It will be the second summer in a row in which STAT works with The Dream on low-post moves and defense. Interestingly, Olajuwon reportedly charges $50,000 per week for the instruction at his private basketball court just outside of Houston. Despite the injuries, Stoudemire had his best shooting season as a Knick, making 57.7 percent of his shots from the floor. Of course, fantasy owners will be reluctant to draft Stoudemire next year considering he had a surgery on each knee last season.
Amare will work with Olajuwon in the summer
Amare Stoudemire | NY
(May 25, 2013 2:58 PM EDT)
Amare Stoudemire will work with Hakeem Olajuwon in August.
Source:
ESPN NY
Terrence Williams back at practice on Sat.
Terrence Williams | BOS
(May 25, 2013 1:36 PM EDT)
Terrence Williams was back at the practice facility on Saturday.
He was arrested for second-degree domestic violence on Sunday and made some comments about the alleged altercation. "It's very frustrating, because I was there, I know what happened, and I know what didn’t happen," Williams said. "To anybody reading, and everybody that’s writing these stories, it makes me out to be this bandit." His status for next year is up in the air and he might have had trouble joining an NBA team even before his legal troubles.
Source:
Chris Forsberg on Twitter
Celtics work out several rookies on Saturday
Pierre Jackson | CLG
(May 25, 2013 12:39 PM EDT)
The Celtics worked out Pierre Jackson, Gregory Echenique, Myck Kabongo, Shane Larkin, Phil Pressey and Steven Adams on Saturday.
Shane Larkin may be the highest profile player of this young group and had a nice combine leading all participants with his 44-inch max vertical. Pierre Jackson also has decent point guard skills, so the Celtics could certainly be looking for a backup point guard behind Rajon Rondo considering Avery Bradley couldn't really handle the ball this season.
Source:
A. Sherrod Blakely
Jared Sullinger practicing with Celtics
Jared Sullinger | BOS
(May 25, 2013 12:27 PM EDT)
Jared Sullinger (back surgery) was at Boston's practice facility on Saturday.
He's been working out for about two weeks and is hoping to be ready for training camp. Sullinger had back surgery on February 1 to end his rookie season, but he was coming around just before his injury. His 5.9 boards per game in just 19.8 minutes could make him a deeper sleeper in some fantasy leagues.
Source:
Jessica Camerato on Twitter
Vasquez says he'll be back in 12-16 weeks
Greivis Vasquez | NO
(May 25, 2013 11:37 AM EDT)
Greivis Vasquez (right ankle surgery) said on his Twitter account that he'll be back in 12-16 weeks.
That would make him ready to go in the middle of August or mid-September at the latest. Vasquez had surgery to remove bone spurs out of his right ankle, so the lengthy timetable suggests he'll be taking it easy. He should be close to 100 percent for training camp next season.
Source:
Greivis Vasquez on Twitter
Report: No more candidates for Pistons job
Joe Dumars | DET
(May 25, 2013 9:45 AM EDT)
The Pistons are not expected to bring in any more head coach candidates after interviewing Maurice Cheeks, a source tells the Detroit News.
Cheeks interviewed with the Pistons on Wednesday. Detroit reportedly met with at least Lindsey Hunter, Nate McMillian, J.B. Bickerstaff and Mike Budenholzer. However, according to the News they never interviewed Pacers assistant Brian Shaw or Heat assistant David Fizdale, whose teams are both still in the playoffs. There's no clear frontrunner at this point and Joe Dumars has said he has no timetable for picking the team's next head coach.
Source:
Detroit News
Kosta Koufos won't play for Greece this year
Kosta Koufos | DEN
(May 25, 2013 9:36 AM EDT)
Kosta Koufos will not play for the Greek national team this summer.
Koufos will instead spend the summer working with Nuggets coaches trying to improve on his career year. Although he struggled in the postseason, Koufos started all 81 games he played in as part of a platoon with JaVale McGee. It's unclear who will start next season between McGee and Koufos, but it's likely going to be a battle that lasts well into training camp. The 24-year-old Koufos averaged 8.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 22.4 minutes per game.
Source:
Denver Post
Nuggets, Ujiri were near deal before Raptors
Masai Ujiri | DEN
(May 25, 2013 9:33 AM EDT)
Nuggets president Josh Kroenke told the Denver Post he and Masai Ujiri were putting the finishing touches on a contract extension when the Raptors requested permission to speak to Ujiri.
Ujiri is reportedly weighing an offer to be Raptors GM that could pay as high as $3 million annually. The extremely high offer from Toronto likely blew up whatever offer the Nuggets had presented to Ujiri, who won the NBA's Executive of the Year award this season. Besides the money, Ujiri spent time in Toronto's front office before heading to Denver, which will likely weigh heavily in his decision process.
Source:
Denver Post
Report: Malone also a candidate for Clips job
Chris Paul | LAC
(May 25, 2013 9:17 AM EDT)
Warriors assistant Mike Malone is one of the primary candidates for the Clippers' head coach job, ESPN Los Angeles reports.
Malone has also been linked to the Warriors and 76ers jobs. Chris Paul knows Malone from New Orleans, where Malone was the lead assistant on Monty Williams' staff. Although Paul is very fond of Williams, it remains to be seen what Paul thinks of Malone. The Clippers are desperate to re-sign CP3, who is scheduled for free agency this summer, and he'll likely have a very big say in the coaching search if he wants to return to the L.A. According to the Orange County Register, the Clippers are also interested in Nate McMillan and Byron Scott.
Source:
ESPN Los Angeles
Report: Malone atop Ranadive's list for Kings
Keith Smart | SAC
(May 25, 2013 9:11 AM EDT)
Vivek Ranadive has Warriors assistant Mike Malone atop his list of candidates to coach the Kings, a source tells Ric Bucher.
This isn't all that surprising considering Ranadive was a minority owner with the Warriors prior to becoming the primary owner of the Kings. Malone is a very hot coaching candidate this summer and has been mentioned in connection with most of the open jobs. Technically, Keith Smart is still the coach but he reportedly is expected to be fired.
Source:
Ric Bucher on Sulia