Inside Hoops – Page 1312 – NBA Blog

Former NBA referee Hue Hollins dies

Former longtime NBA referee Hue Hollins died. He was believed to be 70.

Hollins’ death was announced by the NBA Referees Association.

Hollins officiated 19 NBA Finals games and five All-Star games during his 27-year career.

He was a native of Waco, Texas.

“Hue reached the pinnacle of officiating through an unmatched dedication to perfecting his profession throughout his 27-year career as an NBA referee,” NBRA general counsel Lee Seham said in a statement. “His hard work was always on display on the court, but never more evident than during his work in the NBA Finals, of which he worked every year during the 1990s. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.”

Reported by the Sports Xchange

Matt Barnes will stay with Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to sign swingman Matt Barnes to a three-year deal that will pay him close to $12 million, a league source told Yahoo! Sports.

Barnes, 33, averaged 10.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 25.7 minutes as a reserve for the Clippers last season while making $854,389. After playing for eight different teams during his 10-year NBA career, Barnes is happy to get some security.

Reported by Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports

Mavs move on after failing to land Dwight Howard

It’s Plan B again for the Dallas Mavericks in free agency.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted Friday that it was ”time to get back to work” amid multiple media reports that Dallas was out of the running for free agent center Dwight Howard.

”The Mavs are back open for business,” Cuban wrote on Twitter.

It’s the second straight summer Dallas has missed on a big name in free agency after declining to bring back key pieces of the 2011 championship team in the name of salary cap space.

Reported by the Associated Press

Celtics introduce Brad Stevens as new coach

The Boston Celtics introduced Brad Stevens as their new coach Friday at a press conference at the team’s training center in Waltham, Mass.

Stevens is the 17th head coach in the franchise’s history.

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and members of the team’s ownership group were also present.

“One of the things that I am so thrilled about is working at a place that has such high standards and places such a value on culture,” Stevens said.

He added that he is “absolutely humbled” by the chance to coach the Celtics.

Reported by the Sports Xchange

Warriors will land Andre Iguodala

The Warriors have been informed by Dwight Howard he will not be joining Golden State, according to a team source.

According to USA Today, Howard has chosen to leave the Los Angeles Lakers to become a Houston Rocket.

The Warriors emerged from long shot to viable option after meeting with Howard on Monday. But despite adding swingman Andre Iguodala, Howard chose to pair up with All-NBA guard James Harden to become the next great center for the Rockets. Houston can offer the same four-year, $88 million contract the Warriors could offer but Texas doesn’t have state taxes, which means Howard can keep more of his money.

That means Golden State will keep starting center Andrew Bogut.

About an hour before this news, the Warriors have reached a four-year deal worth $48 million with Iguodala, multiple sources confirmed.

The Warriors cleared the cap space needed by trading the expiring contracts of Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson and Brandon Rush to Utah. The deal also included multiple picks, including the Warriors’ 2014 first-rounder.

Reported by Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group

Warriors trying to dump salaries to get Dwight Howard

The Golden State Warriors must believe they have a realistic chance of landing free agent Dwight Howard, because they are trying to dump contracts to have enough cap space to sign Howard, ESPN.com reported.

The Warriors would need work out a sign-and-trade deal with the Los Angeles Lakers to acquire Howard.

According to ESPN.com, Golden State is prepared to offer the Lakers Andrew Bogut and his expiring $14 million contract and either Harrison Barnes or Klay Thompson in the deal.

Reported by the Sports Xchange

Cleveland Cavaliers will sign Earl Clark

Earl Clark put his name on the NBA map last season, occasionally stepping up for nice stretches while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Clark is considered a player that teams should bring off the bench, but he’s shown flashes of being worth starting every now and then. He has drive and talent. And will put on a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey soon.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached an agreement on a two-year contract with free agent forward Earl Clark, sources told ESPN.com.

The second year of the deal is a team option, according to a source.

The Sporting News reported the total value of the deal is $9 million.

Clark leaves the Los Angeles Lakers, who have been in a holding pattern with free agents as they wait for a decision from Dwight Howard, after averaging career highs in points (7.3) and rebounds (5.5) last season.

Reported by Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com

San Antonio Spurs will sign Marco Belinelli

Any time the San Antonio Spurs sign a player, I immediately assume that the player is at least slightly better than everyone previously realized. Because most players just seem to do better as they are placed in the Spurs machine. With that:

The San Antonio Spurs have reached agreement with free-agent guard Marco Belinelli on a two-year, $6 million contract, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Belinelli, 27, averaged 9.6 points in 73 games for the Chicago Bulls last season. He is a 38.7 percent 3-point shooter in six NBA seasons. The Spurs will be his fifth team.

Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports

Knicks to keep J.R. Smith and Pablo Prigioni

The New York Knicks are keeping J.R. Smith and Pablo Prigioni, two key members of their first Atlantic Division championship team since 1994.

Both players agreed to new deals Thursday, their agents confirmed.

Smith, the Sixth Man of the Year, gets a four-year contract worth around $25 million.

Reported by the Associated Press

Al Jefferson to join Charlotte Bobcats

The Charlotte Bobcats have been trying to put themselves on the NBA map for a long time. For far too long, they’ve been a doormat, suffering big loss after big loss. And apparently they’ve had enough. And will now overpay a bit to get a big guy who can score and rebound in a Charlotte jersey.

Free-agent big man Al Jefferson is headed to the Charlotte Bobcats, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Utah Jazz center, after a two-day visit with the Bobcats, has verbally agreed to a three-year contract with Charlotte worth an estimated $41 million.

The deal contains a player option in Jefferson’s contract after the second year, sources said.

Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com