River Walk Chronicles ♦ ///

[kibaxx7]

SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Spurs owner Thierry Tirieux confirmed assistant coach Mike Budenholzer will return next season. Budenholzer will begin his 18th season with the team, his 16th as an assistant coach and his fifth as the team’s number one assistant coach. Along and team general manager R.C. Buford, they have enjoyed the longest tenure on the Spurs basketball operations staff, as they were both hired by coach Gregg Popovich in the summer of 1994. “Mike has a very firm handle on the team,” Tirieux said. “Most of all, he really does know everybody and I can't take the luxury of let him go.” Budenholzer will join Don Newman, Brett Brown, Chip Engelland, Chad Forcier and Jacque Vaughn as the team's assistant coaches team.

Budenholzer will also have an improved role this year -- he will help with draft preparations, including bringing prospects in for workouts and evaluating the roster when free agency opens next Monday, July 11th. He started with the Spurs as the team’s video coordinator in 1994, before being named an assistant coach in the summer of 1996. He also served as the head coach of the Spurs summer league squads on numerous occasions and as an advance scout for Team USA for the 2004 Olympics. A four-year letterman in both basketball and golf at Pomona-Pitzer, Budenholzer was named the Outstanding Senior Athlete at Pomona College in 1992–93 and one year after that, played professionally in Denmark for the Vejle Basketball Klub, averaging a team-high 27.5 points per game. He got his start in coaching in that same year, serving as the head coach for two different teams within the Vejle system. Mike is the youngest of seven children and is a native of Holbrook, Arizona; he received his bachelor’s degree in 1993 in politics, philosophy and economics from Pomona College.

Full team staff now stands at eleven people:

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[kibaxx7]

Shaq did not retire?

He'll go out next year.

YES SHAQ DIDN'T RETIRE

SHAQQQQQ Again I like this style.

Hopefully he stays another year and I can sign him as a FA...

Anthony Parker? Retired? How old is he anyway?
Great to see Shaq giving it one last chase.
And thanks also man! I love your presentation

Parker is 34, I think... he was having a nice season with the Cavs, weird that he retired now.

It isnt really a new recap style is it ? Only new pics, still, it looks pretty damn good.

Parker retired

It's a small peak of what's coming. Note the new headers.

Some big names leaving. Lakers and Heat need to pick up some new guys.

Yeah, Lakers and Heat will need to be more active in free agency.

Big Ben retired?? That sucks...

ben wallace:

wow this still resumes?

Big Ben said goodbye, yes... had to remove that GIF, Badger

Later -- team/player options...

[Bucket]

It's always good to have a coach and assistant coach who spent more than 10 years with your team

[Houndy]

When Popp retires, this guy should takeover.

[dare]

Get on with my player getting draft already.

[kibaxx7]

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[kibaxx7]

It's always good to have a coach and assistant coach who spent more than 10 years with your team

Yes it is, the AT&T Center is his second house

When Popp retires, this guy should takeover.

It's a possibility, but I doubt it...

Get on with my player getting draft already.

I know man, I want to get on that too, I just want to keep everything organized. Give me a couple of days, I'm preparing a mock draft and other things

[Houndy]

Dude, I love your presentation. It's awesome... graphic talent. It also means you have a little too much time on your hands

[Mavs4Life]

Bar-bo-sa! Him & David West are my top free agents.

[Cruzerr]

Get Brown, he will be awesome behind manu.

[KidJustin]

if u can get David West

would REALLY help ur front court

Blair would probably have to be 6th man-ed though...

[Bucket]

Try to get West or Hollins

[Larvae]

Anyway, how did Billups become a Net?
Only if your Salary Cap approves, sign Barbosa!

[The X]

You know there's a problem with the NBA when Ryan Hollins denies a player option for $2.48 mill

[Valor]

You know there's a problem with the NBA when Ryan Hollins denies a player option for $2.48 mill

That was the first thing i noticed too

[kibaxx7]

SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Spurs general manager R.C. Buford told swingman Larry Hughes and guard Chris Quinn today that the team won't offer them a new contract for next season. Buford said there would be no negotiations, which Hughes was hoping to get underway during next week. He wants a long-term contract and the team can't offer that, Buford said, with the emergence of rookies Gary Neal and James Anderson. Hughes' agent asked the team to make an offer first but owner Thierry Tirieux said he didn't have plans to do it.

After announcing the decision, Buford called both players to break the news to them. “I know both are going to be unhappy and hurt about it,” added Buford, “the problem is there's absolutely no way we can sign both of them to a long-term contract. In my opinion, only teams below the cap can pick up a player of Larry and Chris' caliber and pay them the money they deserve.” Hughes said he understood the team's decision and the conversation went well. “I would like to stay here, but I know the team doesn't have plans to keep me,” said Hughes. “That's business. I'm going to keep playing hard and search for a new team. My career isn't over. If they want, we can work something out later.”

Quinn said he would consider accepting less money to stay with the franchise that he joined last February -- and possibly even a one-year contract, though that seems (very) doubtful. “It depends. I think that could be a possibility,” said Quinn. “I know the manager told me the truth.” But Buford said the Spurs would not make Quinn a small offer because, “I'm not going to insult him.” Spurs guard Tony Parker, who had himself a big ol' saga with the Spurs board about his contract extension, said he would hate to see Hughes go, but he also understands the circumstances. “Free agents like Larry are going to demand more money,” Parker commented. “I'm not going to lie. There's two sides of it. Guys want to be paid their value and when that doesn't happen it gets frustrating.”

