NBA News Blog – Page 1232 – NBA Blog

Shaq joins Turner Sports

Turner Sports announced today a multi-year agreement with 15-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal, to serve as an analyst across its portfolio of NBA assets. Beginning with the 2011-12 season, O’Neal will join TNT as a full-time analyst on the network’s Emmy Award-winning studio show, alongside Ernie Johnson (host), Kenny Smith (analyst) and Charles Barkley (analyst), and will be a part of the network’s exclusive NBA All-Star weekend and NBA Playoffs coverage. In addition, he will be a key contributor to NBA TV and NBA.com, providing analysis and commentary throughout the regular season, as well as for The Finals, All Star Weekend and the NBA Draft.

“I can’t wait to begin my new career with Turner. Over the past several years the team at Turner has taken the NBA and entertainment, in general, to a whole new level. I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the amazing team at Inside the NBA and I hope I can further the fans’ experience on a regular basis,” said O’Neal.

The agreement with O’Neal extends beyond the Turner Sports portfolio and includes a development deal with Turner’s entertainment and animation networks. O’Neal is a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild, with entertainment credits including a number of roles and executive producer credits in both television and film.

“We are thrilled to have Shaquille O’Neal join Turner Sports and our marquee roster of announcers and analysts,” said David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. “His unique insights, perspective as one of the league’s all-time great players and personality will be the perfect complement to our award-winning studio team of Ernie, Kenny and Charles, as well as to our programming on NBA TV and NBA.com.”

Among his many accolades during his illustrious 19-year playing career, O’Neal was chosen as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players, ranks fifth all-time in NBA scoring history (28,596 points scored), won the Rookie of the Year award (1993), MVP award (2000) and was named All-NBA 14 times.

Additionally, his impressive career includes four NBA Championships – three with the LA Lakers (2000 – 2002), where he was named NBA Finals MVP for all three championships, and one with the Miami Heat (2006). The 15-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA All-Star MVP (2000, 2004, 2009) also won two scoring titles (1995, 2000). He appeared in 1207 regular season games, averaging 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 blocks in 34.7 minutes per contest throughout his career, which included playing for the Orlando Magic, LA Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

Additional comments from TNT’s studio team on Shaquille O’Neal:

Studio Host Ernie Johnson: “Shaq knows the game and, on and off the floor, he has always been entertaining; a guy who gets it…Obviously, I know I’m going to have to eat before I get to the studio.”

Analyst Kenny Smith: “The addition of “The Big Analytical” will be terrific. I can’t wait to make verbal passes to the most dominant center of our time.”

Analyst Charles Barkley: “He is a great addition to our team and in the immortal words of (New York Jets linebacker) Bart Scott…CAN’T WAIT!”

Have a reaction? Discuss your opinion with other fans in this forum topic.

Indiana Pacers introduce associate head coach Brian Shaw

Terry Hutchens of the Indianapolis Star reports:

Brian Shaw’s title on the Indiana Pacers staff will read “associate head coach.” A detailed job description has yet to be finalized, however.

Shaw said Wednesday that he is merely one of three assistants. Coach Frank Vogel, though, said Shaw will be the top aide.

“Brian will be the lead assistant, and he and I will sort of coach this team together,” Vogel said. “He’ll be my No. 1 sound board. He’ll coach this team if I get kicked out or if I’m unable to go. He’ll have a larger role in practice, although everyone will be involved.

“He’s just a guy who is a step under being head coach.”

Shaw was introduced to the media Wednesday as the team continued to fill out its staff. Longtime Pacers assistant Dan Burke will stay on as one of the other two assistants. Vogel said an announcement is imminent about the final member of his staff.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Popular perception was, Shaw thought he was next in line to coach the Los Angeles Lakers once Phil Jackson stepped down. But that didn’t happen, and now Shaw remains an assistant. It’ll be interesting to see how rookie coach Mark Jackson does in his first year running the Golden State Warriors. If something goes wrong there, maybe Shaw would be a possible replacement.

Read NBA fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Pistons still like Mike Woodson, Lawrence Frank as head coaching candidates

Marc Stein of ESPN reports:

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ long-anticipated firing of Kurt Rambis this week doubles the number of coaching openings in the league, because the Detroit Pistons still haven’t hired a replacement for John Kuester yet.

NBA coaching sources say that the Pistons are inching closer to a decision, though.

