Colangelo recalled his recent encounter with Chris Bosh when the GM told the franchise player of the need to acquire a player such as Evans.
Colangelo, meanwhile, was not taken aback by Bosh's statement that he would not sign a contract extension this summer. "The intent is to build the team as if Chris is the cornerstone,'' Colangelo said. "We have no intention to shop Chris Bosh. "If a trade at any time makes itself available, whether it's before the season, leading up to the trade deadline or in a sign-and-trade situation next year that makes sense, we'll pursue it."
Toronto Sun
There's a lot of conjecture about just how interested the Detroit Pistons might or might not be in Carlos Boozer, with some in the Jazz organization convinced the Pistons are inclined to spend their free-agent dollars elsewhere.
Based on what the Pistons have seen firsthand out of Boozer, I'd have to believe they are interested. Boozer missed both games against Detroit last season while injured, but the All-Star forward has averaged 19.4 points and 11.7 rebounds on 62.3 percent shooting in 12 games against the Pistons, according to his career splits.
Salt Lake Tribune
Meanwhile, the Clippers are focusing on finding
a new home for Chris Kaman or Zach Randolph.
ESPN.com
Not that this is any revelation, but here's the latest from Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins, concerning the restricted free agents:
It's a foregone conclusion the Bobcats will make point guard Raymond Felton a qualifying offer, (one year, $5.5 million) but they're still deciding whether to qualify reserve power forward Sean May (one year, $3.6 million-plus). And for what it's worth, that's precisely how I'd handle this.
Charlotte Observer
Give it up for former Orlando Magic coach and current SunSports Magic analyst Matt Guokas. He's a pro's pro. Take a look at what happened to Guokas following Game 2 of the NBA Finals. While breaking down what happened to the Magic on SunSports' postgame show,
Guokas was struck in the face by a Lakers ball ... briefly pauses ... then just moved on like nothing happened. The fans were out of control. Guokas was in full command of the situation.
Orlando Sentinel
Former Miami Heat center
Alonzo Mourning insists he is rooting for the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals. Judging by Mourning's words, that is difficult to tell. "I'm rooting for the Magic, because of Stan Van Gundy and the relationship I have with Pat Ewing," Mourning said Wednesday of the former Heat coach and his close friend Ewing, who is now assisting Van Gundy on the Magic's coaching staff.
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"When I see the way Orlando is playing that pick and roll, I mean it's just ridiculous," said Mourning, who made his comments on a conference call to promote his participation in the upcoming American Century Celebrity Golf Championship. "It sort of puzzles me with Stan because he was under the tutelage of Pat Riley, who is obviously a huge defensive advocate, that he wouldn't take a more aggressive approach, especially with the pick-and-roll play. I didn't understand his approach."
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Trevor Ariza got a pleasant gift as a result of the airing of a previously filmed ESPN piece about him and the death of his younger brother, Tajh, during halftime of NBA Finals Game 2 on ABC. "Someboy sent me a picture of me and my brother when we were in Venezuela," Ariza said. Ariza and his family were in Caracas, Venezuela, 13 years ago, when Tajh fell to his death from a 32nd-floor hotel balcony.
Orange County Register
Philadelphia 76ers center Jason Smith was examined by Dr. David Altchek, the attending Orthopeadic Surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, NY, who reported that he is pleased with the progress Smith has made to date. Smith has been cleared to do basketball court work without any limitations. "This is very encouraging news and a testament to the hard work Jason has put over the past nine months," Sixers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski told SIXERS.COM. "But what also shouldn't go unnoticed is the outstanding work done by our trainer Kevin Johnson, [Sixers Strength and Conditioning Consultant] Jesse Wright, [team Medical Director] Dr. Jack [McPhilemy] and Jim McNutly to put Jason in this position as we get ready for the 2009-10 season."
Sixers.com
The Clippers brought in Blake Griffin for a public workout and continue to be on the path to select him with the No. 1 pick.
Sources around the league say that trade talks with the Clippers are virtually nonexistent when it comes to Griffin. In other words, Griffin will be a Clipper.
ESPN.com
The Grizzlies continue to be a bit of an enigma right now. They are talking to a number of teams about a potential trade, and teams including the Kings, Wizards, Knicks, Rockets and Celtics have shown interest.
