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Friday, May 17

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» 08:21 PM ET Update » 04:50 PM ET Update » 03:55 PM ET Update » 02:54 PM ET Update » 12:26 PM ET Update » 10:52 AM ET Update

» Update: 08:21 PM ET

Chris Copeland's agent, John Spencer, told ESPNNewYork.com on Friday that the Knicks are planning to give the rookie forward a qualifying offer for next season. Spencer also said his client "really wants to return" to the team. "He loves the city, he's from Jersey and he wants to play as well," Spencer said. "There's no better bright lights where guys want to play other than New York, and he wants to try to find a way to stay in town." ESPN.com

New York Knicks, Free Agency, Chris Copeland 

Spencer confirmed that not only does Copeland want to "play and contribute" next season, but he also "wants to get paid." Spencer said Copeland believes he has earned his stripes playing overseas in five different countries and now proving with the Knicks that he belongs in the NBA. Per 36 minutes this season, Copeland averaged 20.3 points per game and shot 42.1 percent from 3-point range. ESPN.com

New York Knicks, Free Agency, Chris Copeland 

Spencer envisions Copeland's value to be in the $3.5 to $5 million range. Spencer compared his client to Steve Novak, who's in about the $4 million range, and said that because Copeland is more versatile offensively as a stretch 4, he'll be an attractive free agent. In fact, a source familiar with Copeland's situation said three teams at this point are interested in negotiating with him come July 1. ESPN.com

New York Knicks, Free Agency, Chris Copeland 

Ben McLemore said Friday he has had a relationship with Rodney Blackstock, a middleman who courted the Kansas standout on behalf of sports agents and financial advisers, since January. "Rodney Blackstock has been great," McLemore said in Chicago at the NBA pre-draft combine. "Since Day One, since I met him, we have got that bond and communicating very well. And that's why I chose him to help me with this process." USA Today Sports

Draft, Ben McLemore, Rodney Blackstock 

On May 4, USA TODAY Sports reported that Blackstock received complimentary admission as McLemore's guest to Jayhawks home games on Feb. 2, 11 and March 4. Asked Friday by Derek Page of Hoopsworld why he wanted Blackstock at his games as a guest, McLemore said: "Just because, you know, it was a friend, I just wanted him to see me play, see, you know, the atmosphere there at Kansas, and just go to a game." USA Today Sports

Draft, Ben McLemore, Rodney Blackstock 

McLemore said that he was not aware that Cobb accepted money from Blackstock. And McLemore said he never accepted money, gifts or trips from Blackstock. Cobb said McLemore knew "little to none" about Blackstock's financial involvement in the player's life, nor did McLemore know that Cobb had accepted $10,000 from Blackstock. USA Today Sports

Draft, Ben McLemore, Rodney Blackstock 

Schroeder said his first team workout will be with the Houston Rockets on May 29 and his second with the Bucks on or around June 1. He went through the interview process with Milwaukee officials during the combine, which concluded Friday at the Attack Athletics facility on Chicago's west side. "I think it's a good team, too, for me," Schroeder said of the Bucks. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Draft, Dennis Schroeder 

The Magic interviewed a total of 18 players over three days, and the group also included Pittsburgh center Steven Adams, Texas point guard Myck Kabongo, Lehigh point guard C.J. McCollum, Gonzaga center Kelly Olynyk, Colorado forward Andre Roberson and South Dakota State point guard Nate Wolters. Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, Draft, Myck Kabongo, CJ McCollum, Andre Roberson, Kelly Olynyk, Nate Wolters, Steven Adams 

Stan Van Gundy has indicated to teams that he has no intention of coaching in 2013-14. Although he has accepted calls from at least two inquiring GMs recently, he hasn't had any formal interviews with potential employers, a league source said. Orlando Sentinel

Coaching, Stan Van Gundy 
 

» Update: 04:50 PM ET

The door is not completely closed on Drew returning to coach the Hawks were he spent the past nine years, the last three as head coach. “There is not a sadness,” Drew said. “This is a business. We left open that this could evolve back. If it doesn’t, I have to move on. That’s how this business works. I knew that. Nine years is a good run. There is a business side to this profession.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Larry Drew 

Nikolai Tsynkevich, spokesman for CSKA Moscow, denied head coach Ettore Messina's departure to the NBA. "All I can say is that Messina signed a three-year contract in July 2012 with the team". Interfax

