September 2009 – Page 4 – NBA Blog

Mayor Kevin Johnson fears Sacramento could someday lose Kings

The Sacramento Kings have wanted a new arena for quite some time, and now former NBA star and current mayor Kevin Johnson is adding his voice to the mix. The Sacramento Bee reports:

After learning that Arco Arena is considered unsuitable to host a major college basketball tournament, Mayor Kevin Johnson said Tuesday that Sacramento could lose the Kings if efforts for a new arena aren’t stepped up.

“If we don’t have a clear path to an arena in the not too distant future, then we as Sacramentans need to know that (the Kings) very well may look elsewhere,” Johnson said.

The mayor made his statements after finding out the NCAA had bypassed Sacramento’s bid to host the regional round of the men’s basketball tournament. Arco Arena has hosted the money-making event four times since 1994.

That was one loud arena back in the days of good Kings basketball. A scary place for opponents. But that’s old news. For years now it’s just been considered a problem. Sad.

Russian tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov will buy Nets

The New Jersey Nets struggle to attract fans and face many issues as they attempt to build a new basketball arena in Brooklyn and relocate the team. And now the AP reports:

Russian tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov says in his personal blog that he has made an offer to buy the New Jersey Nets.

Prokhorov, considered Russia’s richest man, said Tuesday on his blog that he sent team shareholders an offer over the weekend. Under the proposal, Prokhorov’s holding company Onexim would obtain a controlling share in the Nets in return for loaning the money to build a new arena.

If the team is going to be sold I expect it would happen relatively sooner rather than later.

Bulls re-sign Aaron Gray

The Chicago Bulls today re-signed center Aaron Gray. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Chicago drafted the 7-0, 270-pound center with the 49th selection in NBA Draft 2007. During his two seasons with the Bulls, he has appeared in 117 games (19 starts), and averaged 3.9 ppg and 3.3 rpg in 11.4 mpg.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Big backup center who can fall into people, take up space, raise his arms, etc.

Timberwolves waive Chucky Atkins

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has waived guard Chucky Atkins. The Timberwolves acquired Atkins as part of a trade with Oklahoma City on July 27.

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.

Rockets trade James White to Nuggets for Axel Hervelle

The Denver Nuggets have acquired G/F James White from the Houston Rockets in exchange for the draft rights to F Axel Hervelle, Nuggets Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

White, 6-7, 200, has averaged 5.7 ppg and 2.0 rpg in 10 career games (two starts) with San Antonio and Houston. He was originally drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (No. 31 overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft before having his rights traded to Indiana in a draft night deal. After being released by the Pacers prior to the 2006-07 season, White was signed by the Spurs and spent the remainder of his rookie season between San Antonio and its D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros. He played overseas with Fenerbahçe (Turkey) during the 2007-08 season.

This previous year, White played 34 games (33 starts) with the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Development League before being called up by the Rockets on Mar. 3. He averaged 1.8 ppg in four regular season games for Houston, as well as 1.4 ppg in five postseason appearances during the Rockets run to the Western Conference Semifinals. In his time with the Arsenal, White averaged a league-high-tying 25.9 ppg to go along with 5.0 rpg and 2.5 apg while shooting .549 from the field.

Hervelle, 6-8, 230, was selected by the Nuggets in the second round (No. 52 overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft. Hervelle, who had yet to play for Denver, posted averages of 8.1 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 35 contests for Real Madrid (Spain) last season.

InsideHoops.com editor says: White is famous for being an amazing dunker. Hervelle is basically unknown.

Spurs sign Keith Bogans

Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News reports: Keith Bogans, the 29-year-old journeyman guard who spent the final 29 games of last season playing with Jefferson in Milwaukee, has agreed to a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum of $1.03 million to join the Spurs. Bogans, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, has averaged 7.5 points over a five-year career that includes stints with seven teams. He averaged 5.6 points in 65 games last season, split between the Magic and the Bucks. Like Bowen before him, however, Bogans has built his professional reputation on the defensive end.

