HoopsHype.com Rumors

Thursday, September 3

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On Thursday, the Los Angeles Clippers extended a contract offer to point guard Carlos Arroyo, a source close to the situation tells RealGM's Alex Kennedy. While terms of the deal were not disclosed, it is the only offer Arroyo has received this summer. RealGM.com

Bowen told ESPN.com that he will formally announce his retirement at a Thursday afternoon news conference and said he would elaborate more on his decision then. Bowen made the NBA all-defensive first time five times, from 2003-04 through 2007-08, and was a three-time second-team selection from 2000-01 through 2002-03. ESPN.com

“I’m very happy,” Bowen, 38, said this morning. “It hasn’t been difficult. I was content about it and understood it was going to happen.” San Antonio Express-News

“I’m always going to do something around the game of basketball,” Bowen said. Though the Spurs will not be signing him to a ceremonial one-day contract or anything or that nature, Bowen said he feels he’s retiring as a Spur. “Everybody knows, and Pop said the same thing, ‘You’re a Spur,’ ” Bowen said, referring to coach Gregg Popovich. San Antonio Express-News

From his Twitter feed, Iverson offered "I will really be glad when this is done! It feels like the summer before my draft day! But its all good! I want to get on the court!" and then added "I'll be working out again today in ATL. Spoke with a couple teams this week, and I think we are getting real close to a deal. I hope so!" As for the Heat? Word is that none of that contact came from Pat Riley's staff. A month ago, Iverson send out similar signals about being on the brink. And still, he remains unsigned. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Kenny Hasbrouck has been such a "pleasant surprise" for the Miami Heat that the former Siena guard may earn an invitation to training camp later this month, a team executive said Wednesday. Chet Kammerer, the Heat’s vice president for player personnel, said the team probably will decide in the next 10 days whether to bring Hasbrouck to the camp, which begins Sept. 28. "I think at this point if he continues the path he’s on right now, there’s a very good chance he could be here," Kammerer said. "Nothing has been solidified, though." Boston Herald

Any hints on where this next season may take you? Will be back in the D? In the NBA? Rod Benson: Not lookin to do the D-League unless it's out of necessity, in transition. For me it's either training camp or get the money overseas. Ridiculous Upside

Harris was on vacation on draft night but when he heard about Vince Carter going to Orlando, he did a "wow" at first. Still, he wasn't really surprised. "(It was) one of those things where you knew was coming at some point, you heard the rumors towards the trade deadline, and you knew at some point it was going to come," Harris said, reminding how the trades of Jefferson and Kidd made the Carter deal almost inevitable. "It made sense the way the team was going, we were going to take the contract (Carter) had and try to (get younger) and try to get better using that money to bring us some younger players. New York Post

"I want to say we can be a good playoff team," said Lopez, who finished third in Rookie of the Year balloting last year. "We have enough talent, enough intelligent guys. Just from pickup games, you can see us really come together on the defensive end." Newark Star-Ledger

Yi Jianlian, already pencilled in as the starting power forward entering camp, was monitored closely during the FIBA Asian Championships last month. "I saw a majority of the games" on the internet, Frank said. "For the most part, I saw an increased confidence in him. And for the first time even on the Chinese team, he was The Man. And I was impressed. "He did everything we asked him to do this summer -- he worked, got a ton of playing in, and he did very well in that competition. So what's changed? If he maintains his confidence and stays healthy and sustains it through the season from stamina standpoint, we're going to find out." Newark Star-Ledger

Kevin Durant: Everytime sum1 ask me who i play for and i say Oklahoma city they say "if u work hard, maybe u will be a pro" Nobody knows about us yet..YET. Twitter.com

One of the grannies tried to teach Dwight some Zulu, one of the languages spoken in South Africa. "She said so many words, I forgot," Howard said. "Only one I still remember is sonibonani. That's like hello. and you say, 'yebo.' So sonibonani and yebo. That's like the common phrase." Howard also got to meet some of the children at the facility. "I took a picture with them and they liked saying cheese, so we said cheese the whole time," Howard said. Orlando Sentinel

What's the worst motivational speech or ploy you've ever heard (use pseudonyms if need be)? Rod Benson: We had just won and were playing the same team the next night. My coach, who will remain nameless, said this: "That game was like sleeping with your sister. Yea, it was good, but not as good as it should have been." True story. I've never seen more confused faces. Ridiculous Upside

