Detroit Pistons Blog – Page 73 – NBA Blog

Timberwolves hire Tony Ronzone as assistant GM

Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations David Kahn today announced the hiring of Tony Ronzone as the franchise’s Assistant General Manager/Player Personnel. Ronzone has been with the Detroit Pistons for the past nine seasons, most recently as the team’s Director of Basketball Operations. Ronzone will report directly to Kahn.

“We are excited to be able to add a person with Tony’s extensive basketball experience to our player personnel staff,” Kahn said. “Even though Tony’s reputation is largely tied to international scouting, I believe he has always had a firm handle on NBA and college personnel as well. He is a relentless worker and we are fortunate to have him join us.”

Ronzone began with the Pistons in 2001, serving as the team’s Director of International Scouting until 2005 and as Director of Basketball Operations from 2005-10. In his most recent role with Detroit, Ronzone directed all of the Pistons’ international scouting activities and assisted with college scouting and evaluating NBA personnel. Ronzone began his NBA career as a scout with the Dallas Mavericks from 1998 through 2000.

“I’m pleased to be joining a great organization like the Minnesota Timberwolves and excited to work with David Kahn and the entire basketball staff,” Ronzone said. “This is a great opportunity and I look forward to using my knowledge and past experiences in helping the organization achieve its goals.”

Ronzone began his front office basketball career as a player/coach in New Zealand. In 1990, Ronzone returned to the U.S. as an assistant coach at Arizona State. He also coached the Saudi Arabian National Team in 1992, and spent five years as a coach in United Arab Emirates. Ronzone’s international coaching resume also includes stints as an assistant coach for the Chinese youth national team in 1998 and the Chinese National Team in 2001. He was the first American to ever coach with the Chinese National Team.

Ronzone played college basketball at the University of Nevada before finishing his collegiate career at Long Beach State. He played professionally overseas in New Zealand, Australia and the Philippines.

Ronzone is involved with USA Basketball, where he serves as Director of International Player Personnel. In this position, he assisted with the gold-medal winning men’s basketball team at the 2008 Olympics. He is also active in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program.

76ers interview Bill Laimbeer

Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski met with Bill Laimbeer in Dallas, TX today regarding the Sixers vacant head coaching position.

Joining Stefanski at the meeting with Laimbeer was Sixers Sr. Vice President and Assistant General Manager Tony DiLeo and Sixers consultant Gene Shue.

“We want to speak to as many qualified candidates as possible and certainly Bill Laimbeer’s credentials as a player and success as a coach – including three championships in six seasons in the WNBA – speaks for iteslf,” Stefanski said. “We want to thank Bill for meeting with us.”

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert fights the Goliath of ticket sales

Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press reports:

Dan Gilbert’s innovative digital ticketing company, Veritix, has already set records for paperless tickets to a sporting event and concert — a Cleveland-Boston NBA game last week and a 2009 Billy Joel-Elton John show in Houston.

But can Gilbert, the Detroit-based owner of Quicken Loans and the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team, really make a big success of Veritix in an industry dominated by the behemoth combination of Ticketmaster and Live Nation?

Yes, insists Sam Gerace, CEO of Veritix, a business born 3 1/2 years ago with the introduction of Flash Seats digital ticketing at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, home of Gilbert’s Cavs and the Lake Erie Monsters hockey club…

Ticketmaster retains a stranglehold on most U.S. ticketing for concerts and sporting events, because of longstanding relationships with the venues. More ominously, its clout grew in January with its marriage to Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, which staged 2,100 concerts and sold 140 million tickets last year.

2009-10 All-Rookie teams

Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings, Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors were unanimous selections to the 2009-10 NBA All-Rookie First Team, the NBA announced today.

Rounding out the NBA All-Rookie First Team are New Orleans’ Darren Collison (46 points) and Chicago’s Taj Gibson (41 points).

The NBA All-Rookie Second Team consists of New Orleans’ Marcus Thornton (31 points), San Antonio’s DeJuan Blair (30 points), Oklahoma City’s James Harden (22 points), Minnesota’s Jonny Flynn (22 points) and Detroit’s Jonas Jerebko (22 points).

More info and complete voting results here.

Ben Gordon has ankle surgery

The Detroit Pistons announced today that guard Ben Gordon underwent a successful surgical procedure performed by Dr. Art Manoli to remove bone spurs and loose bodies from his left ankle. The procedure was performed at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Pontiac, MI.

Gordon’s left ankle will be placed in a cast for three weeks and rehabilitation will begin immediately following removal of the cast. He is expected to make a full recovery prior to the start of training camp in October.

