NBA Rumors: Breaking Down the Latest Buzz Around the League

It has been a very quiet week on the NBA rumor front, so we'll have to dig a little deeper for some good buzz.

There are a few veterans who are be making the switch into the coaching realm following their retirements from playing. One California team got some good news, while its in-city neighbor will finally pay tribute to a legend. Another California team remains on its toes, waiting to find out if they will be staying on the West Coast.

Also on tap, a couple late free-agent signings to round out NBA rosters, as well as a signing that mysteriously took over a month to finalize. 

Brian Scalabrine, Assistant Coach

If you are like me, then you never want Brian Scalabrine to leave your life. According to recent reports, we won't have to worry about that for a while.

On Aug. 27, CSN Chicago Bulls Insider Aggrey Sam reported that Scalabrine was on the verge of joining the Bulls coaching staff.

Over the past five years, Scalabrine and Chicago head coach Tom Thibodeau have developed a great relationship. Thibodeau was an assistant with Boston for three years while Scalabrine played for the Celtics. When Thibodeau got the Bulls job, Scalabrine came with him to Chicago in 2010.

At the age of 34, and coming off a season in which he appeared in just 28 games, it seems like a good time for Scalabrine to move on from playing.

He handled a lot of television analysis for CSN New England this spring while the Celtics were on their playoff run, so work in the media is not out of the question, either.

Baron Davis' New Role

The NBA was apparently not knocking down Baron Davis' door to get a piece of the veteran guard this offseason. The 33-year-old is still looking to make New York his home.

According to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork, Davis will be staying with the Knicks in an undisclosed role. It appears that the 15-year NBA veteran will be a sort of mentor/assistant for the younger players on the team.

This is an interesting move, considering that the Knicks don't have a very young team. Outside of Iman Shumpert, New York is a very veteran-laden team. On top of that, Davis has not always been the greatest role model throughout his NBA career.

After tearing his right patella tendon, Davis would have a long road back to the NBA. With his outside interests, including his new video-game company, there is sure to be plenty to keep him busy in his post-playing life.

Eduardo Najera Transitions into Coaching

Eduardo Najera, who started his NBA career in Dallas, is returning to the state of Texas. His return will not be as a player, however. The 36-year-old Mexican native will become the new head coach of the Texas Legends of the NBA's Developmental League. The Legends are affiliated with the Mavericks.

Najera announced his retirement from the NBA after playing in Charlotte last season. He appeared in just 22 games for the Bobcats.

The deal to become the Legends coach also includes an ownership stake in the team, as well as a front-office position with the Mavericks. 

Najera was a key role player on the Dallas playoff teams of the early 2000s, including the team that advanced to the 2003 NBA finals.

He will be able to impart wisdom to the young Legends players as well as learn and grow as a head coach by working with Donnie Nelson and Mark Cuban.

Hawks Add Two to Drew's Staff

The Atlanta Hawks made a move to bring in two experienced assistants to help coaching up their new-look roster. 

Larry Drew is entering his third season at the helm in Atlanta and boasts a record of 84-64 as a head coach. This season he will have the aid of Bob Weiss and Kenny Atkinson at his disposal, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Weiss returns to the team that he previously head coached in the early 1990s. The 70-year-old Weiss is coming off multiple seasons coaching in China. His most recent stint in the NBA came in 2005 with Seattle when he failed to last a full season as skipper.

Atkinson is younger and still trying to break into the NBA coaching scene. He was an assistant coach with the Knicks most recently. 

With the number of new players taking the court for Atlanta this year, the assistant coaches will be immensely important. This team needs to develop chemistry instantly.

Celtics Finalize Deal with Jeff Green

After an extensive delay, Boston finally locked up free agent forward Jeff Green. It has been a month since the deal was initially reported, but there were no indications from either side as to what caused the hold up.

Looking at Green's recent history, it is safe to presume that the player's health may have had something to do with the delay. Green missed all of last season after having heart surgery. The news about his surgery came shortly after the agreement on a one-year, $9 million contract. 

This new deal is worth a reported $36 million over four years. Green will be battling for playing time at both the small forward and power forward positions, but will likely start the season coming off the bench. 

Veteran Small Forward Signs with Washington

On Aug. 23, the Washington Wizards shored up the middle of their lineup with seven-year veteran Martell Webster. 

The former lottery pick was let go by Minnesota this summer and finally found a home in late August with the Wizards. The terms of the deal are still unknown, but Webster did previously work out for Washington.

Webster has been a fairly steady scorer in the NBA, but fell to just 6.9 points per game last season. He previously has settled right around 10 points per game with great outside shooting.

In Washington, he adds depth and experience to a still-young team.

Magic Sign Backup Point Guard

In an under-the-radar deal, the Orlando Magic have inked young point guard E'Twaun Moore to a deal.

After spending last season with the Boston Celtics, playing sparingly, he was shipped to Houston as a part of the JaJuan Johnson-Courtney Lee trade. Not long after that, the Rockets waived him. 

Moore showed some glimpses of talent last season, going for 16 points on 4-of-4 three-pointers in a game against Orlando. He was also proving himself this offseason as a part of the Celtics entrant into the Summer Leagues. He was playing very well in Las Vegas prior to the trade.

The Magic could really use all the depth they can find, particularly in their backcourt. Though this deal does not guarantee Moore a spot in Orlando, there are minutes to be had behind Jameer Nelson. 

Chris Broussard reported that the deal was for two years at the league minimum. 

Preliminary Plans for Sports Arena in Virginia Beach Announced

The rumors continue swirling about a possible relocation for an NBA team, most likely the Sacramento Kings. 

Virginia Beach is the destination of choice right now, and on Aug. 28, city officials announced preliminary plans for a stadium that would seat 18,500. Many reports over the past week, like this one from Inside Business Journal, have detailed rumors of a possible move for the Kings.

However, most recently, the rumors have been quelled as everything is just in the early stages. Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee tells fans to rest easy, and that their team will not be stolen overnight.

Peter Luuko, head of the Comcast-Spectacor firm that wishes to build the arena, said that they have not had talks with any teams about relocating just yet.

Kings fans should stay alert and abreast of this situation, though any hard evidence of a move seems in the distant future.

Clippers Fans Breathe a Sigh of Relief

The Los Angeles Clippers couldn't have a comfortable feeling in recent weeks as their two best players underwent surgery.

Both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin have gone under the knife this offseason. Paul recently had a torn thumb ligament repaired, while Griffin needed work done on his torn medial meniscus in his left knee. Guard Chauncey Billups is still recovering from surgery on his torn Achilles tendon in February.

Good news came in recently with an ESPN Los Angeles report. Griffin is in high spirits and appears ready to go long before training camp kicks off in October. He also spoke promisingly of his two teammates. 

Griffin expects Paul to return before the season opener, and Billups following him soon after. 

Lakers Legend Set to Receive Statue

It seems high time that the NBA's all-time leading scorer was immortalized outside the stadium of his greatest triumphs. 

The Lakers have announced that they will be putting together a statue of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at some point in the coming season. He will join some of sports greatest players, like Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky and Oscar De La Hoya, with a statue outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles. 

In recent years, Abdul-Jabbar felt slighted due to his lack of a statue. With other cities erecting likenesses of players like Bill Russell and George Mikan, the former Lakers center felt a break in his relationship with the franchise.

His 38,387 career points remain the most in NBA history. He also won five NBA championships with the Lakers and won three Most Valuable Player awards while with the team.