The Grizzlies continue to publicly pursue Ricky Rubio as well, though a well-placed source in Rubio's camp said it's likely (though not definite) that it will skip Memphis when Rubio goes on a three-city U.S. tour next week.
ESPN.com
There also have been rumblings that Tyreke Evans is in the mix in Memphis. But when the dust clears, it looks as though the most likely scenario has Thabeet in Memphis on draft night if the Grizzlies keep the pick.
ESPN.com
Thabeet's offensive game is limited. His basketball IQ has come into question.
But two scouts said what he brings to the defensive end with his shot blocking and rebounding more than warrant selecting him No. 3 if the Grizzlies don't select Thabeet. "He changes games," said one Eastern Conference scout. "If he doesn't give you anything on the offensive end he can change the game defensively. There's not a lot of guys in this draft that can come in with their presence alone who can alter the game. "I'm not saying he's as good as Blake Griffin but I think he can alter a game defensively more than Blake Griffin. That's why (Thabeet) is unique, especially in this draft that has so many point guards."
Oklahoman
But Washington is also shopping it's No. 5 pick and for the right price (i.e. a sign-and-trade involving David Lee or Nate Robinson, or perhaps Cuttino Mobley's expiring and mostly paid-by-insurance contract) others picking above the Knicks might be willing to deal.
Bergen Record
And while were at it, I'm hearing significant buzz that Louisville's Terrence Williams is also high on the board at Golden State. Seven seems too high, but don't be surprised if the Warriors are willing to do a swap to get him.
ESPN.com
Here's one good reason why the Knicks might draft Stephen Curry: He and LeBron James are text-message buddies.
"I've got him on a text-message contract," the much-hyped Davidson product said after Wednesday's workout at the Knicks' practice facility. "I'll be dropping him lines if I'm here, trying to get him to come [in 201
![0]](/styles/default/xenforo/NTemojis/alien.gif "Alien 0]")
."
Bergen Record
The Raptors have some needs on the wing since Anthony Parker and Shawn Marion are hitting free agency. On talent alone, DeMar DeRozan is one of the most gifted players in the draft. His strong play at the end of the season combined with a confident performance at the combine could push him higher.
But if he's here, sources say the Raptors won't pass. If DeRozan is gone, they'll decide between Duke's Gerald Henderson and Holiday.
ESPN.com
There's been talk that the Bulls may take a look at Hansbrough. He definitely is a John Paxson-type of player. However, we now have him off the board. The Bulls will have a tough choice here between Blair, James Johnson and B.J. Mullens. Johnson is a talent who could give the Bulls an offensive lift at the 4. Mullens has the most long-term upside at a position where the Bulls need help. But Blair, even with his long-term knee issues, looks like the right fit in Chicago. He's physical, a beast on the boards and gives the Bulls some much-needed toughness on the frontline.
ESPN.com
Temple's Dionte Christmas and North Carolina's Wayne Ellington, from Episcopal Academy, are among the next group of guard prospects that the 76ers will bring in for a pre-draft workout. UCLA's Darren Collison (6-2 point guard), Miami's Jack McClinton (6-1 shooting guard) and LSU's Marcus Thornton (6-4 shooting guard) will also take part in the session tomorrow at the Sixers' practice site at PCOM.
Philadelphia Daily News
Former Missouri forward DeMarre Carroll earned the nickname "Junkyard Dog" for his blue-collar approach and relentless work ethic. Now he must convince NBA teams that a previously undisclosed liver disease won't keep him from being a pro. Agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed Wednesday that Carroll, a first-team All-Big 12 pick and potential first-round draft selection, was diagnosed with a liver ailment "a couple of years ago." He downplayed the possibility that Carroll might eventually require a liver transplant. "It's jumping the gun," said Bartelstein, a Chicago agent whose NBA clients include former Kansas star Brandon Rush and Eddie House of the Boston Celtics. "There's a possibility (of a transplant) way in the future, maybe 20 or 25 years down the road."
SI.com
Jawai, who last year became the first indigenous Australian to play in the NBA, will attend all Australian training camps this year and if selected will play all scheduled international matches. With stars Matt Nielsen, Andrew Bogut and David Anderson unavailable and with Chris Anstey retired from international basketball, Jawai's 208cm, 130kg presence will be vital for the Boomers and he is ready to take his chance.
