Inside Hoops – Page 702 – NBA Blog

Utah Jazz hire DeSagana Diop

The Utah Jazz have hired DeSagana Diop as a coaching associate.

Diop will assist the Jazz coaching staff in a variety of capacities including work on the court during practices and individual player workouts, video editing and analysis, and other team preparation.

The coaching associate position was created by the Jazz to provide prospective coaches an opportunity to gain further experience in an apprenticeship role in order to better prepare them for a future career in coaching.

Prior to joining the Jazz, Diop spent the previous two seasons working on the coaching staff of the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League (2014-16), serving one year as a player development coach before being promoted to assistant coach prior to last season.

A former first-round pick (eighth overall) of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2001 NBA Draft directly out of high school, Diop played 12 seasons (2001-13) and appeared in more than 600 career games with the Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets and Charlotte Bobcats before. Known for his shot blocking abilities, Diop was a member of the 2006 Mavericks team that reached the NBA Finals.

A native of Senegal, Diop was a McDonald’s High School All-American coming out of Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, and is also a former member of the Senegalese national team.

Timberwolves hire Ed Pinckney as assistant coach

The Timberwolves yesterday (Sunday) announced that Ed Pinckney has joined President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach Tom Thibodeau’s staff as Assistant Coach.

Pinckney joins Andy Greer, Ryan Saunders and Rick Brunson as Assistant Coaches on Thibodeau’s staff.

Pinckney rejoins the Timberwolves after serving as an Assistant Coach in Minnesota from 2007-09. He spent last season as an Assistant Coach with Denver, and spent the previous five seasons with Thibodeau in Chicago. The 10th overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft by Phoenix, Pinckney spent 12 seasons in the NBA, playing for Phoenix, Sacramento, Boston, Milwaukee, Toronto, Philadelphia and Miami.

Hawks sign Josh Magette

The Hawks have signed guard Josh Magette (Mah-jet). It’s probably a non-guaranteed contract.

Magette played in 45 games (all starts) in 2015-16 with the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League, averaging 11.5 points, 9.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in 38.0 minutes, leading the D-League in assists per game and steals per game.

He’s also played for Koroivos (Greece) and Landstede (Netherlands).

He will wear uniform No. 7.

A native of Hoover, Alabama (Spain Park HS), Magette played four years at Alabama-Huntsville, where he was Gulf South Conference co-Player of the Year as a senior in 2012.

The team’s roster stands at 20.

Cavs sign Toney Douglas, waive Eric Moreland

The Cavaliers today signed point guard Toney Douglas to a contract. And in a related move, the Cavs have waived forward/center Eric Moreland.

Douglas (6-2, 190) appeared in 61 games for the New Orleans Pelicans last season averaging 8.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 20.7 minutes per game. He has played for six teams in his seven year career and has career averages of 7.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 19.2 minutes per game. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 29th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Pregame notes for Rockets vs Sharks

Rockets team notes for game vs Shanghai Sharks tonight:

· This game marks the first time a professional team from China is facing an NBA team in the United States… the Sharks play in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

Connections:

· The Sharks are owned by former Rocket Yao Ming… on Feb. 2, 2016, Yao will become just the sixth player in Rockets history to have his number retired.

· Rockets guard Bobby Brown spent the past two years playing in the CBA… last season, he was with the Shenzhen Leopards and averaged 29.2 points, 6.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds.

· Sharks center Wu Guanxi was a member of the Rockets entry in the 2016 Samsung NBA Summer League… Rockets Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell, K.J. McDaniels, Chinanu Onuaku, Gary Payton II, Isaiah Taylor and Kyle Wiltjer all played on that team.

· Sharks guard Jimmer Fredette played five seasons in the NBA and was teammates with Rockets forward Ryan Anderson and guard Eric Gordon in New Orleans for the 2014-15 season.

Injury/Status Report:

· The Rockets have no injuries to report.

Rockets News & Notes:

· This marks the 50th season in Rockets franchise history… the San Diego Rockets were established as an expansion team for the 1967-68 season and moved to Houston prior to the 1971-72 season.

· Houston is one of three teams (Dallas and San Antonio) to have gone .500 or better in each of the past 10 seasons… the Rockets have also made the playoffs in four straight seasons, which is tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history.

· Since joining the Rockets in 2012-13, James Harden has scored 533 more points than any other player in the league… he also has made 461 more free throws than any other player has attempted over that span.

· In 27 games played post All-Star break last season, Patrick Beverley averaged 11.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists after averaging 8.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 2.8 apg his first 44 games played.

Doc Rivers loved this Clippers training camp

The Clippers won 53 games last season, which was the sixth highest win total in the league. Very good, but not great. More is expected this season, especially with power forward Blake Griffin, who played just 35 games in 2015-16, returning to action. Here’s the LA Times reporting on Doc Rivers and the squad:

Doc Rivers says Clippers had fantastic training camp

After four days of camp, Rivers concluded that this one was the “best training camp” since he first arrived in 2013.

Rivers said it was a “comfortable camp” and that his players “picked up” information “pretty quickly.”

“The learning curve was high,” Rivers said. “It was just a really good camp. From a coaching standpoint, they were very easy to coach. I hope I’m saying that later.”

All week long, Rivers said, Marreese Speights “has played the best” in practice, showing off his three-point shooting, giving the Clippers another weapon off the bench.

