RealGM Basketball Wiretap

Maurice Cheeks Agrees To Become Head Coach Of Pistons

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:26:35 EDT

Maurice Cheeks has accepted the Detroit Pistons' position of head coach.

Cheeks was most recently an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder and was previously the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers.

Cheeks replaces Lawrence Frank with the Pistons.

Execs Wonder If Agent Change Could Push Kevin Durant To Big Market

Sat, 08 Jun 2013 01:08:41 EDT

With Kevin Durant headed toward hiring Jay-Z of Roc Nation Sports as his agent, NBA executives and agents wonder if the agency could push Durant out of the Oklahoma City Thunder and toward big markets such as New York or Los Angeles.

Durant is signed with the Thunder through 2015-16.

Durant had been with Rob Pelinka of Landmark Sports.

Durant Leaves Pelinka For Jay-Z's Agency

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 22:45:54 EDT

Kevin Durant will leave agent Rob Pelinka to sign with Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports.

"He doesn't want a traditional NBA agent anymore," a source told Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Durant seeks an opportunity to have Jay-Z handle his branding.

"He had a chance to be with his idol and couldn't say no," said a source.

Durant was represented by Aaron Goodwin when he entered the NBA, making Jay-Z's agency his third representation.

Pistons Likely To Offer Head Coaching Job To Maurice Cheeks

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 20:36:14 EDT

The Detroit Pistons are preparing to offer their head coaching position to Maurice Cheeks.

Cheeks is a finalist for the position along with Nate McMillan.

Cheeks was previously head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers and has most recently been an assistant with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jeremy Lamb Confident Patience Will Pay Off

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 01:11:03 EDT

Jeremy Lamb knows he could lose a friend and mentor in Kevin Martin this offseason to free agency. Even so, the young shooting guard is confident next season will bring opportunity for him on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“They just told me be patient,” Lamb said, “and my time will come.”

The Thunder acquired Lamb in the James Harden trade last offseason.

“Just do all you can to make yourself better because it's only going to help me as well as the team in the long run,” Lamb said.

Durant Donates $1M To Tornado Relief Efforts

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:27:49 EDT

Kevin Durant has donated $1 million to relief efforts following tornadoes in the Oklahoma City region.

"As the day went on and I saw the footage and the casualties and the houses being blown away, it was tough to see," said Durant. "I call Oklahoma City my home. I go through Moore all the time. It's unfortunate. We're going to come together as a city like we always do and we're going to bounce back."

Durant was in Minneapolis and hopes to return to Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

"Just to get to the hospital, see some kids," Durant said. "Something. Just something to give some hope. Playing for the Thunder, we mean so much to the state. So many people support us and I just want to go back and support those people."

The American Red Cross said the gift from The Durant Family Foundation is meant to match other donations and be an incentive for more people to give. The Thunder also announced a $1 million donation, as did the NBA and players' union.

Thunder Aren't Considering Amnesty Clause On Perkins

Sat, 18 May 2013 14:39:05 EDT

The Oklahoma City Thunder are not considering using the amnesty clause on Kendrick Perkins.

"We just haven't considered using the provision. ... We think Perk has a lot of value to our team," Sam Presti said Saturday.

Perkins is set to make about $18 million over the next two seasons.

Thunder May Anticipate 6th Man Role For Reggie Jackson

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:32:05 EDT

After sporadic playing time as a rookie last season, Reggie Jackson emerged as a critical guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder and averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists in the playoffs.

With Russell Westbrook set to return next season, the Thunder might be anticipating a sixth man role for Jackson.

“If that's the number that's called,” Jackson said, “I'm doing my best to just be ready for whatever situation I'm thrown into next year.”

“I'm excited about his future, about what he was able to do during the minutes that he had," Brooks added.

Kendrick Perkins Finishes Playoffs With Worst PER On Record

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:21:32 EDT

Kendrick Perkins finished the 2013 NBA Playoffs with a PER of -0.7, which is the worst on record for a player with 200 or more minutes.

Perkins had 24 turnovers, 24 points, 39 fouls, five blocks and a plus/minus of -40 in the playoffs.

Perkins was acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2011 in a trade involving Jeff Green.

Scott Brooks played Perkins 23.3 minutes per game in the Conference Semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies despite clearly being ineffective.

Macklemore Upset Thunder Using His Song

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:43:43 EDT

The Oklahoma Thunder have been using the song "Can't Hold Us", which is performed by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

Macklemore is a rapper from Seattle.

"So apparently the OKC blunder are using @macklemore 'Can't hold us' as a song to hype up the crowd in their arena <-OH HELL NO!" wrote Macklemore on his Twitter account.

Detlef Schrempt echoed the same sentiment on Monday.

Russell Westbrook: Thunder 'Have Enough To Get A Ring'

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:41:35 EDT

Russell Westbrook talked to the media on Thursday for the first time since suffering a season-ending torn meniscus in Game 2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder's first round series against the Houston Rockets.

Westbrook, who will be off crutches in the next three to four weeks, believes the Thunder still have enough talent to get past the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round and win a championship.

"We're finding a way to win games," Westbrook said. "The group of guys we have, I think we have enough to get a ring."