Coaching, Ettore Messina, CSKA Moscow 
 

» Update: 03:55 PM ET

Phil Jackson apparently would like to have another stint in the NBA. The 11-time champion coach said Thursday evening on "The Tonight Show" that he was interested in a front-office job with the Seattle group that failed in an attempt to relocate the Sacramento Kings. "I had communication with the guy that's trying to make this move," Jackson said on the show, referencing Chris Hansen, the leader of the Seattle bid. "It was serious talk. I thought he was a really good guy for the league." Los Angeles Times

Sacramento Kings, Phil Jackson, Seattle, Chris Hansen 

Now that the team will remain in Sacramento, Jackson said he will not be working for the franchise. "I won't be doing the [front-office] job in Sacramento. I like Sacramento," Jackson said. "Well, not that much." Los Angeles Times

Sacramento Kings, Phil Jackson 

Phil appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" last night and said about Mike D'Antoni: "Mike, with the right personnel is a great coach. This personnel wasn't really quite fit for Mike's coaching. He likes a 3-point shooting group of guys; he likes twos and threes in the corner. His great guard Nash was on the team, obviously; Steve's a great guard. He can distribute the ball. But that other big guy has to be, they call it now a stretch four. He has to be able to shoot 3-pointers. Pau wasn't quite fit into that. Pau and Howard together, too big, too much of a load for that post. He doesn't really like guys in the post. He likes guys outside." Sulia

Phil Jackson, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Los Anglees Lakers 

LeBron says “pretty cool’’ that Chris “Birdman’’ Andersen has unique personality and people want to look like him: “I think he’s character of his own,’’ James said. “Anytime you can have people off the floor that want to look like you, want to dress like you, want to get your haircut like you, that means you have a great personality and you have your own swag about yourself. I think it’s pretty cool.’’ Sulia

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Chris Andersen 

Chris Haynes: North Texas PF Tony Mitchell interviewing w/ #Blazers today. Projected early 20s. Says most teams questioning him re: effort in college. Twitter @ChrisBHaynes

Portland Trail Blazers, Draft, Tony Mitchell 

Ira Winderman: Shane Larkin's vertical was 44 inches at NBA Draft Chicago combine. "Our strength coach did a lot of work at Miami," Larkin told ESPN. Twitter @IraHeatBeat

Draft, Shane Larkin 

The draft is June 27, more than a month away, but Hardaway already has a vision for his NBA career. “I envision having a long-term career, just like my father did,” he said, referring to Tim Hardaway Sr., who spent his first 12 seasons primarily with two teams: Golden State and Miami. “Not bouncing around that much. Not being a focal point, but being a piece of the team, a great team that wins a lot and wants to win. A guy that can come in, fill in and do whatever he can to help his team win.” Detroit Free Press

Draft, Tim Hardaway, Tim Hardaway Jr 

South Dakota State point guard Nate Wolters was limited in the second and final day of workouts at the NBA Draft Combine, skipping everything except the bench press test due to a hip-flexor issue. Wolters’ agent Jared Karnes said that the injury popped up overnight and that it wasn’t considered serious Sioux Falls Argus-Leader

Draft, Injuries, Nate Wolters 

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced to screaming throngs of Kings fans Friday that the deal to sell the NBA franchise to a group led by software tycoon Vivek Ranadive has been signed. The announcement at a City Hall rally brings to an end nearly five months of maneuvering by Johnson to secure a new ownership group, convince the council to commit to building a new downtown arena, and to show the NBA that the capitol city of the most populous state in the nation has the fan base to make the venture successful. ESPN.com

Sacramento Kings, Owners, Kevin Johnson, Vivek Ranadive 

The mayor was conciliatory toward Seattle, but said he focused throughout the negotiations on promoting Sacramento as thriving city with 19 sellout seasons, one of the longest streaks in the NBA. "Seattle is a great city and we want them to get a team. For us, it was never a competition. It was about our community telling our story," Johnson said, adding: "It's about not letting someone take something that's not theirs." ESPN.com

Sacramento Kings, Seattle, Owners, Kevin Johnson 
 

» Update: 02:54 PM ET

The deadline to determine the future of Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo is quickly arriving. According to NBA sources, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment — and new chief executive officer Tim Leiweke — has to decide by Monday on whether to pick up Colangelo’s option year for 2013-14. Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Tim Leiweke 

