The Hornets took steps Wednesday to bolster their depth at shooting guard and small forward, obtaining Xavier Henry from the Memphis Grizzlies for a 2013 second-round draft choice.

New Orleans was part of a three-team trade in which the 76ers sent forward Marreese Speights to the Grizzlies.

Henry, 20, was a lottery pick (12th overall) by Memphis in the 2010 draft, but his development has been hindered by injuries. He is recovering from a second-degree right ankle sprain, including some ligament tearing, which happened at the outset of the Grizzlies’ training camp.

“I think I’ll definitely be out there in the next two weeks,” said Henry, who played at Kansas and worked out for the Hornets at the Alario Center in a predraft audition. “I have a good estimation of about 10 days maybe, but I’d say in the next two weeks I’ll be out there playing.”

Hornets Coach Monty Williams, who has expressed concerns over his team’s shooting guard performances in the absence of starter Eric Gordon the past four games, says he can see Henry sliding between two positions. Gordon returned to the starting lineup in Wedneday night’s 101-93 loss to Philadelphia.

“Xavier is a guy who, when he’s healthy, is going to play for us because he can do a number of things on the floor,” Williams said. “I told him my biggest issue with guys is defending and competing, playing hard. Offensively, he has some things you can’t really teach. He has a good feel for the game. He can shoot the ball, not to range yet, but 18 or 19 feet.

“He might be more of a three (small forward) than he is a two (shooting guard). He has got a big body (6 feet 6, 220 pounds). He can do both. I’d probably call him a wing. A guy like Eric is just a two, but Xavier might be a wing, a guy who can play both. I don’t see him ever being a guy who handles the ball and initiates offense like Eric. I’d say he’s a solid wing.”

No matter the description, Henry, who missed 33 games because of injury last season, says he’s ready.

“This seems like a great team, a lot of defense, a lot of team work, and offensively, it just lets you play,” he said. “I think I’ll fit in pretty well with the guys. I always believed myself I could play either two or three. If I just come in and work hard, work hard on defense and do everything right, I’ll have an opportunity to play.”

The Hornets rank second to last in the NBA in 3-point shooting, at 17.9 percent. Williams said aside from the obvious, there are other issues that could be eliminated by Gordon’s return.

“I still think the guys that have been playing have to make shots,” Williams said. “If you look at our film, guys are getting open looks. What’s hurting us is turnovers in timely situations. In the last two minutes of the (Utah) game, we had two turnovers out of three possessions. You can’t get shots if you’re giving it to the other team. We are missing shots.

“But I don’t want to put all that pressure on Eric. He’s got to play his normal game. (Point guard Jarrett) Jack has got to continue to produce. We may be one of the only teams in the league that may count on our point guard to score double figures every night. But it’ll help our team.”

GORDON’S BACK: Saying his bruised right knee is still not at 100 percent, Gordon nonetheless returned to the starting lineup against the Sixers and scored a team-high 22 points, although he was just 1-of-6 from 3-point range.

“It’s good to come back and finally get back with the team,” he said. “We’re still playing hard and are capable of beating those teams we lost to.”

ALL-STAR MENTIONS: While it’s unlikely, given the lack of superstar faces on the roster, that the Hornets will garner any All-Star Game support as fans vote in the starters. Nonetheless, four players appear on this year’s ballot revealed Wednesday.

Gordon, centers Emeka Okafor and Chris Kaman and power forward Carl Landry are all on the Western Conference portion of the ballot.

The game will be played on Feb. 26 in Orlando.

Kaman is the only member of that group to have been selected on an All-Star team. He was a member of the Western Conference squad in 2010 as a member of the Clippers.

Since the 2007-08 season, the Hornets have had at least one All-Star representative each year, either Chris Paul or David West, both of whom are playing for different teams now.

That’s all for today.

A new beginning? You can call it that, if you look back on the six-season era of CP3. What you had Wednesday night was a welcome-back-home to the man that spanned both eras.

I say this remembering it was at an early stage of last season, with the New Orleans Hornets on their way to coming out of the starting bocks a surprising 8-0, that I posed the question to Chris Paul.