Sportal.com.au
Sam Amick, The Bee's Kings beat reporter, talked to new Kings coach Paul Westphal on Tuesday night shortly after he was hired. Here is a transcript of their conversation: "I'm just very excited about the opportunity. I have been looking for a good opportunity to get back and do what I like to do, and I think the Kings present an exciting challenge for me and I can't wait to get started." On how he found out he got the job... "Gavin Maloof called (his agent) Steve Kauffman (early Tuesday evening), who represents me. Steve told me, and I called Gavin. I talked to Geoff (Petrie) later. I think he was having dinner with James Harden. That's how it worked out."
Sacramento Bee
On his general view of the job and what it will take to turn the Kings around...
"I'm convinced the Kings, the Maloofs, Geoff and everybody with the organization really want to turn this thing around and are willing to do what it takes to do that. I think, No. 1, there needs to be an improvement in the defense and rebounding. Without improvement in those two areas, wins aren't going to follow at all. I think that's a key thing we're going to have to focus on.
Sacramento Bee
Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie addressed a report that the coaching job was offered to both Kurt Rambis and Paul Westphal before Westphal became the guy. I've already shared my reporting on the matter in this blog post, but here is Petrie's response with questions in between. His first statement on the matter...
A: "The way we approached this hire was that we had a compensation structure that was basically a pre-qualifying type of...commitment that was going to be needed. So all of the people who we talked to were either told ahead of time or immediately after in their interviews what this structure was. And in order to have a chance to be offered the job, there needed to be some acknowledgement that that structure would be acceptable, which is not unlike a lot of jobs that get put out there. The job could not have been offered to somebody who hadn't said that that structure was acceptable. The only person who was offered this job was Paul Westphal. That's the bottom line.
Sacramento Bee
Though Orlando is down two games to nothing in the championship series against the league's best team -- the Lakers won 65 games, six more than the Magic, while playing in the circuit's toughest conference -- no one is counting Mr. Van Gundy out. (Game Three of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Tuesday night in Orlando.)
"He's one of these coaches," says Mr. Jackson, his Lakers counterpart, "whose teams always seem to produce more than the sum of their parts. I'd describe him as resilient, resourceful and relentless." Mr. Riley, for whom Mr. Van Gundy served as a longtime assistant coach at Miami, calls him "the most important acquisition Orlando ever made. More than any single player, he's the one who turned the franchise around. He solidified the organization."
Wall Street Journal
Like his Orlando team -- a squad that might have been described by Yogi Berra as overwhelming underdogs -- Mr. Van Gundy is decidedly unglamorous.
His ambition, he recently said, was to "find a nice small school, turn it into a winner and settle down there. Even now, with my team in the finals, that sometimes sounds good to me." Wall Street Journal
The NBA Coaches Association announced today that legendary Celtics player and coach Tommy Heinsohn will receive the inaugural "Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award." The award carries on the memory of Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly, who died last month after battling cancer. Daly set a standard of integrity, class and competitive excellence, and his recent passing is mourned by his fellow coaches. The award will recognize a coach who made special contributions to the sport throughout his NBA career and whose body of work had a positive, lasting impact on the NBA coaching profession. It will be presented annually to a current or former NBA head or assistant coach.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The chief executive of the Nets defended his team's decision to jettison architect Frank Gehry's design for a new arena in Brooklyn and replace it with a more conventional and less costly option. The team announced last week that the Barclays Center in Brooklyn will be based on a design by Ellerbe Becket. Nicolai Ouroussoff, the architecture critic of The New York Times, wrote Tuesday that the switch was "a shameful betrayal of the public trust, one that should enrage all those who care about this city."
ESPN.com
Would sponsorships on jerseys ever fly in the NBA? "It's a question of price, it's just a matter of how much. We already know we're @%@#**, it's just a question of how much. (Host:
Can you do it now?) If someone came to me with the right amount, I could convince them (NBA), but it couldn't be $100,000 to be on the jersey. If someone said $5 million dollars for the year, they'd have to look long and hard and I think I could convince them… It's gotta be at least at $5 million dollars I think… It would be a media hassle because all the traditionalists would use it as ammunition to write their articles and it'd be forgotten in 33 days."
