Raptors make front office changes; Alvin Williams promoted

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday a reorganization of the basketball operations department with two key promotions. In their new positions, Marc Eversley will take on a more significant role in player personnel scouting and evaluation with the title of Assistant General Manager and Alvin Williams will transition to the front office as the team’s Director of Player Development.

Eversley, in his fifth season with the Raptors, previously served as Assistant General Manager, Player Development, coordinating the off-court development of players and assisting in the management of the team’s day-to-day operations.

“The departure of Masai Ujiri to the Denver Nuggets has opened up a nice opportunity for Marc,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “Marc has been actively involved in the scouting and decision-making process so this is a natural step for him to take.”

Williams was originally hired as an Assistant Coach/Basketball Development on July 1, 2009, marking his first foray into team management since he ended his NBA playing career in 2007. He played nine seasons with the Raptors from 1997-2006.

In his new role, Williams will now assume the task of off-court development for the team including the planning and coordinating of life skills training and overall player relationship management. He is expected to continue to travel with the team while working as needed on-court with players in their basketball development.

“While Alvin loved getting back on the court last season in a coaching role, I think he always had his sights set on management someday. I trust and value his opinions on basketball and people and he will be an invaluable resource to the players, coaches and management team alike,” added Colangelo.

Mo Williams groin pain will hinder him through mid October

Cavaliers guard Mo Williams experienced right groin pain while working out at Cleveland Clinic Courts in preparation for the upcoming NBA season.

He was examined by Head Team Physician Dr. Richard Parker, including an MRI at The Cleveland Clinic. Results revealed inflammation.

He will now undergo a period of treatment and rehab at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

He is expected to participate in select low-impact team activities with the start of training camp next week, but is currently projected to not resume full practice participation until mid-October.

Grizzlies sign first round picks Xavier Henry and Greivis Vasquez

The Memphis Grizzlies signed first round picks Xavier Henry (ZAH-vee-ay) and Greivis Vasquez (GRAY-vess VASS-kez) to multi-year contracts, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“It’s great to have both Xavier and Greivis signed and in the fold now,” Wallace said. “They’re both very bright young men from tremendous college programs. We think they can definitely help our team.

“Xavier has an advantage in that he has an NBA body. He can make shots. That’s his main strength right now. He’s also a very mature, heady young man from a terrific basketball family.

“Greivis is a player coming off a fantastic senior year at Maryland, where he won the Bob Cousy Award as the top playmaker in the country and the ACC Player of the Year. He was an across-the-board player in college. He scored, rebounded, assisted, and got steals. He just needs to come in and play that all-around game, and also show the passion that was his trademark in college.”

Henry, a 6-6, 220-pound guard, was selected 12th overall by the Grizzlies in the 2010 NBA Draft after earning 2009-10 Big 12 All-Freshman honors in his lone season at the University of Kansas.  The southpaw placed second on the Jayhawks in scoring (13.4 points) while averaging 4.4 rebounds and 1.50 steals per game.

The 19-year-old marksman, who shot 41.8 percent from three-point range (69-of-165 3FG) in college, will add perimeter shooting to a Grizzlies squad that finished 30th in the NBA in three-point field goals made (344) and attempted (1020) and 26th in three-point field goal percentage (.337) last season.  Born in Gent, Belgium and raised in Oklahoma City, Henry is the first player in Jayhawks history to leave for the NBA following his freshman season.

Vasquez, a 6-6, 200-pound guard, was selected 28th overall by the Grizzlies in the 2010 NBA Draft.  The reigning ACC Player of the Year and the winner of the 2009-10 Bob Cousy Award as the nation’s best point guard, Vasquez is the only player in ACC history to record at least 2,000 points (2,171), 750 assists (772) and 600 rebounds (647) in a career.  The 23-year-old posted 19.6 points, 6.3 assists (5th in NCAA) and 4.6 rebounds as a senior at the University of Maryland.

A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Vasquez averaged 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and a team-high 4.0 assists in five games (three starts) in the 2010 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Spurs hire Jacque Vaughn as assistant coach

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Jacque Vaughn has been added to the team’s coaching staff. He will join the Spurs as an assistant coach.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jacque back to the Spurs family,” said Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich. “The same attributes that made him the ultimate pro as a player will make him an outstanding coach. He has a great work ethic, is very intelligent and has an extremely high basketball IQ. He’ll be a wonderful addition to our coaching staff.”

Vaughn played 12 seasons in the NBA, retiring after the 2008-09 campaign.

After an outstanding collegiate career, Vaughn was selected by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft, with the 27th overall pick.  During each of his four seasons at Kansas he led the Jayhawks in assists.  He was named a Second Team All-American in both his junior and senior seasons.  Vaughn was named the 1996 Big Eight Player of the Year as a junior and he was the 1997 GTE Academic All-American of the Year (thanks to a 3.72 GPA).  He ranks second on KU’s all-time list in career assists, handing out 804 in his four seasons with Kansas.

Vaughn spent his first four NBA seasons with the Jazz. He then enjoyed stints with Atlanta, Orlando and New Jersey before signing with the Spurs on July 12, 2006. He played his final three seasons with the Spurs and was the back-up point guard on the Spurs 2007 NBA Championship team. In his 12-year NBA career he averaged 4.5 points and 2.5 assists in 776 games.

