HoopsHype.com Rumors

Friday, September 25

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Marc J. Spears: nuggets sign joey graham to nonguaranteed deal. Twitter.com

The Trail Blazers have signed forward Ime Udoka, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "We're really excited about having Ime back," said Pritchard. "He played a key role in our resurgence and we look forward to adding a player of his talent, character and experience to what is shaping up to be a very competitive camp roster." Blazers.com

Brian Windhorst: According to his agent, guard Coby Karl will be in training camp with the Cavs. Twitter.com

You might remember me blogging recently that small forward Stevie Graham looked likely to be a training-camp invitee. Count on it. The remaining open question is what to do for a backup power forward. Charlotte Observer

How much longer do you see yourself playing? Pierce: My goal right now is four years. If I can continue and be productive in this league, who knows? Maybe longer. CBSSports.com

The New York Knicks have re-signed restricted free agents David Lee and Nate Robinson, two of their most popular and productive players. ESPN.com

Coach Larry Brown says the effect of Raja Bell's late-season injuries last spring was a factor in the Charlotte Bobcats' desire to add Flip Murray to the backcourt. "When Raja got hurt, it was telling that we were in trouble,'' Brown said of the late-season fade that took the Bobcats out of playoff contention. Charlotte Observer

Murray's agent, Mark Termini, said the Bobcats' willingness to pay Murray the bi-annual exception (just under $2 million this season) was a key factor in him signing in Charlotte. Brown called it "mind-boggling'' that a player of Murray's ability was still available days before training camp. Charlotte Observer

HOOPSWORLD has obtained a list of the 44 initial replacement referees indicating 24 will be former NBADL referees, 4 from the WNBA, 1 College ref, and 15 that had been fired for one reason or another from either the D-League or the WNBA. HoopsWorld.com

A former NBA referee reviewed the list of names invited to camp with HOOPSWORLD this week and said a large portion of them (more than half) are solid referees that will be getting a much deserved shot in the NBA. There are, however, some names the source labeled "a horrible official" and openly questioned how some of them made this list. So while the NBA and the Referees Union standoff on contract terms, it seems the replacements may not be as bad as players fear, but there is also little doubt that replacement officials are going to be the target of a lot of on-the-court complaining which will result in a lot of technical fouls in the pre-season. HoopsWorld.com

If there were replacement refs, what would that mean for the league? Pierce: It's real sensitive to the players. We've had professional referees for how many years? Like I was telling someone earlier I don't even know where you get replacement refs. We'd have guys that definitely don't have the experience [of] the refs who've been doing this 15, 20, 30 years who know the players, who know the rules, who know the game inside out. CBSSports.com

Pierce: Bottom line is if you put replacement players out there, the product isn't going to be as good. CBSSports.com

After more than a month at a Houston substance-abuse center, Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley acknowledged his previous failings Friday and vowed to return as a far more mature presence for his second NBA season. "It's like if somebody tells you a stove is hot, you understand that, but you don't really know until you touch the stove," Beasley said to three reporters at the team's practice facility. "And I finally touched the stove and came to realize that everything everyone told me was true." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

He insisted he has grown from the experience. "I think, over this past year, I've gotten caught up in the NBA life, as most of us do," he said. "I think this gave me the perfect opportunity to just sit down and evaluate my life and get the good separated from the bad. "But I'm ready to start the season. I'm in the best shape of my life. I gained 10 pounds. I can run for days right now. I'm just ready to start training camp." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

His apology/interview came across as sincere, a rare meaningful Beasley moment. Somewhere at that Houston rehab facility, maturity might just have kicked in. He said the stay might have been for the best. At that interview table, it seemed that way, although the presence of three media-relations staffers also spoke of potential ongoing concerns. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The Boston Celtics open training camp next week with a new roster and the same confident attitude. Forget that the Los Angeles Lakers are the NBA’s reigning champions. Paul Pierce is already predicting another title for the Celtics – provided, of course, they stay healthy. “Before the season even started last year, I was asked, ‘What is going to stop y’all from winning it all?’ ” Pierce said in a phone interview on Thursday. “The first thing I said was, ‘If we’re healthy, we’re going to win it all.’ And I’m going to say it again: ‘If we are healthy, we are going to win it all.’ “I honestly believe that. I think we’re the best team in the NBA, healthy.” Yahoo! Sports

