Curry Makes Debut, But Griffin Sits
Stephen Curry had nine assists in a 108-101 win over the Clippers, but a bruised knee sidelined top pick Blake Griffin.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Players from Bulls, Jazz abuzz over Premier League match
LONDON (AP) -- Big Ben and Buckingham Palace took a back seat to Premier League soccer when the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz arrived in London.
The two NBA teams will play a preseason game Tuesday at the O2 Arena, but several players were still giddy about seeing a soccer match Sunday.
True to their colors, a group of Bulls players went to see Arsenal beat Blackburn 6-2 at the Emirates Stadium, while a few Jazz players took in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
"Extremely exciting game to watch," Bulls rookie Taj Gibson said Monday. "We got a taste of overseas, how they love their football."
The British public also has shown how it likes basketball, with the arena expected to be sold out for the third straight year. And this year, there's an added bonus -- London-raised Luol Deng on the Bulls.
"It's going to be a lot of faces in the stands that I know," said Deng, who lived in London after his family fled war-torn Sudan and then attended Duke. "I grew up here."
The NBA shortened its European tour this year, with only two teams and two games. The Jazz will play Real Madrid on Thursday.
The NBA is intent on spreading the game to all corners of the world, and it has a good example in Bulls center Joakim Noah, the son of 1983 French Open tennis champion Yannick Noah.
"I remember when I was 11 years old, I lived in Paris and I remember watching Chicago Bulls plays against Golden State in Paris, and 12 years later I'm here playing in London," Noah said. "It's an unbelievable feeling."
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, however, is already worried about how his team will respond to the travel.
"I had a team that went to Japan, and when we got back home it took us probably three weeks to get our feet back under us," Sloan said. "Our players looked like they played 80 games, and the season was just starting."
Several players on each team are used to the back-and-forth travel between the United States and Europe, so they offered their less-experienced teammates some advice.
"I tried to explain, 'Guys, do not sleep when we get back here. Try to get away from room. Just go out, hang out,"' said Jazz center Mehmet Okur, who also plays for Turkey's national team. "So far, so good."
Okur was one of the four Jazz players to see Chelsea -- teammate Andrei Kirilenko's favorite team. Deron Williams and Kyle Korver also went.
Not everyone was as enamored with the Premier League, though. Especially Jazz rookie Eric Maynor.
"I caught it on TV for a second," Maynor said, "and I fell asleep."
Source: NBA.com
The two NBA teams will play a preseason game Tuesday at the O2 Arena, but several players were still giddy about seeing a soccer match Sunday.
True to their colors, a group of Bulls players went to see Arsenal beat Blackburn 6-2 at the Emirates Stadium, while a few Jazz players took in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
"Extremely exciting game to watch," Bulls rookie Taj Gibson said Monday. "We got a taste of overseas, how they love their football."
The British public also has shown how it likes basketball, with the arena expected to be sold out for the third straight year. And this year, there's an added bonus -- London-raised Luol Deng on the Bulls.
"It's going to be a lot of faces in the stands that I know," said Deng, who lived in London after his family fled war-torn Sudan and then attended Duke. "I grew up here."
The NBA shortened its European tour this year, with only two teams and two games. The Jazz will play Real Madrid on Thursday.
The NBA is intent on spreading the game to all corners of the world, and it has a good example in Bulls center Joakim Noah, the son of 1983 French Open tennis champion Yannick Noah.
"I remember when I was 11 years old, I lived in Paris and I remember watching Chicago Bulls plays against Golden State in Paris, and 12 years later I'm here playing in London," Noah said. "It's an unbelievable feeling."
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, however, is already worried about how his team will respond to the travel.
"I had a team that went to Japan, and when we got back home it took us probably three weeks to get our feet back under us," Sloan said. "Our players looked like they played 80 games, and the season was just starting."
Several players on each team are used to the back-and-forth travel between the United States and Europe, so they offered their less-experienced teammates some advice.
"I tried to explain, 'Guys, do not sleep when we get back here. Try to get away from room. Just go out, hang out,"' said Jazz center Mehmet Okur, who also plays for Turkey's national team. "So far, so good."
Okur was one of the four Jazz players to see Chelsea -- teammate Andrei Kirilenko's favorite team. Deron Williams and Kyle Korver also went.
Not everyone was as enamored with the Premier League, though. Especially Jazz rookie Eric Maynor.
"I caught it on TV for a second," Maynor said, "and I fell asleep."
Source: NBA.com
Monday, August 17, 2009
Powe relishes opportunity to remain in Eastern Conference
Powe asked his coach if James was in his graduating class. He was.
"Aww man," Powe said. "There goes my No. 1 spot."
He'll gladly take a backup role to James again, as soon as his repaired left knee allows it. Powe signed a two-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, even though he isn't expected back on the court until sometime around the All-Star break. The Cavaliers are paying Powe the league minimum for a three-year veteran.
"The money is not the issue with me," Powe said. "The issue is I want to get my knee back healthy and go out there and play basketball. The money will come."
