Alan Anderson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: NBPA, Dooling, A. Anderson, Officiating, Elam Ending

February 19th, 2023 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Celtics forward Grant Williams, formerly a vice president for the National Basketball Players Association, has been elected as the first vice president of the players’ union, per a press release. Williams will take over that role from Andre Iguodala, whose four-year term has expired following his election in 2019.

Since Williams was promoted to first vice president and Kyrie Irving‘s term as an NBPA vice president expired, two new VPs were elected to the union’s executive committee — those new vice presidents are Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, who will serve three-year terms.

“We are thrilled to have Grant in this elevated position, and we welcome Jaren and Donovan to the executive committee,” NBPA president CJ McCollum said in a statement. “Their experience and ability to connect with the younger players in our league will be imperative as we move forward as a union. I also want to take a moment to thank Andre and Kyrie for their service. Kyrie’s insights have been invaluable since he joined us in 2020, and Andre has been been a key leader for us for more than a decade. Their leadership will be missed but we know they will stay close and continue to support us as we work for the best interests of the brotherhood.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Former NBA players Keyon Dooling and Alan Anderson have received prison sentences of 30 months and 24 months, respectively, for their roles in defrauding the NBA’s health and welfare plan, according to Steve Gardner of USA Today. Anderson was one of 18 players originally arrested in 2021 for making fraudulent claims, while Dooling – a former NBPA vice president who was most recently an assistant coach with the Jazz – later had his name added to the criminal case.
Before holding his annual All-Star news conference on Saturday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver also appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter this week to discuss concerns about load management and officiating, among other topics (YouTube video link). Silver stated that the NBA is exploring ways to use technology to automate certain calls (ie. who last touched an out-of-bounds ball) so that referees can focus more on the more subjective calls they’re required to make (ie. fouls).
Tim Bontemps of ESPN takes a deep dive into the “Elam Ending,” exploring how Nick Elam first came up with the concept and detailing the path it took to being adopted in the NBA’s All-Star Game (as well as the G League’s overtime period).

18 Former NBA Players Charged For Allegedly Defrauding League’s Benefit Plan

October 7th, 2021 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Eighteen former NBA players face charges in New York federal court over allegations that they defrauded the NBA’s health and welfare benefit plan, according to a report from Jonathan Dienst and Tom Winter of NBC. The players each face a count of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud.

As Dienst and Winter outline, the indictment alleges that these players engaged in a scheme from 2017-20 to defraud the NBA’s benefit plan by submitting false claims for dental and medical expenses that were never incurred. According to the indictment, the fraudulent claims totaled about $3.9MM, and the defendants received approximately $2.5MM in proceeds.

While none of the players who have been charged were household names, many won titles and/or had long NBA careers, and most will likely be recognizable to Hoops Rumors readers. They are as follows:

Williams was named in the indictment as the one who orchestrated the scheme, according to Dienst and Winter, who say the former lottery pick is accused of having recruited other participants by offering them fake invoices. He allegedly received payments totaling $230K in exchange for those fake documents, per NBC’s report.

Allen’s wife, Desiree Allen, was also charged in the indictment. As John Hollinger of The Athletic tweets, the Grizzlies had been planning to retire Allen’s number in January — they may decide to postpone their ceremony honoring the six-time All-Defensive swingman.

Greg Oden, Royce White, Others Selected In BIG3 Draft

May 2nd, 2019 at 12:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The BIG3, Ice Cube’s 3-on-3 league, completed its draft for the 2019 season on Wednesday night, and a number of noteworthy former NBA players were among the players selected.

Former NBA first overall pick Greg Oden wasn’t the first player picked in the BIG3 draft, but he did come off the board in the first round, going seventh overall to the Aliens, a team whose roster also includes Kendrick Perkins and Shannon Brown.

The No. 1 selection in the BIG3’s draft was former NBA first-rounder Royce White, whose NBA career was cut short after just three games due to battles with mental health and a fear of flying. White will join an Enemies squad led by captain Gilbert Arenas and co-captains Lamar Odom and Perry Jones III.

