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Western Notes: McClendon, Looney, Green

March 2nd, 2016 at 8:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Aubrey McClendon, who was part owner of the Thunder, died in a single-car crash in Oklahoma City today, Royce Young of ESPN.com relays. McClendon was indicted Tuesday for allegedly conspiring to rig bids for the purchase of oil and natural gas leases in northwest Oklahoma, Young notes. “He pretty much drove straight into the wall,” Oklahoma City Police Captain Paco Balderrama said. “The information out there at the scene is that he went left of center, went through a grassy area right before colliding into the embankment. There was plenty of opportunity for him to correct and get back on the roadway, and that didn’t occur.”

McClendon owned an estimated 20% of the Thunder and was part of Clay Bennett’s ownership group that relocated the team from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008, the ESPN scribe adds. Here’s more from out West:

  • Despite his halftime outburst Saturday that saw him share heated words with Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Draymond Green‘s fiery nature is normally a benefit to his game and the team in general, Marcus Thompson of The Bay Area News Group opines. Green has apologized for his behavior and insists this incident shouldn’t define perceptions of him, Thompson adds. “It’s one thing when you’re going into an arena and they’re booing you and you’re the villain,” Green said. “I love that. But to paint me as a bad guy? I don’t get in trouble off the court. I don’t disrespect people. Your kid doesn’t walk up to me and I’m the biggest [jerk] they’ve ever seen. I don’t get arrested. You can try to paint me as that, but anybody who knows me knows that’s false.“
  • Mavs small forward Chandler Parsons is thankful that all the hard work he put in while recovering from microfracture surgery on his right knee is starting to pay off on the court, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. “It was just a mess,” Parsons said regarding his rehab. “It was something that was very hard to go through, but I’m glad because all the pain, all the struggle, all the work I put in, I use that every time I step on the floor. I realize no one’s worked as hard as me to get here.”
  • The Warriors have assigned combo forward Kevon Looney to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be Looney’s third jaunt to Santa Cruz on the season. He is averaging 9.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 18.9 minutes over five D-League contests.
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Pacific Notes: Durant, Barnes, Scott, Jefferson

February 3rd, 2016 at 9:28am CST by Chuck Myron

The Warriors are “the leaders in the clubhouse” for Kevin Durant, an NBA GM recently said to Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago (Twitter link), a comment that echoes the Tuesday report from Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports that Golden State would be Durant’s preferred choice if he leaves the Thunder. Wojnarowski heard that Durant isn’t leaning one way or another toward leaving Oklahoma City, but Goodwill’s report doesn’t indicate that Durant’s preference for the Warriors is contingent on a decision about the Thunder first. See more from Golden State amid news from the Pacific Division:

  • An “undercurrent of disenchantment” existed within the Warriors organization about the length of time it took for Harrison Barnes to return from a sprained ankle earlier this season, according to Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com. Barnes, who missed 16 games with the injury, hasn’t shown enough to prove he’s worthy of a massive contract in restricted free agency this summer, Poole contends. The uncertainty over his future makes it easier to see why the Warriors drafted combo forward Kevon Looney last year, as Poole explains.
  • The second half of the season is essentially a referendum whether the Lakers retain Byron Scott for next year, sources close to the organization tell Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, who adds that Scott would help his cause if the team becomes more competitive and if the young players on the Lakers show signs of development. A lot of people around the league expect the Lakers will move on from Scott this summer, but the team says he’s definitely sticking around to the end of the season and will undergo an evaluation after that, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News said on NBA TV this week, as Harrison Faigen of SB Nation’s Silver Screen & Roll transcribes.
  • Power forward Cory Jefferson has returned to the Suns D-League affiliate following the expiration of his 10-day contract with Phoenix this past weekend, notes Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor (Twitter links).
  • The Suns have formally hired NBA coaching veteran Bob Hill as an assistant coach, the team announced. Wojnarowski reported Monday that the move would take place.
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Pacific Notes: Bogdanovic, Looney, Majerle

February 2nd, 2016 at 8:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the continued struggles of the Lakers, there is a danger that the losing may have a negative long-term impact on the team’s younger players, something the coaching staff will try to stave off, Baxter Holmes of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes. “I think the challenge for our young guys is to stay the course,” said coach Byron Scott. “Continue to think positive. Continue to work their butts off and good things will happen. But if we can’t figure it out from a mental standpoint at times too, then we’re going to continue to struggle. And I think we’ve all talked about the lack of experience being a factor, and sometimes the game is a little too fast for some of our guys; and they’ve just got to step that part up, and it’s going to take time.”