When asked how he’d feel if a Wizards teammate made the same decision, Beal had to admit he’d lose some respect for that player. “A little bit. Yeah, I would,” he said. “The type of player (Derrick Rose) is, and the mentality and competitiveness that he has, I think he would have gave it a go. I don’t know what was holding him back. I think he’s scared it’s probably going to happen again and he won’t be the same. But you’re never the same after an injury. But you just have to fight through it and do something else to be able to impact the game. I’m not sure what it is he has to do. I really can’t speak for him.” Washington Post

Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Derrick Rose, Injuries, Bradley Beal 

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has scheduled to meet with head coach Vinny Del Negro over the weekend to discuss Del Negro's fate with the organization, a league source informed CSNNW.com. According to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, says the two will meet in Los Angeles and a decision is anticipated shortly after. CSNNW.com

Los Angeles Clippers, Vinny Del Negro, Coaching, Donald Sterling, Owners 

Longtime Kings general manager Geoff Petrie is not expected to be retained either after the team's 28-54 campaign, and one possible successor who would certainly bring name recognition was on hand on Thursday night. Warriors legend Chris Mullin, who called Game 6 as a television commentator for ESPN, was in the team's front office from 2004 to 2009 and said he would be open to discussing the situation in Sacramento. He has met Ranadive several times but said they had not yet discussed the possibility. "I definitely would (be interested in the job)," he told USA TODAY Sports. "But you know, it's something that's got to be the right fit. It's gotta be – they need my expertise…I'm not one of those people to go solicit it. But a guy like him, if he called me and he needed me, I'd love that." USA Today Sports

Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Geoff Petrie, Chris Mullin, Owners, Vivek Ranadive 

Mullin, who lives in nearby Danville, joked that the geographical challenges that come with their respective locations could be easily solved. "He can pick me up (on his flight from Silicon Valley), " Mullin joked. "Land his helicopter at my house." USA Today Sports

Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Geoff Petrie, Chris Mullin, Owners, Vivek Ranadive 

Twitter Inc. has teamed with the National Basketball Association to stream video clips of game highlights as the blogging service expands beyond 140-character status updates ahead of a possible initial public offering. NBA Digital, a joint venture between the sports league and Turner Broadcasting System Inc., will post game snippets on Twitter during the playoffs with the hashtag #NBARapidReplay, said Adam Bain, president of global revenue at Twitter. Short advertisements will appear alongside the clips, he said. Bloomberg

Media, Twitter 
 

» Update: 12:26 PM ET

Considering his numbers, versatility and a changing league bent on 3-pointers, Copeland may seek Steve Novak money, according to a person familiar with the situation. Novak landed a four-year, $16 million package last summer. Copeland has become a more versatile scorer — a 3-point specialist who can put the ball on the floor and score in the post. Novak got the big number from the Knicks because, through an appeal with the Player’s Association, they were awarded Novak’s early Bird rights. New York Post

New York Knicks, Steve Novak, Chris Copeland 

The Knicks won’t have any such rights in retaining the obscure Belgian Leaguer. The only other team that sent a scout last season to the Belgian League to watch Copeland was Miami, according to a source. It was quite a find by European scout Kevin Wilson, who is regarded highly in the organization. The Knicks will extend Copeland his $900,000 qualifying offer to keep him restricted so they can match an offer. But they may be prohibited from matching any offer more than $3 million. They would have to use one of their precious exceptions — the $1.9 million biannual exception or the $3 million mini mid-level exception given to luxury taxpayers. The Knicks don’t have the full $5 million mid-level because of their lousy cap situation. Copeland makes the league minimum, $473,000, this season. New York Post

New York Knicks, Steve Novak, Chris Copeland 

Thomas is recovering from right foot surgery and is two weeks from being off crutches. The 40-year-old is a free agent after the Knicks released him last month in order to add a player to the postseason roster. The move came three weeks after the veteran power forward, knowing he had a broken foot, started against the Utah Jazz and played his best game of the season. That victory sparked the Knicks’ season-altering 13-game winning streak. “I definitely miss being around the guys,” Thomas said over the telephone from his home in Dallas. “I miss being a part of the playoffs. And I just miss being around basketball. I love the game.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Kurt Thomas 

