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» Update: 09:32 PM ET |
 The man who brought James to Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, Keith Dambrot, is now the head coach at the University of Akron. When Dambrot left after James' sophomore year to return to the college ranks, Dru Joyce took over as St. V-M's head coach. Both were asked Wednesday about various reports that James could opt out of his Miami Heat contract and return to Cleveland, making good with the franchise -- and the city -- he left in the summer of 2010. Neither wanted to say too much. Neither thought the idea seemed far-fetched. "With LeBron," Dambrot said, "anything is always possible." Said Joyce: "Nothing could surprise me at this point, and it wouldn't surprise me if he came back here, either. This is home. I think he has an affinity for this place. He's been around the world, he's seen the world, he can live anywhere. He loves Akron." FOXSportsOhio More titles -- emphasis on plural -- is ultimately what both Joyce and Dambrot say will drive James' future career decisions, too. "I really don't know if he thinks about Cleveland, or if this is way premature," Dambrot said. "I haven't talked to him much lately. I usually only call when things aren't going well, and he's playing very well right now. I think LeBron is a unique individual. He's going to do the right thing. Whatever he eventually decides to do will be the best business decision, the right thing for him and his family. FOXSportsOhio Cousins has received three suspensions this season – the NBA suspended him two games for confronting San Antonio Spurs broadcaster Sean Elliot after a game, and another game for hitting Dallas guard O.J. Mayo below the belt; and the Kings gave him another one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team after a halftime confrontation with Coach Keith Smart. “I talked to him all the time. Just tell him to keep his head,” Wall said. “Sometimes, certain things don’t go his way. Sometimes you get suspended, sometimes you get bad fouls because you’re a physical player and you’re bigger than a lot of guys. Just keep playing through them. Whenever he’s on the court, he’s doing a great job when he’s not in foul trouble or suspended.” Washington Post "You want a guy to be more focused," Horry said, pointing to LeBron James' no-nonsense demeanor in last season's playoffs. "That's the kind of guy you want, someone who's focused, not fun-loving." At first, Howard bristled and refused to get drawn into a war of words with Horry, but went on to say that he is going to continue to be himself. Orange County Register Howard wasn't smiling after hearing what Horry said, as related to him by a reporter Wednesday. "I'm going to continue to be me," Howard said. "This made me successful the last nine years. I'm not going to stop smiling. This is what I do for a living and if you have a problem with me smiling, we can go talk about it. "I get paid a lot of money to play basketball. I'm doing something that teachers and doctors and police officers and fireman should be getting a lot for. But I'm getting paid for it so I'm going to have fun. I don't care who has a problem with it. "[Horry] had his time. His time has come and gone, so don't try to tell me how to play. I think it's stupid. I never judged him on how he played. Just because I smile and have fun, that doesn't mean that I don't take this game seriously. I don't want anybody to ever get that twisted. I came here to win championships and I came here to dominate, but I'm going to do it with a smile on my face." Los Angeles Times Steve Kyler: A couple of pre-game notes: Indiana Pacers looking forward to Danny Granger's return, will add more punch... Danny said he's getting close. Twitter @stevekylerNBA |
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» Update: 07:06 PM ET |
 When asked Monday during the Los Angeles Clippers’ shootaround in FedExForum to assess the latest rumors surrounding a possible trade involving Gay before the February 21 deadline, Paul, as he customarily is with the media, was forthright about the subject. “Rudy is one of my closet friends,” Paul told reporters. “Rudy was at my wedding. His fiancé and my wife talk every day. So they’d be crazy to get rid of Rudy.” Memphisport Arash Markazi: Kobe on LeBron saying the Heat had it harder 2 seasons ago: "What does it matter? What does he want, a cookie for that?" Twitter Peter Stringer: KG says it "means a lot" if he winds up being voted in by fans as a starter for February's All-Star game. Starters are announced tomorrow. Twitter @celtics Ryan Wolstat: There's no cold war or anything going on between Raptors front office and coaching staff for those asking me. Just differing views about PG Twitter @WolstatSun KC Johnson: Asked Thibodeau if he'll join Twitter since Scalabrine did: "Oh God. No chance of me joining. And I'm sorry to hear that about Scal." Twitter @KCJHoop Rock Gaming Chairman Dan Gilbert announced Wednesday that he has acquired a majority interest of the Greektown Casino-Hotel in downtown Detroit. Gilbert, founder of Quicken Loans and the Cleveland Cavaliers owner who triggered the building of the Horseshoe Casino in Cleveland, moved his Quicken Loans headquarters to downtown Detroit. His family of companies are expected to help lead a revitalization of the city's urban core. "Our plans are in the early phases," Gilbert said in a news release. "However, we envision significant investment in the Greektown Casino-Hotel, as well as the enhancement and growth of the existing entertainment district. Cleveland Plain Dealer David Stern is sitting in an office overlooking Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. He is thinking about England. He is thinking about football. The NBA commissioner, one of the most powerful men in American sport, is talking about the set up of the Premier League, or what he calls ‘the EPL’. “Good luck with Financial Fair Play rules,” he says with a mischievous chuckle that makes it obvious he does not envy his friend Richard Scudamore. “We deal with that issue through the salary cap and through revenue share. But then the EPL punishes failure and the NBA rewards it. “If you fail in the EPL, you get relegated. If you fail in our league, you get the first pick in the draft. “It is an interesting starting point if you want to intellectually examine the underpinnings of various sports.” Mirror.co.uk |