“What do you think about your rookie head coach?’’

There was no hesitation.

“He knows how to relate,’’ came the reply from the All-Pro point guard. “All coaches are busy sending messages. In some cases, not all messages are received. Coach (Monty) Williams makes contact, and that has plenty to do with the man and his personality. You get the message because you respect the messenger.’’

The messenger at the time was 39, the youngest head coach in the NBA, and once he started talking you realized you were dealing in mutual admiration.

“Right now,’’ said Williams, “Chris could be a head coach in this league. I’m more impressed than I was before I got to know him. He knows so much more than I did at his age. His attention to detail is amazing, and when it comes to individual defense, team defense, everyone has bought into what coach is selling.’’

Dell Demps, the General Manager who hired Williams from a list of candidates, says, “whenever Monty’s involved, it’s a soft sell. Monty has a special calmness about him. He doesn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve. But, inside, you’ll find a competitive fire and a smart man.’’

There was the Hornets coach Wednesday, preparing to bury the Boston Celtics 97-78, preparing for the first home game in an abbreviated season of 66 games, wondering how long it would take him to assess what he had. .

Only four games into his rookie season, Williams figured it was going to take at least 25 games of an 82-game season to find out “how good, how bad, we were.’’

All he knew then was he had the best point guard, the best pick-and-roll player, in the game, and he had to do his best to keep Chris Paul as fresh as possible.

Now he’s dealing with virtually a new roster, still getting acquainted with one another, in some cases still getting acquainted with the English language.

In a way, Williams has been dealing with nothing but change from Day One on the job.

“It continues to be a learning process for most of us,’’ he said, ‘’and that’s what makes it so interesting. It’s not an excuse.’’

Williams had no excuses last season when his 12-3 Hornets lost their first home game to the San Antonio Spurs, in the hands of Gregg Popovich, the man who helped shape Williams’ coaching career.

“I was outcoached by a lot,’’ said Monty who watched a 17-point halftime turn into a 14-point loss. After shooting 62 percent in the first half, the Hornets went 5-for-15 in the third quarter and turned the ball over five times to bring the Spurs back in the game.

“Coach Pop made move after move after move, and I had no answer,’’ said Williams.

The way he handled that defeat told me the Hornets had someone who could rock with the punches that would come and never look back.

On Thursday, you had Williams’ ball club, with a roster of nine new faces, without his top scorer, Eric Gordon, the hero of an opening game victory, send a serious message as to what you can accomplish with a take-it-to-you defense for a full 48 minutes.

Quite simply, the Hornets held a team known for its aggressive defense with one that not only limited the men in green to 78 points, but also limited them to 37 percent shooting, by forcing nine turnovers, by forcing seven steals, by blocking a dozen shots.

Meanwhile, Williams watched five of his players hit in double figures, led by Jarrett Jack’s 21 and Carl Landry’s 20.

He also watched 7-footer Chris Kaman come off the bench and contribute 27 minutes that included 12 points, some from the outside, nine rebounds and three blocks.

All things considered, two games into a new start, there’s more sunshine than clouds.

Welcome home, Monty Williams.

What are your opinions.

Posted: Monday, December 26, 2011, 11:47 PM

Hornets win a thriller on the road.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

In his preseason debut, newly acquired New Orleans Hornets center Chris Kaman made a strong first impression Wednesday night in the preseason finale against the Memphis Grizzlies. With starting center Emeka Okafor sitting out to rest, Kaman was a big presence inside with his scoring ability off pick-and-roll plays, helping the Hornets rout the Grizzlies 95-80 at the New Orleans Arena.

Kaman finished with 18 points, four rebounds and blocked two shots in 23 minutes.

The Hornets acquired Kaman, guard Eric Gordon and Al-Farouq Aminu, along with a first-round draft choice, last week in a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers for four-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul.

The trio made their much anticipated debut Wednesday. Gordon finished with 17 points and Aminu had six.

It was the kind of performance that encourages Coach Monty Williams, with less than a week to prepare for their season opener at the Phoenix Suns on Monday.

