'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 42

nasty daddy · Post #1141 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 3:58 am

http://blog.mlive.com/its-just-sports/2 ... ns_ar.html

And the Pistons seem to be on the verge of making a trade ... rumor mill has Rip for Boozer discussions going on right now.

nasty daddy · Post #1142 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:01 am

http://www.971theticket.com/pages/3824327.php

Iverson Interested In Joining Grizzlies
Allen Iverson has made it known through his representatives that he is interested in signing with the Memphis Grizzlies, according to multiple sources.

nasty daddy · Post #1143 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:03 am

http://www.971theticket.com/pages/3824327.php

Report: Wallace agrees to sign with Celtics
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Forward Rasheed Wallace has reportedly agreed to sign with the Boston Celtics.

Reports from FOXSports.com and the Boston Globe on Sunday indicated Wallace is expected to sign a two-year contract for the mid-level exception. He cannot formally do so until Wednesday, the first day NBA free agents can sign.

nasty daddy · Post #1144 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:08 am

http://www.971theticket.com/pages/3824327.php

Pistons close to decision on coaching vacancy
Marc Stein reports today at ESPN.com that the Detroit Pistons are closing in on a resolution in their coaching search after two days of talks with ESPN analyst Avery Johnson. Stein goes on to write that sources familiar with the Pistons' thinking told ESPN.com that today would be a decisive day in their courting of Johnson, exactly one week removed from the dismissal of Michael Curry.

nasty daddy · Post #1145 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:08 am

http://www.971theticket.com/pages/3824327.php

Free agent Brandon Bass could be quite a catch
Although it may take time to play itself out, the Pistons would like to bring back power forward Antonio McDyess, an unrestricted free agent. Advertisement But with likely competition coming from more title-ready teams like Cleveland and San Antonio, the Pistons are looking at other options. And that could lead them to Mavericks power forward Brandon Bass, an unrestricted free agent. Bass' agent, Tony Dutt, said Monday the Pistons have inquired about his client, and there is mutual interest.

nasty daddy · Post #1146 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:10 am

http://www.971theticket.com/pages/3824327.php

Dumars: Pistons won't hire Avery Johnson
The Pistons have passed on hiring Avery Johnson as coach, team president Joe Dumars said Tuesday. "Where we are right now as a team is kind of like where we were at the start of the Rick Carlisle era," Dumars said. "And a $4 to $5 million (a year) coach is not what we need right now. We didn't have one of those until we were close to contending for a championship when we got Larry (Brown)."

nasty daddy · Post #1147 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:11 am

http://www.971theticket.com/pages/3824327.php

Pistons hire Kuester as next head coach
The Detroit Pistons have agreed to terms with Cavaliers assistant coach John Kuester to be their new head coach, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told SI.com.

Another league source said the contract was for two seasons with a team option for a third year.

The Pistons zeroed in on Kuester on Monday after contract negotiations with ESPN analyst and former Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson broke down over the weekend. Kuester, a former Pistons assistant coach under Larry Brown from 2004-06 and an NBA assistant coach since 1990, is considered to be one of the most qualified lieutenants in the NBA, having been an assistant for six NBA teams and having worked under top coaches such as Brown and Cleveland's Mike Brown. Kuester is a former head coach at Boston University and George Washington.

nasty daddy · Post #1148 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:14 am

http://www.motownstringmusic.com/2009/7 ... r-the-next

Report: John Kuester the Next Detroit Pistons Head Coach
Avery Johnson reportedly rejected a deal because the Pistons wouldn't offer him a four-year deal, so the Pistons have turned to the Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach.

From ESPN.com
Avery Johnson will not be the next coach of the Detroit Pistons, who are instead closing in on hiring Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach John Kuester. Johnson, an ESPN NBA analyst, confirmed in a SportsCenter interview Tuesday afternoon that he and the Pistons have broken off contract talks after more than two days of negotiations. Sources close to the process told ESPN.com that the job would instead go to Kuester in a deal likely to be completed later Tuesday or Wednesday.

Some quick fun facts about John Kuester: He played four seasons at North Carolina under Dean Smith and was drafted by the Kansas City Kings in the 1977 NBA Draft. He only played three seasons in the NBA and played for the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers, as well. More to follow as it becomes available.

nasty daddy · Post #1149 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:17 am

http://www.motownstringmusic.com/2009/7 ... -the-spurs

Antonio McDyess to the Spurs?
The Spurs were given a ton of credit for their draft a few weeks ago, particularly for landing DeJuan Blair when they did in the second round. The Pistons could have grabbed Pittsburgh's big rebounder multiple times, but passed presumably because of the fact he has no anterior cruciate ligaments in his knees. Well, the Spurs might be on the verge of snagging another player out from underneath the Pistons' noses. Detroit has reportedly been in talks with Antonio McDyess during the past week, trying to desperately re-sign the 14-year veteran. However, it seems the Spurs have the inside track on 'Dyess.

