Utah Jazz Blog – Page 63 – NBA Blog

Jazz will not re-sign Marcus Cousin

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has elected not to re-sign center Marcus Cousin (pronounced koo-ZAHN) to a second 10-day contract. Following the transaction, the Jazz roster now stands at 14 players.

Cousin was originally signed to a 10-day contract on March 9 and appeared in four games for the Jazz (all as a reserve), averaging 1.0 point and 0.8 rebounds in 4.5 minutes per game. He registered four points, two rebounds and a block in 13 minutes of action at Minnesota on March 11.

Cousin (6-11, 255, Houston) was averaging 14.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.16 blocks through 38 games (all starts) for the NBA Development League’s Austin Toros at the time he was signed by the Jazz. He became the NBA’s 14th D-League Call-Up and 12th different player promoted to the NBA this season. He was also the sixth D-League Call-Up in Jazz history, joining Rusty LaRue (2000-01), Mikki Moore (2003-04), Louis Amundson (2006-07), Sundiata Gaines (2010-11) and Othyus Jeffers (2010-11).

Avery Johnson is confident Nets can keep Deron Williams

Al Iannazzone of the Bergen Record reports (via blog):

Deron Williams

Avery Johnson is confident Nets can keep Deron Williams

Puffy yet quick

No doubt was used a lot at Nets practice today, after coach Avery Johnson uttered those two words on ESPN Radio yesterday after being asked about Deron Williams’ future.

Johnson reiterated it today when he was asked about the Nets’ prospects of signing Williams to a new contract/extension when the time is right.

“I have no doubt and I’m really, really confident that we’ll be able to re-sign him,” Johnson said.

Then Johnson went on to say it’s not really a story. We disagree there.

Williams’ future is the main story around the Nets right now. They’re playing great with straight wins and have a big game tomorrow against the Bulls, which should feature a great point guard battle between Williams and Derrick Rose.

Jazz sign Marcus Cousin to 10-day contract

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has signed center Marcus Cousin (pronounced coo-ZON) of the NBA Development League’s Austin Toros to a 10-day contract. Cousin becomes the NBA’s 14th D-League Call-Up and 12th different player promoted to the NBA this season. Following the transaction, the Jazz roster now stands at 15 players.

Cousin will be available when the Jazz faces the Raptors tonight at 5 p.m. MT in Toronto (TV: FSN Utah, Radio: 1320 KFAN).

A 2011 D-League All-Star selection, Cousin (6-11, 255, Houston) was averaging 14.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.16 blocks while shooting .533 from the field through 38 games (all starts) for the Toros this season. He leads the Toros in both scoring and rebounding, having reached double figures in scoring 30 times while registering 16 double-doubles. The Toros are coached by former Jazz scout and ex-Utah Flash head coach Brad Jones.

Cousin attended training camp with the San Antonio Spurs prior to the 2010-11 season, appearing in five preseason games and averaging 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in 15.8 minutes before being waived on October 21.

The 24-year-old Baltimore native played two collegiate seasons at Seton Hall (2004-06) before transferring to the University of Houston (2007-09). Cousin was not selected in the 2009 NBA Draft and spent the 2009-10 season playing professionally in Turkey and Israel.

Cousin becomes the sixth D-League Call-Up in Jazz history, joining Rusty LaRue (2000-01), Mikki Moore (2003-04), Louis Amundson (2006-07), Sundiata Gaines (2010-11) and Othyus Jeffers (2010-11).

Raja Bell struggles with addiction to strawberry bubblegum

Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune reports (via blog):

For Jazz guard Raja Bell, it is complete, unfiltered obsession.

Bell has such a drug-like affinity for Bubblicious strawberry chewing gum that he requests the candy during games, hand-selecting a single, special piece from a tupperware container that features an assortment of delicacies.

“I was having a bad game and was looking for something to do to get my mind off of it,” Bell said. “There was this fragrant piece of gum that stood out amongst the others. Ever since then, I’ve been popping ’em.”

