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Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports:
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Douglas-Roberts averaged 7.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 44 games with the Bucks last season, after arriving from New Jersey in a trade for a 2012 second-round draft pick.
The former Memphis star missed 15 games at the start of the season after undergoing right eye surgery.
The AP reports:
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Udonis Haslem hopes to be ready — and able — to play soon.
The Miami Heat forward says he believes the NBA’s players and owners will come to terms on a new labor deal in time to save the season. Haslem says players have been told “both sides want to get a deal done.”
Labor talks are scheduled to resume Tuesday.
Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post reports:
A third free agent who played for the Nuggets last year is in serious talks to play in China.
Kenyon Martin has received significant interest from two professional teams in the Chinese Basketball Association, which would make him the highest-paid player in the history of that league, a source said today.
The CBA will not allow players contract opt-outs should the NBA season begins before the CBA’s season ends. The NBA is currently in a labor lockout.
The longtime Nuggets power forward is currently weighing his options. If he signed with a team he would make more than the reported $3 million that Nuggets teammate J.R. Smith would make for a Chinese team, the source said.
HollywoodReporter reports:
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Lionsgate has been hit with a quirky copyright infringement lawsuit over a piece of music used in documentary More Than A Game, which chronicles basketball superstar LeBron James’ rise during his high school days in Ohio.
The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Georgia federal court comes from Mason Hall, a songwriter who says he authored a copyrighted composition entitled, “We Ready.”
Hall is suing Lionsgate as well as what may or may not be a LeBron James label at Interscope Records (“Interscope Lebron LLC”) for using his composition in the film without license.
Before this lawsuit even touches upon the question of fair use, the plaintiff’s first task may be convincing a judge that the song in question is really his.
The AP reports:
A man has been sentenced to 97 years in prison for shooting Memphis Grizzlies guard Antonio Burks.
Criminal Court Judge Mark Ward on Thursday sentenced 20-year-old Darquan Lynneral Swift for the July 2009 shooting and attempted robbery during a dice game behind a vacant duplex. Burks, who played at the University of Memphis, and another man were critically injured and several others were robbed.
Rick Welts will leave his position as President & CEO of the Phoenix Suns effective September 15, announced today by Welts and Suns Managing Partner, Robert Sarver. Sarver also announced that the Suns business organization will report to General Counsel, Jason Rowley, as the team launches a national search for the position of President. Lon Babby remains the President of Basketball Operations.
Welts joined the Suns in 2002 as President and had the additional title of CEO the past two seasons. Rowley came to the Suns in 2008 as General Counsel.
“I’m at a point in my life where my focus is to align my personal and professional life in a way I’ve never been able to achieve before,” said Welts. “The most important people in my personal life are not in Phoenix, and the Suns have been completely understanding and supportive of my request to leave in advance of the end of my contract.”
“My nine-plus years at the Suns have been incredibly rewarding thanks to a group of employees second to none in professional sports and the support of great ownership,” Welts continued. “The Suns organization has always been a special place to work, and I leave knowing that will continue to be true in the future.”
Sarver said, “The entire Suns organization thanks Rick for his tireless work on behalf of the Suns. While he will be missed, we understand his desire to relocate outside of Arizona for personal reasons. We have a very talented executive team including Jason Rowley, whose familiarity with the Suns organization will allow him to manage the business operations seamlessly as we conduct our search for a new team president. Our search will include both internal and external candidates.”
Welts has worked in the NBA virtually his entire life, starting as a ball kid with the Seattle Supersonics in 1967 and including a 17-year stint at the NBA League Office in New York City, where he left in 1999 as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.
In a front-page New York Times story on May 16 of this year, Welts revealed he was gay, the most senior professional sports executive ever to take that step.
“The response from fans, co-workers, players and ownership of the Suns to my announcement has been the most gratifying experience of my life, one for which I will forever be grateful,” added Welts.
The Impact player roster list, showing the players that will participate in the Impact Las Vegas Basketball League: Competitive Training Series, is now available.
It’s mostly NBA players, and a couple of true gems like John Wall, Stephen Curry, Stephen Jackson, Zach Randolph and more, and there are a few non-pros in there as well.