The following veterans who appeared in at least 100 games during their NBA careers were also selected in the 31-player draft on Wednesday:

Larry Sanders (3 Headed Monsters)
Josh Powell (Killer 3s)
Shawne Williams (Bivouac)
Jamario Moon (Ghost Ballers)
Donte Greene (Killer 3s)
Jason Richardson (Tri-State)
Alan Anderson (Triplets)
Sam Young (Trilogy)
Brandon Rush (Aliens)
Craig Smith (Enemies)
Mario Chalmers (3 Headed Monsters)
C.J. Watson (Killer 3s)
Carlos Arroyo (Trilogy)
Dion Glover (Bivouac)
Bonzi Wells (Tri-State)

A full breakdown of the 2019 BIG3 draft results can be found right here, while the rosters for the 12 teams set to compete in the ’19 season are here.

Southeast Notes: Wade, Wall, Brooks, Anderson, Hawks

February 11th, 2018 at 3:52pm CST by marksuleymanov

Dwyane Wade is back with the Heat and he has already played in his first game back. The fans welcomed the three-time NBA champion with open arms, as did the organization. It’s clear that Wade is no longer the perennial All-Star he was for his first 13 seasons, but he appreciates whatever role he is given, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.

“I’m not really concerned with it. I’m not worried with it,” Wade said. “So whatever coach asks from not only me, but all of us to do, that’s what we have to do if we want to win. We just all have to be selfless. So Dwyane Wade will be selfless to make sure whatever it takes for this team to win, that I can hopefully bring.”

Wade, 36, already said that he does not intend to leave the Heat again and wants to retire with the franchise. In the few days Wade has been back, he made it clear that his goal is to help the team in any role.

Check out other Southeast Division notes below:

Wizards All-Star John Wall is still on crutches as he recovers from the minor knee surgery he underwent in late January. Wall is still a long way from being back on the court and still likely has another week left on crutches, Candace Bucker of The Washington Post writes.
Wall made several media appearances recently where he defended himself and made some controversial remarks in regard to his Wizards teammates, prompting coach Scott Brooks to weigh in on his superstar player and his importance to the team, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. “For people to think that we’re not better with John, that’s for clickbait,” Brooks said. “It’s unfortunate that he had to defend himself. You wish he wouldn’t have to. Sometimes you have to.”
NBA veteran Alan Anderson has been claimed by the Magic‘s G League affiliate Lakeland Magic, the team announced. The 35-year-old last appeared in the NBA with the Clippers last season.
The Hawks cannot take on any more money after the team received nearly $688,000 from the Wizards in the Sheldon Mac deal, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders.

Morrow, Burke, Other FAs Work Out For Wolves

September 6th, 2017 at 2:26pm CST by Luke Adams

2:26pm: Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders has added several names to the list of players working out for Minnesota, tweeting that the Wolves also auditioned Thomas Robinson, Alan Anderson, Trey Burke, Isaiah Canaan, and Perry Jones III. John Jenkins is expected to come in to work out for the club next week, tweets Wolfson.

10:12am: Veteran sharpshooter Anthony Morrow is one of a handful of free agents working out this week for the Timberwolves, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). Minnesota remains on the lookout for veteran wings, in addition to a backup point guard.

Morrow, who will turn 32 later this month, is a career 41.7% shooter from beyond the arc, which should make him a tantalizing target for teams in need of shooting like the Timberwolves. However, Morrow’s accuracy on three-pointers dipped last season — his 30.8% success rate in 2016/17 was easily the worst mark of his career.

Although Morrow struggled in 49 games for the Thunder and Bulls last season, he’s only a year removed from a .387 3PT%, and has been a reliable option on the wing for most of his career. Minnesota, of course, has a pair of talented scorers on the wing in Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins, but neither player is a particularly strong outside shooter, so the Wolves continue to seek three-point threats, with Morrow having been linked to the club for much of the offseason.

When we examined five noteworthy wings still on the market in late July, Morrow was one of the players we singled out, along with Shabazz Muhammad, Brandon Rush, Gerald Green, and Tony Allen. All of those players remain unsigned, and a few could be fits in Minnesota.

