Brown hires one coach, keeps two; wants Moe to join staff
Associated Press
Updated: June 4, 2008, 2:10 PM ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown is pursuing his former college teammate, Doug Moe, to join his new coaching staff.

The Bobcats announced Wednesday that Brown hired Dave Hanners as an assistant and retained Phil Ford and Jeff Capel from former coach Sam Vincent's staff.

Brown indicated he was trying to get Moe to agree to return to the bench. The 69-year-old Moe played with Brown at North Carolina before becoming a longtime NBA head coach, notably with the Denver Nuggets. Moe is scheduled to retire as an assistant with the Nuggets.

"I talked to him and we're going to talk some more," Brown said. "He had asked me, 'What would I do?' I said, 'Whatever you want.' He's pretty special."

Moe and Brown first worked together in 1972 as coaches with the ABA's Carolina Cougars.

Brown, beginning his ninth NBA head coaching job, said he's also talked to former Vancouver and Golden State coach Brian Winters, ex-South Carolina coach Dave Odom, retiring NBA player Eric Snow and former New York and Sacramento assistant Brendan O'Connor about joining his staff.

Brown said he's also waiting to see what happens in Atlanta after the Hawks hired Rick Sund as general manager. Several members of Atlanta coach Mike Woodson's staff worked under Brown in Detroit.

Familiarity was important in Brown's new hires.

Hanners has worked under Brown in Philadelphia, New York and Detroit. He was a one-time teammate of Ford at North Carolina. Ford worked under Brown in Detroit.

"It was important to me to put together a staff that I feel comfortable with but also one that mirrors my coaching philosophy," Brown said.

The moves come in a busy offseason for the Bobcats. Brown was hired after Sam Vincent was let go following a 32-50 season. While the Bobcats have not officially announced the move, former coach and GM Bernie Bickerstaff has left his front office role with the team.

The Bobcats also announced that NBA player LaSalle Thompson was hired as strength and conditioning coach and Steve Stricker is the team's new athletic trainer.

Thompson played for Brown in Indiana, while Stricker was the former trainer in Washington when Bobcats part-owner Michael Jordan worked there.

Lawson busted:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3428920

Denver should draft him. They need a PG and Melo knows all the good bars.

Porter hired by Suns...

now i really wonder if the suns could trade for sheeeed

Marko Jaric is engaged to Adriana Lima.

http://www.cityclub-online-casino.com/images/dolar_icon.gifhttp://www.goodcowfilms.com/farm/basement/ga-archive/html_data_files/equal_sign.gifhttp://weblogs.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/politics/blog/Magic%2520Johnson.jpeg

Marko Jaric is engaged to Adriana Lima.

I was looking for some Roxette videos and I found this:

AKAJ3fkogF8

Looks like Jaric's finally going to be getting some... "after" they tie the knot, of course.

Woodson says he'll sign contract
June 13
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Hawks coach Mike Woodson said that he intends to sign a contract the team offered Thursday. The deal is for two years, according to two people familiar with the situation. Woodson would not comment on the specifics of the offer but told the Journal-Constitution that he intends to sign the contract. Woodson's current deal expires June 30, as do the contracts of his entire staff. But after two weeks of evaluations, new Hawks general manager Rick Sund has decided to stick with Woodson."

But after two weeks of evaluations, new Hawks general manager Rick Sund has decided to stick with Woodson."

This is a "there's no one better out there right now" contract.

Marko Jaric is engaged to Adriana Lima.
http://www.celebnewswire.com/archives/adriana_lima_engaged_virginity_loss_wedd.html

He just got bought out by the Raptors. This would be an intriguing pickup by the Pistons. If my memory serves me right, he seems like he has the Pistons DNA. Scrappy, willing to fight for rebounds and bang in the post. What do we have to lose? Imagine putting him and Maxiel out there at the same time? Or you could even start him if his injury is healed enough.

If he can't get PT in a weak Raptors front court I'm not sure how he gets PT here.

I know nothing about him.

Wow.

Not only the Navarro news, but check out that shit at the bottom.

Darko is even more irrelevant that we all thought.


Navarro follows money to Spain
Contract lures guard away from Grizzlies

By Ronald Tillery (Contact)
Memphis Commercial Appeal

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Grizzlies have experienced a different kind of La Bomba than they have become accustomed to.

Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro's chances of returning for a second season in Memphis were blown to pieces Wednesday afternoon when he decided to re-sign with FC Barcelona.

Navarro, who earned $538,000 with the Grizzlies last season, was swayed by a deal that will pay him between $20million and $24 million over the next four years.

After playing 10 seasons in Spain, Navarro nearly set a record for 3-pointers made by an NBA rookie.

The 27-year-old, 6-3 shooting guard proved to be a capable marksman as well as a capable defender.

The money, however, was too much to pass up. Memphis just wasn't going to match what Navarro stood to make in Europe.

The Grizzlies are still on the hook for a first-round draft pick they traded to the Washington Wizards to acquire the rights to Navarro. The pick is protected through 19 this year.

