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NBA News
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| | Saturday, September 6 2008 |
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Monta Ellis Injured in Motorcycle Accident?
Let’s start with the facts: Monta Ellis recently blew out his deltoid ligament, an injury which will see him sidelined for a minimum of three months. Ellis claimed that he did the damage playing pick-up in Mississippi, an account which was immediately disputed on the grounds that it’s nigh-on impossible to tear that particular ligament while hooping.
Still, Monta stuck to his story long enough for talk to die down, only for a second report to appear noting that the deltoid tear was accompanied by numerous cuts and abrasions on the leg. Regardless, even through the date of his surgery Ellis maintained that he was merely balling when he hurt himself .
Now, however, reliable sources are reporting that he has finally come clean and admitted that the injury "happened outdoors and not while playing basketball." Considerably less reliable sources are repeating the rumor that Monta committed one of the NBA’s cardinal sins in riding a motorcycle, tearing his deltoid and suffering a severe high ankle sprain in an accident. While we’ve yet to determine a trustworthy point of origin for the motorcycle theory, you won’t have to search far to find someone who swears it’s true.
If false (and we have to assume that it is until real evidence appears), it’s likely the rumor originated in a misreading of articles which note that riding a motorcycle would be grounds for the termination of Ellis’ contract. Add to that the fact that scratches were discovered on his legs, and you have more than enough information to fuel a rumor of this ilk.
For Monta’s sake, let’s hope there is no substance to the report. If it transpires that he did ride a motorbike, however, the league’s reigning MIP could see his $66,000,000 deal disappear before he sees a cent of it.
| Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing Inducted into HoF
A pair of giants went into the Hall of Fame together. For Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing that seems appropriate.
Olajuwon and Ewing are two of the seven inductees from the Class of 2008 that were enshrined into the Basketball Hall Of Fame on Friday evening.
Joining the centers are fellow NBA player Adrian Dantley, former Miami Heat coach Pat Riley, Detroit Pistons owner Bill Davidson, ESPN personality Dick Vitale and former Immaculata women’s coach Cathy Rush.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=txhalloffameenshrinement&prov=st&type=lgns
| Andrew Bynum: I’m Stronger than Last Year
"I’m doing well, man," the 7-footer said during a news conference at the Lakers’ practice facility. "The knee’s good. Everything’s ready to go, 100 percent. I’ve been training, getting stronger."
[...]
"Actually, I’m better," Bynum said when asked to compared his fitness to last summer. "My times on the track are better and I’m able to lift more weights. I’m stronger. I weigh about the same, I’m 285 [pounds] with less body fat." Bynum said he looked forward to working with Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar again this season. Abdul-Jabbar, the leading scorer in NBA history, has served as a mentor to Bynum, who jumped from St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, N.J., to the pro ranks.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3571735
| Darrell Arthur’s Nike Deal Not in Jeopardy
Fortunately for Arthur, the hotel incident (involving women and evidence of marijuana) that expelled him from the NBA’s rookie transition program apparently won’t cloud NIKE’s judgment. The major shoe company made a verbal commitment to Arthur last week and informed the former Kansas star that they will indeed honor the deal and sign him to a contract.
http://www.thememphisedge.com/2008/09/05/arthur-expected-to-keep-nike-deal/
| Kobe Bryant to Reveal Surgery Date Soon
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has announced that Monday he will specify the date he intends to undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his right pinky finger.
Bryant plans to reveal the news on his website kb24.com.
Laker followers have been awaiting this announcement ever since Bryant decided to postpone having surgery until after the Beijing Olympics, where last month he helped lead Team USA to a gold medal.
The surgery will be performed to repair a torn ligament and an avulsion fracture in Bryant’s right pinky.
http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2008/09/05/kobe-makes-plans/#more-1454
| Darko Milicic Would Welcome Trade to Knicks
Darko Milicic’s agent, Marc Cornstein, wouldn’t be the least bit opposed to a trade that would send his client to the Knicks and Zach Randolph to Memphis.
"If a trade were to happen to New York, Darko would be very excited to play with Coach D’Antoni," Cornstein said in a phone interview Friday. "He’s an outstanding coach and has a great understanding of the European player. I also have great appreciation to Memphis and the opportunity they’ve given him as well. So I look at it as a win-win either way."
The deal under discussion would be Milicic and Marko Jaric — Marko & Darko — to the Knicks for Randolph. Other pieces could be involved on both sides.
Newsday.com
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| | Wednesday, September 3 2008 |
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Chalmers and Arthur Caught with Marijuana at Rookie Camp
It’s bad news before the season has even started for Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur, both of whom have been expelled from the NBA’s rookie orientation camp for being found in a hotel room with marijuana and women.
"They were sent home for violating program rules," NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre said.
Sources said Chalmers and Arthur, who starred on the Kansas Jayhawks’ 2008 NCAA championship team, were also fined $20,000 apiece and could start the regular season on the suspended list. But McIntyre would not confirm that.
"We’re still looking into it," McIntyre said. "Once we have all the details, appropriate sanctions will be taken."
ESPN
What will this mean for their future careers? Does this decrease their chances of finding a home in the NBA? Would you have expected this from them given what you knew about their character? Drop your thoughts in the comment box below.
| How Did Monta Ellis Really Injure His Ankle?
Something about the Monta Ellis injury account didn’t sound quite right, and new facts coming to light are providing further fuel for the conspiracy theorists.
Multiple league sources have told ESPN.com that Ellis had several cuts and abrasions on his leg — atypical of an injury sustained on a basketball court — in addition to the high ankle sprain and torn deltoid ligament he suffered on Aug. 21.
[...]
If Ellis is found to have sustained his injuries by taking part in non-basketball activities prohibited in his contract, Golden State could theoretically attempt to void the new six-year, $66 million deal signed by the 22-year-old on July 24. But such a drastic step is considered highly unlikely as long as the injuries cause no lasting damage, given Ellis’ standing as perhaps Golden State’s most prized asset in the wake of Baron Davis’ free-agent defection to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The more likely punishments — assuming Ellis makes a full recovery from his injuries — are a fine or, at worst, a suspension.
ESPN
So, what do you all think happened? Could Monta Ellis have injured his ankle as he claimed he did? What might have caused cuts to the leg in addition to a torn deltoid ligament? Let us know what you think in the comment box below.
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| | Monday, September 1 2008 |
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Stephon Marbury Drops to 200 Pounds
However, Stephon Marbury Stephon Marbury , despite dropping to 200 pounds, continues to be on thin ice and is a candidate for the waiver wire.
