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» Update: 09:11 PM ET |
 Chris Vernon: Grizzlies source tells me there are no legs to the Pierce-Rudy-Pau rumor. I was crushed, haha. Twitter @ChrisVernonShow Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin will get more from his starting nod in the 2013 NBA All-Star Game than a fun weekend in Houston. By earning the vote from the fans, Griffin's contract extension has now qualified for a pay bump via the "5th Year 30% Max Criteria" in the current NBA collective bargaining agreement, translating to an additional $15.7 million for the 23-year-old forward. Griffin agreed to a five-year extension over the offseason. The Clippers chose Griffin as their "designated player," which allowed for the fifth year. Players coming off of rookie contracts are otherwise eligible for four-year deals, but each team gets one designated player. USA Today Sports It appears that Royce White can finally get back to playing basketball. White was reinstated by the Houston Rockets and will report to the team's D-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, on Feb. 11, according to a joint statement released Saturday by the Rockets and White. White has been inactive all season, and the team suspended the rookie forward on Jan. 6 after he refused an initial assignment to Rio Grande Valley. The sides "reached an agreement that addresses the major issues" facing White and the Rockets, the statement said. USA Today Sports Kenneth Faried might be a "Manimal" on the court, but off the court he is an advocate for same-sex marriage and a fierce supporter of his two moms. The Denver Nuggets forward sat down with his mothers to speak out on behalf of civil unions in a video, uploaded by OneColorado, an advocacy group dedicated to securing and protecting equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Coloradans and their families. "I support civil union, because it gives people -- gays and lesbians -- the right to make decisions on their own," he says in the video. "If they want to get married and let them choose who they want to be with." Huffington Post His mothers married in New Jersey in 2007. "Nobody can ever tell me I can't have two mothers, because I really do," Faried says. When Colorado passed a bill allowing gay couples to form civil unions on Wednesday, Faried expressed his hopes for more. “A lot of people [are] saying civil union,” he told KDVR. “I don’t like it being called that because I can get married to a female and it can be called a marriage. Why can’t a female be married to a female and male be married to a male and it be called a marriage? You still have the same thing, same love and happiness.” Huffington Post |
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» Update: 04:38 PM ET |
 Ryan Wolstat: There is a split in organization between Lowry and Calderon. I find that insane based on many things Twitter @WolstatSun Allen told close allies that he felt he ran fourth on Doc Rivers’ list of favorites, after Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo. New York Daily News Hedo Turkoglu says his left hand is feeling “much better,” and he participated fully when the Orlando Magic did some fullcourt scrimmaging during practice Saturday at Amway Center. Turkoglu broke the hand Nov. 2 and underwent surgery the next day. Although he played in five Magic games from Dec. 29 through Jan. 7, his hand continued to bother him, and he felt it hindered his play. He has missed Orlando’s last eight games as he's waited for his hand to improve. “I’m feeling my much better,” Turkoglu said today. “My hand’s about to be 100 percent soon, so I feel more confidence and, hopefully, that will carry on for my playing, too. So far, I’ve been doing whatever it takes to put myself in the best situation I can. I’m just trying to wait for that situation and hopefully soon that will happen and I’ll 100 percent.” Orlando Sentinel Suns insiders say that Gentry more than once had Hunter removed from practices when Hunter was serving in his role as a first-year player development coordinator. Hunter was regarded as a spy for the front office, which was all but confirmed after the Suns fired Gentry and tabbed Hunter over Gentry’s longtime assistants, Elston Turner and Dan Majerle, each of whom was more deserving for the interim post. New York Daily News Mark Cuban hopes to bring an All-Star Weekend back to Dallas in the not-too-distant future. That’s Dallas, not Arlington. Cuban said he wouldn’t try to join forces with Jerry Jones to host an All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium again despite it being a tremendous success in 2010. A crowd of 108,713 packed the $1.2 billion stadium that night, setting a world record for attendance at a basketball game. “I wouldn’t do it there again,” Cuban said. “That was a one-off. Been there, done that. “It’s hard to repeat that. It’s hard to get people excited a second time. The second act’s a lot harder.” ESPN.com Marv Albert, who has called more games in the old and new Garden than just about anyone outside Boston, let last night’s TNT audience in on a suspicion he has about the building’s game night sound. Based on what Albert has heard, he believes Celtics management pumps in extra noise. “It