The Celtics let the 6-foot-8 forward leave following a third surgery on his left knee, this time to repair a torn ACL suffered in the Playoffs. Powe is strengthening the knee in Los Angeles and should begin running in about a month. He is expected in Cleveland in two weeks to continue his rehab.
"It's always tough leaving the place you started," Powe said in a conference call on Thursday. "I gave them every opportunity to have me over there, which didn't work out. It wasn't my fault. I had to move on."
Powe averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 70 games last season.
He is reuniting with James after the two stormed the country on AAU teams and at summer camps during their high school years. Powe, 25, watched James take over games long before he became an NBA superstar.
After Powe broke into the NBA alongside stars such as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, Powe now joins James and Shaquille O'Neal.
"Shaq is one of the greatest players of all time and 'Bron is going to be right there in that category," Powe said. "Those are two great personalities. That's the fun thing about playing with guys like them. They're easy to get along with and it's easy to play with them."
By remaining in the Eastern Conference, Powe might not have to wait long for a reunion against his old team. The Cavaliers and Celtics are likely to again be two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and Powe admits he's already dreaming of a postseason meeting.
"If that happens, that's going to be fun for me," he said. "I know Boston is a challenge, but our team, the Cavaliers got better and we'll take on all challengers."
"Aww man," Powe said. "There goes my No. 1 spot."
He'll gladly take a backup role to James again, as soon as his repaired left knee allows it. Powe signed a two-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, even though he isn't expected back on the court until sometime around the All-Star break. The Cavaliers are paying Powe the league minimum for a three-year veteran.
"The money is not the issue with me," Powe said. "The issue is I want to get my knee back healthy and go out there and play basketball. The money will come."
The Celtics let the 6-foot-8 forward leave following a third surgery on his left knee, this time to repair a torn ACL suffered in the Playoffs. Powe is strengthening the knee in Los Angeles and should begin running in about a month. He is expected in Cleveland in two weeks to continue his rehab.
"It's always tough leaving the place you started," Powe said in a conference call on Thursday. "I gave them every opportunity to have me over there, which didn't work out. It wasn't my fault. I had to move on."
Powe averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 70 games last season.
He is reuniting with James after the two stormed the country on AAU teams and at summer camps during their high school years. Powe, 25, watched James take over games long before he became an NBA superstar.
After Powe broke into the NBA alongside stars such as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, Powe now joins James and Shaquille O'Neal.
"Shaq is one of the greatest players of all time and 'Bron is going to be right there in that category," Powe said. "Those are two great personalities. That's the fun thing about playing with guys like them. They're easy to get along with and it's easy to play with them."
By remaining in the Eastern Conference, Powe might not have to wait long for a reunion against his old team. The Cavaliers and Celtics are likely to again be two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and Powe admits he's already dreaming of a postseason meeting.
"If that happens, that's going to be fun for me," he said. "I know Boston is a challenge, but our team, the Cavaliers got better and we'll take on all challengers."
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Celtics get deal done with Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis
Glen Davis could sign a new contract with the Celtics [team stats] as early as today or tomorrow, according to a source close to negotiations between the restricted free agent and the team.
Davis agreed to a two-year contract worth approximately $6.3 million, including a starting point of approximately $3 million next season, during talks Friday and yesterday. He was in town and expected to take a physical today before officially signing the deal.
The Celtics, who backed off their request for a third year at a team option, also hope to wrap up business with free agent swingman Marquis Daniels by the end of the week, according to a league source....Read more here
Friday, August 7, 2009
Source: Wallace returning to Detroit
Free-agent center Ben Wallace agreed to terms with the Detroit Pistons on Friday, according to a league source.
The contract is for one year at the veteran's minimum of $1.3 million, according to sources.
Wallace is expected to sign the deal early next week.
Wallace became a free agent this summer after the Phoenix Suns bought him out of the last year of his contract. Wallace was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to Phoenix earlier this summer for Shaquille O'Neal.
The move is a bittersweet reunion of sorts. Wallace bolted from the Pistons for the Chicago Bulls in summer 2006 after the Pistons balked at matching the Bulls' four-year, $60 million offer.
Wallace's move from Detroit to Chicago was a bit of a bust. He never regained his defensive dominance and was traded away two years later to Cleveland.
In Detroit, the Pistons plan on using Wallace as a backup to Kwame Brown. The Pistons were especially thin on their front line last season and still believe that Wallace can defend and rebound -- albeit not at the same pace as his last stint with the Pistons.
Maybe more importantly to the Pistons, Wallace can provide veteran leadership. Only two other Pistons, Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, remain from the 2003-04 championship team.
With younger, offensive-oriented players such as Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon joining the team, the Pistons are trying to find ways to preserve their blue-collar approach to defense they've been known for under Joe Dumars, the former Piston who is the team's president of basketball operations.
Adding Wallace as a vocal proponent of the "Pistons Way" should help that effort in the locker room.
On Friday, Dumars announced that the team has signed 2009 draft selections Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko to contracts.
Daye was drafted by Detroit with the 15th overall pick in the first round of the draft. The 6-foot-11 sophomore forward from Gonzaga averaged 12.7 points and 6.8 rebounds in 34 games last season.
Summers was selected with the 35th overall pick in the second round. He started 98 of his 101 games at Georgetown and finished his collegiate career with averages of 11.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Jerebko was selected with the 39th overall pick in the second round of the draft. He played professionally in Italy the last two seasons.
Chad Ford is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Hawks, Williams close in on deal
Hawks general manager Rick Sund wouldn’t comment on the negotiations Wednesday, but Williams told the AJC via text he would be in Atlanta next week for face-to-face talks.
The Hawks are believed to have offered a contract worth $37.5 million over five seasons, with incentives that could push the package as high as $40 million. As a restricted free agent, Williams could have accepted the Hawks’ qualifying offer of $7.5 million and become an unrestricted free agent in July 2010.
The Hawks are believed to have offered a contract worth $37.5 million over five seasons, with incentives that could push the package as high as $40 million. As a restricted free agent, Williams could have accepted the Hawks’ qualifying offer of $7.5 million and become an unrestricted free agent in July 2010.
Should Williams re-sign, the Hawks will have locked up a 23-year-old who averaged 13.9 points last season and is still regarded as a developing talent. They would also have retained three of their four key free agents — Mike Bibby and Zaza Pachulia have re-signed; Flip Murray hasn’t — and added guard Jamal Crawford in the same offseason.
With Williams back in the fold, the Hawks would enter the 2009-10 season having kept seven of the top eight players from a team that won 47 games, finished fourth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Veteran forward Tim Thomas signs with Mavericks
DALLAS (AP) -- The Dallas Mavericks have signed free agent forward Tim Thomas.
The 6-foot-10 Thomas, a 12-year veteran, played for the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Chicago last season. He averaged 8.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in his 64 games, 36 with the Knicks, 18 with the Bulls and 10 with the Clippers. He played 191/2 minutes a game.
Thomas has made 946 career 3-pointers, shooting 37 percent from long range in 806 games. He made 41 percent of his 3-point attempts last season.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed Tuesday. Thomas has also played for Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Phoenix.
The 6-foot-10 Thomas, a 12-year veteran, played for the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Chicago last season. He averaged 8.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in his 64 games, 36 with the Knicks, 18 with the Bulls and 10 with the Clippers. He played 191/2 minutes a game.
Thomas has made 946 career 3-pointers, shooting 37 percent from long range in 806 games. He made 41 percent of his 3-point attempts last season.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed Tuesday. Thomas has also played for Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Phoenix.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Source: Bobcats, Hornets swapping centers
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Charlotte Bobcats are finalizing a trade that would send Emeka Okafor to the New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler, two people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday. The swap of 26-year-old centers wasn't expected to be completed until Tuesday and was unlikely to include other players, the people said on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.
Nash signs 2-year, $22 million extension with Suns
PHOENIX (AP) -- Steve Nash thought about leaving the Phoenix Suns after this season.
But after mulling other options, Nash realized there were no guarantees of winning an NBA championship elsewhere.
So he agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract extension that will keep the two-time MVP point guard under contract with the Suns through the 2011-2012 season.ut leaving the Phoenix Suns after this season......Read More Here
But after mulling other options, Nash realized there were no guarantees of winning an NBA championship elsewhere.
So he agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract extension that will keep the two-time MVP point guard under contract with the Suns through the 2011-2012 season.ut leaving the Phoenix Suns after this season......Read More Here
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Players clamoring to play for the red, white and blue on Team USA
Colangelo assembled the U.S. national basketball squad, coached by Duke boss Mike Krzyzewski, that defeated Spain for the title at the Olympics last year in Beijing.
Now, onto Phase II of the program, two days of drills at Valley High to indoctrinate new players into the system that will be capped tonight at 8 in a Blue-White Showcase scrimmage at the Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets are $13 to $78...Read More@ Las Vegas Sun
Now, onto Phase II of the program, two days of drills at Valley High to indoctrinate new players into the system that will be capped tonight at 8 in a Blue-White Showcase scrimmage at the Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets are $13 to $78...Read More@ Las Vegas Sun
Friday, July 24, 2009
Jazz want Michael Beasley
It is believed Utah is most interested in obtaining Michael Beasley — the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft — if the team ends up dealing Boozer to Miami.
Read More: Deseret News
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Pacers buy out Tinsley, avoid arbitration hearing
The Indiana Pacers suddenly ended their year-long banishment of Jamaal Tinsley on Wednesday, agreeing to buy the 31-year-old point guard out of the final two years of his contract after not allowing him to play during the entire 2008-09 season.A league source said that the Pacers will give Tinsley approximately $11 million of the $14.7 million that remained on his deal. Tinsley is now an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team in a week.......NBA.com
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