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Odds & Ends: Hawks, Bradley, Bobcats, Stern

August 27th, 2013 at 7:35pm CST by Alex Lee

Here are some odds and ends from around the NBA on Tuesday night:

The Hawks' offseason represents a step forward for the organization, writes Zach Harper of CBS Sports in his detailed offseason review of Atlanta. Harper condemns the former regime's running-in-place approach, and says the Hawks had a solid draft and made the right decision to replace Josh Smith with the much cheaper Paul Millsap. While he expects Atlanta to again end up in that familiar middle-of-the-playoff-pack area, Harper writes that the flexibility and roster construction created by Danny Ferry should give it a different feel.
Avery Bradley has focused on getting bigger and stronger this offseason in an attempt to stay healthy, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston. Bradley says that, due to injuries and the lockout, this offseason has easily been the most productive of his career as a professional. He will certainly have an opportunity to shine on the new-look Celtics' roster.
While success and roster continuity are typically linked in the NBA, the Bobcats are this year's exception, writes John Schuhmann of NBA.com. Charlotte will bring back 11 players that accounted for over 85 percent of the team's total minutes played last year, which is the third highest percentage in the NBA this offseason, The Bobcats have only added Cody Zeller, Anthony Tolliver and Al Jefferson at this point. It is not surprising that first, second and fourth teams on that list are the Heat, Thunder and Spurs, respectively.
In an Insider-only piece, David Thorpe of ESPN points out the burning questions facing each of the teams in the Southeast division this season, adding that the division is stocked with youth and talent as well as, of course, the two-time defending champs.
With Adam Silver set to take over the commissioner's office in February, Jabari Davis of HoopsWorld provides a retrospective look at David Stern's 30 year reign as the NBA's front man.

Stern On The State Of The NBA

June 6th, 2013 at 9:20pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Earlier tonight, NBA Commissioner David Stern and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver participated in a pre-Finals press conference. While there were plenty of reporters who live-tweeted several of the responses during Stern's question and answer session with the media, Hoopsworld's Yannis Koutroupis released a more complete transcript of Commissioner Stern's comments. You can read some of the highlights below.

Stern said that he has the "best job in the world" and that there is still much to be done in the months leading up to his retirement, also reiterating his faith in Silver as his successor.
As for instant replay, the concept of off-site review (as it's done in the NHL) is under consideration, and Stern will bring up the topic at the Competition Committee in San Antonio next week. Silver added that having officials in a broadcast booth somewhere to assess replays could even speed up the overall review process.
On the topic of flopping, Stern implied that it's still a complex challenge to deal with. While many of the flops of have been reviewed, the approach has been to punish even the most egregious flops very gently. While he said that suspensions could eliminate it altogether, Stern said that it'd be too severe of a punishment but concluded that it would be up to the Board and Competition Committee to handle.
He will bring up the topic of resting players during upcoming board meetings with the owners, citing that it has a variety of layers to it and merits discussion.
Stern adamantly downplayed the effect of flopping fines: “It isn’t enough. It isn’t enough. You’re not going to cause somebody to stop it for $5,000 when the average player’s salary is 5.5 million."
Regarding the more punitive tax penalties that loom over the next several years, Stern believes that the rules and exceptions put in place have been accommodating and allowed teams to gradually adjust accordingly: "So we, trying to deal with the entire situation, said let’s do it slowly, so we’ll build up to it, so that the luxury tax doesn’t click into the highest level until the third year to allow teams to do what they’re going to do. And let’s allow an amnesty for one player who is then on the roster. And let’s have a stretch, so if you cut a player you can do that. You can stretch it out twice the length of the contract plus one."
Stern referenced New York's decision to not match Jeremy Lin's contract offer, with Chicago's decision to let Omer Asik sign with Houston, the coaching changes, and decisions based around the salary cap as evidence that teams are starting to become more conscientious with management.
Expanding more on the topic of coaching changes, Stern alluded to it as "a natural consequence" of trying to assemble a roster along with the pressure felt by the general manager of being able to compete. Overall, he sees it as an important part of the overall pressure of a system in the NBA, where teams that aren't competitive and/or struggle financially have no choice but to do what they can to improve.