Though they are still learning Williams’system, Kaman, Gordon and Aminu all showed how they can help the Hornets.

“I just think they are guys that should get more comfortable with me and the team as we go along. Eric is a guy that is as explosive as anybody, but I think people don’t understand is that he defends. He gets into the ball and he’s strong. I want him to be free out there.”

When Jarrett Jack’s or Gordon’s drives were cut off by Grizzlies defenders, they frequently looked to Kaman, who attacked the basket for layups. Kaman made five of his first nine shots.

“All in all I thought we played well as a team and our defense was solid,” Kaman said. “I felt a little uncomfortable early on, a little stiff. I’m an older guy, you know. When I had offensive opportunities, I took advantage of those. These coaches are very meticulous about where guys are and where they are supposed to be.”

Kaman, 29, missed 50 games with an left ankle injury last season for the Clippers, but he’s fully recovered, and it was evident in the way he ran floor. He was quick to cover defensively, especially on the high post, and when the Hornets pushed the pace offensively he got to spots quickly.

“Kaman, he’s been there done that,” Williams said. “He has been an all star. He has got to learn how we do things, but I think the fans will love that these guys love the game and compete every game.”

Rookie Lance Thomas, whom Williams said has practiced well, started ahead of Kaman. But once Kaman entered early in the first quarter, he dominated the minutes.

For this regular season, Williams plans to use various lineups, some that could have Kaman and Okafor on the floor together.

While Kaman controlled things inside against the Grizzlies,Gordon delivered from the perimeter, hitting three of five shots from behind the 3-point-line. In 29 minutes, Gordon also showed he can handle the ball under pressure on the perimeter and spot open shooters quickly. He had four assists and grabbed four rebounds.

“I’m getting there,” Gordon said. “I wasn’t as aggressive like I probably should have been, but I’m still just trying to fit in.”

“I think we’re going to be a team this year that cannot make too many mistakes, and we’re going have to play really good defense.”

Aminu did not provide much offensively, going 2-for-5 from the field, but he made an impact by forcing Grizzlies star Rudy Gay into taking difficult shots. At the start of the game, Gay had little trouble establishing his rhythm against small forward Quincy Pondexter, who started in place of starter Trevor Ariza, who sat out the game.

Gay, who scored 20 points, made his first six shots before Aminu came in. Gay missed his next attempt. Aminu, though, became overaggressive during a stretch in the first half, picking up three fouls in seven minutes. He ended the game with five fouls.

A priority for Williams was seeing how well his team would defend a tough Grizzlies team that has proven scorers in forward Zach Randolph and Gay. But the Hornets held Memphis to only 17 points in the second quarter and just 16 in the third. For the game, the Grizzlies shot 37.8 percent.

“We’re a defense-first team and it takes talent to run the kind of defense we run,” Williams said.

After a slow start, Pondexter got his rhythm and finished with 14 points. Forward Jason Smith, who signed a three-year contract last week, delivered with clutch shooting and was active around the post defensively. He made six of 12 shots for 12 points.

Trying to earn a roster spot, New Orleans native Carldell “Squeaky” Johnson didn’t score 10 points in the fourth quarter like he did in last Friday’s 97-90 preseason victory against the Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. He finished with four points Wednesday.

However, Johnson made a no-look pass to Kaman in the first quarter. He finished the game with two points and four assists.

Trey Johnson, also contending for the backup point guard position, had four points in nine minutes.

“As you play hard, good things will happen, and that’s all I was trying to do,” Johnson said.

John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3407.

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In his preseason debut, newly acquired New Orleans Hornets center Chris Kaman made a strong first impression in Wednesday night’s preseason finale against the Memphis Grizzlies. With Emeka Okafor sitting out to rest, Kaman made a big presence inside from his scoring ability off pick-and-roll plays that helped the Hornets rout the Grizzlies 95-80 at the New Orleans Arena.

Kaman finished with 18 points and had four rebounds in 23 minutes.

The Hornets acquired Kaman, guard Eric Gordon and Al-Farouq Aminu last week in a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for four-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul.