SEPTEMBER 24 UPDATE

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have signed guard Keith Bogans. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed. The San Antonio Express-News reports that it is “a guaranteed one-year deal worth the league minimum of $1.03 million.”

Bogans, 6-5, 215 pounds, split last season between the Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks. He started the season with the Magic before being traded to the Bucks on Feb. 5 in exchange for Tyronn Lue. In 36 games with the Magic, he averaged 5.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 21.9 minutes. Bogans appeared in 29 games for Milwaukee, averaging 6.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.7 minutes. For the season he appeared in 65 games, averaging 5.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 19.6 minutes.

Originally drafted by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft (43rd overall), Bogans was traded to Orlando on draft night for cash considerations. A six-year NBA veteran, Bogans has spent time with Orlando, Charlotte, Houston and Milwaukee. His best season came in 2004-05 with the Charlotte Bobcats when he averaged 9.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 24.2 minutes per game. During the 2007-08 season Bogans appeared in all 82 games with the Magic and averaged 8.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists. In 425 career games, he has averaged 7.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 23.4 minutes.

Heat to extend contract of coach Erik Spoelstra

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports: The Heat has extended coach Erik Spoelstra’s contract in the wake of Spoelstra and all the employees in basketball operations, including president Pat Riley, accepting voluntary pay cuts to eliminate the need for layoffs. Spoelstra also confirmed that forward Michael Beasley — who left a Houston rehabilitation facility Sunday — was at AmericanAirlines Arena on Monday, where players are working out informally, and has improved his game significantly this summer.

Pooh Richardson testifies against officer

The AP reports: Former NBA player Jerome “Pooh” Richardson reluctantly testified Monday that his close friend, a Philadelphia police officer, tipped him about an imminent drug raid involving his half-sister. Richardson, 43, testified under a grant of immunity about two phone calls around 3 a.m. from childhood friend Rickie Durham in August 2005. Durham told him the FBI was about to take down a drug kingpin and take the sister down too, he testified.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Well, that all sounds fantastic!

Knicks to use LED signage courtside

Madison Square Garden announced today that the New York Knicks plan to use new state-of-the-art LED signage courtside at home games during the 2009-10 season. The Knicks will become the first NBA team to utilize the technology at the courtside location. The new signage will enhance game presentation, expand partner integration opportunities and allow for instant customization from Knicks pregame through postgame at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks will premiere the new LED courtside signage at their first preseason home game on Tuesday, October 13 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

“At Madison Square Garden we are always looking for innovative and cutting-edge technology that will enhance the game experience for our fans and create value for our partners,” said Scott O’Neil, president, Madison Square Garden Sports. “The new LED courtside signage for the Knicks is extremely dynamic and offers instant customization, which will not only enrich the viewing experience for fans, but provides a visual enhancement for our partners brands and helps us maximize their exposure throughout a game.”

The new courtside LED signage will be synchronized throughout games with all of the digital signage in the bowl at Madison Square Garden, including MSG’s GardenVision center hung scoreboard and ribbon boards circling the middle-level, creating a 360 degree experience for fans and partners. The LED technology provides clear off angle viewing for fans in-arena and those watching Knicks’ telecasts on MSG. The signage has also been designed with player safety in mind, featuring a spring mount mechanism that allows for up to four inches of flexibility in case of a collision. The specially created LED signage combines a scorer’s table designed by Signco, LED panels by Mitsubishi and integration control software by ANC. Madison Square Garden Sports worked in conjunction with the NBA to trial the signage at several New York Liberty games at the end of the WNBA regular season.

Lou Bender passes away

The Boston Globe reports: Lou Bender, an all-American basketball player at Columbia whose stellar play during the Depression helped popularize the game and make Madison Square Garden a magnet for college basketball, died Sept. 10 at his home in Longboat Key, Fla. He was 99. The cause was cancer, his son Steven said. Mr. Bender, a 6-foot-1 forward who played at DeWitt Clinton High School in the late 1920s, received the nickname Lulu when he sank a two-handed set shot from long range and a fan shrieked, “Now that was a lulu of a basket.’’