Sports Radio Interviews
A new study shows that 43 percent of the professional positions in the NBA's league offices are held by women, giving the league its highest grade for gender. The report issued Wednesday by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport showed an increase of 2 percent of women from last year in the league office. That's higher than any other men's pro league in any previous study. The annual study was first issued in 1998.
ESPN.com
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is set to sign a kidney transplant bill named for former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning. Mourning, who is a kidney transplant recipient, planned to be on hand for the signing ceremony Wednesday at a Tallahassee dialysis center.It's a return visit to the capital city for Mourning. He met with Crist and lawmakers in April to seek their support for the legislation (HB 675).
ESPN.com
Remember former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Damon Jones?
Apparently, neither did the doorman at a night club in Washington, D.C. Jones, now with the Milwaukee Bucks, was surprised when his name wasn't on the guest list. See video above.
Cleveland Plain Dealer
"(Lakers coach) Phil Jackson is 43-0 in the playoffs when his team starts the series with a 1-0 lead, which is an unenviable position to be if you play for the Orlando Magic or if you're the Bodog Sportsbook," Gardner said. "We had over 8,000 players take us up on our pre-playoff promotion." The total damage if the Lakers win? Gardner already knows the number down to the cent: $394,411.50.
CNBC.com
The Sacramento Kings offered their coaching job to two candidates on an eventful Tuesday in the NBA, ultimately reaching an agreement with Paul Westphal after Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis turned the job down. League coaching sources told ESPN.com that the Kings made a formal offer to Rambis hours before the Lakers' 108-104 loss to the Orlando Magic in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
ESPN.com
It was also curious that the Kings, according to a source, wanted Rambis to decide whether to take the job now, while the Lakers were in the midst of the Finals. Westphal had already agreed to the parameters of the deal, but Rambis was holding out for a higher salary than the $1.5 million in the first year of the deal, which will make Westphal the lowest-paid head coach in the league.
NBA.com
Did Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis turn down the job before it went to Westphal? I was tracking Rambis' status very closely all along and until the end, and here's what I was told by sources who know.
There was 27 days between Westphal's interview and his hiring, with the main obstacle in between the fact that his leading candidate competitor, Rambis, was involved in the playoffs and making it very clear all along that he wouldn't be distracted by the Kings' process. The obviousness of that reality and what it says shouldn't be forgotten.
Sacramento Bee
Sources say that the 58-year-old, who has a career record of 267-159 in previous coaching stops in Phoenix and Seattle, will earn $1.5 million for each of the next two seasons, with the Kings to pay Westphal $2 million if they retain him through 2011-12. The agreement was first reported Tuesday night by the Sacramento Bee and later confirmed on the team's Web site by Kings president Geoff Petrie and by Westphal to ESPN's Avery Johnson.
ESPN.com
Sources say Westphal's deal with the Kings is incentive-laden based on the team's win total. Sacramento had the league's worst record this season at 17-65, costing Reggie Theus his job in mid-December after 1½ seasons as coach, with the Kings at 6-18. Interim replacement Kenny Natt posted a record of 11-47.
ESPN.com
Yet after Petrie had to convince Westphal to stay in the race late last week, he had pressured Rambis' agent, Warren LeGarie, for an answer regarding what it would take to entice Rambis to take the job. That answer came this afternoon in the form of an e-mail from LeGarie, which was essentially a non-answer insisting that they needed more time and simply couldn't commit to anything.
Sacramento Bee
Without a commitment on the Rambis front and with the fact that -
as Petrie told me tonight - third candidate and Boston associate head coach Tom Thibodeau had pulled out of the race earlier in the day, the desire to get a deal done with someone whose desire to be in Sacramento was no mystery rather than head further down the rocky Rambis road won out. There had been rumblings all along that Rambis had serious doubts about the job on a number of fronts and may not have taken it unless the expected salary ($1.5 million per in two guaranteed seasons) increased significantly, and it became clear at the end that Petrie preferred the security of a guy he was also high on whose interest was indisputable and whose terms had been agreed to (at least the basic structure of the terms) weeks before.
Sacramento Bee
But Westphal, whose last NBA job came as a Mavericks assistant coach, won Sacramento General Manager Geoff Petrie over.
"I think he's terrific," Kings co-owner Joe Maloof said of Westphal by telephone late Tuesday. "He came highly recommended." NBA.com
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One factor is Rambis' long association with the franchise that thrust him into prominence as a rookie with the unmistakable black glasses in 1981-82.
