Inside Hoops – Page 758 – NBA Blog

Washington Wizards not keeping Randy Wittman as head coach

The Washington Wizards announced today that they will not pick up the option on the contract of Head Coach Randy Wittman.

“There were high internal and external expectations for this team coming into this season based on the momentum we had generated over the previous two years,” said Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld. “Unfortunately, the inconsistency of the team’s performance and effort, particularly on our home court, did not allow us to meet those expectations and we decided a coaching change was needed.”

Wittman was originally promoted to head coach on January 24, 2012, and compiled a 178-199 (.472) overall record in four-and-a-half seasons with the Wizards. During his tenure, the team advanced to the second round of the playoffs twice (2014 and 2015).

“Randy should be commended for the job he did in taking over as head coach during a very difficult time for our franchise and for helping to establish a culture and identity that led to success,” said Grunfeld. “This was a very tough decision on a personal level, and we wish Randy and his family the best moving forward.”

Sacramento Kings not keeping George Karl as head coach

The Sacramento Kings announced today that George Karl will not be retained as head coach for the 2016-17 season, according to Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac.

“After evaluating the team’s performance this season, I determined it was necessary to move forward with a new voice from the head coaching position,” said Divac. “I have a great deal of respect and admiration for George and his accomplishments throughout his nearly 30 years in the NBA. On behalf of everyone in the Kings organization, I thank him for the contributions made during his time in Sacramento and wish him good fortune in the future.”

Hired on February 17, 2015, Karl compiled a 44-68 record in one and a half seasons in Sacramento. Overall, he ranks fifth all-time in NBA annals with 1,175 head coaching victories through 27 seasons in Cleveland (1984-86), Golden State (1986-88), Seattle (1991-98), Milwaukee (1998-2003), Denver (2004-2013) and Sacramento (2015-16).

Ryan Gomes named D-League Impact Player of the Year

Los Angeles D-Fenders forward Ryan Gomes was today named the 2015-16 NBA Development League Impact Player of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 19 head coaches. The award recognizes a player who joined an NBA D-League team after Nov. 26, 2015, and made the greatest contribution to his team’s success following that in-season acquisition.

Gomes (6-7, 245, Providence) joined the D-Fenders, the NBA D-League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers, on Jan. 7, 2016, and played his first game on Jan. 9, 19 games into the 2015-16 season. He appeared in the team’s next 31 games (28 starts), averaging 18.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 32.0 minutes. He scored in double figures 28 times, including two 30-plus point outings, and recorded nine double-doubles.

Gomes helped the D-Fenders to a 27-23 regular-season record and the fourth overall seed in the NBA D-League Western Conference Playoffs. The team defeated the Reno Bighorns 2-1 in the Conference Semifinals and will face the Austin Spurs in the best-of-three Conference Finals.

An eight-year NBA veteran, Gomes was selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round (50th overall pick) of the 2005 NBA Draft. Gomes owns NBA career averages of 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 27.6 minutes in 487 games with the Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Pistons sign Lorenzo Brown

The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a contract.

Brown, a 6-5, 189-pound guard, signed two 10-day contracts with the Pistons this season (March 18 and March 28) but did not appear in a game with Detroit. He also signed to two 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns earlier this season and averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 assists, 0.9 rebounds and 7.6 minutes in eight games.

A native of Roswell, GA, Brown holds NBA averages of 3.3 points, 2.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 13.2 minutes in 63 career games with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns.

Brown was a second-round selection (52nd overall) by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA Draft. Prior to his two 10-day stints with the Pistons, he played for the Detroit Pistons NBA Developmental League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive. In 25 contests with the Drive, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals.

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Dahntay Jones

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Dahntay Jones, who will wear jersey number 30 for the Cavaliers and will be eligible for the playoffs.

Jones (6-6, 225) appeared in 43 games (39 starts) for the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League this season, averaging 15.7 points on .546 shooting from the field, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 35.7 minutes. He also shot .546 from the field, .413 from the three-point line and .851 from the charity stripe with Grand Rapids.

Originally selected as the 20th overall pick out of Duke University by the Boston Celtics in the 2003 NBA Draft, Jones has played in 622 games (157 starts) over his 11-year NBA career. He holds career averages of 5.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game with Memphis, Sacramento, Denver, Indiana, Dallas, Atlanta and the Los Angeles Clippers. The 6-6 guard has also appeared in 49 NBA playoff games (16 starts) with averages of 4.1 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.1 minutes.

Very rough Nets season almost over

Here’s the New York Post reporting on the Brooklyn Nets, whose season was a bit lacking in the wins department:

As the shorthanded Nets stumble to the finish of this painfully long season, interim coach Tony Brown has begged with them to show some grit. In Monday’s 120-111 loss at Washington — the first quasi-competitive effort in their nine-game skid — the Nets actually showed some fight, even if it was against each other.

After the Nets had come out flat to dig themselves a 20-0 hole right from the start, Brown benched his starters and watched his bench claw back into the game, eventually leading 85-79. And in the second quarter, backup Sean Kilpatrick had a confrontation with Bojan Bogdanovic, one both claimed was nothing but a positive.