Odds & Ends: Stern, Michael Curry, Zarren

May 16th, 2013 at 8:23pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (via Twitter) hears that David Stern was an active participant in yesterday's vote over Sacramento/Seattle at the Board of Governors meeting. It's worth noting that despite an offer north of $625MM as well as the $115MM relocation fee that would have been included by the Seattle group, Stern was able to sway the vote in Sacramento's direction, even though it appeared that more owners were in favor of Seattle's offer (All Twitter links). Here are a few more miscellaneous tidbits from around the Association tonight:

Ken Berger of CBS Sports tweets that the 76ers are expected to interview lead assistant coach Michael Curry for their head coaching job next week.
Steve Bulpett of BostonHerald.com hears that Celtics assistant GM Mike Zarren turned down Philadelphia's offer to make him their general manager before the Sixers turned to Sam Hinkie.
Although potential number one pick Nerlens Noel wouldn't be ready to start the regular season of his rookie campaign, the highly touted draft prospect is targeting a debut around Christmas, writes Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com.
Noel's injury is just one reason why teams might not be too high in landing the number one draft slot this year, writes Lloyd. In that same piece, Lloyd cites one league executive who thinks that a team might be better off drafting whoever falls to the third or fourth pick rather than handle the risk of drafting first overall.
Georgetown's Otto Porter spoke glowingly about being a potential fit for the Cavaliers, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer.
Shabazz Muhammad opened up about the controversy surrounding his listed age and briefly told David Mayo of MLive.com about how he'd fare with the Pistons if they drafted him.
Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob says that he won't have a problem finding a replacement for Vivek Ranadive's current share with Golden State once the Sacramento situation is resolved, says Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News (via Twitter).
Jerry Stackhouse is in Chicago and plans to meet with possible draftees tomorrow to brief them on the NBPA, tweeted Hoopsworld's Steve Kyler.

David Stern On Jordan, Kings, Jackson, Silver

April 23rd, 2013 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

The 2013 NBA postseason will be David Stern's last as commissioner, but when he appeared on ESPN Radio in New York this week, Stern said that fact hasn't really hit him yet. As Stern pointed out, he'll still be attending NBA playoff games beyond this year, as a fan rather than as a commissioner, giving him an opportunity to "experience the game in a different way." The longtime NBA commissioner also addressed a number of other notable topics during his ESPN Radio appearance, so let's check out a few of his comments, courtesy of Eric Schmoldt of Sports Radio Interviews….

On Michael Jordan's struggles as owner of the Bobcats:

"I have no doubt that Michael, who is a smart businessman and good manager and, I think, a good judge of talent, he’ll do fine. It’s just not as easy as people think it is to get going in this league if you inherit a bad situation."

On the latest in the Kings saga:

"I think we’ll likely have a meeting of the relocation committee later this week, which will then issue a report early next week. And then seven days after that report is issued, there’ll be a Board of Governors meeting to vote on it. I don’t want to project anything because it’s for the owners and the committees to make the announcement."

On whether he'd like to see Phil Jackson back in the NBA:

"Oh, I would. I think it’s great. I love the variety that our sport has. Sometimes Phil has a way of saying things that are directed to zing the league office, but that’s fine. We’re sort of one big family, and I think that somebody who has as many rings as Phil does, who brings so much sort of interesting thought to our game, would be a great addition, or re-addition, to our sport."

On preparing Adam Silver to take over as commissioner next February:

"Adam and I, by the time I step down on February 1st, we will have worked together in the NBA for 22 years. Okay? So, if he’s not prepared now, he will never be prepared. He knows what I do that he would like to do, and he knows what I do that he would not like to do. And everyone has their own approach to it. There’s nobody that is better prepared in dealing with media, fans, the game, owners, television, international. I’m very happy, and proud, that I have recommended to the owners — and they have accepted — a successor who is totally steeped in our game and our business."

Stern, Silver Address Media

February 16th, 2013 at 8:14pm CST by Sean Highkin

NBA Commissioner David Stern and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the media in a press conference prior to the start of Saturday night's All-Star Weekend events. He discussed a wide range of topics relating to the present and future state of the NBA (transcript courtest of NBA.com Media Central).

Stern on the Kings' future and possible move to Seattle:

I think it's fair to say that we have an application in house, as you know, from Seattle to both transfer ownership to the Hansen‑Ballmer group and an application to move the team to Seattle to play in Key Arena while the process goes on to get permission to build a new building in Seattle, and the various lawsuits and environmental impact and other things are dealt with.

