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Denver Nuggets name Tim Connelly executive VP of basketball operations

The Denver Nuggets have named Tim Connelly as executive vice president of basketball operations, team president Josh Kroenke announced today.

Connelly, 36, joins the Nuggets front office after three seasons as assistant general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans, where he worked closely with general manager Dell Demps. Connelly’s duties included scouting, draft preparation, trade negotiations and player contracts.

“We are extremely excited to have Tim join the Denver Nuggets organization,” Kroenke said. “He comes from a great basketball background, possesses an incredibly strong work ethic and is a wonderful person. His passion and energy for the game of basketball are contagious and I am confident that he will be a great fit with us in Denver.”

Prior to his time in New Orleans, Connelly spent 10 years with the Washington Wizards organization, rising to director of player personnel. His role included overseeing scouting, salary cap and database management, player evaluation and assisting the vice president of player personnel with all front office duties.

A native of Baltimore, Connelly began working with the Wizards as an intern in the basketball operations department in 1996 and joined the team full-time as the assistant video coordinator in 1999. He became a full-time scout in 2000 and spent four years in that role before becoming the director of player personnel.

Milwaukee Bucks hire Nick Van Exel and Bob Bender as assistant coaches

General Manager John Hammond announced today that Bob Bender and Nick Van Exel will join Larry Drew’s staff as assistant coaches for the Milwaukee Bucks. Bender joins the Bucks after nine seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, including the last three with Drew as head coach. Van Exel also worked with Drew as a member of the Hawks staff from 2010-12 as the player development instructor.

“Bob and Nick were both important pieces of my staff in Atlanta, and I’m excited that they are joining me on the bench in Milwaukee,” said Drew. “Bob’s merits as a coach have been proven through his past experience, and Nick’s successful career in the NBA gives him a strong platform to mentor and coach our players. They will be dedicated to the task of teaching and building up our young men in order for the Bucks to put a hard-working, committed team on the court.”

Prior to his time on Atlanta’s staff, Bender was with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2002-04, first as their assistant coach/player development and then as an assistant coach on the bench. His coaching career began as an assistant under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, and he continued in the college ranks for 13 years.

Bender was first named a head coach at Illinois State in 1990, where he earned two Missouri Valley Conference Championships, one conference tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth. He then spent nine years at the University of Washington (1994-2001), where he directed the Huskies to four consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament from 1996 to 1999. Bender was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 1996.

A Duke graduate and Quantico, Va., native, Bender is the only individual to play on two different teams in two different NCAA Championship games – one as a freshman on Bob Knight’s undefeated 1976 Indiana team and the other as a guard at Duke in the 1978 title game against Kentucky. He was drafted by the San Diego Clippers in the sixth round before his senior year, but did not play.

Kenosha, Wis., native Van Exel enjoyed a 13-year career as a player in the NBA, including 76 playoff games and one All-Star appearance (1998) from 1993-2006. He put up career averages of 14.4 points, 6.6 assists per game and 2.9 rebounds per game. Van Exel was selected by the L.A. Lakers in the second round of the 1993 NBA Draft (37th overall) and was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie team in 1994.

Prior to his two seasons as the Hawks’ player development instructor, Van Exel worked as an assistant coach at Texas Southern University during the 2009-10 season.

Pete D’Alessandro to be new general manager of Sacramento Kings

In a surprise twist, Nuggets assistant general manager Pete D’Alessandro, considered a top candidate for the Denver GM job, instead has agreed to take the GM job with the Sacramento Kings. Nuggets president Josh Kroenke confirmed the report tweeted by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

The Kings, under new ownership, have a revitalized spirit and are have been looking to lock in budding talent such as D’Alessandro and coach Mike Malone.

It’s unclear what direction the Nuggets will go now. One name floated out is Tony Di Leo, a former Philadelphia executive.

Previously asked about D’Alessandro, friend and former Golden State exec Chris Mullin said: “He’s the ideal guy. He’s got the experience now and he’s the whole package. He’s like one of the players that you don’t see coming, like (the Pacers’) Paul George, a star in the making. He knows his strengths, he empowers people around him. I loved working with him.”

