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Back to NBA  NBA News If you have NBA news to submit, please contact us. Sunday, November 30 2008 Miami Heat Trying Harder to Move Shawn Marion  An NBA source said the disappointing Heat have been heating up their efforts to move four-time All-Star forward Shawn Marion, who is making $17.8 million in the final year of his contract. http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2008/11/30/forecast_is_ok_for_thunder/?page=3 Dwyane Wade: The Refs Stole the Game from Us "It was a clear steal," an angry Wade said after the game. "I was shocked they came back and tried to overturn the call and say they (saw) me step out of bounds. It was some (expletive). "It wasn’t even close to being a call. I don’t even know how you can call something like that. We won the game. They took it from us." "We had a three-on-zero fastbreak and they didn’t see the play," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. When play resumed with 7.2 seconds remaining, Clippers rookie Mike Taylor fouled Wade and the Heat inbounded the ball with 2.9 seconds left. Chalmers found Wade, whose 27-foot shot was way short as center Marcus Camby had a hand in Wade’s face. http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/basketball/miami-heat/story/793131.html LeBron James on Charles Barkley: He’s Stupid  LeBron James reacted strongly to Charles Barkley’s comments that the Cavaliers star isn’t showing respect for Cleveland fans and his teammates by discussing his possible free agency following the 2010 season. "He’s stupid. That’s all I’ve got to say about that," James said Friday night before the Cavaliers’ game against Golden State. Barkley made the comments on TNT’s NBA studio show and Dan Patrick’s radio show. "If I was LeBron James, I would shut the hell up," the Hall of Famer said on Patrick’s show. "I’m a big LeBron fan. He’s a stud. You gotta give him his props. I’m getting so annoyed he’s talking about what he’s going to do in two years. I think it’s disrespectful to the game. I think it’s disrespectful to the Cavaliers." http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/11/28/lebron.barkley.ap/index.html?eref=si_nba Jamal Crawford: The Knicks Messed Up Jamal Crawford, who makes his Garden return tonight as a Warrior, said Knicks brass should have rid themselves of Stephon Marbury before training camp began. "Honestly, everybody there thought it would be handled before the season started, one way or the other," Crawford told the San Francisco Chronicle last night before facing the Cavs. "And now it’s continuing to go [on]. It needs to be resolved one way or the other, for sure. It wasn’t really a distraction because we were winning, you know what I mean? We’ve had distractions in the past, so to us, that wasn’t like a real distraction. Steph remained professional. He never blew up at the team." http://www.nypost.com/seven/11292008/sports/knicks/crawford__brass_blew_it_by_keeping_steph_141426.htm Amaré Stoudemire Unhappy in Phoenix After Friday’s loss to Miami, Suns power forward Amaré Stoudemire expressed unhappiness with his role that he also shared in a Nov. 20 espn.com interview published Friday. Asked after the game if the offense puts him in the right spots, Stoudemire said, "Sorta, kinda. Consistency for me would be great. That way, I know what to look forward to and how to attack. That way, when I do get it, I’m not off-balance or surprised I have it." Asked if this system can provide him the chances he wants, he said, "I really don’t know. I know I put in a lot of hard work this off-season to really take that next step, to really be in the class of the D-Wades (Dwyane Wade) and the LeBrons (LeBron James) and the Dwights (Dwight Howard). I put in the hard work this off-season to be in that class. Right now, I’m a little frustrated." http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/11/28/20081128spt-sunsnb.html Mavericks Planning to Keep Jason Kidd? All the regret the Mavericks are supposed to feel about parting with Devin Harris in February’s megatrade for Kidd fails to account for a few key developments in Dallas. 1. Kidd’s arrival, if nothing else, rejuvenated Dirk Nowitzki to the point that Nowitzki carried the Mavs into the playoffs late last season, which might have been the only way Dallas was going to get there. 2. Kidd is quietly playing quite well this season under Rick Carlisle, leading the Mavs to believe that one successful trade addition to fortify their woeful bench — which they presently are pursuing hard by offering up Jerry Stackhouse’s cap-friendly contract — could keep their Nowitzki-Kidd-Josh Howard-Jason Terry core in the West elite. 3. Sources say Dallas has been rejecting all Kidd inquiries because it would prefer to (A) put off any drastic alterations until after giving this group an entire season with its new coach and (B) play out the season without taking back any salary that extends past the 2009-10 season and into the free-agent bonanza that will follow. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-081129-30 MSG Gives Jamal Crawford Standing Ovation Crawford got a standing ovation after a video tribute in the first quarter. Harrington got a Louis Vuitton gift bag from Jackson. The night ended with hugs all across the Garden court. But the reunion took a back seat to the fireworks on the scoreboard. The Knicks and Warriors share the same philosophy — shoot first and play defense later, if at all — so the results were not surprising. The Knicks had 82 points at halftime, a record for the current Garden, which opened in 1968. The Knicks finished with their highest point total since April 6, 1996, a 139-106 victory in Toronto. Duhon, whose previous career best in assists was 15, also broke the Garden record of 19, which was shared by Mark Jackson and Micheal Ray Richardson. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/sports/basketball/30knicks.html?_r=1&ref=sports Could the Stephon Marbury Saga Be over Monday? Knicks president Donnie Walsh, once Stephon Marbury’s biggest supporter in the organization, admitted he will attempt to put an end to the Coney Islander’s tumultuous Knicks career tomorrow. Walsh said he’s "disappointed" in Marbury, called his situation a "distraction" and said he’s aiming to reach a resolution when he meets with the embattled player and Players’ Association attorney Hal Biagas tomorrow. Asked if there would be finality tomorrow, Walsh said, "I can’t predict that, but that’s what I am hoping. That’s what I’m going into the meeting for." http://www.nypost.com/seven/11302008/sports/knicks/walsh_ready_to_rid_knicks_of_marbury_wal_141535.htm Friday, November 28 2008 NBA News for November 28th, 2008 Stephon Marbury: I Wouldn’t Trust D’Antoni to Walk my Dog Marbury also revealed: * He hopes to meet with Walsh today. * D’Antoni told Marbury’s teammates of the guard’s impending exile before the season opener - without informing him. * He never refused to play, and would have played had D’Antoni given the order. * His suspicion of D’Antoni is so deep, "I wouldn’t trust him to walk my dog across the street." Walsh could attempt to fine Marbury for each game he does not play, starting with Wednesday’s loss to Detroit, when the decimated Knicks were down to two guards. That would amount to $199,000 per game (1/110th of Marbury’s $21.9 million wage, as the collective-bargaining agreement states). http://www.nypost.com/seven/11282008/sports/knicks/desperate_marbury_begs_for_exit__rips_da_141300.htm Michael Beasley Still Struggling Defensively Amare Stoudemire must be licking his chops. Not because today is Thanksgiving, but because the Phoenix All-Star forward could draw Heat rookie Michael Beasley as his primary defender Friday night. Yes, Beasley’s defense is getting better. But that’s a relative statement. He started as an awful defender. Through hard work he’s improved to the point he’s a bad defender. We won’t re-hash the hit list. Just know that in the past week or so Beasley has twice picked up two quick fouls in the game’s opening two and a half minutes and been relegated to the bench. Friday’s game against Phoenix might be a repeat performance. Beasley, who remains upbeat, said teams know he’s a poor defender and they attack. The Heat has few options to counter such a strategy. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/Heat/entries/2008/11/27/beasley_vs_stou.html Derrick Rose Hasn’t Heard from Michael Jordan Derrick Rose appears to be the Bulls’ best player since Michael Jordan left the team for good in 1998. So far, there has been no Chicago basketball summit between Jordan and Rose. Jordan does have a slight conflict of interest now that he is a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. "I met him a couple of times, been over to his house a couple of times, but never talked to him one-on-one about basketball," Rose said. "I was in high school, before junior and senior year, when I met him a couple times." http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=254272 Worldwide Wes: Knicks Are Favorites to Sign LeBron James LeBron James’ future will be debated and analyzed for the next 20 months. There are already whispers that the Knicks are the early leaders to land the potential free-agent-to-be in 2010. One person who may have intimate knowledge about LeBron’s next move is William Wesley, a close friend and adviser to the Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star. Wesley is regarded as a powerful insider among the NBA’s top players and executives, with connections to everyone from Michael Jordan to James. When asked during Wednesday’s Knicks-Pistons game at Auburn Hills if he feels the Knicks are the favorite to sign LeBron in two years, Wesley smiled and said: "Barack Obama could use Donnie Walsh to clear salary-cap space for the country." http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/11/27/2008-11-27_lebron_james_pal_claims_knicks_are_favor.html Allen Iverson to Be Fined for Skipping Thanksgiving Practice Detroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson missed practice Thursday and will be levied a "hefty" fine, coach Michael Curry said. "I’m surprised when guys are late; I’m surprised when they don’t show," Curry said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "It’s a pretty hefty fine to be late, or to miss, and once again, it’s accountability for yourself and your teammates." Rodney Stuckey, who scored 13 points and added a career-high 11 assists for his first career double-double Wednesday in a 110-96 victory over New York, will start in Iverson’s place Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks in Auburn Hills, Mich. Curry said he hadn’t decided whether Iverson would play. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3730471 Stephon Marbury Suspended, Told to Stay away from Team Stephon Marbury has been suspended for one game by the New York Knicks, who are alleging he refused to play Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons. Marbury was suspended without pay for Saturday’s game and was also fined 1/110th of his salary for his actions in Detroit, meaning his penalty amounts to almost $400,000 of his $20.84 million salary for this season. A source told ESPN.com on Friday that Marbury has been told to stay away from the team at least until Monday, when his status will be re-addressed. He will not practice Friday, nor will he be welcome in the home locker room at Madison Square Garden when the Knicks play the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3731403 Derek Fisher: Lakers Shouldn’t Get Complacent over Strong Start So, when Fisher answers a question asking him to compare the Lakers’ 12-1 start this season with their 16-1 start in 2001-02, the thing he stresses is that the 2008-09 team has accomplished nothing special so far. "As quickly as you can win 12 out of 13 or be 16-1, you go through a stretch where things get away from you," he said earlier this week. "It seems like things snowball from there and all the bad stuff comes out from under the rug. "What I do remember most from that (2001-02) team was that we completed the end mission, which was to win a title. No matter how you start, it’s how you finish that matters." http://origin.dailynews.com/ci_11091692 Stephon Marbury: I Wouldn’t Trust D’Antoni to Walk my Dog Marbury also revealed: * He hopes to meet with Walsh today. * D’Antoni told Marbury’s teammates of the guard’s impending exile before the season opener - without informing him. * He never refused to play, and would have played had D’Antoni given the order. * His suspicion of D’Antoni is so deep, "I wouldn’t trust him to walk my dog across the street." Walsh could attempt to fine Marbury for each game he does not play, starting with Wednesday’s loss to Detroit, when the decimated Knicks were down to two guards. That would amount to $199,000 per game (1/110th of Marbury’s $21.9 million wage, as the collective-bargaining agreement states). http://www.nypost.com/seven/11282008/sports/knicks/desperate_marbury_begs_for_exit__rips_da_141300.htm Michael Beasley Still Struggling Defensively Amare Stoudemire must be licking his chops. Not because today is Thanksgiving, but because the Phoenix All-Star forward could draw Heat rookie Michael Beasley as his primary defender Friday night. Yes, Beasley’s defense is getting better. But that’s a relative statement. He started as an awful defender. Through hard work he’s improved to the point he’s a bad defender. We won’t re-hash the hit list. Just know that in the past week or so Beasley has twice picked up two quick fouls in the game’s opening two and a half minutes and been relegated to the bench. Friday’s game against Phoenix might be a repeat performance. Beasley, who remains upbeat, said teams know he’s a poor defender and they attack. The Heat has few options to counter such a strategy. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/Heat/entries/2008/11/27/beasley_vs_stou.html Derrick Rose Hasn’t Heard from Michael Jordan Derrick Rose appears to be the Bulls’ best player since Michael Jordan left the team for good in 1998. So far, there has been no Chicago basketball summit between Jordan and Rose. Jordan does have a slight conflict of interest now that he is a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. "I met him a couple of times, been over to his house a couple of times, but never talked to him one-on-one about basketball," Rose said. "I was in high school, before junior and senior year, when I met him a couple times." http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=254272 Worldwide Wes: Knicks Are Favorites to Sign LeBron James LeBron James’ future will be debated and analyzed for the next 20 months. There are already whispers that the Knicks are the early leaders to land the potential free-agent-to-be in 2010. One person who may have intimate knowledge about LeBron’s next move is William Wesley, a close friend and adviser to the Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star. Wesley is regarded as a powerful insider among the NBA’s top players and executives, with connections to everyone from Michael Jordan to James. When asked during Wednesday’s Knicks-Pistons game at Auburn Hills if he feels the Knicks are the favorite to sign LeBron in two years, Wesley smiled and said: "Barack Obama could use Donnie Walsh to clear salary-cap space for the country." http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/11/27/2008-11-27_lebron_james_pal_claims_knicks_are_favor.html Allen Iverson to Be Fined for Skipping Thanksgiving Practice Detroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson missed practice Thursday and will be levied a "hefty" fine, coach Michael Curry said. "I’m surprised when guys are late; I’m surprised when they don’t show," Curry said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "It’s a pretty hefty fine to be late, or to miss, and once again, it’s accountability for yourself and your teammates." Rodney Stuckey, who scored 13 points and added a career-high 11 assists for his first career double-double Wednesday in a 110-96 victory over New York, will start in Iverson’s place Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks in Auburn Hills, Mich. Curry said he hadn’t decided whether Iverson would play. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3730471 Stephon Marbury Suspended, Told to Stay away from Team Stephon Marbury has been suspended for one game by the New York Knicks, who are alleging he refused to play Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons. Marbury was suspended without pay for Saturday’s game and was also fined 1/110th of his salary for his actions in Detroit, meaning his penalty amounts to almost $400,000 of his $20.84 million salary for this season. A source told ESPN.com on Friday that Marbury has been told to stay away from the team at least until Monday, when his status will be re-addressed. He will not practice Friday, nor will he be welcome in the home locker room at Madison Square Garden when the Knicks play the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3731403 Derek Fisher: Lakers Shouldn’t Get Complacent over Strong Start So, when Fisher answers a question asking him to compare the Lakers’ 12-1 start this season with their 16-1 start in 2001-02, the thing he stresses is that the 2008-09 team has accomplished nothing special so far. "As quickly as you can win 12 out of 13 or be 16-1, you go through a stretch where things get away from you," he said earlier this week. "It seems like things snowball from there and all the bad stuff comes out from under the rug. "What I do remember most from that (2001-02) team was that we completed the end mission, which was to win a title. No matter how you start, it’s how you finish that matters." http://origin.dailynews.com/ci_11091692 Thursday, November 27 2008 NBA News for November 27th, 2008 Dwight Howard Might Not Defend Dunk Contest Crown Howard, who won the slam dunk contest on All-Star weekend, dressed up like Superman and "flew" to the hoop to secure the top prize. He seems to be leaning toward resting on his laurels. "There’s a good saying, ’Quit while you’re ahead,’ " Howard said. "I thought I did a great job at the dunk contest last year. I think everybody liked it. I don’t want to mess that up. "I could top what I did last year in the dunk contest; I do have a lot of ideas. I’m still hoping to do it but Superman and that whole weekend . . . It opened up so many doors in my life, and it showed my personality for people who didn’t know Dwight Howard." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3729431 Carmelo Anthony Wants to Start in ASG Again The Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony was the top West vote-getter at forward for the All-Star Game last season. He’s not bashful about again wanting to start. "I hope that happens again," Anthony said. "It will be good any time you can get voted for the All-Star Game. . . . It just shows that you got a lot of fans out there." Anthony could play in a third straight All-Star Game, while teammate Chauncey Billups can make it four straight, his three coming as a reserve with Detroit. But unlike Anthony, the guard is downplaying All-Star hopes. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/27/nuggets-report-anthony-hungry-all-star-start/?partner=RSS Is Homesick Darko Milicic Planning to Return to Europe? Milicic, who also will be a 2010 free agent, said his change of address could see him returning to Europe. "I lot of days I think that," Milicic said, "because the only way to be me is in Europe. I don’t want to be a defensive player the rest of my career. It’s not really what I want to do." [...] "In Europe, I can be a different player with the ball going through me," Milicic said. "Here, you take a shot and you just don’t want to miss. You think too much. "I want to get my confidence back on the offensive end. I want the ball to go through me so I can have a chance to miss without worrying about it. And I want a chance to make plays. (Europe) has good basketball, and it would be closer to home." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/nov/27/milicic-admits-hes-homesick/ Is Marcus Camby Trade Bait? With the Clippers off to a 2-12 start, Camby could become a valuable asset when the NBA trade deadline rolls around in February. His name surfaced last week when the Clippers made a four-player deal with the New York Knicks, who sent Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the West Coast for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. Camby remained a Clipper, but 13 years in the NBA have taught him a change of address is only a phone call, text message or e-mail away. "After the trade went down, I talked with (coach) Mike (Dunleavy), and he said they want me here," Camby said Tuesday in a telephone interview with the Rocky Mountain News. "I still understand the nature of the business. I know, around trade deadline time, probably a lot of contenders will try to look to add me to their team." http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/25/cambys-2-12-clippers-face-nuggets-on-wednesday/ Quentin Richardson Blasts Stephon Marbury "The way the situation is, I don’t consider him my teammate," Richardson said. "He hasn’t played with us all year. He doesn’t want to play with us. This is the second time. I don’t look at him as a teammate. Teammates don’t do that, regardless what’s going on with the coach. You don’t do that to teammates. We were basically left out there." [...] "I seen him always saying I haven’t done anything personal to us," said Richardson. "Regardless of whoever he’s trying to stick it to, at the end of the day, we’re being left out there. We’re shorthanded, we’re hurt and people are still playing banged up pretty bad. He’s the furthest thing from my mind now." http://www.nypost.com/seven/11272008/sports/knicks/richardson_rips_teammate_141113.htm Carlisle: Danny Granger Will Be an All-Star First came the $60 million deal, next comes an All-Star appearance for Pacers forward Danny Granger, according to Carlisle. Carlisle coached Granger, the Pacers’ leading scorer, during his first two NBA seasons. "The deal he just signed is a deal he deserves because he’s stepped up his game every single year," Carlisle said. "He gained my confidence very early as a rookie. He’s going to be an All-Star player. He may be an All-Star this year if he continues at this pace. Their team is going to be good in the East." http://www.indystar.com/article/20081126/SPORTS04/811260397/1062/SPORTS04 LeBron James: D’Antoni Is an Offensive Mastermind Squeezed inside a Garden conference room jammed with more than 60 journalists and banks of TV cameras, LeBron James was careful not to express his desire to play for the Knicks, but raved about the Garden and coach Mike D’Antoni, calling him "an offensive mastermind." James, before facing the Knicks four days after Donnie Walsh cleared cap space in 2010 to potentially sign him, said his relationship grew with D’Antoni during the Summer Olympics in Beijing. "We got really close," James revealed. "Coach D’Antoni gave me a lot of freedom, he allowed me to play every position I wanted to play; I was the leader of that team, but I was also like the overseer of some offensive plays. http://www.nypost.com/seven/11262008/sports/knicks/in_knicks_garden_______heaps_praise_on_d_140925.htm Dwight Howard Might Not Defend Dunk Contest Crown Howard, who won the slam dunk contest on All-Star weekend, dressed up like Superman and "flew" to the hoop to secure the top prize. He seems to be leaning toward resting on his laurels. "There’s a good saying, ’Quit while you’re ahead,’ " Howard said. "I thought I did a great job at the dunk contest last year. I think everybody liked it. I don’t want to mess that up. "I could top what I did last year in the dunk contest; I do have a lot of ideas. I’m still hoping to do it but Superman and that whole weekend . . . It opened up so many doors in my life, and it showed my personality for people who didn’t know Dwight Howard." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3729431 Carmelo Anthony Wants to Start in ASG Again The Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony was the top West vote-getter at forward for the All-Star Game last season. He’s not bashful about again wanting to start. "I hope that happens again," Anthony said. "It will be good any time you can get voted for the All-Star Game. . . . It just shows that you got a lot of fans out there." Anthony could play in a third straight All-Star Game, while teammate Chauncey Billups can make it four straight, his three coming as a reserve with Detroit. But unlike Anthony, the guard is downplaying All-Star hopes. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/27/nuggets-report-anthony-hungry-all-star-start/?partner=RSS Is Homesick Darko Milicic Planning to Return to Europe? Milicic, who also will be a 2010 free agent, said his change of address could see him returning to Europe. "I lot of days I think that," Milicic said, "because the only way to be me is in Europe. I don’t want to be a defensive player the rest of my career. It’s not really what I want to do." [...] "In Europe, I can be a different player with the ball going through me," Milicic said. "Here, you take a shot and you just don’t want to miss. You think too much. "I want to get my confidence back on the offensive end. I want the ball to go through me so I can have a chance to miss without worrying about it. And I want a chance to make plays. (Europe) has good basketball, and it would be closer to home." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/nov/27/milicic-admits-hes-homesick/ Is Marcus Camby Trade Bait? With the Clippers off to a 2-12 start, Camby could become a valuable asset when the NBA trade deadline rolls around in February. His name surfaced last week when the Clippers made a four-player deal with the New York Knicks, who sent Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the West Coast for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. Camby remained a Clipper, but 13 years in the NBA have taught him a change of address is only a phone call, text message or e-mail away. "After the trade went down, I talked with (coach) Mike (Dunleavy), and he said they want me here," Camby said Tuesday in a telephone interview with the Rocky Mountain News. "I still understand the nature of the business. I know, around trade deadline time, probably a lot of contenders will try to look to add me to their team." http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/25/cambys-2-12-clippers-face-nuggets-on-wednesday/ Quentin Richardson Blasts Stephon Marbury "The way the situation is, I don’t consider him my teammate," Richardson said. "He hasn’t played with us all year. He doesn’t want to play with us. This is the second time. I don’t look at him as a teammate. Teammates don’t do that, regardless what’s going on with the coach. You don’t do that to teammates. We were basically left out there." [...] "I seen him always saying I haven’t done anything personal to us," said Richardson. "Regardless of whoever he’s trying to stick it to, at the end of the day, we’re being left out there. We’re shorthanded, we’re hurt and people are still playing banged up pretty bad. He’s the furthest thing from my mind now." http://www.nypost.com/seven/11272008/sports/knicks/richardson_rips_teammate_141113.htm Carlisle: Danny Granger Will Be an All-Star First came the $60 million deal, next comes an All-Star appearance for Pacers forward Danny Granger, according to Carlisle. Carlisle coached Granger, the Pacers’ leading scorer, during his first two NBA seasons. "The deal he just signed is a deal he deserves because he’s stepped up his game every single year," Carlisle said. "He gained my confidence very early as a rookie. He’s going to be an All-Star player. He may be an All-Star this year if he continues at this pace. Their team is going to be good in the East." http://www.indystar.com/article/20081126/SPORTS04/811260397/1062/SPORTS04 LeBron James: D’Antoni Is an Offensive Mastermind Squeezed inside a Garden conference room jammed with more than 60 journalists and banks of TV cameras, LeBron James was careful not to express his desire to play for the Knicks, but raved about the Garden and coach Mike D’Antoni, calling him "an offensive mastermind." James, before facing the Knicks four days after Donnie Walsh cleared cap space in 2010 to potentially sign him, said his relationship grew with D’Antoni during the Summer Olympics in Beijing. "We got really close," James revealed. "Coach D’Antoni gave me a lot of freedom, he allowed me to play every position I wanted to play; I was the leader of that team, but I was also like the overseer of some offensive plays. http://www.nypost.com/seven/11262008/sports/knicks/in_knicks_garden_______heaps_praise_on_d_140925.htm Tuesday, November 25 2008 Cuttino Mobley Fails Physical; What Will Knicks Do? Cuttino Mobley has failed the physical administered after he and Tim Thomas were traded to New York in exchange for Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins. The delay was earlier described as a "paperwork" matter but it was revealed that the Knicks were investigating concerns about the condition of Mobley’s heart. Mobley will meet with another doctor on Tuesday. http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/55651/20081125/mobley_fails_physical_knicks_have_yet_to_sign_off/ Monday, November 24 2008 Washington Wizards Fire Eddie Jordan The Washington Wizards have fired Coach Eddie Jordan. Jordan was informed of the decision this morning, according to the Washington Post. Ed Tapscott, who had carried the title of Director of Player Development but traveled with the team and essentially served as an extra assistant coach, will take over coaching duties, starting with a practice that will begin today at 11 a.m. http://www.nba.com/2008/news/11/24/wizards.jordan.ap/index.html Is Chris Bosh Unhappy with the Toronto Raptors? Chris Bosh slammed the ball to the floor and glared, separated from his teammates during the ensuing timeout as boos cascaded down from the Air Canada Centre stands. Ray Allen had just scored on an unimpeded layup in the third quarter of a Boston Celtic romp against the overmatched Raptors and Toronto’s best player was obviously unhappy with his teammates and what was transpiring. He wouldn’t listen when Jose Calderon tried to talk to him. Other members of the team and its staff tried to have a word with him and he was having nothing of it. http://www.thestar.com/article/542169 Antonio McDyess to Return to Detroit Pistons Antonio McDyess has decided to return to the Detroit Pistons. After mulling interest from 18 NBA teams, including strong bids by Cleveland, Boston, San Antonio and Charlotte, McDyess decided Sunday to return to the team that traded him nearly three weeks ago. McDyess will re-sign with the Pistons on Dec. 3, after a league-mandated 30-day waiting period expires. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2008-09 season. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3722067 Marcus Williams Wants Trade from Warriors Al Harrington wasn’t the only Warrior who wanted out of Golden State. Former University of Connecticut point guard Marcus Williams feels that way, too. Following two decent seasons in New Jersey, Williams was hoping for a fresh start and much more playing time after being dealt to the Warriors July 22 for a conditional first-round draft pick. With Monta Ellis out with an ankle injury and Baron Davis gone to the Clippers, Williams seemed in good position to get his wish. But through 11 games, he was scoreless with seven assists in 23 minutes and was behind undrafted rookies C.J. Watson and DeMarcus Nelson in the point guard rotation. Williams’s agent, Bill Duffy, said he asked the Warriors to trade his client. "It appeared to be an ideal fit for him over the summer after Baron Davis’s absence," Duffy said. "Marcus has not had sustained opportunities. It’s not his intention to leave, but it’s important that he plays." http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2008/11/23/brand_fairly_bland_so_far/?page=2 Leandro Barbosa Returns after Death of Mother Barbosa took part in his first Suns practice Sunday since his mother died Nov. 13. The work was familiar to his mind but not to his body. He dropped weight during his nine days in Brazil, where his mom, Ivete, lost a six-week battle to pneumonia. Barbosa took extra shots Sunday. Coach Terry Porter drew up plays. But Barbosa’s perpetually happy face is solemn, having just lost the closest person in his life three years after his father died. Barbosa, who will play Tuesday at Oklahoma City, talked but could not say "Mama," whom he called several times a day when she was not in Phoenix. "I don’t like to be by myself, because every time I’m by myself, it makes me think about my family," Barbosa said. "As much as I can be doing something, the better, especially now." http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/11/23/20081123spt-sunsnb.html LeBron James Monitoring Moves by Knicks LeBron James, who will be at the Garden Tuesday, said from Cleveland yesterday he’s monitoring the goings-on around the NBA as teams scramble to get under the salary cap to sign him. In his first remarks since the Knicks cleared cap space Friday to sign him, King James told reporters in Cleveland, "2010 is a big summer. It’s two years away, but time goes fast. We’ll see what happens. You watch what’s going on." [...] "I figured that would happen," James told the News-Herald. "They don’t care about the guys that were coming to the Knicks. It gets funny. Guys need things to write about some times. I’m OK with it." http://www.nypost.com/seven/11232008/sports/knicks/lebron_keepin_tabs_on_knicks_140383.htm Zach Randolph Takes Shot at Stephon Marbury Zach Randolph didn’t get traded from the Knicks to the Clippers without firing a parting shot at one of his old teammates, Stephon Marbury. Before the Nets took on the Clippers Saturday night at the Meadowlands, Randolph threw praise on his new point guard Baron Davis, while throwing Marbury under the bus in the process. "Playing with a great point guard like (Davis), it’s just going to be great. He’s going to be the best point guard I ever played with." When reminded that he played with Marbury last season, Randolph said simply, "Baron’s Baron." http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/11/22/2008-11-22_zach_randolph_points_barb_at_stephon_mar.html Saturday, November 22 2008 Allen Iverson: I’m Going to Play Six More Seasons Iverson’s contract is up at the end of this season, but he intends to play six more seasons, which would bring him to 39. “I know you guys have put me in a rocking chair already,” Iverson said. “When the time comes and we have a game and you put that scouting report up and my name isn’t one of the first or second names on that scouting report and I can’t dominate like I used to, then I don’t want to play no more. I won’t do anything to tarnish my legacy.” http://bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1133925&format=text Miami Heat Shot Down Marbury-for-Marion Trade A person with knowledge of the situation said the Knicks have "a standing offer" with the Heat that would involve sending Marbury for forward Shawn Marion, who is in the final year of his contract that pays him $17.1 million this season. Marion was an all-star for D’Antoni in Phoenix. But the Heat, who have a need at point guard, have declined. http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/ny-spmarb1122,0,3909229.story Bobby Simmons: You Know LeBron James Is Going to the New York Knicks Bobby Simmons was the most blunt: "It’s all about how you play your cards right now," the Nets forward said. "There’s only one team that this guy is going to. I don’t know why everybody’s making a big deal about it. I’m just saying: You know he’s going to the biggest market, to play for the Knicks. It’s a business move. It’s all about the marketing dollar." "It works for both sides financially, and obviously we know what that means," Jarvis Hayes said. "Al Harrington comes off the books in oh-10, so that’s perfect. But in basketball terms, I really like Jamal Crawford going to Golden State. If Golden State had to get rid of Al, that’s a good trade for them." http://www.nj.com/nets/index.ssf/2008/11/new_jersey_nets_think_knicks_e.html PJ Carlesimo Fired after Dismal Start by OKC Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder have fired coach P.J. Carlesimo, just 13 games into the franchise’s first season away from Seattle, according to a published report. Yahoo! Sports cites undisclosed sources with the information, saying Thunder GM Sam Presti informed Carlesimo of his decision before the team boarded a flight to New Orleans. On Friday night, as part of a home-and-home with the Hornets, the Thunder (1-12) fell 105-80 in front of their home fans. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/11/22/carlesimo.thunder/index.html?eref=si_nba Manu Ginobili Could Return Next Week  Manu Ginobili could return to the San Antonio Spurs’ lineup next week, earlier than expected after he had surgery on his left ankle in September to repair ligament damage. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich would not specify Ginobili’s projected return, but he did say Ginobili has recovered more quickly than expected. Ginobili said Friday he’d like to play in the Spurs’ next game Monday night in Memphis. Popovich said he doesn’t think that will happen. "When he’s ready, that’s when he’s going to play," Popovich said. "And, right now, he’s not ready." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3718434 Michael Beasley Pulled over, Cited for Speeding Michael Beasley’s homecoming this week to Washington was soured by more than his foul-filled, six-point effort against the Wizards. A source familiar with the situation confirmed Friday that the Miami Heat rookie forward was cited for speeding Monday night, as he visited with family members. According to the source, Beasley was brought in by the police "at the officer’s discretion" after being cited for traveling at an excessive speed. No other violations were cited, the source said. Beasley did not mention the incident at Tuesday’s 94-87 Heat victory at the Verizon Center against the Wizards, but made the team aware of being cited. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/sfl-heat-citation-1122,0,4064663.story Stephon Marbury, Mike D’Antoni’s Stories Conflict "When the trades went down this afternoon, I said, ’Look Steph, one of the principals are gone, Jamal Crawford. There’s 30 to 35 minutes out there, and they’re yours if you want them. Are you ready to go?’ " D’Antoni said. According to D’Antoni, Marbury replied that he "wasn’t comfortable with the situation, and he did not want to play. So at that point, I go, ’O.K., that’s your decision, and that’s fine.’ That’s it." Marbury had a different view of the events. "The only thing I’m at liberty to say is that I was told that they were moving forward, and I’m not the person who chooses who plays or doesn’t," Marbury said. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3719230 Friday, November 21 2008 Scottie Pippen to Sue Company for Financial Malpractice Former NBA superstar Scottie Pippen has called a foul on executives at Sunrise’s Learn.com. Pippen, who became a Learn.com shareholder in 2001 while playing with the Portland Trail Blazers, accuses two company officials of financial shenanigans in a lawsuit filed this month in Broward Circuit Court. Learn.com made a $160,000 loan to a company connected with its president and chief executive, Jim Riley, without disclosing the relationship, Pippen claims in the suit. Shareholders also weren’t told about a $305,000 loan made to Chief Operating Officer JW Ray, the suit alleges. In addition, Pippen alleges Riley’s company and Ray were allowed to buy Learn.com stock at prices far below ’’adequate consideration.’’ Pippen filed the suit on behalf of the company and its shareholders. http://www.miamiherald.com/business/breaking-news/story/782088.html Is Michael Beasley Struggling? For the fourth time in five games, Beasley was on the bench for all or most of the fourth quarter as the Heat rallied from 17 points behind Toronto on Wednesday before falling 101-95. The 6-9 Beasley played just three minutes in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game at Toronto. "We had a lineup that came back from a 17-point (deficit)," Beasley said Wednesday. "If I was the coach, I would have stayed with that lineup, too." Beasley played just 12 minutes and scored seven points Wednesday. The previous night in Washington he logged 16 minutes, finishing with six points. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/sports/epaper/2008/11/20/a3c_heat_1121.html Phil Jackson to Shaq: I Would Never Do that to You After much had been made of Shaquille O’Neal’s comments to the Sacramento Bee - that Lakers coach Phil Jackson contributed to his feud with Kobe Bryant when they were teammates - O’Neal came out of his pregame workout Thursday and saw Jackson. The sweat-drenched O’Neal gave him a hug and whispered to him before saying aloud, "You know I wouldn’t do that to you." After O’Neal left, Jackson said he thought O’Neal comments were taken out of context and said O’Neal’s departure from the Lakers was because of payroll economics. http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/11/20/20081120spt-sunsnotes.html Kevin Garnett to Play in Minnesota for First Time Since Trade The rematch comes Friday night. Garnett is healthy this time around, though Wolves coach Randy Wittman joked he wouldn’t mind seeing him head back to the locker room after the pregame once again. "Actually, if he doesn’t want to play (Friday) night, that’s fine," Wittman said with a smile. Garnett’s return to Minnesota, and the prospect of him actually playing this time, was a hot topic at Timberwolves practice on Thursday, but the team is trying to turn the page on that history. "We got to see him twice last year. That’s over and done with," Wittman said. "I’m always happy to see him. He’s always going to be a close, personal friend. But not tomorrow." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3716034 Is Gilbert Arenas Implying the Wizards Are Tanking? Gilbert Arenas is already thinking about the possibility of a last-place finish for his Washington Wizards — and finding the silver lining. With Arenas still working his way back from a third knee operation in 1½ years, the Wizards are off to a 1-8 start heading into their game Friday against the Houston Rockets. "I don’t want to see them struggle," Arenas said Thursday at Madame Tussauds, where his wax figure was unveiled, "but if this is one of those years where we don’t make the playoffs or we finish in last place ... that’s what happened to San Antonio and that’s how they got Tim Duncan and look at them now ... and that’s for the better." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3715803 Stephon Marbury Will Be Activated for Tonight’s Game TKB has learned that the Knicks are activating Stephon Marbury for tonight’s game in Milwaukee. This is significant for a bevy of reasons: Since Marbury has been banished, this decision is not because they’ve made room for him because of the Crawford deal. Sources tell us that the team will activate Marbury because another trade is in the works so that the team can dress 8 players- an NBA rule. http://www.theknicksblog.com/2008/11/21/breaking-knicks-activating-marbury-more-trades-to-follow/ Knicks to Trade Zach Randolph for Tim Thomas, Cuttino Mobley? The Knicks are also working on a separate deal to send Zach Randolph to the Los Angeles Clippers, possibly for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. It is believed that Walsh is ready to make that deal but is awaiting confirmation from the Clippers, who pursued Randolph last summer. One N.B.A. team executive, with knowledge of the situation, said the Randolph deal was “very likely to happen.” The executive asked to remain anonymous because trade talks were still ongoing. Trading Randolph would clear another $17.3 million from the books in 2010. Both Thomas and Mobley have contracts that expire in two years. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/22/sports/basketball/22knicks.html?_r=1&ref=basketball Thursday, November 20 2008 LeBron James: I Will Leave Cleveland for the Right Offer While his free agency is still two years away, LeBron James won’t hesitate to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers if another franchise offers the superstar a better chance to win multiple NBA titles. "I think you do what is best for you and you do what is best for your career," James said Tuesday night when asked about his sense of loyalty to the Cavaliers before they played the Nets in New Jersey. "...I go out and I play hard and that’s loyalty," James added. "It’s hard because it’s a business. (The) franchise is going to do what is best for the player, it always comes back on us. I am going to look bad. If a franchise decides to give up on a player, it’s OK. So we have to do what is best for us." http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/11/18/james.free.agency.ap/index.html?eref=si_nba Zach Randolph: The Celtics Are Protected "They do a lot of talking," Zach Randolph said after the Knicks lost their second straight and fell to 6-5. "They know they are protected on (the) court. That’s why I don’t pay that no mind. Because a lot of guys get off the court and they tuck their tails (between their legs)." The Knicks and Celtics have a recent history of ugly moments. Last year’s Martin Luther King game saw Richardson and Paul Pierce ejected for taunting. Later, Eddie House shouted at the Knicks’ bench and drew a menacing stare from Isiah Thomas. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/11/18/2008-11-18_knicks_pummel_celtics_with_insults_after.html Chris Paul Sneaking up on Steals Record Hornets All-Star guard Chris Paul has been surpassing records and milestones as fast as autumnal leaves fall, and each time he collects a steal in the next 12 games, he draws closer to the NBA mark for thefts in consecutive games. The record is held by former San Antonio Spurs guard Alvin Robertson, who had 105 consecutive games with a steal from Nov. 6, 1985, to Dec. 29, 1986. Paul ranks second with at least one steal in 93 games in a row. He passed Michael Jordan (77) in the final weeks of last season, and looks to build on the streak in tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings at the New Orleans Arena. http://blog.nola.com/hornetsbeat/2008/11/new_orleans_hornets_chris_paul_1.html Stephen Jackson Takes Jab at Rip Hamilton Aye, Captain: Don’t expect Jackson to wear any protective gear for his left eye, which is still pink after being poked by Clippers center Chris Kaman on Saturday. "No goggles. No, no, no. Never. I’m not going to be like Rip Hamilton, where my nose is broken eight years ago and I still wear a mask," said Jackson, who injured the same eye during the preseason. "The only way I’ll wear a patch is if my eye’s closed. I’d rather stay with Captain Jack, not Pirate Jack." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/19/SPCN146S57.DTL Shaq Denies Comments about Lakers Asked, "Would you rule out going back to the Lakers?" by the Bee, O’Neal said: "I don’t know. I don’t really think that far ahead. I know I’ve got two years left and then at the end of the two years, I’ll just look at my options." O’Neal reiterated as much Wednesday, saying, "I have a great relationship with Steve Kerr. When I’m done here, we’ll see what happens. Going back that way, no, it never came out of my mouth." He continued denying comments, not realizing the source until the end, saying, "Oh, that’s who said that (expletive)? Scott (Howard-Cooper)? I didn’t know it was Scott." http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/11/19/20081119spt-sunsside.html Larry Hughes: Something Has to Change "I don’t want to play like this," Hughes said. "I’m not comfortable with 15-20 minutes. Something has to change." It did, albeit temporarily. But Derrick Rose is the No. 1 overall pick, Ben Gordon is the team’s leading scorer and Kirk Hinrich, currently injured, is the best perimeter defender. "You have to understand that situation and I do," Hughes said. "We have a lot of guys at one position. Somebody has to come off the bench and you accept that role. But I’m not expecting 15-20 minutes, and I don’t want to deal with that." http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-20-bulls-hughes-chicagonov20,0,7500144.story Oklahoma Fans Already Booing the Thunder With 2:50 remaining in the third quarter Wednesday night, Thunder fans no longer could contain their frustration. So they did the unthinkable. They booed. Nov 20 After a 108-88 loss to the Clippers on Wednesday night, OKC coach P.J. Carlesimo must find a way to keep frustration from consuming his club. For two full seasons while hosting the displaced Hornets, local NBA fans never booed the home team. With the Los Angeles Clippers in the midst of a 42-12 run that required less than 12 minutes, Thunder fans broke their silence when coach P.J. Carlesimo called for a timeout. http://newsok.com/a-first-for-thunder-boos/article/3323605 Don Nelson: Anthony Morrow Is the Real Deal Just a few weeks after Morrow was wondering whether he’d have to play in Ukraine this winter, he is Golden State’s starting shooting guard. Corey Maggette and captain Stephen Jackson already see him as an equal, and coach Don Nelson is talking about building parts of his famed offense around Morrow. "He’s the real deal, and we haven’t even learned how to play with him yet," Nelson said. "I told the team that we’d better know where this guy is at all times. We’d better get him open, because he looks like the real deal." Nelson suspected he had something special in Morrow since July, when he looked good on Golden State’s summer league team. Still, Morrow was the final man to make Golden State’s roster last month, and his agent was making contingency plans in Ukraine. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/11/19/morrow.warriors.ap/index.html?eref=si_nba Monta Ellis to Return During Thanksgiving Week? Injured guard Monta Ellis had the screws in his surgically-repaired left ankle removed Wednesday in Birmingham, Ala., and is expected to rejoin the Warriors after next week’s East Coast swing. Team officials did not set a date for a return to basketball-related activity, though Ellis’ agent, Jeff Fried, has said he anticipated a Thanksgiving week start. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/20/SPEB147RU8.DTL Udonis Haslem: Don Nelson-Type Trick Defenses Are ’Cowardly’ For most, being left open on an NBA floor is the result of an offensive play properly run. Udonis Haslem sees it a bit differently. To him, being left unaccounted for is dismissive. He used to consider that so insulting that he once berated Don Nelson and the Warriors’ bench for ignoring him time and again — even though Haslem was benefiting from it with a huge game. ’’It gets old after a while,’’ Haslem said. ``Basketball is supposed to be 5-on-5. People mix all those junk defenses. To me, I feel like that’s kind of cowardly. Just play ball.’’ http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/basketball/miami-heat/story/779725.html Tuesday, November 18 2008 NBA News for November 18th, 2008 Shaq Fined $25K for Verbally Abusing Official Shaquille O’Neal lost the argument, and now he’ll lose some cash as well. The NBA fined the Suns center $25,000 on Monday for verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner after he was ejected in a 104-86 win over the Pistons in Phoenix on Sunday. "Doesn’t matter to me," O’Neal said after the Suns’ 109-97 loss in Utah. "I’m not the one that can be controlled with fines, so that doesn’t matter to me." The incident occurred with 5:19 left in the second period when Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey went in for a layup and O’Neal sent him crashing to the court chest-first. He received a Flagrant 2 foul and an automatic ejection. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3709298 George Karl Rips on Allen Iverson But the more Nuggets coach George Karl watches Chauncey Billups run his offense - and watches Iverson lead the Detroit Pistons - it has become clearer that Iverson, well, wasn’t the answer. "There are less bad plays, more solid plays," Karl said of the former 76er, who was traded earlier this month. "I think the wasteful, cheap possessions that we used to have 10 to 15 a game, they don’t exist very much anymore." What always irked Karl was Iverson’s inability to run the offense like a general. When it came to beating the elite teams, the Nuggets had too many questions with The Answer - about his shot selection, his dedication to defense and his ability/inability to trust his teammates. "Sometimes I saw something, but I couldn’t get it done on the court because I didn’t have a playmaker out there," Karl said. http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20081118_Nuggets_coach_knocks_Iverson.html Kobe Says Little; Phil Jackson Not So Shy to Discuss Shaq Comments Phil Jackson was far more expansive. After all, he was the man Shaquille O’Neal blamed for the creative tension that inspired a rather public feud between O’Neal and Bryant when they played with the Lakers earlier this decade. When someone asked about O’Neal’s comments, which pinned the blame for "everything" on Jackson, the Lakers’ Hall of Fame coach smiled his wry smile and said, "Even his (notoriously poor) free-throw shooting?" When the laughter died down, Jackson didn’t skip a beat. "Well, I’m glad we motivated him when he was here and we won three championships," he said of O’Neal, who is now with the Phoenix Suns. "I think that was the best thing we did. We all have good feelings about that time. And, yes, I’m sure there were some plans in motivating Shaq. "We were having a lot of fun as a team. It was just a laugh and a goof. That part was fun, but 2004 got a little bit tense. That was a tough time." http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_11010386 Jerry Stackhouse Seeking Trade from Dallas Mavericks Stating his style clashes with coach Rick Carlisle’s motion offense, a scheme based more on freelance movement than structured plays, and a reluctance to sacrifice minutes for mentoring, the 14-year swingman said his agent is exploring options for him to depart Dallas, possibly through a buyout or trade. "The key part is there’s really no conflict with us," Stackhouse said Monday of him and Carlisle. "It’s understood that it’s his job to coach the team, but it’s my job to protect my future. I’ve got to have some say-so and dictate with the role that I’m kind of in now, that I’m ready to accept that. I don’t think I’m ready to fully accept that at this point." Stackhouse said he believes he can thrive elsewhere, as he once did in Dallas, as a potent sixth man. Although his contract status, virtually an expiring contract, is favorable for a trade, his value is murky because he remains mired in a deep shooting freeze (29.1 percent overall) and bothered by a heel injury. http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/1044856.html Magic Johnson: Kobe Bryant Is Better than Paul Pierce Appearing via video screen from Los Angeles courtesy of a high-tech system that allowed him to make virtual eye contact with reporters in Boston, Johnson was asked whether 2008 NBA Finals MVP Paul Pierce was the best player in the league right now. Johnson praised the Celtics forward but sided with the Lakers’ reigning league MVP, Kobe Bryant. Johnson measured both players by the consistency of their accomplishments, unwilling to give Pierce’s play last week more weight. "Paul would like to think he’s better than Kobe," said Johnson with a hearty laugh. "But Kobe Bryant is the best closer in the game. He’s the best player in the game. You have to remember he’s done it for a long time at a high level. "Now, was Paul Pierce better than Kobe in the Finals? Of course, he was better than everybody in the whole playoffs. Is he one of the top three or four players in the league right now, Paul Pierce? Of course he is. It’s hard to find a guy who can go inside and outside and also a guy who can put it on the floor, then make plays for other people. http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/11/18/magic_pierce_is_close_but_bryant_still_best/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+—+Sports+News Sonny Vaccaro: LeBron Will Leave Cleveland, But Not for New Jersey But the team’s planned move to Brooklyn is at a standstill, which could significantly lessen the chances of James becoming a Net. That is the view of Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe executive who keeps tabs on his former ABCD campers, James included. Vaccaro said he thought James would end up with the Knicks. “LeBron’s relationship with Jay-Z will go on regardless,” Vaccaro said. “He’ll be an international celebrity in New York. If the Nets aren’t in Brooklyn, he’s not going over there for even $200 million. They’re putting pieces together. They’re doing the right things. They’re just living in the wrong building.” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/sports/basketball/18lebron.html?_r=2&ref=sports&oref=slogin NBPA Resumes Discussions with Stephon Marbury NBA Player’s Association attorney Hal Biagas is expected to resume Stephon Marbury buyout talks with Knickspresident Donnie Walsh tomorrow or Thursday, with a possibility of a formal proposal coming by week’s end, according to a person familiar with the situation. The exiled Marbury, who has yet to play this season, flew with the team to Boston yesterday, but that could be his last road trip as a Knick. Biagas, Marbury and Walsh met last Thursday in Westchester to begin divorce proceedings. According to the individual, Walsh told Biagas and Marbury that he’ll need one week to think about matters, explore any potential trades and consult with Knicks owner James Dolan. http://www.nypost.com/seven/11182008/sports/knicks/union_to_resume_marbury_buyout_talks_139232.htm If Chris Mullin Leaves, Could Monta Ellis Be Traded? All the people out there who love Ellis better hope that the Warriors and executive vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin are able to work things out. Why? Because if Mullin isn’t around, the odds of Ellis getting traded are a lot higher. A lot. Ellis is Mullin’s guy, plain and simple. Mullin drafted him, Mullin has hung by him and Mullin believes Ellis has that something special of an elite player. Warriors coach Don Nelson doesn’t exactly share that sentiment. Nelson has come around some on Ellis, but in the grand scheme of things Ellis isn’t one of Nellie’s favorites. If you’ll notice, Nelson frequently talks about how good Ellis can be. Yet, he seldom gives credit to Ellis for how good he is now. http://www.examiner.com/x-441-Golden-State-Warriors-Examiner y2008m11d17-Write-back-at-you-Monta-Ellis-has-better-chance-of-staying-if-Chris-Mullin-is-around?cid=exrss-Golden-State-Warriors-Examiner Shaq Fined $25K for Verbally Abusing Official Shaquille O’Neal lost the argument, and now he’ll lose some cash as well. The NBA fined the Suns center $25,000 on Monday for verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner after he was ejected in a 104-86 win over the Pistons in Phoenix on Sunday. "Doesn’t matter to me," O’Neal said after the Suns’ 109-97 loss in Utah. "I’m not the one that can be controlled with fines, so that doesn’t matter to me." The incident occurred with 5:19 left in the second period when Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey went in for a layup and O’Neal sent him crashing to the court chest-first. He received a Flagrant 2 foul and an automatic ejection. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3709298 George Karl Rips on Allen Iverson But the more Nuggets coach George Karl watches Chauncey Billups run his offense - and watches Iverson lead the Detroit Pistons - it has become clearer that Iverson, well, wasn’t the answer. "There are less bad plays, more solid plays," Karl said of the former 76er, who was traded earlier this month. "I think the wasteful, cheap possessions that we used to have 10 to 15 a game, they don’t exist very much anymore." What always irked Karl was Iverson’s inability to run the offense like a general. When it came to beating the elite teams, the Nuggets had too many questions with The Answer - about his shot selection, his dedication to defense and his ability/inability to trust his teammates. "Sometimes I saw something, but I couldn’t get it done on the court because I didn’t have a playmaker out there," Karl said. http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20081118_Nuggets_coach_knocks_Iverson.html Kobe Says Little; Phil Jackson Not So Shy to Discuss Shaq Comments Phil Jackson was far more expansive. After all, he was the man Shaquille O’Neal blamed for the creative tension that inspired a rather public feud between O’Neal and Bryant when they played with the Lakers earlier this decade. When someone asked about O’Neal’s comments, which pinned the blame for "everything" on Jackson, the Lakers’ Hall of Fame coach smiled his wry smile and said, "Even his (notoriously poor) free-throw shooting?" When the laughter died down, Jackson didn’t skip a beat. "Well, I’m glad we motivated him when he was here and we won three championships," he said of O’Neal, who is now with the Phoenix Suns. "I think that was the best thing we did. We all have good feelings about that time. And, yes, I’m sure there were some plans in motivating Shaq. "We were having a lot of fun as a team. It was just a laugh and a goof. That part was fun, but 2004 got a little bit tense. That was a tough time." http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_11010386 Jerry Stackhouse Seeking Trade from Dallas Mavericks Stating his style clashes with coach Rick Carlisle’s motion offense, a scheme based more on freelance movement than structured plays, and a reluctance to sacrifice minutes for mentoring, the 14-year swingman said his agent is exploring options for him to depart Dallas, possibly through a buyout or trade. "The key part is there’s really no conflict with us," Stackhouse said Monday of him and Carlisle. "It’s understood that it’s his job to coach the team, but it’s my job to protect my future. I’ve got to have some say-so and dictate with the role that I’m kind of in now, that I’m ready to accept that. I don’t think I’m ready to fully accept that at this point." Stackhouse said he believes he can thrive elsewhere, as he once did in Dallas, as a potent sixth man. Although his contract status, virtually an expiring contract, is favorable for a trade, his value is murky because he remains mired in a deep shooting freeze (29.1 percent overall) and bothered by a heel injury. http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/1044856.html Magic Johnson: Kobe Bryant Is Better than Paul Pierce Appearing via video screen from Los Angeles courtesy of a high-tech system