“Honestly, I think that’s good for the team, especially when we lose a couple of games,’’ said Bogdanovic. “We have to get some fire, fight with each other a little bit to wake up everybody. So, there is not a problem between me and Sean.’’

The Nets — who are 21-60 and finish their season Wednesday vs. Toronto — haven’t just been asleep, but comatose. Before Monday’s six-point loss, they’d dropped eight straight by an average of almost 19.3 points, every one by double-digits.

Phoenix Suns buy Bakersfield Jam D-League team

The NBA Development League, the Phoenix Suns and the Town of Prescott Valley, Ariz., announced today that the Suns have acquired the Bakersfield Jam and are relocating the team to Prescott Valley. The Suns become the 15th NBA team to own and operate its NBA D-League affiliate.

The team will be known as the Northern Arizona Suns and will play a 24-game home schedule at the 5,100-seat Prescott Valley Event Center (PVEC) beginning with the 2016-17 season.

“Today’s announcement is exciting not only to have the Phoenix Suns join the ranks of NBA D-League owners, but also to welcome Prescott Valley to the NBA D-League family of communities,” said NBA D-League President Malcolm Turner. “I’m looking forward to watching the Northern Arizona Suns take the court in November.”

The Bakersfield Jam has served as the Suns’ single-affiliate NBA D-League team the past two seasons, with the NBA franchise running basketball operations. The Suns will now assume business operations for the organization, with the new team serving as an extension of the Phoenix Suns’ brand in northern Arizona.
“We are thrilled to bring professional basketball to the Town of Prescott Valley,” said Suns President Jason Rowley. “In addition to the basketball advantages of our D-League affiliate being close to home, today’s announcement creates endless opportunities to strengthen the connection with our fans in northern Arizona.”

Suns interim head coach Earl Watson and assistant coach Nate Bjorkgren both began their coaching careers in the NBA D-League, while six members of the current Suns team have NBA D-League experience. The team has assigned 15 players to the NBA D-League since 2001.

“We’re happy to have an organization the quality of the Phoenix Suns in our community and region,” said Prescott Valley Mayor Harvey Skoog. “It’s an exciting thing to bring the Suns’ brand and legacy to Prescott Valley.”

Launched in 2001, the NBA D-League has expanded from an eight-team league to a record 22 teams for the 2016-17 season. All 19 teams for the 2015-16 season were singly affiliated with an NBA parent club, a first for the NBA D-League, and the three teams joining the NBA D-League for 2016-17 are owned by the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls.

Heat sign Dorell Wright

The NBA playoffs start soon, and the Miami HEAT today added depth and experience with the signing of forward Dorell Wright.

Wright spent last season in Beijing, China with the North Control appearing in 37 games averaging 24.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.03 steals while shooting 43.8 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from three-point range and 84.8 percent from the foul line. He posted 13 30-point games, including six-straight to end the season, and tallied at least 40 points on four occasions, including a season-high 48 against the DongGuan Leopards on February 3. He has appeared in 549 career NBA games (222 starts) and averaged 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 22.4 minutes while shooting 42.4 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from three-point range and 80.6 percent from the foul line. He led the league in three-point field goals made (194) during the 2010-11 season and has appeared in 15 career postseason games averaging 3.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game.

Wright, who spent his first six seasons in Miami, and was a member of the HEAT’s 2006 NBA Championship team, was originally drafted by the HEAT in the first round (19th overall) in the 2004 NBA Draft and appeared in 211 games (56 starts) with Miami averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 19.5 minutes while shooting 46.1 percent from the field, 34.4 percent from three-point rage and 80.6 percent from the foul line.

Wright will wear number 11.

Tristan Thompson now Cavs starting center

Here’s ESPN.com with a big roster rotation update on the Cavs, who will be making a move many people had been expecting them to make:

Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said he is making Tristan Thompson the Cavs’ starting center for the foreseeable future — including to start the playoffs — before his team’s game against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.

Lue previously swapped Thompson in for Timofey Mozgov in the starting lineup in the Cavs’ 105-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.

When asked for his motivation behind the move, Lue said: “I just wanted to.”

Thompson is averaging 8.4 points on 59.9 percent shooting and 10 rebounds in 32 starts this season and 7.6 points on 58.7 percent shooting and 8.5 rebounds in 48 games coming off the bench.

Quinn Cook wins D-League Rookie of Year award

Canton Charge point guard Quinn Cook today was named the 2015-16 NBA Development League Rookie of the Year. The award, voted on by the league’s 19 head coaches, recognizes the first-year professional who most significantly contributed to his team’s success during the season.

Cook (6-2, 179, Duke) led the Charge to a 31-19 season by averaging team highs of 19.6 points and 5.4 assists to go with 3.9 rebounds in 43 games (37 starts). He shot 47 percent from the field and connected on a team-high 86 three-pointers.

A 2016 NBA D-League All-Star, Cook led Canton in scoring 19 times and assists 21 times. He scored in double figures 40 times, including four games with at least 30 points, and helped the Charge secure the Eastern Conference’s third seed in the 2016 NBA D-League Playoffs.

Undrafted in 2015 after a four-year career at Duke, Cook was a member of the Blue Devils’ NCAA Championship team during his senior season in 2014-15.