Reported by Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post

Atlanta Hawks hire Darvin Ham as assistant coach

The Atlanta Hawks have named Darvin Ham as an assistant coach, Hawks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer announced today. Ham spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Darvin has a great feel for the game and knows what it takes for a team to be successful and compete at a high level,” Budenholzer said. “He was a smart player who played with intensity and toughness every night and he has gone about coaching the same way.”

Prior to his stint with the Lakers, Ham was the head coach of the New Mexico Thunderbirds of the NBA Development League in 2010-11 and an assistant coach with the Thunderbirds from 2008-10. As a player, the eight-year veteran appeared in 417 career games (45 starts) with Denver, Indiana, Washington, Milwaukee, Atlanta and Detroit, averaging 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.4 minutes (.518 FG%). He also played in 55 postseason games (with the Bucks and Pistons; 11 starts), putting up 1.3 points and 1.2 rebounds in 7.4 minutes (.569 FG%), starting 11 times.

He was a member of the Hawks during the 2002-03 season, playing in 75 contests, and averaging 2.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.3 minutes (.447 FG%). The Saginaw, MI native starred collegiately at Texas Tech.

Warriors center Festus Ezeli undergoes knee surgery

Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli underwent successful surgery yesterday on his right knee, the team announced. The procedure, which was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache of the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles, was necessary to reinforce both the medial collateral ligament and posterior cruciate ligament in Ezeli’s right knee. Ezeli suffered a sprained right knee during the club’s regular-season finale this season at Portland on April 17. He will begin rehabilitation in the near future and is expected to make a complete recovery. The team’s medical staff indicates that recovery time could be a minimum of 6-9 months.

Ezeli, 23, appeared in 78 regular-season games (41 starts) as a rookie this past season, averaging 2.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.95 blocks (4th among NBA rookies) in 14.4 minutes per game. His 41 starts were the most by a Warriors rookie center since Joe Barry Carroll started 80 games in 1980-81 and also marked the second-most starts amongst NBA rookies this season – trailing only teammate Harrison Barnes (81).

Originally selected by Golden State with the 30th overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, the 6’11” center appeared in 12 playoff games, averaging 2.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per contest.

Bucks assistants out as Larry Drew forming own staff

Milwaukee Bucks assistant coaches Joe Wolf, Sidney Moncrief, Chris Gilmartin, Bill Peterson and Anthony Goldwire will not have their contracts renewed, club officials confirmed Wednesday.

New Bucks coach Larry Drew is in the process of putting together his own staff. Although nothing has been announced yet, two of his former assistants in Atlanta, Bob Bender and Nick Van Exel, helped Drew run the team’s draft workout Wednesday.

Moncrief, the Bucks legend and five-time all-star, served as an assistant the past two seasons under Scott Skiles and Jim Boylan. Moncrief was named to replace Kelvin Sampson when he left the staff to become the lead assistant in Houston under Kevin McHale.

Wolf spent five seasons on Milwaukee’s coaching staff, being hired in Skiles’ first season with the Bucks in 2008-’09. Wolf, from Kohler, Wis., became the lead assistant when Boylan took over as interim head coach.

Reported by Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Blog)

Ranadive group gets OK to buy another 7 percent of Kings

Consolidating their control of the Sacramento Kings, new majority owner Vivek Ranadive and his partners on Monday secured a bankruptcy judge’s approval to buy another 7 percent share of the team.

The judge turned aside a last-minute purchase offer from former limited partner Bob Cook, who lost the 7 percent share when his real estate empire crumbled. The stake has been under the control of a court-appointed trustee since shortly after Cook went bankrupt in 2011.

Buying Cook’s share will increase the Ranadive group’s ownership stake to 72 percent. NBA Commissioner David Stern’s office has already approved the latest deal, said NBA lawyer Martin Zohn, and the purchase could close Wednesday.

Ranadive is buying the share for $15.1 million – the same amount Seattle investor Chris Hansen was planning to pay.

Reported by Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee

Detroit Pistons name Mo Cheeks head coach

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has named Maurice Cheeks as head coach, signing him to a multi-year contract.

Cheeks brings more than 30-plus years of NBA experience to the job and becomes the 29th head coach in Detroit franchise history. He will be formally introduced to the Detroit media later this week.

“We’re pleased to welcome Maurice Cheeks to the Pistons organization,” Dumars said. “The leadership and player development qualities he brings as a former player and coach blends nicely with the roster we are building for the future. He’s won an NBA championship, coached in two NBA Finals as an assistant coach and mentored some of the top young players in the NBA.”

