Nazr Mohammed Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Suns, Hardaway, WCS, Lakers, Thunder

November 16th, 2020 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns are expected to finalize their trade for Chris Paul before the new league year begins on Friday, according to Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com. If that’s the case, the expectation is that Phoenix won’t use cap room this fall, opting to remain an over-the-cap team instead.

While that may prevent the Suns from making one bigger splash on the free agent market, it means the club will retain the flexibility to bring back one or more of Dario Saric, Aron Baynes, and Frank Kaminsky. Phoenix will also have the full mid-level ($9.3MM) and bi-annual ($3.6MM) exceptions available to make additional upgrades to its roster.

Here’s more from around the West:

A Mavericks source who spoke to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) says the team thinks swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. will likely exercise his player option, while big man Willie Cauley-Stein may not.
In addition to his previously reported workouts with Utah, Denver, Miami, and the Clippers, Arizona’s Zeke Nnaji has also auditioned for the Lakers, he said today (Twitter link via Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune). However, Nnaji projects to be a late first-round selection, so he may no longer be an option for the Lakers now that they’ve traded the No. 28 pick.
Former Thunder big men Nazr Mohammed and Nick Collison were involved in the team’s head coaching search process, according to Royce Young of ESPN, who tweets that Mohammed and Collison met with candidates to represent the player perspective.
In a piece for ESPN.com, Royce Young takes a deep dive into the Timberwolves‘ draft preparations as they get ready to use – or trade – this year’s No. 1 overall pick.

Thunder Promote Rob Hennigan, Will Dawkins, Others

September 29th, 2020 at 10:08am CST by Luke Adams

Following the spring departure of vice president of basketball operations Troy Weaver, the Thunder have announced a series of promotions within their front office, including the filling of Weaver’s old role. Those promotions are as follows:

Rob Hennigan to VP of basketball operations
Will Dawkins to VP of basketball operations
Jesse Gould to VP of strategy and analytics
Wynn Sullivan to VP of strategy and design
Brandon Barnett to director of player personnel
Nazr Mohammed to pro personnel evaluator and GM of the Oklahoma City Blue
Paul Johnson to assistant GM of the OKC Blue

The Thunder also confirmed the previously-reported hiring of former Rivals.com analyst Corey Evans as an amateur scout.

“We are proud of the continued evolution of our Executive Team and the promotions of many long-tenured Thunder team members,” executive VP of basketball operations Sam Presti said in a statement. “These individuals have demonstrated a consistent commitment to our vision for Thunder basketball on and off the floor, and we are grateful for their contributions. The continued leadership development of our entire staff is essential to our focus of sustaining an elite basketball infrastructure.”

The promotions of Hennigan and Dawkins are most notable, as they appear poised to take on more senior positions in the front office following Weaver’s exit. Hennigan is in his second stint with the franchise, having left Oklahoma City to become Orlando’s GM for five years from 2012-17, while Dawkins has risen through OKC’s basketball operations department for over a decade after starting as an intern in 2008.

Mohammed’s new role is also worth noting. The former NBA center first joined Oklahoma City’s front office in December 2017 and has gone through an “extensive post-playing transition program for former players” during his three years as an executive, per today’s announcement from the team.

Bulls To Hire Sixers’ Marc Eversley As GM

April 27th, 2020 at 7:34am CST by Luke Adams

Two weeks after formally hiring Arturas Karnisovas as their new executive VP of basketball operations, the Bulls have chosen a general manager who will work with Karnisovas in their new-look front office. The club is hiring Sixers senior VP of player personnel Marc Eversley to fill that GM role, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Eversley was one of several candidates to interview for the general manager position following Chicago’s hiring of Karnisovas and the team’s dismissal of longtime GM Gar Forman. Matt Lloyd (Magic), Mark Hughes (Clippers), and Michael Finley (Mavericks) were among the other executives known to have spoken to the Bulls about the job.

Before reaching a deal late on Sunday night to join the Bulls, Eversley worked in the 76ers’ front office since 2016, when he was hired by the club’s former head of basketball operations, Bryan Colangelo. Eversley, a Canadian, also previous worked under Colangelo in the Raptors’ front office, with a stint as a Wizards exec in between. Prior to his time in NBA team front offices, he spent a decade working at Nike, per Wojnarowski.

This was at least the second time Eversley had interviewed for a GM job, having lost out to Mitch Kupchak on the Hornets’ position in 2018. He was also believed to be a candidate to replace Colangelo as Philadelphia’s head of basketball operations that year, but Elton Brand ultimately took over GM duties.