The Rockets have no interest in the 31-year-old Weis, who’s playing in Spain with Bilbao after spurning the NBA after the Knicks drafted him n the first round in 1999 over Artest. Ewing used to coach in Houston and out of respect, the Rockets didn’t want to release his son. When they acquired Ewing Jr., he had no chance of making their roster.
"(Ewing Jr.) will have an opportunity here to compete for a spot on our roster," Walsh said. "He is a solid defensive player and a very good athlete."
New York Post
| Baron Davis: Vote for Barack Obama
OK. Hope ya’ll watched Barack Obama’s acceptance speech Thursday night. If he didn’t move you maybe the sound was turned down. When it was over I felt like I was ready to go out to Venice Beach and start registering people to vote right then at 9pm. We’ve got to show up on Nov. 4th to vote this man into the White House!!! FOR REAL!
His ideas about recharging our education system by investing in early education and raising teacher’s salaries were seriously inspiring. It’s what I try to provide with my non-profit, TeamPlay, teaching kids leadership skills that show them the right way out of the cycle of poverty and violence. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the teachers and mentors who showed me positive definition of success. And Barak is planning to do it across the whole country. INCREDIBLE
YardBarker
| Dwight Howard: We Were Treated Like Beatles in China
Though Howard wasn’t a first-time tourist in China, he said he was taken aback by the Chinese affinity for the NBA and its top stars.
"They treated us like the Beatles over there," he said. "It was ridiculous. Everywhere you went was just a crowd of people. And the people there are so great. They’re disciplined, they work really hard and they love taking pictures. Everybody’s got a camera, so all they did was take a lot of pictures."
In part because of the local frenzy, the USA basketball teams didn’t stay in the main Olympic village. But that seclusion also had an unexpected effect on Howard and his "Redeem Team" teammates.
Orlando Sentinel
| Travis Outlaw Unhappy with Role?
"I saw Bayless have a great Summer League," Outlaw says. "And Rudy, he’s having a great Olympics, you know? Shots are going to go down somewhere, and I feel I’m the lowest guy on the totem pole, so it may be me."
He came to Portland in 2003, right out of Starkville High. That makes him the longest-tenured Blazer, and he notes that he has seen a lot in his time — from the self-destruction of Bonzi Wells and the trade request of a disgruntled Rasheed Wallace to the franchise’s passing fancies that were Sebastian Telfair, Zach Randolph and Darius Miles.
With that perspective, he ponders his place with the franchise’s upswing. He has experienced enough success — last season hitting game-winning shots at Memphis and Atlanta and finishing ninth in the sixth man of the year voting — that he thinks he could one day be an All-Star. But he wonders whether that potential will be stifled on a team built around Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden.
OregonLive
| Warriors Investigating Monta Ellis’ Injury?
Ellis, who was recently awarded a huge pay raise by the Warriors, will be sidelined at least three months after suffering a severe high ankle sprain in his hometown of Jackson, Miss. He underwent surgery Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala., to repair a torn deltoid ligament in his left ankle.
But team officials, according to one of the sources quoted by the Contra Costa Times, were skeptical about Ellis’ explanation because of the severity of the injury, according to the report. The newspaper reported that the team sent athletic trainer Tom Abdenour to Jackson, Miss., to examine Ellis.
The team told the San Francisco Chronicle in Sunday’s editions that Abdenour was not sent to Mississippi to further investigate the injury. Instead, they say Abdenour is in South Africa preparing for the Basketball Without Borders camp, which begins on Wednesday.
ESPN
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| | Saturday, August 30 2008 |
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Mitch Kupchak: Andrew Bynum Looking Stronger
Though Bynum did not play five-on-five basketball during the two-day visit, Kupchak said he watched the 7-foot, 280-pounder go through a strenuous workout that included running, jumping and various agility drills.
"That’s the reason I went there," Kupchak said. "I wanted to see him run unencumbered, go through agility drills, jumping drills, the things players do... You hope they don’t limp or favor a leg. He did not. That was number one.
"On top of that, I was impressed by what he did with his body to get in shape and get stronger. It was obvious to me he had been in the weight room."
Sports Illustrated
| Manu Ginobili to Undergo Ankle Surgery
"Here I am, back in San Antonio, happy with the bronze medal we won at the Games and ready to tackle a new season of the NBA," says Manu Ginobili in an exclusive report to Argentina’s Spanish language newspaper, La Nacion.
"I had imaging studies done on my ankle and basically, the studies indicate that the ligament is just as it was two months ago, when I had the first resonance. It is not worse, that’s important. Now the issue is that it’s not better either and it seems that the only way to recovery fully is to have arthroscopic surgery."
SpursReport
| Greg Oden Playing Five-on-Five
Blazers center Greg Oden participated in his first 5-on-5, full-court scrimmages since last September’s microfracture knee surgery, and the reports were positive. In fact, it was such a big deal that team owner Paul Allen came to town to watch the scrimmages.
McMillan said Oden has not experienced any swelling, soreness or other setbacks. The team is making him sit out every other day in order to protect the knee.
"The one thing he did that put a big smile on my face is he asked coach Monty (Williams) to come in at night and work with him," McMillan said. "So, he was doing two-a-days, working with Dean (Demopoulos) in the morning and Monty at night. And he did it himself. He would come back at night and work on his footwork with Monty, and for me, that’s good. That’s great. He is on schedule where Jay Jensen and the trainers want him to be."
OregonLive.com
| O.J. Mayo’s Former Agent Suspended by NBPA
The National Basketball Players Association suspended player agent Calvin Andrews for one year Friday for alleged recruiting improprieties regarding former Southern California star O.J. Mayo.
The union said its Disciplinary Committee has reserved the right to take further action against Andrews.
Mayo and Andrews, of Bill Duffy Associates, parted ways in May. Mayo, who played one season at USC and was drafted third overall by the Memphis Grizzlies, has denied receiving improper funds.
Sports Illustrated
| New York Knicks Acquire Patrick Ewing, Jr.
The New York Knicks have acquired Patrick Ewing, Jr. in a trade with Houston in exchange for the draft rights to center Frederic Weis.
"Patrick Ewing will have an opportunity here to compete for a spot on our roster," said Donnie Walsh. "He is a solid defensive player and a very good athlete."
Ewing, Jr. was originally drafted by Sacramento in the 2008 NBA Draft as the 43rd overall selection. He was traded to the Rockets on Aug. 14 as part of a multi-player deal that included Ron Artest.