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • The cap hold for Suns 2014 first-rounder Bogdan Bogdanovic will impact the team’s salary cap in July, notes Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports in his trade deadline primer for the team. Phoenix can clear the hold, worth $963K by officially notifying the league that it doesn’t intend to sign Bogdanovic, but if the Suns did so, he would be ineligible to ink a deal with the team during the 2016/17 season, Marks notes.
  • Former Suns player Dan Majerle, who was an assistant coach with the franchise during Alvin Gentry‘s tenure, doesn’t expect to be under consideration for the team’s vacant coaching position, Richard Obert of The Arizona Republic relays. Majerle, who is the head coach at Grand Canyon University, when asked if he had a shot at the Suns’ post, said, “We’ll cross that bridge when it comes to it. I doubt that we will. But if it happens, I’ll have to sit down and think about what’s best for me. I’m extremely happy being at GCU. I’ve got no reservations or no thoughts about leaving here.“
  • The Warriors have recalled Kevon Looney from their D-League affiliate, the team announced in a press release. Looney has appeared in seven games with Santa Cruz this season, notching averages of 9.4 points and 8.3 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per contest.
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Western Notes: Griffin, Russell, D-League

January 28th, 2016 at 8:34pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The incident between Clippers power forward Blake Griffin and equipment manager Mathias Testi occurred when some good-natured teasing turned heated and the pair came to blows as a result, a person close to the situation tells Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times. Coach/executive Doc Rivers has indicated that both Griffin and Testi will be welcomed back to the team, Bolch adds. “Everybody will be back,” Rivers said. “We’re a team and we’re still a team and Blake’s part of our team and he’s going to remain part of our team and we have to support him and support everybody. It’s not just the players…. Everyone is part of our team that’s in our travel group.” Griffin is expected to be out of commission for four to six weeks after undergoing surgery this past Tuesday.

Here’s more from out West:

  • The Lakers have been receiving inquiries about the availability of 2015 No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell, but according to Jake Fischer of SI Now (Twitter links), Los Angeles is not entertaining thoughts of dealing Russell. The franchise still views Russell and Jordan Clarkson as its backcourt of the future despite Russell’s struggles this season, Fischer adds.
  • The Warriors have assigned rookie combo forward Kevon Looney to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. Looney made his NBA regular season debut on Wednesday night, scoring two points and snagging two rebounds in six minutes of action.
  • The Jazz re-assigned center Tibor Pleiss to the Idaho Stampede, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be Pleiss’ second jaunt of the season to Idaho.
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Western Notes: Smith, Booker, Jazz

January 24th, 2016 at 9:12pm CST by Will Joseph

Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff expects Josh Smith to be the same key player he was off the bench last season and added Smith thrives with the team because there is a level of trust and comfort, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle details. Smith scored 16 points Sunday in the Rockets’ win against the Mavs.

“I feel comfortable. It might have been a little different story if this were my first time here, but being able to get the opportunity to play for the same team, around the same group of guys is awesome,” Smith said, per Feigen. “It’s definitely a comfortable feeling being able to get back. Seeing the appreciation from the fans and my teammates definitely instills confidence that this is where I belong.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

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Western Notes: Parsons, Favors, Looney

January 20th, 2016 at 10:28pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Mavs small forward Chandler Parsons has been spending quite a bit of crunch time sitting on the bench, something the player understands is better for the team, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. “I get paid to play basketball,” said Parsons. “Coach gets paid to make decisions and make substitutions. Whenever my number is called, I’ve got to be ready to play. I don’t really worry about things that are out of my control. I just try to do whatever it takes to help our team win games.” Parsons is still trying to regain his explosiveness after undergoing knee surgery last March.

