August 25, 2010

Former Nuggets' scout Masai Ujiri will become the team's new general manager, according to an NBA source.

The door opened for Ujiri when the Nuggets were unable to reach an agreement with David Griffin, former Phoenix Suns director of basketball operations. The two sides were working late into Wednesday evening to finalize contract details.

Reached via phone, Ujiri declined comment until negotiations were final.

Ujiri, 39, has been a rising star in NBA executive circles. He worked for four seasons in the Nuggets scouting department, which included being name director of international scouting for the 2006-07 season. Prior to that, Ujiri worked as an international scout with the Orlando Magic in 2002-03.

A native of Zaria, Nigeria, Ujiri attended prep school in Seattle, went to junior college in North Dakota and attended Montana State. He played basketball in college, and then professionally for six years in Europe.

While his claim to fame has been in scouting, he's also worked of years with the NBA's Basketball Without Borders.

At the top of his to-do list will be to help finish what new owner Josh Kroenke has started, convince star forward Carmelo Anthony to stay in Denver. And if not, then help devise a plan to get as much as they can through a trade and move the organization in a different direction.

Soon thereafter, he'll be charged with figuring out what to do with J.R. Smith, who has already been dangled in trades, re-signing coach George Karl, and sorting through how the team wants to move forward with Kenyon Martin, who is in the last year of his contract.

It’s a day or two late, but Ron Artest on Twitter weighed in on Doc Rivers’ comments about how the Celtics’starting five never has lost to the Lakers’ starting five.“Our starting five against the Lakers starting five has a ring,” Rivers said.

So does that mean the Lakers’ 2010 championship doesn’t count?

Here’s what Artest had to say about that….

RONARTESTCOM: Boston lost to lakers because of Kendrick Perkins injury. What about in 08 when Bynum was injured. What about this year Bynum was injured ..

RONARTESTCOM: What about Kobe played with a broke finger …. What about Ron artest defense When the Boston staff said Ron artest was too slow

RONARTESTCOM: Doc got one million excuses.. Just come back this season a take what you want…

RONARTESTCOM: The lakers with Bynum in the playoffs healthy has not lost The same way whoever whatever hasn’t Let’s not mention the stats on lock down

RONARTESTCOM: Nobody made excuses when Boston came to sac town when I was there and they embarrassed us. Acting like they were hardcore.

RONARTESTCOM: Let’s see if my defense is less effective this year. Come haters Count me out Super dis respectful

RONARTESTCOM: So Boston is going to championship right past Miami?

Gilbert Arenas has maintained an extremely low profile this offseason while training mostly in Chicago with Tim Grover, but there still remains a high level of interest in how the former face of the franchise has been coming along.

Owner Ted Leonsis fills in that void with a short post on his personal blog, Ted's Take, in which he writes about stumbling into the practice court at Verizon Center and finding Arenas playing a pickup game with several NBA players, including some all stars.

Leonsis doesn't mention the other players in the gym but writes, "[S]uffice to say Gilbert looked trim, fit and explosive. His shot was sweet and he did one left handed dunk that was something to see. It had everyone talking. I was impressed and am happy."

Leonsis's comments reminded me of my trip to Barry Farm last summer to catch Arenas in a surprise pickup game with the Goodman League. Arenas had considerable bounce on that humid night as well. He looked like he was close to being back to his old self, then came the lost campaign of 2009-10.

But now, Arenas has already met with Leonsis, who is encouraging fans to "re-embrace" him, and spoken with John Wall about his expectations for the upcoming season.

Contract talks between the Nuggets and former Phoenix Suns executive David Griffin have reached a stalemate because of finances, an NBA source said Tuesday.

Reached via phone, Griffin deflected questions about the issues preventing him from signing on as the next general manager of the Nuggets.

"That's a question better directed to them," Griffin said.

Asked to characterize how things were progressing, Griffin politely declined.

"I wouldn't want to characterize it," he said.

Griffin has been the front-runner for some time now in the team's search for a new GM. The new structure of the Nuggets' front office is expected to start taking shape as soon as today. If owner Stan Kroenke is allowed to buy the majority stake of the NFL's St. Louis Rams, his son, Josh, is expected to become the new owner of the Nuggets.

From there, a new general manager will be put into place, no doubt charged first and foremost with helping devise a plan to proceed with how to handle the Carmelo Anthony situation.

If talks with Griffin fall through, expect Toronto assistant general manager Masai Ujiri to top the list of new GM candidates. Washington Wizards executive Tommy Sheppard has withdrawn his name from consideration.