Lee is still wearing a facemask to protect a frontal sinus bone, which was fractured during the Magic's run to the NBA Finals last spring and forced him to miss the first two games of the Boston series. He will soon get a CAT scan to determine whether he can shed the mask. Newark Star-Ledger

Great Britain's opening Eurobasket opponents, Slovenia, have been hit by an injury to NBA point guard Beno Udrih. The Sacramento Kings back-up will miss the entire tournament after damaging his knee. BritBall

In an interview with well-known Spanish journalist Jose Angel de la Casa (who probably can’t compare to Vic the Brick), Gasol said he hopes to get medical clearance by the time the European Championships begin Sept. 7.inter “I’ll do everything I can to get confidence and that the finger get used to the situations of ball contact,” the Lakers forward said in the interview posted on his website. Orange County Register

Now, here the translation gets tricky. Was Gasol surprised at the Lakers’ reaction to his injury (were they less-than-pleased?) or were they supportive? Trainer Gary Vitti visited Gasol while he was in Europe two weeks ago to check on his finger The 2009 NBA champion defined the behavior of the Lakers facing his injury as “surprising example.” I expected a different reaction, but they have given me great confidence and I have always been supported”, he confessed. Orange County Register

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced the completion of head coach Kurt Rambis' coaching staff with the hiring of veteran NBA coach Dave Wohl and former NBA standouts Reggie Theus and Bill Laimbeer. John-Blair "J.B." Bickerstaff, who has served as an assistant coach with Minnesota for the past two seasons, will return as a member of Rambis' staff serving as assistant coach/director of player development. Collectively, Rambis and his staff have been involved with 15 championship teams (NBA and WNBA), and bring more than 100 seasons of coaching (NBA, WNBA and collegiate) and playing experience (NBA and collegiate) to the Timberwolves bench. "I'm excited to be able to add such a wealth of experience and such a talented group in Dave, Bill and Reggie to our coaching staff," said Timberwolves head coach Kurt Rambis. "Each of them brings a wide array of both NBA and coaching experiences, skills and talents to our team. We all are looking forward to the start of the season and getting on the court with our players." Timberwolves.com

The Wolves will introduce new assistant coaches Dave Wohl, Bill Laimbeer and Reggie Theus this afternoon at 1 at Target Center. Minneapolis Star Tribune

Shaq Vs. slipped to a series low on Tuesday. The third episode of the Shaquille O'Neal reality show drew a 2.1/3 final rating and 3.3 million viewers on ABC, down 19% and 20%, respectively, from a 2.6/4 and 4.1 million the previous week. SportsMediaWatch

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki was informed Friday that his former fiancée, who was recently sentenced to five years in prison for a probation violation in Missouri, is not pregnant as she has maintained for months. Nowitzki is in South Africa this week as part of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program and could not be reached for comment. ESPN.com

Cristal Taylor has been confirmed to be not pregnant, according to the Mavericks, who said Nowitzki has been informed of the details. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Roger Montgomery, the agent for free-agent swingman Desmond Mason, told FanHouse his client visited Denver earlier this week and there is "mutual interest'' between the parties in Mason possibly signing with the Nuggets. "I think he'd bring a lot to the Nuggets. He's played for George [Karl] before, which is a big bonus,'' Montgomery said of Mason playing for the Nuggets coach when both were with Milwaukee in 2002-03. "Absolutely [Mason is] interested.'' FanHouse.com

Montgomery said one reason Mason visited Denver was for his knee to be checked out. Montgomery said Mason, who missed about half of last season with Oklahoma City due to a hyperextended right knee, has a "clean bill" of health. During his visit, Mason chatted with Karl and vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien about how he might fit in with Denver. FanHouse.com

"The Nuggets are a championship-caliber team. ... So they're probably taking their time in making a big decision," Montgomery said of the Nuggets seeking a wing player. "It will come down to who they believe is the right fit." FanHouse.com

Perimeter players the Nuggets also are looking at include small forward 6-foot-7 Wally Szczerbiak and shooting guard Ronald "Flip" Murray. "We're still in discussions, but that's not something I want to go into with the media,'' Szczerbiak said in an interview with FanHouse about his dealings with the Nuggets. "We're communicating." FanHouse.com