seems that way, but they say no,” Albert said after the Celtics’ 89-86 loss to the Knicks. “There’s times when it seems like there is suddenly a bump in the sound. But I really don’t want to make a big deal out of it.” Boston Herald The Celtics responded to Albert’s claim with the following tweet: “Regarding comments on tonight’s (broadcast), the Celtics have never used artificial crowd noise.” Boston Herald  Yes, for those of you who attended the Justin Bieber concert last night at Amway Center, that really was J.J. Redick in the audience. Redick spent a precious Orlando Magic off-night at the Bieber concert, but there were mitigating circumstances. Redick's wife, Chelsea, wanted to go. “A happy wife is a happy life,” J.J. said after the Magic finished practice today. “I have a general rule that if I have an off-day during the season that I owe it to her to do what she wants unless it’s harmful to my well-being. Her and her friends wanted to go.” Orlando Sentinel But Redick was asked today what he’d choose if he had to listen to either Bieber’s music or the music of Cody Simpson, who attended the Magic’s game Thursday night and served as Bieber’s opening act. “I don’t know who Cody Simpson is,” Redick said. “We got there as he was kind of finishing up his last song. I just know he had a great head of hair and was wearing a wifebeater, and the teenage girls seemed to really love him.” Orlando Sentinel |
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» Update: 01:14 PM ET |
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So it's premature, to me, to throw Pierce's name up there with Rudy Gay and Pau Gasol on the list of high-profile names available this trade season, even though we've heard more than one rival team speculate -- given that the Celtics and Grizzlies, sources say, have indeed held some exploratory trade talks since Gay hit the market -- that a three-way deal where Pierce lands in Memphis, Gasol goes to Boston and Gay joins the Lakers makes "some sense." ESPN.com Yet there's no shortage of folks plugged into the league's personnel grapevine who remain convinced that the Grizz might still opt to deal Gay before the trade deadline -- or maybe even Zach Randolph -- to add quality perimeter shooting and more depth while also spreading the team's payroll out more evenly beyond the core four of Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Randolph and Gay. ESPN.com Although there are still live rumbles on the league's personnel grapevine that this will actually be the February that Celtics front-office chief Danny Ainge finally parts with Paul Pierce or Rajon Rondo, I'm still pretty skeptical. As one team monitoring the Celtics said this week: "[Boston] has floated the idea of moving Pierce or Rondo out there for the last three years ... but has never pulled the trigger." ESPN.com Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck commented on possible trades on NECN's This Week in Business. "There's a likelihood of moves," said Grousbeck. "[Coach] Doc [Rivers] hinted at thinking about it. [President of basketball operations Danny Ainge's] phone rings all day long. I think February will be a busy month, but can't predict yet." CSNNE.com Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant has been tracking Marreese Speights since the big man was playing at Florida. And Cleveland could certainly use a boost on the front line after announcing this week that Anderson Varejao would be lost for the season after his recent leg surgery left the Brazilian with a blood clot in his right lung. ESPN.com Don't be shocked if the Cavaliers decide to move Speights on again before the Feb. 21 deadline. The Cavs obviously aren't in the playoff hunt and word is they're already receiving interest in Speights, who possesses a $4.5 million player option for next season. The Cavs are also armed with $12 million in expiring contracts and roughly $4 million in leftover cap space for the summer, which means they've got the tools to continue to be active before this deadline. ESPN.com Daniel Gibson and Omri Casspi, according to NBA front-office sources, are the most likely Cavs to be dealt along with Speights, who had to give his consent to be sent to Cleveland as one of the 13 players in the league this season (see Box No. 6 here for the detailed explanation) who had trade-blocking power related to his Bird rights. ESPN.com  This will be your second stint with the Legends. What made you want to come back after a couple years away? Rashad McCants: I'm pretty much embracing the opportunity to get back in the swing of things and get another shot at the NBA. A lot has happened. A lot has changed for me personally. I think I'm more ready now than I ever was physically and mentally to make the necessary adjustments no matter where I play. ... Just growing up, going through life, being a man. Every person goes through growth. ESPN.com You last played in the NBA in 2009. How hard has that been to accept after you came out of North Carolina with so much fanfare? Rashad McCants: The first couple years it was very difficult, especially not being able to understand why. As I found more of a spiritual peace, I stopped worrying about the whys and the what-ifs and making excuses for myself. I've