Los Angeles Clippers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Notes: Sterling, Redick, Rivers

May 4th, 2014 at 4:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Clippers may not be Los Angeles’ team, but it feels like they’re becoming America’s Team, writes Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The Clippers’ 126-121 win over the Warriors on Saturday night drew 6.0 million viewers, which was TNT’s most-viewed NBA first-round telecast since the Lakers played the Nuggets in 2012. The high ratings are expected to continue next week when the Clippers take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. More out of L.A..

Embattled Clippers owner Donald Sterling has a long history of discrimination and J.J. Redick shared a tale of his own last night, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. The guard heard over the offseason that despite interest from Doc Rivers and the rest of the front office, Sterling fought against signing him. “I’ve been told both ways,” Redick said. “One, that he didn’t want to spend because I was white and the other he [didn’t] want to pay me because he thought I was a bench player. I was told both things.”
After a tiring and emotional week, Rivers is glad to have come out on top in the first round matchup against the Warriors, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Rivers conceded that instead of preparing for Golden State, much of his time was spent talking with commissioner Adam Silver, NBPA liason Kevin Johnson, and even Sterling’s wife Shelly.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CBS’ “Face The Nation” that he expects Sterling to put up a “long, protracted fight” to retain ownership of the Clippers, writes Bill Trott of Reuters. A three-fourths vote by the board of governors would be required to force the sale of the team, but all signs point to Sterling battling it out in court.

Western Notes: Jackson, Curry, Sterling

May 4th, 2014 at 8:43am CST by Eddie Scarito

With the Warriors being eliminated from the playoffs last night, speculation about coach Mark Jackson‘s job status has begun. In regards to his future, Jackson said, “I don’t get caught up in it. I have total confidence and total faith that I will be fine even if I’m a full time pastor,” tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.

And-Ones: NBPA, Draft, Rockets, Clippers

May 3rd, 2014 at 10:35pm CST by Cray Allred

In an email to NBA players, Kevin Johnson says that he hopes to present finalists for the NBPA’s vacant executive director position in late July, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link). Here’s more from around the Association:

Since the Grizzlies playoff run lasted seven games, Nick Calathes will serve 13 games of his 20 game suspension to begin next season, Tom Ziller of SB Nation points out (via Twitter).
Shabazz Napier has signed with Rob Pelinka of Landmark Sports Agency, Inc., reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (via Twitter).
Jabari Parker has agreed to be represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, reports Bill Reiter of Fox Sports (on Twitter). Klutch Sports also represents LeBron James and Eric Bledsoe, among others, as the Hoops Rumors Agency Database shows.
Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle looks at the decisions facing the Rockets this offseason, including Chandler Parsons‘ option, potential free agent targets, and the likelihood that Omer Asik and/or Jeremy Lin get traded.
In the same piece, Feigen grades each player on the Rockets roster, noting their contract situation with the team.
Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside thinks that Troy Daniels‘ surprisingly strong play during the playoffs means he’ll walk away from the postseason as a winner, even though the Rockets suffered a first-round exit.
Shelly Sterling, wife of Donald Sterling and co-owner of the Clippers, voiced her support of Adam Silver‘s plan of action regarding the team (H/T Sam Amick of USA Today). “I spoke with Commissioner Adam Silver this week to tell him that I fully supported his recent swift and decisive action,” she said. “We also agreed at that time that, as a next step, both the league and the team should work together to find some fresh, accomplished executive leadership for the Clippers. I welcome his active involvement in the search for a person of the utmost character. As a co-owner, I am fully committed to taking the necessary steps to make the Clippers the best team in the NBA.”
The CEO chosen to run the Clippers during their ownership transition will have the authority to decide whether team president Andy Roeser remains with the franchise, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.
Jim Peltz of The Los Angeles Times profiles the owners of every NBA team, excluding Sterling.

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.

Pacific Notes: Clippers, Jackson, Kings Arena

May 3rd, 2014 at 7:02pm CST by Cray Allred

Earlier this evening, we passed along a report that the NBA will be appointing a CEO to run the Clippers while the league works to strip banned owner Donald Sterling of the team. Here’s more from the west coast:

Current team president Andy Roeser, who has been running the Clippers in the wake of Sterling’s punishment, will remain in place for the time being per a tweet from Sam Amick of USA Today.
No timetable has been released for the league’s process, and the Clippers haven’t been informed of all the details the CEO installation will entail, per a tweet from Mark Medina of Los Angeles Daily News.
Mark Jackson acknowledged that he’ll be “fighting for his life” tonight when the Warriors face the Clippers in a game seven matchup, writes Tim Kawakami of Mercury News. Rumors have suggested Jackson might be on his way out of Golden State, but a win tonight would certainly stand to help his cause.
Sacramento city officials have postponed the city council vote on the new downtown Kings arena because they have been unable to finalize an agreement, reports Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.

