Jerry Colangelo Rumors | Hoops Rumors

East Notes: Ball, Knicks, Caldwell-Pope

June 4th, 2017 at 9:28pm CST by Austin Kent

Any NBA team considering drafting Lonzo Ball later this month will do so knowing full well that the UCLA product comes part and parcel with his boisterous father. One Sixers executive, special adviser Jerry Colangelo, thinks that Lavar Ball could make things “challenging”.

Colangelo spoke with CBS Sports radio (h/t Chase Hughes of CSN Mid-Atlantic) and discussed the point guard from the Sixers’ perspective. As critical as Colangelo was, however, he was sure to acknowledge Ball as a terrific prospect and said that teams wouldn’t likely bypass the player because of it.

Though it’s merely our speculation, the comments could be little more than a Sixers smokescreen, a common tactic in the weeks leading up to the draft. Philadelphia, of course, would benefit from the Lakers having second thoughts and opting against drafting the acclaimed prospect.

Just yesterday it was reported that Los Angeles was supposedly leaning against drafting Ball, with their interest in prospects Josh Jackson and De’Aaron Fox allegedly growing.

There’s more out of the East:

Although several of his teammates – like Dion Waiters and James Johnson – will be free agents this summer, Heat center Hassan Whiteside is convinced they’ll be back, writes Shandel Richardson and Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel. “I’m not even thinking about them being gone,” Whiteside said. “I’m thinking like they will be here next year.“
Yesterday marked the anniversary of what the New York Post’s Mike Vaccaro considers the Knicks‘ worst loss as a franchise. Spoiler alert, it involves Charles Smith and one terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad possession.
Citing Bradley Beal‘s improvement in Year 5, Ash Vanclay of Piston Powered makes the case for the Pistons matching any offer sheet that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signs this summer.

Atlantic Notes: Colangelo, Smith, Ibeh, Hartenstein

June 4th, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers advisor Jerry Colangelo believes the team has a sharper plan for the future than it did under former GM Sam Hinkie, relays Andrew Porter of CBS Philly. In an interview on The Carlin & Reese Show, Colangelo gave Hinkie credit for thinking “outside the box” and building the team using analytics, but he believes the organization is in better hands now that his son Bryan is in charge. “Since the change in management there’s much more of a defined game plan, in terms of going forward, and that’s very positive in my opinion for the franchise,” he said. “Sam left some good stuff in place, no question about that. Along the line there was a lot of pain in terms of incredible losing and that could only be sustained for a period of time. And I think in Philly’s case, I think he probably ran out of time.”

There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:

Point guard Dennis Smith Jr. of North Carolina State has a workout set for the Celtics on Wednesday, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Boston owns the No. 1 pick, so the team is probably just doing its homework in case it receives an attractive offer to trade down. Smith has already worked out for the Magic, who own the sixth pick, and has tentative sessions set up with the Lakers and Knicks.
The Nets continue to have interest in former Texas center Prince Ibeh, according to NetsDaily. The 23-year-old has been practicing with the team this summer and may have a future in Brooklyn. The Nets signed him to a D-League contract in February, promising him a 10-day deal later in the season. They weren’t able to fit him on the roster, but late in the season they gave him a 10-day contract before releasing him the next day. That move gives Ibeh a year of NBA service, which will qualify him as a second-year player rather than a rookie when he signs his next contract.
Brooklyn’s front office is looking closely at German power forward Isaiah Hartenstein, NetsDaily notes in the same piece. There’s already a strong connection, as Nets assistant Chris Fleming serves as coach of the German national team. The 7’1″ Hartenstein is projected as a late first-rounder, and Brooklyn holds picks No. 22 and 27. The Nets have also scouted center Anzejus Pasecniks and small forward Rodions Kurucs, both of Latvia, power forward Mathias Lessort of the French West Indies and center Viny Okuou of the Congo. International prospects younger than 21 have a June 12th deadline to withdraw from the draft.

And-Ones: All-NBA Teams, Hayward, Kobe

April 24th, 2017 at 10:49pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The All-NBA teams were scheduled to be announced during the league’s inaugural award show on June 26th. However, because the selections may impact teams’ offseason plans, the league will unveil the winners in the weeks leading up to the draft, as Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post writes.

The newly created Designated Player Exception drove the change. Being selected on an All-NBA is a criterion for the massive extension and players such as Paul George and Gordon Hayward will be eligible for as much as $70MM more in an extension should they make one of the three teams.