Chris Vernon: Grizzlies worked out Mike Taylor, Juan Dixon, Bo McCallob (sp?), and Jason Hart today. Twitter.com

Wallace says bringing in these players IN NO WAY affects the teams' interest in NBA Super Star Allen Iverson. The Grizz have an offer on the Table for the 10-time All-Star...but would reportedly pull the incentive laden deal if no decision is reached in the next couple of weeks. wmctv.com

The Offer is reportedly 1-year at $3.5 Million.. Down from the original $5-Million Dollar offer earlier this summer.. Performance incentives could more than make up the difference..but, the Grizz maintain Iverson accept a role coming off the bench. wmctv.com

James has more reasons to stay than ever. He holds all the cards. He’s not showing them. “I’m excited about the upcoming season and I have never given any indication that I’m leaving Cleveland,” he said. “I’ve been happy with what the franchise has done for me and my family. It’s been great. Hopefully everything goes right and hopefully I can sign a big contract to stay in Cleveland.” Yahoo! Sports

Might he sign a smaller one to stay? “That’s possible,” he said. “We’ll see.” Yahoo! Sports

Wednesday on The Jim Rome Show, Jazzman Deron Williams discussed what he thinks Boozer's mindset will be and how much Boozer will have to do to rebuild relationships on the Jazz. "I think he's a little frustrated that he didn't get a deal done. But you know, there's always time for that. It's a big year for him now," Williams said. KSL.com

He continued, "[Boozer] went on the radio and said he wanted to play elsewhere, but, you know, if he feels that way, I feel sorry for him. But he opted in and he's a member of this team, and regardless if you like somebody on or of the court, as far as I'm concerned, I'm going to play with them regardless, 'cause I want to win." KSL.com

James discussed his impending free agency in 2010—aka The Summer of LeBron in New York and other NBA points—the possibility of signing a short-term contract extension with Cleveland, new teammate Shaquille O’Neal and the responsibility of being a role model. “I am who I am,” he said. “I’m not perfect. I know that. I’ve made mistakes. But do you learn from your mistakes or do you continue to make them? I learn.” Yahoo! Sports

James is sporting sneakers that honor his old teammates and his time at SVSM. On the tongue of his white kicks is a photo of him, Joyce, McGee, Sian (She-awn) Cotton and Romeo Travis, their arms draped over each other’s shoulders, on senior night in 2003. Years later, the “Fab 5” is intact. “They are a gift,” James said. “The man above definitely gave us a gift because he put us all in the same place at the same time. We’re family.” Yahoo! Sports

James and O’Neal have known each other for eight years, but other than an All-Star game, they’ve never been teammates. That changed when the Cavaliers traded for Shaq in June, uniting two of the game’s dominant players—and larger-than-life personalities. What’s not to love? I’m so excited about Shaq,” James said. “Something I haven’t had in my career is a dominant force in the paint, a guy I can go to and he’s going to get us something good. He’s the most dominant force to ever play the game, and to have him on my team, I’m humbled.” Yahoo! Sports

The Hawks signed veteran center Jason Collins on Wednesday, fortifying their frontcourt rotation with another big man a week after signing Joe Smith to a one-year deal. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Atlanta has been a great team the past couple of years,” Collins said. “I’m just glad to be a part of an organization and part of a playoff team. There’s a great front office in place, a great coaching staff, a great city and great community. I’m looking forward to being part of all that.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Real quick, some background ... Moore was touched by the basketball gods last season when he was waived by the Kings on Feb. 19, then signed by the Boston Celtics less than a week later. That means he went from the worst team in the league to the defending NBA champs. What a stroke of good fortune, right? What a blessing, no? Well, not exactly. "It was tough," Moore said of the transition. "I had to leave Sac. To this day, I still do feel like they're my brothers. I've never walked out on anyone when the times get hard, and we were struggling. FanHouse.com

"It was very difficult," Moore countered. "But God works in mysterious ways. It taught me a lot. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I'm trying to bring forth that and what I've learned from that situation to the Warriors." FanHouse.com