As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer details, Eversley was largely responsible for the Sixers zeroing in on Matisse Thybulle in last year’s draft and was also the first to recognize DeMar DeRozan‘s talent during his time in Toronto’s scouting department.

After the Bulls faced some criticism for a lack of diversity in their search for a head of basketball operations, Eversley will become the first black GM in team history, as Wojnarowski notes.

While Karnisovas and Eversley figure to run the show in Chicago’s revamped front office, the team is making additional changes. As previously reported, J.J. Polk and Pat Connelly are coming aboard in key roles — Woj suggests they’ll hold the titles of assistant GM and VP of player personnel, respectively. Meanwhile, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago says that more hires are likely coming, singling out Nazr Mohammed as one executive who interviewed for an “unspecified role.”

Bulls Eye Several Assistant GMs For Their GM Job

April 10th, 2020 at 6:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Arturas Karnisovas, who is expected to be named the Bulls’ executive VP of basketball operations, will conduct interviews with a number of general manager candidates in the near future, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

The Nuggets’ Calvin Booth, the Sixers’ Marc Eversley, the Clippers’ Mark Hughes and the Magic’s Matt Lloyd are among several assistant GMs around the league under consideration, Wojnarowski adds. The Bulls’ office will start seeking permission from other teams to conduct interviews with everyone on their list, Wojnarowski reports in another tweet.

However, Booth could be promoted by Denver to replace Karnisovas, who emerged as Chicago’s choice as its top front office executive on Wednesday.

The Thunder’s Troy Weaver and Nazr Mohammed and the Mavericks’ Michael Finley are also candidates for the GM job, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets.

No matter which executive that Karnisovas chooses, current GM Gar Forman will lose his title. It’s uncertain whether Forman will be reassigned or simply let go by the organization. Karnisovas will decide Forman’s future, according to another Cowley tweet.

Longtime Bulls executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson is expected to remain in an advisory position with Karnisovas and ownership making the final decisions.

The Bulls were reportedly denied permission by the Thunder to speak with Weaver, OKC’s VP of basketball operations, during the search process for an executive VP. Whether the Thunder have changed their stance on Weaver remains to be seen. The Bulls did hold an informal interview with Mohammed recently for another front office job.

More Notes, Details On Bulls’ Hiring Of Karnisovas

April 9th, 2020 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

Once Arturas Karnisovas formally assumes control of the Bulls‘ front office, he intends to hire a person of color to be the team’s general manager, a league source tells Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Goodwill’s story comes on the heels of a Wednesday report which indicated that black executives around the NBA were upset that all five candidates known to have interviewed for the top Chicago job were white, including a couple who had made racially insensitive comments in the past.

According to Goodwill, the Bulls requested permission during their search process to speak to Thunder VP of basketball operations Troy Weaver, who is black, but were denied. Chicago also tried to interview Raptors GM Bobby Webster, a Japanese-American, but didn’t receive permission from Toronto.

As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets, the Bulls did hold an informal interview with former Chicago center Nazr Mohammed, who has worked in Oklahoma City’s front office. That interview wasn’t for the team’s top front office job though.

Bulls COO Michael Reinsdorf has made a series of diverse hires in the Bulls’ business operations department in recent years, per Goodwill, who hears that the younger Reinsdorf has spoken both publicly and privately about the importance of having a diverse staff.

Here’s more on the Bulls’ hiring of Karnisovas and on the Nuggets, who will lose their general manager:

A source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that longtime executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson will continue to be a “sounding board” for the Reinsdorfs going forward, but will only weigh in on basketball decisions if asked by Karnisovas.
The Bulls’ front office search had its flaws, but the team ultimately landed on a very promising candidate in Karnisovas, opines Jon Greenberg of The Athletic.
Rockets GM Daryl Morey, who previously worked with Karnisovas in Houston, praised the Bulls’ choice and told Tom Haberstroh of NBC Sports (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson) that he’s happy to see the veteran exec get a shot to run a team. “Arturas is one of the best executives in the NBA,” Morey said. “I’m so happy he is getting this opportunity. He was instrumental in our success. I’m also thrilled he’s in the East now!”
Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly and team owner Josh Kroenke were “instrumental” in helping Karnisovas land the Chicago job, a source tells Mike Singer of The Denver Post. In a separate story for The Post, Singer spoke to former NBA player Jared Jeffries, who worked with Karnisovas for four years in Denver’s front office and called the Bulls’ decision to hire him a “no-brainer.”
Karnisovas’ departure leaves the Nuggets with a hole in their basketball operations department, and Nick Kosmider of The Athletic suggests that assistant GM Calvin Booth may be a candidate for a promotion.