The trio made their much anticipated debut Wednesday and Gordon had 17 points and Aminu scored six.

It was the kind of performance to make Coach Monty Williams feel encouraged with less than a week to prepare for their season opener against Phoenix Suns.

Though they are still learning Williams’system, Kaman, Gordon and Aminu all gave glimpses of what they can become to help the Hornets.

When Jarrett Jack’s or Gordon’s drives were cut off by Grizzlies defenders, they looked frequently to Kaman, who attacked the basket for layups. Kaman started the game hitting five of his first nine shots.

Gordon delivered from the perimeter, hitting three of five shots from behind the 3-point-line. In 29 minutes, Gordon also showed he can handle ball under pressure on the perimeter and spot open shooters quickly. He had four assists and grabbed four rebounds.

Aminu was unable to provide much offensively, but he made an impact by forcing Grizzlies star Rudy Gay into taking difficult shots. At the start of the game, Gay had little trouble establishing his rhythm against small forward Quincy Pondexter, who started in place of Trevor Ariza, who sat out the game.

Gay made his first six shots before Aminu came in and forced him to miss his first attempt. Aminu, though, became overaggressive during a stretch in the first half, picking up three fouls in seven minutes. He ended the game with five fouls.

Kaman missed 50 games with an ankle injury last season for the Clippers, but he’s fully recovered now and it was evident by the way he ran floor. He was quick to cover defensively, especially on the high post and when the Hornets pushed the pace offensively, he got to spots quickly.

Rookie Lance Thomas, whom Williams said has practiced well, started ahead of Kaman. But once Kaman entered early in the first quarter, he dominated the minutes.

For this season, Williams plans to use various lineups this season that could have Kaman and Okafor on the floor together.

A priority for Williams, however, was seeing how well his team would defend a tough Grizzlies team that have proven scorers with forward Zach Randolph and Gay. But the Hornets held Memphis to only 17 points in the second quarter and just 16 in the third. For the game, the Grizzlies shot 37.8 percent.

“We’re a defense-first team and it takes talent to run the kind of defense we run,’’ Williams said.

After slow start, Pondexter got his rhythm established and finished with 14 points. Forward Jason Smith, who signed a three-year contract last week, delivered with clutch shooting and he was active around the post defensively. He made 6-of-12 shots for 12 points.

Trying to earn a roster spot, New Orleans native Carldell “Squeaky’’ Johnson didn’t score 10 points in the fourth quarter like in did in last Friday’s 97-90 preseason victory against the Grizzlies. However, Johnson made a no-look pass to Kaman in the first quarter. He finished the game with tow point and four assists. Trey Johnson, also contending for the backup spot, had four points in nine minutes.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Among the three players the Hornets acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in last week’s trade involving Chris Paul, forward Al-Farouq Aminu appears to have the most work ahead. After watching Aminu practice for the first time Sunday, Hornets Coach Monty Williams said the second-year player is going have to extend himself more because right now he’s inconsistent.

“We feel like he’s a guy that’s going to be in a fight with Quincy (Pondexter) for minutes,” Williams said. “We don’t give up anything around here. He has a skill set, but we don’t want guys to be in position by default.”

By trading Paul to the Clippers, the Hornets acquired shooting guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, Aminu, who is a second-year small forward, and a first-round draft pick in 2012.

Gordon, who averaged 22.9 points last season for the Clippers, was the centerpiece in the deal for the Hornets. However, Williams said he thinks Aminu has a significant upside.

“He has the skills and abilities that I think most small forwards would pay for,” Williams said. “He’s long and can rebound. When you’re 6 feet 9 and can do that, you are a prototype small forward.”

Gordon is projected to start at shooting guard, while Kaman, a 7-foot eight-year veteran center, is expected to start or become the Hornets’ top big man off the bench. But Aminu, 21, is likely to come off the bench behind starter Trevor Ariza and Pondexter, who was a rookie last season with the Hornets.

“I’m trying to get better and learn the mentality down here, which is always to go hard, and that’s great,” said Aminu, who averaged 5.6 points as a rookie last season with the Clippers. “The intensity in practice here is a little different with guys focused throughout the session, and it’s time for me to start myself out to where the level is.