A year ago at this time, Roy was coming off knee surgery. While he had a splendid 2008-09 campaign, averaging 22.6 points, 5.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds, he never felt 100 percent physically. Now, he says he does. “My body feels good,” he says. “It’s the best it’s felt coming into a (NBA) season. I’m really excited.” Roy did lots of biking and swimming this summer, little running and played zero basketball, all intended to take away from the pounding on his joints. “Once the season starts, the adrenaline kicks in and I don’t think about the body anymore,” says Roy, who turned 25 in July. “Then it’s, ‘Give me some ice, and when’s the next game?’ ” Portland Tribune

Dwight Howard's world tour continues this week. The Orlando Magic center got to South Africa early this morning (yesterday, Eastern Standard Time, Johannesburg is 6 hours ahead) for the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program. Howard joins Chris Bosh, Nate Robinson, Carlos Boozer and former Basketball Without Borders camper Luc Richard Mbah a Moute among other NBA players for the five-day trip. "I’ve never been to Africa, so hopefully it’ll be fun," Howard said Wednesday evening. "Pretty sure the camp will be great. Kids will have fun. I’ve been learning stuff every day that I’ve been here so I just. Just hope I’ll keep learning about Africa and some of my roots." Orlando Sentinel

In the next few days, in addition to basketball skills camps, the players will be participating in seminars about leadership, HIV/AIDS awareness and healthy living. They'll also have various community activities and a Habitat for Humanity project. Howard said a few people have recognized him, but South Africa isn't exactly a basketball country. "Soccer is a big sport here," Howard said. "But we’re trying to bring basketball." Orlando Sentinel

Ricky Rubio reiterated Wednesday that a move to the Timberwolves would be too risky, resulting in the 19-year-old guard's decision to stay in Spain. "When the season ended, I entered the draft with the intention of going to the NBA," the No. 5 overall pick said Wednesday. "But some things happened that kept me from being ahead of the rest and I ended up No. 5, which I was happy with, but it didn't allow me the chance to go to the NBA. I tried, but in the end it wasn't to be." Minneapolis Star Tribune

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Roy passed on a chance to work out with the U.S. national team at Las Vegas in July to rest his body. Nothing against his country – Roy’s priority is elsewhere. “This summer was an important one for me to take some time to get healthy,” he says. “As much as I would love to play for the USA, I want to make sure I’m healthy to start the season for the Trail Blazers, for the fans, for management and for my teammates. I owe it to them, that I’m the best I can be. “Maybe in the future, it’ll work out so I can play for the national team or the Olympic team, but I haven’t given them an answer, and I don’t want them to hold that spot for me. My first obligation is to the Blazers.” Portland Tribune

In Poland, the Serbs will be led by new captain Nenad Krstic, something that was decided by both the coaching staff and players. "That decision wasn't made just because Krstic had played more games for national team than any other called players," Ivkovic said. "It was because he has shown qualities as a player and as a person, and he has shown a rare loyalty to the Serbian squad. BritBall

Former Spurs center David Robinson has been honored at the U.S. Open tennis championships as an athlete who gave back to his community. Robinson, who will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next week, opened the Carver Academy on San Antonio's East Side in 2001. The school serves students from kindergarten through sixth grade, providing an education to children "regardless of race, creed or financial status.'' San Antonio Express-News

Dikembe Mutombo has arrived in the country with current and other former US National Basketball Association players for the Basketball without Borders programme. They arrived in the country on Tuesday night. Besides coaching clinics, the week- long programme also focuses on doing community work, life-skills projects and encourages the youth to study. Organised by the International Basketball Association and NBA, the Basketball without Borders programme starts today with Mutombo and company addressing the media in Diepsloot. Sowetan.co.za

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants the Securities and Exchange Commission to pay his legal fees stemming from the agency's insider trading case against him. In court filings, Cuban cites alleged misconduct by the agency and requests that it be sanctioned for its "bad faith." ESPN.com

Former University of Michigan and NBA basketball player Robert "Tractor" Traylor has paid only a fraction of the $178,000 he owes the Internal Revenue Service, nearly two years after he was sentenced in federal court for a felony tax conviction. Now, Traylor has been summoned to appear before U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn on Sept. 14 after the probation department complained his failure to pay or work out a written payment plan violates the terms of his probation, according to federal court records filed Wednesday. Detroit News

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