RealGM
| Howard Schultz Drops Lawsuit; Sonics Not Returning
There will be no last-minute legal hook shot to bring back the Sonics. No courtroom dramatics between Howard Schultz and Clay Bennett. No further "I’m a man possessed" e-mail revelations or David Stern subpoenas.
Schultz, the former Sonics chairman, withdrew his lawsuit against Bennett’s Professional Basketball Club on Friday, thus ending the last possibility of returning the NBA franchise to Seattle.
Schultz filed a motion for voluntary dismissal of the case with U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman and notified members of his former ownership group, the Basketball Club of Seattle, that the legal action was being terminated.
seattlepi.com
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| | Thursday, August 28 2008 |
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Luol Deng to Miss 2012 Because of $500K+ Insurance Cost?
Gb Basketball must find a £272,000 premium in the next week if the Chicago Bulls star is to be freed to play for GB in the European Championship qualifying group, starting against Israel next Wednesday.
Gb performance director Chris Spice said: "For us, this is a devastating blow. If Luol doesn’t participate this season or any other season leading up to London, there is no question our involvement is in doubt.
"If we fall out of the A Division next year and cannot participate in the A Division for Eurobasket 2011, there is a possibility we will not play in London."
Mirror Sport
| Charles Barkley Supporting Barack Obama
Former NBA star and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) supporter Charles Barkley was in Denver Tuesday attending the Democratic National Convention.
Barkley says that Obama is a friend of his and the highlight for him will be Obama’s speech on Thursday.
"I’ve never been to a convention before and this is awesome," said Barkley.
Barkley reflected on the experiences that he and his family had in Alabama where he grew up. He recalled the church bombings that took place in Birmingham and said his mother and grandmother grew up in that time and did a great job teaching him.
9news.com
| Casey Jacobsen Signs in Germany
German champion Alba Berlin has signed free agent guard Casey Jacobsen, who played for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies last season.
"Jacobsen has qualities that are going to be a big help to our ambitious plans," Berlin coach Luka Pavicevic said Wednesday.
Slam! Sports
| Phil Jackson: Dennis Rodman the Greatest Athlete I’ve Coached
No, the player Jackson called the greatest that he has coached is that wedding dress aficionado and Newport Beach police’s favorite basketball bad boy, Dennis Rodman.
That’s right. No need to rub your eyes.
“He could probably play a 48-minute game and play the 48th minute stronger than the first minute of the game,” Jackson told the crowd at UND. “He was that terrific an athlete.”
Jackson credited Madonna for helping Rodman overcome his “shy” personality.
O.C. Register
| Police Release Kevin Duckworth’s Cause of Death
Oregon officials said an autopsy shows former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth died when his enlarged heart failed.
Duckworth died Monday at the age of 44 on the Oregon coast, where he was on a goodwill tour for the team.
Oregon state police said Wednesday the autopsy was done by Dr. Larry Lewman, a state medical examiner who concluded that Duckworth died of "hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure."
ESPN
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| | Wednesday, August 27 2008 |
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Wayman Tisdale Undergoes Partial Leg Amputation
Former NBA player Wayman Tisdale had part of his right leg amputated Monday because of bone cancer.
Tisdale, 44, revealed on his Web site that the surgery was scheduled for Monday. His wife, Regina, told The Associated Press on Tuesday night the surgery had taken place as planned.
"Everything went well," she said.
Tisdale, a 6-foot-9 Tulsa native who played for Oklahoma before spending 12 seasons in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns, first learned he had cancerous cyst below his right knee after he broke his leg in a fall at his home in Los Angeles on Feb. 8, 2007.
ESPN
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| | Tuesday, August 26 2008 |
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Orlando Magic to Return to Pinstripes?
The Orlando Magic will unveil the revamped look and design of their new
uniforms in a public ceremony on Sept. 23, team officials confirmed Monday.
The new uniforms will correspond with the franchise’s celebration of its 20-year anniversary this season. And if early clues are any indication, the new uniforms will somewhat resemble the look from the past.
A Getty Images picture that mistakenly leaked out of the NBA’s rookie symposium last month showed a blue Magic uniform that featured wide-paneled pinstripes on the jerseys. Also, the necklines of the new uniforms appear to have been significantly altered. The Magic wore thin pinstripes on their jerseys until 1999.
Florida Today
| LeBron James: Olympic Gold Bigger than NBA Championship
As Kidd observed, the players realized that "it’s not about intimidation." They left behind the posturing and the in-your-face showmanship that often left a sour taste in world audiences. They played as a team, especially in the tough gold-medal game against defending world champion Spain.
It is telling that despite the ego-sublimation, as many as five of the Olympians said they wanted to stay on through the 2012 London Games.
"It’s the biggest thing for me ever," LeBron James said. "I got to the NBA Finals, and I thought it was pretty big for me. But winning an NBA championship never would compare to winning a gold medal for my country."
azcentral.com
Do you agree with LeBron that a gold for Team USA is bigger than an NBA championship? Would he feel differently if he’d taken the league’s biggest prize before? Which is harder to achieve? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.
| Kevin Duckworth Dies at 44
Former Portland Trail Blazer Kevin Duckworth died Monday.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Duckworth, 44, died late Monday night at the Salishan Resort.
Sheriff’s deputies said they received a report of a person not breathing in one of the rooms at about 10 p.m. Medics tried to revive Duckworth, but CPR efforts were unsuccessful.
Duckworth, who lived in Tigard, was on the coast as part of a Trail Blazers group hosting a free kids basketball clinic and visiting with fans. He was scheduled to take part in the clinic Tuesday in Lincoln City and in Newport.
KPTV.com
| Jerry Colangelo Likely to Return for 2012 Olympics
Moments after the United States’ 118-107 victory over Spain on Sunday, Colangelo strongly suggested he would return: “Look, continuity is important. If you’re a betting guy, you’d say, (I’m) probably going to do it. But it’s not official.”
Colangelo, 68, said he plans to make an announcement next week. His continuing in the job would be no surprise. Colangelo has been talking a lot about the future of the program, about its next steps and no one surrounding USA Basketball and the NBA expects him to walk away.
“Jerry’s coming back,” said one NBA official.