The early unveiling arguably helps the Pacers the most. If PG13 lands on one of the teams, Indiana will have the inside track to signing him long-term as soon as this summer. If he doesn’t earn one of the spots, the organization can begin to seriously consider whether or not it should deal the small forward. George has long been linked to the Lakers and the Pacers may look to deal him rather than see him leave for L.A. without receiving any compensation in return.

Here’s more from around the league:

Several NBA executives told Mitch Lawrence of Sporting News that they would choose Hayward over George if both were available to sign with their team. None of the executives said Hayward was the superior player based on talent alone, though they chose the Jazz star because he doesn’t come with the baggage that George comes with.
Kobe Bryant doesn’t miss playing the game of basketball, as he discussed on recent episode of Good Morning America (h/t James Dator of SB Nation). “No, I don’t,” Bryant said about missing the sport. “No, it’s crazy but I started playing when I was 2, and so after playing for 20 years in the league — what I have now is, everything I’ve learned from the game I carry with me to this day. So, the game’s never truly left me.”
Team USA announced who will be on the committees for the country’s men’s and women’s teams. Jerry Colangelo will continue to be the managing director of the Men’s National Team, while director Carol Callan will head the Woman’s National Team. Each committee will have an athlete representative. Shane Battier will serve as the men’s representative and Katie Smith will be the woman’s representative.

And-Ones: USA Basketball, Seattle, Rumors, NBL

November 15th, 2016 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this month, USA Basketball announced that Jerry Colangelo was stepping down from his position as USA Basketball Chairman, with Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reporting at the time that retired general Martin Dempsey was on track to replace Colangelo. Dempsey’s election as the new chairman is now official, according to an NBA.com press release. The vote took place at USA Basketball’s annual Board of Directors meeting.

“I am excited to join USA Basketball and to become part of a legacy of excellence both on and off the court,” Dempsey said in a statement. “Playing for USA Basketball is about commitment, sacrifice, and pride. It’s about developing young men and women who are exceptional athletes but also exceptional leaders. It’s about respecting the game and our international competitors. It’s about representing our country with honor, and it’s about winning. I look forward to working with the USA Basketball staff, coaches, players, and families.”

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

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has partnered with Chris Hansen‘s Seattle arena group, as Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com details. As we heard last month, Hansen’s group is willing to forgo public funding in order to get approval to move forward with a new arena.
In a helpful piece for SBNation.com, Seth Rosenthal explains the difference between fake NBA rumors and legit ones, and how to tell the difference between the two.
Top recruit Terrance Ferguson ultimately chose to play this season in Australia’s National Basketball League rather than playing college ball at Arizona. A report from the Australian Associated Press (link via ESPN.com) explores whether Ferguson’s decision, along with the NBA’s one-and-done rule, could be a boon for the NBL.
Chris Patrick, formerly a member of Relativity Sports, has left the agency to start the Sports Law Group, which will represent athletes, coaches, and schools, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.

Jerry Colangelo Steps Down As USA Basketball Chairman

November 3rd, 2016 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

3:20pm: According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter), retired general Martin Dempsey is on course to replace Colangelo as USA Basketball’s new chairman. Dempsey recently served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

While Dempsey may seem on the surface to be an odd choice, he wouldn’t be responsible for picking players or coaches, but rather with running USA Basketball as a business enterprise, Wojnarowski explains (via Twitter). Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post adds (via Twitter) that Dempsey is a “massive” basketball fan.

2:17pm: Jerry Colangelo will step down from his position as USA Basketball Chairman, opting not to seek a third term in the position, according to a press release issued today by USA Basketball. While Colangelo will continue to serve as Managing Director for the Men’s National Team, USA Basketball will elect a new chairman at its annual Board of Directors meeting on November 14.

Colangelo’s transition into a lesser role within USA Basketball coincides with the changes being made to the coaching staff for Team USA. Gregg Popovich is set to take over for Mike Krzyzewski as the head coach for the Men’s National Team from 2017 to 2020. During that time, Colangelo will focus on building the player pool for Team USA.

“Given the coaching change and the challenge of assembling a group of players for FIBA’s new competition schedule, this is a good time to devote my full attention to the Men’s National Team,” Colangelo said in a statement. “As Chairman of USA Basketball, I’m proud of what our teams at all levels have accomplished and how our players have embraced the responsibility of representing their country. I look forward to working with the next Chairman to ensure that we continue to honor and build on USA Basketball’s rich tradition.”

The Men’s National Team has won three consecutive Olympic gold medals since Colangelo assumed the role of USA Basketball chairman.