“All the coaches here are pushing me to be a better player. They just want to get the best out of all their players.”

Gordon said he came into his first practice Sunday not knowing what to expect. After completing a two-hour-plus practice before returning again for an evening session, Gordon now knows Williams is defense-oriented.

“He’s very big on help defense, and there are a lot of defensive schemes,” Gordon said. “They threw a lot of stuff at us, but it’s up to us new guys to learn it and be ready for these upcoming games. I know this is a good organization with good coaching, and I’m here to just fit in.”

Williams said his new players are on an accelerated schedule to learn his play sets and defensive principles before the team’s Dec. 26 regular-season opener at Phoenix.

Williams said Wednesday night’s preseason game against Memphis at the New Orleans Arena will be similar to a practice because guys are still trying to figure out his system.

“I’m just trying to figure out my role, whether I’m coming off the bench or starting,” Kaman said. “I just want to help us get some wins.”

•••••••

John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3407.

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Thanks for joining us for tonight’s NBA preseason opener in Memphis, where the Grizzlies will host the New Orleans Hornets as the lockout-shortened season gets under way. We’ll be providing live updates throughout the game below.

Matthew Hinton/The Times-PicayuneMonty Williams’ New Orleans Hornets will play their exhibition opener tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies.

That’s all for today.

WESTWEGO, Louisiana — The writing was on the wall, or maybe off of it, when the New Orleans Hornets removed an expansive image of All-Star guard Chris Paul from the outside of the New Orleans Arena well before training camp had begun.

Now general manager Dell Demps and coach Monty Williams have a better picture of some of the new faces that might grace that wall one day, and they can move on with their plans for the Hornets without the drag that a disgruntled superstar can cause.

“Now is the next step,” Demps said Thursday, a day after Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. “I don’t know if it’s relief. We’re glad to get that process over. And we’ve got some other things we need to do to get our roster ready.”

The trade brought the Hornets a prolific young shooting guard in Eric Gordon, a 7-foot former All-Star center in Chris Kaman and a second-year forward with potential in Al-Farouq Aminu. The Hornets also got a first-round draft choice that the Clippers had previously acquired from Minnesota.

With that deal done, progress quickly ensued on the free-agent front with the re-acquisition of power forward Carl Landry, who averaged 11.8 points with the Hornets last season. He came in as a backup to David West and moved into a starting role after West was injured.

“He understands the system. He really thrived later in the season after the injury to David West,” Demps said of Landry, who agreed to a one-year, $8.8 million deal. “He had some big-time moments for us in the playoffs last year. We want to grow on that. … He fits our system and we’re excited about the agreement.”

Williams expressed mix feelings about Paul’s departure.

The Hornets made it clear they would have preferred to build around Paul, had the star guard been inclined to sign an extension. But when Paul would not commit to that, Demps and Williams knew they needed to start seeing Paul as a means to trade for more of the players they needed to get closer to the vision they have of a hustling, scrappy, defense-first team.

“When you can bring closure to a situation and move on, you feel good about that,” Williams said. “At the same time, you don’t lose a player like Chris Paul and say, ‘Let’s move on.’ He certainly was a gift for me (last season) as a first-year coach to have somebody like that at my side.”

Williams said he also will miss forward David West, who opted for a free-agent deal with Indiana instead of coming back. Williams wished both of them would have remained.

“I inherited what most coaches would want to inherit,” Williams said, referring to Paul and West. “Yet, it takes a while to put your program in place, so we’re looking at starting over again, which is not something I had planned on or was looking forward to. But it’s what I have to do, so Dell is going to bring the pieces that he feels like fit our system and I have to trust him do that.”

Demps noted that Kaman, who is in the last year of his contract, will be “out to prove he can still play.”

Demps and Williams say they envision Kaman and center Emeka Okafor playing together at times, with Okafor, who has guarded the perimeter at times in the past, moving to power forward.

Williams said he looks forward to having a scorer like Gordon, who averaged 22 points last season.

