P.J. Carlesimo has an agreement in principle to join the Toronto Raptors as an assistant coach under Jay Triano, according to league sources. Carlesimo last served as a head coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder but was replaced by Scott Brooks midway through the 2008-09 season. Prior to that, Carlesimo served as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs under Gregg Poppovich. Carlesimo spent this season working for the Spurs as a color commentator on their radio broadcasts. - ESPN
Matt Barnes will test the free-agent market this summer. Barnes said minutes ago that he will not exercise his player option for the 2010-11 season, but he added that he hopes to return to the Orlando Magic. “As for me and my contract situation, I’m going to opt out,” Barnes told reporters gathered at RDV Sportsplex this morning. - Orlando Sentinel
Word is Brandon Bass wants assurances from Otis Smith and Stan Van Gundy that he will have a much larger role next season or he wants to be traded. Bass was patient with the process this year and tried to stay positive in the face of a tough situation, but sources close to Bass say enough is enough. - HoopsWorld
But Lewis blossomed from an overmatched high school kid into a 16.7 points-per-game scorer and 39.2 percent 3-point shooter, a two- time All-Star and the holder of a $118 million contract thanks in part to the seven years he spent with Dwane Casey at the start in Seattle. "He's a great coach," Lewis said of Casey, the Sonics' longtime assistant who has had two interviews for the vacancy in Atlanta and is a candidate for other openings. "He's a gym rat. He made sure I worked on my game all the time. He knows the X's and O's. He was a great assistant coach when he did the scouting report. He's just one of those guys who eats, sleeps basketball." - NBA
Magic general manager Otis Smith wants to be clear: He's not looking to overhaul the roster again. Unless he does. Smith said Monday he doesn't expect any major moves this offseason, even after failing to return to the NBA finals. He believes Orlando already has the roster to win its first championship. - USA Today
Garnett, however, kept his shields up when asked after a practice in Waltham, Mass., recently about the roads not taken. "My road is what it is. I traveled it," Garnett told me. "Can't go back in time. Can't change that road. I have a greater sense of appreciation now, because of my journey. And I don't think too much into it, because it's really [wasted] energy to do that. There's no sense in doing that. It's not going to fix anything. It's not going to make anything better with me. I'm living in the moment and I'm enjoying it." - NBA
Gaffney, a Boston native, was signed to the Lakers training camp roster last summer after going undrafted out of the University of Massachusetts. He was the was the last player cut from training camp and went overseas to play in Israel before being signed by the Celtics in April. It has been months since he returned to Los Angeles, and he’s thrilled to be arriving as a member of the Celtics. “I wouldn’t want to be going back any other way. I’m looking forward to it,” he said before the team flew out to California on Monday. “It’s definitely unique, and having the two teams [that I’ve played for] be the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers makes it that much more special. Obviously they’re two top of the line, class A organizations, it’s no surprise as to why they are in the finals. Having gotten the chance to witness that and see it firsthand, to me this all makes sense.” - WEEI
First, a source says that less than a week before the June 24 Draft, the Sixers have tentatively scheduled a workout in Philly that will feature Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins and Georgia Tech forward Derrick Favors, the top two big man prospects in the Draft. There would be no reason to schedule such a workout -- and certainly no reason for either Cousins or Favors to attend -- if there wasn't some kind of indication sent by the Sixers that they're seriously considering one or the other with the second pick. - NBA
Dwight Howard might not play for USA Basketball at this summer's world championships. Orlando's All-Star center and the NBA's two-time defending defensive player of the year said on Monday that he hasn't decided if he will play. It was the first time Howard has publicly wavered about playing in this summer's world championships. He had stayed firm on his commitment all season even as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and other stars expressed doubts about participating because of impending free agency. "I haven't decided what I'm going to do," Howard said after the Magic's end-of-season meeting. "I'm just going to get some rest and think about that later on." - ESPN
Matt Barnes will test the free-agent market this summer. Barnes said minutes ago that he will not exercise his player option for the 2010-11 season, but he added that he hopes to return to the Orlando Magic. “As for me and my contract situation, I’m going to opt out,” Barnes told reporters gathered at RDV Sportsplex this morning. - Orlando Sentinel
Word is Brandon Bass wants assurances from Otis Smith and Stan Van Gundy that he will have a much larger role next season or he wants to be traded. Bass was patient with the process this year and tried to stay positive in the face of a tough situation, but sources close to Bass say enough is enough. - HoopsWorld
But Lewis blossomed from an overmatched high school kid into a 16.7 points-per-game scorer and 39.2 percent 3-point shooter, a two- time All-Star and the holder of a $118 million contract thanks in part to the seven years he spent with Dwane Casey at the start in Seattle. "He's a great coach," Lewis said of Casey, the Sonics' longtime assistant who has had two interviews for the vacancy in Atlanta and is a candidate for other openings. "He's a gym rat. He made sure I worked on my game all the time. He knows the X's and O's. He was a great assistant coach when he did the scouting report. He's just one of those guys who eats, sleeps basketball." - NBA
Magic general manager Otis Smith wants to be clear: He's not looking to overhaul the roster again. Unless he does. Smith said Monday he doesn't expect any major moves this offseason, even after failing to return to the NBA finals. He believes Orlando already has the roster to win its first championship. - USA Today
Garnett, however, kept his shields up when asked after a practice in Waltham, Mass., recently about the roads not taken. "My road is what it is. I traveled it," Garnett told me. "Can't go back in time. Can't change that road. I have a greater sense of appreciation now, because of my journey. And I don't think too much into it, because it's really [wasted] energy to do that. There's no sense in doing that. It's not going to fix anything. It's not going to make anything better with me. I'm living in the moment and I'm enjoying it." - NBA
Gaffney, a Boston native, was signed to the Lakers training camp roster last summer after going undrafted out of the University of Massachusetts. He was the was the last player cut from training camp and went overseas to play in Israel before being signed by the Celtics in April. It has been months since he returned to Los Angeles, and he’s thrilled to be arriving as a member of the Celtics. “I wouldn’t want to be going back any other way. I’m looking forward to it,” he said before the team flew out to California on Monday. “It’s definitely unique, and having the two teams [that I’ve played for] be the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers makes it that much more special. Obviously they’re two top of the line, class A organizations, it’s no surprise as to why they are in the finals. Having gotten the chance to witness that and see it firsthand, to me this all makes sense.” - WEEI
First, a source says that less than a week before the June 24 Draft, the Sixers have tentatively scheduled a workout in Philly that will feature Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins and Georgia Tech forward Derrick Favors, the top two big man prospects in the Draft. There would be no reason to schedule such a workout -- and certainly no reason for either Cousins or Favors to attend -- if there wasn't some kind of indication sent by the Sixers that they're seriously considering one or the other with the second pick. - NBA
Dwight Howard might not play for USA Basketball at this summer's world championships. Orlando's All-Star center and the NBA's two-time defending defensive player of the year said on Monday that he hasn't decided if he will play. It was the first time Howard has publicly wavered about playing in this summer's world championships. He had stayed firm on his commitment all season even as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and other stars expressed doubts about participating because of impending free agency. "I haven't decided what I'm going to do," Howard said after the Magic's end-of-season meeting. "I'm just going to get some rest and think about that later on." - ESPN