Rajon Rondo’s improvement over the course of last season also strengthened the Celtics. Still, that didn’t keep Rondo’s name from surfacing in trade talks over the summer. “A lot of guys lose confidence when you hear trade rumors,” Pierce said. “They don’t think they’re good enough. They think they’re expendable. “Rondo’s got to understand that’s part of the business. I was making All-Star teams and still hearing trade rumors. It just goes with the territory. You got to have thick skin in this business.” Yahoo! Sports

For Thomas, this season could mean a pricy, long-term extension with the Bulls, or it could mean he should pack his bags to move onto a new team. He understands the situation, but isn't fazed by it. "I've got to come out and play whether I've got an extension or I don't," Thomas said stoically. "That's to be handled by agent, Gar, Pax, and the rest of those guys. My job is to come out here and perform." HoopsWorld.com

Noah, meanwhile, wanted to make sure everyone understood that his care-free image shouldn't be correlated with a lack of effort. "I've always been a hard-working basketball player, but my image comes off bad. I know I'm different, which means people can be quick to judge me, but I don't really care." HoopsWorld.com

Alan Hahn: Darko Milicic arrives today for his physical. Remained in Serbia to spend as much time as possible with his newborn. HoopsWorld.com

They spoke briefly during the campus visit but eventually fell out of touch after Parker decided to attend the University of Tennessee. However, they made contact during her sophomore year and the connection between the two of them was immediate. “Honestly, we just hit it off right away,” Parker told WEEI.com in a telephone interview. “Our first phone conversation we talked for seven hours, from like 11 o'clock at night to 4 or 5 in the morning. He had to go to lift weights, so that's the reason we got off the phone. We just hit it off, and that's the way it was. We had fun together, we laughed, we talked about other things besides basketball, and I think that that was the most important thing.” WEEI.com

As quick as critics were to label Williams a bust, they were even quicker in hailing Parker as a female Michael Jordan. Comparisons of their careers, however, have never fazed Williams. “Oh it's not a problem at all,” he said without hesitation. “I mean, obviously, I feel being with her, I want to help her to do the best that she can do and the best that she can accomplish. With her achieving all that stuff, that doesn't ever cross my mind. When she does well, we both do well. Like I said, it doesn't really cross my mind at all.” WEEI.com

“He was the most supportive person ever,” Parker said. “I was working out a lot during my pregnancy, and after practice was over he'd stay at the gym with me. I'd be at home and he'd make me get off the couch and go work out because he knew how bad I wanted to come back after my pregnancy. He was great about if I wanted something. Vanilla wafers were my favorite thing during pregnancy, so he stocked up on vanilla wafers for me and he was just really great. He was with me from the start to the finish. He was very into it, he made all of the doctor's visits that he could. I'd reschedule them so he could be there, so he was very supportive.” WEEI.com

“I'm very different than the stereotypical pro athlete,” he said. “I mean, I have a child and I want to be with my daughter 24/7, all the time. I want to be with my family all the time.” WEEI.com

Still awaiting official confirmation but the chatter is that Chris Bosh may be nursing a tweaked hamstring and could sit out the start of Raptors training camp next week. The word out at the foundation event this morning is that it’s a setback, not huge, but still not a great way to get the season underway. It’s unclear exactly how Bosh, who I’m told spent a lot of time this summer working on his body and his game, got himself a little banged up. But he is and now they have to deal with it. I do know he’s been in town a few days going through workouts and scrimmages with the other Raptors. Toronto Star

Luol Deng, on the other hand, had some injuries to overcome himself. He worked his tail off this season training and getting healthy—Gar Foreman told a story today about him spending so much time here at the Berto Center that he'd pack his dinner so he could get an extra evening training session in. He's gained 10 pounds and dropped 5% of body fat and, most importantly, he's healthy and ready to roll. "I feel great," Deng said. "About a month or so ago I got a pass and started working out, doing whatever I could to get in shape. I've been coming in here playing pickup with the guys, and I'm really happy to be back and really excited for the season to get going." "To be honest with you," he continued, "I'm just excited to play. I know I had an injury last year and as a player and competitor it was really tough to watch. I thought the guys did great and that we played well, but to finish the season in the playoffs and wanting to help the guys but I couldn't… I spent most of the summer thinking about it. Not the way you want to spend the summer, but I couldn't wait for the season to come. Now I want to be back on the floor. I miss competing, and I'm looking forward to it." HoopsWorld.com

