NBA News Blog – Page 1029 – NBA Blog

Derrick Rose ahead of schedule in recovery

Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose is “ahead of schedule” in the rehabilitation process on his torn left ACL, according to Dr. Brian Cole, who performed surgery on the former MVP last month.

ESPNChicago.com reported Tuesday that Rose traveled to Alabama to consult with famed surgeon Dr. James Andrews. But Cole, the head team physician for the Bulls, noted that it was actually a therapist in Andrews’ office with whom Rose is working. Cole said the trip to Alabama had been scheduled before Rose’s surgery. Andrews was not in the office nor will he meet with the 23-year-old All-Star, Cole said.

“Derrick is ahead of schedule,” Cole said in a phone conversation Wednesday night.

— Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Charles Barkley says Miami Heat fans are fake

Here’s what Charles Barkley said on 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C.

“If you’re successful, a lot of people aren’t going to like you. That’s just the way it is. I always used to use this analogy: Everybody hates the homecoming queen because she’s pretty. All the ugly girls hate the homecoming queen. And all the dumb kids hate the smart kids. That’s just the way it is. LeBron James, first of all he has to take some responsibility [for] the way he did the stuff last year leaving Cleveland, the decision, coming on stage talking about not five, not six, seven championships. So he deserves some blame, but like I say, he’s a great kid, he’s a great, great player. … If you look at his résumé right now, the only thing he’s missing is a championship, and he’s gonna get that done [Thursday]. And no telling how many championships they’re going to win. … I wish he had stayed in Cleveland, because those fans in Cleveland, man, they’re fantastic. They don’t even have real fans here in Miami, they’re front-runners.“

— Reported by Glenn Moore of Cleveland.com

Golden State Warriors name Chip Bowers new Chief Marketing Officer

The Golden State Warriors have named Chip Bowers as the team’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), it was announced today. Bowers, who will begin his new duties in mid-July, will oversee all marketing and corporate partnership sales & services efforts for the organization, while reporting to President & Chief Operating Officer Rick Welts. Additionally, his responsibilities will include management of the team’s game operations and various digital media projects.

“I am extremely honored to be joining the Warriors organization,” said Bowers. “Joe Lacob and Peter Guber have a vision for the Warriors organization that is very compelling and have demonstrated their commitment to building a first-class executive team. The organization is well-positioned to do great things and I am humbled to now be part of what is sure to be an exciting period in team history.”

Bowers joins the Warriors from the Orlando Magic, where he worked the last four years and served this past season as the team’s senior vice president of corporate partnerships & marketing. With the Magic, Bowers oversaw the marketing, corporate partnerships sales and client services process for the organization, while orchestrating the sale of naming rights and all founding partnerships associated with the Amway Center – the Magic’s new arena that was named 2012 Facility of the Year by the Sports Business Journal. Under his direction, the Magic’s corporate partnership team also won the inaugural Sponsorship Activation Award at the NBA Sponsorship Meetings in 2012. He originally joined the Magic in June of 2008 as vice president of corporate partnerships.

“We’re ecstatic that Chip is joining our executive staff as we move into this next phase of Warriors basketball,” said Welts. “Chip has established himself as an outstanding, creative and respected NBA executive who has achieved success in each role he has served with various teams, including the Orlando Magic, where he provided the franchise with leadership and vision as they made the recent transition into a new state-of-the-art arena. We will benefit from that experience as we move forward. He’s a terrific addition to our management team as we continue our quest to build a World Class organization for both now and the future.”

Prior to joining the Magic, Bowers spent eight seasons in various roles within the business development department for the Seattle SuperSonics organization. In May of 2007, Bowers was promoted to vice president of business development, where he oversaw the corporate partnership development, revenue generation and client services for both the Sonics and Seattle Storm of the WNBA.

A graduate of Appalachian State University, Bowers began his career in professional sports with the San Diego Padres, where, as a senior sales executive, he assisted in fiscally rejuvenating previously unused revenue streams by selling newly developed stadium signage, website advertising and multi-dimensional marketing programs.