Nazr Mohammed Joins Thunder’s Front Office

December 5th, 2017 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA center Nazr Mohammed has officially moved on to the next phase of his career, announcing in a piece for The Players’ Tribune that he has joined the Thunder in a front office capacity. According to Mohammed, he started working for the Thunder last month, having accepted a role as a professional evaluation scout/identification and intelligence.

Mohammed’s new title is somewhat inscrutable, which is unsurprising coming from a Thunder team that recently re-hired Rob Hennigan as its “executive vice president of insight and foresight.” However, Mohammed calls the job “a great opportunity to learn all the aspects of the business and become a well-rounded basketball executive,” adding that his goal is to one day become a general manager of an NBA franchise.

As Mohammed writes in his article for The Players’ Tribune, his relationship with Thunder general manager Sam Presti dates back to the mid-2000s, when Mohammed played in San Antonio and Presti served as the Spurs’ assistant GM. The veteran center later spent the final season of his playing career with the Thunder, so it makes sense that he’d return to the franchise to begin his career as an executive with the team.

Mohammed, 40, entered the NBA as a first-round draft pick out of Kentucky in 1998. Over the next 18 years, he appeared in more than 1,000 regular season games and another 88 postseason contests, spending time with the Sixers, Hawks, Knicks, Spurs, Pistons, Bobcats, Thunder, and Bulls.

Nazr Mohammed: I’m Unofficially Retired

August 25th, 2017 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Following the 2015/16 season, Nazr Mohammed was expected to call it a career, and he did indeed sit out the 2016/17 campaign. However, the longtime NBA center never officially announced his retirement. Speaking to Kelley D. Evans of The Undefeated, Mohammed confirmed that he essentially considers himself retired, even if he never made a formal announcement.

“I realized a long time ago, seeing other friends and teammates go through it. Only the great ones actually retire. The rest of us get retired,” Mohammed said. “I don’t feel like I need to officially retire, but I am retired.

“What I mean by that is, you know, there’s always a situation you would play for, but after a year has passed, I’m not really thinking in that mindset as far as playing again,” Mohammed continued. “I’m looking more into the business of basketball. There are things I want to do as far as looking for the right situation that can teach me the business of basketball and put me in a position where I have an opportunity to learn as much as I can. My dream is to one day run my own organization, whether it’s GM or as the president of an organization. I think I can manage and help build a championship team.”

Mohammed, who will celebrate his 40th birthday next month, entered the NBA as a first-round draft pick out of Kentucky in 1998. Over the next 18 years, he appeared in more than 1,000 regular season games and another 88 postseason contests, spending time with the Sixers, Hawks, Knicks, Spurs, Pistons, Bobcats, Thunder, and Bulls.

For his career, Mohammed averaged 5.8 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 15.8 minutes per game. The 6’10” center likely experienced his best season in 2004/05 — after serving as the Knicks’ starting center for most of the year, he was traded to the Spurs in a deadline deal, and won a championship with San Antonio in ’05. Mohammed averaged 9.5 PPG and 7.6 RPG that season, and was the Spurs’ starting center throughout the playoffs.

Although Mohammed hopes to join an NBA front office at some point, he’s currently spending his time focusing on community work and fundraising, as Evans’ piece for The Undefeated details.

Thunder Notes: Griffin, Mohammed, McGary

September 1st, 2016 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

With Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical having suggested on multiple occasions this offseason that the Thunder are looking ahead and identifying Blake Griffin as a potential free agent target in the summer of 2017, it came as no surprise that Griffin was on the receiving end of a subtle – and humorous – recruiting pitch during a recent event at the University of Oklahoma.

As relayed by Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk, Griffin tactfully blew off the mention of the Thunder at the alumni event, but it certainly won’t be the last time someone broaches the idea of a homecoming for the Oklahoma native. For what it’s worth, the Clippers reportedly remain very confident that Griffin will remain in Los Angeles for the long term.