accepted where I am. To get over these hurdles, I've just got to be persistent and play my game and then the doors and the windows will open. ESPN.com You had the rep early in your [NBA] career that you were hard to play with. What's your response to that sort of talk now? Rashad McCants: I honestly don't know what to say to that, because [there's] never been a clear understanding where it was coming from. There was this stigma on me, but I don't know who is saying it or where it comes from. The only thing I can do is be the player I've always been and the teammate I've always been. ... For me, I really can't address the things I can't control. The only thing I can do is go out there and be me. ESPN.com Are you playing better in the last month after being traded last July to the Nets? “It was unfamiliar territory for me. I had to feel my way into a blind situation, what the coaches and players expected of me. For the first two months, it was feel (point guard) Deron (Williams) out, feel (center) Brook (Lopez) out, feel the coaches out. I didn’t quite know what my spots on the court would be. When you go through a change like that, it takes awhile to find your role. In January, we regained our confidence and we pretty much all know our roles.” Memphis Commercial Appeal Shooting guard Jodie Meeks was the Philadelphia 76ers’ leading three-point shooter over the past two seasons with 1.7 made three-pointers per game, but this summer he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent. While the 25-year-old Meeks has picked things up pretty much where he left off last season, the big difference has been he was a starter in Philadelphia and now comes off the bench in L.A. At least that was the case until recently when head coach Mike D’Antoni cut his minutes, including a couple of games where he didn’t play at all. “It’s frustrating, but there is really nothing I can do about it,” Meeks said. “I just try to stay positive and when my opportunity comes again, just be ready. The coach said I wasn’t really doing anything wrong and just stay positive. He is going with the guys he is playing right now, but it could change at any minute, so I have to be ready.” HoopsWorld |
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» Update: 09:18 AM ET |
 This is all that matters right now about Smith, specifically regarding his tenuous future with the Hawks: His contract is expiring and his asking price for a new one is going to be high. It's going to hit the ceiling. It's why his days in Atlanta may be numbered. “I feel like I’m a max player,” Smith said Friday. And yes, that is the first time he has said that. “I feel I bring a lot to the table. I have a lot of versatility. For what I do and what I give this ball club, I feel like I’m worth it.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution Smith again: “There shouldn’t be any hesitation. I’m Josh Smith, I’m not anybody else. I ‘m not Michael Jordan, I’m not LeBron James, I’m not Brook Lopez. I’m Josh Smith. You can’t look at what might’ve happened with another person. Let’s say Joe. You can’t say, ‘I’m skeptical of giving another person that’ because of whatever they feel like happened." Atlanta Journal-Constitution Until Friday, Smith had been saying the right things about his future in Atlanta. But now he seems less committal. Asked if he had a preference, he responded: "No. I don’t know. I don’t have a preference for anything right now, except to try to make the playoffs." Atlanta Journal-Constitution  In his pregame talk with reporters, Mike D’Antoni suddenly sounded like a spokesman for the L.A. Chamber of Commerce. It wasn’t clear why he was pitching the virtues of Los Angeles and playing for the Lakers, but could it have been a plea to Dwight Howard? “This is a great state, a great place and you won’t find better than here,” D’Antoni said. “It can be bad anywhere, so you have to be careful what you wish for – or not. But this is a great place to play basketball and a great city to live in and a great ownership and organization. “You won’t find better than this. It’s just up to us to play better.” Orange County Register Sources say the Grizzlies continue to make and accept calls on Gay, though they're doing so from a position of strength because they no longer have to trade him before the Feb. 21 deadline. If they don't, they'll be open for business around draft time and in July. CBSSports.com There remains a chance that JJ Redick is dealt before the February trade deadline and if not then, in a deal this summer. But a league source dismissed the possibility of a trade to Boston and the Pacers, while also interested, appear to be a longshot as well. "There's no deal to be had," the source said of Boston. The Magic are supposedly looking for draft picks and young talent on a rookie contract. No one on the Celtics' roster apparently fits the bill. Sulia Understandably, the last thing Webster himself is focused on right now is his impending free agency. Still, he made a bold statement about his time in D.C. thus far. "I love my team. I love this organization. It's the most fun I've had in my career," he told Bullets Forever. "It's not going to be my decision, so I'm going to continue to play the game the right way, play the way I