NBA News

[MrHyeSev]

Re: NBA News

Scottie Pippen picks some guy to give his induction speech

If you've never read David Halberstam's "Playing for Keeps" or Sam Smith's "The Jordan Rules" — both about the 1990s Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, duh, and both essential — then you might not know how much Michael Jordan hated Scottie Pippen early in their careers.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Scottie-Pippen-picks-some-guy-to-give-his-induct;_ylt=Ag6.LeQ5RfChyghrphkj.5C8vLYF?urn=nba-261311

Jordan realized Pippen's immense talent, maybe even before Pippen did, and seeing Scottie's inability to mold and develop those game-changing skills infuriated Jordan. He saw Pippen as mentally weak, soft and basically a disappointment. Then Scottie Pippen became one of the best players in the NBA, the Bulls won titles and Jordan accepted Pippen as a legit superstar, forming a bond the two would have through the rest of their lives. That's a YertNotes version of the Jordan and Pippen saga, but that's the gist of it and you're the one who didn't read two of the best basketball books ever written. Deal with it.

Anyhow, now that we're all hip to the history behind the greatest duo of the 1990s, we can talk about how cool it is that Jordan will be giving the introduction speech for Pippen's Hall of Fame induction this Friday. Hint: it's George Clooney cool.

From NBA.com's perilously named Adam Fluck:

"I can't think of a better person to do it," said Pippen on Monday. "Michael is someone I shared my career with, accomplishing most of what I have accomplished thus far. He was a great teammate, teacher and admirer. I'm excited to have an opportunity to be the first person that he has presented into the Hall of Fame. I figure if anyone deserves to be on the stage with me, it's him." [...]

Pippen said Jordan was "thrilled and overwhelmed" by the invitation. [...]

"I had other guys that I thought about, but Michael was by far the obvious choice and an easy one for me to make," said Pippen.


So perfect, you guys. Like Scottie said, it's "by far the obvious choice" and an "easy one," but it's still the right one. So happy.

It's just good on so many levels. Pippen finally getting his moment in the spotlight and being honored by Jordan after years of being the second fiddle is really, really cool. I wish there were a more eloquent way I could say this, but the 7-year-old me is freaking out right now, and the 26-year-old version isn't reacting much differently. Totally radical, dude.

Of course, with Jordan returning to the scene of his final score-settling there's a little danger in giving him the microphone first so he can bust like a bubble. But honestly, I don't see that being a problem. Even when Jordan was taking shots at each and every person who ever wronged him at any point in his life, he had nothing but kind words for Pippen. Scottie's a guy he really cares for, and if his heartfelt performance when the Bulls honored Johnny "Red" Kerr is any indication of how he'll act Friday, then this will go smoothly. I'm not even that worried about Jordan wearing mom jeans. I'll let it slide this time.

Seriously, guys, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan sharing a stage. They're great. That's great. Great.

[MrHyeSev]

Re: NBA News

Pistons still deliberating McGrady offer

A source with knowledge of the discussions told TNT's David Aldridge Sunday night that the Detroit Pistons are not close to signing free agent forward Tracy McGrady, and are continuing to weigh the pluses and minuses of signing the forward.

The Pistons "are not about to do anything" imminently with McGrady, the source said, disputing reports that the team had signed McGrady to a contract. Detroit is considering offering McGrady a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum of $1.352 million, but the team continued internal discussions on Sunday between the front office and the coaching staff, trying to decide if the 31-year-old McGrady would be a good fit for the team.

Detroit is making a full evaluation of several factors before deciding what to do: McGrady's health, his impact on team chemistry, what role he would feel comfortable accepting and whether adding McGrady would create an unwanted log jam at the shooting guard and small forward spots. Detroit already has Rip Hamilton and Ben Gordon at shooting guard, and Tayshaun Prince at small forward, though Charlie Villaneuva and even second-year forward Austin Daye could see time at the three spot.

Many believe the Pistons will ultimately move Prince, who's entering the final year of his contract. A second source said that the team would not trade Prince unless the veteran asked to be dealt, and even if that happened, a trade would probably not happen until closer to the trade deadline next February.