Yahoo! Sports
| Ron Artest Greeted by 500 Fans in Houston
Music blared and airhorns blasted. A throng of about 500 screaming fans sang Ron Artest’s name and cheered his every thought. Artest had arrived, bringing his reputation from his nine often tumultuous NBA seasons. The Rockets had become his fourth NBA team. But never before had he been so embraced. "It just showed what type of city Houston is," Artest said after the brief mid-day rally at Toyota Center on Monday. "It just showed me I’m definitely going to be in an arena that’s full of energy, full of excitement. Having a chance to have those fans on my side, instead of against me, is going to help me play better.
Houston Chronicle
| Baron Davis: Ricky Rubio is ’a gem’; I Want to Play in 2012
BTW, Spain balled their asses off - can’t wait till Rubio makes it to the league. He’s a gem. Portland should be nice too, with Oden AND Rudy Fernandez coming in (did you see that nasty one-hand over Dwight Howard, are you kidding???)
But I’m so proud of our guys. That was truly the way to rep Red White and Blue. It would be an honor to play for the gold in London 2012 to keep the Olympic title where it belongs, here in the US. What a dream come true. I can hear the crowd now chanting: USA USA USA!
YardBarker
| Lindsey Hunter Implicated in Alleged Real Estate Scam
The FBI is investigating whether Pistons guard Lindsey Hunter and business associates duped a $35,000-a-year boiler operator for Pontiac Public Schools into buying a $1.25-million house in Bloomfield Hills that he couldn’t afford, the man’s lawyer said Monday.
Attorney Michael J. Smith of Sterling Heights said his client, Bruce McClellan of Waterford Township, recently told the FBI that Hunter and Iron Johnson, Hunter’s partner in L&I Enterprises, promised to pay him $300,000 in 2007 to buy the house in the 1700 block of Morningside Way. The deal called for McClellan to hold the house for one or two months until it could be purchased by someone else.
But the purchaser never materialized, McClellan never got his $300,000, his excellent credit rating is ruined and the house went into foreclosure, McClellan told the FBI.
Detroit Free-Press
Does this sound like something Hunter could have done? Would a conviction here affect his NBA status? Could the league take action to punish him if found guilty? Drop your thoughts in the comment box below.
| Larry Brown: Injuries, 9/11 Doomed Team USA in Previous Tourneys
According to former Team USA coach Larry Brown, it comes down to one word: Commitment.
"The thing is they got guys that are willing to make a three-year commitment, which I think is tremendous," Brown said of this current Team USA. "We had guys that committed (for 2004) and then all of a sudden 9/11 happened, and then there were injuries."
The three-year commitment was designed to build unity and also to put the U.S. on equal footing with 2004 Olympic champ Argentina and other countries that don’t have as much talent as the U.S. but had surpassed Team USA in recent years with better teamwork and resolve.
NY Daily News
Is Larry’s argument legitimate or is he just looking to justify his failures? Did national issues affect the national team? Can he really blame injuries when other teams suffered the same problems? Let us know what you think in the comment box below.
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| | Wednesday, August 20 2008 |
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Hamed Hadadi: I’ll Join Memphis Grizzlies Next Week
Iranian iconic basketball player Hamed Hadadi has hit out at NBA legal counsel over the recent remarks that he is not allowed to join American teams.
[...]
Hadadi said, "I will undoubtedly join Memphis Grizzlies by the end of next week. I met Memphis’ officials yesterday to discuss joining the team."
According to NBA rules, foreign players have to legally wait for their work permit and it takes time, he added.
"I received many offers from European teams but just playing in the NBA is my dream. Hopefully, I can join Memphis as soon as possible without any problem." 7-foot-2 Iranian Olympian Hamed Hadadi said.
Payvand.com
| Chris Paul to Make Acting Debut
Ready for his close-up: New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul is set to make his acting debut in the upcoming film "Hurricane Season,” a story about a Louisiana high school basketball team’s inspirational post-Katrina state championship season. Paul has a small cameo in the film as an audience member during a game. The film is scheduled for a Christmas Day release.
NewsOK.com
| J.C. Navarro Pulling Tricks to Avoid Discussing That Photo
After the USA men’s basketball team blew out Spain recently, the majority of the Spaniards wanted nothing to do with the American media. Considering how Spain got drilled after expecting to be competitive against the U.S. and the racist ad its players were recently involved in depicting themselves as stereotypically Chinese by making their eyes slanted, it was probably best that they kept their mouths shut.
But Spain guard Juan Carlos Navarro, formerly of the Memphis Grizzlies, did come out to talk to the Spanish media for about five minutes in the mixed zone interview area. After he was done with his home country folks, I asked him a question. He responded by saying, “My English not very good.”
I told him, “Well, it was really good when you were playing for the Grizzlies. I interviewed you once by your locker.”
Boston Globe
| Gordan Giricek Signs with Euroleague’s Fenerbahce
Giricek finished last season as a member of the Phoenix Suns. On Tuesday, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard signed a two-year contract — with an option to return to the NBA next summer — with Turkey’s premier club, Fenerbahce.
"We looked around the NBA," his agent Marc Fleisher said. "Everybody was moving very slowly. And there were great opportunities for him to play overseas for a lot of money. Fenerbahce are Turkish champions and a EuroLeague team. It was a tough decision, and it came down to Fenerbache and Triumph, in Russia."
"Gordan had an offer from the San Antonio Spurs," Fleisher added, "but it was for much less."
ESPN
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| | Monday, August 18 2008 |
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KeyArena Trying to Lure New NBA Team
City officials, along with sports-related and business groups interested in keeping KeyArena afloat in a competitive market, have begun working with the state Legislature to secure $75 million to complete a $300 million remodel. The city wants to create an NBA-ready facility with the hope of securing another basketball team in the near future.
According to the settlement, the city could receive another $30 million from Bennett’s group. In order to receive the money, the Legislature would have to fund $75 million toward the KeyArena revamp by Dec. 31, 2009, and Seattle would still have to be without a team by 2013.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/story/449518.html
| Goran Dragic Joining Phoenix Suns
Suns second-round draft pick Goran Dragic reached a buyout agreement with Spanish club Tau Ceramica and is en route to Phoenix to sign a contract to play for the Suns this season.
Dragic ended more than seven weeks of negotiations with the Spanish club by signing a buyout agreement Saturday night, his agent, Rade Filipovich, told The Arizona Republic on Sunday. Dragic is on his way to Phoenix with a verbal agreement that he will sign a four-year contract early this week with the Suns, Filipovich said. The deal’s fourth year will be a team option.