And-Ones: Big Men, Colangelo, Fortson

July 23rd, 2016 at 5:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The emphasis on guard play and the 3-point shot hasn’t depressed salaries for big men, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders notes. High-profile players like Al Horford, Hassan Whiteside and Dwight Howard were paid over $20MM annually in this year’s free agent market but less heralded centers also cashed in, Greene continues. Timofey Mozgov (Lakers) and Ian Mahinmi (Wizards) were both signed to four-year, $64MM deals, even though Mozgov had a diminished role with the Cavs last season, while the Wizards already had an established center in Marcin Gortat. Bismack Biyombo received an even bigger contract from the Magic after playing a limited role with the Raptors much of last season, while the Bucks will pay Miles Plumlee an average of $13MM annually over the next four seasons even through he’s never averaged more than 25 minutes during his career.

In news around the league:

USA Basketball executive director Jerry Colangelo will not discourage Team USA players from speaking out on social or racial issues, The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears reports. NBA and WNBA players have increasingly taken public stands on hot-button topics, while the league pulled the All-Star Game from Charlotte this week over a controversial North Carolina law. “No, we’re not telling them what to say,” Colangelo told Spears. “We are saying we’re supportive. We’re in fact encouraging and they have to make their own choice. We’re not telling them what to say and what not to say.”
Courtney Fortson has signed with the Chinese team Zheijiang Guangsha, international journalist David Pick tweets. Fortson played last season with Banvit in Turkey. The point guard appeared in a combined 10 games with the Clippers and Rockets during the 2011/12 season.
The Warriors’ new trio of Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant played two minutes together during Team USA’s exhibition win over Argentina but more often in pairs, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com writes. Team USA had a lot of success with a smaller lineup featuring Green at center and Durant at small forward, according to Windhorst. “Honestly, if you want me to be quite frank with you, I didn’t even notice me, Klay and KD were out there together,” Green told Windhorst.

And-Ones: Murray, Bogdanovic, Miller, Zipser

June 11th, 2016 at 9:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

After being rated 16th among points guards in his high school class, Washington’s Dejounte Murray may be the third one taken in the NBA draft, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Murray had a solo workout for the Suns on Friday, shortly after a session with the Jazz. He will also work out for the Bulls, Bucks and Pelicans before draft day arrives. “He’s not afraid to mix it up,” said Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough. “He’s not afraid of contact for a thin guy. He’s got a bright future. He’s probably one of the top point guard prospects in the draft.”

Here’s more news from around the NBA:

Phoenix is waiting for Bogdan Bogdanovic’s Turkish league playoffs to end before talking about his plans for next season, Coro reveals in the same piece. The Suns‘ 2014 first-round pick, Bogdanovic is in the league finals with Fenerbahce.
With Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and James Harden announcing they won’t participate in the Olympics, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo may add another point guard to the roster, writes Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. Chris Paul and John Wall have already been ruled out because of injuries, so Team USA is left with Kyrie Irving, Mike Conley and Damian Lillard.
Quincy Miller, who played with three teams during his three-year NBA career, will sign with Maccabi Tel Aviv, according to Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops. Miller will receive $2.6MM over two seasons with an opt-out clause for the NBA next summer. He won ABA League and Serbian championships this season with Crvena Zvezda. Miller was drafted by Denver in 2012 and spent his first two seasons with the Nuggets. His last NBA experience came in brief stints with the Kings and Pistons in 2014/15.
German star Paul Zipser had a standout performance at today’s adidas Eurocamp, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. The 6’8″ small forward has several private workouts scheduled with NBA teams and has a chance to be drafted late in the first round or early in the second round.

And-Ones: USA Basketball, Richardson, Murray

May 15th, 2016 at 12:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Paring the USA Basketball roster from 20 to 12 players will be difficult and controversial, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and Anthony Davis will sit out the Rio Olympics because of injuries but managing director Jerry Colangelo has added young players like Damian Lillard, Andre Drummond, DeMarcus Cousins, Kawhi Leonard, and Kyrie Irving to the mix, complicating the selection process. Colangelo told Washburn and other members of the media that players will be selected based on position need as well as their performance in recent NBA seasons.

In other news around the league:

Syracuse freshman forward Malachi Richardson saw his stock rise higher than any other player during the draft combine, ESPN Insider Chad Ford reports. Richardson is one of the few wings in this draft with the size, speed and skills to get his own shot, according to Ford. He also has potential as a long-range shooter and that’s why his draft stock has elevated to the 12-20 range, Ford continues. On the other end of the spectrum, California forward Jaylen Brown made have damaged his chances of going in the top 10 with poor interviews, Ford adds.
There’s still very little separation between LSU forward Ben Simmons and Duke small forward Brandon Ingram regarding the No. 1 overall pick, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com tweets. Some teams are leaning toward Simmons, while others favor Ingram heading into the lottery, Howard-Cooper adds.
Kentucky point guard Jamal Murray interviewed with the Timberwolves during the draft combine, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets. Murray is currently rated No. 6 by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and No. 3 on Ford’s Big Board.
Iowa State power forward Georges Niang interviewed with the Nets, according to NetsDaily.com (Twitter link). Niang is considered a late second-round prospect.

