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

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4298227

Sources: Kobe returning to Lakers
It wasn't long ago that Kobe Bryant reportedly wanted out of Los Angeles. He's not going anywhere now.

Fresh off winning the championship, the Lakers guard decided not to exercise an early termination option in his contract and will return for the 2009-10 season, a league source told ESPN.com's Chad Ford.

Bryant is scheduled to make $23 million next season by not opting out. He also has a player option to opt out of his contract in the 2010-11 season. The Lakers will work with Bryant over the summer and fall to hammer out a new, long-term extension, according to the source.

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http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12724003

Utah Jazz: Boozer, Okur both opt in with Jazz
The reality of a barren free-agent market caught up to Carlos Boozer on Tuesday, when the Jazz forward elected to return to Utah, unable to match the $12.7 million he stands to make for the upcoming season.

Boozer's decision to return prompted Mehmet Okur to do the same a few hours later. Okur will make $9 million this season, pushing the Jazz into luxury-tax territory with at least two more players still to add to their roster.

Had he opted out, Okur could not be sure that the Jazz would make as much of a push to re-sign him in the wake of Boozer's decision. Millsap's agent, DeAngelo Simmons, said Boozer's decision would signal to teams that they might be able to sign away Millsap with an offer the Jazz would not be able to match. "That was the indication from teams that we've received," Simmons said. "Now that they know that [the Jazz] don't really have that amount of money, they're going to be more aggressive, in my opinion." The Jazz have been unequivocal about matching offers to Millsap. Simmons said he thought a Boozer/Millsap pairing could work for another season. "Anything is possible and anything is negotiable," he said, adding, "It's a tough situation. I hope for the best for both parties."

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http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2009 ... one-season

Pistons fire Curry after one season
The prevailing thought was that Michael Curry was going to get a second season to redeem himself after a rough, 39-43 rookie season. Pistons president Joe Dumars blew that thought right out of the water, firing Curry on Tuesday. "As I look at our situation and the transition that we are going through, it is clear to me that we need a more experienced hand at the wheel to help guide us through this," Dumars said. "Maybe I put too much on Mike as a first-year head coach." The Pistons will pay Curry $5 million for the two remaining years on his contract.

As for the next coach, Dumars will choose from a very short list: Doug Collins, former Bulls, Pistons and Wizards coach; Avery Johnson, former Mavericks coach; and John Kuester, former Pistons and current Cavaliers assistant coach. "My family and I have an understanding and they know I want to do it (coach) one more time," Collins said during a phone interview from San Diego. "It has to be the right situation, but everybody knows I have a great affection for Detroit and the Pistons organization. They are committed to winning."Johnson, reached in Texas, had not heard from the Pistons and didn't want to comment. "I have not heard from them yet," Johnson said. "It's unfortunate what happened to Michael, but of course I am always in listening mode."

Kuester, though a rising star in the coaching fraternity, is considered a longshot. Dumars would probably prefer not to replace Curry with another rookie head coach. Though the timing of the firing was odd, it was not believed to be related to free agency, though certainly, with Curry gone, the Pistons might have a better chance of re-signing Antonio McDyess.Curry very quickly lost the confidence of both his players and coaching staff last season. Dumars wanted to give Curry time this summer to mend some of those fences. When that hadn't happened, Dumars decided to pull the plug. There is no deadline for hiring the new coach.

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http://blogs.suntimes.com/bulls/2009/06 ... ld_us.html

Pacers' Granger: Bulls should use Gordon money to go big
The NBA free agent market officially opens tonight at 11:01 p.m. and Ben Gordon is expected to hear offers from the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Pistons, who fired coach Michael Curry Tuesday, are expected to have $17 to $19 million in salary cap room. The PIstons are expected to pursue Carlos Boozer first, if he opts out of his contract with Utah. But most believe Boozer will remain with the Jazz and collect $12.7 million next season, rather than risk settling for less as a free agent. Indiana Pacers star Danny Granger, in an interview on The Boers and Bernstein Show (WSCR, 670-AM) Tuesday, said the Bulls would be better off getting a forward like Boozer instead of re-signing Gordon, who will be an unrestricted free agent.