“I’m always one to get guys on our team that I fear coaching against, and he’s one of those guys,” Williams said. “When he shoots it from range or is attacking the basket, you’re always on edge because you know you’re in trouble.”

Demps said he has spoken all three of the former Clippers who are on their way to the Big Easy, and all of them seemed happy about it.

“All three of them were excited. … They were ready to get here,” Demps said. “I didn’t have to sell anything. I was thinking that could be a possibility, but that was not the case.”

That’s all for today.

With the first 19 games on the New Orleans Hornets’ schedule already canceled because of the lockout, Coach Monty Williams admits he can’t go many places without people asking whether the season is going to be played at all. Despite not knowing what’s going to happen, the labor uncertainty hasn’t put a damper on Williams’ spirit. With two of his children beside him, Williams was jovial Thursday night while passing out turkey dinners to students who have excelled in the attendance incentive initiative of the New Orleans Recovery School District’s Emerge Program.

“I know everybody is tense about all the things that are going on, but I’m trying to find the blessing in it all and make the most of it,’’ Williams said. “There is nothing we can really say. For me, it’s not my deal. I wish I had more answers. If I had more answers, I might get fined.”

Whenever the lockout ends, Williams will practically be starting from scratch, similar to how he did last year in his first season before leading the Hornets to their first playoff appearance since 2009.

With only five players under contract, Williams might have to implement his system to a majority of unfamiliar players again.

At this point, neither Hornets General Manager Dell Demps nor Williams know whether they can re-sign forward David West, who opted out of his contract at the end of last season. They don’t know whether Hornets free agents forward Carl Landry and shooting guard Willie Green will return.

Since the lockout began July 1, all NBA coaches and general managers have not been permitted to contact players nor discuss the labor impasse through the news media. If the lockout ends, teams will be given up to a month to sign free agents and complete their roster before the season begins.

“I’ve been spending a lot of time at home with my kids, being able to go to volleyball and basketball practices,’’ Williams said. “I can stay up a little later and read more.”

Despite game cancellations, Williams and his staff have tried to stay busy by visiting a number of colleges to observe coaching staffs.

Williams said they have made visits to Tulane and LSU. Demps has visited North Carolina and Duke, and lead assistant Randy Ayers has visited Temple and several other schools on the East Coast.

“We’ve sent everybody out to bring back information to see what we can use,’’ Williams said. “It’s been really good for me because I’m still trying to get better at my craft.

“What happened last year was special, not only for me as a coach but for our players, and we want to build on that. The only way we can do that is continue to work by research and talking to people who know more.’’

Williams said he meets with his staff once a week at the Alario Center. Williams said they go through walkthroughs as a staff when they put in new plays.

“For me, it’s all about preparation and being ready when called,” Williams said.

John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3407.

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Despite no end in sight yet with the NBA’s lockout, New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams said Wednesday he’s been meeting with his staff regularly for almost  two months.

Williams said they have been going over plans and evaluating different schemes that may be used when the season finally begins. The NBA announced last week that training camps have been suspended indefinitely and 43 preseason games canceled.

“The last thing I told our team in our last meeting is that I would be a better coach and our coaching staff would be better,’’ Williams said. “You just can’t say that, you have to get in the lab and work at it. That’s what we’ve been doing.’’

Since the July 1 lockout began, Williams has stayed busy with a number of community service projects. Earlier this month Williams helped to conduct clinics and build homes in South Africa as a participant in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program.

On Wednesday, Williams visited students at Terrytown Elementary School to launch the second season of the Bee-Fit program, an initiative to teach physical fitness, prevent childhood obesity and educate students on the importance of healthy lifestyle habits.

What do you guys think about this.

Posted: Thursday, August 18, 2011, 9:14 PM

The basketball coach compares the intensity of Drew Brees to Chris Paul.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Looking to replace former assistant Michael Malone, New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams hired Dave Hanners to join his staff Tuesday.

Hanners is a longtime assistant of former NBA coach Larry Brown, with whom he worked for four teams.

Williams had an opening on his staff after Malone accepted an assistant’s job with the Golden State Warriors in June.