While analytics plays a huge role in how he envisions the game and how he wants to improve a team, it is not the only asset he relies on. That is why he goes to the rookie workouts every year and why he is a regular at summer leagues, so he can witness the talent firsthand, not just through numbers and charting sheets. And just as he was enamored with playing the game, the 35-year-old still can't get enough. "I think it's really important in how you see the world, through anywhere, that if you want to be really good at something, it's when can't you get enough," he said. "When you get to the end of the workday, do you say, 'I'd rather go do this' or when you get to Saturday morning, do you say, 'I'd rather do this'? Thinking, 'I have my job but there's other things that I like to do'? Or are you like me and you struggle to get enough? I think that adds up over time. If you're the kind of person that can't get enough because you're really passionate about something, I think that only helps. Some of us are just wired that way. But at least as far as being able to do things you're passionate about and care about a lot day to day, I think it's important." Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia 76ers, Sam Hinkie 

Detroit Pistons fans will have to wait a little while for ESPN’s Bad Boys retrospective. But it will happen. ESPN spokeswoman Jennifer J. Cingari told the Free Press this morning that a “30 for 30” documentary on the Bad Boys will air sometime in 2014 and will be produced and directed by NBA Entertainment. Pistons fans have been clamoring for a documentary on that era since ESPN started airing the “30 for 30” documentaries in October 2009. Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Media 
 

» Update: 10:52 AM ET

Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry is giving significant consideration to hiring the first European-born head coach in NBA history, sources told Yahoo! Sports. Ettore Messina, the Italian-born coach of CSKA Moscow, is among the top candidates to replace coach Larry Drew. Ferry and Messina have had contact about the possibility, and Messina is intrigued with the chance to be a global trail blazer in the NBA, sources told Y! Sports. Yahoo! Sports

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Danny Ferry, Russia, Larry Drew, Ettore Messina, CSKA Moscow 

The beauty of social media is the ability to reach anyone anywhere in the world. Ty Lawson is taking advantage of that as he takes a lead role in "recruiting" teammate Andre Iguodala to stay with the Nuggets. Lawson's midday tweet to Iguodala on Wednesday was in good fun, but continued to underscore a point he has been trying to make for months. "Umm @andre better stay in Denver or I'm a have my ppl run up on him and handle that #str8likedat #yougotnochoice," Lawson wrote on Twitter. Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Andre Iguodala, Ty Lawson 

Whether he takes the more lucrative offer else where, or whether the Warriors make a competitive offer to keep him in the Bay Area, that will all be figured out this summer. But Jack was never more clear about for whom he wants to play: Golden State. "I hope so, man," Jack said. "Obviously there are other things that go into seeing if that works -- we all know this is a business at the end of the day. If I could do it, if I could rearrange it, I would definitely be back at this same locker." San Jose Mercury-News

Golden State Warriors, Jarrett Jack 

One reserve the Bulls could bring back is center Nazr Mohammed, who was huge off the bench the last few months. “Yeah, I thought Nazr was tremendous,’’ Thibodeau said. “Hopefully we’ll have an opportunity with him, but again, you don’t know what the market will call for.’’ Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, Nazr Mohammed 

Former Ohio State forward DeShaun Thomas said part of his predraft workouts have included sessions with former Trail Blazers center Greg Oden at the St. Vincents Performance Center in Indianapolis. Oden, who played in 82 games in four seasons after being the No. 1 overall pick with the Blazers in 2007, hasn't played since December of 2009 because of knee problems, but is working toward a comeback. "Man, he looks unbelievable," Thomas said. "He's running, he's lifting weights. You might be seeing a comeback. He looks like he is ready to go. He's running, getting in shape. I'll tell you one thing: For a big 7-footer, that's all he does -- running and getting in shape. He's looking right." Oregonian

Free Agency, Draft, Greg Oden, Deshaun Thomas 

Warriors guard Jarrett Jack was on the verge of tears as he stood at his locker. He couldn't find the words to truly express what he was feeling, so he let his attire do the talking for him. "Usually before I would do any media, I would make sure I was dressed a certain way," Jack said after the Warriors' season ended Thursday with a 94-82 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. "I brought one of my best suits. But looking down at this jersey, it's just a sense of pride I don't think I've ever felt as a professional. ... Nothing in my closet is better than what I have on now." San Jose Mercury-News

Golden State Warriors, Jarrett Jack 

With so many reasons to let go, the Warriors kept grabbing at victory. “We have a lot of guys that didn’t want to give up,” said Bogut, who could only play 6 minutes in the second half. “My ankle was telling me to give up, I tried to fight through it, David Lee with his hip, Jarrett (Jack) took a knock in the first half, Steph… “A lot of guys could’ve easily shut it down at points throughout this playoff series but everyone came back that next day and kept working hard.” San Jose Mercury-News

