2013 January | Hoops Rumors

Maloofs Reach Deal To Sell Kings To Seattle Group

January 20th, 2013 at 11:25pm CST by Alex Lee

11:25pm: The 65 percent stake in the franchise is made up of the Maloof's ownership in addition to one minority owner, clarifies Stein, further adding that the NBA is expected to approve in order "to end this saga." Even with all of these details coming in, it is worth noting that Sacramento mayor (and former NBAer) Kevin Johnson was told by David Stern last week that he could present a counter offer for the Kings directly to the league's Board of Governors.

Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee, per a Johnson advisor, tweets that the mayor's camp considered this deal "fairly expected." Jason Jones of the Bee tweeted a statement released by the mayor's office:

"Sacramento has proven that it is a strong NBA market with a fan base that year in and year out has demonstrated a commitment to the Kings by selling out 19 of 27 seasons in a Top 20 market and owning two of the longest sellout streaks in NBA history. When it comes to keeping the team in our community, Sacramento is playing to win. In particular, we have been focused like a laser on identifying an ownership group that will both have the financial resources desired by the NBA and the vision to make the Kings the NBA equivalent of what the Green Bay Packers have been in the NFL."

11:07pm: The $525MM is a valuation of the total franchise, tweets Wojnarowski, meaning that the Seattle group will pay approximately $340MM for their 65 percent stake. While it is far less than $800MM, the $525MM valuation is still significantly more than the $300MM Forbes figure listed below.

10:56pm: Now that the sale is finalized, the NBA's relocation committee will approve the franchise's move to Seattle for next season, tweets Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, calling the process from here a "formality." Wojnarowski adds that the plan has always been to reclaim the "Sonics" name upon returning to Seattle. The deal was struck over the weekend of January 5th-6th, reports Wojnarowski, and by then Kevin Johnson's attempt to halt the process was too late. ESPN's J.A. Adande confirms Stein's report and tweets that the Maloofs will retain a small piece of the team.

10:32pm: The Maloofs have reached an agreement to sell 65 percent of the Kings to a Seattle group led by Chris Hansen for $525MM, reports ESPN's Marc Stein (via Twitter). Stein also tweets that the deal still requires "formal NBA ratification," but should it go through, the Hansen group intends to file for relocation by the league's March 1 deadline. The figure reported by Stein implies the franchise is worth north of $800MM. About a year ago, Forbes valued the Kings at $300MM.

As for the remaining 35 percent of the franchise, Stein's sources tell him that no agreement has been reached and that portion of the ownership is made up of minority investors, which obviously does not include the Maloofs. However, Stein reports that the Maloofs will receive a non-refundable $30MM deposit from the Hansen group regardless of whether sale is approved. According to Tony Bizjak, a reporter from the Sacramento Bee, the Kings have declined to comment.

Odds & Ends: Vucevic, Kings, Rockets, Cavs

January 20th, 2013 at 7:43pm CST by Alex Lee

Here are some news and notes from around the NBA on Sunday evening:

With his Magic hosting the Mavericks, Nikola Vucevic says that the career of fellow European Dirk Nowitzki inspired his game and his confidence as he developed his game as youngster, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. After being somewhat of a 76ers throw in in the Dwight Howard blockbuster, Vucevic has been a revelation in Orlando, averging 11.6 points and ranking third in the NBA in rebounding as a 22-year old.
Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee puts the Kings move scenario into context by providing other similar examples from professional sports, including the 1994 instance where the NBA blocked the Minnesota Timberwolves from moving to New Orleans. As we have seen recently, it appears as if the NBA has sided with Kevin Johnson and the city of Sacramento over Seattle.
Citing the team's abundance of youth, Daryl Morey says this trade deadline may very well be the first that goes by in his tenure as GM without the Rockets making a move, reports Jonathan Feigen of Ultimate Rockets. In addition to their youth, Morey understands that he must land another star to become a realistic contender – the type of star that doesn't appear to be available in the coming month.
With the franchise committed to building through the draft, Byron Scott is not worried about the Cavaliers 10-32 start, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer. Improved toughness and consistency, Scott says, will be the focus of the season's second half for his young team.