“After spending some time with Maurice, I was very impressed not only with his basketball knowledge but his communication and leadership skills,” said Pistons owner Tom Gores. “We are very excited to have someone of his experience and talent help take this franchise into the future.”

Cheeks joins the Pistons after serving four years as an assistant coach with Oklahoma City, where he helped guide the Thunder to a 212-100 (.707) record, four playoff appearances and an NBA Finals appearance in 2012.

The 56-year-old Chicago native served as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers from 2001-05 recording a 162-139 (.538) regular-season record, the fourth-highest win total in Blazers coaching history. His Portland teams made consecutive playoff appearances in 2001 and 2002 and posted records of .500 or better three times, including a 50-32 mark in 2002-03 which tied for second in the Pacific Division. Portland’s defense ranked in the top-10 in points allowed and steals in both 2001-02 and 2002-03.

Cheeks was named head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2005 and led the Sixers to a 122-147 (.454) record in three-plus seasons. He led the team to the playoffs in 2008, marking the club’s first postseason appearance in three years. The 76ers were 12 games under .500 in early February that season and improved to 21-7 the remainder of the year to clinch a playoff berth. Cheeks owns a career record of 284-286 (.498) in 570 games as an NBA head coach.

Prior to his head coaching stints, Cheeks spent seven seasons as an assistant coach with the 76ers serving under John Lucas (1994-96), Johnny Davis (1996-97) and former Pistons’ head coach Larry Brown (1997-2001). As a member of Philadelphia’s 2000-01 staff under Brown, he helped guide the club to a 56-26 (.683) record and a spot in the NBA Finals. Cheeks began his coaching career with the Quad City Thunder of the Continental Basketball Association. During his only season with Quad City (1993-94), he helped guide the club to the CBA Championship.

A 15-year NBA veteran (11 with Philadelphia), Cheeks was a key member of the 76ers’ 1983 NBA Championship team. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team five times, which included four first-team honors and one second-team honor. A four-time NBA All-Star, Cheeks averaged 11.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting 52% from the field in 1,101 career games. He enjoyed his best year during the 1985-86 season when he averaged 15.4 points and a career-high 9.2 assists. Drafted 36th overall in the 1978 NBA Draft, Cheeks currently ranks 11th all-time in NBA history in assists (7,392) and fifth all-time in steals (2,310). His #10 jersey was retired by the 76ers in 1995.

Grizzlies will not renew contract of head coach Lionel Hollins

Lionel Hollins says the Memphis Grizzlies have told him they will not renew his contract as head coach, even though he’s the winningest coach in the franchise’s history coming off the team’s first trip to the Western Conference finals…

Hollins’ contract expires June 30, and his future with the team has been unsettled since the Spurs swept the Grizzlies in the West finals. Hollins has been the Grizzlies’ coach since replacing Marc Iavaroni in January 2009. He led Memphis to a better record each season since then, including a franchise-best 56-26 record this season. The Grizzlies beat first the Clippers, then top-seeded Oklahoma City in the playoffs.

Reported by Teresa M. Walker of the Associated Press

Mo Cheeks should be new Pistons coach soon

The Detroit Pistons appear poised to make Maurice Cheeks their next head coach, in the effort to end the revolving door at that spot.

Cheeks and the Pistons have been engaged in negotiations in recent days, as multiple sources expressed optimism this saga, that began with the team firing Lawrence Frank at season’s end and wound up with the Pistons going through the complicated process of interviewing multiple candidates, has reached its end.

The Pistons hope to get a deal done before the end of weekend. Frank being due to receive nearly $4 million next season — the last guaranteed year of his contract — along with a portion of his fourth year could complicate matters as far as Cheeks’ contract length and amount.

Currently an assistant with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cheeks has helped with the development of guards Russell Westbrook, Reggie Jackson and former Thunder guard Eric Maynor, who was traded to Portland this season. It’s a background the Pistons liked, especially since they’re still figuring out what they have in 2011 first-round pick Brandon Knight and they hope Cheeks could be a good mentor for him…

Cheeks’ consistency probably outweighed his tangible resume, as his career record doesn’t jump out at anyone (284-286 in nine seasons in Portland and Philadelphia), but he’s highly regarded around the league, especially in Oklahoma City.

Reported by Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News