Rockets promote Gersson Rosas

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey today announced the promotion of Gersson Rosas to Vice President of Player Personnel.  Rosas, who is entering his sixth season with the organization, had served as the team’s Director of Player Personnel last season.

“Gersson has played a key role in our team’s success over the past few seasons and this expanded role is more representative of the impact he has had on our basketball operations,” said Morey.  “His superior decision making and leadership qualities are critical to our basketball operations department.  The rapid expansion of Gersson’s role and responsibilities over the past two seasons serves as a clear indication of his value to our basketball operations.”

In his new role, Rosas will be responsible for assisting Morey in all phases of the team’s basketball operations.  He will oversee the team’s player personnel matters including the evaluation of draft prospects, free agents and potential trade targets. In addition, he will supervise the Rockets’ domestic and international scouting departments, while also assisting in the coordination of the team’s Player Development program.

Prior to his present stint with the Rockets, Rosas was the head coach of the Global Games Prep USA Team during the summer of 2004. Rosas’ experience also includes work as a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team at the University of Houston (2003-04), as an assistant coach on Westbury Christian’s High School state championship team (2002-03) and as a basketball coordinator for the Venezuelan Basketball Federation during the 2002 World Basketball Championships, which was the Venezuelan National Team that featured former Rockets guard Oscar Torres.

In addition, he has been an active participant in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program, the NBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program (2006-2009), including serving this past summer as the Americas Camp Director in Mexico City. Rosas also served as the director of college counselors at RBKU All American Camp (2007, 2008) and as a camp coach at the Reebok ABCD Camp (2006, 2007).

Blazers sign Juwan Howard

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed free agent forward Juwan Howard to a one-year contract, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Juwan Howard will add a wealth of experience and veteran savvy to our young, talented roster,” said Pritchard. “We look forward to Juwan’s contributions on the court and in the locker room.”

Howard (6-9, 250, Michigan) holds career averages of 14.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 1,043 games (871 starts) over a 15-year NBA career with Washington, Dallas, Denver, Orlando, Houston and Charlotte.

Originally selected by Washington with the fifth overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, Howard garnered All-Rookie Second Team honors in 1994-95 and earned a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team in 1995-96.

Howard averaged 17 points or more and seven-plus rebounds in each of his first five seasons in the league. He has tallied 188 career double-doubles.

Howard, 36, played three games last season for Denver and appeared in 39 contests for Charlotte. In 42 total games, Howard averaged 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 11.2 minutes in 2008-09. He reached double figures in scoring five times.

The Chicago, Ill., native has appeared in the NBA Playoffs four times, averaging 9.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 23 games.

A member of the “Fab Five” at the University of Michigan, Howard was named Third Team All-American in 1994 after averaging 20.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in his junior season. Howard then entered the NBA Draft, becoming the first NBA player to leave school early and graduate on time.

Howard becomes the 14th player on Portland’s roster. He will wear jersey No. 6.

Heat to retire Tim Hardaway`s jersey

The Miami HEAT announced today that it will retire Tim Hardaway’s number 10 jersey in a pre-game ceremony prior to the team’s Oct. 28 season-opener against the New York Knicks. Hardaway will become just the second HEAT player to have his jersey retired, joining former teammate Alonzo Mourning whose number 33 jersey was retired on Mar. 30, 2009. The HEAT will honor Hardaway with a special pre-game video presentation and jersey retirement ceremony, where his jersey will be placed in the rafters alongside banners for Mourning and former team trainer Ron Culp and the HEAT’s division, conference, and NBA championship banners at the AmericanAirlines Arena.

“When you think about the Miami HEAT organization and the 20-plus years that the franchise has been in existence, there are always going to be those names that have helped develop the taproot and foundation for what we hope to be a long tradition of success here in Miami,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “Alonzo Mourning was one. His jersey now is hanging from the rafters in the AmericanAirlines Arena. Tim Hardaway is another, who today we are proud to announce will have his jersey retired on opening night against the New York Knicks. We feel that Tim has been one of those building blocks and one of those players who has done us proud and we feel he is most deserving of having this special honor on this particular night.”

