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Tuesday, September 8

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The 76ers have agreed to terms with forward Rodney Carney, this according to a source familiar with the situation. Carney, 6-foot-7, has agreed to a 1-year deal. Previously, Carney spent two seasons with the Sixers: 2006-07, 2007-08. In July of 2008, Carney was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he played last season. Philadelphia Inquirer

C.J. Watson makes his offseason home in Las Vegas so he knows a little something about gambling. Apparently, he's going to roll the dice. Two NBA sources confirmed that Watson will soon take a one-year qualifying offer from the Golden State Warriors worth $1.05 million. What that means is Watson said no to a three-year contract from the Warriors worth $5.4 million. FanHouse.com

How imminent is this deal, is it that close: Chris Wallace: “I like to never say that a deal’s a deal until it’s a deal if you know what I mean. Do you have everything signed and on paper. We had a very productive meeting yesterday where both sides got to know each other and what are expectations were…we go to hear Allen out and he got to hear us out and I thought it went pretty well.” Sports Radio Interviews

Last year Iverson said he’d rather retire if I’m not starting, does Iverson come to Memphis thinking he’s starting: Chris Wallace: “He would come in like any player. He’d come in to camp, compete, get on the same page with the coaches and your other teammates and you take it from there. He indicated to us that he justs wants to come in and help the team out, to get better, to win, and he’ll shine during the process. I think Allen Iverson is going to be very fine with whatever role he would end up fulfilling in Memphis. I also think too much is placed on starting. There’s 48 minutes in an NBA game. There’s an awful lot of minutes out there for a number of players. The old coach said it’s not who starts, but who finishes too. He knows where we’re coming from, we know we’re he’s coming from and I think this is going to be a very productive marriage.” Sports Radio Interviews

Riley said the Heat's salary-cap position has him confident of success in 2010 free agency. "We have more flexibility than any team that has a perceived max player," he said, alluding to Wade, who also can be a free agent next summer. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Riley said he no longer expects Wade to discuss a contract extension this season. "We're just going to ride the wave, until probably July" he said. "There's no prodding; there's no demands." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

He said at least one more big man will be added by the start of training camp, possibly Blazers free-agent power forward Shavlik Randolph, who was one of several big men to receive recent tryouts. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

He said adding a veteran point guard is not a priority, "I don't want to waste another roster spot on a point guard that's never going to play." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

He said he felt most of his offseason personnel work was done once Yakhouba Diawara and Chris Quinn invoked their contract options and once Jamaal Magloire and Joel Anthony were re-signed. "I don't want to add more pieces to the team," he said. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

He reiterated that due to luxury-tax concerns, a trade is more likely than a free-agent signing. "The only way we're going to be able to add is to subtract," he said. "If something is going to happen, it probably happens via a trade." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The Jazz had been the favorites to sign Nichols while he still was represented by Bill Neff, but Nichols has since changed agents and is believed to be headed to another team, possibly Indiana. Even though they couldn't land Nichols, the Jazz are presumed to be in the market for a wing, especially if Matt Harpring is forced to retire. Salt Lake Tribune

Michael Beasley is in daily contact with the Miami Heat and is working out under the direction of team personnel, with plans of being with the team when training camp begins later this month. Speaking about Beasley for the first time since the 20-year-old entered a Houston rehabilitation facility last month, Heat president Pat Riley said Tuesday that he's "confident ... very confident" Beasley will have a strong season for Miami and insisted he still strongly believes in the No. 2 overall pick from the 2008 draft. "I was told this by somebody: Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future," Riley said. "You can't put yourself above and beyond anybody. We all have periods where things haven't gone our way for whatever reason, and we've all had an opportunity to grow. Because of what's happened in the past, we hope there's growth spurts for him." ESPN.com

Several Heat teammates offered their support quickly through Twitter posts and reaching out to those in Beasley's circle. Riley said Dwyane Wade, the team's best player and the NBA's reigning scoring champion, was among the first Miami players to send Beasley a message. "I'm not going to forgive anybody's transgressions just merely because they're 20 years old," Riley said. "I think when you become a professional basketball player, a lot of things come at you a lot quicker than normal. There's a lot of things you may be able to handle or not handle." ESPN.com