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» Update: 06:00 PM ET |
 Multiple rival executives confirmed that the Hawks have participated in trade conversations with several teams regarding Smith, a 27-year-old game-changing defender when engaged. CBSSports.com Among the teams that would appeal to Smith are Dallas, Houston and Memphis, a league source told CBSSports.com. The Grizzlies, in the midst of establishing the value of Rudy Gay on the trade market in the face of massive luxury tax bills on the horizon, are not among the teams that have spoken with the Hawks about Smith, one of the sources said. Despite owner Mark Cuban's comment this week that "the bank of Cuban is open," the Mavs also have not yet expressed interest in trading for Smith, another source said. CBSSports.com "I want to be clear that I'm not pushing a trade," Prather said. "This is not a trade request or anything, but there are frustrations in Atlanta." CBSSports.com Josh Smith's agent spoke with Hawks general manager Danny Ferry on Wednesday to discuss what he characterized as "a lot of frustration" with the team's recent spiral, but stopped short of making a trade request. "As far as moving forward and whatever changes will be made, that's more so management's job to field those calls and make the decisions they feel like are best to move forward," Smith's agent, Wallace Prather, told CBSSports.com. CBSSports.com While Prather made it clear that Smith is concerned about how the once-hot Hawks have rolled over in losing six of their last seven games and seven out of nine, neither he nor his client has asked for a trade. Smith will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, and barring an unlikely departure from Los Angeles for Dwight Howard or Chris Paul, would be among the top players on the unrestricted market. "I do know there are teams interested," Prather said. CBSSports.com  According to two people with knowledge of the situation, the Miami big man who has been playing for Sioux Falls in the NBA Development League is being called up and will rejoin the Heat in Los Angeles on Thursday in time to be available for their game against the Lakers. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team had not yet announced the decision. USA Today Sports Marc Stein: Hearing more NBA names bound for D-League to get back on radar: Hilton Armstrong to Santa Cruz, Josh Boone to Iowa & Rasual Butler to Tulsa Twitter @ESPNSteinLine  Dwyane Wade and center Chris Bosh during a late comeback bid that ultimately fell short against the Utah Jazz. Wade was curt in his postgame comments that night, saying, "Coach makes the calls. I'm just the player." That triggered speculation that the star guard and coach were at odds, as many perceived was the case during their playoff blowout during last season's Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers. South Florida Sun-Sentinel But just as that blew over on the way to an NBA championship, so were Monday's issues in the rearview mirror by Wednesday morning. "It's the frustration of losing," Wade said Wednesday of being brusque with Monday's postgame comments. "I think the fourth quarter is overblown. I went to the bench in the fourth quarter, we were down 19 points. That team did a hell of a job of coming back and making it a game. "Obviously, you want to play. But I could never be mad at my team for coming back and making a game of it. So it's other frustrating moments, throughout playing, and throughout the game, that, as a player, a player of my caliber, that you get frustrated at." South Florida Sun-Sentinel Wade insisted he did not partake in the ensuing noise. "Like I said, I don't watch it, good or bad," he said. "I didn't get a chance to watch the Dwyane Wade Show yesterday." But he did post on his Twitter account Tuesday morning, "The high road . . . Isn't always high . . ." Asked for a clarification, Wade, in a far better mood Wednesday morning than Monday night, said, "I can't give you every Twitter I put out, man. Read between the lines like I do every Twitter. "It just came from my mind. A lot of stuff could be up there." South Florida Sun-Sentinel  As the uncertainty surrounding Rasheed Wallace's left foot injury lingers, members of the New York Knicks organization fear Wallace will be out for an extended period of time, possibly for the entire season, two league sources told ESPNNewYork.com. ESPN.com When asked Wednesday about returning to the court, Wallace said, "It's not my call." One source said Wallace is having trouble pushing off on his left foot. "It's not looking good," the source said. ESPN.com Then, we have a big man at Bucknell who's been opening eyes among NBA scouts in 6-11 senior center Mike Muscala. According to BU sports info director Jon Terry, scouts from the Clippers (at Cornell), the 76ers (at Bucknell) and several groups of others (at Loyola, MD and Missouri) have come to see Muscala in the past several weeks. PennLive.com Diligent work in the weight room has developed a body type not naturally muscular. And Muscala credits a 2-week stay last summer at the IMG Academy's NBA pre-draft camp for rising seniors as a factor in his stamina and strength this season: “I think I learned a lot about taking care of my body. And I got a chance to play with some guys who are in the NBA right now – Larry Sanders [Bucks], Kendall Marshall [Suns], Moe Harkless [Magic] – and some other guys who didn't get drafted. “Good competition, but also I learned about the importance of taking care of myself – what I eat, methods of recovery, things like that.” PennLive.com (Rasheed Wallace) wants to coach in high school when he will retire. Why not in NBA? "There's too much divas!" Basket USA Another lawsuit has been filed against the planned professional basketball and hockey arena in Seattle’s Sodo neighborhood. The latest suit states that the arena plan violates Initiative 91, according to The Seattle Times. The initiative, which Seattle voters approved in 2006, said the city must make a profit on any investment in a sports facility. Seattle attorney Cleveland Stockmeyer filed the suit last week on behalf of Mark Baerwaldt, who drafted I-91. It’s the second suit against the $490 million arena that San Francisco hedge-fund manager Chris Hansen and others are proposing. Hansen and his group hope to bring the NBA back to Seattle. Business News |
