NBA Notes: Paul Pierce, Team USA, FIBA

Hall of Famer Paul Pierce was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of driving under the influence in Los Angeles, according to The Associated Press.

California Highway Patrol officers reportedly found Pierce asleep behind the wheel of his Range Rover on U.S. Highway 101 after responding to a separate crash nearby.

He showed “signs of alcohol impairment,” per the CHP’s release, and was arrested on a misdemeanor DUI charge.

Pierce, 46, spent 19 seasons in the NBA and won a championship with the Celtics in 2008. He has since transitioned into broadcasting, working for ESPN and Fox Sports.

Next wave of Team USA coaching names: With Erik Spoelstra set to take over as Team USA head coach, Joe Vardon of The Athletic reports that Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and Thunder coach Mark Daigneault are among the early names being discussed for spots on Spoelstra’s eventual staff.

Both have earned league-wide respect for developing young talent and leading playoff-caliber teams with rosters built through patience and culture — two traits the national program values highly.

EuroLeague, NBA, and FIBA keep talking: The NBA and FIBA continue to explore a potential partnership with the EuroLeague, but not everyone agrees on how it should look.

After this week’s meeting between all three groups, the EuroLeague issued a statement thanking the NBA for its “constructive dialogue” but said its previous collaboration proposal hasn’t received “any meaningful response.”

According to Alessandro Luigi Maggi of Sportando, the NBA views the EuroLeague’s current model as “unsustainable.”

Talks are expected to continue, though progress appears slow.

Project B still alive, just without Maverick Carter: Despite the exit of Maverick Carter, the group behind the proposed “Project B” basketball league is pushing ahead.

Per Sam Amick, Mike Vorkunov, and Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the league’s co-founder Grady Burnett says the plan now is to focus on launching a women’s league next fall before expanding to the men’s side.

“We’re going to focus on the women’s side at this point,” Burnett told The Athletic. “I think it’s natural to assume we’ll do other things after that.”

So while the project lost one of its most recognizable names, its founders remain committed to building a global alternative basketball platform — starting with the women’s game.