During a sparkling 13-year NBA career, Hardaway was a five-time NBA All-Star and earned All-NBA honors on five occasions (First Team once, Second Team three times and Third Team once). He became the first player in HEAT history to earn All-NBA honors when he was chosen First Team All-NBA after leading Miami to a franchise-record 61 wins and its first-ever conference finals appearance during the 1996-97 season. Hardaway, who was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1989-90, also captured a gold medal with the United States Senior National Team at the 2000 Olympics, where he teamed with Mourning, and also as a member of the 1994 U.S. World Championship team.

He appeared in 867 regular season games with the HEAT (1996-01), Golden State Warriors (1989-96), Dallas Mavericks (2001-02), Denver Nuggets (2002) and Indiana Pacers (2002-03) and averaged 17.7 points, 8.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.65 steals and 35.3 minutes while shooting 43.1 percent from the floor, 35.5 percent from three-point range and 78.2 percent from the foul line during his career. He finished his career with 15,373 points, 7,095 assists, 1,542 three-point field goals made and 1,428 steals. The Chicago native ranks among the NBA’s all-time leaders in three-point field goals attempted (4th), three-point field goals made (7th), assists (13th) and steals (39th). Additionally, in 56 postseason contests he averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.57 steals and 36.6 minutes while shooting 39.3 percent from the floor, 32 percent from three-point range and 75.1 percent from the foul line.

Originally selected with the 14th overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft by Golden State, Hardaway was acquired by the HEAT from the Warriors along with Chris Gatling on Feb. 22, 1996 in exchange for Bimbo Coles and Kevin Willis in one of the greatest trades in franchise history. He currently ranks as Miami’s all-time leader in assists (2,867), three-point field goals made (806) and three-point field goals attempted (2,263). The University of Texas-El Paso graduate also ranks among Miami’s all-time leaders in field goals attempted (4th-5,498), double-doubles (4th-95), points (5th-6,335), field goals made (5th-2,252), free throw percentage (5th-80.1%), steals (5th-541), double-figure scoring efforts (tied 5th-315), free throws made (7th-1,025), free throws attempted (8th-1,279), games started (8th-367), minutes played (8th-13,271), games played (10th-367), defensive rebounds (11th-1,004), total rebounds (13th-1,180), field goal percentage (16th-41.0%) and three-point field goal percentage (16th-35.6%). He also owns the HEAT single-season assist record, recording 695 during the 1996-97 campaign. Additionally, Hardaway ranks as the HEAT’s all-time postseason leader in three-point field goals made (80) and three-point field goals attempted (220).

Pacers sign Luther Head

The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday they have signed free agent Luther Head to a contract. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Head, a 6-3, 185-pound guard from Illinois, has played four seasons in the NBA with Houston and Miami. He has a career scoring average of 8.6 points with a career-high of 10.9 in 2006-07 with the Rockets. That same season, Head shot .441 from 3-point range, which was fourth in the NBA that season and third best in Rockets’ history. He is a career 39 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

“Luther is a guy we have had our eye on,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird. “He can shoot, he has speed and quickness and he will fit in well in our up-tempo game. I think he’s going to be a good addition to our basketball team.”

Clippers re-sign Brian Skinner

Clippers re-sign Brian Skinner

The Los Angeles Clippers today re-signed unrestricted free agent forward Brian Skinner. Per team policy terms of the contract were not released. InsideHoops.com assumes (but has not confirmed) that it’s a very short contract for the league minimium.

In 51 games played with the Clippers last season, Skinner averaged 4.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 16.5 minutes per game. Over his 11 year NBA career, Skinner has tallied 4.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 18.3 minutes per game.

