Atlanta Hawks Blog – Page 63 – NBA Blog

Knicks hire Mike Woodson as assistant coach

The New York Knickerbockers announced today that Mike Woodson has joined Head Coach Mike D’Antoni’s staff as an assistant coach. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“I was extremely encouraged after meeting with Mike that he would be a great addition to our coaching staff and we are pleased to welcome him back to New York,” D’Antoni said. “Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team and we are confident that he will help us as we continue towards our goal of building a championship team.”

Woodson joins the Knickerbockers after serving as the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks for six seasons from 2004-2010, where he guided the Hawks to the playoffs in each of his last three seasons. In six seasons in Atlanta, Woodson amassed a 209-286 (.419) coaching record in 492 games while posting an 11-18 record in 29 playoff games. Prior to joining the Hawks, Woodson served as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks (1996-99), Cleveland Cavaliers (1999-2001), Philadelphia 76ers (2001-03) and the 2003-04 NBA Champion Detroit Pistons.

“I consider Mike D’Antoni to be one of the top coaches in our game and I am thankful for this opportunity,” Woodson said. “I’m excited to re-join this great franchise where my professional career started and will work to build off of the success they had here last season.”

Woodson was drafted by New York with the 12th overall selection in the 1980 NBA Draft out of Indiana University and averaged 14.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 786 career games over 11 NBA seasons with New York, New Jersey, Kansas City-Sacramento, L.A. Clippers, Houston and Cleveland. In his rookie season with New York, Woodson averaged 4.7 points in 81 games under the legendary Red Holzman.

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Javaris Crittenton charged with homicide

This is wild. And very bad. After getting into trouble with the NBA and Washington Wizards due to the “guns (and threats) in the locker room” incident with former teammate Gilbert Arenas that resulted in lengthy league suspensions, there’s now a much bigger negative development in the world of guard Javaris Crittenton.

Alexis Stevens of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

A former NBA player and Georgia Tech standout has been charged with shooting a 23-year-old woman to death, Atlanta police said Friday night.

Javaris Crittenton faces a homicide charge in the death Jullian Jones, according to Carlos Campos, APD spokesman.

Jones was walking with others near 2915 Macon Drive in southwest Atlanta around 10 p.m. Aug. 19 when she was shot, Campos said. Jones, a mother of three, was struck in the hip and later died during surgery.

Two men walking with Jones fled and were not injured.

And more, from WSBTV.com:

Police said the motive appears to be retaliation for a robbery that occurred in April in which Crittendon was a victim.

Crittendon most recently played with the Washington Wizards.

In 2010, Crittenton was suspended for an incident involving a gun inside the locker room.

Crittenton went to high school at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. He helped lead Georgia Tech to a 20-12 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2007 as a freshman.

I just hope that Javaris is innocent — as presumed, until proven otherwise.

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Knicks may hire Mike Woodson as assistant

The Knicks are moving closer to hiring former Hawks head coach Mike Woodson as an assistant coach, which will fuel speculation that Woodson may one day succeed Mike D’Antoni as the team’s head coach.

Although Woodson’s last Atlanta team was criticized for its failure to make defensive adjustments when getting bombed by Orlando in the 2010 playoffs, the former first-round pick of the Knicks will join D’Antoni’s staff as a defensive coach.

The Daily News first reported in May that D’Antoni, who has resisted bringing in an outsider to his coaching staff, would be forced to hire a defensive coach because of the Knicks’ failures at that end during his first three seasons in New York.

In the past few days, Woodson had told two confidantes that he expects to join the Knicks.

— Reported by Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News

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Hawks draftee Keith Benson to play in Italy

Former Oakland men’s basketball standout Keith Benson will be heading to the island of Sardinia to play professional basketball with Italian team Sassari, Oakland coach Greg Kampe said on Thursday. A second-round pick by the Atlanta Hawks, the 6-foot-11 Benson was the first Oakland player selected in the NBA draft.

“We’re delighted for Keith,” said Kampe. “I know he has worked hard in the past couple of months with our strength coach Todd Wohlfeil and he has his weight up to 233, with a goal of 240.”

— Tom Markowski of the Detroit News

Houston lands 2013 NBA All-Star Game

Mark Berman of My Fox Houston reports:

NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports the Houston Rockets and the City of Houston landed the NBA All-Star Game in 2013. The game will be played at Toyota Center on Feb. 17, 2013. NBA All-Star week will be Feb. 15-17. The Rockets and Toyota Center also hosted the game in 2006.

Click2Houston reports:

The entire NBA All-Star Weekend will be in the Bayou City from February 15-17, 2013. Hilton Americas Marketing Director Janice O’Neill-Cox spoke with Local 2 Sports Wednesday afternoon, saying, “We played a key role in working with the league to make sure availability was in place. It’s a big boost for our city to land the game, and we’re excited about it.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: I don’t get why Houston is getting the game again. They just had it in 2006. Meanwhile, other teams haven’t hosted it in a long time. Also, Madison Square Garden renovations will be mostly complete in time. And the new Brooklyn Nets arena will exist by mid 2012. Unusual call to send the big weekend back to Houston so soon.

