Trail Blazers name Hersey Hawkins player development director

The Portland Trail Blazers have named Hersey Hawkins Player Development Director, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today.

“We’re very excited to be adding a person of Hersey Hawkins’ character and stature to our team,” said Pritchard. “He brings wisdom and a wealth of experience both on and off the court. Hawk was the consummate pro as a player and will play an integral role in the off-court development of our players.”

In his new position with the team, Hawkins, 42, will be a resource to support each player’s professional, social and personal development. He will help build strong relationships with players, their families, agents and business associates. Hawkins will also work closely with Basketball Operations, player representatives and the Trail Blazers’ business departments to help build and maintain strategic partnerships.

“To be joining one of the best franchises in sports is extremely exciting for my family and me,” said Hawkins. “They have a great nucleus of players there and Portland fans support their team like no other, and that made it a very compelling opportunity.”

As a senior at Bradley University, Hawkins led the nation in scoring (36.3 pts) and is one of only seven NCAA Division I men’s basketball players to score 3,000 career points.

He was the sixth overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft and played 13 seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics and Chicago Bulls.

Hawkins partnered with Nate McMillan in the SuperSonics backcourt when Seattle took on the Chicago Bulls in the 1996 NBA Finals.

For his career, Hawkins ranks 27th in NBA history in three-point field goals made (1226) and finished in the top-10 in three-point shooting in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1995.

Among his many career accomplishments, Hawkins also won the 1999 NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Since retiring from the league in 2001, Hawkins has split his time as a TV analyst for NBA and college basketball broadcasts and as an assistant basketball coach for his son’s team, Estrella Foothills High School in Goodyear, Ariz.

Kings sign Jon Brockman

The Sacramento Kings today signed rookie forward Jon Brockman to a contract, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Brockman was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (38th overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft and his draft rights were acquired by the Kings along with guard Sergio Rodriguez and cash considerations in exchange for the draft rights to Jeff Pendergraph, who the Kings selected with the 31st pick.

In four seasons (2005-06 – 2008-09) with the University of Washington, Brockman averaged 13.8 points (.534 FG%, .612 FT%), 9.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game in 131 career games. The 6-7, 255-pound forward finished his collegiate career as the Huskies’ all-time rebounder with 1,283 boards and second-leading scorer with 1,805 points. Brockman became the first player in school history to record more than 1,800 points and 1,200 rebounds, a feat achieved by only four players in Pac-10 history. A two-time All-Pac-10 First Team selection, Brockman averaged a double-double in each of his last two seasons (14.9 ppg and 11.5 rpg in 2008-09 and a career-best 17.8 ppg and 11.6 rpg in 2007-08). Brockman was a teammate of current Kings center Spencer Hawes during the 2007-08 season at Washington.

NBA fines Stephen Jackson

Stephen Jackson of the Golden State Warriors has been fined $25,000 for public statements detrimental to the NBA.  The statements were made on August 28 and concerned Jackson’s desire to be traded to a team other than the Warriors.

Players are not permitted to make trade requests publicly.  Ron Artest, then of the Indiana Pacers, was fined during the 2005-06 season for requesting a trade through the media.

76ers sign Rodney Carney

76ers sign Rodney Carney

Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has signed free agent swingman Rodney Carney.

“Rodney Carney is a player that we feel will mesh extremely well with our current personnel and in the up-tempo style of play that Coach Jordan will continue to implement this season,” Stefanski said. “We think that Rodney is one of the most athletic players in the league who has the ability to stretch the floor and we are happy to have him back.”

A three-year veteran, Carney (6-7, 205) spent his first two seasons with the Sixers before being traded to Minnesota along with Calvin Booth, cash considerations and a future first round pick in exchange for a future second round pick on July 9, 2008.  The move helped Philadelphia sign free agent forward Elton Brand last summer.

In 67 games with six starts for the Timberwolves last season, Carney averaged a career-high 7.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game while shooting 41.6% from the floor and career-bests of 35.0% from 3-point range and 75.8% from the line.

Carney also had 45 steals to just 43 turnovers last season and would have ranked fifth in the NBA in steal-to-turnover ratio (1.05) had he qualified.  For his career, Carney has more steals (122) than turnovers (120).

The 25-year-old hit 79 3-pointers last season, after having just 63 3FGM his first two seasons combined.  Carney hit 2+ 3FGM 21 times last season, including a career-high 7 3FGM at Philadelphia on Mar. 25.

Last season, Philly ranked second-to-last in 3-pointers made (4.2 3FGM per) and last in 3-point percentage (31.8% 3FGs).  With the addition of Carney and Jason Kapono, who was acquired via trade back in June, the Sixers have obtained two players who shot a combined 38.9% from behind-the-arc last season.

