HoopsHype.com Rumors

Ric Bucher: Warriors owner Joe Lacob used what he learned as a Celtics' minority partner to shape his new team. Vivek Ranadive, former Warriors minority owner and now presumptive Kings primary owner, apparently is doing the same, beginning with putting Warriors assistant coach Mike Malone on his list of candidates to be the Kings' next head coach, a source said. Sulia

Sacramento Kings, Coaching, Mike Malone, Vivek Ranadive 

It's no wonder then that Malone's name has floated to the top of the early lists of candidates for the Clippers job, now that Vinny Del Negro has officially been let go. The lead assistant for the Golden State Warriors has always been regarded as a shrewd tactician, but the extra warm fuzzy feelings from Paul don't hurt his case. Williams, for one, thinks his time is overdue. "You don't know what it takes to get a job. It's not just about basketball all the time. But I just hope, I hope that he gets a job soon," Williams told ESPNLosAngeles.com. "I know he really wants to do it, and I know he'll be a really good head coach. The tough part is knowing I gotta coach against him because I know he really knows his stuff." ESPN.com

New Orleans Pelicans, Coaching, Monty Williams, Mike Malone 

It should be noted that Malone also has a reputation for standing up a bit too forcefully at times. Williams said he appreciated that fire, though. "I've really grown from the coaches around me who aren't afraid to voice their opinions," Williams said. "Mike was smart enough, he knew the game well enough to give me something that was going to help the team that didn't have anything to do with him. "I can only base it on my experience with him. I was the head coach and I know that he made me a better head coach. He's certainly a guy that can run a team." ESPN.com

New Orleans Pelicans, Coaching, Monty Williams, Mike Malone 

James walked into the postgame news conference disappointed in himself. He won Game 1. He may have lost Game 2. Two weeks ago, James said the first stat he looks at on the boxscore is team turnovers. The Heat had 15. The next stat he looks at is his turnovers. He had five and none more costly than the final two. "I made two mistakes tonight," James said. "That hurt our team. And that hurt more than anything. Let my teammates down. They expect me to make plays down the stretch, and I had the ball with the opportunity to make a couple of plays and I came up short. "That burns." USA Today Sports

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

After George leaped into the rafters to impale the 6-foot-10 Chris Andersen with a dunk, James rushed the ball down the floor and hit a 30-footer at the buzzer of the third period. It was a magnificent sequence, two spectacular plays within a 5.1-second window that inspired James to change direction on his way to the Heat's huddle. James chased down George, reached out his hand and pressed palm on palm. "I got you back, young fella," James told him. For a moment, George had to gather himself. Here unfolded a most surreal scene in a surreal rise out of mid-major college basketball, the evolution of James' dutiful understudy into James' problem. "That was a moment for me," George said, "that I'll always remember." Yahoo! Sports

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Paul George 

"I've got the most respect for LeBron," George said. "I look up to him." Ten months ago, this was George's mandate: Get into Bryant and Durant, Anthony and James. Get into the NBA's biggest stars and learn the most valuable lessons of all. "I want to be great," George said. "I want to be a leader in this league. For me, that was a front-row seat for how to be one of the best players in this league." Yahoo! Sports

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Paul George 

Chris Tomasson: George Hill’s exact God quote on LeBron James: “The only person that’s, you know, more scarier than that and, that’s, you know, God.’’ Twitter @christomasson

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, George Hill 

Chris Tomasson: Here's LeBron's full response to George Hill saying that only God is scarier than him. "I'm nowhere near close,'' James said. "I made two mistakes tonight. That hurt our team. And that hurt more than anything. Let my teammates down. They expect me to make plays down the stretch, and I had the ball with the opportunity to make a couple of plays and I came up short. That burns. But the best thing about it is this isn't college. It's not one loss and you're done. I have another opportunity to get better in Game 3, and if I'm put in that position again, to be able to learn from it.'' Sulia

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, George Hill 

Scott Agness: Roy Hibbert: "We're not going to back down. They could be the champs, but we're coming for them." Twitter @ScottAgness

Indiana Pacers, Roy Hibbert 

Ethan J. Skolnick: Hibbert on getting shot blocked: "I learned my damn lesson." Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Indiana Pacers, Roy Hibbert 

Scott Agness: Vogel: "That's how Larry Bird put this team together. As a true team…It's balanced, and it's difficult to guard." Twitter @ScottAgness

Indiana Pacers, Frank Vogel 

Tom Haberstroh: Vogel on LeBron's late TOs: "I'm not sure how we did it, other than we exhibited great will." Translation: He's not sure how they did it. Twitter @tomhaberstroh

Indiana Pacers, LeBron James, Frank Vogel 

Chris Tomasson: Erik Spoelstra: "We just didn't finish the game like we're capable of.'' Twitter @christomasson

Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra 

Chris Tomasson: Erik Spoelstra shrugs off LeBron's two turnovers in final minute: "We have full confidence in him.'' Twitter @christomasson