On June 30th, the Clippers announced that Skinner had decided not to exercise his player contract option for the 2009-10 NBA season, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Skinner was originally drafted by the Clippers in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft.

Mavericks practice jerseys and court have sponsor

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed HDNet as a sponsor for the team’s practice jerseys.  HDNet logo placement will also be on Mavericks coaching staff apparel worn at team practices.

HDNet is the ground-breaking independent network with unique and provocative content that appeals to men of all ages.  HDNet delivers more hours per week of award-winning, original, true high definition programming than any other television network.

“The Mavs and HDNet have been long time partners and we are excited to expand our relationship,” said Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban.

As part of the agreement, the HDNet logo will be featured throughout the Mavericks practice court.

Co-founded by Mark Cuban and Phillip Garvin, HDNet operates two 24/7 all high-definition channels (HDNet and HDNet Movies).  HDNet was launched on Sept. 6, 2001 and is now headquartered in Dallas and Denver.  The networks are available in the U.S. and Canada via 12 different cable and satellite providers.  HDNet, the reason HDTV was created.

Suns practice jerseys and court have sponsor

On the heels of the NBA’s approval to allow sponsorship of team practice jerseys for the first time, the Phoenix Suns and The Annexus Group, a Phoenix-based annuity design firm, announced today a new multi-year marketing partnership agreement. Suns President and CEO Rick Welts, Suns General Manager Steve Kerr, Suns Head Coach Alvin Gentry, and Ron Shurts and Don Dady, Partners in The Annexus Group made the announcement at US Airways Center.

The multi-year, mid-six figure deal (annually) includes exclusive logo placement on the team’s official practice jerseys for a two-year period, the length currently authorized by the NBA. The logo will be affixed on the upper right side of the jersey. The jerseys will be worn during official team practice and shootaround as well as during press interviews immediately following. The team’s coaching staff will also wear The Annexus Group branded gear during these times.  The Suns are the second NBA team to announce a practice jersey sponsor.

“We’re proud to partner with The Annexus Group, an innovative locally-based company that continues to build a growing national business,” said Welts.

As part of the partnership, the Suns practice court will be named the Annexus Practice Court. The facility will feature The Annexus Group logos on each end of the practice court and various other spaces. The Annexus Group will utilize the facility for seminars, meetings and business building opportunities.

“On a daily basis, we have the privilege of working with the ‘best of the best’ in our business. One of the keys to our growing this powerful network has been our opportunity to work with the top advisors and distributors in the industry. This practice facility sponsorship represents one more link in that value chain,” said Dady.

Tim Thomas has right knee surgery

tim thomas

Forward Tim Thomas will undergo arthroscopic surgery to his injured right knee the Dallas Mavericks announced today. Thomas injured his right knee while working out at his home in Southern California and is scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday, Sept. 22 for a suspected cartilage injury.

The surgery will be performed in Dallas by team orthopedic surgeon T.O. Souryal. A timetable for Thomas’ return will be set after the surgery.

SEPTEMBER 22 UPDATE

The Dallas Mavericks announced that forward Tim Thomas underwent arthroscopic surgery today to repair torn cartilage in his right knee.  Mavericks’ team physician Dr. T.O. Souryal performed the surgery at Texas Sports Medicine.  A timetable for his return has not been set.

All 82 Hawks games televised locally for first time

hawks basketball

Coming off the strength of their first winning season in 10 years, the Atlanta Hawks are thrilled to announce that all 82 regular season games will be televised, with the release this afternoon of the FOX Sports South and SportSouth broadcast schedules.  The combined 75 telecasts join the previously announced seven Hawks’ nationally televised games – one on TNT and six on ESPN.

“We are delighted that we are able to provide the entire Hawks regular season schedule to our fans this season,” said Tracy White, Hawks’ Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  “Combined with the interest shown by the league’s national partners, we know the FOX Sports South and SportSouth games will also feature great and compelling broadcasts over the course of the 2009-10 season.”