"The last thing I'm going to do now is judge him harshly on what has happened," Riley said. "I think we're going to get a great year out of Mike. We're in contact with him every single day." Riley said the goal remains for Beasley "to play a prominent role, a bigger role than he played last year." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Riley, though, said the slip-up that moved Beasley to an inpatient program and re-set the 30-day clock on his treatment, can't be written off to youthful foibles. "I'm not going to forgive anybody's transgressions because they're 20 years old," Riley said. As for rumors that Beasley's lack of maturity has created concerns from Heat guard Dwyane Wade, Riley said such speculation is an insult to his team leader. "I think the last thing any player in this league wants to do is judge somebody else," Riley said. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

And regarding NBA stars getting beaten by "regular people" (the tape-confiscation fiasco and my brother schooling Devin Harris) he had these words: "It may happen. BUT...I'm gonna let you guys know something - there will be more guys getting dunked on than dunking on LeBron, and there will be more guys losing to Devin Harris in a one-on-one than him losing to somebody else." So, would he like to prove that by taking on Stuart when he's over for the Olympics in three years time? "The 11 guys I bring over with me - let him get 11 guys and we'll prove to him what real game is." Basketball 24/7

Count Barry as a big Kobe believer, even during the days of the post-Shaq era when backing Kobe wasn't fashionable. "You heard all the garbage about Kobe being so selfish," said Barry. "Those people had no clue. Kobe shows up every night and is a great competitor. He tried to do too much early on because he didn't have the confidence in his teammates. It made him look selfish, but he wasn't. Once Kobe got Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher back and Lamar Odom started playing the way he's capable of playing, he adjusted. He respected those guys. I was so happy for Kobe this season. I admired his professionalism and commitment." NBA.com

"Put this down and underline it: I'm a huge LeBron James fan. But he was never taught how to shoot properly, which isn't his fault. He has a flaw in his shot. I want to see him become even better, and this guy is scary good. He just needs to become a better shooter, especially from the free throw line, where he's less than 80 percent. I believe there were times when LeBron didn't even want to get to the line." NBA.com

One way or another, he must unearth a reliable teammate for tight situations, someone he didn't have against Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals. In their championship rounds, Barry had that player in Jamaal Wilkes. Kobe found Fisher, a certified big-shotmaker. LeBron's answer might be Mo Williams, finally, or newcomer Anthony Parker, if not the Big Fella. "You need someone to count on," Barry said. "No way we would've won without Jamaal." NBA.com

Andrew Bynum is “doing well”, “feels great” and apparently did not hook up with Orlando’s Dwight Howard over the summer, according to his agent, David Lee. Bynum had mentioned during the NBA Finals that he might train with the Magic center. Lee said Bynum has been working out in Atlanta all summer, where he has an established training base and the place he has migrated to during the off-season for the past several summers. That’s also why there has been no sightings (or stories) of the young Lakers center in and around L.A. the past three months. “He’s doing great, he’s fine, there aren’t any problems,” Lee said Tuesday. He was referring to Bynum’s troubled knees. Orange County Register

Dickau said it appears Webster’s "explosiveness is back." Dickau referenced a dunk attempt by Webster on Blazers center Greg Oden during a recent pick-up game at the team’s training facility. "It was a pretty darn athletic move," Dickau said. Columbian

France took care of Germany yesterday in the opening round of Eurobasket. France captured the 70-65 victory behind a late scoring flurry of Tony Parker, who scored 11 points in the games final few minutes. Ian Mahinmi only played 4 minutes for Les Bleus, and this morning brings a possible explanation for his short minutes. Ian Mahinmi apparently strained his hamstring while securing a rebound during yesterday’s game. 48 Minutes of Hell

We’ve spoken with Bouna Ndiaye, Ian Mahinmi’s agent, and can confirm that Mahinmi strained his hamstring during last night’s game against Germany. Mahinmi has undergone an MRI and both Les Bleus and the Spurs are awaiting the results. According to Ndiaye, Mahinmi’s injury is “nothing major,” and, although he will not play this evening against Latvia, hopefully he should be able to play again in a couple of days. 48 Minutes of Hell