“Of course, I want to be out there. I want to play,” Parsons continued. “It’s the most exciting part of the game, the most important part of the game. Nothing’s unconditional. I’m not saying every game I deserve to be out there at the end of the game, but obviously as a competitor and a player, you want to be out there and you want to play when it matters in crunch time.”

Here’s more from the West:

  • Jazz power forward Derrick Favors, who has missed the last 15 contests with a back injury, is making his way closer toward a return to the court, Aaron Falk and Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune note. “With Derrick, it’s all a part of a process,” coach Quin Snyder said. “Back injuries are tricky. Some days you feel good, and you feel like you can play. Other days, you don’t feel so good. Above anything, we just want him to be healthy. But it’s a process, and we have to take it one day at a time.”
  • Warriors 2015 first-rounder Kevon Looney is driven by his fall from being a projected lottery pick to the No. 30 overall pick, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com writes. Looney’s drop was due to concerns over his hip, which he underwent surgery to correct back in August, Howard-Cooper notes. “I feel like they missed out,” Looney said of the teams that bypassed him back in June. “I’ve been waiting to show them, to come back from an injury and show my whole game, take some of the labels off of me and show my talent and show I can really contribute. I want to show everybody. A lot of people have already written me off, saying, ‘I can’t wait to see you next year.’ Like it’s over for me and I had no chance of playing. But that’s not my plan. Hopefully I’ll get in this year and I’ll make a contribution and show everybody.“
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And-Ones: McCalebb, Looney, Chandler

January 4th, 2016 at 10:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bo McCalebb, who was cut by the Pelicans during the preseason, has signed with the French club Limoges CSP, the team announced (translation by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). McCalebb, 30, has played overseas since going undrafted in 2008, save for a summer league stint with the Kings in July of that year and his time this fall with the Pelicans. He was the top scorer in the Euroleague in 2011/12, notching 16.9 points per game for Siena of Italy. McCalebb played for FC Bayern Muenchen of Germany last season, when he averaged 4.8 assists per game to go along with 12.4 points in 25.7 minutes per contest.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • In light of the season-ending injury that point guard Eric Bledsoe suffered, the Suns need to focus on developing younger players like Devin Booker, T.J. Warren and Alex Len, Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM writes. Phoenix should consider trading center Tyson Chandler, whose signing made sense when the team was pursing LaMarcus Aldridge over the summer, but now the veteran only serves to cut into Len’s playing time, Tjarks adds.
  • The Warriors have assigned combo forward Kevon Looney to their D-League affiliate, the team announced via a press release. The rookie becomes the first player Golden State has sent to Santa Cruz on the season.
  • Sixers coach Brett Brown noted that new team executive Jerry Colangelo was the one who orchestrated the signing of veteran forward Elton Brand, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports relays (on Twitter).
  • The Raptors plan on utilizing their D-League affiliate to help Anthony Bennett work through the back issues he is currently experiencing, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net tweets. The combo forward has made two trips to the Raptors 905 on the season thus far.
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Kevon Looney Out 4 To 6 Months

August 20th, 2015 at 9:02pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Warriors 2015 first-rounder Kevon Looney underwent a successful right hip arthroscopy this morning to repair a torn labrum, the team announced in a press release. The forward is expected to miss a minimum of four to six months before returning to basketball activity, according to the team.

“Kevon has his entire NBA career ahead of him and we felt that, in consultation with our medical staff, Kevon and his representatives, it was best to address the issue now,” said Warriors GM Bob Myers. “He will have our complete support throughout the rehabilitation process and we are confident he will make a full recovery.”

The forward out of UCLA possesses lottery-level talent, but long-term concerns about his hip likely caused him to last until the No. 30 overall pick this year. Looney had believed that he could continue to play without surgery but subsequent medical evaluations deemed a procedure necessary. “I had suffered a hip injury when I first got to UCLA, and I played the whole season with it,” Looney had told Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group back in July. “I went through the [draft] workouts with it. I still can play now. I can play just fine. I can walk good. I’m not hurting right now. I’m looking to the doctors to tell me what they really want to do, but this is an injury that I had, and I can actually play with, and I can actually do well with it.“

Looney, 19, appeared in 36 contests for the Bruins last season, averaging 11.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.3 steals in 30.9 minutes per game. His slash line was .470/.415/.626.

