HoopsHype.com RumorsFriday, July 30Did you miss Thursday's NBA rumors? check them out in the Rumors Archive. |
» Update: 06:59 PM ET |
 The Wizards expressed their interest in several free agent targets when the negotiating period began this month, but they had no intention of overpaying for an unproven. According to a source with knowledge of the talks, they made some early inquiries into the availability of Portland swingman Rudy Fernandez, whom they pursued before the trade deadline, but were never serious suitors. Washington Post Howard will undoubtedly be motivated on two fronts: He only got to play four games after the Mavericks ended their more than six-year relationship, so he never got the chance to "stick it to the Mavs" the way he wanted. And, with the Wizards not picking up his $11.8 million option and making him an unrestricted free agent, Howard will no doubt be looking to make up for a nearly $8 million loss (two league sources said the base of the contract is closer to $3 million, with performance-based incentives adding an additional $750,000 or so). Washington Post In order to sign Howard, the Wizards had to renounce the rights to free agent James Singleton, which is merely a formality. The Wizards remain interested bringing back Singleton, who arrived in Washington along with Howard, or Fabricio Oberto to fill out their frontcourt. The downside to the deal is that the first year following a major knee injury is rarely the best one, because players spend so much time regaining confidence in their limbs and trying to adjust to limited lateral quickness. While Howard certainly uses his athleticism, he isn't overly athletic, relying mostly on his craftiness and skill to be effective. Washington Post "I feel well. I am focused on Spain. My future will be known when Toronto and my agents will take a decision. They are working daily for the best solution for me and the franchise. Now, there is anything new to say" said Calderon. Source: As.com Sportando Ross Siler: Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we're going to have resolution on Kyrylo Fesenko by the end of today as I'd been hoping. Keep an eye on whether Fesenko and the Jazz agree to a modest multi-year deal or if Fes takes the one-year qualifying offer. Twitter  The Cavaliers and small forward Joey Graham have agreed to terms on a two-year, $2.1 million contract. The second year of the deal is a team option. Cleveland Plain Dealer The Washington Wizards have signed No. 17 overall pick Kevin Seraphin, who was acquired in a draft-day trade with the Chicago Bulls. Seraphin, a 6-foot-9 forward from French Guyana, spent the past four years playing for Cholet Basket. The French club signed him to a three-year contract in August, and he had to negotiate a buyout in order to join the Wizards. Seraphin was acquired from the Bulls in the trade that also brought veteran guard Kirk Hinrich to Washington. USA Today  The Russian billionaire is featured on the cover of Forbes Russia’s August “Stars and Money” issue, discussing his conservative profit estimates, his passion and love for sports, and the Russian stereotypes he seeks to break. Mr. Prokhorov, who has not always had adoring fans in Brooklyn, became owner of the Nets in May, in preparation for his team to make their new home in the Barclays Center within the controversial Atlantic Yards development. And he couldn’t be happier to be in Brooklyn. Translation via nba.com, Mr. Prokhorov tells Forbes: “Brooklyn is a country unto itself. Even the Americans themselves say that. It’s the center of immigration. It has a unique energy to it. Tens of millions of people who now live in the U.S. came through Brooklyn.” Brooklyn’s so great that a deficit is in fact a built-in part of the plan. “The structure of the deal is such that, before the move to Brooklyn, we plan to have a certain budget deficit. That’s built in. But from the time we move to Brooklyn, the team becomes profitable,” he says. New York Observer And there’s nothing screwy going on here, he says. Discussing Phil Jackson’s interest in a coaching job with the Nets, Mr. Prokhorov transitions into his distaste for vodka and Russian stereotypes. “He said he wanted to drink vodka with me. But the problem is I don’t drink vodka! (He laughs). By the way, that’s one of the stereotypes, that, if it’s a Russian, there must be something screwy going on. We’re going to break the stereotype." New York Observer With the arrival of Lebron James, the Miami Heat rapidly sold out all their season tickets. That turned out to be bad news for the ticket-sales staff, which was fired Friday. In a statement, the Heat confirmed the dismissals Friday afternoon, saying that with an ``exhausted'' inventory of season-tickets ``we no longer require a season ticket sales team to sell tickets.'' Stephen Weber, vice president of sales, delivered the news to about 30 ticket sales people Friday morning, according to one of the staffers who asked not to be named because he is seeking another job in sports. Miami Herald Even when James was merely rumored to be heading for the Heat, the team saw an explosion in season ticket sales. The staffer said he and his colleagues were making cold calls to prospective customers and taking deposits for a waiting list that now has more than 6,000 names on it. The dismissals reflect the new Heat position in basketball: it can sell tickets without really trying. ``They let us go because there was really nothing left to do anymore,'' the fired staffer said. Ayeh Ashong, partner at the Tickets of America brokerage in Miami, said demand for Heat tickets is sky-high, with opening game seats selling for about $250 apiece. ``They're probably the hottest tickets in the country,'' he said. Miami Herald Most fans' reaction is, "Are you crazy? You're giving up a dream job!" I know you love your job as a beat reporter but I also know it's not the most glamorous position that most fans think it is. For those that might not know, can you say why you're leaving your position as a Jazz beat writer? Ross Siler: I’ve long thought that everybody wants to have my job, but most people probably would reconsider after they did it for two weeks during the season. It’s not such a dream job when you’re sitting in the Minneapolis airport at 4:30 a.m. on Dec. 31 having gotten zero sleep and hoping that you’ll make your connection in Atlanta to get to Oklahoma City for that night’s game. That was one of our back-to-backs last season. I’m heartbroken, though, to be leaving this job, which I loved tremendously. People congratulate me on going to law school and I’m just numb because I don’t know what to say back. My wife and I went back and forth on how we could make it work having a family with me continuing to be a beat writer and kept coming up empty on an answer. SLC Dunk John Salley: Seikaly was one of my guys. He knew I wasn't there to take his job; I was there to play power forward. One day, he says to me, "Hey, man, how do you play all the way into June?" Remember, I'd been with the Pistons for six seasons and made the playoffs every year. I say, "What'd you say?" He goes, "The playoffs, third round, you guys play all the way to, like, June 28." "Uh, that's what you do when you win a championship," I say. "But you only get paid from November to April. That's taking too much of the summer, man. This is ridiculous." I say: "Well, playing for a championship is about pride. It's not about money." He says: "It has to be, because this is some bullshit. You guys play an extra two months." And I was like, holy shit. I didn't even realize it. I was playing an extra two-and-a-half months, for free. DeadSpin.com A former security guard has been charged by federal officials with making repeated bomb threats earlier this week to the Secaucus offices of the National Basketball Association, for whom he worked. José Quesada, 19, of Elizabeth, surrendered earlier this afternoon and is awaiting an appearance in U.S. District Court in Newark on charges of willfully providing false information "indicating that malicious damage of a building or vehicle would take place." Federal authorities said he made several calls to the NBA office from his personal cell phone over a three-day period beginning July 26, leaving voicemail messages that he was going to blow up the building and kill people. "I put a bomb outside ... Gonna kill all the NBA ... There’s a bomb outside the complex in the parking lot. I put a bomb outside in the bush. No way out. Gonna blow up at 9 o’clock in the morning. Good luck...If you come out, it will blow up," Quesada allegedly said in one July 27 call, according to documents filed in federal court. Newark Star-Ledger The California Highway Patrol today released the video an officer shot from a CHP airplane of a car driven by Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans that led to the player's arrest. An aerial video shows Evans, 20, speeding down Interstate 80. High above the purple Mercedes S550 being driven by Evans shortly before 7 p.m. May 31, was a Highway Patrol flight officer in a CHP Cessna airplane. Sacramento Bee  Three armed men looking for Lorenzen Wright showed up at the home of the former NBA player's ex-wife about six weeks before he was found shot to death, an attorney said Friday. Lawyer Gail Mathes said her client, Sherra Wright, was afraid for herself and her children, so she kept quiet about the encounter until Monday. She then alerted police in the Memphis suburb of Collierville. ESPN.com The men, dressed in sport coats with weapons in view, threatened Sherra Wright and her family if she told anyone about the visit, Mathes said. The attorney's account was first reported by The Commercial Appeal. Lorenzen Wright's body was found Wednesday in the woods in southeast Memphis. He had been missing since July 18, when he left his ex-wife's house around midnight with an unidentified person. Meanwhile, police in the Memphis suburb of Germantown are reviewing how a 911 call from Wright's cell phone was handled. Rodney Bright, Germantown's deputy police chief, said department officials did not know about the call until Tuesday, eight days after it was received by a dispatcher in the early morning hours of July 19. Bright says he can't discuss details of the call, which has been turned over to Memphis police. ESPN.com That 911 call was taken by Germantown dispatchers on Monday. It's unclear if Germantown police started investigating at that point, they have declined to talk to the media. It was Collierville police who had been on the case. But once MPD homicide heard the 911 call, investigators traced the call to the nearest cell phone tower and searched the area. Sources say Wright's body was found within hours. "There's been some kind of break down, whatever that is. Maybe there needs to be a review of protocol," said County Commissioner Mike Carpenter. Carpenter said the Lorenzen Wright investigation is a perfect example why the 911 operations of Memphis, Shelby County, and the suburban cities should all be housed in one call center. "It gives you the opportunity for number one, communication. To be able to communicate with one another under the same roof in a timely manner. Number two, I think it allows you to move toward having the same 911 system," said Carpenter. My FOX Memphis.com The County Commission has approved funds to build a center to house county, Memphis, and suburban dispatchers, but so far only Memphis and the county have agreed to move in. The suburban police departments have said no. "They have not agreed and have in the past refused. So that has been one of the hold ups," said Carpenter. Although the first 48 has passed, homicide detectives are making up for lost time. They tell FOX13 they are working around the clock and have the use of all MPD's resources, from man power to technology. Germantown Police Department said it is conducting an administrative review of how the call has handled. My FOX Memphis.com But, why is Mathes so sure Sherra Wright is not involved in her husband's brutal shooting? A check of court records tells a story of need. "I had a court order, a judgment entered with the court that he was to pay her $10,000 a month and the children $16,000 and he never paid any of that," Mathes stated. "There is absolutely no motive here. I mean she needed him terribly to help her, and all the debts that they have would wipe out any insurance she'd receive." My FOX Memphis.com |
» Update: 01:18 PM ET |
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Joey Graham agrees to a two-year deal with Cavaliers with terms undisclosed, his agent Byron Irvin tells Yahoo! Sports. Twitter Jose Manuel Calderon is training with Spain and is focused on the FIBA World Championship but, however, would like to know where he will be playing next season. "I feel well. I am focused on Spain. My future will be known when Toronto and my agents will take a decision. They are working daily for the best solution for me and the franchise. Now, there is anything new to say" said Calderon. Sportando Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has re-signed guard Will Bynum to a contract. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. “We are pleased to re-sign Will Bynum,” said Dumars. “Will brings unique skills to our team at the point guard position and we feel his leadership and play-making abilities will continue to grow and evolve.” NBA.com The Oklahoma City Thunder has waived reserve guard Kyle Weaver, who missed much of last season with a shoulder injury. USA Today Seikaly was one of my guys. He knew I wasn't there to take his job; I was there to play power forward. One day, he says to me, "Hey, man, how do you play all the way into June?" Remember, I'd been with the Pistons for six seasons and made the playoffs every year. I say, "What'd you say?" He goes, "The playoffs, third round, you guys play all the way to, like, June 28." "Uh, that's what you do when you win a championship," I say. "But you only get paid from November to April. That's taking too much of the summer, man. This is ridiculous." I say: "Well, playing for a championship is about pride. It's not about money." He says: "It has to be, because this is some bullshit. You guys play an extra two months." And I was like, holy shit. I didn't even realize it. I was playing an extra two-and-a-half months, for free. DeadSpin.com A local disc jockey claims LeBron James gave him a not-so-nice gesture, and he has the picture to prove it! Last weekend, DJ Fig, from Mix 94.1 in Akron, was at the Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas. Early Monday morning, he spotted LBJ and his entourage partying at a nightclub. As he took out his camera to snap a picture, the deejay said LeBron gave him the finger. "I said 'Hey, Akron still loves you man,' and he gave the bird as you see in the picture," said DJ Fig. The deejay said he was so shocked that he had to look at his camera to make sure it really happened. FOX8 Sherra Robinson Wright opened her front door one day in recent weeks to find three men she had never seen before, each with guns tucked in their waistbands. They looked serious and wanted to know if her ex-husband, former NBA star Lorenzen Wright, 34, happened to be inside the Whisperwood Drive home visiting his six children. No, she assured them, and they drove away. Memphis Commercial Appeal The frightened Collierville mom rushed to tell her divorce attorney, Gail Mathes, about the scary ordeal and her fears for herself, her children and the ex-husband she still loved, Mathes said. A few weeks later, the athlete made an impromptu visit from his Atlanta-area home to Memphis. A day after his flight arrived, he was gunned down. Memphis Commercial Appeal |
» Update: 12:00 PM ET |
 KC Johnson: One name making the NBA rounds that Tom Thibodeau is considering for Pete Myers' replacement is former Bucks and Suns coach Terry Porter. Twitter The Bulls have been very happy with Randy Brown, who joined the team as a player development coach last summer. It’s possible he could be asked to become a regular assistant coach, but may not be interested in such a role. Ex-Bulls guard Rick Brunson helped out in player development with the summer league team. He doesn’t have much coaching experience, though, and would likely join the staff only if Brown moved to a bench role. Arlington Heights Daily Herald  Shaquille O’Neal and Kwame Brown. Those two haven’t shown up in the same sentence too often over the years, but they’re linked on this occasion because they both remain on the radar of the Boston Celtics. The East champs, even after the recent signing of Jermaine O’Neal, still want one more big man after inching to the brink of a full roster with Thursday’s signing of guard Von Wafer. The problem? The Celtics only have minimum money left. Sources say they’re having trouble getting Brown to accept those wages, so you can imagine where Shaq stands on the idea. ESPN.com I’ve heard that Shaq, earlier this summer, was telling friends that the Spurs were the only team he'd consider playing for on a low-dollar contract. But San Antonio, as covered previously in this cyberspace, doesn’t have the available minutes -- and really hasn’t shown the inclination -- to try to wedge the former local high school star into a world that still revolves around Shaq’s old rival Tim Duncan. ESPN.com Word persists that Shaq still hopes to be sign-and-traded somewhere by Cleveland that will allow him to secure a salary next season above the $5.8 million mid-level exception. Our old friend Howard Beck of the New York Times did a comprehensive piece last weekend spelling out just how unlikely landing that sort of contract would appear to be. ESPN.com  As of Friday morning, Chicago had not completely ruled out the signing of Tracy McGrady. Miami’s signing of Eddie House extinguished one of the Bulls’ other prime options and thus helped keep alive the possibility of McGrady scoring the deal from the Bulls that he so badly wants, as chronicled here. Chicago, though, continues to look at other options such as Keith Bogans and Roger Mason. ESPN.com Sources close to the process, as they did Monday after McGrady’s workout and sitdown with team officials, continue to describe the prospect of a T-Mac signing as “unlikely” after he spoke at length -- to the media and apparently those officials as well -- of his intent to try to force his way into a prominent role with the Bulls when they were looking for him to show a blanket willingness to accept a limited role. If the Bulls ultimately do relent and commit to a T-Mac experiment, since they do need another scoring threat on the perimeter, it’s believed that they will insist on McGrady accepting a non-guaranteed deal for next season so they can let him go at any time without financial hesitation if they deem the experiment to be failing. ESPN.com After campaigning for the signing of Tracy McGrady a week ago, Derrick Rose had a different reaction Thursday when I asked him if he was upset now that it appears the Bulls have little interest in McGrady. "No, not really," Rose said after conducting a basketball camp at Joy of the Game in Deerfield. "Like I said before anything, I'm cool with the team I have right now. I think we have good youth on the team. We should be all right. "If [McGrady] comes or if he doesn't, we should be able to compete out there. That's up to the Bulls." Chicago Sun-Times The Oregonian mentioned the Bulls as a potential destination for Portland shooting guard Rudy Fernandez. League insiders wonder if the Blazers are really serious about moving Fernandez. The Bulls’ inquiries earlier this summer were rebuffed. At this point, if Fernandez is unhappy with his limited role in Portland, the Bulls may not be his best option, considering they’ve already added Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer at two guard. According to reports, the Blazers are willing to accommodate Fernandez'trade request and are looking for a first-round draft pick in return. Arlington Heights Daily Herald The Knicks' quest for Portland's Rudy Fernandez, however, remains on hold through the weekend. Their inability to send the Blazers a first-round pick until 2014 is a likely sticking point. Bergen Record Michael Lee: Josh Howard signed his 1-year deal with the Wiz Thurs. night. Paperwork is expected to be submitted on Friday, when it becomes official. Twitter  The Bulls continue to pursue guards Keith Bogans and Roger Mason, and haven't closed the door on signing Tracy McGrady. There could be other candidates as the Bulls look to add more outside shooters, but they might sit tight for the next week or two before settling on the next move. Arlington Heights Daily Herald Now moving onto the Knicks' radar screen in their search for backcourt depth: athletic and versatile Lakers guard Shannon Brown. Brown, who averaged 8.1 points on 42.7 percent shooting while making $1.99 million last season, may be squeezed out of Los Angeles unless the Lakers are able to trade Sasha Vujacic and the nearly $5.5 million he's due next season. Brown could get close to $3 million from the Knicks with their remaining salary-cap room. Bergen Record  Tim Thomas' first season in Dallas didn't proceed as planned, but the Paterson native said Thursday he expects to play for the Mavericks again next season. Thomas, a free agent, anticipates signing a contract sometime next month. Mavericks' executives have expressed interest in Thomas' return, and the veteran forward figures he'll receive an offer for a one- or two-year deal from Mark Cuban's team. Bob Myers, Thomas' agent, has discussed Thomas' return with the Mavericks' brass in recent weeks. Bergen Record The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Thomas, who signed a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum of $1.3 million last season, wants to play "two or three" more seasons in the NBA and would prefer a two-year deal. "The most important thing for me at this point, at my age and [going on] 14 years in the league, is to put myself in a situation where I have a chance to win a championship," Thomas, 33, said. "Dallas is that type of situation." Bergen Record Virtus Roma is targeting Patrick Patty Mills and is trying to convince the Australian player to land in Europe and wear the jersey of Lottomatica. The guard spent last season with Portland Trail Blazers (2.5ppg in 12 games) and Idaho Stampede (25.6ppg in 5 games in NBDL) but had a difficult season due to an injury. Portland is expected to soon make a decision about his future (he has a non guaranteed contract with the franchise). Sportando  Mike James wants to play for the Utah Jazz. Told me so at golf outing (Bethpage Red Course) for his charity foundation. Twitter M.James took buyout from Wizards, hoped to sign w/playoff team but nobody bit. Turned down offers in Spain, Italy. Admires Jazz org. Twitter There always is the possibility of picking up a veteran free agent point guard too. The Suns recently showed some interest in Chris Quinn. And don't count out Matt Janning. Arizona Republic Unless another team swoops in with a more attractive situation or guaranteed money, it sounds like Zabian Dowdell and Scottie Reynolds will be in the Suns' training camp and could be competing for a roster spot. Arizona Republic  With Perkins out indefinitely due to the long rehabilitation, that might leave room for Scalabrine, a career reserve who has never averaged more than four points per game in green. But the 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward continues to hear the nagging rumors that Boston is interested an another noted wide body, Shaquille O’Neal. In limbo and awaiting the domino effect, Scalabrine hasn’t lost his sense of humor. “Me and Shaq’s games are really quite similar. He’s an inside player. I’m an inside player. He’s 360. I’m 250,” said Scalabrine, the expression on his face hardly changing. “I don’t know, if they had to make that choice that there’s only going be room for one 360-pound center, I feel like they could do both. They could have me and him.” The Sun Journal Scalabrine, who spent his first four seasons with the New Jersey Nets after playing at the University of Southern California, believes he fits into the Celtics’ veteran philosophy no matter whom they sign for reinforcements. “We definitely got older (with the Jermaine O‘Neal signing), but probably our team can kind of do that. Doc (Rivers) is probably the one coach that can coach aging superstars,” Scalabrine said. “If Shaq signs, he’ll fit in well. We’ve got a lot of young guys like Baby (Glen Davis) that can go 40 minutes if those guys need games off or whatever. It’s a different dynamic, but you’ve got to remember teams are built for the playoffs. The kind of players we have will be built for the playoffs.” The Sun Journal Alex Kennedy: The Wizards have invited Kevin Palmer to training camp, according to sources. Palmer averaged 8 points and 3 rebounds during Summer League. Twitter Cavs General Manager Chris Grant is still searching for other free agents, but he is adamant about keeping the roster flexible and not getting tied into bad contracts. The Cavs still have a $14.5 million trade exception from the LeBron James deal with the Miami Heat, but aren't expected to use that anytime soon. They were in the hunt for veteran Matt Barnes, but Barnes ultimately accepted less money to play with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Cavs were unwilling to go beyond two guaranteed years for Barnes. Akron Beacon Journal  The Celtics signed free agent guard Von Wafer yesterday for the veteran minimum, adding a 3-point shooter Celtics president Danny Ainge was eying. Boston Globe LeBron James: Congrats to Eddie House. Welcome to Team "John Dillinger". Happy to have u Twitter With an opportunity to make guaranteed money for two seasons with the Italian League’s defending champion, Spurs swingman Malik Hairston asked the team to release him from the final, non-guaranteed season of his contract. Having signed free-agent swingman Gary Neal to a three-year contract last week, the Spurs on Thursday complied with the request. “We valued Malik and had invested a lot in him, but this is an excellent opportunity for him and we were happy to honor his request,” said Spurs general manager R.C. Buford. Hairston must clear NBA waivers before he can sign a two-year deal with Montepaschi Siena, winner of the past four Italian League titles. San Antonio Express-News Minnesota looked around a lot for a place to deal Al Jefferson so Phoenix was included, talking about a package that would have sent Leandro Barbosa there for him. Arizona Republic  In an interview on Rogers Sportsnet on Thursday night, Bosh responded to allegations made by Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo on Toronto radio station FAN 590 that claimed the All-Star was "checked out" late last season and chose not to play some of the Raptors' final games. "I play this game as hard as I can every time I step on the court," Bosh said. "On the back of my jersey it says 'Bosh' ... The Boshes are hard workers. We have a lot of pride in what we do, in our jobs and in life." ESPN.com Bosh claims he was still intent on getting the Raptors into the postseason. "What's so significant about the All-Star break? We were in the playoffs. And I wanted to play in the playoffs," he said. "That's all I thought about every summer." Bosh also clarified comments he made recently in the Miami Herald in which he called Toronto "different." He said he didn't mean that as an insult to the city. "Toronto is different," he said. "For one, it's a different country. If you don't know you're in a different country when you land then something is wrong with your senses. That's not to say that Toronto is not a great metropolitan city. It is a fantastic city. "Different is not bad. I'm different. That doesn't make me bad," he said. ESPN.com "Everybody thinks, 'Oh, he was gone as soon as the season was over,'" he said. "It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. As different as another country is, it was still home for me. I had been there for seven years." ESPN.com  What was your reaction when you learned Bosh was going to Miami? Andrea Bargnani: I wasn’t surprised. His contract was finished and the feeling was that he was going to leave. You could feel that he was going to leave for the last couple of months before the end of the season. Everybody had this kind of feeling. So I wasn’t surprised. HoopsHype.com Some people believe he gave up on the team late last season. What do you think about that? Andrea Bargnani: Every time he was wearing the jersey on the court, he always played hard. His numbers prove that. He’s a good player. As for personal stuff, I don’t know, I can’t know and personally I don’t want to know. Everybody can think whatever. HoopsHype.com There was talk last year about a division between American and foreign players in the locker room. Is there any truth to that? Andrea Bargnani: There wasn’t any division, no. We were cool. Of course with European guys you have more things to talk about, right? It’s common sense. But we were cool with everybody and friends with everybody. If I speak with Jose (Calderon), I got more things to speak about because we come from almost the same place and we can talk about the cities we’ve been in Spain or Italy. HoopsHype.com Other than the extra motivation, does this affect you in any way? Andrea Bargnani: No, because if somebody tells me I don’t have passion that doesn’t make anything to me because that doesn’t have any sense. Without passion, you don’t arrive in the NBA. The NBA is not a joke. You have to work all your life to get in the NBA. So the stupid criticism without any sense doesn’t make anything to me. But there is some criticism that is real. I mean, if somebody tells me I have to get better on something, maybe I realize that it’s true so I try to get better. So some stuff is good to know. HoopsHype.com  Choosing between home or 3,000 miles away in Florida, Barnes ultimately decided that he could have his cake and eat it. He'd join the best team. “I don’t really know if you can consider anyone the favorites, but the Lakers,” he says. “When you win two championships in a row, and you bring back virtually the same team but add a few pieces, I don’t see how you cannot be the favorites, despite what Miami did.” ProBasketballNews.com “My understanding was that I was going to re-up with Orlando to lock in a long term deal,” Barnes told PBN. “It was bad communication on their part in not letting us know that wasn’t the truth. We sat back feeling that when it was time to negotiate, that I was going to go back to Orlando.” ProBasketballNews.com Screwed yet again. At the same time, everything happens for a reason. “It would have been tough (in Toronto).” Barnes said. “I would have went in there and battled for a position with a team that’s rebuilding. Anytime you do something like that, it wears on you, it’s tough to lose and everyone wants to win.” ProBasketballNews.com  Ever since his rookie year in Milwaukee in 2007-08, Sessions has been tight with guard Mo Williams. They’ll be reunited in Cleveland this season. “He was second person I called other than my agent,” Sessions said. “He was all for it. It’s going to be fun out there. (Mo and I) are best friends and we’re going to compete. “Even though he was my mentor growing up, I’m not going to let him get off easy. I’m going to compete and play hard.” Morning Journal At a downtown press conference, Lin acknowledged that his NBA career path was far from common, but insisted he could still succeed. "Coming out of college into the draft, being Asian-American and being from Harvard, that's not going to be an advantage because of stereotypes," he said. San Jose Mercury-News He told reporters that religion is a major part of his life and where he saw his eventual destiny. "I still want to be a pastor somewhere down the line, that is something that is definitely on my radar," he said. "I have an economics degree with a minor in sociology. The reason I have that is because I want to do a ministry in urban areas and help with underprivileged kids." San Jose Mercury-News Sources told me that NIKE Taiwan is negotiating with Lin’s agent Roger Montgomery for a show deal, but it’s possible that NIKE global will take over if it finds Lin is worth it. Lin wore NIKE shoes at Harvard, which is sponsored by NIKE. Taiwan Hoops The Tokyo Apache's aggressive offseason overhaul plan continues in overdrive. The team signed teenage power forward Jeremy Tyler on Thursday, adding a player who took the courageous — and historic — decision to skip his senior season at San Diego High School to play for the Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli League. Japan Times  Mark Cuban: Feeling Tyler hansbrough's vertigo pain. It's a bizarre feeling . I once thought I was in an earthquake because of it. Hope he beats it Twitter But let me also say that any suggestion that all this is becoming public now because Amare is trying to win over New York’s significant Jewish population is badly misplaced. He’s been talking about going to Israel for years. I know that because I’ve discussed it with him several times. Amare’s interest in Judaism is so real that he recently had a Star of David tattooed on his left hand. Stoudemire was accompanied on the trip by highly regarded NBA skills/footwork guru Idan Ravin, who has been working with the Knicks’ marquee signing all summer and has roots in Israel himself. ESPN.com Amar'e Stoudemire: Wow!! The fans here are amazing. Everyone cheers "NEW YORK KNICKS!!" "NEW YORK KNICKS!!" Twitter Patrick Patterson: Can't stand airports. Someone please invent new form of transportation that will shut this industry down. Plane has over 5 hour delay. BS! Twitter  Question: Why did all the rumblings about Larry Brown wanting to leave the Bobcats to coach the Sixers or Clippers instead, so prevalent in May and June, quietly fade away? One answer: NBA coaching sources say that Bobcats owner Michael Jordan made it clear to Brown and any interested team that the Bobcats would insist on compensation -- presumably draft considerations -- to let Brown out of his contract. ESPN.com Marc J. Spears: Kings annouce hiring of DeMarcus Cousins' high school coach Otis Hughley as an assistant coach. Twitter  To that end, Babby responded to a Yahoo.com report that said Cleveland Assistant General Manager Lance Blanks is a front-runner to land the job that others have declined, saying there is no leading candidate and there have been no job offers. "It's not a horse race," Babby said. "There are no frontrunners. We're going to have a thorough and systematic process, and it'll be at the end of that process that we'll move to evaluations. "I've committed to myself and the candidates that I wouldn't move forward to a decision until I've completed the interviews. Therefore, there can't be a frontrunner." Arizona Republic Remember that 127-foot billboard of Mikhail Prokhorov and Jay-Z, adorned with a Nets logo, that went up on a building facing Madison Square Garden to taunt the Knicks at the start of free agency? It’s being painted over this week, but not because James Dolan called the league office to complain about the likenesses of the Nets’ owners were peering straight into the Knicks offices. The Nets apparently leased that billboard space only for one month. ESPN.com As for his next step in life, Harpring has faced a decision about whether to go into coaching or broadcasting. He worked as a part-time studio analyst last season for NBA TV in Atlanta and was a guest analyst for Jazz games when he returned to Utah. With three children ages 4 and younger, Harpring said he wasn’t ready to commit to coaching, either in the NBA or college basketball. The prospect of bouncing around from team to team and regularly relocating his family holds little appeal right now. “It’s not the time for that in my life,” Harpring said of coaching. “Eventually, one day, that’ll probably be where it’ll be. But with a young family, in today’s world, depending on what level you coach, it’s too hard.” Salt Lake Tribune As a result, Harpring is expected to expand his broadcasting commitments. “When I did that last year, you still feel part of the team, you still feel part of the organization and you’re pulling for the Jazz to win,” Harpring said. “I really do love the franchise,” Harpring added. “It’s been a part of me for a long time. I’ve been with other franchises and there’s very few that are run the way the Jazz are run, from ownership all the way down to Jerry [Sloan]. You respect loyalty and how organizations are run the longer you’re around in this business.” Salt Lake Tribune Germantown police are reviewing the way a 911 call from a former NBA star's cell phone was handled on the day he was killed. Police chief Richard Hall said he did not learn of the call until Tuesday -- eight days after it occurred. As a result, it was not reported to investigators in nearby Collierville investigating Lorenzen Wright's disappearance. Memphis Commercial Appeal Sources have told The Commercial Appeal that as many as a dozen gunshots can be heard on a recording of the call, which was placed in the early morning hours of July 19. Memphis Commercial Appeal A male voice could be heard uttering an expletive on the call. Then came the gunfire in rapid succession, the sources said. Memphis Commercial Appeal The team spent Thursday mourning the death of former Cavs forward Lorenzen Wright, whose body was found in a wooded area near Memphis on Wednesday. ''Our thoughts and prayers are for Lorenzen Wright's family as they deal with these very tough and tragic circumstances,'' said Grant, who also spent time with Wright in Atlanta. ''For those of us that worked with Lorenzen, we knew him as a very vibrant, friendly, caring, young human being. I was very, very saddened to hear the news of his death. He will be missed by many.'' Akron Beacon Journal Wright provided similar memories to many who encountered him in a 13-year NBA career and a life that ended violently after 34 years. On Thursday, Memphis police confirmed that Wright was a homicide victim killed by gunshot wound. He was found nine days after he had gone missing. "The news as to how he died, it's killing us all, to say the least," Hawks spokesman Arthur Triche said. Atlanta Journal-Constitution "I saw him on the Sunday before he went missing," Adrian Bond, a friend of Wright's, told the Commercial-Appeal. "He was the same Lorenzen you always knew. He was getting ready to go to Israel to play ball." Atlanta Journal-Constitution Wright's life seemed to be running into trouble. He was divorced from his wife Sherra in January, the same month that his $1.3 million home in Sandy Springs was repossessed. In May, a custom-built 17-room home in Eads, Tenn., also was taken back after he and his wife defaulted on their $2.7 million loan. "Given the fact that his father's [basketball] career was shortened by a shooting, I'm sure for the family it brings back a lot of awful memories," Triche said. "It's never easy to lose a family member, but to lose him in that way, it's tragic, to say the least." Atlanta Journal-Constitution And after the death of his daughter Sierra Simone in 2003, Wright set up a scholarship fund in her name for students from his high school. "Young people are not supposed to die before their parents," Woodson said. In the end, Woodson said, "I don't know what has really happened, but I know that he's no longer with us, and that's sad." Atlanta Journal-Constitution  Baron Davis: R.I.P. Lorenzen Wright really good dude... my prayers go out to his family and friends... you will be missed Twitter Lamar Odom: RIP Lorenzen Wright. I was blessed to know him. Twitter  Eddy Curry 's off-the-court troubles continued earlier this week when an arrest warrant was issued for the Knicks center for the second time in four weeks, according to the court case information summary obtained by Newsday. Meanwhile, Curry's Chicago -based legal team is attempting to remove itself from the case, according to the court documents. The Chicago Sun Times, citing court records, reported the lawyers wanted out because Curry failed to pay his legal fees. Curry was ruled in contempt of court Monday in Cook County Circuit Court for failing to pay the remaining $100,000 owed in a previously settled civil suit with a woman named Christina White, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, the case summary shows. Curry must turn himself in or face being arrested by Chicago police. Bail was set at $100,000. Newsday |
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Jorge Sierra Editor in chief |
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Eddie Johnson Former NBA player |
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Roland Lazenby NBA writer |
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Caron Butler Mavericks forward |
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Etan Thomas Thunder Center |
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Pete Mickeal Former Knick |
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