NBA Notes: Ewing still eyes head coaching job

Share

The Sixers were able to land what was expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in last month's NBA draft by trading for Nerlens Noel. However, the team had other plans in place in case it couldn't acquire the Kentucky big man (see story).

That's just the latest sign of big ideas flowing from a revamped front office that is all business (see story).

Now, let's look at some news and notes from around the NBA:

Bobcats: Ewing not angry about being passed over
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- As a player Patrick Ewing never envisioned himself as an NBA head coach.

Now he can't wait to become one.

The Hall of Famer who played 17 seasons in the NBA and has spent nine more as an assistant coach said he's not angry about being passed over again for a head coaching job.

The 50-year-old Ewing said it's only going to drive him to work harder to reach that ultimate goal.

"Every now and again I'm discouraged, but I look at it like, `Hey, I'm going to keep on working," Ewing told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "Right now I'm blessed to have the opportunity to be coaching in the league. Every experience is a learning experience" (see full story).

-The Associated Press

Rockets: Team fined $150K for Howard comments
NEW YORK -- The Houston Rockets talked too much, too soon about Dwight Howard.

A league spokesman confirms the team and its personnel were fined $150,000 by the NBA for comments made about the All-Star center during the moratorium period.

Howard committed to leave the Los Angeles Lakers and join the Rockets on Friday, and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey gave an interview later that night with Comcast SportsNet Houston in which he talked about the recruitment and landing of him. Coach Kevin McHale also discussed Howard over the weekend at the Orlando Summer League.

Though free agency opened July 1, deals can't become official until Wednesday, after the 2013-14 salary cap is set.

ESPN.com first reported the fine.

-The Associated Press

NBA: Salary cap set at $58.7 million
NEW YORK -- The NBA has set next season's salary cap at $58.7 million, paving the way for contracts to be signed starting Wednesday.

The tax level is $71.7 million, with harsher penalties starting this season for teams that exceed it. Teams formerly paid $1 for every $1 they were over, but the penalties now start at $1.50 per dollar for teams up to $4.9 million over, with increases from there.

Contracts such as the one Dwight Howard agreed to with Houston couldn't be signed during the league's moratorium period while the cap was calculated.

The cap is a slight increase from this season's $58 million.

The mid-level exception for non-taxpayers is $5.15 million. It's $3.2 million for teams over the tax, and there's a mid-level worth $2.7 million for teams with room under the salary cap.

-The Associated Press

Contact Us