Celtics re-sign Tony Allen

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have re-signed guard Tony Allen.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Allen, a 6’4”, 213lb guard, has spent his entire four year career with the Celtics after being drafted with the 25th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.  The former Oklahoma State Cowboy recorded career highs in minutes (1373), assists (114) and points (494) in 75 games last season as he worked to return from his January 2007 knee injury.  Allen posted averages of 6.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game during the 2007-08 campaign.  In his 11 starts last season Allen averaged 9.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.45 steals in 29.2 minutes per game including a 16 point performance in a 110-91 victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles on December 31, 2007.  The Celtics had a 9-2 record in games that Allen started last season.  Allen has posted career averages of 7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.01 steals in 236 career games.

Spurs re-sign Kurt Thomas

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have re-signed forward/center Kurt Thomas.  Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

The 6-9, 235-lb Thomas joined the Spurs on 2/20/08 in a trade with the Seattle Sonics in exchange for Brent Barry and Francisco Elson .  He appeared in 28 games for the Silver and Black, averaging 4.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game.  Thomas saw action in all 17 playoff games, averaging 4.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per contest. The former Texas Christian University standout started the season with the Sonics where he played in 42 games, averaging 7.5 points and 8.8 rebounds.

For his career Thomas has played for six NBA teams (Heat, Mavericks, Knicks, Suns, Sonics and Spurs).  In 817 career games he has averaged 9.7 points and 7.4 rebounds in 27.3 minutes.

Magic sign-and-trade Keyon Dooling to Nets

The New Jersey Nets have acquired guard Keyon Dooling from the Orlando Magic in exchange for cash considerations, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today.

“Keyon is a versatile NBA veteran, and we are pleased to add him to our roster,” said Thorn.  “His ability to play both the point and shooting guard positions will add flexibility and depth to our backcourt rotation.”

Dooling, a 6-3, 195 pound guard, averaged 8.1 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 72 games, including one start, for Orlando during the 2007-08 season.  The eight-year NBA veteran has appeared in 465 games with the Clippers, Heat and Magic, holding career averages of 6.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists.  Originally drafted with the 10th overall pick out of Missouri in the 2000 NBA Draft, Dooling has averaged 7.1 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 29 career postseason contests for the Heat and Magic.

InsideHoops.com says: The Nets now have about 64 players on their roster. This could mean the team may try to trade Marcus Williams, maybe for a protected first rounder, or a pair of second rounders plus cash or something. They also may try to package a pair of big guys, like Sean Williams or Josh Boone and get one big guy back in return.

As of now the Nets look like a lottery team. Unless this new cast develops really magical team chemistry, making the playoffs could be tough.

Good deal for the Nets though. Dooling makes any team better.

Celtics keeping Tony Allen and Eddie House

The Boston Globe (Marc Spears) reports: The Celtics agreed to terms with guards Eddie House and Tony Allen to return, general manager Danny Ainge announced today. Both will get two-year contracts (though House’s second year is a player option, according to an NBA source). House’s deal was made using a portion of the team’s $5.5 million mid-level exception. According to the source, House will make $2.7 million next season and $2.9 million the year after if he excercises his option.

InsideHoops.com reaction: Good move by the Celtics. Both players are worth signing. Still, the team does need to replace James Posey, who was like a combination of Robert Horry (clutch shots in the playoffs) and Bruce Bowen (good defense on key swingmen) when it mattered most.

Though, hats off to Paul Pierce for guarding Kobe in the Finals about as well as Posey did.

Darius Miles comeback attempt

SI (Ian Thompson) reports: Darius Miles is trying to become the first player to return from an injury that was deemed to be “career-ending” by the NBA. If he were to sign a new contract and play in 10 or more games this season, his $9 million salary would go back on Portland’s books — though his return would not affect the Trail Blazers as badly as has been advertised. Miles underwent microfracture surgery to repair his right knee in November 2006. He hasn’t played since, and he was released by the Blazers in April after the “career-ending” judgment was made by an independent medical examiner appointed by the NBA and the players’ union. In recent weeks, Miles has had workouts — ranging from two hours to less than 30 minutes — with the Nets, Celtics, Suns and Mavericks, all of whom controlled the terms while asking Miles to compete against other players.

Referee Jess Kersey to retire

The Sacramento Bee (Scott Howard-Cooper) reports: More bad news on the referee front. Jess Kersey, one of the best, will retire, barring an unexpected change of plans, because of a serious hip injury that cost him all last season. An announcement is expected sometime in the summer, an unusual move for the league that reflects Kersey’s status after 31 years, 189 playoff games and 18 Finals games.

Yao Ming returns to action for China

The AP reports: Houston Rockets centre Yao Ming played in his first game in almost six months Thursday, joining China’s national team in an Olympics warmup against Serbia. Entering to huge applause from the crowd in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Yao appeared rusty in scoring six points over seven minutes in the first half. Four of those came from free throws, helping China race to a 51-39 lead after the second quarter. Yao’s appearance at the Stankovic Cup is his first game action since he suffered a stress fracture to his left foot in February, ending his NBA season and threatening his star turn as part of China’s team.

Wolves to keep Craig Smith

The Minneapolis Star Tribune (Jerry Zgoda) reports: Craig Smith is the first of the Wolves’ own free agents to reach an agreement with the team, coming to terms on a two-year deal he will sign when he is expected to join the summer-league team in Las Vegas today. Now how, or if, Smith will play in the remaining three games is uncertain, but since the summer team’s practice days all have passed, it wouldn’t make much sense for him to travel from his home in Los Angeles to Vegas if he wasn’t going to play at least a game.

Hornets to get James Posey

The Boston Herald reports: According to an NBA source, free agent forward James Posey has agreed to a four-year contract with the New Orleans Hornets. The Celtics had been offering three years at the full mid-level exception.

InsideHoops.com says: This hurts Boston. Posey was their best role player, by far. He exceeded all expectations, especially when it counted most. The Hornets still need more pieces to push them to the top but Posey is a very good addition. Hopefully he stays hungry despite getting his contract.

Hawks hire Jim Todd and Tyrone Hill as assistant coaches

The Atlanta Hawks have named Jim Todd and Tyrone Hill to the coaching staff of Mike Woodson, it was announced this afternoon. The two new assistants join fellow coaches Larry Drew and Bob Bender on Woodson’s staff.

Todd, involved in coaching basketball at the high school, college or professional level since 1976, comes to the Hawks from Milwaukee, where he spent last season as an assistant under Larry Krystkowiak.  Prior to joining the Bucks, he worked three seasons in Toronto in a similar capacity for Raptors’ coach Sam Mitchell (2004-07).  During his final season in Toronto, the Raptors posted a franchise-record 47 wins, as well as capturing their first Atlantic Division title.

He began his NBA career in Milwaukee as an assistant coach under Chris Ford from 1996-98, and followed Ford to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1998, where he was named interim head coach on February 3, 2000. Following that stint, Todd headed to the collegiate ranks for one season (2001-02) as an assistant at DePaul University, before returning to the Bucks as a coaching consultant in 2002-03, and an assistant one year later.

After spending two seasons as a volunteer coach with the Hawks, the 14-year veteran Hill makes his entry into the coaching ranks.  The 6-9 forward was a former first round pick (11th overall) in the 1990 draft of the Golden State Warriors who averaged 9.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 0.5 blocks (.502 FG%).

Hill played for five NBA teams during his career – Golden State, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Miami – with his longest stint coming on two occasions with the Cavaliers (1993-94 to -97 and 2001-03).

In 1996-97, he set the team’s single-season franchise record after shooting a career-best .600 from the field (and ranked second in the NBA).