Heat trying to keep LeBron James from cramping

Pat Riley has held the title of team president and head coach with the Miami Heatorganization.

But air-conditioning repair guy? That’s a new one.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra joked Riley was tinkering with the air conditioning at AmericanAirlines Arena to prevent LeBron James from experiencing leg cramps in Thursday’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Heat have a chance to close out the Oklahoma City Thunder, holding a 3-1 lead in the series.

Spoelstra said the arena being abnormally warm Tuesday for Game 4 may have caused James to cramp during the fourth quarter. They sidelined James for the final 55 seconds of the Heat’s 104-98 victory.

“Pat is Mr. Trap Door,” Spoelstra said. “We’ve been addressing a few things [in the arena] the last 24 hours.”

— Reported by Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Kendrick Perkins denies criticizing Scott Brooks

Kendrick Perkins said Wednesday he wasn’t criticizing Thunder coach Scott Brooks after Game 4 when he questioned Brooks’ rotation of players.

“I’ll roll with Coach Brooks all day, so it wasn’t nothing directed at him,” Perkins said the day after Oklahoma City’s 104-98 loss gave the Heat a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals. “It wasn’t nothing to that nature.”

The Thunder built a 17-point first quarter lead before squandering it during a five-minute stretch.

“I just don’t understand why we start out the first quarter the way we did, with the lineup that we had, and all of a sudden we change and adjust to what they had going on,” Perkins said after Game 4. “So they won the last three quarters, and that’s what happened.”

— Reported by Michael Sherman of the Oklahoman

Knicks likely not high on Steve Nash list

One confidant of Steve Nash doubts the star point guard will truly give the Knicks any consideration even if they have their $5 millon mid-level exception, despite his remarks at a promotional appearance with Walt Frazier yesterday.

Frazier joked at the Samsung event, “We need you to come to New York.’’

When asked later, Nash told ESPN, “The Knicks are a great franchise and I live in New York City [in the summer], so I’d definitely consider them if they were interested.”

The confidant said Nash doesn’t really believe the Knicks are close enough to a title to take less money and didn’t like how former coach Mike D’Antoni, his buddy from Phoenix, was treated. Nash will get offers for more than $5 million, especially from Phoenix.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Boston Celtics and Maine Red Claws enter single affiliation partnership

The Boston Celtics, the Maine Red Claws, and the NBA Development League today announced that the Celtics and Red Claws have entered into a single affiliation partnership beginning with the 2012-13 NBA D-League season. Boston will be Maine’s sole NBA affiliate and will have full control over the team’s basketball operations.

This partnership, also referred to as the “hybrid affiliation,” is the fifth of its kind in the NBA D-League. It allows for NBA teams to secure control of and cover the expenses related to the basketball operations of an NBA D-League team while partnering with existing local ownership, which maintains responsibility for the team’s off-the-court business operations.

The Celtics join the Houston Rockets with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Brooklyn Nets with the Springfield Armor, the New York Knicks with the Erie BayHawks and the Portland Trail Blazers with the Idaho Stampede as NBA teams with “hybrid affiliations.”

Six other NBA teams are singly affiliated with their NBA D-League affiliates. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs fully own and operate the Canton Charge, Dakota Wizards, L.A. D-Fenders, Tulsa 66ers and Austin Toros, respectively, while the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Legends are one-to-one affiliates.

“The newly-enhanced relationship between the Celtics and Red Claws is an exciting development for both franchises,” said NBA D-League President Dan Reed.

The Red Claws and Celtics have been affiliated since the 2009-10 season, Maine’s first in the NBA D-League, sharing the affiliation with the Charlotte Bobcats and the Philadephia 76ers during the 2011-12 season. New affiliates for the Bobcats and 76ers will be announced at a later date.

