Celtics seek trade for Kevin Love

Here’s the Boston Herald reporting on the Celtics, who like many NBA teams would happily add Kevin Love to their roster:

Celtics seek trade for Kevin Love

The Celtics’ pursuit of Kevin Love isn’t as hot as reports are indicating.

Sources close to the situation have told the Herald that Boston’s offer of draft picks and players isn’t nearly the best the Timberwolves have received — or expect to receive — for their All-Star forward.

The Celtics are willing to discuss a number of options, but none of them includes the quality of player with NBA experience that Minnesota is seeking or believes it can get elsewhere.

One source indicated Denver and Golden State have both made more intriguing offers, and there are other teams very much in the picture, as well. There have been conflicting reports on whether the Warriors would make Klay Thompson available, but the Wolves are said to be confident they can find a more than acceptable deal there.

Dwight Howard is a Carmelo Anthony fan

Here’s the New York Post reporting on Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, whose future could be in New York, or take the super-scorer elsewhere:

Dwight Howard is a Carmelo Anthony fan

Rockets center Dwight Howard hasn’t spoken to Carmelo Anthony recently, but he has hope Anthony will take a long look at Houston when he becomes a free agent.

Howard can’t forget the time Anthony — who can opt out of his Knicks contract and enter free agency July 1 — gave him the ultimate compliment years ago. Howard won’t be doing the recruiting, but said, “It would be great to have him.”

“I think he just wants to win right now,” Howard said in a Q&A with USA Today. “That’s his only goal. I’ve always been a Melo fan. One thing he said in an interview a long time ago, I think my first or second year in the league, I remember him saying that if he could play with one guy in the league, he would play with Dwight Howard, so you never know. You never know what could happen.”

Kendrick Perkins has advice for Kevin Durant

Here’s the Oklahoman reporting on the Thunder:

Kendrick Perkins has suggestion for Kevin Durant

Kendrick Perkins, Durant’s most outspoken teammate, didn’t mind offering up a specific suggestion.

Hit the weight room.

“I feel like he could get stronger, in my opinion,” Perkins said. “I think that would help him a lot. I told him all the good and great players that played the game, from Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, they all put size on them, and it helped them.”

More strength, Perkins said, will only benefit Durant’s body and set the stage for him to succeed in demanding times. For Durant, those include the need to be a better and more consistent defender, a more dependable low-post scoring threat and to persevere through seasons like this past one in which Durant’s minutes piled up to an outlandish league-leading tally.

“Seems like there was possessions he was tired,” Perkins said of Durant. “But, like I said, I think that’s (when) getting in the weight room plays a factor. Cause then you could let your body take over.”

Charlotte Hornets hire Steve Hetzel as assistant coach

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has added Steve Hetzel as an assistant coach on the staff of Head Coach Steve Clifford.

Hetzel joins the Hornets after spending last season as head coach of the Canton Charge in the NBA D-League. Under Hetzel’s leadership, the Charge posted a 28-22 record, finishing second in the East Division and earning the seventh seed in the D-League playoffs.

Before moving to Canton, Hetzel spent four seasons with the Detroit Pistons as player development coach, where he was responsible for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of individual players and assisting with their growth throughout the season. Prior to joining the Pistons, Hetzel served as video coordinator for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2006-09. He got his start in the NBA as assistant video coordinator with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005-06.

Timberwolves hire Sam Mitchell as assistant coach

Timberwolves hire Sam Mitchell as assistant coach

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced Sam Mitchell as an assistant coach on head coach Flip Saunders staff.

“We are excited to add Sam Mitchell to our coaching staff,” said head coach Flip Saunders. “As a player, Sam was always one of our more vocal leaders in the locker room and was a great influence on our team. Additionally his coaching experience, both as an assistant and as a head coach in Toronto, will make Sam a valuable member of our coaching staff.”

The 2006-07 NBA Coach of the Year, Mitchell brings four-plus seasons of head coaching experience to the Wolves bench, previously serving as head coach of the Toronto Raptors from 2004-2008. Mitchell led the Raptors to two playoff appearances as head coach, including a 47-35 record in 2006-07, a 20-game improvement from the previous season. Mitchell has also served two stints as an assistant coach, coaching under Avery Johnson in New Jersey during 2010-11 and George Karl in Milwaukee from 2002-04.

