Detroit Pistons Blog – Page 78 – NBA Blog

Allen Iverson likes Grizzlies

The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports: Several NBA sources have confirmed to me that controversial and wildly popular guard Allen Iverson – through representatives – has made the Grizzlies aware that he would like to play in Memphis. The veteran, prolific scorer is a free agent for the first time in his professional career. While no deal is imminent and conversations have been only cursory, Griz brass are said to be internally weighing the pros and cons of possibly adding Iverson to the team’s youth movement. Iverson would certainly have to take a major pay cut from the $21 million he earned last season with Detroit. The Griz would only entertain Iverson with what they’d deem a reasonable price, and if the 34-year-old agreed to play off the bench.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Adding Iverson would spark some team interest, ticket sales and maybe a few wins for the Grizzlies, but not really accomplish much more than that. It would probably wouldn’t help the development of the young players Memphis is actually building around. Adding Iverson would be a small temporary boost.

Detroit Pistons to sign Charlie Villanueva

The AP reports: A person with the knowledge of the negotiations says the Detroit Pistons have agreed in principle to contracts with free agents Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva… Villanueva, the seventh overall pick by Toronto in 2005 who has played the last three of his NBA season with the Milwaukee Bucks, also agreed to a five-year deal. His contract is worth at least $35 million. Villanueva averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season for the Bucks.

InsideHoops.com editor says: The Pistons have a hole at the power forward position, and Villanueva should fill it as a starter, probably immediately.

Detroit Pistons coaching search

The AP reports: The Detroit Pistons don’t plan to wait long to name a replacement for fired coach Michael Curry. Joe Dumars, the Pistons’ president for basketball operations, doesn’t have a “complete list” of candidates but wants to act in less than a week, before next Tuesday’s opening practice for the NBA developmental league. “My goal is to have a head coach in place by the time we go out to Las Vegas,” Dumars said in a video posted on the team’s Web site. The NBA Summer League runs July 10-19.

Report: Detroit Pistons, Ben Gordon agree to deal

The Detroit Pistons already have a great shooting guard in Richard Hamilton and a decent young guard in Rodney Stuckey, but they’re reportedly about to add some potent scoring ability to their backcourt.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo reports that, according to a source, the team has reached an agreement with free-agent guard Ben Gordon on a five-year contract worth around $55 million.

Last season Gordon averaged 20.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 45.5% shooting (41.0% three-pointers) per game for the Bulls. He’s played for Chicago since entering the NBA in the 2004-05 season.

If the Pistons were to play small-ball, with Stuckey at point, Gordon at shooting guard and Hamilton at small forward, it would be one of the most undersized lineups in the league. Gordon is very strong, but has the height of a point guard. Hamilton is a very thin two-guard. So should the team put Gordon at the point, even though he’s definitely not a true floor general?

It’s also possible that Gordon is used as a scorer off the bench, similarly to how the Chicago Bulls used him for much of his time there. But generally, when a team pays a player $11 million per season, they expect the player to start.

Tough to say how Gordon will fit next to Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince.

The team is reportedly also trying to add free agent power forward Charlie Villanueva, among others.

More tonight.

Carlos Boozer stays with Jazz for 2009-10

Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer announced today that he is exercising his player option for 2009-10 and will be returning for his sixth season with the organization.

“We are excited that Carlos has decided to remain with the Jazz,” said Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor. “We are hopeful he can continue to play at an All-Star level and will have an injury-free season.”

Boozer (6-9, 266, Duke), appeared in 37 games (all starts) for the Jazz in 2008-09, averaging 16.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 32 minutes per game. The seven-year NBA veteran had 20 double-doubles and 15 games of 20 or more points, leading the Jazz to the team’s third straight playoff appearance.

Originally signed by the Jazz as a free agent on July 14, 2004, Boozer has appeared in 276 regular season games with the Jazz over the past five seasons, averaging 19.2 points and 10.3 rebounds in 34 minutes per game. A two-time NBA All-Star (2007, 2008) Boozer was also selected to the 2008 All-NBA Third Team. The seven-year NBA veteran is a two-time member of the USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Olympic Team, wining a gold medal in Athens in 2008 and bronze medal in Athens in 2004.

Pistons fire coach Michael Curry

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced this evening that Michael Curry will not return next season as the team’s head coach.