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» Update: 04:01 PM ET |
 Jose Calderon has been a subject of trade discussions for several seasons and the clock is ticking on a potential trade from the Toronto Raptors with the point guard having an expiring contract. “Maybe it’s going to be more than usual,” Calderon told RealGM. “It’s been usual for a while now for a few years.” RealGM According to Calderon, his agent has not spoken with him about any potential deals to this point. “I prefer not to,” said Calderon. “Unless if there is something he’s going to call, we’re going to talk about it. If he’s not calling, there’s a lot of things out there. He’s better just to leave it there and don’t talk about it because at the end of the day there’s nothing good, it’s just rumors.” RealGM Calderon has not made any decision where he wants to play next season and will evaluate the situation when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. “I think it’s too soon,” said Calderon. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know if I’m going to get traded or not because of my contract situation. Let’s see what happens when we finish the season. I think the summer is going to be the time to think about it, all the pros and cons, in every situation.” RealGM  Ronald Tillery: Griz now in a "holding pattern" re: possible trades. No serious talks;nothing imminent. Team expects serious offers closer to Feb21 deadline Twitter @CAGrizBlog Chris Tomasson: Swingman Guard Corey Brewer would like to re-sign with the Nuggets when he becomes a free agent this summer. “Yeah, I’d like to be here,’’ Brewer told FOX Sports Florida. “I like the fans, I like the city, I like the system, I like George Karl’s system, I like my teammates. So it’s a good situation for me.’’ Sulia So how do the Suns sell the approach to their fans? "I think you've got to do it (by) saying that obviously this season isn't going the way we anticipated, and now we're in a situation where we've got to start looking to the future," Gentry said. "And if we're looking to the future, we've got to play young guys and get them in a situation where we figure out exactly what we have for the future, and see if they can show improvement for the next 30 games or whatever it ends up being that we decide to do this." Gentry said it would only happen after consultation with club President Lon Babby, General Manager Lance Blanks and owner Robert Sarver. "It's something we'll discuss," he said. "We'll sit down and try to decide what's best and understand that there are maybe more important things than the win-loss record at this point." Gentry said the Suns aren't there yet. "I would say we're probably moving in that direction or getting real close because obviously we're struggling to win games," he added. "And if you're going to do that, you've got to try to get something positive out of it. That (developing players) is one of the things you can do." USA Today Sports Mark Berman: Rockets announce forward Terrence Jones has been re-assigned to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Twitter @MarkBermanFox26  The versatile, 6-foot-9 forward was always going to figure in as a major piece to the rotation, but he’s been invaluable in the wake of long-term injuries to forwards Chase Budinger and Kevin Love, among multiple other injuries such as to Brandon Roy and Malcolm Lee that have thrust the surprising Shved into a starter’s role at shooting guard. “We had some seasons when we had a lot of injuries, but this is something crazy,” said Kirilenko, whose scoring (13.4 ppg), rebounds (6.8) and minutes (34.8) are all his best since the 2005-06, and his 50.8 shooting percentage ranks as a career high. “We never played together [with a full roster] for even one game. It’s tough to play that way, but I guess this is the reality of NBA basketball.” NBA.com And who knows, perhaps soon Shved will serve a similar role to another wide-eyed countryman that makes his way to the NBA. “Sergey Karasev might be the next [one],” Kirilenko said of the 6-foot-7, 19-year-old shooting guard who averages 18.7 points and 6.3 rebounds for Triumph Lyubertsy in the Russian Professional Basketball League. “He might be joining us soon.” NBA.com  SLAM: Speaking of the Western Conference and numbers, Kobe Bryant has said he’ll retire in two years but do you think he’s as good as he’s ever been? Andre Iguodala: He’s not the best ever—there’s this guy named MJ… SLAM: Nah. I mean, is he playing as well as he ever has? AI: Oh, he’s playing at a high level. I think he’s exerting a lot of energy, but Kobe does so much—speaking of our awareness campaign—off the court with his body and his preparation and that’s why he’s playing at a high level. He has a chef, who puts the fuel in his body for him to play a high level. He has a trainer, who I used to work with, and he’s always in the weight room, always working on stuff. He has a physical therapist, who I’ve worked with as well, and he has a masseuse. He’s really doing everything to get the most out of his game, and that’s similar to our campaign. We have to do everything we can to get the most out of our bodies, and that includes how we use it and what we put inside of it. SLAM SLAM: I have to ask—do you still get to watch the Sixers play at all? AI: I got close friends there so I try to watch them a lot. I watch Lou Williams play in Atlanta; I watch Jodie Meeks play in L.A.; Evan Turner’s my guy, and Jrue [Holiday] and Thad [Young] and Lavoy [Allen] and Spencer [Hawes], I always check their stats to see how they’re playing. SLAM: So do you think Jrue should be in the All-Star Game? AI: He’s playing at an All-Star level, and he’ll be an All-Star many times. Their record isn’t too good right now, but he’s definitely playing at that level. SLAM  Chris Tomasson: Portland big man LaMarcus Aldridge said he wants to play for Team USA in the World Cup in Spain in 2014. "Yeah, if they call me, I'm definitely interested in doing it,'' Aldridge told FOX Sports Florida. Aldridge had been a strong candidate for the 2010 team but dropped out just before the trials for what he called "personal'' reasons. But he was back in USA Basketball's good graces for the Olympics last year before he got hurt and had to bow out. Sulia SLAM: Changing subjects, we’re here to talk about the Dribble to Stop Diabetes campaign. I mean, if every player has the responsibility to use his success to further one cause is it safe to say that this is your cause? Andre Iguodala: Yeah. I don’t think this is my one and only cause, but I’m so close to it—I have family members effected by it—I feel like, like you said, I can use my celebrity to continue to get the word out and to spread the word. Not just for others, but even for my family members, because we, as Americans, tend to take things for granted, like, it couldn’t happen to us. Well, it can happen to us and we just need to understand how to prevent it. SLAM SLAM: Because you’re so closely tied to it, do you feel more of a responsibility towards raising awareness about diabetes than if you had just aligned yourself with any other cause? AI: Definitely. It’s funny because I’m always pestering family members, cousins and friends about the types of foods they eat, what they put in their bodies, their weight; I get on them about working out. They’re like, ‘Why you always getting on me?’ ‘Well, it’s because I care about you first of all.’ It’s the same thing with spreading the word. It’s kind’ve our responsibility, getting out the word, and just getting people to realize how importance it is for them to live a healthy lifestyle and to get regular doctor checkups. There isn’t a cure for diabetes; once you have it, you have it. SLAM SLAM: It’s weird in a way, but when you talk about healthy eating I don’t think about NBA players. It feels like, between the late night flights and hotel food, players have it hard in terms of trying to eat right and do the right things to stave off diabetes. AI: Yeah, we do have that problem with what we eat. We get in late to hotels in there is limited menus in terms of what we can order—mainly, chicken tenders and fries. But the thing with us is that we’re so active, our bodies, our energy, our adrenaline is always going. We’re always moving, working out, lifting weights, so we’re not at-risk as much as someone else but we are at-risk and do need to be aware of that. SLAM |
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» Update: 02:55 PM ET |
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Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Danny Ferry today announced that the team has suspended forward Josh Smith for one game and fined him an undisclosed amount for conduct detrimental to the team. Smith, currently in his ninth season with the Hawks, is averaging team highs in scoring (16.5 points) and blocked shots (2.3) while adding 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 34.8 minutes per game in 35 games (all starts). “Josh and I discussed the issue and he understood and accepted this course of action. We are confident that he will respond positively, learn from this experience and come back with a renewed sense of purpose to the team moving forward,” Ferry said. NBA.com "Clearly I am competitive and was frustrated by our recent losses. I understand and respect the team's actions and just want to get back on the court to do whatever is necessary to help my teammates. I apologize for letting them down and apologize to our fans for not being available for tonight's game." NBA.com  According to a person familiar with the situation, Smith was thrown out of practice Tuesday. The Hawks held a lengthy practice one day after losing in franchise-worst fashion in Chicago Monday. Following Wednesday’s shootaround, coach Larry Drew would not confirm he dismissed Smith from practice. However there clearly was an issue during the workout. Atlanta Journal-Constitution Center Al Horford said he has spoken to Smith and that “he will be fine.” “You have to address things and make sure everybody is on the same page,” Horford said. “I think it’s something that is going to be a positive for our team. It’s going to be a positive because you grow from this. You grow from adversity, having guys not playing, things like that. That’s what it’s all about. I think we’ve always reacted well.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Obviously we are going to miss him but we are just going to move on,” said Zaza Pachulia, who will start against the Nets. “There have been situations where we played two games without Josh. … Everybody is frustrated, coaches, players. I don’t see any happy guy in the locker room right now. Everybody is really trying to play good and win basketball games and get back on track. Yesterday, maybe it just went too much. It was what it was. We let it go. Everybody learned from it and we moved on.