know how to play, and all that will take care of itself." Bullets Forever Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said not to read anything into the Texas Legends signing point guard Delonte West to an NBA Development League contract on Friday. In fact, Cuban said West is not going to play for the Mavericks this season. "But," Cuban said, "that doesn't mean I don't like Delonte and care about him as a person and want to help him get back on track." Fort Worth Star-Telegram The second 10-day contract for point guard Mike James ends at midnight Sunday. If the Mavericks decide to retain James, they would have to sign him for the remainder of the season. Asked about whether the Mavericks plan to keep James for the rest of the season, Mark Cuban said: "So far, so good. No reason to think otherwise at this point." Fort Worth Star-Telegram Russian powerhouse Spartak SPB announced the signing of Darius Johnson-Odom. The Lakers draftee started the season in NBA playing 4 games. Sportando The one game suspension Jan. 16 didn't sit well with him. But what upset him more was that word of Drew throwing him out of practice, following an argument, leaked out publicly. "You have blowups and disagreements but in most championship-caliber organizations they keep it internal," he said. "They don’t try to broadcast a situation, as far as putting a player out there. That’s a problem." Atlanta Journal-Constitution Drew actually praised Smith, saying, "He's showing a level of leadership I haven’t seen before." Of the argument, he said, "Josh is an emotional guy. We were losing and emotions were high. I was pretty testy that day as well.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution I’m predisposed to liking Smith. His skill set aside, few athletes are as passionate or care as much as him. Flaws? Sure. But he has come a long way. He has matured. He's 27 now with a wife, two young children and a third on the way. “Kids mature you," he said. "You look at things from a different perspective." Atlanta Journal-Constitution  He did just that in the Monday meeting, though it's unclear to what degree. While Bryant acknowledged that the meeting took place, he disputed his part in it. "I never asked him (if he disliked playing alongside Bryant)," Bryant said. "I never asked him that." So, Bryant was asked, what did he say? "It's private; it's private," he said. "But I never asked him that, so I'm not quite sure where that came from. That's not in my personality to ask somebody that (laughs). "It was nothing of that sort. If you talk to Dwight, ask Pau, ask Steve Nash and those guys – I never said that. I'm too old to be lying about that type of (expletive). I don't give a (expletive)." USA Today Sports Long after the Lakers had downed Utah 102-84 to break their four-game losing streak and remind the masses of the potential they still have, their resident ruler was explaining the confrontational nature of his team's culture and why it was a good thing that they were put together this way. He mentioned how Metta World Peace jumped all over Darius Morris at one point of the game, and how even Steve Nash came right back at Bryant when he confronted him about not taking a particular shot. No nonsense. No pulled punches. No secrets. "That's just how it should be," he had told reporters afterward. "Yeah, shoot the (expletive). What the (expletive) you doing? You know?...This is what it is, and this is how it should be and this is how it will be." USA Today Sports "It's a matter of learning (for Howard)," Bryant told USA TODAY Sports as he exited Staples Center. "What I try to tell him is that it's not necessarily about what you (want), how you are as a person, or what's comfortable for you. It's really about what's going to help elevate us. "So for us to have a team that's confrontational and on edge brings out the competitive spirit of everybody else, you know what I'm saying? If everybody is just relaxed and happy go lucky and this that and the other, then that's the personality we'll have as a team. And then you run into a team that's a confrontational team, and it's like a bus." USA Today Sports They are The Odd Couple without the punchlines or the laugh track, though Bryant doesn't see their pairing as problematic. Asked if he still believed he could win a championship with Howard, he said, "Yeah, for sure." Unrelenting and sure as always, he's trying to teach Howard a lesson he may not want to learn. "It's a process for him," Bryant said. "He wants to be one of the greats of all time, and to do that you have to learn from the greats of all time – be it Bill Russell, be it Shaq. I mean Shaq was a moody, temperamental dude. So if you watch all the big men who have come before, you start to see a common denominator. "Wilt (Chamberlain), God bless him, was phenomenal, but he didn't have (the same edge). Russell and (those) guys win repetitive – (Michael) Jordan, Magic (Johnson), myself. You've got a little (a-hole) in you. I want (Howard) to be great, so I'm trying to push him." USA Today Sports Mike D'Antoni pointed to Pau Gasol as a model of the attitude players need to have going forward, accepting roles and the system. "It's the first step that everybody accepts what needs to be done, that we think. And