Here’s more on the Thunder:

In order to complete this week’s acquisition of Joffrey Lauvergne, the Thunder renounced their free agent rights to Nazr Mohammed, according to RealGM’s transactions log. The move comes as no surprise, since even after removing Mohammed from their cap, the Thunder were just barely able to squeeze in Lauvergne’s salary, with about $29K in cap room to spare. Mohammed, an 18-year NBA veteran, isn’t expected to continue his playing career.
Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman offers a couple reasons why the Thunder might have traded for Lauvergne despite already having plenty of frontcourt depth. As Tramel writes, Oklahoma City may not be counting on Mitch McGary, who took a leave of absence last season and has been suspended for five games due to a drug violation. Tramel also wonders if Enes Kanter might be on the trade block.
In a piece for the Players’ Tribune, Serge Ibaka writes about his journey to the NBA and what he learned during his years with the Thunder. Ibaka wrote in a separate piece earlier this week that he “never asked” to be traded by OKC, though he’s excited about his new opportunity in Orlando.

Northwest Notes: Durant, Westbrook, Dixon

June 19th, 2016 at 9:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Free agency won’t be the only item on Kevin Durant‘s summer schedule, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The former MVP plans to be part of the U.S. Olympic team and may be the biggest name on a roster that has already lost Stephen Curry, James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Stein reports that Durant is considered a sure thing for the team, along with Klay Thompson and Paul George. They will join DeMarcus Cousins, whose participation was first reported by Marc Spears of The Undefeated. Kyrie Irving is considered almost certain to join the team, while officials are waiting to hear from LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. The full 12-man roster is expected to be announced soon.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Westbrook is making a smart decision to skip the Summer Games, contends Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman. With Rio de Janeiro beset by a financial crisis, reports of drug-resistant super bacteria on the beaches and possibly the Zika virus present, Tramel believes that presents too many risks for NBA players.
At age 38, Nazr Mohammed has probably played his last NBA game, according to Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman. Mohammed signed with the Thunder in March, but appeared in just five games and served mostly as a mentor to younger players, in particular giving defensive tips to Enes Kanter. Mohammed said he won’t try to play again next season and would like to someday become a GM. “That’s my five-year, 10-year plan,” he said. “To one day run my own organization.”
Mike Dixon Jr. has received a passport from the nation of Georgia and will participate in the Blazers‘ free agent camp Monday, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Dixon was a senior at Memphis in 2014 and played in the Czech Republic this season.
The Nuggets are facing an unpredictable draft with three picks in the first round, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Dempsey lists shooting, shot blocking and toughness as Denver’s top needs and speculates that a significant roster shakeup could happen by draft night.

Thunder Notes: Durant, Waiters, Mohammed

June 1st, 2016 at 7:18pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kevin Durant, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, said the two most important factors for him in deciding where to play next season will be a strong environment and solid personnel around him, Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman relays. “Just when I sit down and think about it — to be honest, I haven’t put that list together, I guess,” Durant responded when asked what he is looking for in a team. “Just being around great people, being in a great basketball environment, that’s the two most important things for me. That’s all I really care about. Who I’m going to be doing life with every single day, who I’m going to be playing basketball with every day.”

The small forward also noted that the reports he wants to be courted by prospective teams are not true, Slater adds. “I never said that. That’s not who I am. Whatever this thing entails, I’m ready to take it head on, but I’m not that type of person,” Durant said. “I mean, that’s not really — like I said, the two most important things for me is being around great people and having fun playing basketball. All that other stuff that comes with, being who I am and being in this position, it’s not really what I’m concerned with. So I never said that, obviously. You could say that about any player in this position, but yeah.”

Here’s more from OKC:

Shooting guard Dion Waiters is eligible for restricted free agency this summer, but said that he hopes to return to the Thunder next season, Slater writes in a separate article. “Of course,” Waiters said when asked if he wanted to remain in Oklahoma City. “Why not? Since I got here I feel as though they have helped me become a better person off the court. It’s not even about basketball. I’ve never been connected with a group of guys like this that I’m actually close to. Why not? The best fans in the world. I’m definitely looking forward to coming back.”
Veteran big man Nazr Mohammed said he would like to become an NBA GM in the future, Slater tweets. It’s unclear if the 38-year-old intends to retire and pursue a front-office position this summer. Mohammed will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason after appearing in just five contests this past season.
Assistant coach Monty Williams will not return to the team next season, head coach Billy Donovan said, Fred Katz of The Norman Transcript relays (via Twitter). It’s unclear if Williams will take the season off to deal with family matters in the wake of his wife’s tragic passing or if he intends to catch on with another team.
Nick Collison, Randy Foye and Anthony Morrow all said that they expect to be back with the team, but noted that much of the Thunder’s offseason plans depend on what Durant decides, Slater relays in a series of tweets. Collison’s deal for 2016/17 is fully guaranteed, but Foye is set to become an unrestricted free agent and Morrow’s pact is non-guaranteed.