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With two lottery selections in the June 28 NBA Draft, New Orleans Hornets general manager Dell Demps and Coach Monty Williams will try to be the good luck charms the team needs to secure the highest possible pick by winning next Wednesday's NBA Lottery in New York. The Hornets possess their own lottery pick, acquired thanks to a 21-45 regular season record, as well as the one belonging to the Minnesota Timberwolves, acquired in the trade that sent Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Draft, Trade, Monty Williams, Dell Demps 

Although next month’s NBA draft is considered to be deep with talent, New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams disagrees. With two lottery picks, the Hornets are slotted fourth and 10th in the May 30 draft lottery and have a 13.7 percent chance of landing the top pick. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Draft, Monty Williams 

``I don’t see this deep draft everybody is talking about,’’ Williams said. ``I think there are a few players at the top that are really good that can be good players. But I don’t see any Carmelo’s or LeBron’s.’’ New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Draft, Monty Williams 

``I don’t think you’re going to find a (Manu) Ginobili at 52,’’ Williams said. ``The last few weeks I’ve had a chance to look at all these young guys on tape and I’m not jaded by the hoopla as everybody else is. I think there are good players, but I don’t see this deep draft.’’ New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Draft, Monty Williams 

One deal they need to make shortly after taking over is to retain President Hugh Weber. His presence is critical for the operation to succeed. Word is Benson’s management team is enamored with General Manager Dell Demps and Coach Monty Williams, and rightly so. Both are quality men and talented leaders who have the Hornets on the right track on the court. They deserve a chance to complete the rebuilding project they started a year ago. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams, Dell Demps 

John Reid: Monty Williams on Eric Gordon: ``I’ve seen enough that we need to put some other pieces around him so he can be even better.'' Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams, Eric Gordon 

Tom Benson’s purchase of the Hornets on Friday brought stability to the team’s future in New Orleans. It also has brought steadiness to the bench and front office. According to a league source, Benson plans to keep Monty Williams as coach and Dell Demps as general manager, both of whom were hired in 2010. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Coaching, Monty Williams, Dell Demps, Tom Benson 

Williams, who has yet to meet with his new boss, said the settlement of the ownership issue brings ease to a franchise that seemed to be teetering since the NBA took the unprecedented step of purchasing it from George Shinn and Gary Chouest in December 2010. “I think when you have somebody like Mr. Benson, I think it makes it a ton easier because you have stability and you have foundation and you have a bit of an umbrella that comforts you from some of the storms when you don’t have an owner,’’ Williams said. “So I think it can only be good for me as a coach, our players and especially our city, and that fans can totally commit to our city.’’ New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Coaching, Monty Williams, Dell Demps, Tom Benson 

Draft picks, young talent and cap space are the magic trio when it comes to rebuilding in the NBA. But the sale of the Hornets may mean that Demps—and possibly Williams—won’t be around to see the job through. “It’s almost like doing the hard part,” the source said. “Then having someone else get to do the fun part.” Sporting News

New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams, Mike Dunleavy, David Stern, Dell Demps, Gary Chouest 

New Orleans Hornets coach Monty Williams said before Monday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers that he sent Clippers forward Blake Griffin an apologetic text after Jason Smith leveled him to the ground in last week's game between the two teams. Williams, in his second season as the Hornets' coach, texted Griffin on Friday, waiting until the day after Smith hit him to earn a two-game suspension for the buzz to die down, he said. Smith sat out Monday's game -- which the Clippers won 97-85 -- to complete the suspension. "I'll say this, because I'm here in this city: What Jason did was wrong," Williams said Monday. "I told him that it was and that he went about it the wrong way, and that's why I reached out to Blake to let him know that it wasn't something we do on a regular basis." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets, Blake Griffin, Monty Williams 

Williams said he spoke to a number of players before the season who, like West, raised concerns about the franchise not remaining in New Orleans long term, despite NBA Commissioner David Stern’s repeated statements that he intends to find an ownership group that would not move the team. “I think any time you know the team is going to be there, it gives the fans something to commit to,’’ Williams said. “I don’t think our fans are committed yet. That’s not me trying to be hard-line. I just don’t think they are committed because they didn’t know.’’ New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams, David Stern 

Ben Golliver: Monty Williams lists the lack of insects & the prevalence of fruit that can be purchased on the side of road as reasons he misses Portland. Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams 

In response to a question about whether there was anything new to report on about Eric Gordon’s knee injury, Hornets coach Monty Williams responded that he did not, and that: “It is what it is. Blame LeBron James”. I concur. We should start blaming everything on LeBron. I used to only blame him for Mardi Gras weather problems and missing tan socks, but now I’ve included injuries to Hornets players on my short list of stuff LeBron should be blamed for. Hornets247.com

New Orleans Hornets, LeBron James, Monty Williams, Injuries, Eric Gordon 

Jason Quick: That is four confirmed votes by Western Conf. coaches for @LaMarcus Aldridge: Monty Williams, George Karl, Brooks and Sacramento coach Keth Smart Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, George Karl, Monty Williams, Keith Smart, LaMarcus Aldridge, Scott Brooks 

The league-owned Hornets deactivated Kaman last week and told the former All-Star on Friday that he could wait at home while team officials tried to find a new trade home for him. But after discussions with numerous teams, sources said, New Orleans has decided to end those talks and recall Kaman, although it wasn't immediately clear what sort of role he'll have after Hornets coach Monty Williams announced last week that getting minutes for young players such as Jason Smith, Al-Farouq Aminu and Gustavo Ayon was the staff's priority. ESPN.com

New Orleans Hornets, Trade, Monty Williams, Al-Farouq Aminu, Jason Smith, Gustavo Ayon 

Already, New Orleans coach Monty Williams suggests Rubio, once he fills out that scrawny body these next few years, could, because of his height and those arms, redefine a position at which he has been compared a time or two to the man who last redefined it, two-time league MVP Steve Nash. "He defends better than Nash, better than most point guards coming into the league right away," Williams said. "I watch him on film and he has been surprising because I didn't think he was that good, I didn't think he'd be that good this early. He's going to fill into that body and he'll be able to guard some 2s [shooting guards], maybe even some 3s [small forwards]. He could very well change that position." Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Hornets, Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash, Monty Williams, Ricky Rubio 

Rubio inspired another opposing crowd -- and even other teams' advance scouts sitting courtside -- with his array of passes that included an alley-oop to Wes Johnson for a slam dunk and a nifty behind-the-back pass to Derrick Williams for a layup. Rubio already has been compared to everybody from Pete Maravich to former Boston Celtics great Bob Cousy, who played in the 1950s. Such a comparison has left at least a few people confused. "I didn't watch Cousy play," said New Orleans coach Monty Williams, "and when I see those highlights, I still don't know which one he is." Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams, Ricky Rubio, Bob Cousy 

New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams said several times this season there have been flagrant-type fouls committed against his players that have not been called by the officials. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Monty Williams 

Ryan McNeill: Monty Williams on CP3 rumors: “It’s just a lot of speculation. I’d rather tongue-kiss a maggot than tweet or blog." #NBA #Hornets Twitter

Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets, Trade, Monty Williams 

New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams said the attention surrounding Chris Paul's trade uncertainty has become a major distraction for his team. Paul showed up for work again at the Alario Center Sunday after the Lakers withdrew their offer to acquire him in a revised three-team deal that was awaiting approval Saturday by the league office. New Orleans Times-Picayune

Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Trade, Chris Paul, Coaching, Monty Williams