again, nothing's ever written in stone. It's always a fluid situation. You try to analyze it the best you can and try to put the (best) team (out) and the right people on the floor. He's one of the best centers in the league. We're trying to get him more at center, as much as we can. I think that helps him more when (we do) go with two bigs and we can have that. But we want to start off faster and spread the floor a little bit better, and he allows us to do that. He was great. He's been great." Sulia Kamenetzky Brothers: Nash on Dwight "Didn't seem bogged down or thinking about anything but hustling and playing hard... I was proud of him. He was terrific." BK Twitter @KamBrothers  Arash Markazi: Pau told me that "if things turn around they will turn around with us supporting each other and having each others backs." Twitter @ArashMarkazi Arash Markazi: Pau is still not comfortable with his new role but told me "I’ll do my best..I’ll do the best for the team and that’s what I’m focusing on." Twitter @ArashMarkazi Mike Trudell: Pau Gasol said he doesn’t see LAL losing many games if they share the ball like they did tonight, & cover for each other on D. Twitter @LakersReporter Arash Markazi: Lots of laughing in the Lakers locker room. Smiles have been few and far between in this room this season. Twitter @ArashMarkazi Sunday will mark Allen's initial return to Boston. Celtics coach Doc Rivers is hoping fans will prefer to dwell on what Allen was able to accomplish while in green. "He made a business decision," Rivers said. "But he helped us win a championship. I hope he gets a good round of applause when he's here. He did a lot for this franchise." FOXSports Florida Heat players, though, aren't expecting what Rivers suggests. Forward LeBron James quickly dismissed there being any chance Allen will hear cheers. "I don't expect it to be good," James said of the reception. "If you don't wear green, in that building they don't like you." FOXSports Florida But when Memphis coach Lionel Hollins opted to send starting center Marc Gasol back into the game with the Grizzlies holding a 20-point lead with less than four minutes left, Evans couldn’t take it any more. He rose up off the bench and yelled over to Gasol several times while Gasol stood at the scorer’s table waiting to check in. “That was the point where I was like, ‘Wow’ ... I was real shocked to see him come back in,” Evans said. “I guess it is what it is.” New York Post Evans admitted the Nets put themselves in that position by the way they played against Memphis. saying “You can do what you want.” But that didn’t mean he liked it. “We’re pretty much putting our subs in the game, and just to see you putting him in the game,” Evans said. “You’ve got Rudy and Zach still in the game. You still got Conley in the game and then you’re going to put [Gasol] in the game? It’s like, ‘Are you serious?’ “I’m kind of shocked, you know what I’m saying? It is what it is, but you can’t do nothing but respect it. It won’t be forgotten, though.” New York Post He scored all 20 of his points in the first half, going 10-for-15 from the field to go along with seven rebounds and a blocked shot, spearheading a Grizzlies offensive attack that helped them race out to a 67-44 halftime lead. “We’re very disappointed,” Carlesimo said. “We think we’re a better team than we showed in the first half. “We didn’t match their physicality or aggressiveness on defense, especially their aggressiveness on the boards in the first half. That was the game.” New York Post The Nets center, considered by many to be the most deserving player not headed to Houston for next month’s All-Star festivities, took the high road when he met with reporters before the Nets’ 101-77 loss to the Grizzlies Friday night. “I was a little disappointed that there was no one from our team at all,” Lopez said, who scored 18 points and had three blocks. “It’s tough for me to envision a team with the best players in the Eastern Conference not include Deron [Williams] or Joe [Johnson].” New York Post Though the Nets felt their backcourt was All-Star worthy, the biggest snub on the team was clearly Lopez, who leads all NBA centers in scoring and entered last night’s action as the only player averaging more than 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. “I just thought Brook should have made it,” Williams said. “I thought he was an All-Star this year. He’s been the most consistent for us all year and has played consistent basketball, so for him to not make it, we feel hurt for him. That’s the main thing.” New York Post Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson still can't believe guard Stephen Curry was left off the Western Conference All-Star team. "He is an All-Star," Jackson said before Friday night's game against the Chicago Bulls. "The thing I talk about is he stands for everything that's right. If you're a coach, he's the one guy you should vote for. I wish coaches had the luxury of watching this guy go about his business every day. I wish coaches had the luxury of watching this guy's energy, effort, enthusiasm, leadership ability today after being snubbed." ESPN.com Rubio didn't play in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's loss to Brooklyn at Target Center. He