July 2009 – Page 4 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Golden State Warriors waive Jermareo Davidson

The Golden State Warriors have waived forward Jermareo Davidson, the team announced today.

Davidson, 24, appeared in 14 games last season for Golden State, averaging 3.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 7.9 minutes per contest. He originally signed the first of two 10-day contracts with the Warriors on January 5, 2009, and was subsequently signed for the remainder of the season on January 25, 2009. Additionally, Davidson appeared in five games with Golden State’s 2009 Summer League team, averaging 2.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per contest.

Timberwolves trade Etan Thomas, picks to Thunder for Damien Wilkins, Chucky Atkins

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has traded center Etan Thomas and two future second-round draft picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for 6-6 guard Damien Wilkins and 5-11 guard Chucky Atkins.

“We’re committed towards rebuilding our roster with an eye towards flexibility and long-term success, and this move better positions us for the summer,” said David Kahn, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. “I want to thank Etan for his professionalism and understanding, and wish him all the best moving forward.”

“We are pleased to welcome Etan Thomas to the Thunder family,” said Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. “Etan adds experience and depth to our front court as well as a defensive mentality and competitiveness that we value.”

Wilkins joins the Wolves after spending each of his five previous NBA seasons with the Thunder franchise, where he signed as a free agent after going undrafted in the 2004 NBA Draft. In 310 career games, Wilkins has averaged 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

A 10-year NBA veteran, Atkins went undrafted out of the University of South Florida before signing with Orlando in 1999. In 655 career games with Orlando, Detroit, Boston, L.A. Lakers, Washington, Memphis, Denver and Oklahoma City, Atkins has averaged 10.2 points and 3.5 assists per game. Atkins was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1999 and also played on the gold-medal-winning U.S. National Team at the 1995 World University Games.

Thomas, acquired by the Wolves on June 24, has appeared in 373 games over his seven-year career. The 6-9 center owns career averages if 6.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Thomas was originally selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 12th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft.

Phoenix Suns sign Steve Nash to contract extension

The Phoenix Suns today signed two-time NBA MVP point guard Steve Nash to a two-year contract extension through 2011-12, the club announced.

“Steve is still one of the best point guards in the NBA, and his dedication to conditioning will keep him among the league’s elite for several more seasons,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr. “In many ways he embodies what our franchise is all about, and we’re thrilled that he will be the leader of our team for the next three years.”

A 13-year NBA veteran, including seven overall in Phoenix, Nash has spent the last five seasons in the desert and has led the Suns to two Western Conference Finals appearances and two of the club’s three seasons of 60 or more wins in franchise history (2004-05, 2006-07). Since signing to return to Phoenix on July 14, 2004, Nash has led the Suns to an average of 56 wins each season and Phoenix has compiled an impressive 270-115 (.701) mark with him in the lineup.

One of only nine players in NBA history to collect back-to-back NBA MVP awards (2005, 2006), Nash is a six-time NBA All-Star (four appearances as a Sun, 2005-08) and a three-time All-NBA First Team Selection (2005, 2006, 2007). Since 2004-05, Nash has averaged 17.1 points and 10.9 assists in 385 games in a Suns uniform while shooting an unparalleled 51.1 percent from the field (2,401-4,697), 44.9 percent from three-point range (687-1,530) and 91.6 percent from the free-throw line (1,108-1,209).

Among the most prolific passers in NBA history, the 6-3, 178-pound Nash currently ranks ninth on the NBA’s all-time assist list (7,505) and second on the Suns’ franchise list (4,586) behind Suns legend Kevin Johnson. Nash is the only player in Suns history to average 11 or more assists in three different seasons (2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08) and owns four of the 10 double-digit assist seasons in franchise history.

Widely regarded as one of the NBA’s best shooters, in 2008-09, Nash became the first player in NBA history to shoot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line in three different seasons (2005-06, 2007-08). The 35-year-old Nash concluded the season tied for 16th on the league’s all-time list of three-pointers made (1,360) and just 10 threes shy of surpassing the Suns’ franchise record currently held by assistant coach and Ring of Honor member Dan Majerle (800).

