NBA News Blog – Page 972 – NBA Blog

Cleveland Cavaliers re-sign Alonzo Gee

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward Alonzo Gee to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Gee, 25, posted career bests in scoring (10.6), rebounding (5.1), assists (1.8), steals (1.3), free throw percentage (.788) and minutes per game (29.0) in 63 games (31 starts) during the 2011-12 season. In his 31 starts, the 6-foot-6, 219-pounder increased his averages to 11.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 31.7 minutes per game.

“From the start of free agency, we made it clear that re-signing Alonzo was important to us and we’re happy we’ve been able to do that,” Grant said. “Alonzo has worked very hard to make the most of the opportunities he has had thus far and it has been great to see his development and growth as a Cavalier. We’re excited he will be part of our team as our young group of players continues to grow together.”

Gee was named the 2010 D-League Rookie of the Year and to the NBA D-League Second Team after averaging 21.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 38.2 minutes while shooting .509 (269-528) from the field and .393 (24-61) from three-point range during the 2009-10 regular season with the Austin Toros. The former University of Alabama star also played in 11 games during the 2009-10 season with the Washington Wizards. Gee played in a combined 16 games during the 2010-11 season with San Antonio and Washington before signing with the Cavaliers on Dec. 28, 2010 where he played in 40 games (29 starts) and averaged 7.4 points on .462 shooting and 3.9 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game.

Trail Blazers name Michael Lewellen Senior VP of Communications and Public Engagement

The Portland Trail Blazers have named Michael Lewellen as Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Engagement, the team announced today. He joins the Trail Blazers after nearly 30 years of communications, public relations and marketing experience with a variety of category and industry leading brands.

In his role with the Trail Blazers, Lewellen will be responsible for directing the team’s communications and public engagement strategies. He will lead a team of communications executives in the areas of media relations, community relations, and team relations.

“We are thrilled to have Michael on our team,” said Trail Blazers Chief Operating Officer Sarah Mensah. “He brings the right balance of knowledge of our team and city, along with added new energy, leadership and experience.”

“This is an exciting and transformative time in the Trail Blazers’ history, and I’m so pleased to have this opportunity,” said Lewellen, who spent five years in the Portland community earlier in his career. “I appreciate the confidence that Sarah Mensah and the Blazers’ executives have placed in me, and look forward to being a contributing member of the organization.”

Lewellen returns to Portland from Orlando, Fla., where he most recently served as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Heart of Florida United Way. Lewellen also held the roles of Board of Directors Chairman for the Central Florida Urban League from 2008-11 and Vice President of NBC Universal/Universal Orlando Resort from 2007-09. He also launched his own media strategies and issues management firm while in Orlando in 2009.

From 1999-07, Lewellen held the positions of Vice President and Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for Black Entertainment Television (BET Networks). During his tenure, BET enjoyed six years of double-digit ratings growth and launched some of its most successful programming franchises, including the annual BET Awards.

Lewellen’s diverse communications expertise also encompasses the sports business industry. Prior to joining BET, Lewellen served as Vice President of Media Relations for Fox Sports Network/Fox Broadcasting in a bi-coastal role in New York and Los Angeles from 1998-99. Prior to that, Lewellen held the position of Public Relations Director for the Goodwill Games on behalf of Turner Sports.

His multi-discipline career path also includes Beaverton-based Nike, where he worked from 1991-96. Lewellen served as the world’s leading athletic brand’s Urban and Minority Affairs Manager, Corporate Development Director and General Manager/Product Line Manager for Baseball and Softball Equipment. While previously in Portland, Lewellen was an active member of the local community, having served on the boards of directors of the Urban League of Portland, Oregon Public Broadcasting and the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs.

An award-winning executive, Lewellen’s career first began as a sports writer and radio broadcaster in his home state of Arkansas in the early 1980s. Lewellen was honored with the 2009 Robert S. Abbott Memorial Award for Meritorious Service in Mass Communications at the Southern Regional Press Institute. The Arkansas State University graduate also received the Founders Award for his service and advancement of the public relations profession from the National Black Public Relations Society in 2005.

The Trail Blazers partnered with Generator Group in their executive search for the senior vice president position.

Kenya Bell and Charlie Bell finally divorced

Kenya Bell is technically no longer a basketball wife as the reality star’s divorce was just finalized with former NBA star Charlie Bell … but she will be taking a lot of NBA money with her.

If you recall, Kenya and Charlie were entangled in a bitter divorce battle over money. Charlie wanted Kenya to support him, claiming he makes pennies with no more NBA contract. Kenya wanted Charlie to give up a chunk of his seven-figure savings and pay child support.

After all the back and forth … a judgment was filed on August 27.

— Reported by TMZ.com

Raptors expected to add Dominic McGuire

Toronto’s final roster spot is about to be filled.