Atlanta Hawks reach sale agreement

The Meruelo Group, led by founder Alex Meruelo, and Atlanta Spirit LLC have reached an agreement on the sale of a majority ownership stake in the National Basketball Association’s Atlanta Hawks and the Philips Arena operating rights, it was announced today. Completion of the sale is subject to approval by the NBA Board of Governors and terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“I am a lifelong basketball fan, a student of the NBA game, and this is a dream come true for me,” stated Alex Meruelo, founder and chief executive officer of the Meruelo Group. “I am committed to winning and look forward to engaging with our wonderful fans, our dedicated season ticket holders, our committed corporate partners and this passionate community. I believe that both the Hawks and Philips Arena have unlimited potential for the future. I am honored to be a part of that future”

With roots dating to 1986, the Meruelo Group is a diversified holding and management company owned and controlled by prominent U.S. Hispanic business executive Alex Meruelo. The Meruelo Group has diverse holdings in banking and financial services, restaurants and food services, construction and engineering, real estate, hotel/casino operations and private equity.

The Atlanta Hawks will remain a long-term tenant of Philips Arena and Alex Meruelo will serve as the Hawks’ Governor to the NBA.

The transaction is expected to close in late 2011, subject to NBA approval and customary closing conditions. In keeping with the terms of their confidentiality agreement and NBA regulations, both parties have agreed not to comment further on the transaction pending a final close.

Open letter from Atlanta Hawks to their fans

The following is an open letter the Atlanta Hawks published to their fans:

To Our Hawks Fans,

Today it was reported that our current owners, Atlanta Spirit LLC, signed an agreement to sell a majority ownership stake in the Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena operating rights to The Meruelo Group. Completion of the sale is subject to approval by the NBA Board of Governors, which is expected to occur later this year.

Our ultimate goal has always been and will continue to be bringing championship basketball and world class entertainment to Philips Arena and the city of Atlanta. We value and appreciate your support, and look forward to sharing many more unforgettable moments with you, our fans.

Sincerely,

Bob Williams

Bob Williams
President, Atlanta Hawks & Philips Arena

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Atlanta Hawks will be sold, but not moved

ESPN reports:

The Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena will be sold to California developer and pizza chain owner Alex Meruelo, but the NBA team will remain in Atlanta, a person familiar with the deal said Sunday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because no official announcement has been made. The deal, subject to the approval of the NBA, is to be announced on Monday.

Meruelo confirmed the deal to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, saying “I’m a person who doesn’t give up. I want to bring a championship to the city of Atlanta.”

The Hawks ownership group, led by Michael Gearon Jr. and Bruce Levenson, also recently sold the NHL Atlanta Thrashers to a group that has moved the team to Winnipeg. The Thrashers deal was for a reported $170 million.

Meruelo would become the first Hispanic owner of an NBA team, according to the Journal-Constitution. He will have controlling interest of more than 50 percent of the Hawks. He founded La Pizza Loca, which has more than 50 franchised and company-owned restaurants in Southern California.

Tim Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

Meruelo (pronounced mur-rel-o) said some members of the Spirit group will maintain minority ownership positions but that he will own more than 50 percent and control ownership decisions. He would not be more specific about the size of his stake and would not divulge the price he has agreed to pay for it.

But he said, “I will be in complete control of the team.”

Although his primary residence and business will remain in Southern California,

Meruelo said he plans to spend a lot of time in Atlanta and to buy a home here.

“If you look at my previous … business ventures, I’m very hands-on, and this will be no different,” he said.

Asked if there is any scenario in which he would seek to move the Hawks out of Atlanta, Meruelo said: “Absolutely no. None.”

More from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The Atlanta Spirit Group – initially led by Steve Belkin of Boston, Bruce Levenson and Ed Peskowitz of Washington and Michael Gearon Jr. of Atlanta –- bought the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips Arena rights from Time Warner in 2004. The group soon became mired in a bitter internal fight that pitted Belkin against his partners. A five-year legal battle finally ended in December when the estranged Belkin was bought out by his partners.

The Spirit this summer sold the Thrashers to a Canadian group that moved the team to Winnipeg.

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Knicks will reportedly interview Mike Woodson for assistant coach spot

David Aldridge of NBA.com reports:

When Tom Gores (Detroit Pistons) came aboard in early June, he said part of his job isn’t to agree with whatever Joe Dumars wanted, but “to challenge Joe, and hopefully that will make the outcome better.” And though Dumars never publicly indicated whom he preferred to succeed John Kuester as coach, several people around the league believe he preferred former Hawks coach Mike Woodson to Frank. But Frank blew Gores and his people away during the interview process.

Yet a source insisted this weekend that Dumars concurred with Gores that Frank was the right choice for the job.

(For his part, Woodson has moved on, interviewing for the Minnesota Timberwolves’ vacancy. And a source indicates he’ll be in New York early this week to talk with the Knicks about becoming their defensive coordinator, a job that management has mandated coach Mike D’Antoni, entering the final year of his contract, accept for next season.)

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Acie Law reportedly signs in Serbia

Sportando reports:

After week of negotiations, Serbian Champion KK Partizan from Belgrade signed NBA guard Acie Law (Texas A&M – NCAA, agency – Priority Sports & Entertainment). After college Acie spent four years on NBA courts, drafted 1st round,11 pick by Atlanta Hawks, followed Golden State, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls and previous season started in Memphis Grizzlies. In December 2010 moved to Golden State Warriors where in 40 games he averaged 15 minutes per game, scoring 5.1 points per game, 1.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, most scored in game against Dallas on March 16 hitting 15 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals.

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