Nash will begin his eighth season in Phoenix in 2009-10 ranked as the second-most accurate free-throw shooter in NBA history behind only Mark Price, and tops among active players. A career 89.7-percent shooter from the line, Nash is one of only six players in league history to shoot 90 percent or better from the free-throw line in at least five career seasons. In 2008-09, Nash shot a career-high 93.3 percent from the charity stripe, breaking his own Phoenix franchise record (.921, 2005-06).

Originally selected by the Suns with the 15th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft, Nash played his first two seasons in Phoenix before being traded to Dallas on July 25, 1998 for Pat Garrity, Bubba Wells, Martin Muursepp and a future first-round pick that the Suns would use on Shawn Marion in 1999. After six seasons with the Mavericks, Nash returned to Phoenix as a restricted free agent prior to the 2004-05 season and keyed the then third-largest turnaround in NBA history and a franchise-record tying 62 victories a season after the club won 29 games.

Among the numerous and wide-ranging awards his professional and personal endeavors have garnered, Nash was named to the Order of Canada in Dec. 2007, his home nation’s highest civilian honor, for his success on the court and his humanitarian efforts. Nash was also the recipient of the 2007 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, is a two-time winner of the Lionel Conacher Award as Canada’s top male athlete (2002, 2005), and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2006.

His well-known Steve Nash Foundation is dedicated to assisting underserved children in their health, personal development, education and enjoyment of life with efforts focused in British Columbia, Arizona and Paraguay, home nation of Nash’s wife, Alejandra. Winner of the 2008 Steve Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy, foundation events have raised over $1 million.

One of the NBA’s “greenest” players, in 2007 Nash opened the Steve Nash Sports Club in Vancouver, the first sports gym to aspire to meet standards for energy conservation and environmentally friendly practices. His Nike “Trash Talk” shoe is made from the wasted manufacturing scraps of other shoes, packaged in a box made entirely of recycled fiber and went on sale to the public on Earth Day 2009. Nash now partners with Arizona Public Service (APS), the state’s largest and longest-serving electric utility, and appears in popular television advertisements to promote the company’s solar and renewable energy initiatives.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa on Feb. 7, 1974, Nash moved to Canada at the age of 18 months.

Curtis Stinson signs in Greece

Euroleague.net reports: Aris BSA 2003 announced on Saturday the addition of point guard Curtis Stinson, who agreed terms on a one-year deal and returns to the Greek League after his experience with Kolossos Rhodes during the 2007-08 season. Stinson (190, 26) arrives from Iowa of the NBDL, where he averaged 16.1 points, 7 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 2.2 steals in 50 games last season.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I always found the name “Curtis Stinson” to sound cool. Go on, say it aloud. It works, right? Therefore, I wish him the best of luck with his new team.

Quiet offseason for Hornets

The New Orleans Times-Picayune (Larry Holder) reports (via blog): Hornets point guard Chris Paul wished he had an answer as to why the team has been inactive in the trade arena during the offseason, but he suggested it might not matter. Paul said he has no issues playing with the same roster the team ended with last season. He doesn’t think it will take an additional piece to turn the Hornets’ fortunes around. It’s more of a team attitude adjustment thing in Paul’s opinion. “It wasn’t necessarily that we just needed someone extra, ” Paul said Sunday at a basketball court dedication at Hardin Playground in the 7th Ward. “We just needed something extra as a team. We could have motivated ourselves a little bit more and figured out different things. It’s not necessarily a person.”

Tony Parker minor injury overseas

San Antonio Spurs swingman Manu Ginobili enjoys using the summer to ensure that he’ll never be fully healthy during the NBA regular season. Taking a cue from that, Tony Parker did his part. The San Antonio Express-News reports:

Spurs guard Tony Parker suffered two injuries to his right leg in a collision with an opponent while playing for the French national team against Austria on Friday night in Strasbourg, France. According to French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Parker left the game on a crutch after 12 minutes with a sharp pain in his right thigh after colliding with Austria’s Stjepan Stazic. Though that injury soon subsided, Parker’s right ankle became swollen. By Saturday morning, it was clear the ankle was the greater issue.