Of the five known candidates for job, sources say that former Pistons assistant Mike Woodson is still the closest thing to a favorite, thanks largely to Woodson’s good working relationship with Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars and the fact that Detroit would know exactly what it’s getting after Woodson’s work under Larry Brown during the Pistons’ 2004 title run…

The other three known candidates to get interviews are Kelvin Sampson (about to leave Milwaukee to become Kevin McHale’s lead assistant in Houston), Pistons legend Bill Laimbeer (last seen on Rambis’ staff in Minnesota) and Checketts favorite Patrick Ewing (from Stan Van Gundy’s staff in Orlando).

InsideHoops.com editor says: I’ve heard that Woodson is the favorite, followed by Frank, followed by the rest. And as for when the team may hire a coach, it’s tough to say. If the Pistons decide Woodson or Frank is their guy but fear that some other team might be close to making an offer to one of them, it would probably prompt Detroit to speed things up. Otherwise, it’s nicer financially for the team to wait and not hire a coach until the season is approaching and contact with players is allowed.

Read NBA fan opinion and share your own thoughts in this forum topic.

Sasha Vujacic may sign in Turkey

Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports:

Sasha Vujacic may take any decision about re-signing him out of the Nets’ hands.

According to the Turkish website and newspaper, Milliyet — which also ran a bunch of Lindsay Lohan pictures yesterday — Vujacic is close to signing a deal with Anadolu Efes that would keep him overseas for a full season…

Vujacic made $5.475 million last season in the final year of his deal.

His chances of returning to the Nets were not considered good, so Vujacic could be looking to head back to Europe.

InsideHoops.com editor says: If Vujacic can get a contract over there that compares with what lower-tier bench players in the NBA make, he should grab it, before such deals are no longer available. And then perhaps return to the NBA in a year or two.

Read NBA fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Wes Wilcox named GM of Cavaliers D-league team in Canton

Cleveland Cavaliers Director of Player Personnel Wes Wilcox has been named general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers new NBA Development League franchise in Canton, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today.

“Having Wes in this role is another reflection of the synergy and connectivity that owning and operating our own D-League team in Canton provides. As Wes has been an integral member of our staff for the past eight years, it enhances the opportunity for us to extend our team and organizational culture further into the player development process. Wes has been intricately involved in the D League evolution over the last several years and the Canton franchise has already and will continue to, greatly benefit from his knowledge and experience.”

Wilcox will oversee all of the Canton team’s basketball operations elements, as well as all team personnel and activities. He will also continue in his role as the director of player personnel for the Cavaliers.

“I am extremely thankful for this unique opportunity to have a leadership role in building a special franchise in the city of Canton,” said Wilcox. “Our organization places a very high value on player development as part of our culture and we are committed to building a successful environment both on the court and in this community. I’m excited to be a part of that and we look forward to earning the support of our fans here.”

After serving as the New Orleans Hornets’ video coordinator during the 2002-03 NBA season, Wilcox joined the Cavaliers prior to the 2003-04 season as the Cavs’ advance game scout, a position he held for four seasons. He then served as the team’s college and pro personnel scout for three seasons. He was named director of player personnel in September 2010. He has also served as the Cavaliers’ liaison with their NBA Developmental League affiliates over the last four seasons.

Wilcox is a graduate of Cal-State Fullerton and native of La Habra, California.

InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner has said that the Cavs made the right move in acquiring the team.

On July 7th, 2011 the Cleveland Cavaliers announced they will own and operate the new NBA Development League (the NBA’s official minor league) franchise in Canton, Ohio. As owner/operators, the Cavaliers will have exclusive control over all basketball and business elements for the franchise, which will begin play in the 2011-12 season at the Canton Memorial Civic Center, which is approximately 60 miles south of Cleveland. The Cavaliers acquired the former New Mexico Thunderbirds franchise, which ceased operations, and are only the 5th NBA team to currently own and operate their own NBA D-League affiliate (Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City and San Antonio).

Dwyane Wade still feeling sting of NBA Finals loss

ESPN reports:

Wade has spent some time with teammates since the Finals defeat, traveling to James’ hometown of Akron, Ohio, last week to take part in a different camp for high school and college players. But time hasn’t done much to ease the frustration of the Heat blowing large leads late in two the first four games to allow the Mavericks to take control and win the series going away in six games.

More than the lockout or China or where he might consider playing next season, that is something Wade still wakes up thinking about.

“The sting is still there, no question about it,” Wade said. “It was a failure for the Miami Heat. It was a failed year for every team except for the Dallas Mavericks. They had the best year. But the things we did aren’t erased, we had a darn good year. If we’d won the championship it would’ve been a pretty amazing year. It wasn’t pretty amazing but it was pretty good.”