appeared set to check in late in the game. But after J.J. Barea hit a three-pointer, Porter decided to stay with Barea, who played the entire quarter. After the game Rubio, frustrated, made his feelings known. But after Friday's morning shootaround, Rubio made it clear he has no issue with Porter. "Of course I was frustrated," Rubio said. "I wanted to play. I always want to play. ... But, actually, I didn't even need to talk [to Porter]. The next day I realized that maybe I didn't deserve [to play] because J.J. was hitting the shots. And he's able to get hot at some point and get a lot of points." Minneapolis Star-Tribune Still, Rubio said he apologized to Porter. "Because it came up I was saying something against him," Rubio said. "And I never went against him. It was something that I was against me, by myself, because I was frustrated with me. But it's something that doesn't have to be against him or against the team. We are here, we are a team, and we always try to do the best for the team." Porter also downplayed the situation. "He was frustrated, like any player would be who wants to play in the fourth quarter," said Porter, a two-time All-Star point guard. "So, really, a dead issue." Minneapolis Star-Tribune Barea was not surprised Nets guard C.J. Watson was warned for violating the NBA's anti-flopping rules after Wednesday's game. It came in the fourth quarter, when Watson fell to the floor after a slight bump from Barea. "He's a flopping guy, so I tried to give him a taste of his own medicine," Watson told the Nets' postgame television broadcast. "I hope I don't get fined, though." Because it was a first offense, Watson was warned. "It was a great defensive play," Barea said. "And the refs, they called the charge. But I knew he was going to get a warning after that one.'' Minneapolis Star-Tribune  Spurs big man Tiago Splitter is having his best NBA season so far. It's all about staying injury-free, says Gregg Popovich. HoopsHype Gregg Popovich: "There's been no progression with Splitter. People have asked me that before - how did he get like this, what did he do during the summer... This is who he is. He's just been hurt most of the time he's been with us. This is the first time he's gotten consistent minutes. What you're seeing doing now is what he's been doing in Europe for years and years. He's played in championship teams with great coaches over there. This is what he does." HoopsHype Tiago Splitter: "It's all good when you have the confidence, when your teammates trust you.. I'm good and I hope to keep it like that." HoopsHype Manu Ginobili on Splitter: "It's not that he's improved. He's just used to the league. Different system, different way of calling fouls, defenders... Before he was a great player, and now Pop trusts thim, he understands the game, he can pass, he can finish... He's been a great addition to the team the last two years." HoopsHype  "I'm being more aggressive and just trusting my game," Lawson said. "I was probably listening (too much) to some people about when to take shots, when to drive and stuff like that. Right now I'm just playing my game, thinking about how I was playing in high school, how I was just going off re- action instead of thinking about what other people want me to do." Denver Post Chris Bosh will head to Massachusetts for Sunday's game at Boston. One day, he expects to return to the state for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Bosh always has had plenty of confidence. Now, he's talking about how he will be enshrined in Springfield, Mass. "Hell, yeah, of course. I've been a Hall of Famer like four years ago," the Miami Heat center told FOX Sports Florida after Friday's 110-88 win over Detroit. "And I say that very serious, though. I've talked about it before with my friends." FOXSports Florida "It's hard to say," McAdoo said of it being assured Bosh eventually will join him in the Hall. "You don't know the credentials they're looking for. A lot of times, you never know. It's still too early." FOXSports Florida  Thursday was a day off for the Lakers, a time to recover from an 0-3 trip after returning to Los Angeles early in the morning from Memphis. But it was a very busy day for Mike D'Antoni. The Lakers' coach was given a vote of confidence during a face-to-face meeting with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Executive Vice President Jim Buss, The Times has learned. Los Angeles Times Despite a shaky start with the Lakers, D'Antoni was told to do whatever he wanted with the lineup. Buss and Kupchak support him. He was told to do whatever was best for the offense. Buss and Kupchak support him. They discussed team personnel and morale and were unanimous in their thinking: The Lakers can still make an impact in this league. And, yes, make the playoffs. "It was a positive meeting," D'Antoni said Friday in a quiet moment at Staples Center, long before tipoff against the Utah Jazz. Los Angeles Times D'Antoni, who came here on a three-year, $12 million contract that he'll be paid whether or not he's able to see this job through, is going to grin his way through it and see where this purple- and-gold roller coaster takes him. "I don't care (about the increased scrutiny that surrounds him)," D'Antoni told USA