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution  Chad Ford: Multiple teams tell me they've talked to the Celtics and they believe everything is on the table -- as it should be. If Ainge can make the team stronger for a run at the Finals he will. If he can't, but he can just start the rebuilding process in a big way -- why wouldn't he. The team he has now probably isn't a serious Finals contender. I think it's likely it moves one way or the other. So when I wrote a few weeks back that he could or could not move Rondo, I wasn't trying to have it both ways. I meant that both options are on the table and he's looking for the best deal for his team. If there's a great Rondo trade for the Celtics, he'll do it. If there isn't, he's not in firesale mode, he's not moving players like Rondo or Paul Pierce for the sake of shaking up the team. ESPN.com Chad Ford: The relationship between the Hawks and Josh Smith has always been a rocky one on both sides of the ledger. I think Danny Ferry has wanted to keep him around in hopes that he could lure Dwight Howard back to Atlanta this summer. But if Smith wants out (which it appears that he does) that plan isn't really going to work. From what I can gather, he's definitely available. ESPN.com  Vicente Solà, president of Valencia Basket, confirmed that Mickael Gelabale may soon sign a 10-day contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spanish club hopes to have him back when his contract in NBA expires. "He has not signed yet his contract with the Wolves. He may soon sign a 10-day contract. Hopefully we can have him back when his deal with Minnesota expires. But his future is not up to us" said Solà to LigaEN Punto Valencia. Sportando Could there come a day where Prince could go to Dumars' office and ask out, later in his career? Of course, but not anytime soon, he said. "One day it might hit me. I might get in a position where it's time for me to win one more (championship)," Prince said. "To go to a contender-type team. I might go to Joe that day and say 'it's time for me to move on' and play that route but now is not the time." Detroit News Shawn Marion, much like Dirk Nowitzki, desperately wants to compete for another championship at this stage of his career. Unlike Dirk Nowitzki, Marion isn’t committed to retiring as a Maverick. Marion’s response to a question about whether he wants to finish his career in Dallas was to steer the conversation back to competing for a title. “When you start hitting that 13, 14, 15, 16 years in the league, if you ain’t playing for a championship, it’s a disappointment,” said Marion, whose defensive prowess and veteran savvy could be attractive to a contender in the trade market. “Ain’t no beating around the bush to it. You’re sticking around for one reason. You ain’t sticking around for the money at that time. You’re sticking around because you love the game, you love to compete and you want to add something to your legacy.” ESPN.com The Indiana Pacers have reassigned Miles Plumlee to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indiana’s NBA Development League affiliate. RealGM  Carmelo Anthony has no problem with New York Knicks owner James Dolan recording his conversations on the basketball court. The team's owner ordered technicians at Madison Square Garden to install microphones at either end of the court for last Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls in the wake of the recent trash-talking incident involving Kevin Garnett that led to Anthony's one-game suspension. League sources have told ESPN that the move was undertaken to protect Anthony, to see if opponents' trash talk was crossing the line, rather than "spying" on him. And the player involved insists he has no problem with Dolan's decision. ESPN.com "I got an owner that looks out for me," Anthony said at the Knicks' practice Wednesday in London. "You can't beat that for an owner to try to protect their players, to protect his players. It just shows how much loyalty Mr. Dolan has." ESPN.com In Howard's last three games, he has averaged 22.3 points on 29-for-36 shooting, making a remarkable 80.6% of his shots from the field. Oh, and he has grabbed 18.7 rebounds a game. "My legs are coming back a little bit, I'm in a little bit better shape and they're finding me in the right spots," Howard said. "I just got to continue to play with energy and effort and, like I said, believe that we can turn this thing around." Los Angeles Times In addition to trying to get his rhythm back, Howard, one of the league's top centers, has been trying to learn how to share a team with Bryant, who is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time. Bryant made it clear at the beginning of the season that the team belonged to him, a notion that Howard seemed to grapple with from time to time. The Lakers are now a third of their way into the season, and Bryant said that Howard is growing more comfortable on his new team, in his new role. "I think he's just accepted things for what they are," Bryant said. "When you got out there and you just play burden-free, it's amazing what happens." Los Angeles Times  Ken Berger: Warriors forward Brandon Rush had successful surgery on his left knee today, agent Mark Bartelstein said. Rush tore two ligaments Nov. 3. Twitter @KBergCBS Ken Berger: Rush's surgeon wanted him to regain full range of motion before he proceeded with the ACL repair. Twitter @KBergCBS Ken Berger: Rush, with a $4 million player option next season, is expected to make a full recovery, Bartelstein said. Twitter @KBergCBS Jared Zwerling: League source: "Sheed had a previous left injury [years ago]. .. He should have had surgery; was pretty bad .. It's not looking good now." Twitter @JaredZwerling As he lounged courtside at the Pepsi Center on Tuesday night, chatting with Trail Blazers assistant coaches, shaking hands with reporters and debating team broadcasters about whether or not single-digit temperatures truly are cold, Meyers Leonard was more than willing to share a little good news. “I’m getting better daily, there’s no doubt about that,” he said, before the Blazers lost to the Nuggets. “I’ve made a lot of progress.” Oregonian  Mark Kreidler: NBA expert @Chris Mannix says Heat coaches having a tough time getting team focused. "It's like they're sleepwalking through games." Twitter @MarkKreidler Former NBA player John Amaechi says that the NBA's growing fanbase in the UK will encourage more people to take up basketball. Sky Sports |
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» Update: 09:45 AM ET |