Dragic, a 22-year-old Slovenian, is pegged to become the backup point guard to Steve Nash, 34, this season and the Suns brass sees him as the franchise’s point guard of the future.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/08/17/20080817dragiconline.html
| Kobe Bryant: We Should Have Kept Marc Gasol
"He can shoot it," said Bryant.
"You can see he can shoot the ball," said Dwight Howard.
So, to review: He’s big, with a soft touch. Anything else you lads want to say?
Yes? Kobe? Go ahead, fire away.
"In hindsight, we probably didn’t have to give him up to get Pau," Bryant said. "We should have kept Marc, too."
How’s that for the ultimate endorsement? Bryant would like to have Marc Gasol back.
Memphis Commercial-Appeal
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| | Sunday, August 17 2008 |
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Ricky Rubio ’bigger and better’ than Pete Maravich?
As much as anything, it is the floppy hair and long, scrawny body that rushes everyone back to Pistol Pete. His game is bigger and better, shorter on scoring ability and longer on leadership and defense. That’s the thing that stays with everyone: the innateness of his defense. Some dare dismiss him as style over substance, but those aren’t the people who’ve watched him closest.
“He’s an exceptional talent who’s doing and playing at a level over and above his age,” Moscow Dynamo coach David Blatt said. “I would say that Ricky looks more like Pistol than he plays like him. Maybe the biggest thing about him is his ability to change a game on defense, just wreak havoc on an opponent’s offense. But he doesn’t do it in a conventional way. He’ll let you go by him and run behind you and steal the ball. He roams all over the place, creating chaos and making things happen out of nowhere.”
Yahoo! Sports
Isn’t this getting a little silly now? After years of hype, Ricky Rubio is, at the ripe old age of seventeen, being compared favourably with one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. So, is there something we don’t know? Is there a good reason people are getting so excited about the talented Spaniard? Or is this just another case of excessive expectations? Let us know what you think in the comment section.
| Minnesota Timberwolves to Unveil New Uniforms Monday
The Wolves will publicly unveil for the first time the team’s newly designed uniforms for the upcoming 20th season at the IDS Crystal Court Monday from noon to 1 p.m.
The new home and road uniforms will be unveiled during a program that will include appearances by the Timberwolves mascot Crunch and members of the team’s basketball operations.
This will mark the third time in franchise history that the Timberwolves have changed uniforms.
NBA.com
What would you like to see Minnesota’s new duds look like? Are current NBA uniform trends going in a good direction? Is the fact that the Timberwolves have kept the same jersey for twelve seasons a sign that they were at least decent?
| NBA Franchises Not Allowed to Contact Hamed Ehadadi
In the letter, which was sent Friday, NBA legal counsel wrote: “It has come to our attention that representatives of Hamed Ehadadi, an Iranian basketball player, may be contacting NBA teams to discuss the possibility of signing Mr. Ehadadi to an NBA player contract.
“We have been advised that a federal statue prohibits a person or organization in the United States from engaging in business dealings with Iranian nationals.”
The NBA is applying to the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control for a license that, “if granted,” the league said, would allow teams to negotiate with the 23-year-old Ehadadi. Until then, no franchise is allowed to do so.
Yahoo! Sports
Is Ehadadi worth the trouble? Will Iran grant the NBA permission for their franchises to contact the promising pivot? Should politics ever play a part in basketball? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
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| | Saturday, August 16 2008 |
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Michael Finley Re-signs with San Antonio Spurs
After drawing interest from a few top contenders, including the NBA’s new champions in Boston, Michael Finley has elected to re-sign with the San Antonio Spurs.
NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Friday that Finley and the Spurs have reached terms on a new deal that has been submitted for league approval.
Contract specifics were not immediately available, but sources say Finley’s decision came down to a choice between staying with the Spurs or joining the Boston Celtics as the reigning champs’ replacement for James Posey, who signed with the New Orleans Hornets earlier this summer.
Visit ESPN for the full story.
Was this a wise move for the Spurs? Fin might have been cheap, but shouldn’t San Antonio be looking to get younger? With Ginobili, Finley, Barry and Duncan all definitely past their prime, some believe it’s time for them to look to the long-term future rather than expecting to pull out another championship against fresher competitors. Let us know what you think in the comment box below.
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| | Friday, August 15 2008 |
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Stephon Marbury Thinking of Milan
"People just didn’t understand and didn’t know (last summer)," said Marbury, who will be in Coney Island Sunday when his summer kids basketball league holds its Finals at Surfside Gardens. "When I made comments about playing overseas people took it out of perspective, thought I was talking about leaving while still playing for the Knicks. It was turned into something negative about going to Italy. Now it seems it’s OK.
"Why wouldn’t you want to play basketball, still make money and live in a place that’s beautiful," Marbury added. "Milan is definitely where I want to play basketball at. That’s where I fell in love with Italy."
[...]
"I’m fine, I don’t look at it as an uneasy situation," he added. "There’s no place but America where you can make 20 million dollars for free. I can’t get mad if they want to go in a different direction and want to pay me.
Visit the New York Post for the full story.
| Sarunas Jasikevicius: I Was Miserable in Indiana
"I was pretty much miserable (in Indiana)," Jasikevicius said Thursday night after an emotional victory over Russia. "Those were bad times for me. Obviously."
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"Obviously, the (up-tempo) style of play Rick promised me was never there, the opportunities to play were never there, and the players who were supposed to be gone by the time I came were still around," he said. "Rick did a great false recruiting job on me, like college recruiting where they say, ’If you come here, we promise you the world.’
"But Larry (Bird) being such an honorable man, and (then-president) Donnie (Walsh), too, they hire the coach and let him coach the way he wants. Rick’s a half-court man, no question."
Visit the Indianapolis Star for the full story.
| Chris Bosh Discovering New Elements to His Game in Beijing
[Chris Bosh has] learned a thing or two about himself and basketball, too.
"That I can play defence," he said after the United States trounced Greece 92-69 last night. "I know I’m digging a hole for myself with the Raptors and everything because the expectations are going to be there.
"I can play defence and I can play a different role. I think that’s hard for guys to accept sometimes, but I just want to win."
[...]
"In ’06 I was still trying to find out what that role was, I was still trying to find myself and everything," he said. "It was frustrating because I wasn’t playing well and if I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing, I couldn’t play.
Visit the Toronto Star for more.
| Jannero Pargo Signs with Dynamo Moscow
New Orleans Hornets free agent guard Jannero Pargo, a valued sixth man, has signed a one-year contract with Moscow Dynamo worth $3.8 million, sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Once again, an American-born player with options in the NBA has chosen to take a more lucrative offer overseas. Pargo is the second NBA player to sign with Dynamo this summer, joining ex-New Jersey Nets forward Bostjan Nachbar. They will play for American-born coach, David Blatt, who was hired to take over the team.
