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

[nasty daddy]

http://need4sheed.com/2009/06/exclusive ... -slip.html

Exclusive - Michael Curry’s Pink Slip
If you didn’t know already, Michael Curry was fired today and Need4Sheed got an exclusive look at his Pink Slip.

I know, I know….I’m horrible.

Pink slip in the link above^.

[nasty daddy]

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

Boozer likely to stay with Jazz
Only a handful of teams have enough cap space to sign a max player, the Pistons being chief among them. According to sources, the Pistons are expected to reach out to Boozer, Hedo Turkoglu, and Ben Gordon when the negotiating period begins. Oklahoma City and Memphis also are flush with cap room, but neither team is expected to make a big splash this summer. So does Boozer want to walk away from $12.7 million based on one team making it worth his while?

An Eastern Conference executive said Monday night it's feasible that Boozer backtracks on his opt-out guarantee, picks up his player option for next season, and makes another run at free agency in 2010, when numerous teams will have money to spend.

"That wouldn't be the least bit surprising," the executive said.

[nasty daddy]

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

Jazz likely hoping Boozer doesn't come back
Should Boozer opt in at $12.7 million, the Jazz’s payroll would climb to $64.6 million. That’s for just 10 players, not counting Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap. Remember you have to carry at least 13 players according to NBA rules.”

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

Do Pistons have interest in Vilanueva?
the best the Cavs could offer Villanueva is the mid-level exception of about $5.5 million. Short of that, a sign-and-trade would work, but the Cavs divested themselves of their two most tradable assets -- Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic -- in the Shaq trade. The Villanueva decision also has a direct impact on the Pistons, who are among the teams with the most money to spend on free agents. Joe Dumars is believed to be targeting Carlos Boozer and/or Hedo Turkoglu. But the availability of Villanueva makes his decision a lot more interesting.

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

Ken Berger's Free Agency Blog

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

Instant Feedback about Michael Curry getting fired
Click HERE to read the Instant Feedback from our listners about Michael Curry!

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

Joe Dumars discusses the firing of Michael Curry
Joe Dumars when asked if it was a mistake to hire curry, if he fired Curry to woo free agents and why he waited until today to fire him...

JD on audio in the link above^.

[nasty daddy]

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

Utah Jazz: Boozer opts in on contract
Carlos Boozer has opted to in on his contract to play for the Jazz for one more season, the Tribune has learned. Boozer stands to make $12.7 million under that deal and will become a free agent next season.

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

Pistons fire Curry after one season
Joe Dumars released the following statement Tuesday afternoon on the team's offical website:

“This was a difficult decision to make,” 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.”

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http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/20 ... ep-boozer/

Can the Jazz Afford to Keep Boozer?
The math is more than a little tricky: “With Kyle Korver opting in for the upcoming season Monday, the Jazz are in danger of seeing their payroll skyrocket should Boozer opt in as well Tuesday, citing the slim possibilities out there as a free agent looking for an eight-figure annual deal. The Jazz have approximately $51.9 million in salary committed to nine players for next season after Korver’s decision. There’s no official number, by the way, since we don’t yet know what salary will be set for the first year of Deron Williams’ max contract. Should Boozer opt in at $12.7 million, the Jazz’s payroll would climb to $64.6 million. That’s for just 10 players, not counting Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap. Remember you have to carry at least 13 players according to NBA rules.”

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http://www.motownstringmusic.com/

I'm in the store right now with my wife."

--Bill Laimbeer when asked if he would be interested in coaching the Pistons

(via my buddy who heard this on the radio)

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http://www.motownstringmusic.com/2009/6 ... hael-curry

Pistons Fire Michael Curry
"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."

I am sure I am not alone in thinking this (obviously), but Bill Laimbeer currently does not have a job. Speculation certainly suggests he will be Curry's replacement, though I've learned to expect the unexpected with Joe Dumars.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/bask ... position=4

Detroit and Memphis - two teams with cap space - both are expected to court Davis over the next month. The Pistons, depending on who they bring back, are a playoff team. Memphis, attracted to Davis’ promise as a young power forward, isn’t even close.