McGrady averaged 8.2 points last season in 30 games, less than a year after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee. He started the season in Houston, but got into a dispute with Coach Rick Adelman after Adelman and the Rockets determined that McGrady was not up to handling more minutes as he'd requested. The team told McGrady to stay home until it could work out a trade, which it did in February, sending him to the Knicks as part of a three-team trade. After a good start, McGrady leveled off, averaging 9.4 points in 26 minutes a game.

McGrady had tweeted that the Lakers, Clippers, Heat and Bulls were among the teams interested in signing him. He'd hoped to sign in Chicago after working out for the Bulls a couple of weeks ago, but Chicago decided that McGrady wasn't what they wanted and opted to sign veteran guard Keith Bogans last week.

The Pistons will meet with McGrady's representatives on Monday.

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/08/08/mcgrady.pistons.aldridge/index.html

[MrHyeSev]

Re: NBA News

The team sues its former coach/GM, charging that he did not plan to remain as head coach when he signed his contract. Dunleavy's lawyer says the lawsuit does not pass 'the laugh test.'
Mike Dunleavy

Mike Dunleavy coaches the Clippers against San Antonio last season.


Clippers bring back forward Rasual Butler Clippers bring back forward Rasual Butler

Agent: Clippers re-sign forward Craig Smith Agent: Clippers re-sign forward Craig Smith

Vinny Del Negro says he's not looking at Clippers' past, but at future Vinny Del Negro says he's not looking at Clippers' past, but at future

Clippers add Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes Clippers add Randy Foye, Ryan Gomes






Finger-pointing. Allegations of fraudulent inducement. He said, he said.

Welcome to the Clippers vs. Mike Dunleavy.

The latest curious twist in the battle between the Clippers and owner Donald Sterling and the team's former coach-general manager took a wild turn last week when the Clippers, trying to halt Dunleavy's arbitration claim, alleged that Dunleavy fraudulently induced the Clippers into entering an employment agreement.



Dunleavy's lawyer, in an interview with The Times on Thursday, said the lawsuit does not pass "the laugh test." The Clippers quit paying Dunleavy when they fired him as general manager in March and he is owed $6.75 million on the remainder of his contract.

"It's a pretty bold and reckless piece of strategy," Miles Clements said. "But I think it's just another delay tactic. From what I can see, that has been the Clippers' pattern in the past when they don't honor contracts of coaches they terminate.

"I don't know if that's been a good strategy for them in the past. I wasn't involved in those lawsuits. But I do not expect it to be a good strategy for them in Mike's case."

Previously, Sterling and the Clippers sued 64-year-old Bill Fitch, who was fired as coach in 1998 with two years and $1.8 million left on his contract. They claimed he had not sought another job, and the suit was settled after a two-year legal battle.

Said Robert Platt, the Clippers' general counsel, in a statement: "We welcome the opportunity to present our case at trial. This matter will be heard in the proper forum at the appropriate time. We are very confident that the evidence we present will inevitably result in a favorable determination."

The Clippers' lawsuit, filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that Dunleavy "had no intention to perform his duties and obligations as head coach through the 2010-11 season and knew these representations and promises to be false."

In June, Dunleavy filed for arbitration before Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services in Santa Monica, alleging fraud on the Clippers' part during their contract negotiations.

Dunleavy stepped aside as coach in February in what was called a mutual decision and stayed on as general manager, navigating through the trade deadline and planning for a potentially busy summer of free agency. He was hired by the Clippers in 2003 and signed a five-year extension after the team reached the second round of the playoffs in the spring of 2006.

Court papers said the employment agreement was reached in December 2007.

Clements took issue with the theory of the lawsuit:

"Mike didn't want them to pay him his full compensation under the contract. Why would anyone do that? If he did what has been done in other unrelated incidents, which is to jump teams, maybe at least there'd be a prima facie case to be made.

"But he's unemployed. He stepped away and made them keep their money? So he could be unemployed? That's nonsensical."







Clippers allege fraud and so does Mike Dunleavy










The NBA needs to do the right thing and kick the stupid Clippers out. What a joke these xxxos are allowed to stick around.
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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0806-clippers-dunleavy-20100806,0,3150377.story

[MrHyeSev]

Re: NBA News

Shaquille O'Neal a Celtic?