Heat front-office take pay cuts

Times are tough these days economically for a lot of people. Myself included. I only had five or six hour-long full body massages these past two weeks as I vacation overseas. We’re all making sacrifices.

Anyway, the Miami Heat are cutting some payroll. Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports:

Economic problems have forced Heat president Pat Riley, coach Erik Spoelstra and several members of the team’s front-office to take pay cuts entering the season.

Spoelstra said recently that he expected to open his second season as coach with his entire staff of assistants intact. But financial problems that led to reductions of about 20 employees on the business staff earlier this year have apparently spilled over to basketball operations.

The Heat is already facing the prospect of having to pay about $3 million in NBA luxury tax fees for operating beyond the league’s $69.9 million threshold for excessive payrolls.

It needs to be said that the biggest waste of money in Miami these past few years was on former Heat center Mark Blount. He’s gone now, though, so things can only get brighter on South Beach.

InsideHoops talks to Brandon Jennings

Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings is a flashy, exciting point guard. And with Ramon Sessions gone, the kid has a great shot at being an immediate contributor.

Instead of spending one year on a college campus pretending to be a student, Jennings went overseas after high school and received limited minutes in Rome.

InsideHoops.com met with him in early August. Read the Brandon Jennings interview.

Suns buy out Sasha Pavlovic

The Phoenix Suns didn’t feel they had a need or use for Sasha Pavlovic, so the team and player have parted ways. Stefan Swiat of Suns.com reports:

Suns buy out Sasha Pavlovic

As expected, Sasha Pavlovic’s basketball career in Phoenix was finished before it ever even began. The Suns have agreed to buy out Pavlovic’s contract in a move that will allow the team greater salary cap flexibility moving forward.

Marc Cornstein, Pavlovic’s agent, approached the Suns recently to talk to the team about a prospective buyout. If Pavlovic would have remained with the Suns, there was a reasonable chance that he would have been waived in December, allowing the organization to pay much less of a luxury tax to the league.

The 6-7 guard/forward averaged just 4.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per game last season.

Mavericks re-sign James Singleton

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have re-signed forward James Singleton. Per team policy, terms of the deal were undisclosed.  Several media outlets reported that the deal is a $1.03 million qualifying offer for next season.

“We are excited to bring James back into the fold for next season,” said President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Donnie Nelson.  “His tireless work ethic and lockerroom presence were a large part of our success last year. We couldn’t be happier to keep James in the Mavericks family.”

Last season, Singleton (6-8, 230) played in 62 games (starting six times) for Dallas and averaged career-highs in points (5.1), rebounds (4.0) and minutes (14.3).  He also shot a career-high 52.9% (117-221 FGs) from the field, 32.5% (13-40 3FGs) from 3-point range and 85.9% (67-78 FTs) from the line.

Originally signed by Dallas as a free agent on July 11, 2008, Singleton holds career averages of 3.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 11.6 minutes in 174 games (16 starts).

The Chicago native attended Murray State University after transferring from Pearl River Community College (Miss.).

In an additional transaction, the Mavericks requested waivers on veteran guard Greg Buckner. Dallas acquired Buckner in a four-team trade on July 9, 2009.

Buckner (6-4, 210) was originally a second-round draft choice of the Mavericks in 1998. The veteran guard has played two stints in Dallas and holds career averages of 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 570 games.

“We wish Buck nothing but the very best,” said Nelson.  “Given our depth at that position, coupled with the number of guaranteed contracts, there is simply no room on our roster. This early release will also afford him the chance to secure an opportunity elsewhere.”

Greg Ostertag attempting comeback

Greg Ostertag was a somewhat solid NBA center. Weak as a starter, but better than most of the league’s backups. He was big. He got dunked on by Shaquille O’Neal a lot. He had limited ability

The former Utah Jazzman is reportedly attempting a comeback. Jody Genessy of the Deseret News reports:

The former Jazz center is attempting an NBA comeback.

He even recently worked out for a team.

Last week, Ostertag participated in a scrimmage with the Portland Trail Blazers, who are reportedly auditioning big men, including perhaps Jarron Collins, the Oregonian reported.

Ostertag had some rocky moments in his relationship with Sloan, which is why the Hall-of-Fame shout-out was unexpected.

Now 36 years old, Ostertag hasn’t played in the NBA for more than three years, which is why his reported workout was eye-opening.

I’d say there’s a 95 percent chance no one signs him, and a 5 percent chance he lands a nonguaranteed minimum deal for a team’s training camp.