 Howard's shoulders appear superhuman enough to carry Barclays Center from Atlantic Avenue to the Manhattan Bridge, and, yes, that's why the men running the Brooklyn Nets chased after him last summer like kids in a parking lot desperate for his autograph. "But that's changed," said one NBA official familiar with the thinking of Nets management. "It's not as cut and dried as it was last year, when the feeling was go ahead and pretty much gut the team for Dwight, give up a bunch of draft picks and players and take back bad contracts. That feeling isn't there anymore." ESPN.com So if Howard won't pledge his everlasting love, and if the Lakers decide they can't bank on securing a summertime signature from a star who changes his mind every hour on the hour, they might have no choice but to put him on the market. "If that happens," the NBA official said, "there will be a lot of healthy debate inside the organization." ESPN.com Yet privately, they still monitor Howard's play and the reports that he's getting along with Bryant like he got along with Stan Van Gundy. It didn't take long for Howard to air his true feelings about Kobe, his whining wrapped inside his stated admiration for the lovefest going on next door with the Clippers. ESPN.com The Lakers have five more weeks to make a trade. Pau Gasol is staying ... for now. The Lakers are reluctant to deal him because of the unthinkable — Dwight Howard leaving several months later as a free agent. They don't want to go from two quality 7-footers to none. "They're in a bind," said a person familiar with the situation. The trade deadline is Feb. 21. Howard becomes a free agent July 1. Los Angeles Times  And rumors. And more questions and rumors for a six-week period, until the trade deadline in late February. He's so used to it, it almost feels like he has been traded, although he's never gotten that call from Bill Duffy, his agent, or Pistons president Joe Dumars, the man who drafted him more than a decade ago. "Look at Corey Maggette, they probably feel like I feel and I haven't been traded," said Prince of his teammate, who's been traded five times since 1999. "They're like, 'I know what time it is, I know the situation', and I feel the same way because I've been through this in the last five years. It's a 'been there done that' thing." Detroit News Instead of getting upset when the questions come, Prince, who has been surly during his time in Detroit, displays a different side — amusement. "The reason why I'm always positive and upbeat is because around the same time all the time, people always ask me and expect the answer to change and it's not," Prince said. "The first time I was on the trading block it was my sixth or seventh year, and you asked me that, my answer might be different. I was a younger player, I would've been like 'trade me, you can't come tell me?' I didn't know the nature of the business about rumors." Detroit News "You know what? I don't think about it. You know why? I've been on the trading block since my sixth year in the league, according to who you talk to," said Prince, who put additional emphasis on "according to". Detroit News Celtics GM Danny Ainge sat down with CSNNE's Greg Dickerson for an exclusive 20-minute interview that touched upon all things Celtics. It will air Wednesday. In the preview, we have Ainge talking about trade rumors, and with the deadline coming up, it'll continue to be a hot topic. So will the Celtics make a blockbuster move? "That doesn't make a lot of sense to radically change the team when you're trying to compete to win it all," Ainge told Dickerson. "We have been and will continue to look to upgrade our team, but I think it's always more unlikely that that happens than likely." CSNNE.com The Lakers also filed for a disabled player exception for Jordan Hill on Tuesday, general manager Mitch Kupchak told ESPNLosAngeles.com. Hill needs hip surgery and is expected to be out the rest of the season. If the league grants the petition, the Lakers will be allowed to spend a little more than half of Hill's salary, about $1.78 million, in order to sign a free agent or to absorb a player's contract acquired in a trade. ESPN.com According to Kupchak, the Lakers will not definitely use the exception if it becomes available to them, especially with Clark unexpectedly stepping up in Hill's absence. "There's no downside (to receiving the exception)," Kupchak told ESPNLosAngeles.com. "You never know what could happen." ESPN.com Marc Stein: Varejao's latest injury REALLY painful. All-Star berth AV was in line for pre-surgery, I'm told, woulda triggered $1 mil bonus in contract Twitter @ESPNSteinLine  Why do you think Skiles’ attitude toward you changed? Sam Dalembert: We had a talk briefly at a shootaround; I forgot where it was. I think it was in Boston. After that talk, everything went downhill. After the game in Chicago, you said Skiles had attacked your integrity in that talk. Can you elaborate? Sam Dalembert: He told me some different things and I explained to him that I’m a happy person. And the reason I’m happy is I grateful for coming from where I came from, Haiti, and I’m grateful for every single day of my life. I’m grateful to wake up and see I’m able to have a home here, a home there and be able to help so many kids go to school back home (through his foundation) and help my family. For that, it’s a blessing. To me, being a happy person, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Racine Journal-Times Can you be more specific about what Skiles said that upset you? Sam Dalembert: No, I really don’t want to go into detail. I don’t want to go into it because it really hurt me. I had to express myself. I had to let him know where I’m coming from, the root of who I am today, what is defining me. It’s my country defining me. Anybody who knows me, you can ask any of my teammates, I am the most enthusiastic, happy person coming in the morning. I’m the player where I am always very respectful. I don’t know what happened between us. I’m not going to say that conversation was 100 percent the reason for what happened (not him being demoted) but for some reason there was nothing said to me again and everything went downhill. There was no explanation. There was no conversation. Nothing was said to me. He didn’t say, ‘Hey, this is what I want you to focus on or anything like that.’ It wasn’t just me. Other guys were going through the same thing with him, guys who have been here way before me. So you can only imagine what they were going through. For me, it was new. I never got a chance to know him or what he didn’t like about me. Racine Journal-Times You may have heard the rumors that it was your fault and not Skiles’ fault for your demotion, that you were reporting late to games and practices, etc. Sam Dalembert: Listen, I’m not the only one who’s ever been late for a game. At some point in an 82-game season, somebody is going to be late. I wasn’t the only one on the team. But that’s not the reason for all of this. That one (where he was allegedly late), there was a cutoff time and I was in the hallway on the phone. I had something important to talk about and then I came back (in the locker room). That’s not being late for the game. But that’s got nothing to do with this. If I was late for one game, it was because of miscommunication. Ever since that time, I’ve never been late. Racine Journal-Times There have also been whispers that Skiles reprimanded you because of some off-the-court incidents, that you were partying too much and not taking your job seriously. SD: Wow. I was partying too much? Where at? I would like to know where I was partying too much. I know where I go to restaurants. But partying too much? What off-the-court issues do I have? At the end of the day, people can say whatever they want to say. They can use whatever excuses they want. That’s why I don’t go on the internet and read all that stuff. You got haters and lovers. You can’t convince people who already hate you. Racine Journal-Times Kevin Ding: More Jennings on @Kobe Bryant: "For the whole game, I don't think I've ever seen a guard put that much pressure on a point guard full-court." Twitter @KevinDing Dave McMenamin: Bucks interim coach Jim Boylan: "Kobe changed the complexion of the game with his pressure in the back court" Twitter @mcten Kevin Ding: Mike D'Antoni on whether Kobe lobbies to stay in games sometimes: "Not sometimes. All the time." Twitter @KevinDing Everywhere he turns, Earl Clark suddenly finds people interested in him. Former high school and college teammates have suddenly flooded his cell phone with calls. A pack of reporters frequently surrounds him. The Staples Center crowd continues to cheer for him. Clark's assistant coaches have built-in excuses to tease him. "Earl, when you go out," Lakers assistant coach Eddie Jordan said, "Can I hang out with you one night?" Long Beach Press-Telegram "They call me Eazy," Clark said. "A few of you guys were calling me the `Earl Sanity' thing. I don't really like that." Long Beach Press-Telegram Howard had eight points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter. Bryant added eight points, making three of four shots before leaving to a healthy ovation with 3:04 to play. "Personally I think Dwight will continue to improve as he gets fitter and a better understanding of his teammates and plays with a little bit more energy," said Steve Nash, who had eight points and 11 assists. "He can still have out-of-this-world numbers." Los Angeles Times Asked which of his players he deems worthy for consideration, Karl paused for a second. "That would be really difficult to say," Karl said. "I'd probably say Andre Miller. From the standpoint of efficient minutes, Andre's given us as efficient minutes as anybody. But I think Ty (Lawson) and (Andre Iguodala) and (Danilo Gallinari) all have had moments. And I'm excited, because I think they all are getting stronger and more confident, and their consistency is getting at a higher level. But because of their up-and-down moments, it's going to be difficult for them to get any recognition." Denver Post J.R. Smith was talking about his Denver days and saidhe purposely did things “that would [tick] George off,” as in Nuggets coach George Karl. Smith clashed with Karl and his first coach Byron Scott. But Smith has clicked with Mike Woodson. Smith said he has become a more reliable player because he said he doesn’t want to disappoint Woodson. Sulia Bledsoe said he still is learning how to be a leader from Clippers teammates Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups, two of the game's best point guards. "I'm just preparing for that moment," Bledsoe said in his typically quiet voice. "I'm still learning behind Chris and Chauncey. Hopefully, we win a championship and if I do get that chance, I can lead a team." Los Angeles Times  Suns forward Michael Beasley, after missing two of his first free-throw attempts off the side of the rim, walked down the lane, stared up at the iron and shook his head. “I had to scare the gremlins away,” he said. “Those gremlins are always messing with me.” NBA.com His mouthed opened and out came a challenge. Keep the Bobcats in the 70s, Hibbert instructed the five reserve players checked in the game. It's worth $100 per man. “I'm a man of my word,” he assured them. In a happy locker room following a 103-76 blowout, the highest-paid Pacer ($13.66 million this season) handed out large bills to three teammates, including one he couldn't name, Dominic McGuire, who is playing on a 10-day contract. Jeff Pendergraph refused his reward. Ben Hansbrough must wait until Hibbert finds an ATM. “He's a rookie; he gets his last,” Hibbert said with playful defiance. Indianapolis Star  Knicks coach Mike Woodson won’t rule out starting Iman Shumpert Thursday when he makes his season debut. Shumpert, returning from ACL surgery after a first-team All-Rookie campaign, will participate in one last practice Wednesday in London before Woodson declares him a definite. But unless there’s a setback, he’s a go and possibly a starter. The Knicks have yanked Ronnie Brewer in favor of James White at shooting guard in their recent alignments. The Knicks could go back to a small-ball lineup with Jason Kidd, Shumpert and Brewer in the backcourt and Carmelo Anthony at power forward. New York Post Jose Manuel Calderon: First of all my hip is ok. Big hit but hope tomorrow wake up ok.Couldn't play