Read it here.
Reuters reports:
Armed, masked law enforcement officers on Thursday raided a bank part-owned by Mikhail Prokhorov, a billionaire Russian magnate who is leading a political party into a December parliamentary election, officials and lawyers said.
The head of the International Finance Club bank, known by its Russian acronym MFK, said the evening raid on the bank’s office in central Moscow had nothing to do with Prokhorov’s Right Cause party or even with the bank’s operations.
“Investigative actions were conducted in relation to one of our borrowers. This has nothing to with Right Cause or Onexim,” the bank’s chief, Oksana Lifar, told Reuters by telephone. Onexim is Prokhorov’s investment vehicle.
But the raid raised eyebrows in a country where critics of the authorities face harassment and law enforcement officers are sometimes employed to put pressure on opponents in business disputes.
A small meeting between a few top representatives of NBA owners and players took place Thursday in New York City. The discussion reportedly lasted over five hours.
First, here are comments from David Stern on the owners side of the fence:
According to Howard Beck of the New York Times via Twitter, “Stern says talks will resume Tues in NY, with full committees from both sides. Won’t say whether that’s an indication of anything. Adam Silver also, somewhat testily, refutes suggestion that no new proposals have been exchanged since June.”
According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, “League and union agreed to bring full committees to New York for larger meeting on Tuesday, David Stern said. Stern said there is nothing formal to present to larger committees. Time was right to see if there will “be a deal or shouldn’t be a deal.” Stern: “We think it’s getting to be an important time and it was a good idea to have larger committees.” Stern: “I don’t really know that it’s positive or negative. I just think it’s time to bring the parties to the room.” Board of Governors scheduled to meet Thursday. Asked what he hopes to tell full board, Stern said, “I’ll tell you on Thursday.” Deputy commish Adam Silver disputed notion of no new proposals since June 30. Nothing formal or complete, but “ideas” and “concepts.” Stern said sense or urgency comes “more because of the calendar” than progress in talks. Decisions must be made “eventually,” he said.”
And, according to David Aldridge of Turner Sports, “League, players to meet again in NYC next Tuesday, with full committees on both sides. Stern says “it’s time” to have more people in room. Stern says calendar dictates expansion of meetings. Stern also said no vote authorizing cancellation of games and/or training camps will be taken at next Thursday’s Board of Governors meeting.”
As for what representatives of the NBA players union said today:
According to Ken Berger: “Derek Fisher: Union officials will meet with players in Las Vegas next week to get feedback on what’s been negotiated so far. A few dozen players already scheduled to be in Vegas for Impact Basketball league. All players invited to meeting, Fisher said. Players’ meeting on Sept. 15 in Vegas coincides with owners’ meeting the same day in Dallas.”
And according to David Aldridge: “Fisher; I wouldn’t read into full committees meeting next week “that we’re on the verge of making a deal.” Fisher said 2 sides “are trying to respect each other’s positions” during meeting. Fisher re: Roger Mason’s Tweet; “roger knows we’re no closer now to a deal than we were before, questioned whether it was actually Mason’s. Union will meet w/players @ Impact workouts in Vegas next Thursday. About 40-50 players currently expected to take part.”
And the NBA lockout continues, for now.
FIBA Europe reports:
Ricky Rubio is comfortable with his role in a Spain team that many wondered if he would make this summer.
The playmaker should make his much anticipated debut in the NBA this coming season with the Minnesota Timberwolves if the lockout ends and he’s hoping it will be a breath of fresh air because there were some tough times at Barcelona.
Rubio doesn’t possess a great jump shot but passes extremely well and plays as good a defense as any player at the EuroBasket.
He didn’t score in the 77-68 win over Germany on Wednesday and frankly, he doesn’t care.
“Little by little, I’m getting better as the tournament goes on,” he says.
“I feel more comfortable, although I still have to improve in shooting.
“I think I’ve done well in other facets of the game and that boosts my confidence.
“I know my limitations and my strengths and I have to take advantage of those.
“My strength is defending and hopefully I will see my shots go in but it does not worry me.”