``Ben is a really good scorer in this league,'' Granger said. ``You can say whatever you want about how tall he is [6-2] or whatever but, bottom line, Ben can score the ball. We are in the same division. As far as what makes them better? If they didn't re-sign [Gordon] and they maybe went after someone else. Maybe like a Carlos Boozer, depending if he opts out, or not. Because I think if they get an inside presence, they'll be really good. Especially with Derrick Rose on the perimeter.``That's coming from an Indiana player and I don't want the Bulls to be that much better.''

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http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2009 ... scapegoats

Commentary: Time for Joe Dumars to halt parade of scapegoats
The names change but the story remains the same. The Pistons fired Michael Curry on Tuesday, and this is about another Pistons coach who failed to gain the respect of the players. Curry was a fine assistant coach who could keep the peace as an underling, but he was not the right guy to lead this team. It is not all Curry's fault, however, because Pistons president Joe Dumars made it impossible for Curry to succeed. Once Dumars dropped an atomic bomb named Allen Iverson in the dressing room, there was no way Curry had the name, game and experience to keep things together. Curry was not the right guy, but he faced an impossible task during the 2008-09 season.

Now the Pistons must find a guy that players respect -- and that will be nearly impossible. There is speculation that Bill Laimbeer is in the running for the position. But I question if he can get respect from a dressing room full of players who believe they are running the show. And for the most part, they are. The players never respected Michael Curry. They called him "MC," not "Coach," or "Coach Curry," and they often rolled their eyes when you asked about their coach. The Pistons are transitioning to a new type of team, with a new way of playing and a new game plan. Curry obviously did not fit that plan and neither does Laimbeer.

The guy who should take over this team is the man who made the move. If Dumars wants to fix this mess, he should take over the team. He cannot keep firing coaches and moving players. Dumars must either step down as team president or step up as head coach. He is not willing to give his coaches enough support to control an unprofessional dressing room. Is Joe willing to step up and do it? I doubt it. Instead, it is likely Dumars will hire a guy that will last another two or three years before he moves on to the next scapegoat. It is time for Dumars to put his stamp on this franchise from the bench.

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http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports ... agic-.html

Hedo Turkoglu's agent: Don't give up on Turk returning to the Magic
I contacted Lon Babby, the agent for Hedo Turkoglu Tuesday night, in order to discuss Turkoglu's legacy with the Magic.

If you ask me, it's the longest of the long shots that the Magic could re-sign Turkoglu when the free agency signing period officially starts at midnight tonight. The Magic reportedly have already offered Turkoglu a lowball four-year, $35 million deal that Turkoglu declined before opting out of his final season with the Magic. That's when the Magic went out and made the blockbuster trade for Vince Carter, who still has $34 million and two years left on his contract. It's highly unlikely the Magic will come up with an offer that's even close to the five-year, $50 million deal Turkoglu is reportedly seeking.

Even so, Babby is not giving up. "They (the Magic) have said they want to talk to us," Babby said. "It's really just a matter of how much money they are willing to spend. Is it (Turk's return to Orlando) likely? I don't know. It's harder now than it was before -- not just financially but what the team's going to look like and what Hedo's role would be on the team. But I don't preclude anything until the process unfolds."

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http://hoopshype.com/twitter_media.html

Bill Ingram: Charlotte Bobcats to reach out to Allen Iverson . . .bit.ly/HFnn1 Over 1 hour ago.

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http://hoopshype.com/twitter_media.html

Ric Bucher: KG pleas have worked - Bos is on Sheed's list w/Dal, Orl, SA. Don't count out Lakers, either. Over 6 hours ago.

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http://hoopshype.com/twitter_media.html

Stephen A. Smith: Sorry to hear Michael Curry was fired as the Pistons head coach, but I'm not surprised. Joe Dumars had to do it. Players didn't want him. Over 6 hours ago.

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http://hoopshype.com/twitter_media.html

Adrian Wojnarowski: Joe Dumars tells Woj: "Maybe I put too much on Mike as first year head coach...It became clear to me that we needed a more experienced HC" Over 6 hours ago.