With 11 players on guaranteed contracts, the Wolves have been looking to add a couple wings and a point guard to their roster — Wolfson tweets that those positions are the focus of this week’s workouts. Minnesota is reportedly getting antsy waiting on decisions from notable free agents like Muhammad and Dante Cunningham, which may prompt the team to look closer at free agents a tier or two below the top available players.

Nets Notes: Offseason Trades, Anderson, Crabbe

August 5th, 2017 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets’ moves this offseason may form the foundation of the team for several years to come, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn has taken advantage of its cap space to pick up assets while absorbing salary, adding D’Angelo Russell, Allen Crabbe and DeMarre Carroll, among others.

GM Sean Marks has been assessing the team since the flurry of deals and indicated that he may be done with major moves. “We’re continuously going to be trying to have our finger on the pulse of the league and see what happens,’’ he said. “I think we’ll take a little bit of a deep breath and just see what shakes out here. But I don’t know. Who knows what’s going to happen throughout the year? I think if you’d asked us a month ago, we couldn’t have predicted all the things that may have happened, not just here but around the league. It’s something that we’ve just got to stay fluid and be ready to react.”

The Nets could use more size in the frontcourt, where newly acquired Timofey Mozgov and rookie Jarrett Allen are the only players taller than 6’8″. They still have interest in former Celtic and Raptor Jared Sullinger, who earned all-tournament honors at The Basketball Tournament this week.

There’s more tonight out of Brooklyn:

The Nets are no longer in contention to sign Alan Anderson, Lewis adds in the same story. Anderson’s agent, Chris Luchey, confirms that he talked to Brooklyn’s front office shortly after free agency began, but after all the Nets’ moves, they are no longer a possible destination. Lewis adds that the Knicks are also out of the running.
Crabbe will provide shooting help, but the team is counting on him to do much more, Lewis relays in a separate story. Crabbe was the NBA’s second best 3-point shooter last year, connecting at a .444 rate beyond the arc, while the Nets ranked fifth from the bottom in that category. “We sat with Allen [and said]: ‘Look, we think we can help your game. We think we can take it to another level. Let’s not just be a shooter,’” Marks said. “And he’s excited about that. He’s got a chip on his shoulder, and he wants to take his game to another level, all-around facets. It’s not just shooting. It’s defense. It’s everything.”
Brooklyn needs to find another frontcourt player who can shoot the 3-ball, writes Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily. The Nets have about $5.1MM in cap space they could use to find a shooter who fits coach Kenny Atkinson’s system better than the players they have now.

Several Teams Eyeing Alan Anderson

August 3rd, 2017 at 9:59pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Alan Anderson is drawing interest from several teams, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Timberwolves, Nets, Raptors, and Knicks are among the teams to check in on the 34-year-old.

Anderson played for the Clippers last season after signing a one-year deal with the club. He didn’t play much for Doc Rivers, appearing in only 30 games. He scored 2.9 points in 10.3 minutes per contest.

Prior to arriving in Los Angeles, Anderson played for the Wizards, Nets, Raptors, and Bobcats. He also spent time abroad playing for teams in Italy, Russia, Croatia, and Israel.

Timberwolves Pursuing Backcourt Depth

July 14th, 2017 at 10:52pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Timberwolves have arguably been the most active and become the most improved team this offseason. And the team appears far from done as Minnesota is pursuing depth at both the point and shooting guard positions, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (via Twitter).

Scotto mentions Aaron Brooks, Anthony Morrow, and Alan Anderson as players currently on the Timberwolves’ radar. None of those veterans played a huge role for their respective teams during the 2016/17 season, but all bring a track record of prior success.

To this point, the Timberwolves have added Jimmy Butler, Jamal Crawford, Taj Gibson, and Jeff Teague to a core that already featured Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. At this juncture, the team’s focus will be to add depth and veteran leadership. Tyus Jones is the only other perimeter player on the Timberwolves’ roster, so the team figures to be active in this market.

With no real cap space left and the room exception ticketed for Crawford, Minnesota’s aforementioned targets can only sign for the veteran’s minimum.