And that's moving along. I met with Mayor McGinn of Seattle, we have two committees focusing on it, the Relocation Committee and Advisory Finance Committee, and we fully expect to have that process completed for report to the Board of Governors at its April 18th meeting.

We have been advised by Mayor Johnson of Sacramento, parenthetically, who we have not met with and who we have no plans to meet with here, closed parens, that Sacramento will be delivering to us a competitive bid to the one that we have received from Seattle. That will include the construction of a new building with a significant subsidy from the City of Sacramento, and other things that would bring the region together to support the team.

That's all we have. The mayor has said that we'll have that likely well before March 1, which appears in our constitution for when we must receive applications to move. It's sort of irrelevant exactly, but that was a good enough date, so we selected that.

Stern on the progress of HGH and other drug testing in the NBA:

I would say that we have a comprehensive drug testing program that has a long list, probably a hundred or so, I'm not even sure the number, of drugs that are prohibited, including HGH, subject to an agreement of the validity of an appropriate testing protocol. And we expect that to happen, we really do, before the start of next season.

With respect to the biological passport, I think the blood test is the precursor to the biological passport. And that's a subject for discussion with the Players' Association.

And let me say, our players have been front and center with us on this one. They want to be and be perceived as playing in a drug‑free sport. We have six unannounced tests a year. Two of those are authorized out of season. And we have an independent group of experts that adds drugs to the list of prescribed drugs. And we test in a way that the samples get sent to an approved lab and we're there.

There will always be some kind of leap‑frogging there, as there was in 1983 which we were the first league to have an anti‑‑drug program and dealt with a variety of things. So it's always subject to be improved. But together with our Players' Association, which I think has taken a leadership role here, I'm sure will continue to improve it.

Stern on the possibility of expansion:

[T]here's a large group of owners who believe that expansion is an economic matter, is a neutral thing. At least the way we've done it to date, you get a lot of money in and in return for that you cut the new team in for a large and growing source of revenue from national TV, national licensing, and all things international and digital. And then it doesn't really seem to make that much additional sense as the increased revenue that demands to the gross PRI and increased each player costs and the like.

So it has to be parsed and analyzed but right now given that we've just come through an intriguing collective bargaining negotiation and coupled it with specific revenue sharing, over $200 million, I think the sentiment is to let it all settle and assess how we are doing and what the projections are for how we'll do.

Stern on the NBPA's leadership controversey:

I don't have any comment on the Players' Association situation other than we know as much as you do and nothing more. We've seen Derrick Fisher's statements, and we await notification from the union as to who we should be dealing with, because it has been a principle of faith for us that we will deal with whomever the union tells us to deal with. That's what we do, and it remains the same.

Stern on the progress of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement:

We think that the Collective Bargaining Agreement is working. We think that it's yet to click in its fullness, which will happen next year. We believe the revenue‑sharing projects together with the Collective Bargaining Agreement that our teams will have the opportunity to both compete and to be profitable.

Stern on the NBA's increasing international profile:

[O]ur international prospects remain as strong as ever. We don't have anything to announce, but we're going to be doing lots of exhibition traveling, I have no doubt, this coming preseason. Our digital footprint will become larger country by country, with respect to the websites that are going to be entering into partnerships and the like. Adam is heading off to China next month. Heidi Ueberroth has me going to India in April. And the march continues as our game continues to prosper and thrive.

Silver on the future of the NBA D-League:

I attended the D‑League Showcase this afternoon. We think it's a wonderful event and I met with the D‑League owners yesterday, as well. I think ultimately we'd like to have a 30‑team league, and we do envision a one‑to‑one relationship between every NBA team and a single D‑League affiliate. We think it's the second best basketball in the world after the NBA.

Stern: NBA Teams In Europe Within 20 Years

January 3rd, 2013 at 2:32pm CST by Luke Adams

By the time he eventually steps down next February, David Stern will have seen the NBA make huge strides in globalization and in overseas popularity over the course of his 30-year tenure. However, it's extremely unlikely that Stern will be bringing an NBA franchise to Europe before he retires. Nonetheless, appearing on ESPN Radio's SVP & Russillo, the longtime commish expressed some degree of certainty that the Association would expand overseas within the next couple decades.

