Patrick Ewing Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Reed, Sixers, D-League

April 6th, 2016 at 5:46pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Sixers GM Sam Hinkie predicts that this coming offseason will be an active one for the franchise and will have a different feel from the previous few summers, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “It will feel different by the number of young players that are added to our team, the number of players out of the draft, and even the vibe around our team in free agency will have a different type of feel,” Hinkie said. The GM also remains hopeful that upper-tier free agents will view Philadelphia as a viable destination, Pompey adds. “I think the best players in the world have great options,” Hinkie told reporters. “They will continue to, and they will choose what’s best for them. But I think we will be able to provide opportunities for guys that will be interesting, too.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Power forward Willie Reed has left the Nets for personal reasons and isn’t likely to rejoin the team this season, Brian Lewis of The New York Post tweets. The 25-year-old has reportedly been upset with his lack of playing time under interim coach Tony Brown. Reed is eligible to become a restricted free agent this summer provided Brooklyn tenders him a qualifying offer worth $1,215,696. He’s appeared in 39 games for the Nets this season and is averaging 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per outing.
Hornets assistant coach Patrick Ewing hopes to secure an interview this summer for the Knicks head coaching position, though he isn’t banking on landing the job, as he told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Audio link). “Naturally, I’d love to be back in New York,’’ Ewing said. “I still have a home there in the offseason. I still get to go back there. My kids are still in that area. I guess it’s not meant to be. I’m happy where I am in Charlotte. It is my goal to be a head coach. If the Knicks called me and offered me a position and gave me an interview, I think it would be great. I’ve played there. I’ve been one of their best players. My number is in the rafters. I think it would be a great fit.’’ Interim coach Kurt Rambis is reportedly team president Phil Jackson‘s preferred choice to lead the team next season.
The Celtics have recalled power forward Jordan Mickey and swingman James Young from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This was Mickey’s 13th trip to Maine on the season and Young’s 12th.

Atlantic Notes: Katz, Melo, Ewing, Noel

June 1st, 2014 at 6:26pm CST by Zachary Links

There was tragic news this morning as Daniel Rubin and Alfred Lubrano of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that former Nets owner Lewis Katz died Saturday night in a plane crash. All seven people, including three crew members, perished in the accident at a Massachusetts airfield. Katz was known not only for being an investor in the Nets, New Jersey Devils, and New York Yankees, but also as a prolific philantropist. Hoops Rumors would like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of Katz and all of those who lost their lives in the awful tragedy. Here’s the latest out of the Atlantic..

Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com weighs the pros and cons of Carmelo Anthony opting in from all sides. If Melo opts in, it’ll allow the Knicks to get a clear idea of how much cap space they’ll have to work with next summer. As for Melo, he can potentially make more money overall by waiting until next summer to sign his next big deal, whether it comes from the Knicks or someone else.
Once again, Patrick Ewing wants to coach the Knicks but has not been contacted about the vacancy, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. “My family’s still there I still have a home there,” Ewing said Saturday on CBS Sports Radio’s Eye On Basketball show. “I don’t know what is going to happen in terms of who they’re going to have to fill that void. But if I get a call, I’ll be ready.” Ewing has plenty of experience as an assistant coach but for one reason or another has not been given serious consideration for a head coaching gig.
After sitting out all of last year, Sixers center Nerlens Noel is eager to show what he can do, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “The whole offseason I’ve really focused on getting stronger, putting on weight and gaining muscle, and that’s what I did,” the 6’11” Noel said. “Every aspect and skill point, I’ve been working on, too. My shot, I’ve progressed a lot, and I’m working on my technique. Every part of my game I’ve improved on.”

Knicks Rumors: Dolan, Mills, Jackson

March 19th, 2014 at 12:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks owner James Dolan might have won brownie points with Knicks fans Tuesday when he introduced Phil Jackson as team president and perhaps made more public statements in a single day than in the last seven years combined. Still, he made it clear that he’s not primarily interested in popularity as he spoke on “The Michael Kay Show” on ESPN New York 98.7 FM. Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com has the transcription.

“My goal isn’t to be loved,” Dolan said. “My goal is to win.”