Before his NBA career, Hanners spent 11 seasons on the University of North Carolina’s basketball staff under Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith and Bill Guthridge.

During his tenure at North Carolina (1989-2000), the Tar Heels played in six Final Fours, won an NCAA title in 1993 in New Orleans and captured four Atlantic Coast Conference championships while compiling a 292-92 record.

“Dave is an experienced coach both on the collegiate and professional level who has won a championship on each level,” Williams said in a statement. “He brings many tools that will help strengthen our coaching staff and help grow our players. Dave has learned from two of the best coaches in the game, Larry Brown and Dean Smith, and will be a valuable resource to our organization.”

Hanners spent the past two and a half seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats as the lead assistant coach under Brown. He also served as an assistant coach with Brown for six prior seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers (2000-03), Detroit Pistons (2003-05) and New York Knicks (2005-06). Hanners spent two additional seasons on the Knicks’ bench (2006-2008), was an assistant coach for Detroit’s 2003-04 NBA championship team, as well as the 2000-01 76ers and 2004-05 Pistons teams that won Eastern Conference titles. He also served as video coordinator and advance scout for the 2004 U.S. Olympic team that won a bronze medal in Athens and was an assistant coach for the East squad at NBA All-Star 2001 in Washington.

“I am extremely happy to be a part of the Hornets organization,” Hanners said in a statement. “Monty is a gifted young coach in this league who is a tireless worker and always strives to be better. I was fortunate enough to coach him for a season, and now will be fortunate to work with him as he continues to build the Hornets into a consistent, winning organization.”

Hanners reunites with lead assistant coach Randy Ayers, with whom he coached as fellow assistants for three years from 2000-03 with the 76ers under Brown. The 2002-03 76ers team included Williams, who was playing his final professional season.

What do you guys think about this.

Tyson Chandler keeps honest FA approach. (Jeff Caplan, ESPN.com).

Deron Williams may head to Turkey. (BallinEurope.com).

Pistons Jonas Jerebko staying put. (Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press).

Celtics’ picks eye Europe. (Mark Murphy, Boston Herald).

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

For the first time since coming on board last summer, New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams will have to fill a vacancy on his staff after lead assistant Mike Malone’s departure Tuesday.

Through a text message, Malone said he joined the Golden State Warriors as their top assistant on newly hired Mark Jackson’s staff.

“Been a crazy few days, traveling back to N.O. today,’’ Malone wrote. “I have accepted the job with the Warriors.’’

Malone also was being courted by new Los Angeles Lakers Coach Mike Brown, who offered him their lead assistant job.

Two weeks ago, Malone interviewed for Golden State’s head-coaching vacancy, and he was a candidate for the Houston Rockets’ head-coaching vacancy that was filled by Kevin McHale.

When Malone’s name began to emerge for head-coaching vacancies in April, Williams said he expected teams to come after him.

“I know he’s held in high regard throughout the league, and it’s only a matter of time,’’ Williams said.

Before Williams hired Malone, he had spent five seasons as an assistant with Cleveland. Malone’s father, Brendan Malone, is an assistant with the Orlando Magic and a former head coach of the Cavaliers.

Malone has earned a reputation as a defensive mastermind, helping the Hornets finish fifth in the league in fewest points allowed at 94.9 per game.

“Michael Malone is a guy who I’ve known for quite some time,’’ Jackson said. “They gave me the opportunity to establish my own staff, and he was a guy who I’ve targeted throughout the course of not just this process, but when I’ve interviewed before.

“We had an understanding that I would come after him. It’s truly a great day in Warriorland that we were able to get a guy like Mike Malone because I have tremendous respect for his passion, his knowledge, his commitment. He’s an extremely loyal guy. It’s a big-time hire for us.”

Hornets President Hugh Weber said Malone helped integrate the defensive system used by Williams.

“We all talked about that Mike was going to have a strong future in this league,’’ Weber said. “So we’re not going to hold anybody back.’’

Weber said the Hornets have a plan in place and will be announcing soon whom Malone’s replacement will be.

John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3407.

There is the quick update of the day.