Golden State Warriors, Jarrett Jack 

It might have been the culmination of too many games combined with too many long flights. Or Duncan simply began to play poorly. Either way, when he threw a pass out of bounds with less than five minutes left, Popovich did what he has never done. He pulled his guy at the end of a playoff game. "I just made that choice," Popovich said. Duncan understood. Afterward, someone asked him what he thought about Popovich giving him a break. "I don't think he was giving me a break," Duncan said, and he laughed. "I think I played three or four pretty bad minutes in a row," he said. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan 

During his slump, Smith also has been questioned about his penchant for partying, a line of thought that was amplified when pop star Rihanna accused him on her Instagram account of playing badly because he’s been “hung over,” before later deleting the message. Smith laughed it off after the game, “I’m not worried about Instagram,” he said. “ I’m worried about the playoffs.” New York Post

New York Knicks, JR Smith 

Smith, who has been mired in a horrific shooting slump since his ejection in Game 3 of the Knicks’ first-round series against the Celtics, had 13 points to go along with six rebounds, two assists, three steals and a blocked shot to help the Knicks earn an 85-75 win over the Pacers to keep their season alive. “I still didn’t shoot my best, but it always helps to come home and play in front of these fans,” Smith said. “Hopefully the little bit of rhythm I did get carries me over.” New York Post

New York Knicks, JR Smith 

The series is headed back to Indiana after the Knicks beat the Pacers, 85-75, at the Garden. Indiana leads 3-2 and can close out the Knicks at home Saturday night. "We played with a sense of urgency, knowing what was at stake," Carmelo Anthony said. "We just wanted to go out there and get this game. We played it like we really wanted it." Newsday

New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony 

But after Kevin Durant provided a level-headed and mature response, filled with perspective and void of hyperbole, his answer seemed to almost sell short his competitive spirit. “Nothing’s ever a wasted year for me. It’s basketball,” Durant said. “I’ve grown so much as a man since the beginning of the season. I’ve grown so much as a leader. Nothing is ever wasted. Of course the ultimate goal in this league is to win a championship. But I’m never going to say I wasted a year. I’m blessed to even wake up and do something I love every day. So it’s never wasted. We take that for granted a lot. But that’s something I’m not going to do. I enjoy playing this game. I enjoy playing for this city, my teammates. So every day I get to see those guys and go through some tough times and laugh and argue it’s never wasted. I’m just blessed to be here. And I’m never going to take it for granted.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Following his response, Durant was then asked what he would say to possible critics who might hear his outlook and question his competitive fire. “I don’t give a damn. I’m going to be who I’m going to be,” Durant said. “I’m not Kobe Bryant. I’m not Michael Jordan. I’m not LeBron James. I’m not Magic Johnson. I’m me. I’m not going to ever compromise myself, my integrity and what I believe in for winning some basketball games and winning a championship. That’s just not I how I was brought up. I’m always going to fight for this game I love. I’m going to claw until the last buzzer sounds. And if that’s after a championship then of course I’ll be happy. I’m not satisfied just being in this league and losing. I’m going to work as hard as I can to try to get to that mountaintop. I enjoy playing the game. I enjoy being here. But I’m never going to come out to the media and say we wasted a year because we lost a championship. Like I said, I don’t have to be Kobe Bryant.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Even as outside pressure grew for Rose to return, the Bulls understood that it was not imminent and were content with that. "If we were going to make a mistake, we wanted to make a mistake on the side of caution," Thibodeau said. "We feel good about where he is. He has the whole summer to build more confidence, and that's the important thing. As we said when he first had the surgery, we weren't going to rush him back. And we held to that. I think it was the smart decision." USA Today Sports

Chicago Bulls, Tom Thibodeau 

Thibodeau revealed that the plantar fasciitis in Joakim Noah’s right foot could require surgery but that Noah would try rehabilitation first. “That hasn’t been determined,’’ Thibodeau said of Noah undergoing surgery. “Obviously, we’d like to avoid the surgery. He has responded a lot better. He has found something that has worked. “We want him to get completely healthy That will be the focus, getting him back to 100 percent. He needs some rest, as most of the guys do. Same thing with Luol. We have to get him completely healthy again. Those are two players that we’ll be on top of right away.’’ Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Injuries, Joakim Noah 

Danilo Gallinari said that in three weeks he will have his second knee surgery. Il Gallo underwent surgery for the first time on April 29 after he torn his ACL on April 4. "In three weeks I will have my second procedure. Since the first surgery. Ever since the surgery, everything is going great. I will work a lot next summer but I will be stronger than before" said Gallinari to SkySport. Sportando