Josh Childress dismisses idea of returning to Europe

William Boor of ArizonaSports.com reports:

Although several NBA players have discussed playing in Europe, Josh Childress is still opposed.

“No, I wouldn’t,” Childress told ESPN’s Ric Bucher. “And I don’t know why guys would. I understand that guys really want to play. But you sometimes have to look at what you have and treat this as a business. The only way I could see it making sense is if you’re a player from a particular country going back. But for an American player with a good-sized guaranteed deal here, I can’t see why you’d do it.”

Childress has four years and $27 million remaining on his deal in Phoenix and does not believe getting some fun in during the lockout is worth playing in Europe and risking injury.

NBA players union memo supports players going overseas

The Chicago Tribune reports:

When it comes to playing overseas during the NBA lockout, Billy Hunter has a simple message for the league’s players: Enjoy your trip, we’ll call you when it’s time to come home.

In a memo sent to players on Tuesday night and obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, the union leader said the NBA Players’ Association supports all players “who are taking steps to continue to earn a living, stay in peak competitive shape, and play the game that we love while the unfortunate league-imposed lockout is in place.”

“This lockout is intended to economically pressure our players to agree to an unfavorable collective bargaining agreement,” Hunter wrote. “It is important for the owners to understand that there may be significant consequences to their decision to put their own players in these difficult economic circumstances.

“If the owners will not give our players a forum in which to play basketball here in the United States, they risk losing the greatest players in the world to the international basketball federations that are more than willing to employ them.”

Comcast-Spectacor reaches agreement to sell the Philadelphia 76ers

Comcast-Spectacor today announced it has reached an agreement to sell the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team to a group led by Joshua Harris, Co-Founder of Apollo Global Management, LLC. Terms of the agreement, which is subject to approval by the National Basketball Association’s Board of Governors, were not disclosed.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, sources have put the value of the deal at $280 million for full, 100 percent team ownership.

The acquisition does not include the Wells Fargo Center or the Philadelphia Flyers, which are owned by Comcast-Spectacor. The team will remain a long-term tenant of the Wells Fargo Center and will have a long-term cable broadcast agreement for its games with Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to be affiliated with this storied franchise,” said Harris. “As a basketball fan who attended college in Philadelphia, and with family roots here, I have always felt a strong connection to this City and the 76ers. We look forward to helping the 76ers organization build on this past season’s accomplishments in the years ahead. The ownership group also looks forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Comcast-Spectacor.”

The new ownership also includes David Blitzer, a Senior Managing Director of The Blackstone Group, who commented, “We are excited to become associated with this iconic team and to have the chance to serve the great City of Philadelphia and its loyal basketball fans.”

Other members of the investor group include Art Wrubel and Jason Levien. Harris, Blitzer and the other investors are making personal investments; Apollo and Blackstone are not involved in the transaction.

The transaction is expected to close later in 2011, subject to NBA approval and customary closing conditions.

Comcast-Spectacor is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company which owns the Philadelphia Flyers; the Philadelphia 76ers; the home for both teams, the Wells Fargo Center; and four Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating and hockey rinks. In addition, Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field with more than 100 facilities throughout the United States and Canada; Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage service provider; New Era Tickets, a ticketing and marketing company for public assembly facilities; Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company; and Paciolan, the leading provider of venue enablement, ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions.

Read NBA fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Dwyane Wade staying busy during lockout

The AP reports:

“I don’t miss it yet,” Wade said of his inability to work out at 601 Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, the address of the arena that the Heat call home. “I’m only a month away from the game. I’m cool. I’ve got two more weeks to relax before I get back into it. But when the time gets to where we’re still going, I will miss it and most importantly I think everybody will miss it because you’re used to getting into a rhythm, used to getting into a schedule. And when that schedule is starting off, everything is off.”

Still, a month removed from losing in six games to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA finals, Wade is a long way from forgetting the pain of coming up short with a title at stake.

He’s been busy since: A European trip has already been completed, as has a camp he co-hosted with NFL star Devin Hester in Chicago and a commercial shoot in Los Angeles, all preceding his annual camp at Nova Southeastern University— which added a twist this year, a cheerleader camp led by Katina Taylor, the wife of NFL defensive end Jason Taylor.

And soon, Wade will head back to China for the first time since the U.S. won gold at the 2008 Beijing Games. Much of that trip will be built around Wade’s work with Nike’s Jordan Brand, although he has several other business meetings lined up there as well.

Read NBA fan reaction and share your own opinion in this forum topic.