"I think so," Stern said when asked if he sees a team in Europe at some point (link via Royce Young of CBSSports.com). "I think multiple NBA international teams. Twenty years from now? For sure. In Europe. No place else. In other places I think you'll see the NBA name on leagues and other places with marketing and basketball support, but not part of the NBA as we now know it."

Stern's comments echo ones he's made before — back in October, he suggested that expansion overseas currently wasn't viable, and that it didn't make sense to have a single team in Europe. However, he noted that if NBA-caliber arenas were to be constructed in various European countries, the resources eventually could be in place to support multiple clubs overseas.

While we're likely still a long way from hearing any serious discussions about European expansion, cities like London, Berlin, and Paris could be candidates to eventually have NBA franchises.

David Stern

David Stern Addresses Media

December 5th, 2012 at 9:49pm CST by Sean Highkin

NBA Commissioner David Stern addressed members of the media while attending the Hornets' game against the Lakers in New Orleans on Wednesday night. Stern, who had previously announced that he is stepping down as Commissioner on February 1, 2014, spoke on several topics. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com has a transcription, and the highlights are reprinted below.

On the Hornets' announcement that they plan to change their name to the Pelicans:

“If it works for them, it works for me,” Stern said. “I don’t have any objections to anything that the Hornets want to do name-wise because I’m sure it’ll be sensible. … I’m sure whatever it is, it’ll be good. If [Pelicans] is what it is, that’s fine. … I think everything sounds good. I think Lakers, have you seen any lakes in Los Angeles? There’s the same amount of lakes in L.A. as there is jazz in Utah, or grizzlies in Memphis. I’m out of that business. Whatever works for a team works for me.”

On the Lakers' new TV deal:

“It’s one component of the Lakers’ income that gets accounted for when they make a payment into the revenue sharing pool, so there’s more money to be shared,” Stern said. “The combination of that and the tax tend to act as something of a brake on team spending.”

On Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's controversial decision to rest four players against the Heat on Thursday:

“In the case of San Antonio, they didn’t just come to town and rest healthy players, they sent a 26-year-old and 30-year-old plus Manu and Timmy home virtually under the cover of darkness or light of day, however you do it, without notifying as our rules require for injury and illness. Maybe it’s my mistake not to think injury and illness when you’re secreting someone away should also include deciding to move them out. So in all other circumstances, I thought if we didn’t do something this time there would never be a reason to do it. Only visit to Miami, practically the first month of the season, notifying nobody and sending home young and healthy players, it merited rebut and I did it. And this was a team decision. This is not me and Pop. Pop is a great coach, Hall of Fame coach. This decision was made by the entire senior management and ownership of the San Antonio Spurs and I felt that they were doing what they perceived was their job and I was doing what I perceived as my job and that’s what happens.”

On the ability of small-market teams to compete under the new CBA:

“I don’t have any concerns about small markets under the new CBA,” Stern said. “I think when the tax penalties come in next year, where teams that pay an extra $30 million, for example, might have to pay another $84 million in taxes, lose their right to the mid-level exception, lose their right to sign-and-trade, you will see a substantially modified behavior. Actually, we began to see it this year when Chicago, a ‘large market,’ passed on matching Omer Asik because they don’t want to deal with the $45-million-dollar impact in taxes in the third year. Then New York declined to match Houston’s offer to Jeremy Lin, and Oklahoma City decided to trade James Harden rather than deal with the tax consequences of a max contract, so we’re seeing early green shoots and it’s going to get more profound. I think, together with revenue sharing, it’s going to allow low-grossing teams to compete with high-grossing teams. New Orleans is going to be a profitable team, and the ultimate irony is that you would call it a small market because it’s one of our smallest markets, but they’re going to contribute to revenue sharing.”

Stern On Hornets, League Ownership, CP3 Trade

December 4th, 2012 at 9:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

David Stern told John Reid of The Times Picayune that he would support the Hornets' decision to change their name to the Pelicans, a move that's expected but not yet finalized, as we passed along earlier today. The commissioner spoke at length with Reid and touched on more issues related to the New Orleans franchise, which the league owned before Tom Benson bought it earlier this year. We've rounded up the highlights of his talk here.