Denver Nuggets, Injuries, Danilo Gallinari 

He said many of the NBA teams he has interviewed with in Chicago have asked him about the circumstances surrounding his suspension. "I knew (the questions) were going to come, and that's why I loved these interviews," Muhammad said. "I just wanted to get them out of the way so the teams could know what was going on. A lot of people speculated at how bad I am as a player and stuff like that, but I was glad to clear that up. I got good feedback. I was just telling the truth ... cleared some stuff up. Some of it I didn't even know was going on. I'm a guy who just plays basketball, and some of that was family members taking care of that. Now, as an NBA guy, I can speak for myself." Oregonian

Draft, Shabazz Muhammad 

Georgetown swingman Otto Porter is one of the Pistons' targets for next month's NBA draft and Porter compared himself to a player who just left town. "Tayshaun Prince," said Porter, when asked who he patterns his game after. "He's long, lanky, can do a lot of things on the floor. He can defend, rebound." Detroit News

Draft, Tayshaun Prince, Otto Porter 

As of now, that’s an iffy proposition. According to several NBA officials, including some general managers and player personnel officials, Blue is generally projected as a mid-second round pick. However, there are some NBA scouts who contend he won’t be drafted at all. They also believe Blue should have remained at Marquette for his final season. Racine Journal-Times

Draft, Vander Blue 

The Hawks have interviewed Stan Van Gundy and Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer for their yet-to-be vacant head coach position. Each has previously been described as a candidate for the position held by Larry Drew until June 30 when his contract expires. However the AJC has learned that Van Gundy and Budenholzer have been interviewed by general manager Danny Ferry. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Danny Ferry, Stan Van Gundy, Larry Drew, Mike Budenholzer 

I am told that there are others who have been officially interviewed. How many and who they are remains a secret. Ferry is keeping his coaching search extremely close to the vest and has repeated declined to speak specifically about the process. I am told that process, which still could result in a new contract for Drew, is in the middle stages. Ferry, along with several others from the Hawks front office, are in Chicago this week for the NBA Scouting Combine. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching 

Celtic assistant general manager and team counsel Mike Zarren turned down an offer to become the general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, two league sources told the Herald yesterday. The job eventually went to Sam Hinkie. “I don’t know all the details, but I know there was strong interest in Mike from Philly,” said Ainge. “I don’t know why (he turned it down). You’ll have to ask him.” Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Mike Zarren, Sam Hinkie 

Hall of Famer Reggie Miller said this week that he has thought about working in the Pacers’ front office someday. President Donnie Walsh said he and the former Pacers great have never had a serious discussion about Miller joining the team. What would Walsh say if Miller asked his advice? “You’re not going to make as much money as you did as a player,” Walsh said laughing. “But you’ll make a good living and you have to really think everything out. This isn’t like where you have your first thought and then you go do it. You have to look at all the ramifications of everything you do ’cause it impacts the team, not just one person.” Indianapolis Star

Indiana Pacers, Donnie Walsh, Reggie Miller 

The Maloof era in Sacramento, at times spirited and uplifting, at times dismal, appears to have come to an end. A Sacramento investors group has reached a deal with the Maloof family to buy its controlling stake in the Kings. The deal is expected to be unveiled today. "It's the start of a new era," said Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur Vivek Ranadive, leader of the Sacramento investor group, speaking to reporters after the Warriors game Thursday night. Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, Joe Maloof, Gavin Maloof, Vivek Ranadive 

Ranadive added, "We just need to sign some papers and finalize everything." If the NBA approves the deal, a source told The Bee, escrow is expected to close at the end of May. The source, a stakeholder close to the deal, said the Maloof family was eager to "turn the page" and was pleased it was able to sell to a group that will keep the team in Sacramento. Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, Joe Maloof, Gavin Maloof, Vivek Ranadive 

Kevin Durant leads all NBA players in career commercial appearances with 63 at last count, according to standings calculated by HoopsHype. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers is second with 42 and Miami's LeBron James is third with 39. In team rankings, OKC ranks third with 88 total commercials, trailing the Los Angeles Lakers with 125 and the Miami Heat with 91. Russell Westbrook is second among Thunder players with 11 commercials, followed by Serge Ibaka (six), Nick Collison, Kendrick Perkins and Thabo Sefolosha (two each), Kevin Martin and Reggie Jackson (one each). Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Martin, Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha, Reggie Jackson, Commercials 
 

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