Nets call Celtics about Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett

The Nets have done what likely every team in the NBA has done this week: Put in a call to the Celtics about the availability of Kevin Garnett.

A league source confirmed the Nets have inquired about whether Garnett would be available in a trade in the wake of the Celtics losing coach Doc Rivers to the Clippers and seemingly heading for a full-on roster rebuild and potentially the end of the Big Three Era in Beantown.

Garnett undoubtedly would fill a hole for the Nets at power forward, as well as providing an intimidating defensive presence alongside All-Star center Brook Lopez and giving Jason Kidd one of the NBA’s most respected locker-room presences to aid him in his first season as a head coach. But it’s unclear whether Garnett would be willing to waive his complete no-trade clause for a trade to the Nets — or whether the Celtics would be willing to deal him to a division rival.

The same likely goes for Paul Pierce, who also is expected to be on the trading block.

Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post

Sacramento City Council puts aside $6.5 million for Kings arena

There was nothing preliminary about what the Sacramento City Council did Tuesday night.

By a 7-2 vote, the council agreed to set aside $6.5 million in public funding on a new downtown arena for the Sacramento Kings – the first large investment in a facility that city officials have touted as the most significant redevelopment project in the history of downtown.

The decision was the first push forward on a preliminary, nonbinding plan approved by the council in March to help finance a $448 million arena at the Downtown Plaza. That term sheet will not be formalized until the City Council votes on a final spending plan next year, following the conclusion of an environmental review of the arena project.

Still, Tuesday’s vote means the City Manager’s Office will immediately have $1.755 million to spend on a team of consultants as the intense predevelopment stage of the project begins. The remaining $4.7 million would be used on the arena’s eventual design and construction.

Reported by Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee

Tyshawn Taylor plays streetball at Dyckman Park despite NBA rules

Despite NBA rules that prohibit players from playing in organized street summer leagues prior to July 1, Brooklyn Nets backup point guard Tyshawn Taylor stepped on the Dyckman Park court Monday night for a handful of minutes.

Taylor, who played opposite New York City high school star Isaiah Whitehead, a Lincoln point guard, said he had no knowledge of such rules. The league office recently levied fines on Lance Stephenson and Kemba Walker for playing in the same city basketball courts where they once honed their games.

“I didn’t know that. That’s my story, I’m sticking to it,” Taylor told ESPNDeportes.com after his squad Taylor Made nearly sent the game into overtime after trailing by 10 points with two minutes left.

The Hoboken, N.J., native who just averaged just under six minutes in 38 games could see extensive time in Brooklyn’s backcourt spelling starter Deron Williams if C.J. Watson opts out of his contract and goes elsewhere.

Reported by Adry Torres of ESPN Deportes

Lakers absolutely want to keep Dwight Howard in NBA free agency

Dwight Howard

Bringing back free agent center Dwight Howard is the Lakers’ top priority this off-season.

“Dwight is in the category of the great of the great,” Kupchak said. “He’s over his back injury and there’s no reason he can’t play seven, eight more years at that position. There’s no doubt in my mind if he does, he’s in the Hall of Fame. Those players are just hard to come by.”

Howard struggled through the first half of the season as he tried to return early from back surgery.

“I don’t think he got as much credit for the season as he should have gotten,” Kupchak said.  “Big men are different. They can’t bring the ball up the court. They really rely on their teammates to make them look good.”

The Lakers can sign Howard for a $118-million, five-year deal in July — if he chooses to stay. Other teams can offer just four years (up to $88 million), but tax advantages in Texas (Houston, Dallas or San Antonio) would help offset some of the lost wages.

Reported by Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times

J.R. Smith declines option with Knicks

JR Smith

Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith has informed the New York Knicks that he will decline the option in his contract for next season and become a free agent.

A team spokesman also says Tuesday the Knicks extended a qualifying offer to forward Chris Copeland, making him a restricted free agent and allowing them to match any offer he receives.

Smith’s decision was not a surprise given that he can make much more than the $2.9 million he was scheduled to earn next season.

The New Jersey product is happy in New York and is a longtime teammate of Carmelo Anthony so he would likely want to stay with the right offer.

Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Celtics search to replace Doc Rivers begins now

Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge thought Doc Rivers was going to be the next Gregg Popovich, Jerry Sloan or even Red Auerbach – coaches who stayed with one team for decades.

Rivers got the nine-year itch.