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http://www.motownstringmusic.com/2009/6 ... ry-but-why

Pistons Fire Michael Curry, But Why Now?
First of all, I'd like to thank Matt from Blog A Bull and Sean Yuille from Pride of Detroit for posting the news on Michael Curry's firing. I can't begin to describe how frustrating today has been for me as I was moving out of my apartment, my internet was disconnected, and my laptop was packed up. I was not a happy camper that I could not break the news to you as soon as I found out. I will say, the move probably went faster with me knowing I wanted to get on here and post for you as soon as possible. I was very fortunate to have loyal fellow SB Nation bloggers here to back me up to get the discussion rolling. I digress. The firing of Michael Curry came as somewhat of a shock to me. Not only was I mid-duck tape of a box, but I was getting pumped for free agency negotiations to begin tomorrow. The last thing I was expecting from the Pistons camp was the head coach being fired. I was in the very small minority of people who were relatively excited when Michael Curry was hired last year. I thought maybe his hard work as a player, respect from peers as the president of the NBA Players Association, and knowledge of the game would translate nicely. After this season, I've been in the even smaller minority of people not calling for his head. I obviously don't think he did a great job, but I also don't think he had a fair chance as he was dealing with the same group of guys who haven't been able to get the job done (winning a championship) the past four seasons and who have seemingly run into a wall of complacency. I figured Dumars saw that too and would give him a second chance, one with fresh faces and a renewed attitude.

That appeared to be the case as Dumars announced in May that Curry was still his man. Dumars also admitted that Curry battled a lot of adversity in his first year as head coach, enough that it wouldn't be fair to fire him. However, something changed over the course of the past month and Dumars clearly changed his mind. I understand the firing, but what I'm trying to comprehend is the timing. (No, I'm not wondering "why now?" just because I was moving today and couldn't read up on it as soon as it happened and post for you; I'd still be wondering the same thing.) Recently, the press leaked, that Curry had no grasp of the locker room, which I'm sure came as no shock to Pistons fans. Players disrespected him by undermining his authority and ultimately, didn't lay it all on the line for him in games. It also surfaced that Curry notified Richard Hamilton of his mid-season benching in front of the whole team and that their relationship deteriorated from there with Rip often talking about how bad Curry was as a player (low blow and perhaps irrelevant), implying he didn't know what he was talking about as a coach. Curry also mentioned that the major reason the Pistons were so bad on Sundays dealt with what they were doing on Saturday nights, suggesting players stayed out late rather than being in their beds dreaming about winning the next day. Dumars spoke at the draft on how he was going to put an end to all the drama that occurred this past season. With Dumars confirming that Curry would be back for a second season, the drama involving Hamilton and the team surfacing, and Dumars' comments on draft night anyone probably would have guessed that Rip and other players were as good as packing their bags this off-seaon. That's obviously not the case.

It makes me wonder a few things. Does the publicity of all the bad things that went on this year make Curry look bad to potential free agents, to the extent that they may not sign with the Pistons? Or did something drastic happen since Dumars comments in May that forced Dumars to change his mind? Perhaps Dumars meant what he said in May about Curry and was trying to get rid of Rip, but no teams were biting. Therefore, Dumars had to ultimately make a tough decision on Curry knowing Rip might be back again with the PIstons. I have to believe that Dumars knew about all this so called drama before today, though. If Curry really didn't have a handle on things inside the locker room and within the huddle during time outs, how was this decision any different back in May, when he confirmed Curry would be back for a second season, from now, the day before negotiations can begin with free agents. I agree that if Curry was going to make it tough for the Pistons to sign free agents or trade for players then Dumars had to part ways with him. However, wasn't this just as relevant in May after the season ended? I also believe that it might still be tough to convince free agents to come to Detroit when there's no coach currently in place. I agree that ultimately it may have been tougher with Curry than without him, but if the Pistons would have fired Curry back in May, a replacement coach would most likely already be in place and this would be a moot issue. There are a lot of reasons we could speculate on. In the end, I understand the ultimate decision made by Dumars and I'm on board, but the timing still baffles me a little.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/ ... ael-curry/

Pistons fire Michael Curry
Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that Michael Curry will not return next season as the team’s head coach. “This was a difficult decision to make,” 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.”

From MLive.com: The news of Curry’s dismissal was just reaching players Tuesday morning. “I just found out about 10 minutes ago,” Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey said in a phone interview. “It’s always sad to lose a coach,” Stuckey said. “But like I always say, this is a business and in this business, you have to be prepared and ready for anything.”

From Y!’s Adrian Woj: No replacement has been hired, but a league source believes that one-time Detroit coach Doug Collins could be the favorite for the job. Despite some public speculation, sources say former Pistons center Bill Laimbeer will not be a candidate to replace Curry. Pistons president Joe Dumars had been considering a change for several weeks, sources say, and ultimately let go of Curry after concluding he couldn’t recover the locker room. Curry had a deteriorating relationship with All-Star Richard Hamilton, whom he benched at times in favor of Allen Iverson. Names also being kicked around in the media: Avery Johnson and Cavs’ assistant John Kuester, who’s largely been credited with orchestrating Cleveland’s offense. I haven’t heard anyone mention Boston assistant Tom Thibodeau, the mastermind behind the Celtics’ defense, but I have to imagine he appears somewhere on Detroit’s list. Then again, Thibodeau was already passed over twice this summer after interviewing with Sacramento and Philadelphia, so perhaps there’s a reason he’s yet to get an opportunity.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/ ... g-in-utah/

Carlos Boozer is staying in Utah
No need to ask anymore questions, Carlos Boozer is staying put. From the team’s press release:

Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer announced today that he is exercising his player option for 2009-10 and will be returning for his sixth season with the organization.