Another is the widely held expectation in Lakers circles that Rambis will receive strong consideration to succeed Lakers coach Phil Jackson when the 63-year-old finally decides to end his Hall of Fame coaching career.
ESPN.com
Jackson's contract, paying an estimated $12 million annually, expires after the 2009-10 season. In a January interview with ESPN's Magic Johnson, Jackson revealed that Lakers owner Jerry Buss "would like me to coach longer" but said he prefers to "just do one year at a time."
As he exited Amway Arena after Tuesday's game and headed to the Lakers' bus, Rambis declined comment about the Kings' job.
ESPN.com
Hornets Coach Byron Scott is considering New Orleans natives Randy Livingston and Robert Pack for one of the two vacant spots on his coaching staff. Scott invited both to observe and help work out draft prospects this week with assistant coaches Paul Pressey and Charlie Parker. They passed the ball to Arizona's Chase Budinger, Pittsburgh's Sam Young, UNO's Kyndall #$%%# and Texas A&M's Josh Carter during predraft drills Tuesday at the Alario Center.
New Orleans Times-Picayune
"They are just two guys that I know and like," Scott said. "But there will be some other guys that I'll talk to, as well. I coached Pack in New Jersey, and I've known Randy for a long time. I know that both of them are from here. Both are trying to get their foot in the door and get into the league.
New Orleans Times-Picayune
A little birdie says that if Kevin McHale remains the Timberwolves' coach, which now seems likely, he'll be required to hire a former NBA head coach as his top assistant for in-depth help. The Wolves will provide McHale with a list of candidates from whom to choose.
St. Paul Pioneer Press
On Tuesday night, ESPN.com reached out to a variety of sources throughout the NBA and college basketball who were close to Floyd. The consensus was that recent actions by Floyd showed a move was imminent following allegations that he paid money to a man who steered O.J. Mayo to the Trojans. By making the decision to resign, did Floyd get a negotiated settlement from USC? If he had stayed on and been fired before an NCAA hearing, he may have been able to be compensated much in the same way former Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien was when he wasn't given his due process based on the wording in his contract.
ESPN.com
Oregon State's Craig Robinson is a popular name to move within the Pac-10, just like Tony Bennett was at Washington State before he made the move to Virginia. But the fear of the unknown, with the possibility of sanctions, makes this a tough call for anyone in a secure situation.
Whether Garrett, or whoever makes the hire, considers former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie, former Sacramento Kings coach Reggie Theus, former Texas Tech coach Bob Knight, Virginia Tech's Seth Greenberg or Long Beach State's Dan Monson is still up for debate.
ESPN.com
Jazz general manager
Kevin O'Connor had no comment Tuesday when asked for reaction to statements made Monday by power forward Carlos Boozer, who must decide by the end of this month whether or not he'll opt out of the final year of his current contract in Utah.
Deseret News
While O'Connor would not specifically address the Boozer matter,
he did suggest he still anticipates opt-out decisions by the team's starting power forward, starting center Mehmet Okur and backup shooting guard Kyle Korver would not be made until sometime much closer to the June 30 deadline for doing so. "Here," said O'Connor, who had just returned to Utah on Tuesday following a weekend scouting trip to Italy, "is what I would expect: They have to make a decision on whether they want to opt of contacts that are guaranteed for next year, and when they do we'll react."
Deseret News
The Jazz, meanwhile, also have until Monday to decide if they'll pick up the $870,000 third-season team option on reserve center Kyrylo Fesenko's current rookie contract.
Indications, however, are that no determination in that regard has been made yet - and the possibility of Fesenko remaining in Utah remains alive for now.
Deseret News
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Childress added to a bench that includes Pachulia, Murray, Mo Evans and whatever player the Hawks could take with the 19th pick in the June draft would be a massive upgrade over what they used during a 47-win season.
But three different sources I've spoken to in recent days insist that they don't expect Childress to return to the NBA this summer (he has until July 15 to opt out of his Greek contract or remain there for another season). The dynamics of his situation in the NBA haven't changed from last summer. He's still a restricted free agent and would be subject to dealing with a Hawks organization that couldn't get a deal done with him last summer. So it was a serious miscalculation of mine to blindly assume he'd bolt Europe for the comfort of the states. "I don't know why he would come back," a Western Conference scout told me. "There's so much uncertainty in the league this summer. Teams are holding back because of the economy and plotting for the summer of 2010. Plus, he's still bound by restricted free agency, which means he can't really come back and shop around for the best situation. If the Hawks didn't get a deal done with him last summer I don't see any way they get one done now. No way."
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pachulia clearly wants to come back here. He said as much during our conversation last week. But he's been here before, in free agent land, so he knows what a player wants doesn't always jive with the reality of his situation. Unlike when the Hawks nabbed him from Milwaukee four years ago, teams aren't spending as freely as they were then.
Still, Pachulia was a bargain four years ago at $4 million per season. He's a bargain at that price now if the Hawks can swing it. But with the lack of quality bigs running around the league these days, that $4 million price tag might not be enough to retain Pachulia's services.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Like most of you, I've (foolishly) been operating under several assumptions the past few weeks. But after speaking with several NBA players, coaches and other sources around the league over the last week, it seems we've all been a bit too optimistic about the chances of all these guys reuniting next season.
"Unless I'm mistaken, getting all these guys in uniform for next season will cost a whole lot more than the Hawks are used to spending," one Eastern Conference front office man told me Monday afternoon. "Check their roster and see how many guys they spent serious money on. It's a short list. They inherited Bibby's big deal and now that's gone. They signed Joe [Johnson] and Josh [Smith] to their deals. Beyond that, there wasn't a single guy on their roster they spent mid-level money on, not one, and that says something."
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"They got more out of their money than a lot of other teams these last two seasons," he said. "That's good while it lasts. It just doesn't last forever. Sooner or later you have to pay to win in this league. The Hawks have gotten away without paying that price the past two years. They've done some things that their payroll suggests they shouldn't have. But those days are probably over, because the teams they leapfrogged in the standings the past two years are not going to stay down forever."
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"In San Antonio they have not sat down with me to discuss an extension. I have a year to go on my current contract. I do not know what they want to do. I will wait and will continue to play. Contract talks were suspended after the Olympics," he notes. The trip to Beijing had no lasting consequence on his relationship with the team: "I know the owner was not happy. But they did not mention a word to me. [Coach] Popovich understands my position. He said he would have done the same thing as I did. I do not think there is anything broken between us. I would prefer to stay in San Antonio for the rest of my career. But, if anything has to change, I will grab my bags and go elsewhere."
Ole
"A year ago I thought this would be impossible and today I believe there is a chance, it could happen ... This year is very strategic, with teams clearing their payrolls so they can sign free agents in 2010 and perhaps some teams would rather trade you than lose you and remain empty- handed." It will also be up to the Spurs if Manu can continue playing with them.
"Change is inevitable on a team, but you do not have to change everything. I believe that if we are all healthy, we can contend," he analyzed. And he confirmed this when he described his ideal teammates: "I want those who know how to play by my side ... I would rather have them be experienced and have a high basketball IQ, even if they are a step slower." Ole
Two weeks before Gordon will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, the Bulls' guard will host the Ben Gordon Basketball Camp at the Bulls/White Sox Training Academy in Lisle.
This, of course, doesn't mean Gordon will re-sign with the Bulls. But it's another sign that, with just two weeks remaining on his Bulls contract, Gordon remains professional.
Chicago Tribune
Several reports over the last few days around the Internet have linked the Cavs to big men. As the team is certainly in the market for them, these reports are probably the first of many. A report from Slam Magazine, a New York-based basketball publication, on Monday said the Cavs have opened negotiations with Pistons free agent center Rasheed Wallace on a two-year contract at $10 million per season.
This is impossible and illegal; the Cavs do not have salary cap space to sign any player to a $10 million contract and any talks cannot begin until July 1.
Cleveland Plain Dealer
It is likely the Cavs will contact Wallace at that time, as he's probably going to be on their list of free agent targets. But he will not get a $10 million contract from the Cavs or likely any team in the NBA.
The other part of the report said the Cavs would be interested in a "sign-and-trade" deal for Zach Randolph of the Los Angeles Clippers. Randolph is not a free agent, so calling it a sign-and-trade situation would seem to invalidate the entire report. When you consider the misinformation on the Cavs' cap position, the report seems even more off base -- though it got quite a bit of attention on the Internet and some television programs on Monday.
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Also in recent days, a Greek Web site has linked the Cavs and San Antonio Spurs to Ioannis Bourousis, a 6-foot-11 center who is a star of Euroleague power Olympiakos. Bourousis, who was named to the Euroleague First Team, is a free agent and is fielding some interest from NBA teams.
But according to a source, Olympiakos is prepared to make him an offer of around $2 million Euros tax free and that is more than any NBA team, including the Cavs, would probably be willing to offer.
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Carlos Cabezas will work out for the
New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors.
Diario Sur
Pau Gasol rubbed the back of his head, showed his forearm to referee Derrick Stafford and asked for an explanation. Stafford didn't react. Gasol's meaning was clear.
"(Dwight Howard) is allowed to do physically a couple more things here at home," Gasol said after the game.
Los Angeles Daily News
Asked if those "things" are too physical for his taste, or within the rules, Gasol didn't hesitate.
"For my taste, yes," Gasol said. " I have no control, so it's a little bit unfortunate. There's nothing you can do about it. You just have to play through it and continue to compete."
Los Angeles Daily News
Howard even seemed to acknowledge Gasol's complaints, though he had not been told of them before his postgame news conference.
"I think with (Andrew) Bynum, he doesn't mind banging," Howard said. "With Gasol, sometimes you've got to be aware of what you do in the paint. Gasol is very smart. He's been playing for a long, long time and I think with him, I've just got to be smart. I don't want to pick up any cheap fouls and have to sit on the bench."
Los Angeles Daily News
"Ball was going in the basket," noticed Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. "That always works. That is a tried and true formula. We've shot 29 percent (Game 1). Is that the lowest in history (second)? "When the ball goes in, those look like really good shots," said Van Gundy.
"And when they don't go in, you say, 'Wow, they're not getting any good shots.' When the ball is going in 62 percent of the time, yeah, those are great shots." Bulls.com
RicBucher: Gotta love SVG. 4Q he yelled:"You've got to fight!" Then went mute.
Then slammed his clipboard. Then swatted Hedo on the @@!. Timeout over.
Twitter.com
Ric Bucher: Kobe lit up Bynum in last timeout: "Get your head in the f***ing game!" Silence from Bynum. Luke gave same message in softer tones.
Twitter.com
The hot topic before Game 3 Tuesday night was still Courtney Lee's missed layup at the end of regulation in Game 2, with Lakers coach Phil Jackson advancing the story by saying he believed basket interference should have been called on Pau Gasol.
"Basket interference according to the rules, yeah," Jackson said.
CBSSports.com
As Lee caught an inbounds pass with 0.6 seconds left and the score tied 88-88, Gasol's fingers touched the rim as he contested the shot. Magic coach
Stan Van Gundy refused to revisit the situation, saying, "Calls didn't decide that game. I don't think his hand being there or not being there had anything to do with the shot going in or not. You're not going to get a complaint from me on that call." Jackson added, "It's called basket interference is what it's called. Even if you hit the net supposedly in the process that's part of it, but that rule is kind of archaic. It isn't called in this day and age as much, but when we were in high school ... that was something a high school ref might call, basket interference."
CBSSports.com
Mike Krzyzewski sidestepped a question about whether he thinks Kobe Bryant or LeBron James is the league's best player, but the U.S. Olympic coach did share which one of his former players he'd have take the final shot in a close game. "I'd like LeBron to dribble it, and then hit Kobe," he said Tuesday. So who's better?
"Kobe is in a different part of his career. You see what he has accomplished, and what he still is accomplishing, and LeBron hasn't done that yet," Krzyzewski said. "Now can he? Yeah. When it's all said and done, I think you're talking about two of the top 10 players to ever play the game." Riverside Press-Enterprise
A little more inquiring about the Knicks tire-kicking at Memphis' No. 2 pick reveals it may not be just Ricky Rubio the Knicks would target there, but 7-3 center Hasheem Thabeet. Of course the move-up is an absolute longshot, as we discussed in the original blog, so all of this could be moot. But it is worth noting both blue chippers would be on the radar if they managed to pull off such a deal.
Newsday
Ricky Rubio now must deal with the Spanish government if he wants to play in the NBA. The guard has been trying to get out of his contract with Spanish league team DKV Joventut but has met resistance.