FOX Sports South will once again televise 30 games, featuring 11 home and 19 road telecasts, starting with the Friday, October 30th home game against the Washington Wizards (7:30 p.m.).  Two nights later, their next broadcast takes place at the Staples Center, as the Hawks play their first road game of the season against the current NBA World Champion Los Angeles Lakers (Sunday, November 1).  Among FOX Sports South’s other notable telecasts are road games at Cleveland (December 30) and Orlando (January 9), and the home season finale against Cleveland on Wednesday, April 14th.

SportSouth starts the Hawks broadcast schedule with the season opener, Wednesday, October 28th, at home against Indiana (7 p.m.).  The 45-game schedule includes 26 home and 19 road contests.  Not only will the network televise the only home game against the Lakers on Wednesday, March 31st, but SportSouth will also carry two of the four matchups against last year’s first round playoff adversary Miami (November 18 at home, January 4 in Miami) and the first of four games against second round opponent Cleveland (December 29).

During the month of March, fans will lock in to SportSouth as 12 of the 15 games televised that month will be shown on the network, while FOX Sports South will be the channel of choice in April, as the network’s final six games of the season will take the Hawks into the postseason.

The combined networks, with play-by-play announcer Bob Rathbun, analyst Dominique Wilkins, and sideline reporter James Verrett calling the action, will provide additional coverage with the return of Hawks LIVE, the expanded post-game highlight show with Jerome Jurenovich and Mike Glenn that gives viewers complete coverage after every televised game, including interviews with players and coaches, game highlights from around the NBA, and a look at the next opponent on the Hawks schedule.

Hawks’ games on FOX Sports South and SportSouth are available in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi (excluding the Biloxi/Gulfport, Memphis and New Orleans DMAs), Tennessee (excluding the Memphis and Jackson DMAs), the Charleston, Augusta and Savannah DMAs of South Carolina, the counties of Graham, Jackson, Macon and Swain in the Greenville-Spartanburg DMA of North Carolina, and the counties of Abbeville, Anderson and Oconee in Greenville-Spartanburg DMA.

Pacers co-owner Mel Simon dies

The AP reports: A spokesman says billionaire shopping mall magnate and Indiana Pacers co-owner Mel Simon has died at age 82. Simon Property Group spokesman Les Morris says Simon died Friday. Simon spent nearly 40 years leading what is now Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, the nation’s largest shopping mall company.

“Mel Simon was an extraordinary person, a giant of a man who contributed so much to our community and to our state,” said Pacers Sports & Entertainment President Jim Morris. “His kindness, generosity, creativity, warmth and genuine goodness is almost immeasurable. He’s one of the major reasons Indianapolis is a major league city in many different ways. The success of the Simon family has touched the lives and benefitted every single Hoosier.”

“Melvin was a very dear friend and golfing buddy,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird. “He is a true legend to this city, not only for the visible things that everyone sees each day, but because he was a man who cared about people. He is one of this country’s greatest success stories, a man who is a true example of the American Dream. As an owner of the Pacers, he was a joy to work for and to work with. But he wasn’t only an owner, he was the biggest and best Pacers fan. I will miss him and the Pacers’ family will miss him.”

“My heart is very heavy today, Mel Simon was a great owner but more importantly a loving and giving friend,” said former Pacers player Reggie Miller. “My thoughts and prayers go out to the Simon family.”

NBA Commissioner David Stern issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Indiana Pacers and Fever Owner Melvin Simon:

“The NBA family has lost one of its most successful and respected owners. More importantly, we have lost a great friend. Mel and Herb Simon purchased the Indiana Pacers in 1983, and under their stewardship the organization became a model franchise and one of the league’s most successful teams. Mel’s impact on the community, however, extended well beyond basketball. His social activism throughout the years earned many well-earned accolades. His influence, on and off the court, will be felt for a very long time. We extend our deepest sympathies to Mel’s wife Bren, their four children, and the entire Simon family.”