Author: Inside Hoops

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Mario Kasun signs in Siena, Italy

Italian champs Montepaschi Siena announced over the weekend the addition of big man Mario Kasun to a one-year deal with the option of another. Kasun (2.13 meters, 32 years old) arrives from KK Zagreb, where last season he averaged 12.2 points and 6.6 rebounds in 9 Turkish Airlines Euroleague games. He ranked 5th overall in Offensive Rebounds during the 2011-12 Regular Season. Kasun made his debut in 1997 in Gorica of his native Croatia and kept growing as a player until he signed in 2002 for the Frankfurt Skyliners of Germany, where he exploded in his game.

— Reported by Euroleague.net

Andrew Bogut expects to be ready for Warriors opener

Andrew Bogut expects to be ready for Warriors opener

Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut fully expects to be in the lineup for the season opener Oct. 31 at Phoenix after undergoing surgery this spring on his troublesome ankle.

How much he plays during the exhibition schedule, he’s still not sure. Bogut believes he will be nearly full strength by the start of training camp Oct. 3, but might still be limited during the preseason as a precaution.

“I definitely want to be ready for training camp. I think it will be close,” Bogut said Sunday before heading to a Monday morning workout in Australia.

“The immediate goal with all of this is to make sure I’m ready for the first game. Whether that means playing only half the preseason games, it’s just about being smart with my ankle. There’s no point in trying to get ready for Oct. 1 when an extra week could significantly help. It’s just a matter of monitoring it very smartly and not doing anything stupid.”

— Reported by the Associated Press

Sixers have plenty of expiring contracts over next two years

There will be a grand total of nine Sixers whose contracts will expire within the next two years.

Five of those contracts — Bynum, Jrue Holiday, Nick Young, Dorell Wright and Royal Ivey — are up at the end of next season. Four more — Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, Kwame Brown and Lavoy Allen — expire at the end of the 2013-14 season. For reference, Brown’s is technically for one season with a player option for a second, though his agent has called it a two-year deal.

Starting with the five due to end next summer, the Sixers could very well walk into free agency with roughly $30 million off their books. Of course, should they re-sign Bynum, his max-deal will take up about two-thirds of that space. Then there’s Holiday, to whom the team can extend a qualifying offer for one more year, but Holiday is reportedly seeking a max-contract instead. Go figure.

— Reported by Nick Menta of CSN Philly

NBA and Ticketmaster develop ticketing service

The National Basketball Association  selected  Ticketmaster,  a  Live  Nation Entertainment company (NYSE:LYV), to develop a comprehensive online ticketing destination for NBA fans.  As  the  Official  Ticketing  Provider of the NBA, Ticketmaster will present  buyers  all  of  the  available ticket options for upcoming games, including  available  tickets  from  the primary market, as well as tickets being  resold by other fans.  NBA fans will be able to buy with confidence, as  Ticketmaster will validate every ticket purchased on the league’s site, making  it  the premier destination where fans are guaranteed authentic NBA tickets.

“Together  with  the  NBA,  we’re  building  the  sports  industry’s  first comprehensive  ticket destination that provides fans all of their ticketing options  –  from  both  primary  and  resale  –  in one place,” said Nathan Hubbard, CEO of Ticketmaster.  “The NBA is determined to provide their fans a safe, convenient place to buy and sell game tickets, and we are delighted to be delivering this revolutionary solution.”

“We are committed to ensuring that our fans receive the best in service and selection  when  it  comes  to  purchasing  individual  game  tickets,  and Ticketmaster’s  proven  ticketing solutions for both the primary and resale markets  were  the  right fit for us,” said NBA Executive Vice President of Team  Marketing  &  Business  Operations  Chris  Granger. “On behalf of our teams,  we  also  appreciate  Ticketmaster’s  commitment to analytics, data sharing,  and marketing support.  This partnership will be a winner for all involved.”

— Press Release

Kevin Durant goes from gold medal to red carpet

Kevin Durant movie

Kevin Durant is going from representing the red, white and blue to walking the red carpet.

Adding to a resume that already includes being a three-time NBA scoring champion and Olympic gold medalist, Durant was the star as his movie ”Thunderstruck” premiered in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown entertainment district Sunday night. It opens in other theaters Friday.

Durant strolled down a red carpet in a black T-shirt, grey vest, white jeans and black sneakers to answer questions about his acting skills instead of the deadly shooting ability that propelled the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals last season.

”Of course, people are going to look at it a little different because I’m a basketball player and I’m doing something different,” Durant said. ”A basketball player is what I do. It’s not really just solely who I am. I like to do other things.