Whilst no earth-shattering revelations emerged from our chat, there were a few interesting nuggets. When we discussed London 2012, I asked LeBron how confident he was of Team USA retaining their Olympic gold medal. "Very," he said with a deliberately smug look, drawing laughs. "I love you guys, but you guys aren't going to get the gold medal from us! It's going to stay in the States, I'm sorry." Basketball 24/7

The Idaho Stampede have hired Bob MacKinnon as the team's seventh head coach. MacKinnon led the Colorado 14ers to the NBADL Championship in 2008-2009. MacKinnon comes to Boise with a long collegiate coaching resume, most recently as an assistant at Marshall University. He's also coached at the University of North Carolina, part of the 2002 coaching staff that oversaw an 18-game winning streak. MacKinnon left UNC in 2003 for Marshall, but was credited with helping recruit players to the Tarheels that contributed to the team's 2005 NCAA National Championship. KBCI CBS2

The prospect of replacement referees calling NBA games for the first time since 1995 is looming larger by the day after the latest negotiating session between the current refs and league executives broke down Tuesday. The NBA's most recent contract with its 60-plus referees expired Sept. 1 and Tuesday's bargaining session in New York was called to an abrupt halt by commissioner David Stern, according to one source with knowledge of the talks. ESPN.com

One source said Tuesday that the referees have proposed a reduction of $2.5 million -- roughly $700,000 away from the NBA's target -- but added that the refs are bracing for a lockout at this point after Stern "shut [Tuesday's] meeting down." The source said: "We anticipate that there will be replacement refs." ESPN.com

The same source had previously stated that one motivation for the NBA taking such a firm stance is to demonstrate the hard-line approach that some owners are pushing for in collective-bargaining talks with NBA players that began earlier this month. The NBA's labor pact with its players expires after the 2010-11 season, but the sides have opened negotiations much earlier than normal in a bow to a difficult economic climate that has prompted numerous teams to curtail spending. ESPN.com

Jazz fans will likely be surprised to learn which former NBA star will present Jazz coach Jerry Sloan at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony. And they'll probably really be stunned to find out who will be John Stockton's presenter. Sloan asked Charles Barkley — who always had a fun rivalry with the Jazz during his career with the Sixers, Suns and Rockets — to introduce him at Friday night's event. Even more shocking: Former Detroit Pistons great Isiah Thomas, who was not exactly a favorite foe for Jazz basketball fans, will present Stockton for the Hall of Fame festivities. Deseret News

Michael Jordan had his pick. Dean Smith. Phil Jackson. Maybe even his good friend Charles Barkley. Each would have been an understandable choice to present Jordan during his induction Friday into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith was Jordan’s legendary coach at North Carolina. Jackson helped guide Jordan to six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls. Barkley shared the role of rival and running buddy. Jordan passed on all of them. Instead, he chose someone who had never coached him or played with or against him. He chose David Thompson. The former NBA high-flyer who had starred at North Carolina … State. Yahoo! Sports

“I got a call from the Hall of Fame and they asked me if I was willing to be a presenter for someone,” Thompson recently told Yahoo! Sports. “I said, ‘Yeah.’ I didn’t know who it was. … They said Michael Jordan. I was like, ‘Wow.’ He told them that he was a big fan of mine and I was the one that really inspired him. Being that there was so many North Carolina people he could’ve chose, I was honored. “I was kind of surprised, and also was really flattered that he chose me over Coach Smith. You know how important he is?” Yahoo! Sports

“Even when I go out to speak, that’s how they introduce me, ‘Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan,’ ” Thompson said. “Charles Barkley once said, ‘[Thompson] took the game to the air. … He got people out of their seats.’ I saw a lot of my game in Michael Jordan’s game.” Yahoo! Sports

Memphis Grizzlies officials met with Allen Iverson on Monday in Atlanta, but have yet to reach agreement on a contract with the free-agent guard, sources with knowledge of the meeting said. Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley, coach Lionel Hollins and general manager Chris Wallace attended the meeting. The source said there isn’t a timetable for Iverson to make his decision. Yahoo! Sports

"Our meeting went well," Wallace said via text message Monday evening, "and now we will see what comes next." NBA.com

