NBA Teams – Page 1233 – NBA Blog

Nets to play Hawks in London for NBA Global Games 2014

The Brooklyn Nets will play against the Atlanta Hawks in London at The O2 on Thursday, January 16, 2014 as part of NBA Global Games London 2014.

This will be the Nets’ third trip to London, which has included a preseason game in 2008 and two regular season games vs. the Toronto Raptors in 2011, the league’s first regular-season games in the UK. The Nets-Hawks game will be the eighth NBA game played at The O2 since 2007.

“We are very excited to once again represent the NBA in London,” said Brooklyn Nets General Manager Billy King. “The fans have always been very supportive, and we look forward to once again entertaining them with Brooklyn Nets basketball.”

“It is always an honor to represent the league overseas,” said Nets guard Deron Williams. “Playing in London has a playoff-like intensity, and the energy in the building is great for the players on both teams. It should be very exciting.”

Since Mikhail Prokhorov’s majority purchase of the team in May 2010, the Brooklyn Nets have continued their commitment to extending their global brand. In addition to their games in London, the Nets played two preseason games in Beijing and Guangzhou in the NBA China Games in 2010.

Globalization extends to the Nets dance team, the Brooklynettes, which has performed in seven different countries in the past year, as well as to the Brooklyn Nets Web site, which has been made available in Russian at www.netsrussia.com.

Reinforcing the global appeal of the team, the Nets home borough of Brooklyn has become a melting pot with more than 150 nationalities. Furthermore, Barclays, the naming rights partner for Barclays Center, the team’s home arena, is based in London.

Tickets for the game in London will go on sale in October.

Brian Shaw gets first crack at head coaching job

At long last, Brian Shaw is getting his first chance to coach an NBA team.

The former guard for the Los Angeles Lakers and Phil Jackson pupil has agreed to succeed George Karl as coach of the Denver Nuggets, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Monday night because the deal hadn’t been officially announced.

Still, it was the buzz of the basketball world.

“I think the Nuggets are going to benefit from his tenure,” Jackson tweeted.

“So great to see Brian Shaw rewarded with this long overdue opportunity,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel told The AP in a text. “Congrats to Brian and the Nuggets. Denver just got one of the best head coaches this league will see for years to come.”

The Denver Post first announced the agreement with Shaw, the Indiana Pacers assistant who told the newspaper he’s been “prepared by the best of the best” for his first NBA head coaching job, adding “I feel like I’ve waited and paid my dues.”

Reported by Arnie Stapleton of the Associated Press

Antoine Walker wants to be head coach of Boston Celtics

Former Celtic Antoine Walker said Monday night he was “serious” after tweeting Monday morning that he was interested in the Celtics head coaching job.

Walker, 36, more recently known for his well-chronicled financial issues and a premature end to his career, said he wants to work in the NBA and has head-coaching aspirations.

“I want to be back in the game, I love the game and am a student of the game,” he said. “I want to stress seriously that I do want to become a coach . . . there’s a lot of guys starting to get opportunities and so the league is getting younger coaches. Obviously I’m lacking in experience but we’ve all got to start from somewhere.”

Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe

InsideHoops.com editor says: Walker would start from the bottom of the assistant coaching ladder, and work his way up. Jumping right to head coach is extremely unlikely.

76ers to interview Brett Brown for head coaching position

It’s been two months since the 76ers ended the season with a disappointing 34-48 record.

And while some fans are still upset about how the season played out, many are ready to move on and are looking forward to the moves the team will make over the next few months.

Monday was confirmation of just how determined the Sixers are to change their ways.

In pursuit of a coach used to battling for NBA titles, they asked for and received permission to interview San Antonio Spurs assistant Brett Brown, according to Yahoo Sports.

It is unclear when Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie will meet with Brown. The team did not did not confirm the report.

Reported by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Adam Aron denies being fired as Sixers CEO

After initially refusing to comment, the Sixers waited hours before denying Monday night that Adam Aron has been fired as chief executive officers.

Then around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aron gave this response on Twitter: “Just minutes ago, I got off a plane from vacation in Africa and saw press reports. Ala Mark Twain, rumors of my demise greatly exaggerated.

“I’m delighted to report that this is an immensely exciting time in my career, Moral of story: don’t go on a faraway vacation.”

Reported by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Blog)

Nuggets hiring Brian Shaw as head coach

Brian Shaw was hired as the coach of the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, securing his first NBA head coaching job after nearly a decade as an assistant.

Shaw confirmed that he had been hired by Denver during an exclusive interview with ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Ramona Shelburne.

“I’m so appreciative for the opportunity to be able to lead this team and for the faith that [Nuggets team president] Josh Kroenke and [general manager] Tim Connelly have put in me,” Shaw told Shelburne. “It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been prepared by the best of the best for a long time. I’m just really looking forward to it.”

Shaw will replace George Karl, the NBA’s reigning Coach of the Year who led the Nuggets to a 57-win regular season but was fired following Denver’s opening-round elimination in the playoffs.

Reported by ESPN.com

Malibu fight involving Scottie Pippen being investigated

Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen was involved in a fight outside of a well-known sushi eatery in Malibu over the weekend that landed one man in the hospital, authorities said.

The altercation occurred about 6:30 p.m. Sunday in the parking lot of Nobu restaurant, said Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. There was an argument between Pippen and the man, who was taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries, Whitmore said. His condition was not immediately available.

Investigators were interviewing several witnesses who apparently saw what transpired and criminal charges could be filed, Whitmore said. It wasn’t known if Pippen has spoken with authorities.

Reported by the Associated Press

Kings keep Shareef Abdur-Rahim on staff

Whether in Denver or Sacramento, Pete D’Alessandro wanted to work with Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

Abdur-Rahim, a former Kings forward and NBA All-Star, was an assistant general manager under Geoff Petrie and is the only holdover from Petrie’s staff.

Abdur-Rahim and new assistant general manager Mike Bratz give D’Alessandro more of a staff than he had anticipated entering Thursday’s NBA draft.

“(Bratz was) the guy I wanted,” D’Alessandro said. “And when I thought I had a shot at the Denver job and I saw things going on here, to take it a step further, I actually wanted Shareef as well. I wanted to bring Mike and Shareef over there, and when I got the position over here, it’s just the way it lined up.”

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Wolves owner Taylor, once a seller, ends up buying more stock

For the past several months, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has been looking for a buyer for the club who would originally own a portion of the team and then eventually would take over majority ownership.

But after not finding a suitable partner, Taylor changed his mind and bought the stock holdings of six partners who wanted out.

“I was looking at bringing somebody else in to do that, and it never worked out,” Taylor said. “So I just had told the partners that wanted to sell out, that had been with me for about 18 years, that if they wanted to sell out that I would buy their stock. I had about half of them do that, the other half stayed in. I just left that option up to them. They made their decisions, and everybody is happy with how it worked out.”

So now with the hiring of Flip Saunders as president of basketball operations, Taylor seems more involved than ever and he is probably more excited about this draft than any in recent memory.

Reported by Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune

Kobe Bryant can easily see himself playing 3-4 more years

Kobe Bryant has consistently suggested he’ll play just one or two more seasons before retiring.

Currently on a trip to Brazil, the Lakers guard may have revealed a different plan altogether.

“I could easily see myself playing another three or four years,” he said on Brazilian television in a segment produced by Glenda Carqueijo (2:30 in the video).

The All-Star guard is currently recovering from a torn Achilles’ tendon, suffered April 12. He’s expected to return to the court by November or December.

Reported by Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times