the last quarter.Bounce back game at home tomorrow #PoundtheRock Twitter @josemcalderon8  The head of the entertainment conglomerate that had planned to build a new arena for the Kings in Sacramento said Tuesday that his company is still interested in doing so if Mayor Kevin Johnson can assemble a new ownership bid to keep the team here. AEG Chief Executive Tim Leiweke, in Sacramento for an appearance at the Capitol, said the arena developer is definitely interested in pursuing an arena deal downtown, depending on how the Kings' ownership situation gets settled. "We haven't changed our opinion about Sacramento or the arena," he said. Sacramento Bee He added that NBA Commissioner David Stern and Johnson asked him to re-engage on the arena issue. He planned to meet with the mayor this week. "To the commissioner's credit, I don't think he ever forgot about Sacramento," he said. He said Stern, whom he's known for decades, doesn't like to relocate franchises. AEG pledged $59 million to the arena plan that was abandoned by the Kings last spring. "We are still committed to the same economic package," he said. Sacramento Bee The recent success of the national team in Great Britain, the Olympic basketball spectacle in August, the notion England will play host to the EuroLeague Final Four in May and the increased participation in the sport are signs there may one day be an NBA team wearing London on its chest. Former Knicks general manager Ed Tapscott is in the process of forming a second pro league here beginning in 2015, trying to make it more than a niche sport. “Why not?’’ Moreland said of a London NBA team. “How many years? I don’t know. But it’s still David Stern’s decision.’’ New York Post Moreland points to NBA games now appearing on TV network Sky Sport and the ESPN feed Londoners get on satellite. According to Moreland, a study shows basketball is the second- highest participation sport among 11- to 15-year-old boys after soccer. “There’s just an increasing amount of NBA product new in our media,’’ Moreland said. New York Post With a nod to Houston's air history, adidas' 2013 All-Star uniforms and warm-ups will take "take inspiration from Houston's rich aeronautical history, speed and jet plane design." The jerseys and shorts will feature a state-of-art camouflage pattern and high-tech material designed to increase speed and mobility and the lettering and numbering is based on stenciling on jets. The camo design also "evokes the classic silhouette of a basketball net," according to adidas. The All-Star game is Feb. 17 at the Houston Rockets' Toyota Center. USA Today Sports  San Antonio Spurs G Tony Parker has left Nike to join Chinese shoemaker Peak, where he will serve as the company's ambassador according to Marc Limacher of SPORTUNE. His new deal pays him anywhere from $2.6m-4m. His Nike deal was between $1.5m-1.32m. Ballabroad.com Klutch Sports, the sports agency founded in September by Rich Paul that includes Miami Heat star LeBron James as a client, has enlisted respected agent Mark Termini to "oversee contract negotiations," two people familiar with arrangement told USA TODAY Sports. The people requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until an official announcement is made. ESPN first reported the news. USA Today Sports USA TODAY Sports has learned that Termini, who represents Denver Nuggets center Kosta Koufos and a few others, will continue to run his agency, Mark Termini Associates. His existing clients will not become part of Klutch Sports, and he can continue to build his client list if he chooses, according to one person. Termini adds impeccable credentials to Paul's upstart firm and is considered a valuable addition. USA Today Sports What were Kobe Bryant and Bill Clinton doing hanging out on Monday night? ... Bryant and his wife Vanessa joined former president Bill Clinton in Hollywood on Monday to commemorate the renovation of Step Up on Vine, a housing project for the homeless. The Bryant's have been heavily involved in tackling homelessness in Los Angeles in the last couple years, also volunteering at the homeless shelter for teens, My Friend's Place and getting behind HomeWalk L.A. Sulia "It was incredible," Bryant said of Clinton's involvement. "We couldn’t get a better stamp of approval or a stronger validation for what we’re trying to do. It meant everything for us for him to take time out of his schedule to come down and check out the facility and give the good praise that he did." Sulia Now that he's on the cusp of taking the court, Shumpert has no plans of getting rid of his signature look. "I'm not cutting my hair," he told Kay and co-host Don LaGreca, with a laugh. "I've had people say it looks stupid. I don't really care what they think -- they don't have to wear it." ESPN.com Back in early December, Pacers.com's Scott Agness reported on Roy Hibbert and Miles Plumlee joining the set of Parks and Recreation here in Indy. Their visit has come to fruition and the episode is set to air this Thursday, January 17th on NBC (13 WTHR) at 8:30 PM EST. NBA.com  NBA star Kevin Durant, one of the sports world's renowned good guys, has recently come under a bit of scrutiny for a fouler-than-normal mouth and surlier-than-standard on-court demeanor. His grandma, for one, doesn't approve. That's according to a text message she sent him after his team, Oklahoma City Thunder, beat the Phoenix Suns Monday night. In the message, she congratulated him on the win, but tempered her praise with a side of scolding: "Kev kev stop cussing so much they be showing u when u do." Mashable Businessman, philanthropist and professional sports team owner George Gund III died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. Gund, 75, had been undergoing cancer treatments the past 18 months. He died in Palm Springs, Calif. George, along with his brother Gordon, bought the Cavaliers basketball franchise from Ted Stepien in 1983 for $20 million. They sold the team in 2005 to Quicken Loans founder and billionaire Dan Gilbert in 2005. Cleveland Plain Dealer |
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