The owner hasn’t accomplished that goal this season, but there’s plenty more behind-the-scenes intel on what Dolan’s doing to have more success in seasons to come, as we detail in our latest look at the Knicks:

Scott Cacciola of The New York Times provides a revelatory look at Dolan’s pursuit of Jackson. Steve Mills was heavily involved, as Cacciola describes, even though Mills wound up ceding his title of team president to Jackson.
Irving Azoff, the manager of the Eagles, did much more than merely introduce Dolan and Jackson, as Cacciola reveals in his piece. Azoff is gaining power within Madison Square Garden and is emerging as Dolan’s most trusted confidant, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News observes (Twitter link).
Isola suggests Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley as possible additions to the Knicks organization, though it’s unclear what roles they would play.
Dolan doesn’t think Jackson will ever end up coaching the Knicks, as he said during his radio appearance with Kay, but Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News isn’t buying it.

Odds & Ends: Ewing, Oriakhi, Jackson

November 5th, 2013 at 11:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

The divergent paths the Nets and Pacers took to upgrade their teams this summer underscores how the current collective bargaining agreement allows deep-pocketed owners to further their advantage, opines Mark Deeks of ShamSports in a piece for HoopsWorld. Indiana steadfastly refuses to pay the luxury tax, while Brooklyn is set to pay about $80MM in penalties on its $100MM+ payroll this season. Still, the Pacers are the NBA’s lone unbeaten team and my pick to win the championship. Here’s more from a nine-game NBA evening:

There were 13 coaching vacancies this past offseason, and Patrick Ewing didn’t receive an interview for any of them, notes Fred Kerber of the New York Post, who catches up with the Bobcats assistant pining for a chance to lead a team.
Alex Oriakhi, whom the Suns drafted 57th overall this summer, is leaving the French team Limoges, but he wants to continue to play somewhere in Europe, according to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia.
This year is crucial for Reggie Jackson, as he’ll have a chance to prove his worth as a sixth man. The Thunder believe he can lead their second unit, but they must find out for sure before he becomes extension-eligible in the summer, as The Oklahoman’s Anthony Slater examines.
Larry Sanders is averaging just 17.3 minutes per game after signing a four-year, $44MM extension with the Bucks this offseason, but he simply hasn’t earned any more playing time with his performance so far, the Journal Sentinel’s Michael Hunt argues.

Eastern Notes: Rose, Bobcats, Caldwell-Pope

October 5th, 2013 at 5:40pm CST by Spencer Lund

Mark Stein of ESPN.com reports, via Twitter, that according to the "eyes of a spy I trust," Derrick Rose looks even better now than he did in the past.

Here are a few Eastern notes as fans eagerly await the return of Rose when the Bulls and Pacers tip off at 7 p.m. EST tonight in the first preseason game for each team.

Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer looks at the Bobcats' bench to show how they can tap into the talents of Ben Gordon, Bismack Biyombo and others.
Bonnell also talked to Bobcats assistant coach Patrick Ewing after practice today at UNC-Asheville. Ewing doesn't want to be categorized as merely a big man coach, but that hasn't stopped Charlotte's big free agent acquisition, Al Jefferson, from soaking up his knowledge.
Despite the addition of Chauncey Billups in free agency this summer and the continued presence of Rodney Stuckey, Pistons rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is making his case for the starting job at the off-guard position, writes MLive.com's David Mayo.
Entering his third year in the NBA, Knicks Journal's Keith Schlosser asks whether Iman Shumpert is under the most pressure to improve his production this coming season if the Knicks are to have a real shot in the improved Eastern Conference.

LeBron James On Possible NBPA Presidency

August 10th, 2013 at 9:03pm CST by Spencer Lund

Late last month, Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports revealed that LeBron James was considering a run for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Presidency, which has remained vacant since Derek Fisher's term expired this summer.

Today James told ESPN's Brian Windhorst that "my voice could be huge in that situation." As Windhorst notes, the NBPA has come under scrutiny recently after the 2011 CBA negotiations saw the players ceding a significant portion of the league's basketball related income to ownership.

The loss of revenue in CBA negotiations was followed by a scandal involving Fisher and the union's former executive director Billy Hunter involving the use of the union's finances. With all the invective surrounding the NBPA over the last couple years, James has thrown his hat into the ring as the next possible President, with his clout as the league's preeminent star his biggest selling point for the role.

