Inside Hoops – Page 1463 – NBA Blog

Metta World Peace hopes to stay with Lakers for rest of career

At least one person is excited about his future with the Lakers.

Metta World Peace could become a free agent in July by declining a player option for $7.7 million next season. He doesn’t plan on it.

“I want to stay here the rest of my career,” he said, and “get past this adversity. I want to finish as a Laker.”

The adversity would be the team’s 17-24 record after a 95-83 loss Monday against Chicago.

It makes sense that World Peace, 33, wants to stay. He’s almost surely not going to get more than that as a free agent next season.

But whether he finishes his career with the Lakers might not be up to him.

— Reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times

Dan Majerle will not return as Phoenix Suns assistant coach

Suns Ring of Honor member Dan Majerle will not resume his role as assistant coach for the second half of the season.

Majerle was in his fifth season as a Suns assistant coach but had stopped working with the team Sunday when Lindsey Hunter was selected as the interim head coach in place of Alvin Gentry. Hunter was selected Sunday over lead assistant coach Elston Turner, assistant coach Igor Kokoskov and Majerle, who had been the suggestion of many Suns players to General Manager Lance Blanks during interviews Friday and Saturday.

When Blanks called Majerle to inform him of the decision Sunday morning before practice, Majerle left US Airways Center and did not participate in Sunday’s and Monday’s practices. Majerle had been willing to return to the staff if Turner was selected.

Majerle will receive his full salary for the season.

— Reported by Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic

Andrew Bynum still healing, has not tried lateral movement yet

Andrew Bynum continues to report progress with his injured knees, but a significant hurdle awaits.

“I still haven’t done lateral movement, and that will be the biggest test,” the 76ers center said before Monday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Wells Fargo Center. “Cutting is the last thing to do, and I think I am building up to that slowly but surely.”

Bynum said he still hopes to make his first appearance this season after the all-star break. He said the most positive development is that he is not feeling pain in his knees.

Bynum, whose only running has come on a treadmill, has been working on shooting and post moves.

— Reported by Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Spurs want to keep R.C. Buford

Speculation that the proposed new owners of the Kings franchise will seek to pry R.C. Buford away from the Spurs when, and if, the purchase is approved and the team moves to Seattle has been met with bemusement within the Spurs’ organization.

A source within the organization said that the Spurs’ general manager “is not going anywhere.

“He loves living in San Antonio and loves what we have built here,” the source said. “You could probably find about 25 of the other 29 franchises that would like to have R.C., so the speculation is understandable, but he’s staying with the Spurs.”

A group led by Seattle hedge fund manager Christopher Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer reached an agreement for the transfer of controlling interest in the Kings from the Maloof family.

— Reported by Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News

Thunder re-assign Jeremy Lamb and Daniel Orton to D-League for billionth time

The Oklahoma City Thunder has assigned guard Jeremy Lamb and center Daniel Orton to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

Lamb has appeared in 16 games this season with the Thunder averaging 1.7 points in 4.0 minutes per game.

Orton has seen action in one game for the Thunder, scoring two points in two minutes versus Cleveland on Nov. 11th.

Both players are expected to be in uniform tomorrow when the 66ers take on the Energy at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA.

Demetris Nichols named D-League Performer of Week

Demetris Nichols of the Sioux Falls Skyforce was today named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Jan. 14-20.

A 6-6, 211-pound forward out of Syracuse, Nichols led the Skyforce to a 3-0 week, including back-to-back victories over the Texas Legends on Jan. 18 and 19. He averaged 25.7 points while shooting 74 percent from the floor to go with 6.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 37.7 minutes. He scored a season-high 26 points in a 99-83 win over the Santa Cruz Warriors on Jan. 15, matching that total in a 102-93 victory over the Legends on Jan. 19.

Other top performers considered include Austin’s Tyler Wilkerson, Bakersfield’s Renaldo Major, Canton’s Jorge Gutierrez, Erie’s D.J. Kennedy, Fort Wayne’s Justin Holiday, Iowa’s Morris Almond, Los Angeles’ Elijah Millsap, Maine’s Fab Melo on assignment from the Boston Celtics, Reno’s Antoine Wright, Rio Grande Valley’s Terrence Jones on assignment from the Houston Rockets, Santa Cruz’s Cameron Jones, Springfield’s James Mays, Texas’ Darius Rice and Tulsa’s Dominique Sutton.

Cavs re-assign forward Kevin Jones to D-League

The Cleveland Cavaliers have assigned forward Kevin Jones to the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers exclusively owned and operated NBA Development League team, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today.

Jones has played in 15 games for the Cavs this season and is averaging 1.9 points and 1.5 re bounds in 9.0 minutes per game. He has appeared in five games for the Charge this season, averaging 23.6 points, 12.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 41.0 minutes. He has four double-doubles on the season for the Charge.

Coach Thibodeau says Joakim Noah understands why he was benched

Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said Monday that Joakim Noah understands why he was benched for much of Saturday’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, but Noah declined to speak to reporters once again.

“He understands,” Thibodeau said after the morning shootaround as his team prepared to face the Los Angeles Lakers. “The thing is he’s been around.

“The team has to come first, that’s the most important thing. Sometimes that happens in-game, not a big deal.”

Noah was benched for the final 22:53 of the overtime loss, and Thibodeau expects Noah to respond positively against the Lakers.

— Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Carlos Boozer, Kevin Durant named NBA Players of Week

Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Jan. 14 through Sunday, Jan. 20.

Boozer led the Bulls to a 3-1 week, which included wins over the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors. He averaged 23.0 points (fourth in the conference) and a league-leading 14.8 rebounds. Boozer recorded a point-rebound double-double in all four contests, including a 19-point, 20-rebound game on Jan. 18 during a 100-99 win over the Boston Celtics.

Durant helped Oklahoma City to a 3-1 record on the week, which included wins over the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns. He averaged a league-best 37.5 points and recorded a career and NBA-season-high 52 points on January 18 during a 117-114 overtime win against the Dallas Mavericks.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Miami’s LeBron James, New Orleans’ Greivis Vasquez, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, Philadelphia’s Jrue Holiday and Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins

Maloofs agree to sell Kings to Seattle group

The only thing stopping the Sacramento Kings from a sale and move to Seattle is approval by NBA owners.

The Maloof family has agreed to sell the Kings to a Seattle group led by investor Chris Hansen, the league confirmed in a statement Monday morning. The deal is still pending a vote by the NBA Board of Governors.

A person familiar with the decision said that Hansen’s group will buy 65 percent of the franchise for $525 million, move the team to Seattle and restore the SuperSonics name. The Maloofs will have no stake in the team.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was waiting approval.

The sale figure is a total valuation of the franchise, which includes relocation fees. Hansen’s group also is hoping to buy out other minority investors.

The Maloofs will get a $30 million non-refundable down payment by Feb. 1, according to the deal, the person said. They will still be allowed to receive other offers until the league approves the sale.

The plan by Hansen’s group is to have the team play at least the next two seasons in KeyArena before moving into a new facility in downtown Seattle. The deadline for teams to apply for a move for next season is March 1.

— Reported by Antonio Gonzalez of the Associated Press