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Erik Spoelstra 

Ethan J. Skolnick: Chris Bosh: "We're not playing our game. It's us. It's all us. We haven't done what we do. It's hurting us." Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Miami Heat, Chris Bosh 

Sources say the Wizards also are very high on Anthony Bennett and could opt for his potent offensive game to expand their options at power forward. ESPN.com

Washington Wizards, Draft, Anthony Bennett 

I'm hearing quite loudly from multiple sources the Mavs are likely to trade this pick to save cap room for a run at Dwight Howard this summer. If they keep the pick, the Mavs are as high on Saric as any team in the league. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Draft, Trade, Dwight Howard, Dario Saric 

The rumors flying around Chicago were that Dennis Schroeder had a promise from a team. The Celtics seem like just the sort of team that would try to lock him down. ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Draft, Dennis Schroeder 

Siva said he already has 10 workouts scheduled, including one in Boston along with fellow Nets combine attendee Pierre Jackson of Baylor and others. After the two-day combine wrapped up Thursday, Nets director of player personnel Gregg Polinsky said he was impressed with the way Siva performed. “He’s real competitive, [has] great speed,” Polinsky said. “What do you say? [He comes from a] winning culture, he’s been coached, can take all you can give him ... he’s going to get some looks.” New York Post

Boston Celtics, Draft, Peyton Siva 

Mark Berman: Clips DeAndre Jordan on firing of Vinny Del Negro:"I was definitely surprised about it but I wish him the best. That's tough losing a coach" Twitter @MarkBermanFox26

Los Angeles Clippers, Vinny Del Negro, Coaching, DeAndre Jordan 

The Nuggets are in a tricky situation with executive Masai Ujiri heading into the weekend. After agreeing in principle to a multi-million dollar and multi-year deal with team president Josh Kroenke prior to this summer, Kroenke said Friday night that as he and Ujiri were working through the final details of the arrangement, the Toronto GM position opened up and Toronto asked permission to interview Ujiri. "I have understood all along the relationships that Masai has in Toronto, and I respect those immensely," Kroenke said in a phone interview. "So when Toronto inquired about him recently, I knew that it was going to be a tough situation for everyone strictly because of the relationships involved." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri, Josh Kroenke 

But Kroenke felt obliged to let him do the interview because of their friendship and Ujiri's relationships in Toronto. Now Ujiri is mulling over an offer with the Raptors. Yahoo Sports reported it could be as high as $3 million, a high payment for a team executive. "No matter what happens, we're going to be OK. I have all the confidence in the world in our players, our staff, and organization as a whole," said Kroenke, whose Nuggets won executive of the year in 2009 with Mark Warkentien and then this season with Ujiri. Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri, Josh Kroenke 

This dunk that Kobe put on Todd MacCulloch‘s head during the 2002 NBA Finals is probably one of the most overlooked facials in Finals history. It was nasty. This new commercial (titled “Forever Kobe”) from the league’s Finals 2013 “BIG” campaign begins airing tonight, and it’s probably going to be one of our favorite commercials of the year. Oh yeah, that beat? It’s from Mos Def and his song, “Life in Marvelous Times.” Dime

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Commercials 

Tony Parker is a human being. Human being have to eat. Tony Parker is in Memphis to play the Grizzlies in the NBA Playoffs. Memphis has restaurants that serve food to human beings. Tony Parker tried to eat at one of those restaurants, Restaurant Iris. Tony Parker was turned away. The Big Lead

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Memphis 

Luc Mbah a Moute is interested in the project of French club Besançon. Catch and Shoot

Milwaukee Bucks, France, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Besançon 

Luc Mbah a Moute: "It is very likely that there is an opportunity to work together, there are investments in one way or another." Catch and Shoot

Milwaukee Bucks, France, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Besançon 

Shaquille O’Neal loves Miami Heat center Chris “Birdman Birdman” Andersen. That doesn’t mean he and the TNT crew are going to cut the tattooed one any slack. Paul George obliterated Andersen so bad even LeBron James had to give props. So the TNT guys did dying bird noises because why not. For The Win

Miami Heat, Shaquille O'Neal, Media, Chris Andersen 

Dancing across a stage is nothing new for Isiah Thomas, but when he picked up his Master of Education degree from the University of California, it was the first time Thomas was able to do so in person. The last time his name was called at a commencement, he was slightly busy, dancing down the lane of the Pontiac Silverdome, hitting a running, game-winning layup against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the 1987 Eastern Conference semifinals, putting the Pistons a game away from their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. On that day, his mother, Mary Thomas, took the place of her then-26-year old son to accept his bachelor's degree at Indiana University. It's cause for pause and reflection for the 52-year-old Thomas, as the accomplishment of higher education brings about memories of his journey. "As a kid, you think of winning the NBA championship and stuff like that," said Thomas, owner of two championship rings as a player. "To me, this is the equivalent. Being a champion on the floor and in the classroom as a student, it's very gratifying to me." Detroit News

Isiah Thomas