Stern said he hopes the NBA doesn't have to take over another franchise. "That’s not a situation that is good for the league," he said. "But in the right circumstance I would do it again because when you make the commitment to the community, you’ve got to do what you got to do."
Stern gave his thoughts on how the trade he approved for the team last year, sending Chris Paul to the Clippers, is working out for the Hornets. "I wish Eric (Gordon) was a little healthier," he said. "But I would say is that you got a good draft pick, we got a couple of few good, good players and I think Al-Farouq Aminu is playing well. I think Anthony Davis is going to be what everyone predicts for him. I’m hoping Eric Gordon comes back healthy. The team is in good shape and they have an enormous amount of cap room."
The commissioner isn't concerned about lagging attendance in New Orleans, believing it will pick up once the team starts to put together some wins.

Western Notes: Spurs, Fisher, Gasol, Crawford

November 29th, 2012 at 10:06pm CST by Ryan Raroque

You can count NBA commissioner David Stern among those who are none-too-pleased about Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's decision to rest his stars against the Heat tonight. Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida relayed a statement by Stern which indicated that "substantial sanctions will be forthcoming" as a consequence for San Antonio (Sulia link). Earlier, Popovich told reporters: "It has nothing to do with the Miami Heat, or TV, or anything…You deal with the schedule as best you can and do the wisest thing for your particular team” (Jeff McDonald of Spurs Nation reports). On another note, here's what we're hearing out of the Western Conference tonight:

Later in his column, Ken Berger of CBS Sports credits a source that says Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni would like to have Nate McMillan as his top assistant for the 2013-14 season if he isn't given a head coaching job by then.
Jonathan Feigen of Ultimate Rockets writes that if injury-riddled Houston isn't able to get well anytime soon, then "different remedies will be in order." While it may not explicitly imply a roster move, Feigen acknowledges that without Chandler Parsons and Carlos Delfino, the team is short-handed on the wings.
With Brandon Roy and Chase Budinger out, as well as Andrei Kirilenko dealing with back spasms, Timberwolves forward Josh Howard finds himself thrust into the starting lineup yesterday against the Clippers. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune notes that Howard still considers himself in training camp but remains confident about handling the opportunty for more playing time.
With the Thunder going 6-1 over their last seven games, Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK recognizes Russell Westbrook's passing ability as a major component of the team's recent success.
While head coach Rick Carlisle doesn't see the Derek Fisher signing as a "cure-all" to the Mavericks' challenges, he welcomes the 38-year-old veteran's experience and leadership abilities at the point guard position, writes Earl K. Sneed of NBA.com.
Mike Trudell of Lakers.com writes about the adjustments that Pau Gasol has had to make on both ends of the floor, particularly on defense, where the power forward position in the NBA can provide significantly different types of matchups for the Lakers depending on their opposition.
Clippers guard Jamal Crawford talks to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld about having a career year for a team expected to be a playoff contender.
Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com briefly sheds light on rookie Quincy Miller and his opportunity with the Iowa Energy of the NBDL.

Odds & Ends: Martin, Jennings, Parker, Gaines

November 5th, 2012 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has issued its first two warnings for flops, as the league's official site outlines today. The league has formally warned the Timberwolves' J.J. Barea and the Cavs' Donald Sloan about flopping, meaning that if either player commits a second offense, they'll be fined $5K. Let's round up a few more odds and ends from around the Association….

Kenyon Martin may be open to playing for just about any NBA team, but don't expect the Mavericks to make him an offer, says Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
While Brandon Jennings may feel as if he's auditioning for other teams, he certainly remains in the Bucks' long-term plans, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld.
Within his weekly Morning Tip column at NBA.com, TNT's David Aldridge looks at the post-James Harden Thunder, talks to Tony Parker about why he's been willing to accept a discount to remain with the Spurs, and conducts a Q&A with Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov.
Italy's Pallacanestro Cantu may have interest in adding Sundiata Gaines, according to a Sportando report. Gaines, who was cut by the Pacers prior to the season, played for the Italian club back in 2008/09.
Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal shares a few of his first impressions of new Grizzlies owner Robert Pera. Meanwhile, Pera and new CEO Jason Levien responded to some questions about how they intend to run the franchise.
Appearing on 98.7 ESPN Radio in New York, commissioner David Stern discussed his decision to retire in February of 2014, and how he feels about the criticisms he's faced (link via Sports Radio Interviews).