The report says that Parker feels he’ll be OK and that the sprain is minor.

San Antonio Spurs sign Theo Ratliff

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed center Theo Ratliff. Per team policy terms of the deal were not disclosed. We heard it would be a one-year, minimum deal, but will check on that later today.

Ratliff has played for six teams (Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Portland, Boston and Minnesota) during his 14 NBA seasons. In 751 career games, he has averaged 7.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.53 blocks in 26.1 minutes. Ratliff has shot .498 (2,136-4,293) from the floor and .600 (1,357-1,913) from the line over his career. He has appeared in 39 playoff games averaging 5.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.72 blocks in 15.7 minutes per game. Ratliff enjoyed his best season in 2000-01, averaging 12.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.74 blocks and was voted as the starting center for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team (he missed the game due to injury).

A two-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection (1998-99, 2003-04), Ratliff is one of seven players in NBA history to lead the league in blocks in at least three seasons (2000-01, 2002-03 and 2003-04). He ranks 18th all-time in total blocks (1,902) and is fifth among active players.

The 6-10, 238-lb. Ratliff spent last season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 1.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.02 blocks in 12.6 minutes while appearing in 46 games.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Ratliff is old but smart and can try to do for the Spurs what Dikembe Mutombo was doing for the Rockets. He will contribute solid defense for a few minutes per half. Ratliff isn’t a day older than 58 at this point (being serious, he turned 36 in April) and can still block a shot and grab a rebound if he has his walker.

Memphis Grizzlies renounce qualifying offer to Hakim Warrick

The Memphis Grizzlies have renounced their qualifying offer to forward Hakim Warrick, making him an unrestricted free agent, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced.

Warrick, the team’s longest-tenured player and the last remaining member of the Grizzlies’ most-recent playoff appearance in 2006, averaged 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds on 49.1 percent shooting in 82 games (seven starts) last season.

The 6-9, 219-pound forward has averaged 10.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in 307 games (82 starts) through four NBA seasons, all with the Grizzlies, who originally selected him with the 19th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. After which, teams may withdraw outstanding qualifying offers, in which case a player becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Charles Oakley wants to be NBA assistant coach

Charles Oakley as an NBA power forward was an enforcer. He banged, slammed opponents around, rebounded, defended, set great screens, and was able to hit open mid-range jumpers. And he has a lot to teach today’s young players. And he’s having a great life off the court right now, but would love to become an NBA assistant. The New York Times reports:

“I think I have a lot to teach these young guys,” Oakley, 46, said. “Especially on the defensive end.”

Oakley said his former teammate Patrick Ewing did a great job this season as an assistant with the Orlando Magic. He said he could have similar success with the Knicks, and told the team’s president, Donnie Walsh, just that.

“Nowadays, you may have better athletes,” he said. “But unless they’re taught, they aren’t going to do anything in the league. I talked with Donnie after the last home game and told him that I think I have a lot to offer this team. You can’t just score more points than last year without playing defense.”

I think Oak would be terrific. He’d tell players what they really need to hear and not sugarcoat anything. And if a player acts out of line, Oakley will happily smack him around for a while.

Security guard admits to stealing Jordan jersey from Tony Parker

The San Antonio Express-News (Craig Kapitan) reports: Security guard turned Bexar County Jail inmate Christopher James Carolan pleaded no contest Friday to stealing an autographed Michael Jordan jersey from Spurs star Tony Parker. Carolan, who wore orange jail scrubs and handcuffs as he stood before 186th District Judge Maria Teresa Herr, was arrested in June after Parker’s manager showed sheriff’s office investigators a Craigslist ad for the jersey that was posted a day after the collectors’ item went missing. The jersey, valued at $20,000, was sold for $120, court documents indicate.

InsideHoops.com editor says: So the guy steals something and immediately advertises it for sale on the Internet. And then sells it for less than 1/10th the approximate going rate for the item.