In 2009, picks 1-16 are protected; in 2010-12, picks 1-14 are protected; in 2013, picks 1-12 are protected. If the Wizards haven't used the pick by then, they will receive cash and a second-round pick.

Navarro was selected by the Wizards in the second round of the 2002 draft but never signed and developed into one of the top players in Europe.

Griz general manager Chris Wallace expressed no remorse about the deal.

"We needed to add outside shooting," Wallace said. "And obviously it was an attempt to solidify things with Pau (Gasol). But we're not going to have a Carmelo Anthony situation from it."

Wallace referred to the Vancouver Grizzlies' deal in which they relinquished the No. 2 overall pick in 2003 (which became Anthony) to satisfy a 1997 deal involving Otis Thorpe.

Also, shoulda drafted 'Melo.

It happened.

Figure that one out.

Per Chad Ford, Greg Oden will be held out of summer league action this year.

Odds to win 2009 NBA Championship

Atlanta Hawks
50/1

Boston Celtics
3/1

Charlotte Bobcats
75/1

Chicago Bulls
20/1

Cleveland Cavaliers
16/1

Dallas Mavericks
20/1

Denver Nuggets
25/1

Detroit Pistons
8/1

Golden State Warriors
40/1

Houston Rockets
15/1

Indiana Pacers
100/1

Los Angeles Clippers
100/1

Los Angeles Lakers
7/2

Memphis Grizzlies
100/1

Miami Heat
40/1

Milwaukee Bucks
100/1

Minnesota Timberwolves
100/1

New Jersey Nets
60/1

New Orleans Hornets
12/1

New York Knicks
50/1

Orlando Magic
25/1

Philadelphia 76ers
50/1

Phoenix Suns
20/1

Portland Trailblazers
25/1

Sacramento Kings
100/1

San Antonio Spurs
8/1

Seattle Supersonics
100/1

Toronto Raptors
50/1

Utah Jazz
18/1

Washington Wizards
50/1

Cavs, Jazz, and 6ers are the best deal on that board IMO. Actually, I like a lot of the east teams.

Ariza exercised his player option...who cares

(http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/450971)'Nice, lean roster' is Raptors' goal (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/450971)
(http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/450971)June 28

Toronto Star



"It's a virtual certainty that former second-round draft pick Ukic will be in Toronto next year and it appears the Raptors are willing to bring over this year's second-round pick, Australian centre Nathan Jawai, to let him try to develop his game. That leaves one spot for a third guard and one for perhaps another swingman to give Toronto a 13-man roster. "We do want to have a nice, lean roster," said Colangelo. The one player who seems to be on his way out is restricted free agent Carlos Delfino. Because of financial constraints, and the desire to give coach Sam Mitchell a chance to establish a regular rotation, Delfino doesn't appear to have a future with the Raptors. And because of those same issues, it's unlikely Toronto would entertain a sign-and-trade proposition for Delfino, who may end up heading to Europe, where he's sure to command a greater salary than he'll get in the NBA." (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/NBA/article/450971)

lol

Neitzel is playing for Minny's summer team

Neitzel is playing for Minny's summer team


Minny didn't extend a qualifying offer to Telfair or Kirk Snyder...so Neitzel could be a cheap alternative to make the roster...

since Petrovic or whoever they drafted in Rd 2 isn't going to play in the NBA yet, you could almost call him a 'lock' to make the team...

Minny's not gonna go after any FA's...

Neitzel is playing for Minny's summer team

Great story.

Nice piece by Bill Rhoden (NY Times) about Joe D.

Did the local media do anything about him getting his degree in May?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/sports/basketball/29rhoden.html?em&ex=1214884800&en=a85c989b05bbc2f4&ei=5087%0A

Paul Pierce in a Wheelchair (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-380/Paul-Pierce-in-a-Wheelchair.html)http://assets.espn.go.com/profile/i/trans/icon_report_hi.gif (http://myespn.go.com/profile/violation?ou=truehoopadmin&at=7&vid=1214601427322)


Paul Pierce's sense of humor is surely not injured in (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-380/Paul-Pierce-in-a-Wheelchair.html)this Jimmy Kimmel appearance (http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/breaking-the-most-amazing-of-discoveries-18517). Impressively funny stuff. (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-380/Paul-Pierce-in-a-Wheelchair.html)

Also impressive that he hasn't slept since winning the title. Wow.
The money question, however, is: Did Pierce ever get that MRI? What was the diagnosis?

The doctor I talked to shortly after his injury sure seemed to think an MRI (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-292/Paul-Pierce-s-Knee--Through-the-Eyes-of-a-Specialist.html), and possibly some surgery, as follow-up. Don't know if any of that is in the cards. But he is planning a long weekend in Las Vegas with his teammates. (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-380/Paul-Pierce-in-a-Wheelchair.html)

I'm all for fun, and the party. They've earned it for sure.

But the whole thing would be a lot more fun with evidence on hand to negate that nagging feeling that the highlight of the Finals might have been one part professional wrestling-style theatrics.