that allowed him to make virtual eye contact with reporters in Boston, Johnson was asked whether 2008 NBA Finals MVP Paul Pierce was the best player in the league right now. Johnson praised the Celtics forward but sided with the Lakers’ reigning league MVP, Kobe Bryant. Johnson measured both players by the consistency of their accomplishments, unwilling to give Pierce’s play last week more weight. "Paul would like to think he’s better than Kobe," said Johnson with a hearty laugh. "But Kobe Bryant is the best closer in the game. He’s the best player in the game. You have to remember he’s done it for a long time at a high level. "Now, was Paul Pierce better than Kobe in the Finals? Of course, he was better than everybody in the whole playoffs. Is he one of the top three or four players in the league right now, Paul Pierce? Of course he is. It’s hard to find a guy who can go inside and outside and also a guy who can put it on the floor, then make plays for other people. http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/11/18/magic_pierce_is_close_but_bryant_still_best/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+—+Sports+News Sonny Vaccaro: LeBron Will Leave Cleveland, But Not for New Jersey But the team’s planned move to Brooklyn is at a standstill, which could significantly lessen the chances of James becoming a Net. That is the view of Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe executive who keeps tabs on his former ABCD campers, James included. Vaccaro said he thought James would end up with the Knicks. “LeBron’s relationship with Jay-Z will go on regardless,” Vaccaro said. “He’ll be an international celebrity in New York. If the Nets aren’t in Brooklyn, he’s not going over there for even $200 million. They’re putting pieces together. They’re doing the right things. They’re just living in the wrong building.” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/sports/basketball/18lebron.html?_r=2&ref=sports&oref=slogin NBPA Resumes Discussions with Stephon Marbury NBA Player’s Association attorney Hal Biagas is expected to resume Stephon Marbury buyout talks with Knickspresident Donnie Walsh tomorrow or Thursday, with a possibility of a formal proposal coming by week’s end, according to a person familiar with the situation. The exiled Marbury, who has yet to play this season, flew with the team to Boston yesterday, but that could be his last road trip as a Knick. Biagas, Marbury and Walsh met last Thursday in Westchester to begin divorce proceedings. According to the individual, Walsh told Biagas and Marbury that he’ll need one week to think about matters, explore any potential trades and consult with Knicks owner James Dolan. http://www.nypost.com/seven/11182008/sports/knicks/union_to_resume_marbury_buyout_talks_139232.htm If Chris Mullin Leaves, Could Monta Ellis Be Traded? All the people out there who love Ellis better hope that the Warriors and executive vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin are able to work things out. Why? Because if Mullin isn’t around, the odds of Ellis getting traded are a lot higher. A lot. Ellis is Mullin’s guy, plain and simple. Mullin drafted him, Mullin has hung by him and Mullin believes Ellis has that something special of an elite player. Warriors coach Don Nelson doesn’t exactly share that sentiment. Nelson has come around some on Ellis, but in the grand scheme of things Ellis isn’t one of Nellie’s favorites. If you’ll notice, Nelson frequently talks about how good Ellis can be. Yet, he seldom gives credit to Ellis for how good he is now. http://www.examiner.com/x-441-Golden-State-Warriors-Examiner y2008m11d17-Write-back-at-you-Monta-Ellis-has-better-chance-of-staying-if-Chris-Mullin-is-around?cid=exrss-Golden-State-Warriors-Examiner Sunday, November 16 2008 NBA News for November 16th, 2008 Nets Shoot Down Possible Trades for Al Harrington, Marco Belinelli The Nets have had talks with Golden State involving multiple players, including unhappy Al Harrington and Marco Belinelli. For Belinelli, a league source said, the Warriors wanted either Josh Boone or Sean Williams. The Nets weren’t interested. Eventually, they likely will make a trade. The Nets have seven power forwards/centers, but currently only four healthy so nothing is imminent. "We talk to people a lot," Thorn said. "Most of it’s idle chatter like with most teams. I don’t really have anything to say about it." http://www.northjersey.com/sports/Notes_Thorn_wants_tougher_play.html Derrick Rose First Bulls Rookie Since MJ to Score 10+ in First 10 It took only 10 games for Derrick Rose to merit his first statistical link to Michael Jordan. With, ahem, 23 points, Rose became the first Bulls rookie since Jordan in 1984 to score in double digits in all of his first 10 games, leading the Bulls to a 104-91 victory over the Pacers on Saturday night at the United Center. "I’m not [comparable] to him," Rose said. "I’m not even near him right now. I’m too far away. For me to do that, it’s nice. But I’m worried about winning." The Bulls concluded their five-game homestand with a 3-2 mark and improved to 5-5, just the third time since Jordan & Co. left town they will embark on their annual extended November trip with a record of .500 or above. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-081115-chicago-bulls-indiana-pacers,0,1876583.story Gilbert Arenas Beat Nick Young One-on-One in Practice Meanwhile, Washington’s Gilbert Arenas is still ahead of schedule in his return from left knee surgery. He has been shooting around in the later portions of recent practices and one day last week jumped and nearly dunked the ball three or four times. Arenas actually played guard Nick Young one-on-one and beat him by one point last week. "He was so embarrassed," Arenas said, adding that "I broke the mess out on him." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/nov/16/for-jazz-coach-jerry-sloan-its-all-about-consisten/ Smush Parker Headed to the D-League It’s amazing that a former starting point guard for the Lakers who also played for the Heat and Clippers and is still only 27 will be playing in the NBA Developmental League, but that’s where Smush Parker is headed. After playing with Denver in preseason, the ex-Fordham PG was drafted 12th by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, who play in the Mexican border town of Hidalgo, Tex. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/11/15/2008-11-15_danilo_gallinari_injury_stalls_knick_reb.html NBA Fines Kenyon Martin $20K for Verbally Abusing Official  Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin was fined $20,000 by the NBA on Saturday for his actions after being ejected from a game. Martin was penalized for verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner following an ejection in a loss at Cleveland on Thursday. Martin was thrown out following a flagrant foul for slamming his shoulder into Cleveland forward Anderson Varejao. Before leaving the floor, Martin, who was whistled for a technical moments earlier, screamed obscenities at referee Joey Crawford before he was grabbed by Nuggets coach George Karl and escorted off. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3705169 Patrick Ewing Jr Working Out at NYK Practice Facility Amid speculation that he would be added to the roster if and when Stephon Marbury leaves the Knicks, Patrick Ewing Jr. worked out alone at the team’s practice facility here Saturday. Ewing was cut just before the start of the regular season and has yet to sign with another N.B.A. team. ... Quentin Richardson did not practice Saturday because of an upper respiratory infection, although he was probable for Sunday’s game. ... Jerome James also missed practice and will not be at the Garden on Sunday for family reasons, the Knicks said. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/sports/basketball/16knicks.html?_r=1&ref=basketball&oref=slogin Bonzi Wells Likely to Sign in Spain or China Word around the league over the summer was that the 10-year veteran wouldn’t consider signing for the veteran’s minimum, and his phone never rang. And unless something changes this weekend, Wells is expected to sign early next week with a professional team in either Spain or China. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=Unemployed-081114&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines Nets Shoot Down Possible Trades for Al Harrington, Marco Belinelli The Nets have had talks with Golden State involving multiple players, including unhappy Al Harrington and Marco Belinelli. For Belinelli, a league source said, the Warriors wanted either Josh Boone or Sean Williams. The Nets weren’t interested. Eventually, they likely will make a trade. The Nets have seven power forwards/centers, but currently only four healthy so nothing is imminent. "We talk to people a lot," Thorn said. "Most of it’s idle chatter like with most teams. I don’t really have anything to say about it." http://www.northjersey.com/sports/Notes_Thorn_wants_tougher_play.html Derrick Rose First Bulls Rookie Since MJ to Score 10+ in First 10 It took only 10 games for Derrick Rose to merit his first statistical link to Michael Jordan. With, ahem, 23 points, Rose became the first Bulls rookie since Jordan in 1984 to score in double digits in all of his first 10 games, leading the Bulls to a 104-91 victory over the Pacers on Saturday night at the United Center. "I’m not [comparable] to him," Rose said. "I’m not even near him right now. I’m too far away. For me to do that, it’s nice. But I’m worried about winning." The Bulls concluded their five-game homestand with a 3-2 mark and improved to 5-5, just the third time since Jordan & Co. left town they will embark on their annual extended November trip with a record of .500 or above. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-081115-chicago-bulls-indiana-pacers,0,1876583.story Gilbert Arenas Beat Nick Young One-on-One in Practice Meanwhile, Washington’s Gilbert Arenas is still ahead of schedule in his return from left knee surgery. He has been shooting around in the later portions of recent practices and one day last week jumped and nearly dunked the ball three or four times. Arenas actually played guard Nick Young one-on-one and beat him by one point last week. "He was so embarrassed," Arenas said, adding that "I broke the mess out on him." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/nov/16/for-jazz-coach-jerry-sloan-its-all-about-consisten/ Smush Parker Headed to the D-League It’s amazing that a former starting point guard for the Lakers who also played for the Heat and Clippers and is still only 27 will be playing in the NBA Developmental League, but that’s where Smush Parker is headed. After playing with Denver in preseason, the ex-Fordham PG was drafted 12th by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, who play in the Mexican border town of Hidalgo, Tex. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/11/15/2008-11-15_danilo_gallinari_injury_stalls_knick_reb.html NBA Fines Kenyon Martin $20K for Verbally Abusing Official  Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin was fined $20,000 by the NBA on Saturday for his actions after being ejected from a game. Martin was penalized for verbal abuse of an official and failure to leave the court in a timely manner following an ejection in a loss at Cleveland on Thursday. Martin was thrown out following a flagrant foul for slamming his shoulder into Cleveland forward Anderson Varejao. Before leaving the floor, Martin, who was whistled for a technical moments earlier, screamed obscenities at referee Joey Crawford before he was grabbed by Nuggets coach George Karl and escorted off. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3705169 Patrick Ewing Jr Working Out at NYK Practice Facility Amid speculation that he would be added to the roster if and when Stephon Marbury leaves the Knicks, Patrick Ewing Jr. worked out alone at the team’s practice facility here Saturday. Ewing was cut just before the start of the regular season and has yet to sign with another N.B.A. team. ... Quentin Richardson did not practice Saturday because of an upper respiratory infection, although he was probable for Sunday’s game. ... Jerome James also missed practice and will not be at the Garden on Sunday for family reasons, the Knicks said. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/sports/basketball/16knicks.html?_r=1&ref=basketball&oref=slogin Bonzi Wells Likely to Sign in Spain or China Word around the league over the summer was that the 10-year veteran wouldn’t consider signing for the veteran’s minimum, and his phone never rang. And unless something changes this weekend, Wells is expected to sign early next week with a professional team in either Spain or China. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=Unemployed-081114&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines Saturday, November 15 2008 NBA News for November 15th, 2008 Baron Davis, Mike Dunleavy Have ’great talk’ "Coach, I threw you under the bus," Davis said. Davis was smiling. He laughed and so did Dunleavy. Bill Plaschke’s column on Wednesday talked about the growing pains of the Dunleavy-Davis relationship, and it had enough of a shelf life for Dunleavy to take action Friday morning. "I called Baron in, ’Let’s talk about this thing. I want to understand what you mean. And I want you to understand what I’m saying,’ " Dunleavy said. "If we don’t have an agreement there, then it means further talking and further tweaking. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clippers15-2008nov15,0,5465874.story?track=rss Marco Belinelli to New Jersey Nets? Sources close to Warriors’ guard Marco Belinelli, have informed HOOPSWORLD that Marco may be on his way to the New Jersey Nets. The source explained that talks were on going between the Warriors and Nets, but that Marco was made aware of the talks and told that a deal could transpire soon. Sources close to the Nets could not confirm that the Nets were talking trade with anyone. Belinelli has played in 5 games for the Warriors this season, logging 6 minutes per game on average. http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStories.asp?hd=20081115&lc=NBA#STORY_13914 Agent: Antonio McDyess Not a Lock to Return to Detroit Pistons The odds still favor Antonio McDyess returning to the Detroit Pistons once his 30-day waiting period has expired, but the odds aren’t as short as they were just 48 or 72 hours ago. McDyess planned to speak with his agent, Andy Miller, on Friday to begin whittling down the list of 18 teams that have expressed interest in signing the former Olympian and one-time All-Star. "It’s not a foregone conclusion that he’ll go back to Detroit," Miller told ESPN.com Thursday night. "We’re sifting through everything that has transpired. I don’t think ’hurt’ would be the way to characterize how he felt about being traded, but he was caught off guard." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=Unemployed-081114&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines Stephon Marbury Wants All His Money from Knicks if Bought Out It is worth noting that the Knicks didn’t call the meeting with Marbury. He called it, just as he asked for Mike D’Antoni’s advice on the situation last Friday in Washington. When D’Antoni suggested finding another team and asking the Knicks for the difference, Marbury became irate. He told D’Antoni he’d earned that money and intended to make the Knicks pay him. The Knicks, who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday, aren’t buying him out for the full amount — nobody does — and thus Marbury remains on the bench in expensive clothes. http://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-spberger155927944nov15,0,756706.column Jamaal Tinsley’s Agent Seeking Buyout from Pacers The agent for Jamaal Tinsley has approached the Indiana Pacers about possibly buying out the point guard’s contract, a person familiar with the situation said Friday. No figures were revealed.   The Pacers owe Tinsley slightly more than $21 million on a contract that expires in 2010-11. "Our position stays the same as it’s always been. We’re still trying to trade him," Pacers president Larry Bird said through a team spokesman. In the offseason, the Pacers told Tinsley he would not be allowed to practice or play with the team. http://www.indystar.com/article/20081115/SPORTS04/811150445/1088/SPORTS04 Steve Kerr Will Appeal Suspensions Suns general manager Steve Kerr said the Suns will appeal the decision by the NBA to suspend forward Matt Barnes two games and guard Steve Nash one game. An appeal won’t be heard in time to prevent Barnes or Nash from missing game action but it might save their fines, as well as Shaquille O’Neal’s. Commissioner David Stern acts as arbiter for the appeal hearings. Kerr was also dismayed by the rulings, noting that Rafer Alston threw a left hook at Nash later in the fray. Kerr said he asked whether Nash’s track record as a representative of the league and upstanding citizen was taken into account. He said Stern told him, "Hey, Rudy T (Tomjanovich) was a great guy too but we’d suspend him too if he ran across the court." http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/11/14/20081114spt-kerrappeal.html Shaq Could Return to Los Angeles Lakers *He does not rule out a return to the Lakers as a free agent in the summer of 2010 on a one-year deal to back up Andrew Bynum. (On the other hand, he says he doesn’t want to go somewhere as a backup, but it’s hard to imagine him at starter’s minutes for a contender in two seasons.) The L.A. scenario is far off in ways that have nothing to do with the calendar — owner Jerry Buss would have to sign off on it, and people close to Shaq know the breakup was so contentious that Buss might be the tougher sell than Kobe Bryant. But O’Neal, at least, is open to the possibility. http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/sports/kings/archives/017025.html Shaq: Phil Jackson Engineered the Feud with Kobe Bryant A: It’s just that I’d say stuff, he’d say stuff. I think it was all designed by Phil (Jackson). Because if you think about it, Phil never called us into the office and said, ’’Both of you all, shut the (heck) up.’’ Never did that in four years. He knew that when I read something, I was going to get upset. And he knew Kobe was going to always come out and play hard. So I think it was all done by design. Q: You think he just wanted to light a fire under you guys? A: Yeah. I think that’s exactly what it was. I think it was all done by design. Really. He never called us in a meeting and said, ’’Shut up.’’ And basically, it was never a face-to-face... thing. It was always, he’d say something to you, I’d say something to another guy, I’d say something to you. That’s all it was. http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/sports/kings/archives/017025.html Baron Davis, Mike Dunleavy Have ’great talk’ "Coach, I threw you under the bus," Davis said. Davis was smiling. He laughed and so did Dunleavy. Bill Plaschke’s column on Wednesday talked about the growing pains of the Dunleavy-Davis relationship, and it had enough of a shelf life for Dunleavy to take action Friday morning. "I called Baron in, ’Let’s talk about this thing. I want to understand what you mean. And I want you to understand what I’m saying,’ " Dunleavy said. "If we don’t have an agreement there, then it means further talking and further tweaking. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clippers15-2008nov15,0,5465874.story?track=rss Marco Belinelli to New Jersey Nets? Sources close to Warriors’ guard Marco Belinelli, have informed HOOPSWORLD that Marco may be on his way to the New Jersey Nets. The source explained that talks were on going between the Warriors and Nets, but that Marco was made aware of the talks and told that a deal could transpire soon. Sources close to the Nets could not confirm that the Nets were talking trade with anyone. Belinelli has played in 5 games for the Warriors this season, logging 6 minutes per game on average. http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStories.asp?hd=20081115&lc=NBA#STORY_13914 Agent: Antonio McDyess Not a Lock to Return to Detroit Pistons The odds still favor Antonio McDyess returning to the Detroit Pistons once his 30-day waiting period has expired, but the odds aren’t as short as they were just 48 or 72 hours ago. McDyess planned to speak with his agent, Andy Miller, on Friday to begin whittling down the list of 18 teams that have expressed interest in signing the former Olympian and one-time All-Star. "It’s not a foregone conclusion that he’ll go back to Detroit," Miller told ESPN.com Thursday night. "We’re sifting through everything that has transpired. I don’t think ’hurt’ would be the way to characterize how he felt about being traded, but he was caught off guard." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=Unemployed-081114&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines Stephon Marbury Wants All His Money from Knicks if Bought Out It is worth noting that the Knicks didn’t call the m