Suns Name Lindsey Hunter Interim Coach

January 20th, 2013 at 6:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

6:29pm: NBC/Comcast analyst Ric Bucher tweets that it is now a tough situation in Phoenix for Elston Turner, who he considers to have Tom Thibodeau-esque potential. After the Suns didn't allow him to follow Rick Adelman to Minnesota in 2011, Turner was passed over for the Blazers' job this summer and now has lost out to Hunter in Phoenix. Bucher speculates that based on the "dynamic" in Phoenix, it is hard to envision Turner or Majerle staying beyond their current contract obligations should Hunter remain at the helm.

12:55pm: Majerle isn't the only assistant coach on his way out of town, as player development coach Sean Rooks is leaving for a job overseas, Coro notes, adding that Rooks' move is unrelated to the other changes in Phoenix. Also, Elston Turner was absent from practice today, according to Coro (Twitter links).

11:08am: Majerle will likely leave the team after getting passed over for the interim job, reports Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. A source indicates the same to Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link).

10:11am: The Suns have named assistant coach Lindsey Hunter as interim head coach, the team announced on its website. Hunter replaces Alvin Gentry, who parted ways with the team on Friday. The team went with Hunter over fellow Phoenix assistants Elston Turner, Igor Kokoskov and Dan Majerle.

Hunter was a front-office favorite, though owner Robert Sarver reportedly has an affinity for Turner. Suns players made a push for Majerle yesterday as the team was considering its internal candidates. Hunter was part of the final three in the running for the Magic head coaching job over the summer. His formal title with the Suns had been player development coordinator, a position he took over this season after joining the team's scouting department last year. He spent 17 years in the league as a player, retiring in 2010 to a player development role with the Bulls.

The Suns, in last place in the Western Conference with a 13-28 record, next play Wednesday against the Kings. The team wants to place greater focus on bringing along its young talent, so given Hunter's previous responsibilities with the club, the hiring makes sense. Phoenix brass reportedly felt Gentry wasn't the right man for its new emphasis on youth.

Heat Recall Dexter Pittman From D-League

January 20th, 2013 at 5:50pm CST by Alex Lee

Two days after being assigned to Sioux Falls Skyforce, Dexter Pittman has been recalled by the Heat, according to a team release. Pittman will be available for Miami's home game against the Raptors on Wednesday night.

Pittman was recalled to the Heat on January 17 for one game and was then re-assigned to the D-League. He was initially sent down on December 26 after nearly two months in the NBA. In 12 games for Sioux Falls, Pittman has averaged 13.3 points and 9.2 rebounds and was named to the 2013 NBA D-League Showcase Second Team.

Week In Review: 1/14/13 – 1/20/13

January 20th, 2013 at 4:58pm CST by Sean Highkin

A look back at the news stories of the past week:

In yet another coaching change, the Suns and Alvin Gentry mutually agreed to part ways. Phoenix named assistant Lindsey Hunter as interim head coach Sunday morning.
A report was released this week stating that National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter's contract was never formally improved by the union.
A leaked letter from Rockets GM Daryl Morey to Royce White suggests that White misled the team about the severity of his anxiety disorder before the draft.
The Heat opted not to re-sign Josh Harrellson, instead signing former Nuggets big man Chris Andersen and rookie Jarvis Varnado to 10-day contracts.
The Hawks were dealt a serious blow as guard Louis Williams suffered a torn ACL, which will cause him to miss the rest of the season.
Despite his recent frustrations, the Hawks do not intend to trade Josh Smith.
The Bobcats are said to be aggressive on the trade market, and GM Rich Cho has been given the green light by Michael Jordan to make any deal necessary. They are one of the most serious suitors for Rudy Gay.
The Timberwolves signed Chris Johnson and Mickael Gelabale to 10-day contracts after being granted an injury exception by the NBA.
The Wolves are also said to be shopping Derrick Williams.
The Mavericks signed veteran guard Mike James to a second 10-day contract.
Several teams showed interest in Greg Oden, most notably the Celtics.
Leandro Barbosa reportedly asked the Celtics to trade him, then denied making such a request.
The Pacers re-signed Dominic McGuire to a second 10-day contract.
The Sixers signed Shelvin Mack to a 10-day contract.
Blazers center J.J. Hickson has been drawing interest from around the league, although he can veto any trade.
The Heat showed interest in trading for Timofey Mozgov.