On Tuesday, according to the Spanish news agency EFE, Rubio sued the team after learning that it had transferred the rights to his buyout to Hacienda, the Spanish version of the Internal Revenue Service. The rights were sold to satisfy a debt Joventut had with Hacienda.
ESPN.com
Ricky Rubio: Tough days.
Difficult decisions to make. I hope we reach an agreement that benefits both sides.
Twitter.com
A person with knowledge of the situation said the Knicks understand they likely would be a third or fourth option for the Grizzlies, who, according to the report, are also receiving interest from the Celtics and Rockets.
Newsday
The Mavericks are said to be interested in the fifth pick and the prospect of drafting Jordan Hill. The teams have made nice in the past, most recently in the swap that secured Jamison in 2004. The Mavericks also were kind enough to relieve the Wizards of Juwan Howard in 2001.
Washington Times
The Mavericks apparently are willing to part with either Jason Terry or Josh Howard to sweeten a potential deal. The Mavericks would be obligated to accept an expiring contract of the Wizards, the one belonging to either the Poet or Mike James. The chatter involving the Wizards is refreshing, seeing as how it conveys a modicum of hope.
Washington Times
Curry and UCLA freshman guard Jrue Holiday will both work out for the Knicks on Wednesday.
It is likely that the Knicks will select someone from the group of Lawson, Curry, Holiday and Flynn. The coaching staff seems enamored with the 6-foot-4 Holiday while Knicks GM Donnie Walsh, a Carolina grad, seems to favor Lawson.
New York Daily News
Flynn appears to be in the crosshairs of the Milwaukee Bucks at No. 10, and Lawson is buried on many mock drafts. This clearly is an issue for a player who led the Tar Heels to consecutive Final Four appearances and won the national championship this year. "People say I'm injury prone and too short," he said. "I mean, we're just going to see what happens on draft day. And after the draft. I'll prove everybody wrong."
Newsday
Don't be surprised if Calathes is playing in the NBA in 2010. He must play at least one year in Greece, but an NBA team can draft him now and pay the $500,000 buyout in time for the 2010-11 season. Calathes' buyout is chump change compared to the $6.6-million right to have Ricky Rubio. In this economy, Calathes' asking price might be more digestible for a player who does a lot of the same things Rubio does. Calathes' combination of court vision (best in the draft), size as a point guard (6-foot-6), shooting (39 percent from 3) and mastery of the pick-and-roll offense merits a first-round pick. Dallas, which has the No. 22 pick, told Nick before his Greece deal that they intend to select him, according to a source.
Orlando Sentinel
Terrence Williams: Workout for the Wizards, just me an one other dude.
(I don't no who it is) but I'm going at his neck pause.
Twitter.com
Despite speculation on Draftexpress.com, former Tigers hoops star DeMarre Carroll doesn't need a liver transplant. Anderson - Carroll's uncle as well as the MU basketball coach - said Tuesday that speculation was based on "misinformation."
Kansas City Star
Carroll has been under a doctor's care for a liver-related condition for at least two years, but the condition is apparently well under control.
Carroll's agent told The Columbia Daily Tribune that the physician who has overseen Carroll's treatment is willing to provide NBA officials with a letter of assurance on Carroll's ability to play in the NBA.
Kansas City Star
Mike Krzyzewski still isn't ready to renew his commitment to coaching Team USA, despite Jerry Colangelo's best efforts to push him for an answer. "He was pushing the check," Coach K said of a recent dinner meeting in Chicago with Colangelo, the managing director of USA Basketball.
CBSSports.com
"I've met with Jerry to discuss the future, just these next four years," Krzyzewski said. "... By the time we have our [training camp] in mid-July, I think a lot of things will be put forward at that time. I think that's a good launching point for USA Basketball."
CBSSports.com
When asked on RapRadar if he was really going to get this done and bring the Nets back to Brooklyn, Jay-Z replied, "Yeah we really…actually break ground in September. It's as close as it's ever been. We went through all the law proceedings and we refined the drawings and everything. Every thing seems to be in the perfect place. So September we break ground. So it should be ready to go."
Nets Daily
Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy will be released from prison on June 17, 2009. Donaghy, convicted for betting on professional basketball is serving a 15-month sentence at the federal prison camp in Pensacola, Florida.
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