Pargo, 28, had developed into a dangerous bench scorer for the Hornets and attracted the interest of several teams, including the San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks.
Visit Yahoo! Sports for the full story.
Is this the moment a minor trend became a major epidemic? Will Pargo’s signing have greater ramifications for the rest of the league? How much longer until the NBA responds? Comment in the box below with your thoughts.
| Ben Gordon: I’ve Played My Last Game as a Bull
"I guess it’s safe to say I’ve played my last game in a Bulls uniform," Gordon said.
Gordon, who has led the Bulls in scoring the past three seasons, said his agent, Raymond Brothers, has been speaking with other teams about sign-and-trade possibilities.
"I’m pretty optimistic it’ll happen," said Gordon, who averaged 18.6 points last season. "It’s very likely."
Brothers refused to name the teams he’s spoken with, but added playing in Europe is also a possibility. He said the only certainty is Gordon will not sign the Bulls’ one-year qualifying offer of $6.4 million.
Visit ESPN for the full story.
What does this mean for Ben Gordon’s negotiations? Is there any chance the Chicago Bulls will offer him a contract bigger than Luol Deng’s? Will a Euroleague team jump in now that they know the combo guard is available? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
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| | Thursday, August 14 2008 |
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Woman Jailed for Harassing Michael Jordan
A Pennsylvania woman who claims Michael Jordan fathered her son has been sentenced to a week in jail for not complying with a court order.
A Crawford County judge barred 35-year-old Lisa Miceli of Meadville from contacting the former NBA star, his family or his representatives. Miceli also had to write a letter promising she would comply.
[...]
Jordan sued Miceli this year to enforce a 2005 agreement that required her to stop contacting him after two DNA tests showed he wasn’t the boy’s father. Jordan’s attorneys say Miceli continues to violate the deal, which Miceli says she was forced to sign.
Visit ESPN for the full story.
| Donnie Walsh Hints That Knicks Planning to Keep Stephon Marbury
Longtime Fixer "david" and his son attended the season ticket holders’ "town forum" meeting with Donnie Walsh. Here are some of the highlights david had to share:
1. Walsh said that Marbury has been a very good player in this league, and he’s not sure what has happened here but he’s worked hard this summer and has a clean slate. They want to see what he can do when he gets to training camp.
So it sounds like they are keeping Marbury around for awhile.
Visit Newsday.com for the full article.
Does this indicate that the Donnie Walsh era will be as bad as the Isiah Thomas administration? Could Stephon Marbury have turned over a new leaf? How long will it take before the Knicks can be decent again?
| Woody Allen: I Hope the Knicks Become Fun Again
But there’s a difference between being better and being fun to watch. A workmanlike team that wins games is not necessarily a team that is fun to watch. What I’d like the Knicks to develop into is a team that’s fun and that’s colorful and that you really like to watch every night, which is the way they were many years ago. It was fun to watch them, because they didn’t just pile up wins in unappealing ways.
AVC: Like the [San Antonio] Spurs.
WA: Yeah. I’d really rather be entertained and have them come in second than be bored stiff and see them grind to a first-place finish.
Visit The A.V. Club for the full article.
Do you agree with Woody that the Knicks should look to be entertaining if they can’t contend for championships? Would you rather they tried to assemble a Spurs-type team? Do you think he should stick to making films rather than commenting on hoops? Let us know in the box below.
| Team USA Tops Greece 92-69
It’s official now. This is NOT Japan and the 2006 World Championships, not to mention Athens and the 2004 Olympics.
This is Beijing and the 2008 Olympics, and the U.S. is back in men’s basketball.
These Americans, who looked so lost two years ago at the World Championship in Japan, appear to have found their Olympic way in China.
Batting away balls or swatting shots on seemingly every possession late in the second quarter, the Americans broke open a close game and went on to a 92-69 victory Thursday night to clinch a spot in the medal round.
Visit ESPN for more.
Is it too soon to be saying this isn’t the 2006 World Championships after all? Should we wait until Team USA takes home a gold before claiming that the Bronze Age is over? Or can this squad guarantee a first-place finish? Let us know in the comment section.
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| | Wednesday, August 13 2008 |
Mo Williams and LeBron James future teammates? Bucks, Cavs, and OKC talking trade Bucks guard Mo Williams could be headed to Cleveland as part of a three-team trade, with the Bucks targeting point guard Luke Ridnour of the Oklahoma City franchise, formerly the Seattle SuperSonics. NBA sources confirmed there have been discussions involving the three teams. Cleveland is searching for backcourt help to complement LeBron James, and Williams could fit the bill. But the point guard carries a hefty price tag with five years and $43 million remaining on the $51 million contract Williams signed with the Bucks prior to last season, when he was an unrestricted free agent. http://blogs.jsonline.com/bucks/archive/2008/08/12/mo-might-go-in-three-team-trade.aspx
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Rafer Alston Arrested for DWI
Houston Rockets point guard Rafer Alston is due in court Thursday for an arraignment on a misdemeanor drunken driving charge.
Alston, 32, was arrested about 2:30 a.m. last Thursday and released on a $500 bond, police records show. A call to his agent, Dan Fegan, was not immediately returned Tuesday. The Rockets had no immediate comment, team spokesman Nelson Luis said.
Visit the Houston Chronicle for the full story.
With this being his third arrest since he entered the league, you have to wonder how many more chances Skip will get. How should the Rockets deal with this incident? Do NBA teams have any right to punish players for what they do in their summers at all? Let us know what you’re thinking via the comment section.
| Greg Oden Looks Good in First Public Practice
Greg Oden can still dunk.
That much was clear Tuesday when the top pick in last year’s NBA draft worked out in front of the media for the first time since right knee surgery wiped out his rookie season with the Portland Trail Blazers.
[...]
Asked whether he noticed Oden favoring his right knee, Frye dismissed it entirely. "He favors dunking on your head, that’s what he favors," Frye said after giving up his share to Oden in the workout.
Visit ESPN for the full story
Can we crown Greg Oden Rookie of the Year already, or does he still have some work to do? Is this reason enough to get excited, or is one practice nothing to go on? Let us know what you think of Greg Oden’s potential this year in the comment box below.
| Dan Dickau Signs in Italy
Los Angeles Clippers guard Dan Dickau became the ninth player who held a job in the NBA last campaign to defect to a foreign club this offseason when he agreed to join the Euroleague team Avellino on Tuesday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
[...]