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http://hoopshype.com/twitter_media.html

Adrian Wojnarowski: There is no chance that Bill Laimbeer will be the Pistons next coach. Over 6 hours ago.

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http://hoopshype.com/twitter_media.html

Rob Peterson: Who last longer: Pistons coaches or Central American presidents? Over 6 hours ago.

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http://hoopshype.com/twitter_media.html

Marc Stein: Doug Collins and Avery Johnson HIGH on the Pistons' list to replace Curry. bit.ly/z5Z1I Over 7 hours ago.

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http://hoopshype.com/twitter_media.html

Jason Fleming: Let the Laimbeer speculation begin in earnest Over 7 hours ago.

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http://hoopshype.com/twitter_media.html

Jason Fleming: Busy morning...Pistons fired Curry: bit.ly/ZI07g Over 7 hours ago.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/stor ... AHeadlines

Maggette has minor wrist surgery
Golden State Warriors forward Corey Maggette has undergone minor surgery on his right wrist.

Maggette had the surgery Monday in Los Angeles to relieve pain that bothered Maggette intermittently during his first season with Golden State. The 10-year pro hobbled through 51 games last season with several injuries, including a sprained right hand, a sore back, a torn hamstring and post-concussion syndrome.

Maggette, who averaged 18.6 points and 5.5 rebounds last season while mostly playing as a reserve, will be able to resume basketball activities in three weeks.

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http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2009 ... hael-Curry?

Is Bill Laimbeer a candidate to replace Michael Curry?
Is Bill Laimbeer a candidate to replace Michael Curry as Pistons coach? Laimbeer, the former Pistons player who rose to prominence in the organization during the Bad Boys era, resigned as coach of the WNBA's Detroit Shock on June 16. Laimbeer has for years expressed a desire to be an NBA coach. When he was contacted by The Detroit News on Tuesday and asked about Curry's firing, Laimbeer said, "It's the first I've heard of it. Really, they fired him?"

Laimbeer was asked if he had been contacted by the Pistons about the head coaching position. "I've been out pursuing different things," he said. As for his reaction to Curry's firing, Laimbeer said, "I don't have any feelings about it." Laimbeer was asked if he wanted to be head coach of the Pistons. "I'm not going to comment on that," he said. "I'm in the store right now with my wife."

Curry was 39-43 in his only season as Pistons coach. Detroit was swept by Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs. "This was a difficult decision to make," Pistons president Joe Dumars said in a statement. "I want to thank Michael for his hard work and dedication to the organization. However, at this time, I have decided to make a change."

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http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/d ... index.html

Pistons zero in on coaching candidates to replace Curry
The Detroit Pistons have three candidates for their head coaching job after firing Michael Curry early Tuesday, sources tell TNT's David Aldridge. The three are current Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach John Kuester, former Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson and current TNT analyst Doug Collins. Kuester is probably the least well-known of the three candidates, but he has established a strong reputation as an offensive-minded coach in many NBA stops -- including in Detroit, where he was an assistant to Larry Brown when the Pistons won the NBA title in 2004. He's been an NBA assistant coach since 1995, including stops with the Celtics, Nets, 76ers and Magic. He joined Cleveland's staff two years ago, given great leeway by head coach Mike Brown to draw up plays and sets during timeouts.Johnson took over for Don Nelson in Dallas during the 2005-06 season and led the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance, where they lost to the Miami Heat in six games. The next season, Dallas set a franchise record with a 67-15 regular season mark and had home-court advantage throughout the Playoffs. But in one of the most shocking upsets in recent history, the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors beat the Mavericks, 4-1, in the first round. In his last season in Dallas, Johnson went 52-30 in the regular season, but again the Mavs lost in the first round, this time to New Orleans. After that series, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban fired Johnson, saying he would have to face a team-wide "mutiny" if he hadn't acted.