Free agent small forward Dominic McGuire and the Raptors are putting the finishing details on a deal.

The 6-foot-9 forward is a strong defender and rebounder, but has a non-existent offensive game.

McGuire played 64 games for Golden State last season, averaging 3.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 17.6 minutes per game.

— Reported by Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun

Phoenix Suns plan to hire a new Gorilla

The Phoenix Suns have a job opening, and landing it will be harder than actually making the team.

After all, the roster has room for 13 players. There is only one Suns Gorilla.

The responsibilities and qualifications are extensive: The ideal candidate needs to have a college degree and two years’ experience in a similar job, the ability to work with children and adults, some computer savvy and a level of fitness that goes well beyond what most people can achieve.

Broken legs, separated shoulders and pulled hamstrings? Threats, insults, even assaults? All part of the job.

— Reported by Michael Clancy of the Arizona Republic

AAU president Louis Stout dead at 73

Louis Stout, president of the national Amateur Athletic Union and one of America’s most prominent leaders in the sports world, died early this morning at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky.

Stout, 73, widely credited with asserting strong and decisive leadership to adopt new policies that better protect hundreds of thousands of AAU youth athletes from any type of abuse, has been highly regarded for decades as one of the sporting world’s leading administrators, educators and coaches. During a distinguished career that dates back to the early 1960’s, Stout championed positive ideals and goals for thousands of young people

“In our greatest hour of need, Louis demonstrated the vision and determination to positively change the AAU culture into a higher level of safety and protection,” said Henry Forrest, AAU acting president, of Stout, who was just 30 days from retirement from the AAU board when he assumed the role of president. “He will be forever remembered as the architect who established the highest standards for safety and protection at AAU and for ensuring our program’s continued success.”

— Reported by AAUnews.org

Allan Houston sold Marcus Camby on return to Knicks

The Knicks’ reunion with Marcus Camby almost never happened.

The veteran center, who signed a three-year contract in July, admitted his return to Madison Square Garden after an 11-year hiatus should be credited to a last-minute phone call from one of his former Knicks teammates.

“I was on my way to Miami, about to go to the airport to go to Miami when I got the call from Allan [Houston],” Camby said. “I played with Allan for four years in New York, and he was like, ‘Just come, sit down and have a meeting with us.’ So I took the meeting with him and Coach [Mike Woodson] and they pretty much talked me out of going down to Miami to take that visit.”

Camby played with Houston on the Knicks from 1998-2001 and was part of the 1999 team that made it to the NBA Finals. When it boiled down to picking New York or Miami, Camby just had to look back to the playoff wars the teams had over a decade ago.

— Reported by Anthony Sulla-Heffinger of the New York Post

Reggie Miller admits he shoved Greg Anthony in 1995

Knick nemesis Reggie Miller admitted on Friday that he committed a foul during his infamous eight-points-in-nine-seconds run in Game 1 of the 1995 playoffs which propelled the Indiana Pacers to an improbable come from behind win.

Miller finally admitted that he shoved Greg Anthony and held him on the ground before the steal that set up the second of his back-to-back 3-pointers.

“In 1995, as you saw on the video, yeah, I pushed,” Miller said Friday during his Hall of Fame induction speech. “I’m sorry. The ref didn’t call it, I went with it.

— Reported by Ian Begley of ESPN New York

Knicks may have offered Isiah Thomas a job

According to a source close to the former Knicks president, Thomas and Garden chairman James Dolan have had numerous discussions about a position in the organization, but Thomas has been reluctant to accept the job offer.

“Isiah is very close with Jim Dolan but he’s told me that he’s not ready to jump back into the NBA just yet,” said the source, who was with Thomas on Friday at the Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Springfield, Mass. “There’s this perception out there that Isiah is desperate to get back, but that’s false. I think it will eventually happen but just not now.”

Thomas, who presented inductee Chet Walker at the ceremony, did not return phone calls on Saturday. One day earlier, he was spotted in a Manhattan hotel having breakfast with Dolan, which according to the source is not uncommon.

“They’re friends. They talk all the time,” the source added.

— Reported by Frank Isola of the New York Daily News

Raptors may want Mickael Pietrus

I do know there has been some internal discussion of Pietrus, who remains arguably the best player without a contract.

But the fact is, these guys don’t have the money to pay him, a lot of their exceptions were eaten up by the likes of Aaron Gray, Alan Anderson and John Lucas, all of whom fill roles.

Now, I do think they should call Pietrus’s agent and see if he’d be willing to work on a minimum-value deal and I presume that call will be made, it’s only prudent business to do so. However, I doubt a team like Toronto for a minimum value deal would be attractive to Pietrus, who will probably wind up with the same kind of deal on a better team, even if the Raps could offer him a chance at more playing time than some legitimate title contender whose roster is now basically filled.

— Reported by Doug Smith of the Toronto Star (Blog)