He added: “The good thing about it is, the flavor runs out really quickly. So you only got to chew it for like five minutes, and you’ve got what you need out of it.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: This is obviously a serious problem. NBA fans everywhere need to let Bell know that he has support. And Bell needs to realize that strawberry bubblegum abuse can lead to other serious addictions like grape or cherry bubblegum addition, which are known as gateway substances leading to things like chocolate milk abuse, or even worse, being an adult who loves Justin Bieber albums. Get help, Raja.

Jazz assign Jeremy Evans to D-League

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has assigned rookie forward Jeremy Evans to the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League). He is expected to be in uniform tonight as the Flash hosts the New Mexico Thunderbirds at 7 p.m. MST at UCCU Center in Orem, Utah.

In 32 games for the Jazz this season, the 6-9, 196-pound Evans has averaged 3.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.6 minutes. Evans has not played in the last four Jazz games, with his most recent appearance coming February 23 at Dallas. The rookie has scored in double figures twice this season, including a career-high 11 points in 11 minutes in his NBA debut at Denver on October 27. He becomes the fifth player in Jazz history to be assigned to the D-League, including current Jazz teammates C.J. Miles and Kyrylo Fesenko.

Selected by the Jazz in the second round (55th overall selection) of the 2010 NBA Draft, Evans played four seasons at Western Kentucky and finished as the Hilltoppers’ all-time leader in blocked shots and field goal percentage.

Jazz sign coach Tyrone Corbin to extension

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed head coach Tyrone Corbin to a multi-year contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

“I am confident that Tyrone is the right man to lead this team into the future. He is someone with longstanding ties to the Jazz and this community, and who has embraced the core philosophies and ideals this organization holds true. I feel that his character and leadership qualities will be true assets to the Jazz moving forward for many years to come,” said Greg Miller, CEO of the Utah Jazz.

“I am really excited about the opportunity to lead the Jazz, and to get to follow a legendary figure like Coach Sloan,” said Tyrone Corbin. “I am truly grateful that the Miller family has the confidence in me to allow me to lead this team into a new era.”

Corbin was named head coach of the Jazz on February 10 following the resignation of Jerry Sloan. Corbin is the seventh head coach in Jazz history and the fourth since the franchise’s relocation to Utah, following Tom Nissalke, Frank Layden and Sloan. Corbin had served as an assistant coach under Sloan since the 2004-05 season, and prior to the 2010-11 season was ranked second in voting for the NBA’s top assistant coach as selected by league general managers. Corbin joined the Jazz after spending the 2003-04 season as manager of player development for the New York Knicks. Prior to his stint with the Knicks, he spent two seasons as a player mentor for the North Charleston Lowgators of the NBA Development League.

“Ty is a driven individual and tireless worker who possesses all of the qualities we are looking for in a head coach,” said Randy Rigby, president of the Utah Jazz. “He has been widely recognized as one of the brightest young coaches around the league and we are thrilled to have him as head coach of the Jazz.”

A native of Columbia, S.C., Corbin played for nine teams during a 16-year NBA career (1985-01), including three seasons with the Jazz from 1991-94, where he averaged 9.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in 233 games. Corbin appeared in a total of 1,050 games over the course of his career that included stints with San Antonio, Cleveland, Phoenix, Minnesota, Utah, Atlanta, Sacramento, Miami and Toronto. Corbin was originally drafted by San Antonio in the second round (35th pick overall) of the 1985 NBA Draft out of DePaul University, where he earned a degree in computer science during his four-year, two-time honorable mention All-American career with the Blue Demons.

“Ty has 16 years of experience in this league as a player and has spent the last seven seasons working here as an assistant coach,” said Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor. “He is ready for this job and we feel certain he will excel as a head coach just as he excelled as an assistant coach and as a player.”

Dwight Howard says Magic can definitely win a championship

Obviously every player’s goal is to win a championship, and in the case of the Orlando Magic, it’s a very tough yet certainly realistic goal.