Jerome James says he's 8-12 weeks away from returning from his Achilles injury. Twitter.com

The last thing I expected to see today was Jerome James in uniform, but there he was by golly, smiling and talking up a storm. He's not in the greatest of shape, obviously, but he does plan to play this year. His reasoning behind that decision, as opposed to retiring as had been suggested in the offseason, was a little surprising. "My kids," James said. "My son is about to be 14 years old and he loves the internet. They're starting to read things that are untrue about me. So I decided that if I'm going to go out, I'm going to go out on top. So I decided I was going to get back and get healthy and play basketball again so at least when I'm done my kids can say, 'He came back from that? The guy has to love the game.' HoopsWorld.com

Are the Nets being sold for a song? The answer appears to be yes, according to bankers and experts who track the valuations of sports teams. Mikhail D. Prokhorov’s $200 million investment for 80 percent of the Nets and 45 percent of the team’s proposed arena is just one-third of what the team and arena are worth, according to Michael K. Ozanian, the national editor of Forbes, which compiles an annual list of professional team valuations. New York Times

“On a macro level, the N.B.A. has a few teams in trouble,” Ozanian said, referring to the Nets, the Charlotte Bobcats and the Memphis Grizzlies, among others. “The more time went on, the more Ratner was dealing from weakness.” New York Times

Prokhorov is making deeper inroads. “The Russian is taking on a lot more risk for the potential of greater reward,” said Marc Ganis, president of Sportscorp, a Chicago-based sports consultant who helped Huang buy into the Cavaliers. “He’s getting a good deal on the team, but he’s taking on a great deal of risk with the arena and with debt.” New York Times

A judge Friday found Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard guilty of speeding but not guilty of racing in connection with an August 2008 incident in which Howard was clocked doing 95 mph on U.S. 421. Howard, a former Wake Forest University basketball star, was given a 30-day suspended sentence and ordered to pay a $200 fine plus court costs, according to the Forsyth County Clerk of Court. MyFox8.com

Free-agent guard Flip Murray has reached an agreement in principle to join the Charlotte Bobcats, his agent, Mark Termini, confirmed to ESPN.com. Murray and the Bobcats have a one-year deal at the NBA's bi-annual exception of $1.99 million, with a formal signing forthcoming as early as Friday, sources said. ESPN.com

It is believed the team had some interest in former Cav Flip Murray before Thursday when he agreed to a contract with the Charlotte Bobcats. There are several other veteran guards who are without jobs as the league prepares to open camps Monday. Cleveland Plain Dealer

With the Denver Nuggets having lost out on free-agent shooting guard Flip Murray to the Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday, sources told FanHouse the Nuggets are now looking strongly at small forward Ime Udoka. FanHouse.com

Meanwhile, Szczerbiak, who had been linked earlier in the summer to Denver, is still looking for a job. "Yes, the economy has affected the market, there's no question about it,'' Szczerbiak said in an interview Thursday with FanHouse. "I just have to take my time.'' FanHouse.com

Szczerbiak said earlier Thursday that Denver remains an option for him. Before it was learned about Charlotte's agreement with Murray and the Nuggets' interest in Udoka, he was asked if believed he was Denver's backup choice behind Murray. "I really have no idea at all,'' said Szczerbiak, who averaged 7.0 points last season with Cleveland and has a career average of 14.1. FanHouse.com

Sczcerbiak was asked if he is willing to miss the start of training camp while waiting for the right situation. "We'll see,'' he said. "I'll have to weigh everything.'' FanHouse.com

Kahn put Daniels in the same category as traded-away Quentin Richardson and absent Mark Blount. Daniels, 34, was acquired from New Orleans earlier this month mainly because Kahn opened more cap space for next summer by trading Darius Songaila and the two years remaining on his contract away. Daniels wants to play significant minutes so he score another sizable contract next summer, a prospect that, barring injury, isn’t likely with the Wolves committed to Jonny Flynn and Ramon Sessions at point guard. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

He said he would trade Daniels to a team where he can play more — as he did by dealing Richardson to Miami for Blount — if he can get a similar expiring $6.6 million contract in return. Kahn said he believes helping players in that situation if possible is a bit of goodwill that eventually will benefit the franchise with other players down the road. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