A source close to Johnson told NBA.com's Art Garcia that Johnson is not a candidate or currently interested in the position. Johnson, according to the source, has not had any contact with Detroit and is preparing to return to ESPN as an analyst. After the upcoming season, Johnson would be more amenable to a return to the sidelines, the source said. Collins is viewed as one of the best teachers of young talent in the game, having coached Michael Jordan during his early years with the Bulls, Grant Hill and Allan Houston in Detroit and Rip Hamilton in Washington with the Wizards.In three seasons in Chicago (1986-89), Collins went 137-109 in the regular season and led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference finals in 1989 before losing to the Pistons. But Collins was fired after that season and replaced by Phil Jackson. Collins then spent two-plus seasons in Detroit (1995-97) as head coach of the Pistons, winning 54 regular-season games his second season. He was fired midway through his third season. After Collins served as NBC's lead analyst on NBA games for several years, Jordan -- by then retired and in charge in Washington --hired him in 2001 to coach the Wizards. Jordan opted to end his retirement and re-join the team, but injuries conspired against the Wizards in both years, and despite raising the team's win total from 19 to 37, Collins was fired after the 2002-03 season. He almost accepted the Bulls' head coaching position last year, but changed his mind and remained with TNT.

On Tuesday, Joe Dumars, the president of basketball operations of the Pistons, fired Curry, the former president of the National Basketball Players Association, after one year on the job. Curry had struggled during the season to win the respect of his veteran players. The dénouement came after Curry opted to bench longtime Pistons starter Rip Hamilton in favor of Allen Iverson, who had been acquired in November in a deal with Denver that sent veteran point guard Chauncey Billups to the Nuggets. Iverson and Hamilton started together for a while in a three-guard rotation that also featured second-year guard Rodney Stuckey, with Tayshaun Prince moving from small forward to power forward. Prince soon started getting clobbered underneath and made no secret of his desire to return to small forward. Faced with a choice, Curry opted to bring Hamilton off the bench and leave Iverson as a starter. The move wound up costing Curry his team as his veteran players, angry that Hamilton was benched instead of the newcomer Iverson, tuned him out for most of the rest of the season. When Curry changed his mind late in the regular season and wanted to bench Iverson, the veteran said he wouldn't be able to handle the role, and soon was out for the rest of the year with what he claimed was a back injury. One coaching source said that Curry could be "stubborn" once he made up his mind, but was nonetheless surprised that Dumars made the move. Assistant coach Dave Cowens left the staff after the season in order to work in Detroit's scouting department. The fates of the Pistons' other assistant coaches, Darrell Walker, Pat Sullivan and Harold Ellis, is not yet known. Former Pistons star forward Bill Laimbeer, who resigned in June as head coach of the WNBA's Detroit Shock in order to pursue NBA coaching jobs, will not be considered for the Pistons' job, according to a source.

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http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/m ... _blogs_NBA

Pistons fire Curry; who's next? (UPDATE)
As most of the NBA was expecting the Detroit Pistons to gear up for pursuit of several free agents, they fired their coach instead. Michael Curry will not return to coach the team next season, the Pistons announced in an email to the media. "This was a difficult decision to make," Pistons president Joe Dumars said. "I want to thank Michael for his hard work and dedication to the organization. However, at this time, I have decided to make a change." UPDATE: Speculation immediately centered on whether Dumars would reach out to former Bad Boys teammate Bill Laimbeer, who resigned as coach of the WNBA's Detroit Shock earlier this month in the hopes of landing an NBA job. The timing is more than curious, but Laimbeer refused to comment when reached on his cell phone Tuesday. "I've got nothing to say," Laimbeer said. "Thanks for the call." Such unexpurgated charm (note sarcasm) is why Laimbeer has yet to land so much as an assistant's job in the NBA since retiring 16 years ago. He coached the Shock to three WNBA championships, then quit three games into the season because he wanted NBA executives to know he was ready for his chance. They've known he's been ready, yet nobody has come calling. The Minnesota job figures to go to former Raptors coach Sam Mitchell, the 2006-07 coach of the year. Mitchell fits the low-budget description in that he has money coming to him from Toronto and thus would be a cheap hire. Anyway, the Timberwolves job won't be going to Laimbeer, even though Laimbeer has let it be known that he's interested. But what about the Pistons? If there is an organization in the NBA with at least a few people who don't loathe Laimbeer, it would be the Pistons. The same Pistons who were about to hire another, even more despised member of the Bad Boys, Isiah Thomas, until Thomas spoiled late owner Bill Davidson's plans by announcing them before Davidson did. So Isiah was ex-communicated, all those years ago.

