Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

76ers announce assistant coaches Michael Curry, Brian James, Quin Snyder, Aaron McKie

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that Head Coach Doug Collins has named his coaching staff for the upcoming season.  Michael Curry will serve as associate head coach while Brian James and Quin Snyder have been added as assistant coaches.  In addition, Aaron McKie will return in his role as an assistant coach.  Collins was named head coach of the Sixers back on May 21, 2010.

James and McKie will coach the Sixers in the Orlando Pro Summer League which begins on Monday, July 5.

Curry last served as head coach of the Detroit Pistons in 2008-09, taking the team to the playoffs in his only season at the helm.  He played 11 seasons in the NBA and spent four years as President of the NBA Players Association.  Curry was also an assistant coach for the Pistons in 2007-08, the NBA Development League’s Vice President of Player Development in 2005-06 and the NBA Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2006-07.

Following his senior season at Georgia Southern in 1989-90, Curry went undrafted and would not make his NBA debut until a brief 10-game stint with the Sixers at the start of the 1993-94 season.  It wasn’t until he joined the Collins-coached Pistons during the 1995-96 season that Curry began to carve his niche in the league.

James owns 11 years of NBA coaching experience, including four as a lead assistant.  He most recently served as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks for three seasons from 2005-06 through 2007-08.  Since then, James has done advance scouting for numerous NBA teams.

In addition to Milwaukee, James has held coaching positions with Washington (2001-03), Toronto (1998-2001) and Detroit (1995-98).  His stints with the Wizards and Pistons came as a member of Collins’ staff.

Snyder joins the Sixers staff following a successful three-year run as head coach of the Austin Toros in the NBA D-League.  He compiled a winning percentage of .627 with the Toros and led the team past the first round of the playoffs each year, including an appearance in the championship game his first season.  Snyder earned the D-League’s Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year award in 2008-09.

Prior to his time with the Toros, Snyder coached the University of Missouri for seven seasons, posting a mark of 128-96 (.571).  Under Snyder, the Tigers made six consecutive post season appearances, including four trips to the NCAA Tournament and a berth in the Elite Eight.  Snyder played his collegiate career at Duke and was part of three Final Four teams (1986, 1988, 1989).

McKie recently completed his third season as an assistant coach with Philadelphia and has exhibited a strong influence in the development of the Sixers roster.  The local product played 13 seasons in the NBA, highlighted by a trip to the Finals with Philly in 2001.  He was also named Sixth Man of the Year that season.

Cavaliers to hire Byron Scott as coach

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

Cavaliers to hire Byron Scott as coach

When Byron Scott went to bed Tuesday night he was convinced he was not going to be the Cavaliers head coach. About 24 hours later he was agreeing to take the job. It will become official today.

After an overnight negotiating session, sources said, Scott reached an agreement in principle on a three-year contract to take over the Cavs on the same day that LeBron James became a free agent. The deal is expected to be finalized and announced by the Cavs today.

Scott took the job while on a trip with family to Arkansas and limited cell phone range actually slowed down the process late Wednesday.

Nets sign Ben Uzoh and Brian Zoubek

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agents Ben Uzoh and Brian Zoubek, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today.  InsideHoops.com assumes these deals are not guaranteed deals and only for summer league play. In other words, they likely are not “real” contracts that extend into the regular season.

Uzoh, 6’3”/205, was undrafted out of Tulsa.  The four-year senior guard averaged 13.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 141 career games, including 140 starts.  Uzoh was named First Team All-Conference USA as a senior and Second Team All-Conference USA as a junior and sophomore.  The Texas native shares the school record for career games played with 141, while ranking in the top 10 in school history in 11 categories, including points, assists, steals, rebounds and blocks.

Zoubek, 7’1”/260, is an undrafted rookie center out of Duke.  As a senior, Zoubek played in all 40 contests, helping the Blue Devils capture a National Championship while averaging 5.6 points and 7.7 rebounds on .638 (90-141) shooting from the field.  For his career, the New Jersey native averaged 4.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 133 games, which included started in 37 contests.

John Wall to wear jersey #2

The AP reports:

John Wall to wear jersey #2

The Washington Wizards’ No. 1 overall draft pick announced Wednesday night on Twitter his choice of jersey for the start of his NBA career.

Wall made the simple post: “I picked to wear (number symbol)2 for nxt yr”. He offered no immediate explanation, although the easy interpretation is that he added up the digits of the number he wore at the University of Kentucky.

Richard Jefferson opts out of Spurs contract

Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News reports:

Richard Jefferson opts out of Spurs contract

In a surprise move, Richard Jefferson has informed the Spurs that he intends to opt out of the final season of his contract and will become a free agent at midnight eastern time.