Miami and Charlotte have also looked at Iverson, but the Heat seem to have gone in another direction. Charlotte's interest may be stunted both by negotiations by owner Bob Johnson to sell his controlling interest in the team (a new owner certainly would not want to accept a hefty pricetag for a player like Iverson) and the team's ongoing discussions with restricted free agent guard Raymond Felton. Felton and the Bobcats are far apart on a new contract, and the team can't go forward on Iverson until it knows one way or another what will happen with Felton. NBA.com

Alex Kennedy: Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, and Miami Heat have all shown interest in unrestricted free agent Rashad McCants. Twitter.com

Cypriot team Keravnos Strovolou inked for the coming season Ira Newble. Former NBA player signed during the summer a contract with Aris Thessaloniki but he did not land in Greece due to bureaucratic reasons. Sportando

Going into free agency, were you expecting to change teams? Ben Gordon: After I signed my one-year deal with the Bulls, that same day I knew that could very well be my last year with the team. Or it could be the the start of something new. Going in, I had an attitude that I was going to expect any and everything – whether it be re-signing or moving to a new team and playing with new teammates. I really didn’t believe one thing was going to happen more than the other. HoopsHype.com

Tell me a little bit about how the free agency process was. Is it true that the Bulls never made an offer? Ben Gordon: Yeah, it’s true. You know, I think the level of interest that the Pistons had and they showed was far greater than that of the Bulls. Most teams in that situation, if they want to re-sign a player like myself in the situation I was under, they’d be very clear about it even before free agency started. But as days got closer, I realized the Bulls weren’t interested in re-signing me. Once July 1 came, the feeling I had was true. They didn’t make an offer. I visited Detroit and that evening I pretty much made my mind up that’s where I wanted to be. HoopsHype.com

Did it make you feel bad that the Bulls, the team you had led in scoring several years, didn’t show more interest in re-signing you? Ben Gordon: Yes and no. After being there for five years, I had a great understanding of how the organization operates. I had a better understanding from the inside, that people on the outside don’t see, of how things work. And at the end of the day, it’s a business. Everybody in that position is going to make the decision that they feel is the best business decision. As a basketball player, obviously with everything I’ve done here and the potential of the future with this team, to not be made an offer is kind of a slap in the face. But from a business standpoint, I fully understand why everything happened the way it did. I don’t have any bad feelings. It’s time to move on and start a new chapter in my career. HoopsHype.com

According to Sports.pl, on September 19th, the day before EuroBasket’s final games, NBA superstar Allen Iverson will be in Poland to participate in a three-point contest. As of this writing, Iverson still doesn’t have an NBA team, but is reported to be in last-minute conversations with the Memphis Grizzlies. Interbasket

Bucks forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute delivered a heartfelt message to the campers at the Basketball Without Borders camp in South Africa last week. Mbah a Moute told some of Africa's top basketball players that they could reach their goals, even possibly play in the NBA. Just six years ago, Mbah a Moute was a camper himself in the inaugural event in Johannesburg. "It was huge for me, to tell them what the camp did for me," Mbah a Moute said in a phone interview. "To see them soak it in, it was good for me. They were very attentive and asking a lot of questions." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Kyle Lowry: Damon jones seriously for real no joke might be the funniest dude in the world! Twitter.com

The Portland Trail Blazers have confirmed to Blazersedge that Jeff Pendergraph has injured his left hip and will undergo surgery this Wednesday. A timetable for recovery will not be known until after the surgery. Pendergraph has not yet been signed by the team. With 12 players already under contract, Pendergraph was slated to be the 13th, and possibly final, roster addition. It's unclear how or if this injury will affect his future with the team. BlazersEdge

Serbia used a stingy defense to upset world champion Spain 66-57 on Monday on the opening day of the European basketball championship. Looking like one of the formidable Yugoslav teams of old, the young Serbian squad without any NBA stars thoroughly outplayed a lackluster Spain, clamping down on a Spanish attack led by Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol. "I think tonight my team absolutely deserved this victory," coach Duzan Ivkovic said. "We won with extremely great defense." ESPN.com

After a cold first half, Spain still couldn't find its shooting touch after the break, making just just 2-of-19 from behind the arc and 54 percent from the line for the night. Serbia's lead was never less than eight points in the second half. "They played a very good game, especially on the defensive end," Spain coach Sergio Scariolo said. "Our shooting percentages were tonight really low. So offensively we struggled, part due to the good defense of our opponent, and part we missed very, very open shots and free throws." ESPN.com

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The European Championship began Monday and Britain is playing. Why did you decide to pass on playing for the team? Ben Gordon: I made up my mind and I’m definitely on board to play for Great Britain. But I didn’t want to make a commitment as far as when I was going to play till I felt that I was totally committed to that cause. I want to go there when I’m ready and this summer to me was about getting situated and moving from Chicago to Detroit. I wanted to have everything in order in my life before going overseas and representing the country. HoopsHype.com

On Monday the Maine Red Claws named Randy Livingston and Mike Procopio assistant coaches for the upcoming inaugural season. Procopio, 34, has deep ties to the Boston Celtics organization. He spent four years as a scout for the Cs before working as an assistant at Boston Amateur Basketball Club under Leo Papile, the Celtics Assistant Executive Director of Basketball Operations. He developed a reputation as one of the top development coaches nationwide as Director of Basketball Operations for Attack Athletics in Chicago and has trained players including Paul Pierce, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade. WEEI

Today though, Robert is known as Coach Pack. After spending last season in the NBA Developmental League as an assistant coach with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Pack recently joined Byron Scott’s coaching staff as an assistant with the New Orleans Hornets. “It’s definitely something I’m excited about and I’m looking forward to it. It’s something I knew I wanted to get into and that I had a feel for,” said Pack, who played for Scott in New Jersey. Beyond The Beat

“I’m pretty sure I’ll have a roll in working with these guys defensively and spending the extra time discussing what they can expect from the game.” Beyond The Beat

Jazz fans, in large part, have loved Sloan. He has his critics, who say he wears down young players and that he's inflexible. They also point out he has never won a championship. He is acutely aware of that and admits as much. "I haven't won a championship, so there's not too much fond stuff to think about," he says. He calls Stockton — who will also be inducted this weekend — "second to none" and Malone a player who "made himself into a Hall of Famer" through his dedication. Deseret News

The New Jersey Nets are the first NBA team to sell a practice jersey sponsorship, which will put the logo of PNY Technologies on practice uniforms this fall. The company, a flash-drive manufacturer based in Parsippany, N.J., also bought the naming rights to the Nets' practice facility in East Rutherford, N.J., to be called the PNY Center as part of a two-year sponsorship agreement. Brett Yormark, president of Nets Sports & Entertainment, refused to comment on the value of the sponsorship. PNY officials would not disclose the specific value but said they are paying in the low six figures for the overall team deal. Sporting News

Tim James apologized for being late. A rough day at work, said the Miami Heat's 1999 first-round draft pick. Vehicles broke down, problems flared up, and he simply fell behind. "It happens," James said. "Even here." Even on the front line of the Iraq war. A former NBA player who often wondered about his true calling, Tim James is now a U.S. Army soldier, a transformation even many people closest to him never saw coming. "I got my degree, lived the life I was able, have my freedom and became a professional athlete," James said last week from Iraq. "I'm the example of the American dream." TBO.com

"In life, we all have different desires and needs," said Leonard Hamilton, James' college coach, now coach at Florida State. "With the passion he has, he had to go fulfill this. I'm in total support of Tim and what he's doing. He's at peace. All we can do is hope he comes back safely." TBO.com

NBA star Shaquille O'Neal makes the leap from basketball to boxing tonight as he enters the ring to fight Oscar De La Hoya. The two go five rounds in an exhibition match at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas for O'Neal's series, "Shaq Vs." If you're placing bets, consider these facts: O'Neal is seven-foot-one and tips the scales at 325 pounds, while La Hoya is five-foot-10 and 154 pounds. ABC

"I feel very good here. I love the atmosphere," Monfils said after the match. "It gives me energy." He's certainly a fun guy to watch. Those are just a few examples. He also said after the match he's picking the Denver Nuggets to win the next NBA title. Newsday

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