Category: NBA (Page 165 of 595)

      Ricky Rubio still on track to join NBA

      June 5, 2010 /

      Kurt Rambis and GM David Kahn traveled to Europe and met with Rubio. Apparently, Rubio and Rambis hit it off, at least according to Kahn, who wants this to work in the worst way.

      Ricky Rubio was impressed with Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis when they met for the first time last week, and the 19-year-old point guard told friends that “he can envision playing for Kurt.”

      That’s what Wolves Vice President David Kahn said on Friday after returning from a weeklong scouting trip to Europe.

      Rubio’s arrival won’t happen for at least another year, but he told the Associated Press in Barcelona, Spain, that he has warmed to the notion of playing in Minnesota: “They have the best possibility because they hold my rights, and they’ve shown me how much they want me,” he said. “And for that, I have to be thankful toward them.”

      Rubio still plans to join the NBA after next season. It looks like the chances are pretty good that he eventually plays for the T-Wolves.

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Cavs GM Danny Ferry resigns

      June 4, 2010 /

      Brian Windhorst has the details:

      In an interview with the The Plain Dealer, Ferry said the decision was mutual after the sides had talks about a new contract earlier this week. Ferry’s five-year deal that he signed when he came to the team in 2005 was scheduled to expire at the end of June.

      Ferry will be replaced by top assistant Chris Grant, who has been functioning in the role of a co-general manager for the last several years.

      On his Twitter feed, Windhorst wrote the following about LeBron’s possible involvement:

      High level sources: LeBron did not play a role in decision, he liked Ferry. This was about power. Ferry wanted same level as in 2005, with the stakes [owner Dan] Gilbert didn’t want to give it. So they parted ways.

      It’s very tough to judge a general manager because we’re not privy to all the details of the trades that were available to them. Things get especially murky when the team has someone like LeBron, who seemingly has his fingers into everything.

      Ferry did acquire talented players like Mo Williams, Shaq and Antawn Jamison, but the pieces didn’t mesh very well, at least not at playoff time. And it’s not that tough to acquire talent, especially when your owner is willing to open his checkbook in this economy.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

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      David Stern: “There is no free agent summit.”

      June 4, 2010 /

      David Stern answered a few questions yesterday about a number of topics, including the proposed free agent summit that was first mentioned by Dwyane Wade.

      Q. Can you talk a little bit about your thoughts on the free agent summit and how the League and the Board of Governors might feel about that strategizing?

      COMMISSIONER DAVID STERN: There is no free agent summit.

      Q. Some of these players conferred when they signed their most recent contract.

      COMMISSIONER DAVID STERN: Our players talk to each other all the time. They talk to each other on Team USA. They talk to each other. I think they have a meeting every year around our draft. I’ve been assured at the highest level that there is no summit. But I would expect our players to talk to one another, and we don’t have any problem with that. If some kind of tampering is implicated, I will have a later and different view, but we’re not expecting that.

      Q. There is no free agency summit, you told them there isn’t or they told you?

      COMMISSIONER DAVID STERN: No, they told me.

      Q. Would you have told them there isn’t?

      COMMISSIONER DAVID STERN: No. They can have it. I was wondering whether they would get together, eight players and they’ll all look at D Wade’s ring? They’d be better off watching these Finals to see how you construct a team and how you play and the like. There’s not going to be a summit.

      I put that bit in bold because it seems important. Is Stern saying that a couple of players can’t get together and decide where they want to play? Ultimately, it’s up to the team to agree to sign each player, so that’s why there are such strict rules about tampering with regard to owners and franchises.

      So if Wade calls up LeBron and they agree to play for the Heat, is that considered tampering? If not, where is the line drawn? Three? Five? What if there are eight players in a room discussing their options?

      What constitutes tampering?


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

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      NBA Draft Measurements & Overall Athleticism

      June 4, 2010 /

      The NBA Draft combine is over, and all of the measurements have been released. The NBA stopped ranking players in overall athleticism, so I thought I’d take a stab at it.

      In short, I looked at three categories — jumping (max vertical leap), lateral quickness (lane agility drill) and straight ahead speed (3/4 court sprint) — to come up with an overall athletic factor for each player within his position, be it guard, wing or big. The player’s performance in each athletic test was compared to the group’s average.

      For example. John Wall’s max vertical (39 inches) was divided by the group’s average (33.2 inches) to calculate his Max Vertical Jump factor (1.174). After calculating the factors for Lane Agility and 3/4 Court Sprint, the three factors are averaged to determine the player’s overall athleticism. I then sorted the players by position and by their overall Athletic Factor.

      Let’s start with the guards. These are players that are projected to be point guards or combo guards in the NBA.

      Table 1: Guards

      The Big Winner? Terrico White’s vertical leap of 40 inches is quite impressive, but his lateral quickness is a little worrisome. One could argue that leaping ability is not as important as speed or agility for guards. John Wall didn’t disappoint and by this method proved that he was the best overall athlete in the draft.

      Continue reading »

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      LeBron is going to milk this for all it’s worth

      June 4, 2010 /

      Some disturbing news via FanHouse…

      James, according to the source, is in discussions with Nike to create a new shoe for every visit along his free agent path starting July 1. The shoes would have the date of the visit printed, with James already having scripted his itinerary for the Free Agency Tour 2010.

      The source insists that he’ll head for New York first to visit with the Knicks, and then spend time with the Nets. Chicago will be next, with the Bulls hoping he wants to follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan and become the Windy City’s beloved star. Depending on the level of sustained public interest and the discussions with the teams in the respective cities, James will decide at that point whether to continue on to Miami and possibly Los Angeles to see the Clippers.

      Remember, this is coming from a source, but if it’s true — as Charlie Brown would say…good grief!

      First, the fact that he’s planning to hawk shoes for all these different cities seems a little shady, especially since he’ll be saying “no” to every team but one. On top of that, depending on “the level of sustained public interest,” he may go to Miami and Los Angeles as well. In other words, he doesn’t plan to sign with either team, but if the public is interested in his free agent courtship, he’ll go to those cities to hold a media event or two and hawk more sneakers.

      Not only is this plan ridiculously egotistical, but it will effectively hold the free agency process hostage until he’s done selling shoes and basking in the collective love from fans around the country.

      However, by creating such a spectacle, he definitely runs the risk of alienating fans of those teams he rejects, and if he’s not careful, he could become one of the most reviled players in the league. LeBron would be wise to realize that his reputation is not bulletproof.

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