Rivers also said that Wesley Johnson had an impressive camp.

No, Bradley Beal does not enjoy getting hurt

Wizards guard Bradley Beal played 56 games as a rookie, 73 games in his second season, 63 in his third, and 55 in his fourth. Staying healthy would probably be quite enjoyable for him. Here’s the Washington Post reporting:

During the Wednesday practice, Beal caught an inadvertent elbow from center Ian Mahinmi, who was stripped of the ball, his arms flailing, and “my head was in the way,” as Beal recalled…

“People make it seem like I’m trying to get hurt, you know what I’m saying?” Beal said. “I’m not here, like: ‘Oh, hit me in the head on this play!’ Nah, it just happens. Anybody can be in that position, so that’s not going to stop me from being aggressive and continuing to play hard.”

Rockets sign P.J. Hairston

The Rockets have signed free agent guard/forward P.J. Hairston.

Hairston (6-6, 220) was originally the 26th overall pick by Miami in the 2014 NBA Draft. He spent his first season and a half with Charlotte before being acquired in a three-team trade by Memphis on Feb. 16, 2016.

In 66 games with 52 starts for the Hornets and Grizzlies last season, Hairston averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game. He also hit two or more 3-pointers 19 times in 2015-16, including a career-high 5 at the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 26, 2016.

Heat consider Tyler Johnson a combo guard

Heat guard Tyler Johnson averaged 5.9 points on 41.9% shooting in 18.8 minutes per game as a rookie two years ago, 8.7 ppg on 48.6% shooting in 24.0 mpg last season, and should have a bigger role this year. Here’s the Palm Beach Post blog with some insight:

“He’s a combo (guard). That’s why we like him,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You put him on the court and he knows how to have an impact. He’s comfortable now playing either position on the ball or off the ball. That kind of versatility is important.”

The Heat are hoping [Tyler] Johnson can give them minutes at point guard this season, a position that he’s played sporadically in the past. After Miami decided to keep Johnson and matched his four-year, $50 million offer sheet from the Nets in July, he spent most of the offseason working on his point guard skills with Heat coaches.

With a log jam at shooting guard – Dion Waiters, Josh Richardson, Wayne Ellington and Johnson – Johnson will get more playing time if he’s also able to serve as Goran Dragic’s backup at point guard. The 24-year-old Johnson believes he’s better prepared for that role this season.

Windy City Bulls hire Bobby Lutz and A.J. Guyton as assistant coaches

The Windy City Bulls, who are the Chicago Bulls’ D-League affiliate, have announced the remainder of their coaching and basketball operations staff as well as team medical personnel for the 2016-17 season.

Bobby Lutz and A.J. Guyton will join Nate Loenser’s staff in November as assistant coaches, while Josh Kreibich has been named coordinator of basketball operations.

“I am thrilled that Bobby and A.J. will be joining our staff for the upcoming season,” said Loenser. “Bobby brings a tremendous amount of coaching experience, and A.J. is someone who is very well respected within the Chicago Bulls organization. His experience playing here is invaluable to us.”

Lutz brings over 30 years of collegiate coaching experience to Windy City, spending the last five seasons as an assistant at North Carolina State. During his tenure with the Wolfpack, Lutz helped guide the team to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances including trips to the Sweet 16 in 2012 and 2015. Prior to his time at North Carolina State, Lutz spent a season as an assistant for Fred Hoiberg at Iowa State. From 1999-2010, he served as the head coach at the University of North Carolina Charlotte where he led the 49ers to three Conference USA titles while averaging more than 18 wins per season. Lutz was a finalist for the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award in 2005 and is the school’s all-time winningest coach.

Guyton returns to the Chicago Bulls organization where he began his professional playing career in 2000.. The Peoria, Ill., native spent three seasons in the NBA before playing overseas for the remainder of his 10-year professional career. Guyton got his start in coaching in 2010 when he was an assistant coach at Illinois Central College. In 2012, he led the Bloomington Flex to the Premier Basketball League Championship as the team’s head coach. Guyton played college basketball at the University of Indiana Bloomington from 1996-2000 where he was a consensus First-Team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year in his senior season. In 2014, Guyton was inducted to the University of Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame.

Kreibich comes to Windy City after spending the last two seasons as the director of basketball operations at Northern Arizona University. Prior to his stint with the Lumberjacks, he served as an assistant coach at Concordia University in Austin, Texas, from 2012-2014.

Arnold Lee has been named certified athletic trainer while Dr. Adam Yanke and Dr. Jeremy Alland of Midwest Orthopedics at Rush University Medical Center will serve as team physicians. Additionally, Dr. Brian Cole and Dr. Kathleen Weber of Midwest Orthopedics at Rush University Medical Center will serve as consulting team physicians.

Lee joins Windy City after working as an intern for the Chicago Bears during the 2016 pre-season. From 2013-2016, he worked as the head athletic trainer at Chicago’s Kennedy King College. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Lee holds a B.S. in Kinesiology and a Masters in Athletic Training from California Baptist University.

The Windy City Bulls are preparing for their inaugural season in the heart of Chicago’s northwest suburbs. Beginning in November, the team will play 24 home games at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates. The NBA Development League, which is entering its 16th season, will expand to 22 teams for the 2016-17 season with the additions of the Windy City Bulls, Greensboro Swarm and Long Island Nets. Last season saw 32 D-League players called up to the NBA a total of 42 times.