“Our aim was to find a player that could make a difference and dictate the tempo of our team,” Avellino club president Vincenzo Ercolino told Euroleague.net. “He is a serious professional with NBA experience. We have nothing to envy of any other playmaker that arrived in Italy this year.”
Yahoo! Sports for the full story
Is this another sign of the times? Will there be more players leaving the NBA in the months to come? Is Dan Dickau significant enough that we should even care?
| Jim Boeheim: Nuggets Were Wrong to Trade Marcus Camby
Whether Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim’s view of the Nuggets’ offseason salary dump reflects Anthony’s view or is merely an attempt to watch Anthony’s back may be academic. Boeheim, clearly, is in a position to say things Anthony can’t without causing a public rift within the organization.
Boeheim and Anthony are in China as members of the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team, Boeheim as an assistant to head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
"Without Camby, I don’t see any way that they can possibly win because he was a key guy for them," Boeheim told me the other day. "Believe me, I watched at least 70 games they played, maybe more. And he was a key guy."
Rocky Mountain News for the full story
Is Jim Boeheim right? Are the Denver Nuggets making Carmelo Anthony’s job harder in Denver? Does he even have a right to comment?
| Gasol, Calderon, and Spanish Olympic team stand behind controversial picture
Players on Spain’s Olympic basketball team defended a photo in an ad showing the players using their fingers to apparently make their eyes look more Chinese. The photo, which has been running as a newspaper spread in Spain since Friday, shows all 15 players making the gesture on a basketball court adorned with a Chinese dragon. The photo was part of a publicity campaign for team sponsor Seur and is being used only in Spain. ’’It was something like supposed to be funny or something but never offensive in any way,’’ said Spain centre Pau Gasol, who also plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. ’’I’m sorry if anybody thought or took it the wrong way and thought that it was offensive.’’ Click on the link below to see the controversial picture and for more on this story:
http://www.tsn.ca/olympics/story/?id=246200&lid=headline&lpos=secStory_main
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| | Tuesday, August 12 2008 |
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Detroit Pistons Officially Re-sign Walter Herrmann
The Pistons re-signed forward Walter Herrmann, who was acquired last December in a midseason trade that sent Nazr Mohammed to the Bobcats.
"Walter is a player with tremendous work ethic and showed last year that he’s a player that can contribute to this team," Pistons president Joe Dumars said.
Herrmann, a 6-foot-9, 229-pounder, played in 28 games with Detroit last season, averaging three points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.1 minutes.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080812/SPORTS0102/808120401/1127/
| Indiana Pacers Yet to Negotiate with Danny Granger
The Indiana Pacers have the option to extend the contract of forward Danny Granger this summer, but have not opened up discussions yet.
"We haven’t actually started that process yet," General Manager David Morway told RealGM’s Andrew Perna last week. "We have until October to do that, and I’m sure we will have conversations. Danny is a young player that we hope to build with, but we haven’t even begun yet."
Granger averaged 19.6 points and 6.1 rebounds for Indiana last season and has quickly become the face of the franchise.
http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53956/20080811/pacers_havent_begun_negotiating_with_granger/
| Kobe Bryant’s Jersey Number One in Chinese Sales
For the second consecutive season, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers had the top selling NBA jersey in China. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, members of the 2008 NBA Champion Boston Celtics, moved into the top five on this year’s list.
Garnett, who had the most popular jersey in the U.S. this season, moved up to second this year in China. The Houston Rockets’ Tracy McGrady ranked third for the second consecutive season.
http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53969/20080812/kobes_jersey_the_top_seller_in_china/
| Yao Ming Looking Forward to Resting
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming was recently quoted as saying that when he takes to the court in Beijing, it will mark his third and final appearance at the Olympic Games.
Perhaps Yao is hoping for an Olympic fairytale send off of capturing a gold medal in front of his home fans. Certainly such an achievement couldn’t be topped at international level.
Highly respected among China’s sporting fraternity, Yao had the honor of carrying his countries’ flag during the opening ceremony at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and is rumored to be a candidate to light the cauldron to mark the beginning of this month’s historic games in his native land.
http://rockets.realgm.com/articles/91/20080808/yao_looking_forward_to_a_rest/
| Team USA Beats Angola 97-76
LeBron James and his teammates easily shoved Angola aside. Now come the teams that can push back.
Dwyane Wade scored 19 points, James dominated the game with his size and strength on both ends, and the U.S. Olympic team wrapped up the easy portion of its schedule with a 97-76 victory Tuesday night.
Dwight Howard added 14 points and James finished with 12 for the Americans, who had another rough night from 3-point range but don’t appear to be stoppable in the open court. Wade was perfect from the field in Beijing until missing in the third quarter.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/2008/08/12/usa.angola.ap/index.html?eref=si_topstories
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| | Monday, August 11 2008 |
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Linas Kleiza Hits Game-winner to Lead Lithuania Past Argentina
For a night, call it Linas-uania.
In a breathtaking moment of Lithuania Olympic lore, Nuggets forward Linas Kleiza hit a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left, a game-winner against Argentina, the 2004 gold-medal winners, here Sunday.
"It definitely felt good when it came out," Kleiza said Sunday. "It’s a good feeling, I’m not going to lie."
Kleiza had been quiet in the first three-plus quarters, in which his team played splendidly. With five minutes left, his team led by eight — and Kleiza had just four points.
http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_10157407
| Earl Boykins’ Italian Contract Includes Unique Clause
“We are pleased to be able to finalize this exciting agreement for Earl with such a well-respected Italian club,” said Andy Bountogianis, director of worldwide basketball for Mark Termini Associates. “Earl will bring tremendous on-court production to the club, while generating a level of fan interest that will be extraordinary even for Italian basketball.”
The agreement between Boykins and Virtus Bologna includes a unique marketing partnership that provides Boykins with financial participation in the club’s sponsorship and marketing income.
http://news-herald.townnews.com/articles/2008/08/10/sports/doc489e70ff6f55c301173198.txt
| Dynamo Moscow Offering Flip Murray $2.5 Million
Murray has reportedly been offered a contract worth $2.5 million USD ($5 million gross) by Dynamo. Dynamo coach David Blatt also has his eye on former Hornets guard Jannero Pargo, who is being pursued by San Antonio and Denver. Those teams were offering a little more than $2 million. Pargo’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, is using the interest in Russia as leverage with the NBA clubs.
http://news-herald.townnews.com/articles/2008/08/10/sports/doc489e70ff6f55c301173198.txt
| Dan Gilbert: Talk of LeBron Leaving Is Empty
Dan Gilbert’s kids returned from camp Friday and immediately asked their father: Is LeBron James going to Europe?