As a player Mitchell spent 13 years in the NBA, originally selected by the Houston Rockets in the third round of the 1985 NBA Draft. He played a couple of seasons in the minor leagues and overseas before finally landing in the NBA with the Wolves in 1989-90. Mitchell spent 10 seasons in Minnesota, including averaging 12.7 points in 80 games for the Wolves during the inaugural season. He appeared in 757 games with the Wolves in his career, averaging 9.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. He also played three seasons with Indiana, making an Eastern Conference Finals run with the Pacers in 1994-95.

Mitchell finished his career appearing in 994 regular season games and 59 postseason contests, missing just 40 games to injury or illness throughout his career. He finished his career with averages of 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

Clippers may be interested in Lawrence Frank as assistant coach

Here’s the Los Angeles Times reporting on the Clippers:

Clippers may be interested in Lawrence Frank as assistant coach

Lawrence Frank, who was on [Doc] Rivers’ staff as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics during the 2010-11 season, is being strongly considered for an assistant’s position with the Clippers, the executives said.

Frank was the lead assistant for Brooklyn Coach Jason Kidd at the start of this season, until Kidd had Frank removed from the bench and reassigned to another position with the Nets.

Frank still has five years and $5 million left on a Nets contract that pays him $1 million per season.

If Frank joins the Clippers, whatever salary they pay him would be “offset” by what he is still owed by the Nets.

Chris Andersen may opt out of Heat contract

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel with a Heat update:

Chris Andersen may opt out of Heat contract

Miami Heat center Chris “Birdman” Andersen will opt-out of his contract to become a free agent, according to Yahoo Sports.

Andersen will decline his $1.5 million player option for next season, according to the report.

Andersen, who turns 36 on July 7, has been a steal for the Heat since he joined the team in 2013. His 2013-14 salary was only $1.4 million.

Clippers restructure their front office, promote Doc Rivers

clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced a restructuring of the team’s basketball operations department. Doc Rivers, formerly Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach, will take on the title of President of Basketball Operations and continue as Head Coach.

Kevin Eastman, who served as an assistant coach with the Clippers last season and has been on the sidelines as an assistant with Rivers for nine years, moves into the role of Vice President of Basketball Operations and will report to Rivers. Eastman has been involved in college or professional basketball for 24 years as either a head or assistant coach, and will now supervise all facets of the Clippers Basketball Operations Department.

Dave Wohl becomes General Manager of the Clippers after working as the team’s Director of Professional Scouting last season. As General Manager, Wohl will direct the Clippers player personnel, draft and trade decisions.

Wohl brings more than four decades of NBA experience to his new role as General Manager. Prior to joining the Clippers, Wohl was an assistant coach for Minnesota from 2009-2011 and was the Assistant General Manager of the Boston Celtics from 2007-2009. He has also worked in various capacities for Orlando, Miami, Sacramento and the Lakers in addition to serving as the head coach of the New Jersey Nets from 1985-1988.

Working directly under Wohl will be Assistant General Manager Gary Sacks, Director of Scouting Gerald Madkins and Assistant Director of Scouting Jason Piombetti.

In addition, the Clippers have added Jud Winton to the Basketball Operations staff as Director of Analytics.

San Antonio hosting 2014 Spurs NBA championship parade

spurs championship parade details

San Antonians are invited downtown this Wednesday, June 18 to help the San Antonio Spurs and the City of San Antonio celebrate a fifth NBA Championship.

A river parade community celebration begins at 6 p.m. on the River Walk. Following the river parade, the celebration will move to the Alamodome for a special ceremony beginning at 9 p.m.

“The City is proud of our Spurs,” said Mayor Julián Castro. “This fifth championship cements the Spurs’ legacy as one of the greatest sports franchises in history.”

The river parade will begin at 6 p.m. at the Arneson River Theater, travel through the River Center extension past the Convention Center and Rivercenter Mall and end at the Navarro Street Bridge. Barges will carry Spurs players and coaches, Spurs officials, former Spurs players, City and Bexar County officials, live musical entertainers and others down the San Antonio River.

– Fans will not be allowed to claim a spot on the River Walk to view the parade until 4 p.m. the day of the parade.
– Only those individuals with credentials will be allowed to view the parade from Arneson River Theater.
– Due to security precautions, no ice chests, alcoholic beverages, glass containers, chairs, shopping bags, packages, Silly String or similar items will be allowed on the River Walk.