NBA News Blog – Page 1353 – NBA Blog

Bucks hire Anthony Goldwire as assistant coach

General manager John Hammond announced today that the Bucks have added Anthony Goldwire as an assistant coach to the 2010-11 Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff. Goldwire, who has playing experience in the NBA, CBA and internationally, most recently served as an assistant coach for the 2010 Phoenix Suns Summer League team. Goldwire joins Jim Boylan, Kelvin Sampson, Joe Wolf and Bill Peterson on the coaching staff of Head Coach Scott Skiles.

From 1995-2005, Goldwire spent eight seasons with nine NBA teams, including two stints with Milwaukee in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons, respectively. In 24 games during the 2004-05 season, Goldwire averaged 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for the Bucks. In 266 career NBA games, Goldwire averaged 6.3 points, 2.8 assists and 1.3 rebounds.

A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Goldwire played at the University of Houston and was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round (52nd overall pick) of the 1994 NBA Draft. He began his professional career with the Yakima Sun Kings of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), where he earned Second Team All-Rookie honors in 1995 while leading the Sun Kings to a CBA Championship. In 2006 he won another CBA Championship with Yakima and was named the League and Finals MVP.

Goldwire spent several seasons playing basketball overseas, most recently with CB Sant Josep Girona of Catalonia, Spain in 2009. He replaces Adrian Griffin, who took a coaching position with the Chicago Bulls.

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian reach 1-year anniversary

Janis Carr of the Orange County Register reports:

45271, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - Tuesday September 21 2010. A curvaceous Khloe Kardashian fuels pregnancy rumours by wearing a figure-hugging dress to dinner at Katsuya with hubbie Lamar Odom. Photograph: Greg Tidwell, PacificCoastNews.com

And they said it wouldn’t last even a month.

But on Monday, Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary. The unlikely pair married after a month-long courtship and immediately speculation (and probably some over-unders) began on how long the union between the Lakers forward and the TV reality star would last.

“No one can really determine who loves,” Odom said. “You don’t really know who you are going to love. Only the two people determine that.

“We’re so blessed to have each other.”

InsideHoops.com editor says:

Kim Kardashian and myself continue to not share a relationship together at this time.

More updates later.

Pistons seek big-man

Terry Foster of the Detroit News reports:

The Pistons are loaded with guards but are thin up front. They re-signed 14-year veteran Ben Wallace, who was their best frontcourt player last season. Rookie Greg Monroe is a 6-foot-11 big man out of Georgetown who has a nice passing touch but is rough around the edges offensively. Chris Wilcox played in just 34 games and sometimes the Pistons were so desperate in the post that they put 6-7 energy man Jason Maxiell inside.

Dumars has assets other teams don’t appear to want. Guard Richard Hamilton and forward Tayshaun Prince have been named in trade talks for years, yet they remain.

Dumars wouldn’t say if anybody was on the trade block, saying: “I want a big man. Let’s put it that way.”

Prince is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $11.1 million this season. Hamilton is difficult to move because he will be paid $12.65 million in each of the next three seasons. Unless a team becomes desperate, it’s unlikely Dumars will get his wish.

Report: Sixers offer Iguodala for Melo

Kate Fagan of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

The 76ers have contacted the Denver Nuggets about a potential trade for star forward Carmelo Anthony, multiple NBA sources confirmed on Sunday.

The centerpiece of the Sixers’ offer is swingman Andre Iguodala, although other players, including expiring contracts and young talent, would be needed to convince the Nuggets to part with their franchise player.

Anthony has only one season left on his contract and has made it clear he does not intend to re-sign with Denver, the team he joined as a rookie in 2003.

The Nuggets have offered Anthony a three-year, $65 million extension; the offer is still on the table. Iguodala agreed to a six-year, $80 million deal before the 2008-09 season; he has four years and approximately $55 million remaining on his deal.

April 12, 2010: Philadelphia 76ers guard Andre Iguodala (9) looking to pass the ball during the NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Heat beat the 76ers, 107-105.

Utah Jazz sign Earl Watson

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has signed free-agent guard Earl Watson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

Watson (6-1, 185, UCLA) owns career averages of 7.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists over nine NBA seasons with Memphis, Denver, Seattle/Oklahoma City and Indiana. Watson has also appeared in eight postseason contests, all with Memphis in 2004 and 2005.

UCLA’s all-time leader in steals and minutes played, Watson’s best statistical NBA season came in 2007-08 with Seattle, when he appeared in 78 games (73 starts) for the SuperSonics, averaging 10.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 29.1 minutes. Last season with Indiana, Watson saw action in 79 games (52 starts), averaging 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists in in 29.4 minutes.

March 14, 2010 Milwaukee, WI. Bradley Center..Indiana Pacers Earl Watson brings the ball up the court, Watson had 15 points and 5 rebounds against the Bucks today..Milwaukee Buck won over the Indiana Pacers 98-94. Mike McGinnis/CSM.

Andrew Bynum expects to be out until late November

Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register reports:

Andrew Bynum said Saturday he does not expect to make his season debut until late November.

“I see it more towards the end of November,” Bynum said of his return.

Bynum had surgery on his right knee on July 28, and the procedure involved his doctor reattaching the damaged cartilage instead of just cutting it off, as is customary in these surgeries. The goal is to give Bynum’s knee more long-term support — perhaps wise considering he is predisposed to knee injuries and has already had so many in his short career — but requires more recovery time.