TODAY Sports after the morning shoot-a-round. "I'm trying to do my job the best I can do it, and I'm trying to go as hard as I can. If (Lakers general manager) Mitch (Kupchak) and management ask me to (step down), then they can do that. That's their job. That's not my job. "That's a decision that the head guys have to make. When that day happens, it happens. But up until then, I'm going to coach as hard as I can coach to try to get it right." USA Today Sports Lakers officials and D'Antoni confidantes alike say there's no indication he's on his way out or that it's even being considered. And according to the Los Angeles Times, D'Antoni was given a vote of confidence from management in a meeting that took place not long after he discussed the prospect of being fired. USA Today Sports "I don't know anything (with) the system where the system says, 'You know what? The system really indicates to take bad shots, or don't move the ball, or let's post five guys up in the paint,'" D'Antoni told news reporters at the shoot-around. "I don't understand that. It's just playing basketball. "Where I'm having a hard time is, the ball doesn't move. We need to move the ball. And that's the biggest thing. ... We're trying to get Pau in the low post, but we can't get him in the low post (when) we've got three other guys in there also. So it's trying to get everybody on the same page, trying to be comfortable with it, and trying to play hard all the time because you're comfortable." USA Today Sports  Robert Parish, “The Chief,” rarely talked to the media and never hung around with Celtics teammates after a game. Associates say he would not answer his phone, letting messages go to voicemail. After leaving the team in 1994, he let his connection to the Green fray and fade, even to the point of selling off his 1986 world championship ring for spending money. So it was a surprise when this resolute loner picked up the phone at his home in North Carolina on the third ring. “People shouldn’t feel sad; they should help me get a job,” said the Hall of Fame center with the deep voice on the other end. “I need a coaching job in the NBA. I’m restless and I need money. ” Boston Globe Parish, 59, said that Bird and McHale, both of whom have held coaching and front office jobs in the league (McHale is the coach of the Houston Rockets), have done nothing to help him in his quest to return to the NBA, although he says he has reached out to them. He calls his Hall of Fame teammates “acquaintances.” “In my case, I don’t have any friends,’’ Parish said. “I saw Kevin at an event; he said he was going to call me. He never called. I called Larry twice when I was at the Indiana Pacers; he never returned my call. And not just Larry. Across the board, most NBA teams do not call back. You need a court order just to get a phone call back from these organizations. I’m not a part of their fraternity.” Boston Globe  Bird has a rather different recollection. Traveling, he sent a concise text in response to questions from the Globe: “Robert never called me for a job. Period.” Boston Globe McHale, for his part, expressed remorse in a voicemail. He said he tried to hire Parish when he was in Minnesota, but “I went back and checked . . . we were actually reducing spots at the time. Then I was let go from Minnesota.” He says he saw Parish later, when McHale worked for TNT. “I feel terrible about the whole thing, but I just didn’t have a position,’’ McHale said. “I would have loved to have hired Robert if something would’ve came up.” Boston Globe Pressed for a further explanation, he answered, “I don’t know. I would not consider myself part of Larry’s inner circle, like he’s not in my inner circle. Same thing with Kevin. He’s not in my inner circle; I’m not in his inner circle. Same thing with Danny. You know we respect each other. We had the camaraderie, obviously, collectively, on the team because of our success on the court. But off the court, you know, we weren’t hanging out going to dinner, drinks, going to the movies, double dating, whatever you wanted to do. We weren’t doing any of that.” Boston Globe Parish is pressed on his relationship with Ainge. He responds by reaching back in time, telling a story about how Celtics president Red Auerbach and coach K.C. Jones once asked him to take fewer shots because Dennis Johnson and Ainge wanted more scoring opportunities. The Chief readily agreed. “Danny is selfish, even after I made the sacrifice for him and DJ, he still asked to be traded.’’ Boston Globe Several years ago, his representatives reached out to all 30 NBA teams. Only two called him back. Now he’s trying harder. “I’ve been guilty of that, too, not returning phone calls.’’ he said. “We all have. “ He says he’s not angry at his teammates, either. “I have never sat here and said those [expletive] didn’t call me back. Not one time. I am very proud of this fact.” Boston Globe Parish, who earned roughly $24 million in 21 years in the NBA, says he needs a job with a substantial six-to-seven-figure salary. “I don’t want to have to start over. I’m not homeless and I’m not penniless, but I need to work.” Parish, who lives in an immaculate, tastefully decorated tan stucco home on the edge of a golf course, says his money was drained away because he wasn’t working and he was “too generous” with family, friends, and significant others. “There’s no need in crying about that now. I’m not making no excuses ’cause I’m to blame. I enjoyed it. I don’t want to come across as Poor Robert.’’ Boston Globe “That will never go away,” he says. Parish, who says he smoked marijuana to relax after games, says he stopped smoking in 1995. “But people don’t believe that, and I’ll never live it down.” Boston Globe General Manager John Hammond wasn’t the only Milwaukee Bucks’ front office official who received a contract extension this week. The Journal Times has learned that Jeff Weltman, the Bucks assistant general manager, also had his contract extended. Weltman’s extension, like that of Hammond, is for three years. Racine Journal-Times  Los Angeles-based billionaire and prospective owner of the Sacramento Kings Ron Burkle met with NBA Commissioner David Stern on Thursday in New York City, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. The meeting, according to one of the people with knowledge of the situation, lasted approximately two hours and took place inside the NBA's offices. The day before meeting with Stern, Burkle - according to one of the people - was in Sacramento. The people spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because it was a private meeting. USA Today Sports While National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter plans to continue implementing some of the recommendations made last week by the Paul, Weiss firm in its scathing, 469-page report on union finances and governance, CBSSports.com has learned that another legal challenge may be brewing. The New York State Attorney General's office is aware of the report's findings and is examining whether action may be necessary regarding Hunter's oversight of the NBPA's charitable foundation, law enforcement sources said. The report found the union's foundation never held elections for board members or for an executive director and did not hold or keep records of regular meetings, in violation of its bylaws. Also, the report found the foundation often made charitable donations at Hunter's sole discretion, and in some cases, those donations went to charities with which he was personally involved. CBSSports.com Using his "connections," Mark Cuban has hit a grand slam. He confirmed Friday that he'll have pop superstar Justin Timberlake singing at his private Super Bowl party in New Orleans on Feb. 2, the night before the big game. "It's going to be a heckuva party," Cuban said. "We always win the party. I'm bringing sexy back. Watch AXS-TV for a chance to win tickets to the party." By the way, Timberlake is a minority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies. Fort Worth Star-Telegram No, what made the night was what happened at the end of the third quarter, when Michael Drysch, a 50-year-old computer technician from McHenry, Illinois, stepped to midcourt, took the ball in a contest offered by one of James' sponsors, put up an awkward right-handed scoop-hook attempt and drained a $75,000 shot. Bedlam. An embrace at the center-court circle from LeBron. "Ecstatic. Euphoric. Wonderful," Drysch said. "I put some spin on it. ''Nice way to meet somebody. I can't believe it.'' A good night made even better. "That," James said, "was awesome." South Florida Sun-Sentinel Jefferson said he wasn’t sure if the nasty inversion has affected his health. For one thing, Big Al said he’s felt fine. Another thing? “I didn’t even know what pollution was until yesterday, so I don’t know to be honest with you,” he said, smiling. “I think I’m good. … I should’ve went to college.” Deseret News  When Pat Riley last visited the White House to mark the Miami Heat’s 2006 championship, he told President and Republican George W. Bush he had voted for him. So what’s the Miami Heat president going to tell President and Democrat Barack Obama on Monday when his team again visits the White House? “Here’s how I am about that,’’ said Riley, who Friday wouldn’t reveal his vote in last November’s election although it has been reported he donated $7,500 to Mitt Romney’s campaign. “Regardless of what I am, he’s the leader and that’s it. He’s the boss and I’m right behind him. And it doesn’t make any difference. And that’s how I feel about it. And so I’ll shake his hand with as much enthusiasm and hope for the best. That’s the way it is in this country. That’s how I feel about it.’’ FOXSports Florida Shortly after that, Grant was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a disorder of the brain that leads to shaking and difficulty with movement. The disease is best known for Muhammad Ali having it. “I’ve handled it well,’’ said Grant, whose left hand was shaking when he spoke to reporters. “That’s why I’m fanning myself (using a game program) because the tremor goes and builds up heat. I was diagnosed in ’08, but I was having symptoms back in '06. I’ve had it for roughly seven years. But I still don’t take meds. That’s why I deal with that. Because once you start the meds, you can’t get off of them. And they give you more problems sometimes than relief. But I’m doing good. My foundation is doing good.’’ FOXSports Florida |
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