Categories:
Week in Review

Washburn On Hunter, Rivers, Kings, Celtics

January 20th, 2013 at 4:35pm CST by Sean Highkin

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe has a new column in which he reports and comments on several topics of importance from around the NBA.

Washburn touches on the recent controversy around NBPA director Billy Hunter's handling of the union's finances, writing that Hunter has made it clear he has no intention of resigning as union boss.
Hornets rookie Austin Rivers has had a rough rookie season, but is trying to remain confident through his struggles, Washburn writes.
NBA insiders tell Washburn that although the feeling around the league is that the Kings will ultimately move to Seattle, the commissioner's office has made it clear that the city of Sacramento will have a fair shot at making a competitive offer.
The Celtics recently waived Kris Joseph and Jarvis Varnado not because of their play, but because the team was approaching the $74MM hard cap.
The Celtics are among the teams interested in Greg Oden, although the former Trail Blazers center is not close to being healthy enough to return to the court.

Winderman On Jones, Miller, Scola, Bosh

January 20th, 2013 at 3:41pm CST by Sean Highkin

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel has a new mailbag column covering a variety of Heat-related topics. Here are the highlights:

James Jones and Mike Miller would be the most logical trade candidates on the Heat's roster, although Jones has repeatedly said he only wants to play in Miami, and Miller's contract would prevent the Heat from getting anything of value in return.
Winderman doesn't see Luis Scola as a viable option for the Heat, given the restrictions on trading him due to the amnesty clause, and the fact that he would have to take a buyout with the Suns in order to sign.
Winderman isn't buying the recent talk that the Heat should trade Chris Bosh, arguing that he makes them better and they wouldn't be able to get equal value on the trade market.

HoopsRumors Originals: 1/14/13 – 1/20/13

January 20th, 2013 at 3:24pm CST by Sean Highkin

A look back at the original content produced by the HoopsRumors.com staff over the past week:

HoopsRumors' Trade Candidate series this week featured entries on Leandro Barbosa (link) and J.J. Redick (link).
A list of coaches whose contracts expire after this season.
A look at some potential rebounding help the Heat could target on the trade market.
An in-depth look at the Grizzlies' salary cap situaiton.
A list of players who are still ineligible to be traded.
The weekly Hoops Links feature rounded up some of the best reads from around the blogosphere.
A transcript of Luke Adams' weekly reader chat.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Northwest Notes: Olshey, Wolves, McGee, Jazz

January 20th, 2013 at 1:44pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the Northwest Division on Sunday afternoon:

The Blazers, who've lost five in a row, are hamstrung by their substandard bench, but GM Neil Olshey isn't planning to compromise the team's long-term cap flexibillity to improve its depth this season, The Oregonian's Jason Quick writes. Nonetheless, the GM regrets not adding bench strength over the summer.
Yesterday's 10-day signees Mickael Gelabale and Chris Johnson made an instant impact for theWolves, as Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune documents.
Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post chronicles the slow development of Nuggets center JaVale McGee, who's averaging fewer minutes than all but two other players who, like him, make at least $10MM a season. "He's got to understand that lazy and crazy isn't going to make it work," coach George Karl said. "We want solid and we want fundamental, and we want spectacular but only when it happens, not forcing the action where sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't."
Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune is impressed with the way Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin is magaging is players' minutes.

Odds & Ends: Prigioni, Hawks, Kupchak, Bonner

January 20th, 2013 at 1:03pm CST by Chuck Myron

Here's news from around the league on a busy Sunday, with one month and a day to go before the trade deadline:

The Knicks would have offered Pablo Prigioni a contract long before last summer if former coach Mike D'Antoni hadn't been so doubtful of the Spanish leaguer's foot speed, as Marc Berman of the New York Post reveals.
Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer sees plenty of complications to any return of LeBron James to the Cavs.
If Hawks GM Danny Ferry decides to change coaches over the summer, Quin Snyder and Mike Brown would be early favorites, according to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link).
There's speculation Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak could lose his job if the team doesn't make the playoffs, writes Bob Finnan of The News Herald. Finnan rounds up the week's rumors from around the league, and chronicles the rise of agent Rich Paul.
Players union vice president Matt Bonner shared his reaction to a law firm's report about its investigation into the organization's practices, and said he's not interested in succeeding Derek Fisher as union president, as Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News recounts.

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