There were various radio reports today about Chucky Atkins coming in on a tryout basis for the exhibition season. Nobody I talked to with the Pistons would confirm this report. The training camp roster will be released Monday on Media Day. Obviously we'll know more at that point. Frankly, I don't see how Atkins would fit here. The Pistons are set in the backcourt. I would think there would be better opportunities for him somewhere else. Detroit News

The Cavaliers are just days away from opening training camp but may not be done with their roster. The Cavs are considering adding another guard to the mix, according to multiple league sources. They have been making calls on some remaining free agents and testing the trade-market waters to see who might be available. Cleveland Plain Dealer

However, Jackson is 36. While he has always played around 20 minutes a game, his points-per-game average fell below 10 for the third consecutive season. Depending on which source you read, Jackson has been mentioned to be headed to the Celtics or the Suns. Whichever route he takes, he will probably have to earn a job with a non-guaranteed contract. He will have to prove he still has flashes of brilliance. Here's hoping he has some spring left in his step, another season in him and that he is properly honored by the Kings when he retires. Sacramento Bee

Adrian Wojnarowski: The Celtics continue intrigue with vet forward Mike Sweetney's comeback and will likely bring him to camp, sources tell Y! Sports. Twitter.com

Adrian Wojnarowski: Sweetney has fought weight issues and still needs to shed more pounds. Minny and Indiana also have interest. Twitter.com

Any update on the contract talks? Lester Hudson: Not recently. We should be talking soon, and hopefully it will be positive. I think I've got a really good chance. The Celtics have told me they might bring in another point guard or two – probably a veteran – so I just have to go out there and prove myself to be the best option the Celtics have. I have a whole lot of confidence in my game that I'll be able to outplay any veteran they might bring in. CelticsTown.com

Two weeks after Miami Heat President Pat Riley said the team may have to hold veteran center Jermaine O'Neal out of some practice sessions this season, the team added two more big men to its roster for training camp. With O'Neal likely to be given time off during two-a-days to rest his legs, the Heat has added former San Antonio Spurs center Anthony Tolliver and Georgia Tech rookie Alade Aminu to its roster for camp, which opens Monday at AmericanAirlines Arena. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Jordan said former Temple guard Dionte Christmas has a legitimate shot to make the team. Philadelphia Daily News

McClinton's father said Thursday the Spurs had interest in sending his son to Europe for a season. Instead, the streak-shooting guard requested San Antonio release him to allow him to pursue free agency. "They kept making it more and more obvious," Jack McClinton Sr. said. "Signing Keith Bogans was basically the last straw. He thought he could go in and unseat those guys, but they continued to sign other guys." McClinton had signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Spurs on Sept. 14. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Marc Berman: Lee agrees to $8M deal. Love the $500,000 incentive clause based on playoffs. Exactly how I figured Walsh wanted it. Twitter.com

But in reality, Walsh was hardly generous. Bartelstein had sought a six-year deal at $10 million per, but found no takers. Portland feared the Knicks would match a long-term offer but they would not have. "You can make the argument they didn't have to do that and you can make the argument he's worth more than that," Bartelstein said. "There was never quite like the circumstances he faced as a free agent -- restricted, base-year compensation, playing for a team going under the cap the following year. "Everything you can possibly imagine was going on at the same time. They did something at the end of day they didn't have to do." New York Post

"New York needs to get back to where they were,'' Robinson said during an appearance for the release of the NBA 2K10 video game. "Donnie has a plan, he's on a mission and he's doing everything according to his plan. I told him I'm not trying to mess nothing up.'' Newsday

Robinson, who averaged a career-high 17.2 points per game last season, went to Walsh at the start of free agency and said he didn't want to leave and was open to a one-year deal. So his agents, Aaron and Eric Goodwin, did not actively pursue offer sheets or sign-and-trades. "Everybody knows I want to be a Knick,'' he said. "This is the place I've wanted to play my whole life.'' Newsday

Finally, Michael Lee stepped forward and put himself out there to Ernie Grunfeld. [Note: The next question isn't verbatim what Lee's asked. I honestly don't remember how he phrased it]. "So ... uhh about Gilbert Arenas' recent comments in the Times about his injury rehab." "Obviously you get frustrated when things aren't going well. The bottom line is that he's healthy." Someone else (again not verbatim): "Uhh ... could you possibly elaborate?" "I've talked to him about it, it was a small part of the bigger conversation he had, but that's in the past. We've learned some things from it probably and he's learned some things from it probably. The bottom line is that he's healthy, he's feeing good and we're going to move forward from it." BulletsForever.com

"Our relationship is strong. He has a very competitive nature," Grunfeld said. "This is my seventh year with Gilbert. He was the first guy I signed when I first got here. He was only 19 years old at the time. I've seen a great change in him over the years. ... I haven't seen him this excited in a very, very long time. He's excited about what's going on. He's about the environment; he's ready to get going." Washington Times

Stephen Curry knows Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson is famously tough on rookies. Curry also knows his college exploits will only make him a target for NBA veterans hungry to beat up on a wispy 21-year-old. And, yes, he understands that adjusting to life in the league far away from the only home he’s ever known carries its own pressure. But Stephen Curry also doesn’t care. “I think I will be Rookie of the Year,” he said. “I have that kind of confidence in myself. … I’m not afraid to say it.” Yahoo! Sports

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Rudy Fernandez: "I want to have a bigger role with the team and play more minutes than I used to, because in the minutes I got I think I've done pretty well and I have to continue growing as a player." Ultima Hora

Wright struggled last season, playing spotty minutes at shooting guard and both forward positions. He averaged two points in four of the five games in last season's first-round playoff exit against Denver. "He can play both positions (small forward and shooting guard), but right now I want him to get totally comfortable at small forward, " Scott said. "That's something we did during summer league. That's the only spot I want him to play, so he can get comfortable, that it becomes second nature." New Orleans Times-Picayune

Hornets forward Ike Diogu said he has been in New Orleans the past two weeks trying to get acclimated to the city and his teammates before training camp begins. He has participated in volunteer workouts. Scott said he plans to play Diogu at power forward and occasionally at center. "They (Hornets) didn't give me any guarantees, but they said if I just come here and do what I'm capable of doing, then at the end of the day, I would be happy with everything, " Diogu said. New Orleans Times-Picayune

Training camp is less than a week away. What's your mindset going into the camp? Lester Hudson: I'm very excited. I'm ready to show everybody that I can play, run a team, and learn the offense. My biggest task is going to be learning the plays, watching Rajon Rondo and learning everything he does. I need to learn how to execute the best way I can, so I'm just going to watch Rajon a lot and listen to everything the coaching staff has to say. I just want to play my heart out. Everybody's excited, we all just want to compete against each other; everybody loves to compete. We want to go to war with each other, and you gain the trust in each other to compete against other team's while you're competing against yourselves. We all just want a ring, and I'm trying to come in, play hard and try to learn something. As you know, it's my first training camp, so I'm really excited to see what it's going to be like. CelticsTown.com

Charlie Villanueva: Hey guys, it's like Day #14 for me in Michigan and I'm sill unpacking and dealing with the moving transition. I could hire help, but I usually like doing everything myself. It's hard to trust someone unpacking your personal stuff. My brothers are here with me, Rob & Rob. Yesterday. Twitter.com

Eddie Jordan, on Elton Brand: "He's looked terrific, no hiccups. He'll have a lot of opportunities around the basket." Philadelphia Daily News

Paul Harris’ chance to prove he belongs in the NBA took a painful turn for the worse this week. When the Utah Jazz open training camp Saturday, the Niagara Falls native will be on crutches. Harris called longtime mentor Sal Constantino on Wednesday and told him he injured his ankle playing pickup games with several Jazz players. He had been in Utah since Saturday. “He said it’s a severe sprain,” said Constantino, who was an assistant coach for the 2005 Niagara Falls High School basketball team Harris led to a state championship. “He’s getting treatment, but it looks like he could be out a while.” Niagara Gazette

Nuggets coach George Karl confirmed Thursday that he has not yet been offered a contract extension, following a season when Denver advanced to the Western Conference Finals. Karl has one season remaining on his current contract, and it appeared at the beginning of the summer that Karl would get an extension. Denver Post

After three years of a largely successful retooling of the Rockets' roster and the team's first playoff series win in a dozen years, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has signed a contract to remain with the team, multiple individuals with knowledge of the deal said Thursday. The contract will keep Morey, 37, with the Rockets through the 2012-13 season, according to one of the individuals familiar with the contract. Houston Chronicle