Laimbeer is the lone member of the Bad Boys still standing outside of Dumars -- and by standing, Dennis Rodman, we don't mean in front of a craps table. Only hours before diving into free agency with the cap space cleared from his ill-fated acquisition of Allen Iverson, Dumars is in a fix. His once dominant organization is in shambles. If he wanted to recruit his former bouncer to take some lumps for him and make the Pistons the hated, feared, and (in a twisted way) respected again, Laimbeer would be the choice. That would be some press conference, you have to admit.But it appears that Laimbeer will be on the outside looking in once again, as other more accomplished candidates begin to emerge. One of them isn't hard to figure out, since his name comes up with every NBA coaching vacancy: Doug Collins, who coached the Pistons for three seasons in the late 1990s and removed his name from consideration for the 76ers' coaching vacancy earlier this offseason. Another, according to a high-level coaching source, is former Mavs coach Avery Johnson, who unlike Collins is much better suited to an NBA sideline than an NBA broadcast. Curry was hired last June to replace Flip Saunders, who was fired after alienating the veteran core of a team that had advanced to six consecutive Eastern Conference finals and won the NBA title in 2004. Under Curry, the Pistons went 39-43 in a season that began with Dumars trading Chauncey Billups to Denver for Iverson's $22 million expiring contract, a move that sent the veteran Pistons reeling from their perch atop the conference. Curry had to endure a juggling act with Iverson, Rodney Stuckey, and Richard Hamilton, and alienated Hamilton by sending him to the bench in favor of Iverson.

UPDATE: There was no evidence that the Curry-Hamilton relationship was anywhere close to healing. One person connected to the situation said an article this week in the Detroit Free Press, in which Curry took more swipes at Hamilton, may have been the tipping point in Curry's firing. But while Curry had to deal with the headaches from the Iverson trade, he will not reap the rewards. Dumars is set to go shopping for one or two major free agents at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, armed with the cap relief from Iverson's and Rasheed Wallace's contracts coming off Detroit's books.The stunning announcement of Curry's firing sends a clear message that Curry and Dumars didn't agree on the direction the team will take in its efforts to rebuild. Bulls free agent Ben Gordon is believed to be at the top of Detroit's list of free-agent targets, which begs the question of what will become of Hamilton, the franchise's lone remaining star. The Pistons also are widely expected to make a run at Orlando free agent Hedo Turkoglu.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4295858

Sources: Boozer faces decision
Carlos Boozer has a tough decision ahead of him tomorrow. Boozer has until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to decide whether to exercise a player option on his contract with the Utah Jazz. The contract is set to pay Boozer $12.7 million next season if he opts in. Could he make more than that on the open market?

The landscape has changed a lot since Boozer made his statement in December. The financial meltdown has caused owners to pull back on spending. The free agent landscape is pretty dicey. Only three teams -- the Pistons, Thunder and Grizzlies -- have enough money under the cap to offer Boozer a substantial deal. Two of those teams, the Thunder and Grizzlies, are young teams in the process of rebuilding. Boozer is not in either team's plans, according to sources.

If neither the Pistons nor Jazz offered Boozer a contract, he might be forced to take the mid-level exception from a team -- a drastic $7 million pay cut for Boozer next season. That, according to sources, is what is keeping Boozer up at night. If he opts out, he's taking a huge gamble ... one that few GMs expect him to take. "As soon as it looked like the Pistons were the only team with the money and desire to pay him," one Eastern Conference GM said, "I knew Boozer would be changing his mind. Unless I knew for sure that the Pistons would pay me big bucks, you just can't make that gamble. I fully expect him to be back with the Jazz next year."