Vaughn and his wife, Laura, have two sons, Jalen and Jeremiah.

Warriors, Don Nelson to reportedly part ways

Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle reports:

Warriors, Don Nelson to reportedly part ways

Sources said Thursday that Warriors coach Don Nelson will be out by the opening of training camp Tuesday and will give way to assistant coach Keith Smart, who will be tasked with leading the transition to a new era under yet-to-be-approved owners Peter Guber and Joe Lacob.

Nelson, 70, who last season became the league’s all-time winningest coach, said just weeks before the Warriors’ summer-league games in July that he was reinvigorated and would coach the team in Las Vegas. But when the summer league opened, Nelson had already opted not to coach and didn’t even show up for practices.

His voice-mail greeting Thursday said it all: “Hi, this is Nellie. I’m busy, very busy, probably swimming with the dolphins.”

Nelson might be allowed to call the decision a resignation, but sources said he was interested in remaining with the team in some non-coaching capacity but instead was asked to leave altogether. ESPN reported that Nelson will receive the entire $6 million he is owed for the 2010-11 season. General manager Larry Riley did not return a message left on his cell phone.


Don Nelson Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors in action vs. the Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. The Kings beat the Warriors 115-98 Photo via Newscom

Expect more technical fouls in 2010-11 NBA season

Henry Abbott of ESPN.com reports:

NBA referees will have more reasons to issue technical fouls next season.

At the referees’ annual meeting in Jersey City, N.J., on Thursday, the league announced the guidelines for technical fouls will expand to include “overt” player reactions to referee calls.

Referees have been instructed to call a technical for:

– Players making aggressive gestures, such as air punches, anywhere on the court.

– Demonstrative disagreement, such as when a player incredulously raises his hands, or smacks his own arm to demonstrate how he was fouled.

– Running directly at an official to complain about a call.

– Excessive inquiries about a call, even in a civilized tone.

In addition, referees have been instructed to consider calling technicals on players who use body language to question or demonstrate displeasure, or say things like, “Come on!” They can also consider technicals for players who “take the long path to the official”, walking across the court to make their case.

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

Timofey Mozgov impressing Knicks early

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports:

Timofey Mozgov, the Knicks’ new international man of mystery, may have won the starting center job even before training camp begins.

A Knicks official says that Mozgov, the 7-1 rookie from St. Petersburg, Russia, has been impressive during voluntary training sessions in Greenburgh and that coach Mike D’Antoni is already considering starting Mozgov alongside Amar’e Stoudemire, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Raymond Felton.

Mozgov’s presence is further proof that Eddy Curry’s days with the club are numbered. Curry’s expiring contract makes him a valuable trading asset that the Knicks would gladly include in a potential deal for Denver’s Carmelo Anthony. However, unless the Knicks can acquire a first-round pick to send to the Nuggets, it is unlikely that team president Donnie Walsh will have the pieces to satisfy Denver.

Nets continue push for Carmelo Anthony

Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports:

Nets continue push for Carmelo Anthony

The Nets may come out of all this discussing and proposing without Carmelo Anthony, but it won’t be from a lack of trying.

The Nets have been in steady discussions with the Nuggets and other teams, attempting to piece together a deal that would bring the 26-year-old All-Star to New Jersey through a sign and trade. The Nets have explored a straight Nuggets-Nets deal and have sought to bring in other teams, if necessary, to get it done.

Sources around the league insist the Nets have been persistent in their pursuit which has provided a roller coaster of optimism and say the Nets believe they have made progress. But as one rival executive stressed, “Denver has a new [management] team in place, and they are going to check, recheck and then delay any deal, especially anything involving their best player.”


Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony (L) goes up for a jump shot against Utah Jazz's C.J. Miles in the first quarter of Game 4 of their NBA Western Conference playoff series in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 25, 2010. REUTERS/Ramin Rahimian (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

Mavericks sign Steve Novak

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed forward Steve Novak. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. InsideHoops.com assumes it’s a nonguaranteed contract for training camp.

Novak (6-10, 230) joins the Mavericks as a free agent from the Los Angeles Clippers where he spent the past two NBA seasons. He holds career averages of 4.1 points, 1.1 rebounds and 10.1 minutes in 195 career games with four starts.

Originally a second round draft pick (32nd overall) of the Houston Rockets in 2006, Novak played two seasons in Houston before being traded to the Clippers. In 2008-09, his first season with Los Angeles, Novak enjoyed a career year where he averaged 6.9 points and 1.8 rebounds in 16.4 minutes while shooting 44.4 percent from the floor and 91.3 percent from the free throw line.

Novak played his collegiate career at Marquette University. As a freshman, he saw action in 33 games and was a member of the Golden Eagles’ 2003 Final Four team along with current NBA players Dwyane Wade and Travis Diener. As a senior, Novak led Marquette averaging a team-high 17.5 points a game while shooting 97.5 percent from the foul line.

A native of Brown Deer, Wis., Novak played high school basketball for his father, Michael, and was named the 2002 Wisconsin Boys Basketball Player of the Year.