* Offiical NBA Off-Season Thread: I'll give one of my damn kidney's for these Melo rumors to stop *

[h3at23]

NBAFanHouse
  
Chris Quinn accepts a training camp invite from the 76ers: http://bit.ly/97h7Re

It's over!!!!

*Heads over to the NBA prediction thread to change MVP & NBA  champions predictions*

 

[pmatic]

@STEIN_LINE_HQ On last leg of flight back from my beloved @manairport, just filed to ESPN.com: Warriors to replacing Don Nelson with Keith Smart

 

[acidicality]

Sources: Keith Smart to coach WarriorsEmail Print Comments10 By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
Archive
The Golden State Warriors, with just a few days to go before the start of training camp, are on the verge of making a coaching change.

Sources with knowledge of the Warriors' thinking told ESPN.com that the club's new owners, Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, have decided to part company with Don Nelson -- who late last season became the winningest coach in league history -- and replace him with assistant Keith Smart.

The move is scheduled to be finalized by the end of the week, sources said, with Smart taking charge of the team in time for media day Monday and the team's first practice of the season Tuesday.

Nelson had one year remaining on his contract at $6 million. Sources said Nelson, as per the terms of his contract, will receive his full salary.

Although the sale of the Warriors from the much-maligned Chris Cohan to Lacob and Guber has not been formally ratified by the league, sources said that Cohan's successors have had their say on the bulk of the team's moves for much of the summer.

Sources said it was the new owners' preference to make the change before camp started and replace Nelson with Smart, who has previously served as a head coach in Cleveland before joining the Warriors as an assistant in 2003.

The Warriors and Nelson did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Nelson has said for months that he intended this season to be his last in coaching if the Warriors' new regime did want him back. One source close to the situation told ESPN.com on Thursday that Nelson, after celebrating his 70th birthday in May, is unlikely to coach again now that the Warriors have informed him that they want Smart to take over in conjuction with the ownership change, which could be made official through league ratification as soon as next month.

In stints with Milwaukee, New York, Dallas and two tours with Golden State, spanning 31 seasons, Nelson posted a record of 1,335-1,063, winning three NBA Coach of the Year awards with a reputation for innovation. Nelson, however, had his share of critics as well and fell shy of taking his oft-unconventional teams to the NBA Finals, settling for trips to the conference finals with the Bucks and Mavericks after winning five rings as a player with the Boston Celtics.

Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

 

[T0INE]

 @ the shots at Mike.

Looking forward to media day next week.

 

[h3at23]

NBA 2K11: Starting Five Roster Ratings

  Submitted on: 09/23/2010 by

2K Sent us the overall ratings for every player in each team's starting five. Give the list a look through and let us know what you think! Did 2K rate your team right? Any surprises? Let us know!

 

[steve cash]

Wizards will be going back to Red, White, and Blue for the 2011-12 season.

 

[goldmember]

@ " absorb "

 

[bredin808]

Originally Posted by rck2sactown

Originally Posted by h3at23

That absorb.

please tell me Mo wasn't attempting to type absurd 

.

 

[acidicality]

Mike=Mo Williams?

 

[h3at23]

Chris_Broussard
  
Erick Dampier leaning toward accepting Heat's 1-year, $1.4 mill offer, sources tell me. Decision either tonite or tomorrow

 

[paul is on tilt]

Originally Posted by PMatic

@STEIN_LINE_HQ On last leg of flight back from my beloved @manairport, just filed to ESPN.com: Warriors to replacing Don Nelson with Keith Smart

I know, I know... Keith Smart may not be the answer, but oh well. Nelson's gone!

Don Nelson!

 

[al3xis]

Heat are gona end up rounding out that roster better than anyone first believed.