Bynum said he can’t do any impact activities for four weeks. He said he got an update from his doctor, David Altchek, on Thursday.

Bobcats center Kwame Brown out at least 4-6 weeks

The Charlotte Bobcats announced today that center Kwame Brown will miss a minimum of 4-6 weeks due to a third degree left ankle sprain.

Brown suffered the injury during offseason workouts on Thursday. He received an MRI later that afternoon, performed by team physician Dr. Glenn Perry, who confirmed the severity of the sprain. On Friday, Brown had a precautionary exam performed by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Bob Anderson to ensure no further damage was present in the ankle, on which Brown previously had surgery in May 2007.

Brown will wear a protective boot for the next two weeks prior to beginning the rehabilitation process.

The Charlotte Bobcats, who became the NBA’s 30th team when they joined the league in 2004-05, finished the 2009-10 season with a franchise-best 44-38 overall record (31-10 at home) and first-ever playoff appearance.

Heat will not sign Erick Dampier

Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports:

With four centers already on the roster under guaranteed contracts, the Heat decided Friday to pass on the Erick Dampier experiment.

Dampier, a 14-year veteran free agent, had workouts this week with the Heat and the Houston Rockets after he was released by Charlotte.

Heat president Pat Riley spoke highly Thursday of the type of presence Dampier could add, specifically as a low-post defender and rebounder. But by passing on Dampier, the Heat essentially sent a message that it is comfortable with the front-court players on the roster.

Apr. 25, 2010 - San Antonio, TEXAS, UNITED STATES - epa02131923 Dallas Mavericks player Erick Dampier (R) knocks San Antonio Spurs player Manu Ginobili (L) down in the first half of their Western Conference first round playoff game at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, USA, 25 April 2010.

Charlotte Bobcats name Chris Whitney Director of Player Development

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has named 11-year NBA veteran Chris Whitney Director of Player Development.

“Chris Whitney was the consummate professional as a player, both on and off the court, during his NBA career. He always carried himself in a first-class manner and set a great example as a team leader,” said Higgins. “His experience and the great respect that players around the league have for him makes Chris the ideal person to help our players continue to be positive contributors in our community.”

In his new role with the organization, Whitney will cultivate one-on-one relationships with Bobcats players, provide guidance to help them develop life skills, both professionally and socially, and assist in planning for life after basketball.

The NBA’s Player Development Program was designed to aide players with life skills training and development, player counseling and assistance, and education and career transition. The program’s overall mission is to help NBA players realize their potential both on and off the court through comprehensive educational programming and critical support services and mentoring.

Whitney, who was initially selected by San Antonio with the 47th overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft, played in 579 career NBA games for San Antonio, Washington, Denver and Orlando, averaging 6.5 points, 2.8 assists and 1.4 rebounds. Eight of his 11 seasons came with the Bullets/Wizards, where he remains the team’s all-time career leader in free-throw percentage (.885) and ranks third all-time in three-point field goals (481).

No stranger the Carolinas region, Whitney played collegiately at Clemson University from 1991-93, following two seasons at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Illinois, where he was named First Team NJCAA All-American in 1991. He remains the Tigers’ career leader in three-point field goals per game (2.88), while ranking second in steals per game (1.97), second in assists per game (6.10) and fifth in three-point percentage (.413). Despite playing only two seasons, Whitney ranks seventh among the school’s career leaders in three-point field goals (167) and ninth in career assists (354). He holds two of Clemson’s top nine single-season three-point field goal totals and is one of just four players in school history with consecutive seasons of 80 or more three-point field goals.

While playing with the Wizards, Whitney created the C-WHIT (Children with Hope in Tomorrow) Foundation to assist programs dedicated to helping children in Washington, DC, and his hometown of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. He was the runner-up for the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award in 2000-01.

Wizards sign Andray Blatche to extension, exercise JaVale McGee option

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed forward/center Andray Blatche to a contract extension and has exercised its fourth-year option on center JaVale McGee. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released.

“Andray and JaVale are two pieces that we feel can solidify our frontcourt for years to come and extending their contracts certainly fits in with our long-term plan of rebuilding this team with a core of young, talented players,” said Grunfeld. “Both players performed very well over the second half of last season and we’re confident that they will continue to develop and build on the potential and promise that they have shown throughout the beginning stages of their careers.”

Blatche averaged career-highs of 14.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 81 games for the Wizards last season. The sixth-year big man increased his productivity in the 32 games following the All-Star break, averaging 22.1 points and 8.3 rebounds while posting five games of 30+ points and 10+ rebounds during that stretch. Blatche finished with 24 games of scoring 20+ points and 16 double-doubles on the year while leading the team in games played, minutes, field goals made & attempted, steals and free throw attempts. He has increased his scoring and rebounding averages in each of his five seasons since being acquired by the Wizards in the second round (49th overall pick) of the 2005 NBA Draft.

McGee averaged 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds last season while ranking ninth in the NBA with 1.7 blocks and first in the NBA in blocks per 48 minutes (5.01). Like Blatche, he increased his numbers after the All-Star break, averaging 10.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks (including 13.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game during the month of April). McGee, who was selected by the Wizards with the 18th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, has participated in the USA Basketball Men’s National Team mini-camp for the past two summers and was tabbed as one of 15 finalists for the team’s 12-man roster for the 2010 World Championships.