The Cavs’ owner took a step back, said LeBron wasn’t going anywhere and asked where they heard that. Everyone, they told him, was talking about it.
This did not exactly thrill Gilbert. He has more or less shrugged off as offseason gossip the rumors of a Greek team paying James $50 million a year in 2010.
’’The reason this thing is where it’s at,’’ Gilbert said, ’’is that we’ve got a bunch of bored, East Coast sports writers who have nothing to do because the offseason is a few months away and the Olympics [hadn’t] started yet.’’
http://www.ohio.com/sports/26527799.html?page=3&c=y
| DeVon Harding Likely to Sign in Turkey
Second-round pick DeVon Hardin is expected to sign with a team in Turkey. Under NBA rules, Oklahoma City can retain his draft rights for up to one year after his contract ends with his overseas team, allowing Oklahoma City to monitor his development and have the first chance at signing him when he returns.
http://newsok.com/okc-second-round-nba-pick-hardin-will-likely-sign-with-team-in-turkey/article/3281689
| Cleveland Cavaliers Looking at Mo Williams?
When Williams was a free agent in the summer of 2007, the Cavs reportedly made him an offer. However, he re-signed with the Bucks.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Williams is good, but is he a difference-maker? Would he allow the Cavs to get to another round of the playoffs?
Some have questioned how Redd would have fit in with superstar LeBron James. The same questions could be asked about Williams, who is a prolific scorer who is used to getting his shots.
He’s shredded the Cavs over the years. He’s not known as being a top defender, even though he boasts quickness and speed. He has appeared in just five career playoff games.
http://news-herald.townnews.com/articles/2008/08/10/sports/doc489e70ff6f55c301173198.txt
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| | Sunday, August 10 2008 |
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Ben Gordon Doesn’t Expect to Stay with Chicago Bulls
That career finds Gordon still a member of the Bulls — as of now. He’s a restricted free agent. Gordon said negotiations are at a stalemate with the Bulls, and he doesn’t know if he’ll be back in Chicago for a fifth season.
"Right now, honestly, it doesn’t look like it," Gordon said. "I think a decision is going to be made soon. ... I’ve had a great time here. I was fortunate enough to play on a team that made the playoffs; I led the team in scoring three of the four seasons I’ve been here. It’s been a good experience, but we haven’t been able to come to any common ground. It’s just part of the business. You have to do what you have to do sometimes."
http://www.courant.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sports/hc-gordon0808.artaug08,0,2008833.story
| Spain Tops Greece 81-66
Ricky Rubio played thirteen strong minutes in Spain’s 81-66 win over Greece on Sunday.
Coming off the bench, Rubio had seven points, one assist, one rebound and one block for Spain.
Pau Gasol, Jose Calderon and Rudy Fernandez led Spain, combining for 40 points and 13 rebounds in the victory.
http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53944/20080810/rubio_helps_spain_knock_off_greece/
| Team USA Beats China 101-70 in Olympic Opener
The U.S. Olympic basketball team treated President Bush and perhaps a billion more fans to a game to remember.
With LeBron James and Dwyane Wade soaring for dunks that thrilled the raucous crowd at Beijing’s basketball arena, the United States pulled away for a 101-70 victory against host China on Sunday night.
Wade scored 19 points and James had 18 for the Americans in one of the most highly anticipated events of these Summer Games.
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/basketball/men/recap?gameId=765
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| | Saturday, August 9 2008 |
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LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul All Open to Signing Abroad
I’ve said all I have to say on this issue already, so I’ll leave it to the players to talk now. Here’s the latest round of quotes from NBA superstars concerning the possibility of signing abroad for more than their current franchises can offer.
I can’t just throw all my eggs in one basket. There’s going to be a lot of opportunities for me in 2010 to decide if I want to stay with Cleveland or if I want to go elsewhere. Could I ever imagine it? No. Is it a possibility? Yes. - LeBron James
[Olympiakos] haven’t offered me anything. I haven’t talked to any of them at all. So it’s kind of a rumor that was put out there.... With the right opportunity, you never know. - LeBron James
I love basketball. So I’ll play basketball anywhere. - LeBron James
If somebody throws $50 million on the table for me, we can talk. - Carmelo Anthony
What would you do? Show me a person that’s not going [to sign for that much]... maybe Bill Gates. - Chris Paul
Read, ruminate, then react in the comment box below.
| Will Kobe Bryant Listen to Euroleague Offers? In His Words: ’Yes.’
If Kobe Bryant’s recent admission that he’d likely accept a fifty-million-dollar deal from a Euroleague team weren’t concern enough for the Lakers, this should be. When asked if he’d listen to offers from the non-NBA organisations prepared to offer that sort of cash, he let loose the one word Kupchak and company didn’t want to hear.
Yes.
Kobe also touched upon some issues many have raised in their coverage of the European affair in suggesting that we may soon see reforms in the league’s salary cap restrictions and luxury tax impositions.
As players, the business of the game [is] evolving. I think free agency now is becoming a global thing …. When players become free agents, the team they’re currently with – their competition is no longer the rest of the teams in the NBA. But it’s global. So, the market’s opened up. So we’ll just have to see how the league responds to it.
Indeed. So, how soon would you expect to see the league respond? What should David Stern do to prevent NBA players from leaving simply for bigger deals abroad? Let us know what you think in the the comment box below.
| Atlanta Hawks Match Offer, Retain Josh Smith
Well, that didn’t take long. In a matter of hours, the Atlanta Hawks responded to the offer sheet the Memphis Grizzlies tendered Josh Smith by matching and ensuring the man they call "J-Smoove" stays in the A. Given that both Luol Deng and Emeka Okafor managed to squeeze over $70 million out of their respective franchises, it’s a little surprising that Smith, one of the league’s top team defenders and a threat to average twenty-plus in the near future, settled for a mere $58 million.
Still, with the last offer from the Hawks being a full thirteen million lower, it wasn’t a bad day’s business for Josh and his agent. Likewise, Atlanta can breathe a little easier knowing that it’s possible to keep their free agents in town (and on the continent) without having to hand out the sort of bank-breaking deals we’ve been seeing this summer.
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