“We are excited to formalize an already great relationship we have established with Maine. Not only is it a perfect fit geographically, but the people of Maine are some of our most loyal Celtic fans, and Bill Ryan Jr. and the Red Claws staff have been great to work with,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations. “What a great opportunity for our young players to get game reps and develop their skills, while still maintaining the continuity and direction of our organization.”

Boston’s partnership with Maine follows the NBA D-League’s 11th and most successful season, where records were set with 60 GATORADE Call-Ups and 67 assignments, while 27 percent of players on 2011-12 NBA end-of-season rosters spent time in the NBA D-League. For the third consecutive year, the NBA D-League saw more than one million fans attend games across its 16 cities.

“The Maine Red Claws have enjoyed a strong three-year partnership with the Boston Celtics, dating back to the team’s inaugural season of 2009-10, and today we enter into a new era of that relationship,” said Maine Red Claws Team Chairman Bill Ryan, Jr. “The further strengthening of this partnership can only benefit both organizations, and we look forward to seeing Celtics talent come through Maine for years to come.”

Kevin Durant being sued over Durantula nickname

Hoops superstar Kevin Durant is one game away from losing the NBA Finals, and now one lawsuit away from losing his famous nickname — “Durantula” — because a guitarist claims KD jacked it from him.

Durant was sued today in Federal Court by a guy named Mark Durante — a guitarist who, according to the lawsuit, was a big deal in the 80s … playing with Public Enemy, The Aliens, The Next Big Thing, and (our favorite) The Revolting Cocks.

TMZ obtained a copy of the lawsuit, in which Durante says he adopted the name “Durantula” for his “on-stage and performance persona” — and has used it to market “music, recordings, apparel, t-shirts, guitars, and related merchandise.”

— Reported by TMZ

Danny Ainge thinks Kevin Garnett wants to stay with Celtics

Kevin Garnett was huge for the Boston Celtics in the playoffs and played like he was in his 20s again. Now that the offseason has started for Boston, Celtics fans are still unsure if the All-Star still feels young enough for yet another season.

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge shed some light on Garnett’s status on WEEI on Wednesday. Ainge said he spoke with Garnett last week, and that he still needs more time to make his decision. However, when the time comes, Ainge felt confident that Garnett at least won’t be playing in a different uniform.

“I hope that he wants to come back,” Ainge said. “That’s sort of been the indication that, if he’s going to play, that he would like to come back to Boston. That’s where we are right now.”

— Reported by Timothy Killian of NESN

Orlando Magic hire Rob Hennigan as new General Manager

Rob Hennigan, who spent the past eight years with two of the NBA’s most successful franchises, has been named General Manager, Orlando Magic Chief Executive Officer Alex Martins announced today.

“It is with great enthusiasm and optimism that we announce Rob Hennigan as our new General Manager,” said Martins. “Rob is an astute strategist and evaluator of talent who comes to the Magic family from two championship-level organizations. We feel he is an outstanding fit and the right choice to lead our Basketball Operations team in achieving our championship goals.”

Hennigan spent the past four seasons with Oklahoma City, including the last two seasons as the Thunder’s assistant general manager/player personnel. Hennigan spent his first two seasons with the Thunder as the team’s director of college/international player personnel.

Hennigan’s responsibilities included overseeing the Thunder’s professional, college and international scouting departments, as well as assisting with all player personnel matters and day-to-day management of basketball operations.

During Hennigan’s tenure, Oklahoma City compiled a 175-137 (.561) regular season record. The Thunder won 50-or-more games twice, reached the Western Conference Finals twice and advanced to the 2012 NBA Finals.

Prior to joining the Thunder, Hennigan spent four seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. He was named director of basketball operations in September of 2007. Hennigan began as an intern during the 2004-05 season and was later named the team’s basketball operations assistant during the summer of 2005. The Spurs won the NBA World Championship in 2004-05 and 2006-07.

A native of Worcester, Massachusetts, Hennigan graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism from Emerson College in 2004. He was named a Division III All-American and an Academic All-American as a senior and was the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons. Hennigan finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer.