Posted by: admin, on January 13, 2010 at 7:46 pm.
Via Yahoo! Sports
The Nets are believed to be trying to trade forward Josh Boone and his $2 million contract.
Boone had an extended talk with New Jersey executive Rod Thorn on Tuesday, but the forward says the pair never discussed a potential trade.
“I only know what I read, and (reports) say they’re shopping me,” Boone said. “I would love to stay, but I know how the business is.”
The 6′10″ Boone, who has been with the Nets since his career got started in 2006, will be losing a good chunk of playing time to Kris Humphries(notes), who just arrived via trade from the Dallas Mavericks.
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Posted by: admin, on at 7:44 pm.
After experiencing some discomfort during his recently-accelerated rehabilitation program, Clippers’ forward Blake Griffin was examined Tuesday afternoon by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.
As a result of that examination, it has been determined that the healing in his left patella area has not improved to the expected required level. Griffin will undergo a surgical procedure in the near future, with a recovery prognosis of four to six months. Team personnel will be made available to the media. Further details will be made available as events develop.
Previously on December 23rd, after undergoing a CT Scan and MRI Griffin had been cleared to increase his rehabilitation workload.
Griffin, the first overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft, suffered a non-displaced stress fracture of his left patella during the Clippers’ last preseason game vs. the New Orleans Hornets on Friday, October 23rd.
*Greg Oden, the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, also missed his entire rookie season due to injury.*
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Posted by: admin, on at 11:13 am.
Via Times-Picayune
Jeff Bower, general manager/head coach of the Hornets, did not deny that teams have called expressing interest in trading for Chris Paul or David West. One reported deal this week had the San Antonio Spurs willing to exchange point guard Tony Parker for Paul.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have expressed interest in West since November.
Since last season, the Dallas Mavericks have expressed interest in obtaining Paul and taking on the remainder of Peja Stojakovic’s hefty contract to make the deal more attractive for the Hornets.
But Bower said the Hornets have no intentions of trading away any members of their core to get under the luxury-tax threshold.
“The foundation of our plan has always been to maintain our core group of players and to look at ways that wouldn’t affect our overall basketball team on the court,” Bower said.
The Hornets are very close to being save from the luxury tax.
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Posted by: admin, on at 11:06 am.
Via Sacramento Bee
Kevin Martin is closing in on a return to game-action, which could be the beginning of an audition for other teams. Many teams are hoping to land Martin by the February trade deadline should the Kings make him available.
League sources indicate Houston, Toronto, Cleveland, Phoenix and Dallas are among those keeping watch.
The Kings, who are believed to be looking for a significant frontcourt addition, have given no indication they intend to move Martin. There is, however, doubt by some that a backcourt combo of Tyreke Evans and Martin will not work in the longterm.
Petrie said he has no reason to believe the Evans-Martin combination won’t work.
“Both guys get along with everybody,” Petrie said. “(Evans is) not a one-man show. He’s a very good show. … There’s going to be some trial and error there, too. They haven’t played together yet, really.”
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Posted by: admin, on at 10:59 am.
Via Newsday
According to his peers, Kevin Garnett is the biggest trash talker in the NBA.
“Sports Illustrated released the results of a new poll that asked NBA players who was the league’s biggest trash talker,” wrote Alan Hahn of Newsday. “Super-intense Kevin Garnett took first place by a landslide of 62 percent out of 173 NBA players polled. Kobe Bryant (7%) was second, followed by Rasheed Wallace (5%). Fourth on the list was Nate Robinson (3%), who tied with Paul Pierce.”
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Posted by: admin, on January 12, 2010 at 3:52 pm.
Via ESPN
WASHINGTON — With various players missing for various reasons, including some who had to talk to authorities about the Gilbert Arenas gun investigation, only eight members of the Washington Wizards were warming up on court Tuesday as coach Flip Saunders spoke nearby.
“Right now, there is definitely going to be discipline,” Saunders intoned, “whether they like it or not.”
Clearly, Saunders has his hands full at the moment. He is in his first year with a team dealing with far more serious matters than its 12-23 record heading into Tuesday night’s home game against the Detroit Pistons.
“He said, ‘Well, I didn’t get a shot in a game.’ If you’re 6-10, 6-11, you can get a shot by getting an offensive rebound and getting shots. Anybody, whether it’s him or anybody, that thinks a coach has to run plays to get you shots — that’s the sign of a team that’s not going to be a very good team,” Saunders said.
“I hope it impacts him. I hope he comes back energized. I hope he comes back with a focus. I hope he understands what it takes to win,” Saunders added.
The coach singled out co-captains Antawn Jamison and Butler, along with Miller as players who are “totally committed” to doing what it takes to win, despite all that is going on around the team.
Saunders also made clear he wouldn’t hesitate to find ways to get players to adapt to how he wants them to play.
“This is how things are going to be, and if guys aren’t going to act that way — if we have to play with five guys, we’ll play with five guys,” Saunders said. “We have to have a mind-set change.”
Posted by: admin, on at 3:47 pm.
Via Real GM
Heat star Dwyane Wade still isn’t sure if he’ll commit to playing for Team USA as the program prepares for the 2012 London Olympics.
Wade played for the United States at the Olympics in 2004 and 2008 and was leaning towards retiring from international play.
“I really said to myself after 2008, when we won the gold medal, that I was in the mind state that it was it for me,” Wade said. “Of course, my teammates have gotten into my ear a little bit and would love for me to be a part of it. But it’s a long way away for me.”
Wade, who will be 30 by 2012, said it would be easier for him to commit if he didn’t have to take part in training camp and the World Championships this summer.
He is among several high-profile players that will hit the free agent market after the season.
“It’s this summer that makes it difficult,” Wade admitted. “We all know the World Games are this summer. This is a very busy summer for me. I’m not trying to be selfish or make it all about me. I’m trying to make sure what I do is right for not only me, but for the organization I play for as well as for USA Basketball.”
Posted by: admin, on December 16, 2009 at 1:43 pm.
Via ESPN
The NBA confirmed Wednesday that there will be no further sanctions against New Jersey Nets guard Devin Harris for his hard foul Tuesday night on Cleveland’s Jamario Moon late in the fourth quarter of the Nets’ 99-89 defeat.
Harris was automatically ejected for the foul after the referees on the floor deemed it a flagrant foul 2. But an additional suspension or fine has been ruled out by league officials.
Moon fell hard to the floor with 3:48 to play after being hit in the head and neck area by Harris on an attempted breakaway layup.
Moon told reporters after the game that the play looked worse than it actually was.
“I don’t think it was intentional,” Moon said. “He went for the ball and just missed it, I guess.”
Harris fouled Moon hard around the head and neck in the fourth quarter of New Jersey’s win over Cleveland on Tuesday night.
The guard was automatically ejected after referees assessed him with a flagrant foul 2.
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Posted by: admin, on at 1:06 pm.
Via NBA.com
The Jazz will receive a first-round pick from the Knicks this coming June and David Aldridge writes that packing Carlos Boozer with the selection could be a possibility.
Boozer has played well this season, but Utah has long been considered a long-shot to re-sign the power forward, who will hit the free agent market next summer.
Completing a sign-and-trade would give Boozer an extra year in his next contract and adding New York’s unprotected pick just spices up the deal for the Jazz.
Aldridge writes that it would be hard for anyone to not at least consider a deal that would land an All-Star power forward and likely a high lottery pick.
Boozer is currently averaging 20 points per game, as well as grabbing 11 boards.
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Posted by: admin, on at 1:00 pm.
Via ESPN
Lakers forward Ron Artest empathized with professional golfer Tiger Woods on Tuesday.
Woods has dominated headlines in the wake of numerous alleged extramarital affairs.
In a blog post, Artest wrote, “I can tell you’re a standup guy” while acknowledging his own infidelities.
The forward wrote about having a child with another woman after having two with his girlfriend, who is now his wife. Artest also called Woods “the perfect role model for me and my sons for longer than anyone I have known.”
Speaking about the comments prior to the Lakers’ game against the Bulls on Tuesday night, Artest said that Woods was there at a time when “I wasn’t a role model for my sons.”
Woods’ image has been in a free fall since he crashed his car into a tree Nov. 27, setting off a public airing of his infidelities and marital problems.
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