So this is where Shaquille O'Neal comes to hide.

Actually, he's not hiding at all. He's not flying low to the ground and he's not slumming. Short of zooming back to Los Angeles (hard to do on a burned bridge) or Miami (ditto), he's signed with the most storied franchise this league has. One of the more popular, one of the most prominent and one of two that you last saw playing official hoops a month and a half ago. The Celtics.

Shaq in Boston, sportin' the green. Chasing that ring, we'd assume. Chasing down prominence, again. From Kobe to Wade to LeBron. Now in with a series of like-minded fogies. Boston? I suppose it makes sense.

Kendrick Perkins, Boston's dutiful defensive-minded pivot man, will be out until at least January. The team signed Jermaine O'Neal, but (hopefully) with the knowledge that his 2009-10 rebirth appeared to slide closer toward the spires of flukedom than an actual recharge. Rasheed Wallace is trade bait, Shelden Williams is no more. The C's need a center.

And it's almost sad that they're turning to Shaq.

Because O'Neal, at this point, is probably better off working as an entertainer of sorts than someone who should be hedging on Mike Conley(notes) Jr. on some random Wednesday in January.

You saw those games last year. Shaq didn't really look that bad. He looked like ... Shaq. Big guy, one move, two pivots, two hands. To the naked eye, O'Neal looked like a late-30s version of himself. He looked like what you would expect.

It's just that all these raw stats tell you that the Cavs were so, so much better with O'Neal on the pine. That when things weren't Shaq-centric, Cleveland tended to dominate. The easy answer to that? Don't pass Shaq the ball. Don't make him Shaq-centric. To these eyes, Cleveland didn't. And yet, the team's offense stunk with him out there. Tom Haberstroh nailed the best part of it last week:

LeBron with Shaq last year: Cavs +3.4 pts per possession. LeBron without Shaq? +15.7. That experiment was fun wasn't it?

That's per 100 possessions, and with the average game working around 93 or 94 possessions, nearly 16 points is a pretty big deal. That's not an insignificant number. I watched the games, same as you did. I'm not going to pretend to know something, some significant reason, as to why it didn't flow. Kobe Bryant seemed perfectly adept at driving the lane with Shaq around, same with Dwyane Wade.Why couldn't LeBron James?

I've no idea, but it didn't work. And when all else fails, I tend to send the stink-eye toward the big fella in his late 30s, and not the best player in the game.

Boston isn't exactly flush with drivers. The Celtics make their hay on the defensive end and try to hold things toward the realm of the mediocre offensively. There's no superstar for Shaq to co-align with in Boston. Just a bunch of like-minded geezers shooting for another ring.

With every move he makes — from Orlando to El Lay to Miami to Phoenix to Cleveland to wherever — Shaq's press conferences get less and less prominent. They don't mean as much. He's not changing any franchises. He's not just some replacement, but he's not the man you clear your cap for on the hope that you can sign him. It's an odd, uncomfortable-to-anyone-but-Shaq situation.

And it's because he's, above all, an entertainer. Not a big man. Not a minutes sopper. A song-and-dance man, so to speak. That's just how Shaq is now.

The problem is that, as uncomfortable as it may have been to see one generation's best song-and-dance men slumming on Cannonball Run or some such tripe, athletes don't have the same bit of leeway. It's still about performance and not presence. So while it might be kind of cool to see Shaq in Boston, it's not like seeing Liza Minnelli on "Arrested Development," or Mel Brooks' cameo on "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

This is what Shaq's backed himself into, for better or worse. His skiff is more "ha-ha" that "clear out, and dump it inside." The man still takes the lumps and tries to win. But on a winter night, with the basic cable running? He's more ABC Family than a TNT double-header.

I'm not asking the man to retire. Nor am I going to waste your time trying to assume how things will work for him in Boston. I'm guessing things will work poorly, based on how it has gone over the last half-decade with this four-time champion.

Shaquille O'Neal in Boston makes sense in all the rational terms. He's a star, he's a veteran and the Celtics badly need a center. If they fall short again in June (or May or even April), O'Neal won't be the reason why.