The 6-foot-3 guard appeared in 62 games (17 starts) for the Pistons last season averaging 13.8 points, 2.7 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game.

Rick Mahorn is bankrupt

Robert Snell of the Detroit News reports:

Former Detroit Pistons “Bad Boy” Rick Mahorn, a member of the 1989 NBA championship team and the franchise’s radio analyst, has filed bankruptcy and lost his $500,000 home, records show.

Mahorn, 51, and his wife filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy because of failed investments, the plummeting value of their Rochester Hills home, and the burden of repaying more than $200,000 to the IRS, he said. Portions of his paychecks have been seized to satisfy delinquent federal taxes, records show. Along with Derrick Coleman, Mahorn is the second retired Pistons star to file bankruptcy in recent months.

Last week, the trustee overseeing Mahorn’s Chapter 7 filing accused him of failing to account for several assets, including his NBA pension and championship rings: one with the Pistons and two as a coach of the WNBA’s Detroit Shock.

Pistons to lower ticket prices in 2010-11

The Detroit Pistons announced today that season ticket prices for the 2010-11 NBA season have been reduced between 10 and 50 percent in all price categories. Also, for the first time ever, the team will offer a lowest-price guarantee to its season ticket holders.

“As an organization, we understand how fortunate we are to have such a loyal season ticket holder base,” said Alan Ostfield, President and CEO of Palace Sports and Entertainment and the Pistons. “The economic situation here in Michigan continues to be a difficult one and we want to continue doing our part to respond to the stresses that have been placed on everyone in this region.”

The across-the-board price reductions for Pistons’ tickets are the largest rollbacks in team history, in response to the economic climate in the area. Additionally, the Pistons’ lowest-price guarantee insures season ticket holders that the team will not sell individual game tickets at a lower price.

For the 2010-11 season, the Pistons will increase the number of 100-Level season tickets available for less than $1,000. This popular season ticket offering sold out this past season.

“The Pistons’ experience will be enhanced for the season ticket holder next year by adding many new benefits,” said Shawn Kuzmin, Pistons’ Senior Vice President of Sales and Service. “These include a Loyalty benefits program, as well as a season ticket holder exchange program for unused tickets and access to ticket upgrades at all Pistons’ home games. The new Loyalty benefits program will reward ticket holders on their tenure with the Pistons by offering Palace cards, suites and concert tickets.”

Charlie Villanueva needs to learn defense

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports:

When Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars signed Charlie Villanueva, 25, last summer to a five-year, $35-million contract as an unrestricted free agent from the Milwaukee Bucks, eyebrows were raised.

Villanueva, a highly skilled power forward with long-distance touch and the ability to score with either hand in the paint, also was known as a defensive liability and uninterested in rebounding.

But “stretch fours,” as Pistons coach John Kuester calls power forwards with three-pointer ability, are rare, and the thinking was Villanueva could be coached up on the grittier aspects of basketball.

However, that hasn’t happened this season. Villanueva is constantly exploited by opponents on defense, and it’s hard to count the number of offensive rebounds he has allowed. He hasn’t been completely healthy all season, either.

Veteran Chauncey Billups still rocking

Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post reports:

The Nuggets’ point guard is in his 13th NBA season, and this may be his best. He’s averaging 19.7 points per game, his highest ever. He was named to the all-star team, just as he was in the previous four seasons. He is, Denver’s strength-and-conditioning coach said, in the best shape of his life.

Asked if Billups’ body is younger than his age, Steve Hess answered: Absolutely.

“If you look at age, I think it’s irrelevant — I don’t think it matches everyone. . . . Chauncey’s body is not his age,” Hess said. “He’s bought into a healthy lifestyle — staying hydrated, better eating, doesn’t go out (at night), does more stretching, gets massages, does more resistance training, taps into the whole thing. That enables you to get more out of your body.

“Is his age indicative of his body? Absolutely not, because he’s continually improving it.”

Career highs by Lopez and Yi give Nets 9th win

The AP reports:

The New Jersey Nets aren’t going to be the worst team in NBA history.

Career highs by Lopez and Yi give Nets 9th win

Brook Lopez had a career-high 37 points and Yi Jianlian had a career-best 31 and the Nets eliminated any chance of setting a record for fewest wins in a season, beating the Detroit Pistons 118-110 on Friday night for their first winning streak of the season.

“We’re smiling,” said point guard Devin Harris, who had 12 assists. “It’s good to get two wins in a row, but we’re not satisfied. We want to continue to be better and finish the season on a high note.”

Even if New Jersey (9-63) loses its final 10 games, it can do no worse than tie the league mark for the worst record (9-73), set by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1972-73.