From Yahoo!:
The San Antonio Spurs have emerged as the leader in the courtship of free agent forward Antonio McDyess, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. San Antonio is one of three teams offering the full mid-level exception over two years, sources said. No deal is imminent, but it’s believed McDyess has offers from the Orlando Magic and possibly the Cleveland Cavaliers. McDyess is considered one of the best unrestricted free agents on the market, and could complete a terrific offseason makeover for the Spurs as they retool for another championship run.

McDyess turned down multiple offers in the past to remain with the Pistons because he wanted to remain loyal to the team that took a chance on him after multiple surgeries. It seems as if 'Dyess might be thinking more about himself this time around as his time to win a championship is certainly running out.

nasty daddy · Post #1150 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:20 am

http://www.motownstringmusic.com/2009/7 ... as-pistons

More on John Kuester as Pistons Head Coach
Watching the Cleveland/Detroit series this past post-season, I always wondered why John Kuester looked like he was doing more of the coaching than Mike Brown. Obviously, that's not entirely true, but that's how it seemed to some. It looked like he was running the show, the show that stomped all over the Pistons

Kuester may not have a head coaching gig on his resume, like Dumars wanted, but he has plenty of years under his belt as an assistant, ran the Cavaliers offense from the sidelines, and was front and center when the Pistons won the championship in 2004. He may have not been a head coach, but it's more likely than not that he knows what it takes to win. Joe Dumars apparently liked what he saw from John Kuester because he is all but officially, the next Detroit PIstons head coach, their sixth in the past decade. In fact, I'm surprised the Pistons weren't looking at Kuester before Avery Johnson.

From MLIVE:
The deal is expected to be for two years with the third year being a team option. Kuester was an assistant under Larry Brown during the Pistons' 2004 title run. With nearly 20 years of experience as an NBA assistant, Kuester spent this past season on the Cleveland Cavaliers bench. He was in charge of Cleveland's offense, which ranked among the league's top 10 in field goal percentage (sixth), 3-point field goal percentage (second) and fewest turnovers per game (sixth).Even more significant, Kuester managed to successfully implement a system that allowed others besides league MVP LeBron James to thrive offensively.

nasty daddy · Post #1151 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:22 am

http://www.motownstringmusic.com/2009/7 ... in-detroit

Avery a no-go in Detroit
The Pistons will not hire Avery Johnson as their next head coach after failing to agree to terms on Tuesday, Detroit was unable to satisfy Johnson's salary requirements and will pursue Cleveland assistant John Kuester and Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau, according to the source.

Disappointed but I trust in the front office. Their was probably something they seen in him that wouldn't mesh with the current team.

Unless Avery himself declined it. Who knows.

nasty daddy · Post #1152 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:24 am

http://www.motownstringmusic.com/2009/7 ... hn-kuester

Pistons Will Hire John Kuester
The Pistons are expected to complete the hiring of Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach John Kuester later Tuesday, NBA coaching sources told ESPN.com.

Kuester became the Pistons' top candidate after Avery Johnson broke off contract talks after more than two days of negotiations.

nasty daddy · Post #1153 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:26 am

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/ ... well-post/

Natalie’s farewell post
No, Natalie from Need4Sheed is not changing the name of her site. So quit asking her. But do read her farewell post to Rasheed Wallace.

nasty daddy · Post #1154 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:34 am

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/ ... ve-cowens/

Should Dumars consider Dave Cowens?
When Joe Dumars canned Michael Curry, he gave himself an unofficial deadline of a week to settle on a new coach. Well, today’s the day, and as this post goes to press, there’s still a vacancy at the end of the bench. Doug Collins backed out, Avery Johnson seems to want too much money and Tom Thibodeau and John Kuester, despite a combined 36 years on NBA sidelines as assistants, are naively regarded by the ticket-buying public as “inexperienced.” So what’s a guy to do? If you’re Chris McCosky, it’s Dave Cowens time: This is a Hall-of-Fame player who has had two stints as a head coach, one a success in Charlotte, the other a mess in Golden State. This is a man who has paid his dues, a man who has learned more from his mistakes and from the mistakes of the other coaches he’s worked for than he probably has from his successes. He’s more ready to coach now, in terms of knowledge, energy and temperament, than he ever was. Plus, he’s intimately familiar with the players on this team and the structure of the organization having been here for two seasons. His opinions and suggestions last season were sought by many of the players last season, especially Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess, even if they weren’t often solicited by Curry. I believe Curry could have saved himself some grief if he had allowed Cowens to have more input.