”It’s all about conquering your fears. That’s one thing I did with this, stepping in front of a camera and people yelling ‘Action!’ It’s not the norm for me. I did something outside the box, and I’m glad it turned out pretty well.”

— Reported by Jeff Latzke of the Associated Press

LeBron James happy to play for USA in 2016 Olympics

LeBron James wants to step inside the Olympic rings a fourth time.

Fresh off winning a gold medal in London with the U.S. men’s team, the NBA’s reigning MVP said Sunday that if he’s healthy – and if the rules allow – he would like to play again at the Rio Games in 2016. James said he’s ”done the math, and I’ll be 31,” but he’d love the opportunity to represent his country again. James is one of just three players to be on three U.S. Olympic teams.

— Reported by Tom Withers of the Associated Press

Brandon Jennings seeks contract extension from Bucks

Brandon Jennings seeks contract extension from Bucks

Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings is hoping to have a contract extension in his pocket by the time the regular season opens on Nov. 2 in Boston.

Jennings is entering his fourth NBA season and is in line for an extension that could keep him with Milwaukee for four additional seasons.

But the 23-year-old had more than his contract on his mind during an interview Sunday morning at Homestead High School. Jennings was on hand to supervise a group of 200 youngsters on the second day of the Brandon Jennings Basketball ProCamp.

“It would be something I’d love to get done with and over with so I don’t have to worry about it,” Jennings said of the contract extension. “But the main thing is just to come into training camp a better player, a better leader … just lead the team to the playoffs.”

— Reported by Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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New Orleans Hornets sign coach Monty Williams to contract extension

New Orleans Hornets sign coach Monty Williams to contract extension

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed head coach Monty Williams to a new multi-year contract extension. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, it’s a four-year deal that will keep Williams with the team through 2016.

“We are proud to announce that Monty Williams will be the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets for years to come,” said Hornets Owner Tom Benson. “We could not be any happier to have someone of Monty’s quality – both professionally and personally – involved in the resurgence of this franchise.”

“The Hornets have a promising future and an exciting young nucleus,” said Hornets Executive Vice President Mickey Loomis. “It is our opinion that Monty is the perfect coach to develop and lead this group of talent going forward.”

“I would like to thank Mr. Benson, his family, Mickey and Dell for putting their trust in me and showing me their commitment,” said Williams. “The love and support the city and its fans have shown me and my family in the time we have been here has been incredible and I look forward to continuing to work to make the city and the Benson family proud of the Hornets.”

Williams, hired by the Hornets on June 7, 2010 as the ninth coach in franchise history, is entering his third season at the helm with a career record of 67-81 (.453), including his debut season with the club in 2010-11 where he led New Orleans to a 46-36 record and earned the team a playoff appearance. Williams placed seventh in Coach of the Year voting after that season and was named the NBA’s Western Conference Coach of the Month for January 2011. Last season, Williams’ squad improved its win total each month and finished the 2011-12 campaign with a 6-1 stretch at the New Orleans Arena.

A native of Fredericksburg, Va., Williams came to the Hornets after five seasons as the assistant coach under Nate McMillan of the Portland Trail Blazers, including serving as the head coach for the Blazers summer league team in the NBA Summer League in both 2007 and 2008. Prior to his time in Portland, Williams spent one season as a coaching intern under Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs in 2004-05, helping the Spurs capture the NBA Championship. He was also the head coach for the Spurs summer league entry team in the 2005 Rocky Mountain Revue.

Williams played in the NBA for 10 seasons before chronic knee problems forced him into retirement in 2003. Selected by the New York Knicks in the first round (24th pick overall) of the 1994 NBA Draft out of Notre Dame, Williams played for the Knicks, Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. His best season was with the Spurs in 1996-97, when he averaged 9.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 65 games. For his career, Williams averaged 6.3 points in 456 games. Williams was an honorable mention All-American at Notre Dame after averaging 22.4 points and 8.4 rebounds during his senior season.

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JaVale McGee learns from Hakeem Olajuwon

JaVale McGee learns from Hakeem Olajuwon

And so, the Nuggets center is spending some of his summer at the home of Hakeem, which for McGee is, pun intended, a dream.

“It’s definitely an honor to be working with him,” McGee said.

McGee has spent a couple of weeks on Olajuwon’s ranch near Houston, where Denver teammate Kenneth Faried is expected to work out as well this month.

Olajuwon has become sort of a hoops whisperer, teaching his intricate moves to some of the NBA’s best bigs, including Dwight Howard and Amar’e Stoudemire.

“No question, I see him as another star,” Olajuwon said to the Fox affiliate in Houston about McGee. “That guy should dominate the league.

— Reported by Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post