Clippers Notes: Durant, Jordan, Anderson

December 7th, 2016 at 6:33pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kevin Durant said Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul “made it tough” to turn down the Clippers in free agency, as Anthony Slater of The Bay Area News Group passes along.

“Those guys are tremendous, unbelievable talents,” Durant said. “DJ is a close friend. CP, been knowing him since I was in high school…All that other stuff [doesn’t matter]. I’ve been in L.A. every summer. Facilities, all that stuff is the same to me. As long as you have a court and the ball. The players, that’s what made it tough. They did a great job.”

Here’s more from Los Angeles:

Durant met Jordan years ago when he served as the center’s host for a recruiting visit at the University of Texas and the two remain close despite him choosing to play for a rival, Slater relays in the same piece. “He wanted me to come to the Clippers, but he’s going to be my friend no matter what,” Durant said.
Durant’s decision to join the Warriors created backlash, which is something Jordan knows well from his own free agency during the previous summer, Slater notes in the same piece. “I think that’s what we kind of had in common,” Durant said. “Him making [the decision to turn down the Mavericks] was bold, it was a tough decision, it made him uncomfortable, but it grew him as a person and as a basketball player. I felt the same way about my decision. It made conversation. It made us get to know each other better and having things in common as far as work related. It helped having someone that could relate to what I went through.”
Alan Anderson, who signed a one-year, minimum salary deal with the Clippers over the summer, is fitting in with the team despite not receiving the minutes that he’s accustomed to seeing, Rowan Kavner of NBA.com writes. “[Anderson] wants to play, like everyone else, but if you had to vote for the MVP teammate, I think he wins hands down,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He’s gone through that frustration of trying to train and not play, yet if you watched our bench during the games, you would never know it.”

Pacific Notes: Clippers, Bogut, Deng, Tolliver

October 12th, 2016 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Four positions are set for the Clippers, but the starting small forward could vary from game to game, writes Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. Luc Mbah a Moute, Wesley Johnson, newcomer Alan Anderson and even shooting guard Austin Rivers may get starts at the position, although coach Doc Rivers would like to see someone step up and claim it. “You always want separation. That’s always nice,” Rivers said. “I don’t know who it will be. I’m hoping it will be someone, but I can’t predict the future. It’d be nice, but if not, it’ll be matchup-based.” It’s a familiar problem for the Clippers, who used Lance Stephenson, Paul Pierce and Johnson at the position last season before giving the role to Mbah a Moute.

There’s more tonight out of the Pacific Division:

Even as they were making history with 73 wins, the Warriors were dealing with Kevin Durant rumors all season, Andrew Bogut tells Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. Bogut believes the Warriors knew well before summer that they were likely to sign Durant, and he says he isn’t surprised that he was traded away. “Andre Iguodala and I knew it was one of us that was going to go, and it was me,” Bogut said. “That’s part of the business. I have no gripes about it. You get a Hall of Famer — he’s going to be a Hall of Famer — in K.D. If I’m the GM, I do the same deal. That’s just the reality of the business.”
New coach Luke Walton helped lure Luol Deng to the Lakers, according to Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Deng liked the impressive history of the franchise and the idea of living in Los Angeles, and of course the four-year, $72MM offer was a huge factor. But he says the transition to Walton, who took over the team after serving as Steve Kerr‘s lead assistant in Golden State, helped seal the decision. “He’s new to coaching, but he has a positive mindset,” Deng said. “The way he coaches, he really respects players and demands respect back.”
At age 31, newly signed Anthony Tolliver wants to show the Kings he can be more than just a mentor, relays Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento gave the small forward a two-year, $16MM deal over the summer to leave Detroit, but he will have to compete for playing time with Omri Casspi and Matt Barnes. Tolliver doesn’t mind taking on a mentor’s role, but he want to be thought of as a player first. “Maybe in a few years, with a few more miles on my body, maybe I’ll be in that position to be a locker room guy,” Tolliver said. “But right now I feel I can still compete and help teams win games. That’s why I came here to get that chance. Looks good so far.”