”He felt like it was time for a change. He felt like we all needed a change,” Ainge said on Tuesday night after the deal to allow Rivers out of his contract to coach the Los Angeles Clippers was final. ”That was his rationalization, or justification, for going to the Clippers: that this was better for everybody.”

After weeks of negotiations that at one time had Boston stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce joining Rivers in Los Angeles, the Celtics announced on Tuesday that the NBA approved the deal to allow their coach to go to the Clippers in exchange for a first-round pick in 2015. Ainge said in a news conference that he had not begun looking for a new coach because he couldn’t believe until late in the on-again, off-again process that Rivers was actually leaving.

Reported by Jimmy Golen of the Associated Press

Rashard Lewis and James Jones exercise options to stay with Heat

The Miami HEAT announced today that both forward James Jones and forward Rashard Lewis, being smart to stick with a championship team — even one that barely gives them any minutes — have exercised their player options for the 2013-14 season.

Jones, a 10-year NBA veteran, appeared in 38 games with the HEAT this season, and has earned postseason berths in each of his five seasons with Miami, including two NBA Championships. The Miami native has appeared in 246 career games with the HEAT, averaging 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 39.8 percent from three-point range. He hit a career-high 123 three-point field goals during the 2010-11 season while capturing the 2011 NBA Three-Point Shootout title. Jones originally signed with the HEAT as a free agent on July 9, 2008.

Lewis, a 15-year NBA veteran, appeared in 55 games (nine starts) with the HEAT this season averaging 5.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 14.4 minutes while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from three-point range. He scored in double-figures 13 times this season,  including a season-high 19 points twice, first vs. Boston on April 12 and then at Cleveland on April 15. He appeared in 11 postseason games during Miami’s championship run this season totaling 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks while shooting 40 percent from the field in 47 minutes of action. He was originally signed by the HEAT as a free agent on July 11, 2012.

LeBron James not thinking about possible 2014 free agency yet

LeBron James has this summer on his mind, and is already starting to plan for next season.

The summer of 2014, that can wait.

James said Tuesday that he is not thinking about the possibility of becoming a free agent in 12 months, though he did acknowledge that the prospects of competing with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley for several more championships with the Miami Heat is more than a tiny bit intriguing.

”That’s the goal,” James said. ”That’s the ultimate finish. And we all hope that can happen, obviously.”

James’ final interview session of this season revealed plenty in 17 minutes, including that he’s already feeling an itch to get back on the basketball court after just a few days off, that he’ll stop at nothing to give longtime girlfriend Savannah Brinson anything she wants on their wedding day in a couple months, and that he’s making no secret of his hope that the Heat bring back at least the majority of this year’s championship roster.

The most interesting news, however, was when he spoke of his short- and long-term plans. First, he’s vowing to come back better next season, which is no small promise from someone with four MVP awards, two Finals MVP awards and who carries the tag of ”best player in the world.” And then next summer, it certainly sounds as if he’s going to give the prospects of staying in Miami a good, long look.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Pacers begin search for new assistant coach

Two days before the NBA draft, Pacers coach Frank Vogel was handed a new task – finding another assistant coach.

A day after word leaked that Vogel’s top assistant, Brian Shaw, had been hired as Denver’s new head coach, Vogel told reporters he already has a list of potential replacements. The goal: Make a quick hire.

”I’m thinking like 3 or 4 o’clock this afternoon,” Vogel joked Tuesday when asked about having a timetable for the hire. ”Seriously, we’d like to do it as quickly as the process allows, making sure, of course, that we do our due diligence on the people we’re bringing in here.”

Vogel did not drop any hints of who might be on his list of candidates, but he did talk about a few essential skills the next assistant will need.

He wants someone who fits in with a young team that appears to be on the verge of becoming a perennial championship contender.

— Reported by Michael Marot of the Associated Press

Heat owner Micky Arison to step down as CEO of Carnival Cruises

Miami-based Carnival Corp. & PLC announced Tuesday that longtime Chairman and CEO Micky Arison will step down as company CEO, but continue as chairman in a move to split the two roles.

Carnival said business leader and 12-year board member Arnold W. Donald will assume the CEO role effective July 3, Carnival said in a news release Tuesday.

Arison has held the role of CEO since 1979, and as chairman he’ll continue to provide board level oversight and will remain the company’s largest shareholder, Carnival said.

Donald in turn will lead the executive team, focusing initially on achieving the company’s long-term strategic goals.

Carnival said the move to split the roles has received unanimous approval from the company’s nominating and governance committee as well as the full board of directors.

Reported by Arlene Satchell of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel