HoopsHype.com Rumors

Thursday, October 22

Visit the HoopsHype.com Forums to discuss the latest news and rumors in the NBA / You also can check out rumors from back in the day in the Rumors Archive

When he heard the criticisms from his former friend Magic Johnson in a soon-to-be-released book, Isiah Thomas said he'd had enough. And so he began to fight back. "I'm really hurt, and I really feel taken advantage of for all these years,'' said Thomas, the Hall of Fame point guard and former NBA coach and executive, most recently with the Knicks. "I'm totally blindsided by this. Every time that I've seen Magic, he has been friendly with me. Whenever he came to a Knick game, he was standing in the tunnel [to the locker room] with me. He and [Knicks assistant coach] Herb [Williams] and I, we would go out to dinner in New York. I didn't know he felt this way.'' SI.com

Much of their story involves Thomas, who as captain of the Detroit Pistons served as a primary threat to the championship ambitions of Bird's Celtics and Magic's Lakers. The book offers revelations that have stunned Thomas. Magic addresses years of rumors by finally accusing Thomas of questioning his sexuality after Johnson was diagnosed with HIV in 1991. Magic also admits that he joined with Michael Jordan and other players in blackballing Thomas from the 1992 Olympic Dream Team, saying, "Isiah killed his own chances when it came to the Olympics. Nobody on that team wanted to play with him. ... Michael didn't want to play with him. Scottie [Pippen] wanted no part of him. Bird wasn't pushing for him. Karl Malone didn't want him. Who was saying, 'We need this guy?' Nobody.'' SI.com

"I'm glad that he's finally had the nerve and the courage to stand up and say it was him, as opposed to letting Michael Jordan take the blame for it all these years,'' Thomas responded during one of several interviews he gave to SI.com on Wednesday. "I wish he would have had the courage to say this stuff to me face to face, as opposed to writing it in some damn book to sell and he can make money off it.'' Thomas, who is the first-year coach at Florida International in Miami, confirmed that MacMullan attempted to reach him for comment six months ago, but he declined through his publicist to speak with her. SI.com

Thomas vehemently denied that he had gossiped behind Magic's back, pointing out that he knew better than to engage in such hurtful talk. "What most people don't know is, before Magic had HIV, my brother had HIV,'' Thomas said. "My brother died of HIV, AIDS, drug abuse. So I knew way more about the disease, because I was living with it in my house.'' His brother, Gregory Thomas, died five years ago, Isiah said. "Magic acted and responded off some really bad information that he got,'' Thomas went on. "Whatever friendship we had, I thought it was bulls--- that he believed that. Let me put it to you this way: If he and I were such close friends, if I was questioning his sexuality, then I was questioning mine too. That's how idiotic it is.'' SI.com

The book's main source for this allegation is Magic's longtime agent, Lon Rosen, who says Thomas told him in 1991, "I keep hearing Magic is gay.'' "C'mon, Isiah, you know Earvin better than anyone,'' Rosen replies. "I know,'' Thomas answers, "but I don't know what he's doing when he's out there in L.A.'' On Wednesday, Thomas denied that conversation. "I don't know Lon like that,'' he said, adding that he reached out to Johnson at the time. "I remember calling Magic and saying [of the allegations that he was rumor-mongering], 'You know that's some bulls---.' '' SI.com

Thomas insisted he felt too much sympathy for Magic to be spreading rumors about him. "I felt awful for him; I felt awful for everybody,'' Thomas said. "But I knew enough at that time that he didn't have to retire. The 'blood' thing we do in the NBA -- where we stop the game because of blood on somebody's shirt and all that ceremonious stuff -- we're not stopping HIV/AIDS that way. We still do it out of some insane fear that came about when Karl Malone and everybody was saying they weren't playing if Magic was playing.'' SI.com

Instead, Thomas said he helped make it possible for Magic to return in 1992 to the All-Star Game. "They weren't going to let Magic play in the All-Star Game; all the players were coming out [against him],'' Thomas said. "You know how that all got turned around? I had a meeting with all of the players -- because I was president of the players' association -- and I told them not only was he going to play, but we were going to shake his hand and give him a hug. And I was the first to shake his hand and hug him and give him a kiss, to let people know that's not how the virus is spread. "And you can go back and check at the players' association. Call Charlie Grantham [the former union executive director and COO] and ask him how Magic got to play in the All-Star Game. Ask him who called the meeting.'' SI.com

And that's why the rush to buy out Hughes' $13.6 million salary, just to get him off the bench. Before last night's 94-92 win over the Nets in the preseason finale at the Prudential Center, Donnie Walsh scoffed at reports that suggested a buyout could be on the horizon. "Just because you guys write it," Walsh said, "doesn't mean we're going to do it." Newsday

"I'm not getting into that," D'Antoni said. "If you want a story, write the story. I'm going to play the guys I think I need to play to win. He knows that, everybody knows that. But I can't get into every nuance and every little thing. I'm not going to comment on that stuff." Newsday

The Suns have been interested in center Jarron Collins so a report in the (Portland) Oregonian that he will come to Phoenix for a tryout makes sense. The Suns appear apt to sign him if one of the 17 teams ahead of them in the waiver order does not claim him first. Collins, who played eight years in Utah, will be waived Thursday by Portland and head to Phoenix. Collins, 30, is 6 feet 11 and 249 pounds and averaged 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in his career. With Robin Lopez out until late November, Phoenix does not have a true center and would be interested in Collins as a smart player who can guard the bigger centers. Arizona Republic

The Dallas Mavericks have waived Jake Voskuhl. The Mavs signed the journeyman free-agent center Sept. 28 and announced his release Thursday. CBS11 TV

The Oklahoma City Thunder has waived forward Michael Ruffin, cutting the team's roster to 16 players. Thunder General Manager Sam Presti announced the roster move on Thursday jsut hours before Oklahoma City's final preseason game against the Sacramento Kings. USA Today

The Charlotte Bobcats have waived combo guard Dontell Jefferson, trimming the roster to 15. Jefferson had an unguaranteed contract for this season, so the Bobcats don't owe him anything going forward. Charlotte Observer

The Charlotte Bobcats went ahead Thursday and waived Antonio Anderson, trimming the roster to 14 spots. Charlotte Observer

76ers General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has exercised the third-year contract option for forward-center Marreese Speights and the fourth-year options for forward Thaddeus Young and forward-center Jason Smith. Philadelphia Inquirer

Ron Artest on how close he was to signing with the Cavaliers: “Wow it feels like it was just yesterday. Seems like it was just yesterday. It was a great experience, I guess it was really, really close…I don’t want to get too deep in to the conversation because I didn’t talk to LeBron about this…but it was a really cool conversation. It was cool to speak to LeBron about opponents. It’s good to speak to your colleague every now and then. That was just the reason that we spoke, seeing if we were going to play with each other. But my agent said it was the first team to call, I didn’t know who wanted me at the time or what the other organizations were thinking at that time. You know, I didn’t think the Lakers were interested and they called at 12:01 and I was like wow, the Lakers called. So we didn’t even really think about talking to other teams. The only other option I had was Greece. I really wanted to go to Greece but when the Lakers called, I kind of forgot about Greece.” Sports Radio Interviews

Ron Artest on why he was interested in playing in Greece: “That was like one of my first options. I really wanted to go to Greece and my other option of course was Houston. But I’m not really sure what happened with Houston. Because I went to Greece like seven years ago, I got a couple friends out there and I knew I’d like the culture and kind of grew attached to Greece and always wanted to play there.” Sports Radio Interviews

Kevin Ding: Here's one excerpt from Kobe interview that didn't make the main feature. About his 2007 trade demand: "I really didn’t want to leave here.” Twitter.com

And then there's DeShawn Stevenson, who'd wear his particular badge of honor if he could, except it might get lost among all the tattoos, which crawl up his neck. "I think I'm the most hated player in the league," he said. "In fact, I know I am." NBA.com

Stevenson is an aggressive player with an edge sharpened during a hard-knock life in Fresno, Calif., and he makes no apologies for that. He won't hesitate to get under someone's skin, if he feels it gives him an advantage. His ritual of running his hand across his face after making a big shot will also annoy some fans and players. "Sometimes I do things that are kind of crazy," he admits, "but that's my thing." NBA.com

Brad Miller made a joke about how he’s trying to help Joakim Noah but quickly gave up on guiding the third-year center’s mental approach. When it was Noah’s turn to speak, he feigned anger at Miller’s “cheap shot” and for the second time in preseason, called Miller a duck. Why? No one is quite sure. Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Howard attributed his free-throw troubles to overthinking. He said he worked on free throw shooting more than any other skill during the offseason and often has success when he's shooting them in non-game situations -- before, after or during practice. "I want to make it so bad that I put too much pressure on myself when I’m shooting in the game," Howard said. "The guys said they’re going to start joking with me, [to] keep my mind free of the free throw itself." Orlando Sentinel

For one day, the Derrick Rose questions can cease. The second-year guard practiced for roughly 40 minutes of the Bulls' 21/2-hour practice Thursday. "I felt good," Rose said. "I was kind of mad they took me off early. But they were looking out for me and playing everything with caution. I could've practiced the whole practice but they told me they didn't want me sore (Friday)." Chicago Tribune

Bucks officials have said Alexander has a strained hamstring, although it is now believed the hamstring is at least partially torn. Alexander had a bitterly disappointing rookie season after being the eighth overall pick in the draft. Alexander played in 59 games last season but didn't start any of them. He wound up averaging 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. Racine Journal-Times

If first impressions mean anything, Russian billionaire playboy Mikhail Prokhorov’s attempt to become majority owner of the New Jersey Nets and move them to Brooklyn appears to be a slam dunk. Russia’s richest man won over many NBA owners last night at the St. Regis Hotel in Midtown during his inaugural meeting with league brass about his plans to buy 80 percent stake in the Nets from developer Bruce Ratner, a source said. "Everyone seemed excited over the love he has of basketball and the unlimited amount of money he can inject into the game," the source said of the closed-door session. "He can also do a lot to boost the presence of Eastern European talent in the league." New York Post

After leaving the hotel, several NBA team owners – including Knick owner Jim Dolan – also declined comment about what was said at the meeting of the league’s advisory and finance committee in which Prokhorov was introduced. Prokhorov must gain approval of at least 23 of the NBA’s 30 owners following an extensive league background check given to prospective new owners. A formal vote has yet to be set but league owners are set to meet again today on a variety of issues. With an estimated fortune of $9.5 billion, Prokhorov is famed for his lavish playboy lifestyle. He was questioned - but not charged - in a prostitution investigation in France in 2007. New York Post

Adrian Wojnarowski: Memphis and Rudy Gay have gotten nowhere on extension talks with Oct. 31 deadline looming. Grizz haven't even made an offer, source says. Twitter.com

The Grizzlies’ Rudy Gay is another player who has played very well in his first three seasons. However, the Grizzlies are notoriously tight with money and the word is that their early offers to Gay have been “underwhelming.” No surprise there. ESPN.com

Griz forward Rudy Gay insisted Wednesday that he isn't consumed by the possibility of signing a contract extension before the Oct. 31 deadline. But Gay's eyes widened when he learned that another member of his 2006 draft class had reached an agreement. Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge reportedly will receive a five-year deal worth up to $70 million. "I'm happy for him," Gay said. "He's in position to take care of his family for the rest of his life." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Gay said his representatives have not discussed dollar amounts with the Grizzlies. "I know my worth," Gay said. "But we haven't gotten to that point. I've told my (agent) all I want to do is say 'yes' or 'no.' " Memphis Commercial Appeal

While there's still a chance that the two sides agree to an extension, a source close to the process told me it's unlikely. Rondo wants All-Star money and the Celtics aren't convinced he'll handle a five-year guaranteed deal well. It’s a classic maturity-vs.-talent battle that the Celtics may ultimately lose. ESPN.com

Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge is nearing a five-year extension with the Trail Blazers, the player said Wednesday night, but the details of the deal have yet to be worked out. Yahoo! reported that Aldridge reached a five-year deal worth approximately $70 million, and sources told The Oregonian the deal is for five years and $65 million. Aldridge said his agent and general manager Kevin Pritchard are still working on the deal. “It’s very close,’’ Aldridge said from Vancouver, B.C., where the Blazers will play Phoenix in a preseason game Thursday. “It should be done soon.’’ Oregonian

Another layer of adversity was added to Ime Udoka’s NBA career on Wednesday, when the Trail Blazers informed the Portland native that he would be waived on Thursday in favor of injured rookie Patrick Mills. “I’ve been through a lot in my career, and after all I’ve been through, I kind of thought these times were behind me,’’ Udoka said. “But I’m not going to sit around and be depressed. I’ve worked this hard and put in the work, and I have to be ready for the next opportunity. All I can do is hope one comes up.’’ Oregonian

Udoka said he is hoping to sign on with another team, and is awaiting word from his agent, Mark Bartelstein, who has been talking to other teams. Udoka said some potential suitors could be Oklahoma City, Denver, Sacramento and Utah. “I’ve prided myself on being ready,’’ Udoka said of his five-year NBA career, which has included stints with the Lakers, Knicks, Blazers and Spurs. “I felt I played well enough when I did get the minutes this preseason.’’ Oregonian

Although Tony Gaffney is the last man standing among the Lakers' rookie free agents, the former UMass star remains a long shot to make the opening night roster. He would cost the Lakers twice the NBA rookie minimum of $457,000 because they are already well over the luxury tax. "I do think he has a future in the NBA," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Maybe not with our team, but definitely in the NBA." Riverside Press-Enterprise

The Nuggets were high on high-flying dunker James White, but he ultimately couldn't get ahead of Joey Graham and couldn't get on the court in the preseason, and so Denver waived White today. White averaged 7.3 points per game in the preseason, but he didn't play in recent games, not even in Denver's Tuesday blowout against Minnesota. Denver Post

The Kings waived forward-center Melvin Ely and guard Lanny Smith. The moves leave Sacramento with 14 players on the roster. That total includes injured swingman Francisco García, who is out at least four months after surgery on his fractured right forearm. Ely played in the first two exhibition games for a total of five minutes. Smith played three minutes in the exhibition opener at Portland. Sacramento Bee

The Orlando Magic have waived shooting guard Morris Almond, the team announced after its 117-87 win over the Indiana Pacers tonight. Almond signed a non-guaranteed deal on September 16th, hoping to make the final roster with a strong showing in training camp and in the preseason. Third Quarter Collapse

Dan Dickau was released by the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. Dickau, a Vancouver resident, averaged 2.8 points and 1.4 assists in five preseason games with Phoenix. "We knew to make the team would probably be tough, because we knew they were probably only going to carry 13 (players)," said Dickau, who starred at Prairie High School and Gonzaga. "And that’s a decision that they ended up sticking with." The six-year NBA veteran played for the Blazers in 2003-04 and 2006-07. Dickau said he plans to take a few days off from the game, and then consider his options. He stated that he could try out with another NBA team or attempt to play in Europe. Columbian

But with just 10 days to go before the deadline, it looks like the Class of '06 will set an all-time low. Blame some of it on the economy. Blame the rest on what's turned out to be a very weak class. "There just isn't the money that there used to be," one prominent agent told ESPN.com. "Teams aren't handing over guaranteed deals the way they used to." Countered an NBA GM, "Have you looked at the draft class? How many of the guys drafted that year deserve extensions?" ESPN.com

Cavaliers guard Delonte West didn't play one minute in the preseason. However, Cavs coach Mike Brown said he'd have no hesitation playing him in the regular-season opener on Tuesday — if the guard gets medical clearance. "Think back to when we made the trade," Brown said. "We made the trade and he started at point guard the next day. "I'm laid back with that kind of stuff. I don't have much concern." Morning Journal

Cavs center Shaquille O'Neal said he's still getting familiar with the offensive terminology. "He's coming along well," Brown said. "We're trying to put him in different spots on the floor, sometimes in pick-and-roll, sometimes on this block, sometimes on the elbow. "We want to move him around so people can't hone in on where he is all the time." Morning Journal

Before the game, rookie guard Danny Green was busy making a baton on the orders of O'Neal. He constructed it with two tennis balls and a piece of plastic wrapped in athletic tape. Asked why he was doing it, Green didn't even look up and answered, "Shaq told me to, I don't know why and I'm not going to ask." Cleveland Plain Dealer

According to Bryant, he and Jackson have maintained a connection all through their turbulent past. “It was like that before,” Bryant said. “We had our spats. And he wrote his diary, and everybody gets pissed off at some point or another. But we’ve always been in tune. It’s pretty crazy. It really is. It comes from the fact that I grew up playing in his system. I learned my concepts from him. So we’ve always been right there.” Orange County Register

“It’s just a more open relationship,” Bryant said. “A lot of people are just sitting around, waiting for the thing to implode or something. I think there’s kind of like this energy between us where we know what we need to do. So we don’t need to say anything. It’s some real Jedi (stuff).” Bryant laughed, adding: “It’s just vibin’ out. We’re there.” Orange County Register

These days, Jackson will say Bryant got a “bad rap” for the breakup of the dynasty. “Kobe had to take some heat for that, as if he was the one who manufactured that (O’Neal) trade,” Jackson said. “All those things were made to look like there was a scapegoat in this situation, and there wasn’t.” Kind words do not, according to Bryant, convey that message as well as Jackson’s action - which was, simply, to return to his place as Bryant’s coach. “It says a lot,” Bryant said. “When everything went down a few summers ago, everybody was pointing the finger at me because I re-signed. So people asked me about it and I told them, ‘I had nothing to do with it.’ They didn’t believe me. Orange County Register

As much as Jackson might like O’Neal’s good heart, Jackson admires Bryant’s killer instinct. Odom calls it “the mentality of a pit bull.” “Kobe helps me too, because if I’m ever lying back too much, him trying to get open or him fighting wakes me up,” Odom said. “Kobe’s game is like smelling salts. If you’re lying back, he’s going to get you up. He’s the best player I’ve ever played with.” Orange County Register

Bryant has no qualms with a life philosophy that says the sharper your edge, the more likely your axe sticks at the mountaintop - even if you leave some people behind in the snow. “Having my type of personality weeds people out very quickly,” he said. “People understand immediately if they relate to me or if they don’t. I don’t settle for losing, I don’t settle for second place. I just do not like it; I do not accept it. “Some people out there do. Some people say, ‘You know what? As long as you gave it your best effort.’ Me? ‘OK, I gave it my best effort. Well, that wasn’t good enough, so I need to do some more.’ People who ride with me are people who have that same kind of mentality.” Orange County Register

On his 2004 free agency and the departures of Shaquille O’Neal and Phil Jackson: “I didn’t expect them to move Shaquille. Shaquille is Shaquille. I was like, ‘I completely understand. I will go someplace, if that’s what I choose to do, and I’ll play there.’ But it was never a matter of ‘Can I co-exist with Shaquille or with Phil?’ It was never a matter of that. It was just a matter of me wanting a different challenge or not a different challenge. That’s basically what it was all about. It had nothing to do with, ‘Can I co-exist with either one of them?’ People who think that, look at three rings. You can’t win three rings and not co-exist with somebody. It’s ridiculous.” Orange County Register

On his sexual-assault case: “You can’t really put into words what we all had to go through. It was a terrible time. There’s just no other way to put it. But it made us stronger. It made me stronger, that’s for sure. Everybody has their crosses to bear, their crosses to carry. If you look at what other people go through — people lose children, people die, all this other stuff. So by comparison, the cross I had to bear was miniscule. I still have my family; we all have our health; we’re all here. It’s just that for a moment in time, things were very difficult. But you come out of that and the sun’s still shining.” Orange County Register

"He can average anywhere from 15 to 20 points," forward Lamar Odom said of Bynum's regular-season prospects. "He's been so efficient. He's a great free-throw shooter, which will help." Los Angeles Times

"You ask me questions like that and I rarely say yes," Jackson said. "There were about four or five defensive things that really got to me [Tuesday against Golden State]. That's where I want to see improvement. Offensively he's doing great, he's dunking the ball, getting that ball to the basket . . . but those defensive things have got to change." Los Angeles Times

How good do you think this can be this year? Monta Ellis: We’re a whole lot better than people think we are. The biggest thing about it is that everybody in the camp is dedicated. Everybody comes to practice every day to try to make each other better. We’ve got that team bonding. We go out to eat. We hang out. That’s what we were missing the last few years. We’ve got that back. I feel we’ve got a great opportunity. A great team. Great coaching staff. See if we can put all that together and see what comes out of it. San Jose Mercury News

Is it tough to see Stephen go through all this in public? Monta Ellis: It is. But you go through it, you handle it the right way, you deal with it, put it behind you, be a bigger man. And that’s what he’s been doing—being the bigger man, keeping his mouth closed, just going out doing what he needs to do. San Jose Mercury News

Al Horford: Some of my comments from the radio interview I did yesterday with 790 the zone were overblown. I was joking. Twitter.com

Al Horford: Paul Pierce and I did not make a bet during the playoffs in 2008. I do not bet on basketball or any other sports. Twitter.com

Speights also grabbed a total of 22 rebounds. The Sixers’ brass is more than pleased with his production. “If you are doing per minute, he’s got to be one of the top guys in the league,” general manager Ed Stefanski said. “It’s preseason, so you temper your feelings, but the kid has played really well.” CSN Philly

Alas, the biggest issue with Dalembert is also a concern with Speights: Focus and consistency. "He has the game," said the Sixers' Andre Iguodala. "That's never been a problem. The biggest thing with Marreese is staying consistent on the rebounding and defensive end. He gets lazy sometimes on defense, so we stay on him. He's a big, goofy guy. I don't think he knows how good he really is yet. "I kind of compare him to Amar'e [Stoudemire]. Not as powerful, dunking on guys, but they both can step outside and make a shot and you can throw lobs to them. They have the exact same sort of skill set, but they both have been known to be sub-par defenders even though they have the capability to be good defenders." NBA.com

Tyson Chandler: My last blog I wrote about heading to Charlotte, and now, I'm here. Obviously I didn't know what to expect, being traded. The only time I'd ever been to Charlotte was when I played against the Bobcats. I didn't really know much about the city. Tyson hitting a jumper against the Bucks on Tuesday night (Getty Images). But my dad, my brother and sister live here in Charlotte, so when I would come out here, I'd go out to dinner and do things with them. Still, that's not really a depiction of the city. But I was excited because I have family out here. So it would give me an opportunity to be around them and feel a little bit more comfortable. Tyson Chandler

Tyson Chandler: When we got out here, we found a nice house and got settled in. Immediately from there everything has gone smooth because the people in Charlotte are really nice and welcoming people. It's a very family oriented city so it wasn't hard at all. We had neighbors bringing us cakes and cookies, local kids stopping by and baking cookies. It felt really warm and it was simple to ease into the situation. Tyson Chandler

Tyson Chandler: I definitely feel like we have the players to make a run at the playoffs. It would be huge for this city and this franchise. The franchise is six years old and they've never been to the playoffs before. It will be a great opportunity this year for us to take this team to the playoffs and get our feet wet. The goal has to be for everybody to get to the playoffs. Tyson Chandler

Larry Brown is still trying to figure out not just what he has as the Charlotte Bobcats approach the start of the regular season next Wednesday but who he has. Brown and the Bobcats are still waiting to find out whether shooting guard Raja Bell will require surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist suffered Sunday in a loss to the Utah Jazz. Bell plans to seek a second opinion to determine whether he needs surgery, which could sideline him for four months. It's possible Bell can avoid surgery and be available for the Bobcats, who were counting on him in the relatively near future. Charlotte Observer

"We still don't know what the right course of action is," Brown said after practice Wednesday. "Kobe (Bryant) played with a similar situation all of last year. We're going to get a second opinion. "My thing is I asked the doctors if he keeps playing will he get worse and they told me, basically, no. But it's got to be his decision." Charlotte Observer

Mike Dunleavy: I expect to get back on the court this week and start progressing my way back up to practicing with the team and eventually playing. I've really had to develop a lot of patience throughout this process but even more so in the last couple weeks. I'm at the point where I could definitely play but I'm being held out for precautionary reasons. NBA.com

After Solomon Jones fouled Dwight Howard in the fourth quarter of the Magic's 117-87 win over the Indiana Pacers, Howard remained hunched over clutching his face for a few minutes. Vince Carter walked over to check up on him and Howard stayed bent over for a little longer squinting and trying to get his eye to feel better. Howard's eyesight was flickering in and out on his right eye. When he spoke to us after the game, the white part of it was bright red. "It was blacking out when I was on the court," Howard said. "I was trying to tell coach I really couldn’t see. I tried to finish out as much as I could before we got a sub in there." Orlando Sentinel

Howard joked around a little about it after the game, saying he might need to start wearing an eye patch. "Call me Patch Howard --. arrrgggg," he said, channeling his inner pirate. What about goggles like Amar'e Stoudemire, who suffered a detached retina last year. "Nah, I might wear the Bo Outlaw goggles in memory of Bo," Howard said. Orlando Sentinel

Don’t know if MSG showed it, but across from the Nets’ bench was a contingent of prospective owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s reps and advisors. The Russian billionaire wasn’t here, but members of the Onexim Group were and from what we heard they were impressed with the Prudential Center itself, went outside and saw a line of people waiting for tickets and liked the in-game entertainment. There were 15,721 fans here and it was a late arriving crowd. President Barack Obama was in the area, leading to some snarled traffic. Bergen Record

NBA.com today announced a new live web show called The Jump hosted by former Orlando Magic player Dennis Scott and NBA TV host Kyle Montgomery. It will air on Tuesdays throughout the 2009-10 season and include participation from fans including fan-submitted videos. It joins NBA.com Fantasy Insider along with a variety of video content on the league site, which is powered by Turner. NewTeeVee.com

Yao Restaurant, which gets its fame from people believing it is connected with Chinese NBA star Yao Ming, closed last Friday, leaving dozens of unpaid, stunned employees standing around outside. The restaurant is behind in its obligations nearly 100,000 yuan ($15,000), local media reported. People's Daily

Six-foot-seven NBA legend Reggie Miller is "fearing for his safety" and has gotten a restraining order against Alex von Furstenberg, claiming the wealthy aristocrat tried to fight him and run his car off the road. "Knick Killer" Miller, as the ex-Pacer was known, alleged he suffered "fear and distress" when von Furstenberg confronted him Oct. 17 as he sat in his car outside a café in Malibu, yelling, "I will beat you down." New York Post

A source said Miller and von Furstenberg "met in a lawyer's office this summer. Reggie said he didn't want any trouble, and they shook hands to resolve the issue. So Reggie was shocked when Alex hired the plane. "Reggie didn't get an order of protection until now because he didn't want the publicity. The confrontation in Malibu was the final straw. Alex just won't let it go." New York Post

Angelo Musi, 91, of Bryn Mawr, who captained the first professional basketball team in Philadelphia and went on to be a vending company executive, died Monday at home. In 1946, Mr. Musi joined the Philadelphia Warriors in the new Basketball Association of America, now the NBA. Philadelphia Inquirer

Any rumor missing? E-mail us at hoopshype@hoopshype.com.