“We are excited that Carlos has decided to remain with the Jazz,” said Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor. “We are hopeful he can continue to play at an All-Star level and will have an injury-free season.”

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http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/06/30/pist ... ael-curry/

Pistons Fire Head Coach Michael Curry
The news out of Detroit is that the Pistons have decided to part ways with their head coach of this past season, Michael Curry. The move was an obvious if unexpected one, as Curry made some huge mistakes in his first year in charge -- including alienating the team's number one star, Rip Hamilton, with the way he handled the Allen Iverson situation.

It wasn't Curry's fault that the Iverson experiment didn't work, but when he finally had the guts to make the decision to bench Hamilton, he did so publicly, by making the announcement to the entire team before practice. This didn't sit well with the star who, after the trade that sent Chauncey Billups out of town, was now the team's leading scorer, and the face of the franchise. Reports were that he and his head coach were no longer on speaking terms. With the free agency period set to begin less than 11 hours from the time the team fired its coach, you have to believe that Curry's relationship with the team's veteran star was something that Joe Dumars didn't want to be an issue for other big name players to contend with when they considered signing with the Pistons. Now, it isn't.

No replacement for Curry has been named, and while rumors of Bill Laimbeer are sure to be tossed around, Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that Doug Collins may be a leading candidate. Whoever it is that gets the gig, the pressure will be on to return the Pistons to Eastern Conference contenders, after Curry helped guide them to a 39-43 record, and an embarrassing first-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketba ... 01.article

Pistons woo Turkoglu
With Boozer out of the picture, the NBA source said small forward Hedo Turkoglu of the Orlando Magic is now the Pistons' first choice. Detroit can free up about $18 million in salary-cap room, and probably would have to overpay Turkoglu to get him to leave a contending team for a rebuilding team.

If the Pistons can't sign Turkoglu, they would turn their attention to Gordon, who is the second-best scorer in this year's class behind Turkoglu. Exactly how Detroit's firing of coach Mike Curry on Tuesday will affect its pursuit of free agents -- or the free agents' perception of the Pistons -- remains to be seen. It also remains to be seen how the economy will affect teams' willingness to dole out big contracts -- especially with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire and Paul Pierce among those who can become free agents next summer.

Besides Turkoglu and Gordon, the most attractive free agent this year are point guards Jason Kidd, Mike Bobby and Andre Miller. This year, the only teams besides the Pistons that can free up significant cap room are the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings. Neither is expected to make a significant push for Gordon, so his only hope for getting the contract he seeks may be a battle between the Bulls and Pistons.

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http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketba ... 01.article

Roadblock to progress
There are merits to both sides of the debate, but this much is certain: Losing Gordon likely with stall the Bulls' expected progress next season. At least publicly, the Bulls say they are intent on re-signing Gordon and that is their top priority this summer. According to a Bulls insider, new general manager Gar Forman and vice president John Paxson want Gordon back and the question is how much money chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is willing to commit to get a deal done.

Two years ago, before his rookie contract expired, Gordon rejected a five-year, $50 million contract. Last summer as a restricted free agent, he initially rejected a six-year, $58 million offer before telling the Bulls right before training camp that he would accept it. Too late, he and his agent were told -- the offer is off the table. Gordon then signed the one-year, $6.4 million qualifying offer and, thus, is an unrestricted free agent now.

There have been rumors in recent weeks that Gordon's agent, Raymond Brothers, has been telling confidants that the Detroit Pistons have promised to make Gordon an offer of $11million a year. Besides being illegal negotiating, targeting Gordon first doesn't make a lot of sense because the Pistons already have Richard Hamilton at shooting guard. An NBA source said Detroit's prime target was supposed to be power forward Carlos Boozer, but Boozer announced Tuesday night that he will exercise a $12.7 million option for next season to return to the Utah Jazz. The move was a bit of a surprise because Boozer -- who has a history of injuries -- would have been able to get more guaranteed money on a multi-year deal, even if his salary next season was lower.

[nasty daddy]

http://detroit4lyfe.com/articles/detroi ... curry.html

Pistons Fire Head Coach Michael Curry
After just one year at the reigns as head coach of the Detroit Pistons, Michael Curry has been fired. It was a disappointing year in which the Pistons finished with their first losing record since the 2000-2001 season. Dumars won't tolerate mediocrity and hopefully he can bring someone in who can carry the Stones back to prominence in the Eastern Conference. Among the candidates for the job are apparently former Pistons coach Doug Collins and former Mavs coach Avery Johnson.