James believes the NBPA is due for an overhaul, saying "I just think the union is going backwards, and it's not in a good place right now." But as the game's best player, the league's biggest name overseas, and a global marketing phenomenon, James might not have the time to serve in that role.

"I'm not sure I have the time to do it, but it's something I'm going to think about with my team and go from there," James revealed to Windhorst on Saturday after an event for his foundation in his hometown of Akron. "But I think we all can agree there's been a lot of transition in our union in the last couple of years. If it's not me in that seat then I hope it's someone who is comfortable with it and can do the job."

The last NBA star to hold the role of NBPA President was Knicks center Patrick Ewing, who served in that capacity more than a decade ago. The union's summer meeting is later in August, and Whitlock wrote that the earliest decision on electing a new NBPA President could come towards the end of August.

Eastern Rumors: Jefferson, Knicks, Robinson

July 1st, 2013 at 8:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

Here's a look at the latest from the Eastern Conference on a busy first evening of free agency:

Al Jefferson will be meeting with the Bobcats on Wednesday, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, but Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer doesn't believe much will come of it (Twitter links).
The small forward position is still a need for the Knicks and they inquired about both Francisco Garcia and Matt Barnes, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Twitter).
The Knicks spoke with Nate Robinson's representatives, but don't count on the diminutive point guard winding up back in New York, Berman tweets.
The Celtics are set to be a taxpayer in 2013/14, but president of basketball operations Danny Ainge hinted today that the team will try to get under the tax line, as Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com notes. Still, it looks like Rajon Rondo will be sticking around Boston.
The agreement between Mike Dunleavy and the Bulls figures to help second-rounder Erik Murphy make the Chicago roster, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
Beno Udrih's agent told Sean Deveney of the Sporting News (on Twitter) that his client is "less likely" to re-sign with Magic but a return is "not impossible". The Pinnacle Management client has ten teams interested in him, according to his agent, though he wasn't specific on which clubs. Deveney has heard that the Wizards and Celtics are among those with interest, though the Wizards are probably out, with Eric Maynor coming aboard.
The Pacers officially announced that they have hired Nate McMillan as associate head coach.
Patrick Ewing will be Steve Clifford's associate head coach in Charlotte, with Bob Beyer, Stephen Silas, Bob Weiss and Mark Price filling out the Bobcats staff, according to a team press release.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Eastern Notes: Rose, Bosh, Kidd

June 13th, 2013 at 9:38pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau appeared to be excited as he described the progress that Derrick Rose has made, saying that the superstar point guard's speed and explosiveness have come back to the point to where he's comfortable and confident (Jon Greenberg of ESPN Chicago):

"I worked him out about a week ago…Watching the way he's moving now, there's a confidence.(Reporters) may not have been able to see the total work he was putting in. But he was putting in an enormous amount of work each and every day. He just never got to the explosiveness he was comfortable with. I think he's there now. He feels great, and that's the most important thing."

Here are more miscellaneous notes out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

Heat forward Chris Bosh downplayed the idea that he's bothered by talk about him being the most expendable of Miami's "Big Three," also mentioning that he wouldn't want to be the lead player on a team with a lesser situation (Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports).
Though Hall of Fame point guard Bob Cousy once doubled as a player-coach, don't expect Nets coach Jason Kidd to follow suit, as he told reporters that he has no intention of ever playing another minute (Marc Berman of the New York Post via Twitter).
Patrick Ewing, recently hired as an associate head coach for the Bobcats, thinks that it'll be a tough challenge for Kidd to make the transition from being an NBA player directly into becoming a head coach (Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York).
Former Knicks and Nets forward Shawne Williams looked good during a workout today and will audition for several NBA teams soon, tweets Hoopsworld's Alex Kennedy.
Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal writes that while the presence of Dion Waiters on the Cavaliers may compound the team's interest in drafting Ben McLemore, the former Syracuse standout could thrive in a reserve role as a primary ball handler in the second unit.
Wheat Hotchkiss of NBA.com reviews today's draft workout hosted by the Pacers, which included Deshaun Thomas, Will Clyburn, Alex Oriakhi, James Southerland, and Troy Daniels. C.J. Leslie was present, but did not participate in the workout.