"As in the case with all contracts with coaches, I feel they deserve my silence," Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said Thursday. Karl said that except for advance scout Jack Murphy, who took an assistant's job at the University of Memphis, Karl's entire staff is coming back, including his confidant Tim Grgurich, who considered taking an assistant's job with the Clippers, who are coached by his friend Mike Dunleavy. Jesse Mermuys has been promoted to advance scout, following a season as Denver's assistant video coordinator. Denver Post

Expect (Kahn) to soon announce a reconfigured front office that will reassign such employees as Jim Stack and Jerry Sichting in a beefed-up regional scouting system intended to prepare the team for next summer’s free-agency period. Fred Hoiberg and Rob Babcock could get new titles, but look for them to remain in the front office. Minneapolis Star-Tribune

You worked in the Trail Blazers organization for ten years. Any reflections on your time in Portland? Mark Warkentien: This guy is the absolute best; he was terrific to me and my family for a decade...People in Portland do not understand just how good of an owner he is and - in my opinion - is underappreciated in the Rose City. His commitment to the success of the franchise is a matter of record and he has an excellent basketball mind; this guy knows the game. He asks great questions and challenges all to be better...Success in any organization starts at the very top and it is not an accident that the Blazers have an excellent roster and are positioned for substantial future successes. BlazersEdge.com

And if Ratner's opinion matters to Prokhorov, then Nets president Rod Thorn has nothing to worry about once the Russian billionaire - who agreed to purchase 80% of the Nets on Wednesday - takes over control sometime early next year. "As the principal owner, he will have the ultimate say on who's hired, what trades are done and so on," Ratner said of Prokhorov. "My guess is he will run the team much like I do, which is Rod Thorn is an absolute expert and probably as good a basketball person as there is. So what I did, and I'm sure he will do the same, is listen to what Rod has to say." New York Daily News

That sale, in April 2008, came just before the financial crisis struck the Russian stock market, pummeling Prokhorov’s oligarch brethren while leaving him with billions in cash. He is now considered to be Russia’s richest man, and appears to be largely back in favor. “He’s worked very hard to get back in with the government,” said Rob Edwards, a mining analyst at Renaissance Capital, an investment company partly owned by Prokhorov. The Courchevel arrest, Edwards said, “was pretty embarrassing for him.” “He’s desperate to be taken seriously again,” Edwards added. New York Times

He has done this in part through his patronage of Russian athletics, a high priority for Vladimir V. Putin, a black belt in judo, who has acted as athlete-in-chief throughout his decade in power. Prokhorov is president of the Russian Biathlon Union, financing the popular winter sport that combines skiing and sharp shooting. He also sponsors amateur athletics. He is fit enough to do back flips on a jet ski, a video of which he recently posted on his blog. And basketball clearly is a passion. New York Times

“The guy has a way about him, a vision,” said Messina, who coached for Prokhorov for four years at CSKA Moscow, a top Russian club. New York Times

But while Prokhorov may sound like Mark Cuban on growth hormones, Messina said he had not attached himself to his teams in the way Cuban has become a staple around his Dallas Mavericks — and a behavioral thorn in Stern’s side. “Never saw him in the practice gym, only at Euroleague games, where he’d be in the first row with a CSKA jersey and his name on the back,” Messina said in a telephone interview from Spain, where he will coach Real Madrid for the 2009-10 season. New York Times

“Everything we did was like an N.B.A. team,” Messina said. “We always had one of the top two budgets in the Euroleague. We were chartering 99 percent of our flights all over Europe. The arena was built for the 1980 Olympics, but he made it really nice, locker rooms just like the N.B.A.” New York Times

“But Prokhorov’s philosophy is very simple. He says, ‘I select the specialists, they do their job and at the end I evaluate.’ In the four years I was there, he never made a call on basketball.” New York Times

Russian tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov's bid to buy the New Jersey Nets was called "unpatriotic" by a member of his country's upper parliament chamber's sports committee. "I can't consider this action as anything other than unpatriotic," sports committee member Aslambek Aslakhanov said on Thursday, according to the state news agency RIA Novosti. "We also have talented children here, but sports isn't being developed. They're not trying in order for us to return to our former sports ranking of best in the world." PhilStar.com

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