Technically Cowens has three stints as an NBA head coach — he was a player coach with the Celtics back when such things still existed in 1978-79. And, if you really want to split hairs, he also guided the WNBA’s Chicago Sky to a 5-29 record during the franchise’s expansion season in 2006. In any case, if Curry was shutting Cowens out last year, it may help explain why Cowens was reassigned from Curry’s staff to a front office position the week before Curry was fired. With Curry out of the picture, perhaps Cowens might return to the bench. But as a head coach? I’m not sure he has a fresh enough voice to invigorate the roster (or the fans), no matter how much the veterans respected him last year. The past three years have been three of the most disappointing years in Pistons history, and Cowens has had a first-hand look from the bench the entire time. Whether it’s fair or not, there’s something to be said from simply starting fresh. I’m not sure that means Avery Johnson, the presumed favorite, is a better alternative. Despite a pair of 60-win seasons with the Mavericks, Johnson has only four years of coaching experience at any level, and it showed in the way he managed game-plans and tried to rule the locker room with an iron fist when the going got rough. Maybe those episodes have helped him mature as a head coach, but that’s as much of a gamble as rolling the dice on a guy like Thibodeau or Kuester, who have spent decades upon decades coaching on the collegiate and professional level — especially when you consider these next few years for the Pistons will be as much about teaching and developing as actually contending. There are no sure things in this process (well, short of coaxing Jeff Van Gundy away from the broadcaster’s booth or dipping Hubie Brown into the fountain of youth), and crossing viable candidates who happen to lack NBA head coaching experience off the list simply because Michael Curry was an abject failure would needlessly compound the mistake of hiring Curry in the first place.

Update: Johnson is officially off the list: “Where we are right now as a team is kind of like where we were at the start of the Rick Carlisle era,” Dumars said. “And a $4 to $5 million (a year) coach is not what we need right now. We didn’t have one of those until we were close to contending for a championship when we got Larry (Brown).” Dumars said the coach probably will be either John Kuester, the former Pistons assistant now with the Cavaliers, or Tom Thibodeau, a Celtics assistant

nasty daddy · Post #1155 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:37 am

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/07/07/aver ... ons-coach/

Avery Johnson Reportedly Won't Be Next Pistons Coach
The Pistons' head coaching search has narrowed, with the former favorite to secure the job now apparently out of the running. Avery Johnson was perceived as the leading candidate for the position, considering the fact that Joe Dumars had said that after the Michael Curry debacle, he wanted someone with more experience to run the team this time around. But after two days of negotiations, ESPN is reporting that contract talks have broken off, and now two assistant coaches are believed to be the front-runners for the job in Detroit. Cavaliers assistant coach John Kuester is now believed to be Dumars' first choice, while Celtics assistant coach and defensive coordinator Tom Thibodeau has been mentioned as a possibility as well. But Kuester's familiarity with the franchise -- he was an assistant under Larry Brown with the Pistons during their championship run back in 2004 -- seemingly has him as the favorite at this point.

Back to Avery Johnson, who was said to be asking for a guaranteed four-year contract when the Pistons (looking for their sixth coach in the last 10 years) were said to be only willing to offer two years, with a team option for a third. I'm sorry, but four years? Are you kidding me? Johnson was run out of town in Dallas by his players; remember the whole Josh Howard birthday party thing during the playoffs in 2008? The only reason he got the Mavericks' job was because he was already embedded within the team, and had endeared himself to Mark Cuban during his time there as an assistant coach.

Despite being named the 2005-06 NBA Coach of the Year, Johnson still has some work to do to prove himself as a top-notch NBA coach. With that in mind, it seems ridiculous for someone with his limited resume to be demanding four years guaranteed -- especially from a team like Detroit that has had problems retaining a successful head coach for any significant length of time in the last decade. The Pistons' offer to Johnson was more than fair, especially when you remember that they paid two head coaches last season, and that they're on the hook for $5M to Curry over the next two seasons. With a four-year contract as a prerequisite, Johnson won't be back as a head coach in this league anytime soon.

nasty daddy · Post #1156 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:40 am

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/ ... ss-leaves/

As John Kuester arrives, Antonio McDyess leaves?
As reported by, well, everyone, it looks like Joe Dumars is close to making this official. Take it away, Sherrod Blakely! Cleveland Cavaliers assistant John Kuester will be named the Detroit Pistons’ next head coach, although no formal announcement is expected today. A league official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the multi-year contract between Kuester and Detroit had yet to be signed, said the 54-year-old met with Dumars for a couple hours on Monday, and the two talked again on Tuesday.