Owners Move Forward On Sterling Ouster

May 3rd, 2014 at 5:34pm CST by Cray Allred

SATURDAY, 5:34pm: The NBA will appoint a CEO to run the Clippers while the league moves to strip Sterling of the team, according to The Associated Press. An individual hasn’t been identified for the role, but the league says it will move quickly to put one in place. The Clippers will have input on the decision, per a tweet from Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer.

THURSDAY, 6:02pm: The NBA announced that the league’s Advisory/Finance Committee decided to move forward with their attempts to force suspended Clippers owner Donald Sterling to sell the team (H/T Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun). The committee met via conference call today, and unanimously decided to move “as expeditiously as possible.” The committee will reconvene for their next step next week.

After audio of Sterling’s racist comments was leaked, scrutiny surrounding the long-time owner’s recorded conversation and checkered business history led to commissioner Adam Silver’s investigation and resulting punishment: a lifelong ban, a $2.5MM fine, and an impetus to strip the team from Sterling. Silver is believed to have the necessary 75% vote among the league’s 30 owners to carry through on the forced sale of the club, and today’s unanimous decision reinforces that belief. However, legal action from Sterling is the biggest hurdle the league faces in the push to oust him.

A growing concern from the league is that Sterling’s strategy could include attempts to unearth evidence of racism within other organizations, per a series of tweets by Chris Mannix of SI.com. Mannix says the league has “no idea” if it can win the looming legal battle with Sterling. The NBA has definitely earned the support of fans and players with its swift actions, but such a lawsuit could turn out disastrous in the long run.

Lawrence On D’Antoni, Gasol, Calipari, Sterling

May 3rd, 2014 at 2:12pm CST by Charlie Adams

Mike D’Antoni walked away from the Lakers due in part because the team is likely to attempt to re-sign Pau Gasol this summer, reports Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News. A source tells Lawrence that D’Antoni knew that Gasol and Kobe Bryant didn’t want to play for him, so he made the decision to resign from the team on Wednesday. Let’s have a look at some more interesting notes from Lawrence’s piece:

Kurt Rambis and Byron Scott are two of the most viable candidates for the Lakers’ coaching job, hears Lawrence. We reported on Thursday that both Rambis and Scott are set to interview with the team.
Despite rumored interest, Lawrence says there’s no chance John Calipari will become the next head coach for the Lakers. The team reportedly has “zero interest” in hiring Calipari.
Stan Van Gundy was contacted about taking over the head coaching role for the Pistons, but talks didn’t get far because he wanted some level of control over the team’s personnel decisions, writes Lawrence.
Lawrence hears that once Adam Silver meets with Donald Sterling, Silver is expected to tell Sterling that the league will battle him in court to see that the franchise is sold, no matter the resistance Sterling puts up.
Knicks assistant GM Allan Houston and director of player personnel Mark Warkentien aren’t worried about their jobs, since the duo has contracts with owner Jim Dolan and not the Knicks specifically, says Lawrence. As a result, the pair will be able to retain their positions, even if Phil Jackson doesn’t want them around.
The Cavs and Bucks still haven’t decided whether or not they’ll keep their general managers beyond this season, reveals Lawrence. Both Central Division teams failed to meet preseason expectations and finished well below .500.
It’s likely Mark Jackson will be fired by the Warriors, suggests Lawrence, who adds the coach might have a hard time landing another job with an NBA team because of the perceived dysfunction in Golden State’s organization during his tenure.
The Thunder could potentially see a first-round playoff exit tonight, but Lawrence says Scott Brooks‘ position is safe in Oklahoma City.

Western Notes: Sterling, Owners, Lakers

May 2nd, 2014 at 10:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Donald Sterling has kept a low profile since NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned him for life and fined him $2.5MM on Tuesday. Sterling broke his silence in an interview with DuJour.com, saying, “I wish I had just paid her [V. Stiviano] off.” Stiviano, in an interview with ABC’s Barbara Walters, characterized Sterling’s current state of mind as “confused,” adding, “I think he feels very alone, not truly supported by those around him. Tormented, emotionally traumatized” (link via ESPN.com).

Clippers/Sterling Rumors: Roeser, Rivers, Silver

May 2nd, 2014 at 2:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

Donald Sterling has prostate cancer, as Linda Massarella, Emily Smith, Bruce Golding and Helen Kumari of the New York Post report, and his poor health might play a role as the NBA seeks to remove the Clippers from his ownership. The family of the 80-year-old could avoid millions of dollars in taxes if the team is sold after his death, as David Wharton and Stuart Pfeifer of the Los Angeles Times explained this week, giving Sterling incentive to stall and fight the NBA in court until his passing.

Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com has much more on the Sterling saga, and while her entire piece is worth reading, we’ll pass along a few notable revelations here:

Clippers president Andy Roeser opposed the idea of releasing a statement that disputed the tapes, Shelburne reports. Sterling prevailed upon him to release the statement, which argued that the recordings didn’t represent Sterling’s true feelings, through the team with Roeser’s name on it. Doc Rivers was “furious” about the statement, Shelburne writes, describing it as a breaking point for Rivers and the players.
Roeser has been in charge since Silver banned Sterling, but the NBA will likely appoint a trustee to run the team, according to Shelburne.
The NBA interviewed a third person who could be heard in the background of the recordings of Sterling and V. Stiviano, and that interview could help the NBA in its attempts to oust Sterling if the legality of the recordings is questioned in court, Shelburne writes.
NBA owners were confident that Silver would take appropriate action, reflecting the belief in the commissioner that they’d held since the 2011 lockout. Many of them had wanted him to succeed David Stern long before he did so in February, according to Shelburne.

And-Ones: Johnson, Wilkins, Kidd

May 1st, 2014 at 10:38pm CST by Cray Allred

Doc Rivers told reporters, including of Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, that he assumes Kevin Johnson will have the choice to become the president of the NBA players association even if he wants to remain mayor of Sacramento (Twitter link). Earlier, we passed on word that Johnson isn’t a candidate for the union role due to his political ambitions. Here’s more from around the league:

The Bulls haven’t received any indication that the Lakers plan to request a meeting with coach Tom Thibodeau, a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley surmises that the rumblings about the Lakers pursuing Thibodeau won’t amount to much beyond speculation.
Sources tell K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune that Thibodeau is a proponent of the Bulls pursuing Carmelo Anthony this summer. Johnson speculates that Thibodeau’s involvement with future personnel decisions casts doubt on the potential for him to meet with the Lakers, let alone leave Chicago for Los Angeles.
Damien Wilkins has signed with Indios de Mayaguez of Puerto Rico, agent Christian Santaella tweets (translation via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The 34-year-old spent training camp with the Hawks before signing in China this winter, and hasn’t played in the NBA since starting 21 games with the Sixers in the 2012/13 season.
Ian O’Connor of ESPNNewYork.com says that Jason Kidd‘s performance as a coach would be the biggest failure for the Nets if Brooklyn doesn’t make it out of the first round. While the team recovered after a disappointing start, O’Connor notes that the upgraded roster will still have done worse than last year’s team, when P.J. Carlesimo was let go following a first round exit.
Adam Silver was not aware of any potential boycott from NBA players when he made his decision to seek the ouster of Clippers owner Donald Sterling, per Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter links). Kevin Johnson, helping represent the players union through the issue, tells Mullen that a boycott “was never mentioned” in his talks with the commissioner.
With the help of legal experts, Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today looks at some of the legal maneuvers Sterling could pursue to counter the league’s actions, including stalling the team’s ownership status by filing for divorce.
In a Q&A with Richard Sandomir of The New York Times, a longtime sports lawyer lays out the legal framework that lies ahead as the league pushes to remove Sterling.

L.A. Notes: Magic, Rivers, Farmar, D’Antoni

May 1st, 2014 at 2:36pm CST by Chuck Myron

Magic Johnson earlier this week denied interest in buying the Clippers, but he’s apparently changed his mind, judging by his remarks Wednesday, as Ben Bergman of 89.3 KPCC reports (hat tip to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia).

“I will be owning an NBA team sometime,” Johnson said. “Is the Clippers the right situation? Of course. It’s one of the premiere franchises.”

The teams of Johnson’s past and perhaps his future have been most prominent in news across the league this week, and there’s more this afternoon on both the Lakers and the Clippers:

Doc Rivers hasn’t made it entirely clear whether he intends to return to the Clippers, but he says he has no interest in making the jump across Staples Center to coach the Lakers, observes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
Jordan Farmar was a fan of Mike D’Antoni, but the soon-to-be free agent point guard doesn’t find the Lakers any less attractive now that the coach has resigned, as Farmar tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “I want to be a Laker,” Farmar said. “I like playing for Mike. Whether it’s Phil Jackson, Mike D’Antoni or whoever else coaches this team, that won’t deter me from wanting to be a Laker.”
D’Antoni reportedly would like another NBA coaching job, but the general sentiment leaguewide is that his success with the Suns was an aberration, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. A GM who spoke to Deveney called D’Antoni a “one-trick pony.”
There seems to be a decent chance that the Clippers will sell for more than $1 billion, but It will take more than money to buy the team, as James Rainey and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times examine.
Cavs guard Jarrett Jack believes every player in the league should boycott practices and games next season if Donald Sterling still owns the Clippers by then, as Jack said today on 95.7 The Game, tweets Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group.