But, outside of interest in seeing this legend wearing those legendary colors, it's nothing to get too excited about. Those days are over, and Johan Petro may have been the better hire. Good thing Shaq lowered his price.

I guess no one wants Shaq anymore he keeps going from team 2 team.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Shaquille-O-Neal-a-Celtic-?urn=nba-260187

[MrHyeSev]

Re: NBA News

Stoudemire in Israel to explore his 'Hebrew roots'



JERUSALEM (AP) -- Amare Stoudemire already knows some Hebrew phrases and sports a Star of David tattoo. Now he's come to Israel to explore what might be his xxxish heritage.

The five-time NBA All-Star who recently signed with the New York Knicks is on a weeklong visit to learn about Israel, its language and religions. He believes he has "Hebrew roots" through his mother, Carrie.

"She studied the scriptures and history and she believes she is a Hebrew," he told The Associated Press on Friday in Jerusalem. "I grew up in a very spiritual home. It's not about religion, it's about spirituality for me."

Stoudemire said he was "soaking up the culture," with his girlfriend and a few other friends from home.

He has long suspected his xxxish lineage - Judaism is passed down through the mother's side. Stoudemire's agent, Happy Walters, said his client is a "student of history" and is "exploring religions in general." He added that Soudemire may turn to a genealogist when he returns to New York to dig deeper.

The 6-foot-10 forward signed a five-year, $100 million contract with the Knicks three weeks ago. He will now be playing in the city with the largest xxxish population in the United States.

The NBA features two xxxish players: Israeli Omri Casspi of the Sacramento Kings and Jordan Farmar of the New Jersey Nets. When Farmar joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2006, he became the NBA's first xxxish player since Danny Schayes - son of Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes - retired in 1999.

Stoudemire said he's spoken to Casspi a few times about Judaism, "but we didn't go into details about it."

Stoudemire has begun studying Hebrew and his Twitter page features such words as "Shalom," "Le'chayim" and "ze ha'halom sheli," Hebrew for "this is my dream."

"It's great," he said. "Hebrew is the original language."

On Twitter, he also called himself "the new Reggie White," saying "I'm going 2 Israel 2 study Hebrew. It's time 2 get a better understanding on who we R."

White, the late NFL star and ordained minister, traveled to Israel late in his life and studied Hebrew to learn scripture in its original form.

Stoudemire spent his first eight NBA seasons with the Phoenix Suns, where he won the 2003 Rookie of Year award and became one of the league's dominant players. Now, his possible xxxish ties have stirred interest in Israel, with bloggers dreaming he could one day join the Israeli national team.

Stoudemire, however, laughed that off.

"I'm looking forward to playing in the 2012 Olympics," he said. "For the USA."

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/07/30/amare.israel.ap/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt2

[KanadaHye]

Re: NBA News

The sad tale of Ray Williams: 10-year NBA vet now homeless

Whichever way your sympathies run, the story of how Ray Williams' life fell apart should serve as a cautionary tale for athletes of the imperative to prepare for life after the game — and, frankly, a jarring reminder to all of us that we should appreciate what we're lucky enough to have while we're lucky enough to have it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/bal...urn=nba,253262

Stay in school, kids. Learn math, especially integers since having negative numbers in net balance of income is never a good thing.

[iFemale]

Re: NBA News

Pepsi, I would like to take you to a Sacramento King's game when the season starts running again.

[MrHyeSev]

Re: NBA News

Heat add Juwan Howard for back-up role

MIAMI (Reuters) – Free agent Juwan Howard has signed with the Miami Heat as a reserve forward, the NBA team said Tuesday.

Howard, a veteran of 16 NBA seasons, averaged six points last season with the Portland Trail Blazers.

"He is a perfect fit behind Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem," Heat president Pat Riley said in a statement.

Howard has a career average of 14.3 points and 6.5 rebounds with seven different teams.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100720/sp_nm/us_nba_heat_howard

[MrHyeSev]

Re: NBA News

Is that a direct quote?

No it's not & I know why your saying that bc if it was you would say you need the link to prove it.

[One-Way]

Re: NBA News

Fisher will stay in L.A. cause he said he can't get away from Kobe

Is that a direct quote?