 

[bangdak]

For the most part, ratings are accurate. The lower end tier teams got raped with the ratings though. Typical though.



and Don Nelson, gone,

 

[buc em]

Willie Green and Samuel Dalembert being gone from the 76ers deserves an Appreciation thread from 76ers fans all over. It's like a dream come true....and Philly got Brackins for him? I find it hilarious that CP3 is no doubt leaving in the next couple years and David West will also be gone and they've traded both the dudes who would have grown into their replacements in Collison and Brackins. That team has ZERO future.

 

[IATT]

Originally Posted by BangDak

For the most part, ratings are accurate. The lower end tier teams got raped with the ratings though. Typical though.



and Don Nelson, gone,

ummmm.. how are kobe lebron and wade all 97s..


yet durant is only a 91 (melo is a 93 and chris paul is a 95).. just thought i would point that out

 

[IATT]

Originally Posted by Buc Em

Willie Green and Samuel Dalembert being gone from the 76ers deserves an Appreciation thread from 76ers fans all over. It's like a dream come true....and Philly got Brackins for him? I find it hilarious that CP3 is no doubt leaving in the next couple years and David West will also be gone and they've traded both the dudes who would have grown into their replacements in Collison and Brackins. That team has ZERO future.

this.. if they can somehow find a way to get rid of brand's contract and/or get decent value for getting rid of iggy and his contract.. then i'll actually take back some of the negative things i have previously said about the GM

 

[buc em]

Honestly man....Brand's gotta go. Nobodys gonna take the dude it might be time to just release him. Admit the contract was a mistake cuz there's just too many dudes on the roster right now that can play power forward and his game absolutely doesn't fit. He's gonna hold back the development of these guys and there's no way you can have Brand come off the bench and he's not going to complain. With Lou, Thad, Speights, Meeks, Nocioni, Songaila and Brackins he really wouldn't even be able to get much PT off the bench.

 

[IATT]

they should have tried to swing the twolves.. since they seemed soo desperate for turner..

package the 2nd and brand.. and then get the 4th pick back and some player.. then they could have taken cousins

 

[yeeupp]

Originally Posted by itsaboutthattime

Originally Posted by BangDak

For the most part, ratings are accurate. The lower end tier teams got raped with the ratings though. Typical though.



and Don Nelson, gone,

ummmm.. how are kobe lebron and wade all 97s..


yet durant is only a 91 (melo is a 93 and chris paul is a 95).. just thought i would point that out

Ever since 2K8, i think Kobe, Wade & Bron always had the same rating

 

[h3at23]

Originally Posted by Al3xis

Heat are gona end up rounding out that roster better than anyone first believed.

In Riles I trust but even I didn't think it would round out as good as it has

 

[yeeupp]

MIA did good with the bench. I think they should get Dampier.. and have Illgauskus come off the bench.

Bosh+ Joel Anthony....

.. Bosh+Dampier sounds better and is good defensively

 

[h3at23]

Joey Anthony is a good defensive player but I hear ya

 

[bangdak]

Joel Anthony did fine last year backing up O'Neal, he'd do fine this year as well.

 

[h3at23]

[h1]Sources: Erick Dampier eyes Heat[/h1]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=181

Erick Dampier is leaning toward signing with the Miami Heat, according to league sources. The 35-year-old center is expected to announce his decision Thursday night or Friday.

Dampier visited the Heat on Wednesday and was presented with a one-year offer for the veteran's minimum of $1.4 million after meeting with president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra, sources said.

Houston, which Dampier also visited this week, has offered Dampier a two-year, $4 million deal. The opportunity to win a championship alongside Miami's super trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh has Dampier favoring the Heat.

Miami did not promise Dampier, a 14-year veteran, the starting center position, but he would seem to have the edge over Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Jamaal Magloire.

Though he averaged six points and 7.3 rebounds for Dallas last season, Dampier would be a big signing for the Heat. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, he would fill the only real hole on Miami's roster -- that of a big man who can physically match up with Orlando's Dwight Howard, Boston's Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers' Andrew Bynum.


Chris Broussard covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine.

 

[steve cash]

h3at, change you avy man. its scaring me