Coaching Rumors: Hollins, Nets, Clippers, Shaw

June 5th, 2013 at 1:44pm CST by Luke Adams

As I noted yesterday when examining the longest-tenured coaches in the NBA, four teams – the Pistons, 76ers, Nets, and Clippers – are still in the market for a new head coach, while a couple other positions could open up later in the offseason. In addition to those head coaching openings, plenty of assistants are being hired, or moving from one NBA team to another. Here are today's rumors on those head coaching searches and the assistant coaching carousel:

Although the Clippers have asked and received permission to speak to Lionel Hollins, the Nets' initial request to speak to Hollins was turned down, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter links). Tillery adds that Brooklyn has yet to make another request since being denied on the day after the Grizzlies' season ended.
No teams have requested permission yet to speak to Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger, but the Sixers are believed to have interest, tweets Tillery.
A report yesterday indicated that the Nets and Sixers were among the teams that have contacted Larry Brown about their head coaching openings. Brown threw cold water on that report today though, according to John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer, saying he's happy at SMU. CSNPhilly.com, meanwhile, reports that Brown would likely have interest in returning to the NBA if it meant running a franchise. I'd be surprised if anything came of this.

Earlier updates:

Less than 24 hours after ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Chris Broussard reported that Brian Shaw was a "serious target" for the Nets, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that Shaw also appears to be the Clippers' top choice at this point. Since no official interviews have been conducted yet, the situation remains fluid, but the Clippers are intrigued by Shaw's youth, championship experience, and developmental skills, according to Shelburne.
Talks between Jeff Van Gundy and the Clippers have cooled, and the team has yet to ask permission to speak to Nuggets coach George Karl, though he remains a possible target. Lionel Hollins, Byron Scott, and Alvin Gentry also remain under consideration for Los Angeles, says Shelburne.
Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times provides the same list of contenders for the Clippers' job, though he's even more bearish on the likelihood of the team hiring Van Gundy, writing that he's essentially "out of the running." Shaw, meanwhile is gaining momentum for the position, according to Turner.
Although the Pistons' search appears to have been narrowed down to Nate McMillan and Maurice Cheeks, there's no guarantee a decision happens this week, sources tell David Mayo of MLive.com.
Following up on a report from Frank Isola of the New York Daily News last week which suggested Patrick Ewing could be hired as an assistant in Charlotte, Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com says Ewing is interviewing for the Bobcats' lead assistant job today. The former Knicks big man has also received interest from the Kings, writes Haynes.
Newly-hired Kings head coach Michael Malone is also talking to Ohio State assistant Chris Jent about joining his staff in Sacramento, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Yet another Lakers assistant coach appears to be on his way out of L.A., as Darvin Ham will talk to the Bobcats and Hawks about a spot on their respective staffs, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.

Odds & Ends: Draft, Ewing, Sloan, Kings

May 8th, 2013 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Two nights after the Bulls shocked the Heat in Miami and the Spurs outlasted the Warriors in a double-OT thriller, all four teams are back in action tonight. As we look forward to an encore of Monday's incredible doubleheader, let's check out a few odds and ends from around the NBA:

ESPN.com's Chad Ford provided plenty of new draft-related content today, unveiling version 2.0 of his mock and chatting with ESPN.com readers about next month's draft. Of note: Ford believes Trey Burke's stock continues to rise and that the Michigan guard could go as high as first overall.
With so many teams seeking a new head coach, Patrick Ewing tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that he's disappointed not to be receiving any interest for the open positions.
While it appears no teams have contacted Ewing, former head coach Jerry Sloan has fielded calls from "a couple" teams, as Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune writes. Sloan characterized those calls as exploratory, with no offers forthcoming at the moment. He also added that he hasn't been contacted by the Nets, meaning there's "no reason to talk about" a potential reunion with Deron Williams.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson suggested that Chris Hansen "take a step back" from his pursuit of the Kings and start exploring other ways to bring a team to Seattle. Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee has the details.
In his latest mailbag, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com answered questions about potential targets in the draft and free agency for the Pistons.