The Spurs roster now stands at 11 players.

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[kibaxx7]

Dude, I love your presentation. It's awesome... graphic talent. It also means you have a little too much time on your hands

Wow thanks man! Honestly, don't have much time available... I just try to have a free hour every day and come here.

Bar-bo-sa! Him & David West are my top free agents.

Get Brown, he will be awesome behind manu.

if u can get David West

would REALLY help ur front court

Blair would probably have to be 6th man-ed though...

Try to get West or Hollins

Barbosa and West are just impossible to get, I'm over the salary cap and they won't accept $5m per year. Brown could be an option, but I guess I need a more veteran presence. Hollins, nah.

Anyway, how did Billups become a Net?
Only if your Salary Cap approves, sign Barbosa!

The Nuggets traded Melo and Billups to the Nets in the trade deadline (check the index)

You know there's a problem with the NBA when Ryan Hollins denies a player option for $2.48 mill

That was the first thing i noticed too

I guess he wants a long-term contract? But he won't get it, anyway

Tomorrow -- DRAFT LOTTERY!

[Houndy]

You gotta teach me how to do that presentation...

That's a very smart decision not resigning them

[Mavs4Life]

Smart choices, but dosen't do much for cap space. Hughes was a good rople player though, but I see he's getting older by the second & he might not of done the same next season.

[Gamebreaker]

I like that you ANNOUNCED you had decided you weren't signing Larry. Please figure out other ways to make it sting as much as possible.

[chaim]

You gotta teach me how to do that presentation...
)

Agree. I want to know too. Maybe a tutorial?

[Bucket]

Big draft is coming.

[Larvae]

Hughes would be a huge loss for you in my opinion.

[KidJustin]

You gotta teach me how to do that presentation...
)

Agree. I want to know too. Maybe a tutorial?

not to steal anyone's thunder but it looks like

image with transparent background

list (without bullets)+font size small

centered images

dashes centered (-----)

image "Facebook |" image etc...

disclaimer: i'm not trying to belittle Thierry's presentations....they are presentations of epic proportions! but with some nice pictures and organization...it can be easily created. big ups to him for putting it all together

[kibaxx7]

NEW JERSEY -- For most of the team's 16-year history, the Toronto Raptors have had to travel across the country every spring for the NBA draft lottery. Maybe Swiss star Alex Blevessi can help them save the trip for once: the Raptors won the lottery last night, moving up from the fourth-best chance to earn the top pick and the right to draft Blevessi, the 19-year old sensation from Switzerland and star of Spain's Real Madrid. “We're going to do our work and then pick the best player in the draft. A lot of people think that's Alex,” said Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo, who represented the team in the podium. “He's an explosive athlete. Any franchise would be happy to have him on the roster for a long, long time.” Blevessi, in his home in Switzerland, was happy that he could be heading to Canada. “Toronto is a great opportunity for me. If they do pick me, I'll do the best, but I know nothing is set in stone.”

Golden State, which had the third-best chance for the No.1 pick, will pick second, while Detroit, which had the 7th-best chance, vaulted to the 3rd pick. “This gives us a chance to look at what really need as far as helping us progress,” said Warriors head coach Keith Smart. “Everybody wants the No. 1, No. 2 picks, but any chance you get in the top three picks, that's monumental.” The Cleveland Cavaliers, which had the best chance to win the lottery -- after posting a league-worst 22-60 record last year -- fell to fourth, and the Los Angeles Clippers dropped from second chance to the 5th pick. The Toronto Raptors won the top pick for the second time in their mostly struggling history: they last had the top selection in 2006 and took another European star, Italian big Andrea Bargnani. Blevessi led the Euroleague last year with an average of 27.1 points, while also averaging 7.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists.

Colangelo wouldn't confirm that the Raps will pick Blevessi, though that seems the most probable scenario. They could certainly use a small forward: Sonny Weems and Julian Wright are both free agents, and the only other SF in the roster is sophomore James Johnson. The draft is July 31th, in two weeks. Charlotte will pick sixth, followed by Minnesota, Philadelphia and Milwaukee. Portland will go 10th, followed by Phoenix and Sacramento. Then the Blazers, who have the rights to Denver's first round pick through the Rudy Fernandez trade, will pick 13th. New Jersey will finish the lottery teams picking. The lottery had a much bigger buzz in past years because there were two players who seemed worthy of going No. 1. In 2007, Portland went for Greg Oden over Kevin Durant (a criticized decision); while in 2008, the Chicago Bulls moved up to get Derrick Rose over Michael Beasley (proving to be the right pick).

That wasn't the case in 2009, when the Clippers picked Blake Griffin, who seemed like the only possible choice at No. 1 back then; or in 2010, where the Washington Wizards hit jackpot to pick John Wall. It seems like this year will follow the same path: Blevessi is the consensus first overall pick against Virginia Union's Andrew Ferguson, Purdue's Scott Ross, fellow European Predrag Rodic (from Spain's Valencia Basket) and Texas A&M's Johnny Grady. Since the NBA switched to a weighted lottery system in 1994, only two NBA teams with the best chance of landing the top pick have gotten it -- the Cavaliers in 2003 (LeBron James) and the Orlando Magic (Dwight Howard), twelve months later.

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