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Warriors Sign Kevon Looney

July 8th, 2015 at 12:02am CST by Eddie Scarito
Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

The Warriors have signed Kevon Looney to a rookie scale contract, the team announced via a press release. Looney was the final pick of the first round in this year’s NBA Draft. The 19-year-old appeared in 36 contests for the Bruins last season, averaging 11.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.3 steals in 30.9 minutes per game. His slash line was .470/.415/.626.

The forward out of UCLA has lottery-level talent, but long-term concerns about his hip likely caused him to last until the No. 30 overall pick. Looney believes that he can continue to play without surgery but will reportedly undergo a medical evaluation to determine if a procedure is necessary. “I had suffered a hip injury when I first got to UCLA, and I played the whole season with it,” Looney told Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group regarding his condition. “I went through the [draft] workouts with it. I still can play now. I can play just fine. I can walk good. I’m not hurting right now. I’m looking to the doctors to tell me what they really want to do, but this is an injury that I had, and I can actually play with, and I can actually do well with it.“

Looney, who is represented by both Aaron Goodwin of Goodwin Sports Management and Todd Ramasar of Stealth Sports, will earn $1,191,960 this coming season in the first year of a four-year deal, assuming that he receives the standard 120% of the rookie scale. The forward is in line to take home $1,182,840 for the 2016/17 campaign, $1,233,840 the following season, and $2,227,081 in the final year of the pact.

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Pacific Notes: Williams, Lakers, Looney

June 29th, 2015 at 10:55pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Kings have expressed interest in bringing forward Derrick Williams back next season, though the organization’s first priority is to upgrade the point guard position, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com tweets. Sacramento is reportedly interested in the Suns‘ Eric Bledsoe, and free agent Rodney Stuckey, as well has been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Rajon Rondo. Williams can become a restricted free agent this summer if the Kings tender him a qualifying offer worth $4,045,894. Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • Despite the reports that Kings coach George Karl wants center DeMarcus Cousins traded, Karl is excited to see what a pairing of Cousins and rookie Willie Cauley-Stein can do, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee relays (Twitter links). Karl believes the duo will mesh well together because each has a different skillset on defense, Jones adds.
  • The Lakers are expected to try and add a rim-protecting big man, a 3-and-D capable small forward, frontcourt depth, as well as a veteran point guard this summer, Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders writes. Davis lists LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe, Robin Lopez, Jimmy Butler, and Wayne Ellington as potential free agent targets for the Lakers.
  • Steve Kerr doesn’t believe that the Warriors winning a championship his first season as coach will increase the pressure on him, but instead, it will allow him to continue to just be himself, Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group writes. “It’s funny you say that because as an observer and an analyst for TNT and even as a player, I always felt that when a coach won a championship, it freed him up to be himself,” Kerr responded when asked if his approach would change next season. “Coaching in the NBA is such a fleeting thing; guys get fired left and right, and so a lot of guys coach out of fear. And they try to hang onto their jobs. I always felt like the ones who won titles were freed up to just do it their way and to not worry about anything.”
  • Todd Ramasar, the agent for Warriors draftee Kevon Looney, denied the reports that his client underwent surgery on his hip last year, Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group writes. Looney believes that he can continue to play without surgery but will undergo a medical evaluation to determine if a procedure is necessary, Leung adds. “I had suffered a hip injury when I first got to UCLA, and I played the whole season with it,” Looney said. “I went through the [draft] workouts with it. I still can play now. I can play just fine. I can walk good. I’m not hurting right now. I’m looking to the doctors to tell me what they really want to do, but this is an injury that I had, and I can actually play with, and I can actually do well with it.“
  • Though the Warriors declined to extend Justin Holiday a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason, the team may look to re-sign him for less than the $1.147MM tender it would have required to make Holiday a restricted free agent, Rusty Simmons of The San Francisco Chronicle tweets.
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