“This was a difficult decision to make,” Dumars said. “I want to thank Michael for his hard work and dedication to the organization. However, at this time, I have decided to make a change.”

Curry, who was named head coach on June 10, 2008, tallied a regular-season record of 39-43 in his first season as an NBA head coach with the Pistons and led the club to the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs. Detroit was swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games. He served one season in Detroit as an assistant coach under Flip Saunders (2007-08) and had two separate stints with the organization as a player (1995-97 and 1999-2003).

NBA team, D-League team affiliations announced

The National Basketball Association and the NBA Development League, the official minor league of the NBA, today announced the affiliation system for the 2009-10 season, including the announcement of a direct single-affiliation partnership between the Houston Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers. For the fifth consecutive year, each NBA team has one NBA D-League affiliate to which it may assign players in their first or second NBA season.

The Rockets became the first NBA team to enter into a direct single-affiliation partnership with an NBA D-League team, granting the Rockets full control over the basketball operations of the Vipers. With the move, the Rockets will be the only parent-club of the team.

In a structure similar to other minor leagues, this new partnership model, previously referred to as the “hybrid affiliation,” allows for NBA teams to secure control over and cover the expenses related to the basketball operations of an NBA D-League team, while partnering with existing local ownership, who maintain responsibility for the off-the-court business operations of the team.

The list of affiliations is on our NBA D-League page.

Pistons trade Chase Budinger to Rockets

The Detroit Pistons announced that the club has traded the draft rights to Chase Budinger to Houston Rockets for a future second round draft pick and cash considerations.

Budinger averaged 18.0 points last season at the University of Arizona. In 100 collegiate games, he averaged 17.0 points and 5.8 rebodunds. A First-Team All-Pac-10 selection as a junior, Budinger also earned Honorable Mention All-American Honors from The Associated Press both his junior and senior seasons. His 1,697 points ranks 11th on the Wildcats’ all-time scoring list.

Report: Pistons to trade Amir Johnson to Bucks for Fabricio Oberto

Yahoo (Adrian Wojnarowski) reports: In an effort to clear more salary cap space, the Detroit Pistons have sent forward Amir Johnson to the Milwaukee Bucks for newly acquired Fabricio Oberto, a league executive told Yahoo! Sports. The Pistons plan to buy out Oberto’s deal and make him a free agent.

UPDATE: This was correct but actually part of the earlier deal involving Richard Jefferson. See the info.

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

Bill Laimbeer quits Detroit Shock; Rick Mahorn named head coach

Tom Wilson, President and CEO of the Detroit Shock and Palace Sports and Entertainment, announced today that Bill Laimbeer has resigned from his duties as head coach and general manager of the Detroit Shock. In a related move, Wilson announced that effective immediately, Rick Mahorn has been promoted to head coach and Cheryl Reeve has been promoted to assistant coach/general manager.

“It’s disappointing that Bill has decided to step down as head coach and general manager of the Detroit Shock,” said Wilson. “But at the same time, Bill led the Shock to three WNBA Championships and a league-record 27 postseason victories during his seven-year tenure. We thank him for his guidance and dedication to the franchise and our organization.”

Laimbeer’s three WNBA titles (2003, 2006, 2008) are one shy of the WNBA record held by Hall of Fame coach Van Chancellor, who guided the Houston Comets to the first four WNBA titles in league history (1997-2000).

In his first full season as head coach, Laimbeer orchestrated a historic worst-to-first turnaround, for which he was named 2003 WNBA Coach of the Year. The Shock, 9-23 a year earlier, won a league-best 25 games and the 16-game turnaround was the largest in WNBA history.

In addition to three WNBA titles during his tenure, the Shock won four Eastern Conference Championships (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008), amassed a regular-season record of 137-92 (.598) in 229 WNBA games and won a WNBA record 10 WNBA Finals games. Laimbeer’s six consecutive playoff appearances rank second all-time in WNBA history and his 137 victories rank fifth in league history.

As a general manager, Laimbeer is credited with the drafting of 2003 WNBA Rookie of the Year Cheryl Ford, acquiring 2003 WNBA Finals MVP Ruth Riley in the 2003 WNBA dispersal draft and the acquisitions of 2008 WNBA Finals MVP Katie Smith and 2007 Sixth Woman of the Year Plenette Pierson.