Dwight Howard, writing on his own website, says:

I´ve said it a hundred times and I´ll keep saying it – we have what it takes to win a championship on this Magic team. I know a lot of teams out there have made trades, especially the Knicks getting ‘Melo, but I like our team just the way that it is. We have all the pieces needed to win a championship this year and I feel like we´re just now hitting our peak at the right time. Maybe we´ll be like the Packers and get hot at the right time and roll through the playoffs the way that they did.

We just have to bring this same kind of focus and intensity every game. New York tried to get all physical with us, but we didn´t back down an inch and I really liked that about us. When we play tough and physical like that and keep our heads in the game, we´re a really tough team to beat.

It was cool hearing the crowd chant M-V-P! for me last night during the game. It´s come and gone a few times during the year, but it was really strong last night. Feeling that love from the crowd is special to me and it never gets old. Although my teammates mess with me and say that I miss my free throws every time the crowd does the M-V-P chants.

Currently, the Celtics and Heat appear to be the best squads in the East, followed by the Bulls and then Magic.

Mehmet Okur still working to return from back injury

Mehmet Okur back injury still healing. No return yet

The following is a medical update on Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur, who has missed the last 14 Jazz games after suffering a strained lower back during the Jazz’s win over Minnesota on January 28:

Okur was seen by back specialist, Dr. Graham Hill, in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, March 1. Following his examination, Dr. Hill cleared Okur to increase and progress his on-court activity. This will continue on an “as tolerates” progression. No timeline for his return can be provided at this time.

Now in his ninth NBA season, Okur (6-11, 265, Yalova, Turkey), who missed the first 26 games of the 2010-11 campaign while recovering from an unrelated Achilles’ tendon injury, has appeared in 13 games (no starts) this season, averaging 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game. The 2007 NBA All-Star holds career averages of 13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists and had played in over 92 percent of all possible regular season games, including at least 71 games per year, over his first eight seasons (94 percent since joining the Jazz in 2004-05). Okur has appeared in all 82 games for the Jazz twice, including a streak of 233 straight games played spanning from 2004-2007.

Deron Williams reacts to leaving Jazz

Jody Genessy of the Deseret News reports:

“Everything happens for a reason. You take everything in stride,” Williams told Craig Bolerjack [FSN]. “But I had a great five-and-a-half years here in Utah. The fans have always been great to me. They’ve been the best. They’ve been so supportive through everything, and I’m going to miss them. I’m definitely going to miss them, miss the organization. We had a great organization, great times and great wins.”

Williams admitted it was very hard walking onto the bus and telling his teammates goodbye Wednesday morning as they left for shootaround without him.

“It’s tough, man. I’ve got great teammates, great coaches. I wanted to just say goodbye to them. It’s the last time I’m going to play with a lot of them,” Williams said. “I’ve had a lot of great years with those guys in the locker room. I’ve been here with C.J. (Miles) since I came and Paul (Millsap) for the last five years. Those guys I’m going to miss. Ronnie Price. We had a great group of guys in the locker room.”

Jazz thought Deron Williams might eventually leave

Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated reports:

The Jazz realized their relationship with Williams was headed toward the same cliff as LeBron, Bosh and Carmelo, and so they decided to make the best of a hopeless future. Will they next seek to move other expensive commitments to Al Jefferson (owed $29 million over the next two years), Paul Millsap ($16.7 million over the next two years) and/or Mehmet Okur ($10.9 million next year) in order to pare down the payroll and ready themselves to exploit the next collective bargaining agreement? Do they try to trade Andrei Kirilenko’s expiring $17.8 million for long-term prospects, or do they allow his contract to expire this summer for payroll relief?

First, Jerry Sloan leaves, now Williams is sent away. For two decades we knew who the Utah Jazz were and what they stood for as a franchise. Now we, and they, have no idea. They can pursue the same objectives as always, but with no certainty of replicating the discipline and excellence that defined them for so long.

All we know for sure are these two things: 1) the Jazz, who were No. 8 in the West before the Williams trade, will undoubtedly fall out of the playoffs without their leading playmaker and scorer; and 2) the owners of the mid- and small-market teams like Utah will be more galvanized than ever to create a system that can enable them to retain their best players.