Sixers Notes: Colangelo, Brown, Embiid

April 16th, 2016 at 6:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Despite relinquishing his title as the Sixers’ chairman of basketball operations after his son Bryan was hired as president of basketball operations, Jerry Colangelo insists his role with the team has not changed, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.”Nothing really changed,” Colangelo said. “My role is still the same that I was originally asked to come in and do.” The executive noted that he was hired to be an adviser and his official title was something that was added after the fact, Pompey relays. “But in translation, [his role after Bryan’s hire] sounded differently, especially the stepping down kind of a thing,” Colangelo said. “I haven’t stepped down. I’m still walking on the same level, doing the same thing.”

“We have someone in place that I think is going to do a great job for the Philadelphia 76ers,” Colangelo said of his son. “He’s thrown himself in immediately. It’s exciting in terms of what lies ahead for all the right reasons —the draft picks, the free agency, the things that have already been put into place and into motion. I think the future is very bright.“

Here’s more from Philadelphia:

Coach Brett Brown is glad the 2015/16 season is over, and he is anticipating better things for the franchise in the future, writes Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “This phase that we’re going into now, call it phase two, is different from phase one,” Brown said. “We went through those three years of pain and losing. What you’re going to hear more out of everybody’s mouths is, ‘How do you re-establish winning?’ When you use phrases and words like that, the conversation gets directed a little bit more toward free agents and draft picks or veterans on the team and keepers. I think the design of the team takes a little bit more of a real discussion, a real flavor that, perhaps in the past, it’s been based on … rebuild and process and those types of things. I feel like that’s been the discussion that’s most prevalent lately.“
When asked about the Sixers’ offseason priorities, Brown indicated finding a point guard was at the top of the team’s list, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media. “It’s always: What are you doing with your point guard? That’s the most important position,” Brown told Moore.
The Sixers’ combination of cap space, draft picks and young talent give new GM Bryan Colangelo plenty to work with as he begins his tenure with the franchise, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes. The team may benefit the most from the return of center Joel Embiid, who has yet to play in a regular season contest since being drafted and is looking sharp in his workouts, Grange adds.

And-Ones: Colangelo, Luwawu, Motiejunas

April 11th, 2016 at 10:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA placed restrictions on Jerry Colangelo after the Sixers hired him as chairman of basketball operations in December, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Rival executives were concerned about Colangelo’s access to star players as USA Basketball’s managing director, fearing he would have an advantage in courting top free agents, Wojnarowski continues. The limitations include Colangelo’s ability to communicate directly with players outside of USA Basketball activities, as well as his impact on the final voting process for national team and Olympic rosters, league sources indicated to Wojnarowski. The limitations will remain in place even though he relinquished his title as the Sixers’ chairman of basketball operations after his son Bryan was hired as president of basketball operations. Jerry Colangelo will now serve as a special adviser to the team’s ownership group, Wojnarowski notes.

In other developments around the league:

Timothe Luwawu, a lottery-level prospect from France, has no intention of withdrawing from the draft in the wake of agent Misko Raznatovic’s announcement earlier today that he’s entered, tweets international journalist David Pick. “I’m ready,” Luwawu told Pick. “I’m going to the NBA.” The swingman is the No. 12 prospect in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com lists him 19th.
Marquette freshman power forward Henry Ellenson has signed with agent Joe Branch of Roc Nation, Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops tweets. Ellenson, who declared for the draft earlier this month, is the No. 6 prospect on Ford’s Big Board, while Givony ranks him at No. 9.
Donatas Motiejunas started Sunday’s game for the Rockets, his 20th of the season and 82nd since the start of 2014/15, enough to trigger the NBA’s starter criteria, as we explained Friday. That means the Rockets will have to make a qualifying offer worth $4,433,683 instead of just $3,278,998 by June 30th to retain the right to match competing bids for the power forward, who’s headed into free agency.
Bob Donewald, Jr. will not return next season as the head coach of the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, the team announced on its website. Donewald compiled a 52-48 record with the Energy, including a 26-24 record this season.
The Cavaliers recalled center Sasha Kaun and shooting guard Jordan McRae from their D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge, according to the team’s website. They had been assigned to the Charge earlier in the day. The pair will be reassigned to the Charge on Tuesday, Josh Weir of The Repository tweets.