Jefferson was due to make $15 million next year. Opting out gives him the freedom to negotiate a long-term deal, in advance of a new collective bargaining agreement next season.

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

Antoine Walker pleads not guilty to Vegas casino debt

The AP reports:

Former NBA All-Star Antoine Walker pleaded not guilty Wednesday to criminal bad check charges alleging he failed to repay almost $1 million in gambling debts and penalties to three Las Vegas casinos.

A Clark County District Court hearing master, Melisa De La Garza, set trial for Nov. 22 in Las Vegas. Walker and his lawyer, Jonathan Powell, said nothing to reporters after the brief arraignment.

Powell has said he and the Clark County district attorney’s office were negotiating toward resolving the Nevada case without sending Walker to prison. Walker could face probation or up to 12 years behind bars if convicted.

Grizzlies make qualifying offer to Rudy Gay

Grizzlies make qualifying offer to Rudy Gay

The Memphis Grizzlies have made a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Rudy Gay, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.  Per team policy, financial terms were not released.

Gay, a 6-8, 230-pound forward, placed second on the Grizzlies in scoring last season (19.6 points, T-18th in the NBA) while posting 5.9 rebounds and a career-high 1.48 steals in a career-high 39.7 minutes (3rd) in 80 games (all starts) last season.  The four-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.25 steals in 35.3 minutes in 318 career games (282 starts), all with the Grizzlies.

Currently Memphis’ longest-tenured player, the 23-year-old ranks in the Top 10 in franchise history in points (5,538, 3rd), rebounds (1,756, 8th), field goals made (2,118, 3rd), three-point field goals made (337, 4th), steals (398, 3rd), games played (8th) and games started (4th).  Memphis acquired Gay’s draft rights (eighth overall in the 2006 NBA Draft) along with Stromile Swift from the Houston Rockets in exchange for Shane Battier on July 12, 2006.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer on or prior to June 30.  A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.

Suns announce executive staff changes

The Suns announced today the promotion of Jay Parry to Senior Vice President of Brand and Business Development for the club and added additional responsibilities to two veteran executives.  Ralph Marchetta adds the title of Senior Vice President of Suns Ticket Operations, continuing as General Manager of Sports and Entertainment Services which manages US Airways Center. Senior Vice President of Marketing Partnerships Lynn Agnello will add Suite Sales and Service to her current role with the team.

“The new assignments announced today create one of the most experienced and talented senior business teams to be found anywhere in sports and entertainment,” said Rick Welts, President and CEO of the Phoenix Suns.  “The characteristics that made Jay so successful with the Mercury will now be expanded across the entire organization.  Ralph and Lynn have shown their ability to excel as their management responsibilities have grown, and the three of them together are a formidable team.”

As Senior Vice President of Brand and Business Development, Parry will oversee the day to day operations of Ticket Sales, Premium Seats, Suns Digital Media, CRM and Database Marketing, Public Relations, Marketing and Community Relations departments.

For the past seven years, Parry served as President and Chief Operating Officer for the Phoenix Mercury and has been responsible for overseeing all business operations.  Under Parry’s leadership, the organization won two WNBA championships (2007, 2009) and has posted significant business growth in the areas of corporate partnerships and acquiring new fans. Parry was also a driving force behind the Mercury’s development of an innovative alliance with Lifelock that resulted in the first-ever corporate-branded jersey in WNBA or NBA history.

Marchetta has been with the organization since March 1992, before the opening of America West Arena, as an event manager and entered the world of booking in 1996.  He was named Vice President of Entertainment in 2002 before assuming the General Manager role for US Airways Center in 2007.  Marchetta is responsible for bringing some of the most prestigious concerts to the Valley including The Police, Eric Clapton, U2, George Strait. He also secured long-term relationships with Feld Entertainment (Ringling Bros and Barnum Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice shows) and concert promoter Live Nation.

Agnello is entering her 10th season with the Suns as Senior Vice President of Marketing Partnerships for the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. She has built an unprecedented discipline of full-service sales and activation, generating revenue through partnership packages which include broadcasts in HD, digital media, radio, cable, print, website, signage, and promotional elements. As the only local professional sports team controlling and marketing all its own media and promotional assets, she leads the franchise’s relationships with over 100 marketing partners. She joined the organization in 2001.

Bulls waive Rob Kurz and Chris Richard

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has waived forwards Rob Kurz and Chris Richard.

Kurz (6-9, 230), 25, signed with the Bulls as a free agent on April 9, 2010.  He did not make an appearance in a Bulls uniform during his time with the team.

Richard (6-9, 256), 25, played in 18 games last season with Chicago and averaged 2.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 12.4 mpg.