ESPN’s Marc Stein is hearing the same things: Johnson, an ESPN NBA analyst, confirmed in a “SportsCenter” interview Tuesday afternoon that he and the Pistons have broken off contract talks after more than two days of negotiations. “At our present stage, we just feel it’s important that we continue to make decisions that are best for our team,” Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said. […] Dumars’ comfort level with Kuester and his desire to inject Detroit’s offense with some new ideas after reaching verbal agreements to sign Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva appear to have trumped his earlier call for more experience. Johnson’s defense-first mindset is another factor, sources said, that prompted Dumars to tell the Detroit News on Friday that hiring Johnson was “not a given” in spite of Johnson’s presumed status as an overwhelming favorite. (On a side note, how about that quote from Dumars? At present, he’s acting in best interest of the team … As opposed to before, when he wasn’t? I think read too much into these things

Sad to say, it’s not all good news, as Y!’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports Antonio McDyess may be close to to deciding on a new team, and Detroit is not among the top three contenders: The San Antonio Spurs have emerged as the leader in the courtship of free-agent forward Antonio McDyess, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. San Antonio is one of three teams offering the full mid-level exception over two years, sources said. No deal is imminent, but it’s believed McDyess has offers from the Orlando Magic and possibly the Cleveland Cavaliers. “He’s definitely been wrestling with this [decision],” one league executive said. Detroit president Joe Dumars still wants to re-sign McDyess, but needs to clear more space to make a competitive offer. For all the attention the Celtics got for landing Rasheed Wallace, McDyess is the real prize for any team hoping to add a touch of rebounding and scoring while giving max effort on every shift. My Eastern Conference bias hopes he lands with the Magic, but considering he lives in Houston in the offseason, the chance to finish his career in Texas must be appealing.

nasty daddy · Post #1157 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:43 am

http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/07/od ... on-is-out/

Avery Johnson is out, Kuester likely in
UPDATE: The Pistons are close to reaching a deal with John Kuester, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

Joe Dumars says Avery Johnson is no longer being considered, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.

nasty daddy · Post #1158 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:44 am

http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/07/br ... new-coach/

BREAKING NEWS: John Kuester is Pistons’ new coach
Kuester has agreed to a three-year contract (with the third year unguaranteed), according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.

nasty daddy · Post #1159 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 4:50 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4312721

NBA salary cap goes down
NBA salary cap has been set for next season at $57.7 million, a decline from 2008-09, allowing teams to begin signing players.

The figure the league announced Tuesday night was about $1 million less than last season's cap of $58.68 million, even though league-wide revenue rose 2.5 percent. The number is expected to drop further next season when the full effect of the economic difficulties hits. The new salary cap went into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, ending the NBA's moratorium period and allowing free agents to sign deals with teams.

Teams and players were able to begin negotiating on July 1. Ron Artest agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Detroit Pistons reached agreements with Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva during the moratorium. The luxury tax level also dropped to $69.92 million. Any team whose salary exceeds that will have to pay $1 for every $1 it goes over. The tax level last season was $71.2 million. The midlevel exception will be $5.85 million.

nasty daddy · Post #1160 » by **nasty daddy** » Wed Jul 8, 2009 5:28 am

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/pist ... logid=1926

About McDyess -- corrected
The league released all the financial numbers. The salary cap is $57.7 million and the luxury tax will kick in at $69.92 million. The mid-level exception is set at $5.85 million. So, what does this mean for the Pistons? My original math was bad, as usual. I had them having between $4 million and $5 million left to spend on Antonio McDyess. Upon further review, not so much. They might have, maybe $2 million left. And that won't get it done. McDyess has narrowed his choices down to Detroit and San Antonio. San Antonio can give him their full mid-level if they chose to ($5.85 million). Knowing how the Spurs normally operate, they might want to split that mid-level on two players. Still, they have more juice than the Pistons.

McDyess, ever the good man, will meet with Joe Dumars one more time before making up his mind, and he's told his agent, Andy Miller, that he will also give Dumars the chance to make the final offer. The Pistons could conceivably shave close to $2 million more off their payroll by finding trade partners for Arron Afflalo and Walter Sharpe. But that won't be easy, and it still might not be enough. If McDyess choses San Antonio, the Pistons next option would be Dallas forward Brandon Bass -- though he, too, is getting offers close to the full mid-level. Now some quick notes from Vegas. I got here in the afternoon, had to finalize all the John Kuester stuff (three-year deal, third year a team option, worth $1.5 million per) then get over to a local high school for the summer team's first practice at 6 p.m., Pacific.

As always, there's been some roster changes. Former Bobcat point guard Sean Singletary replaced Ibrahim Jaaber. Former Jazz and Pacers point guard Andre Owens is also on the roster. Both are fighting to win the open third point guard spot. Sharpe was not there. Apparently he was still back in Detroit getting an undisclosed injury looked at. He is expected to be out here before games begin on Friday. Rookie Jonas Jerebko isn't able to participate yet. He needs to get clearance from FIBA, the Italian Federation and his former team. All players who played in the Euroleague last year have to get these clearances or they can't compete. This is causing a real problem, since FIBA didn't send teams notification that they were going to enforce this rule until June 30. It takes at least seven days to obtain these clearances. The Pistons are hopeful Jerebko's will come through before the Vegas league ends.