season (47 starts), Ilyasova, 26, has averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 26.9 minutes per game.

Report: Detroit Pistons will get their own D-League team

Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting:

The Detroit Pistons are getting an NBA Development League affiliate in Grand Rapids, and they won’t have to share it with any other NBA teams, a person with knowledge of the situation said.

The person told the Free Press that the move to get a D-League team in Michigan and be solely affiliated with the Pistons was pushed for by Pistons owner Tom Gores.

The Grand Rapids franchise, which is expected to debut next season, will relocate from Springfield, Mass., where it is nicknamed the Armor. There was no immediate word about what the Grand Rapids team’s nickname will be.