Bob Weiss

Northwest Notes: Russell, George, Porter, Adams, Nuggets

Could the Timberwolves figure out a way to sign D’Angelo Russell? ESPN’s Zach Lowe hears that Minnesota will try to make a run at the Nets guard, who will be a restricted free agent unless Brooklyn renounces his rights (hat tip to RealGM). “There has been a lot of Minnesota (signing) D’Angelo Russell noise,” Lowe said. “And it’s not all Karl Towns commenting on Instagram because they’re friends. Minnesota has communicated to the league, not the NBA league, just the league at large that they believe they have a pathway to get D’Angelo Russell.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • The Thunder will get a better read on Paul George‘s status in late September, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman reports. He’s expected to miss most of the preseason after undergoing offseason surgeries to his right rotator cuff and left labrum. “He’s doing well,” GM Sam Presti said. “He’s going to make a full recovery.” Shooting guard Andre Roberson, who hasn’t played since January 2018 after suffering a serious knee injury, has been training in Texas, Horne adds.
  • Forward Michael Porter Jr. will make his Nuggets debut in the Las Vegas Summer League next month and he’s ready to go, Parth Upadhyaya of Denver Post relays. After being selected at the end of the lottery last season, Porter sat out last season to rehab from back surgery. “He’s been in the gym twice a day for a long time,” president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said. “He’s been fully cleared for several months.”
  • Thunder center Steven Adams won’t play for New Zealand in the FIBA World Cup this summer, according to Sportando.
  • The Nuggets did not retain assistants Mark Price and Bob Weiss, Mike Singer of the Denver Post tweets.

Southeast Notes: Wade, Mickey, Weiss, Hawks

Two more Heat players have spoken out about the possibility of bringing back Dwyane Wade if he agrees to a buyout with the Bulls, relays Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Hassan Whiteside and Wayne Ellington both endorsed the move during an appearance Saturday at a Whiteside Foundation fundraiser. “He’s a great basketball-IQ guy,” Whiteside said. “He can find you on a lob. He can find you on a pick-and-roll situation. He’s a great scorer.”

Whiteside had previously backed a reunion with Wade through a nodding GIF on social media, but these were his first public comments on the potential move. Wade, who spent 13 years in Miami before signing with Chicago last summer, remains a popular figure in South Florida, but he would have to give up a significant portion of his $23.8MM salary for a buyout to occur. Ellington, who is among the players who might see a reduced role if Wade returns, is also on board. “Obviously this is something that D-Wade helped build,” he said, “so obviously this city and us as a team being able to have somebody like that on our team would be amazing.”

There’s more today from the Southeast Division:

  • The terms of Jordan Mickey‘s two-year agreement with the Heat have been confirmed, Winderman adds in the same story. The former Celtic’s first season will be guaranteed at the $1.5MM veteran’s minimum and the second will be a team option.
  • The Hornets are in the market for a new assistant coach after Bob Weiss left to join the Nuggets, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. The 75-year-old had been with Charlotte since Steve Clifford was hired as head coach in 2013. Weiss opted to take a job in Denver to be closer to his grandchildren, and Clifford hopes to find another veteran coach to replace him.
  • Sharecare, a digital health company based in Atlanta, agreed to a five-year deal this week to become the Hawks‘ jersey patch sponsor, according to WSB-TV in Atlanta. “Every team has had their own strategy with regard to patch partners,” said Andrew Saltzman, executive vice president and chief revenue officer for the team. “But ours is very clear: true to Atlanta and making this a component of a much larger and fully integrated  partnership that benefits our fan base, Atlanta as a whole and certainly our partner and ourselves.”

Nuggets Officially Hire Assistant GM, Assistant Coach

The Nuggets fortified both their front office and their coaching staff today, according to a pair of press releases from the club. Denver has officially hired former NBA big man Calvin Booth as its new assistant general manager and formally added veteran coach Bob Weiss to Michael Malone‘s staff as an assistant.

The hiring of Booth was first reported two weeks ago by The Associated Press. The 41-year-old arrives in Denver after having spent the last four seasons with the Timberwolves as their director of pro personnel.

Booth has an existing relationship with Nuggets GM Tim Connelly, having played for the Wizards on two separate occasions in the 2000s when Connelly worked for Washington. The duo also worked in the Pelicans’ front office together during the 2012/13 season, with Connelly serving as New Orleans’ assistant GM while Booth was a scout.

As for Weiss, he played in the NBA for more than a decade, but his coaching résumé is far more extensive. Weiss has served as a head coach for the Spurs, Hawks, Clippers, and SuperSonics, and has spent time with six separate clubs as an assistant since joining the NBA coaching ranks back in 1978. Weiss, who was an assistant with the Hornets for the last four years, also spent multiple seasons as a head coach in China from 2008 to 2011.

Eastern Rumors: Jefferson, Knicks, Robinson

Here's a look at the latest from the Eastern Conference on a busy first evening of free agency:

  • Al Jefferson will be meeting with the Bobcats on Wednesday, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, but Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer doesn't believe much will come of it (Twitter links).  
  • The small forward position is still a need for the Knicks and they inquired about both Francisco Garcia and Matt Barnes, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Twitter).
  • The Knicks spoke with Nate Robinson's representatives, but don't count on the diminutive point guard winding up back in New York, Berman tweets.
  • The Celtics are set to be a taxpayer in 2013/14, but president of basketball operations Danny Ainge hinted today that the team will try to get under the tax line, as Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com notes. Still, it looks like Rajon Rondo will be sticking around Boston.
  • The agreement between Mike Dunleavy and the Bulls figures to help second-rounder Erik Murphy make the Chicago roster, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. 
  • Beno Udrih's agent told Sean Deveney of the Sporting News (on Twitter) that his client is "less likely" to re-sign with Magic but a return is "not impossible".  The Pinnacle Management client has ten teams interested in him, according to his agent, though he wasn't specific on which clubs.  Deveney has heard that the Wizards and Celtics are among those with interest, though the Wizards are probably out, with Eric Maynor coming aboard.
  • The Pacers officially announced that they have hired Nate McMillan as associate head coach.
  • Patrick Ewing will be Steve Clifford's associate head coach in Charlotte, with Bob BeyerStephen SilasBob Weiss and Mark Price filling out the Bobcats staff, according to a team press release.

Zach Links contributed to this post.