The Thunder are tied against the Grizzlies, 1-1, as the series goes to Memphis on Saturday.

Grizzlies Want To Make Durant Work For Everything, Avoid Putting Him On Line

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:48:20 EDT

The Memphis Grizzlies are allowing Kevin Durant to average 35.5 points, 13 rebounds and 7.5 assists over the first two games of their series against the Oklahoma city Thunder.

“We want to (cut off Durant’s supporting cast), but you still can’t let him get 50," said Lionel Hollins. "We want to make him work and take a lot of shots. We don’t want to put him on the free throw line. It takes a lot of energy to be an offensive player, regardless of what people think, especially when you have the ball in your hand the majority of the time. We want to work him on that end and work him on the defensive end. We want to run and make him play the entire game.”

Thunder Confident Perkins Fit For Series Against Grizzlies

Sun, 05 May 2013 00:47:49 EDT

Kendrick Perkins was benched in the second half of the Oklahoma City Thunder's closeout win over the Houston Rockets on Friday, but Scott Brooks is confident that his big man will bounce back in the second round against the Memphis Grizzlies.

“This series was hard for him,” Brooks said of Perkins against the run-and-gun Rockets. “But his commitment to still cheer his teammates in the second half tells you what he's all about."

Perkins will receive plenty of minutes with the Grizzlies being anchored by Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

“Playing Memphis, he's going to get every minute that he deserves," Brooks said.

Durant Dribbled Ball 240 More Times In Game 3 Than Season Average

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:31:09 EDT

Kevin Durant dribbled the ball 377 times in Game 3, about 240 more dribbles than he averaged per game for the season, according to data from SportVU.

Durant played the first game since his rookie season without Russell Westbrook on Saturday.

Durant touched the ball 111 times in the game, almost double his season average.

Russell Westbrook Undergoes Successful Surgery, Out For Playoffs

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:56:22 EDT

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced that Russell Westbrook underwent successful surgery on Saturday to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee.

Westbrook will miss the remainder of the 2013 NBA playoffs.

“Although we are of course disappointed that Russell will be unable to return to the floor with his teammates this season, the opportunity to repair the meniscus as opposed to remove it was the best possible scenario for Russell's long term health as a player and person,” Sam Presti said in a statement. “Russell's health and well being are obviously our number one priority through this process and today's procedure helped solidify our belief that Russell will have many productive years of basketball in his future.”

Westbrook suffered the right knee injury in Game 2 of the Thunder's first-round series against the Houston Rockets, when Patrick Beverley collided with him as he tried to call a timeout.

Rehab will begin immediately for Westbrook and a timetable for his return will be determined during the offseason.

Beverley Sorry Westbrook Tore Meniscus, Doesn't Apologize For Being Aggressive

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:31:23 EDT

Patrick Beverley is sorry that Russell Westbrook suffered a torn meniscus while going for a steal before a timeout, but he doesn't apologize for being aggressive.

"I want to go against Russell Westbrook again and battle him again," Beverley told Yahoo! Sports by phone on Friday evening. "I didn't try to hurt him, but that play was something I've tried in the past, a play that worked against the Suns earlier in the season – and it's a play that I'm going to continue to try again."

Beverley abruptly left Arkansas before the start of his junior season to play in Ukraine after he confessed to turning in a paper he didn't write.

Beverley became a second round pick in 2009 and was the final cut by the Miami Heat one year later.

Beverley came to the Houston Rockets from Russia in the middle of the 12-13 season.

Russell Westbrook To Undergo Knee Surgery

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:40:35 EDT

Russell Westbrook will undergo surgery on his right knee for a lateral meniscus tear.

No timetable for his return has been announced, but it is considered a minimal tear.

Westbrook suffered the injury in the second quarter of Game 2.

Westbrook had never missed a game in his NBA career.

"Maybe," said one source to Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski when asked if Westbrook could return in the playoffs.

Westbrook is "irate," with Beverley, a league source told Wojnarowski.

The Thunder and Westbrook don't want to risk any long-term issues with his knee.

Howard Thinks Ibaka Should Have Been DPOY

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:36:38 EDT

Dwight Howard supported Serge Ibaka for Defensive Player of the Year.

“I think Serge Ibaka, with all the stuff he did this year, I think he should have been the guy to win it this year and last year,” Howard said.

“The stuff he’s done on the defensive end, I thought he was the clear-cut winner, but people saw it other ways.

“He led the league in blocks. That’s what defense is all about.”

Ibaka led the league in blocks per game (3.3) and finished third in block percentage (7.4), behind JaVale McGee (8.4) and Larry Sanders (7.6).

Durant 'Done With Being Second'

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:49:50 EDT

In a quote on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Kevin Durant lamented his runner-up status that he believes has plagued him throughout his basketball career.

"I've been second my whole life," said Durant. "I was the second-best player in high school. I was the second pick in the draft. I've been second in the MVP voting three times. I came in second in The Finals. I'm tired of being second.

"I'm done with it."

Durant presumably will come in second in MVP voting behind LeBron James again this season despite a historical season for himself by all accounts.

Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder also enter the playoffs as one of the favorites to win the Western Conference, but are considered by most to be underdogs should they again face the Miami Heat.

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Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:17:02 EDT

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