Month: December 2011

NBA players authorize return of union

NBA players have authorized the return of the players’ association, with more than 300 submitting the necessary signatures to a third-party accounting group.

The union must re-form before players and owners can continue negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. The hope is to complete the CBA next week so both sides can ratify it in time to open training camps Dec. 9.

When talks with the NBA broke down Nov. 14, the NBPA disclaimed interest in representing the players, paving the way for them to file an antitrust lawsuit against the league. But negotiations continued despite the litigation, and a tentative agreement was reached early last Saturday.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Charles Oakley will not return to Bobcats coaching staff

Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that Charles Oakley will not return as an assistant coach on Paul Silas’ staff.

“I’ve known Charles Oakley for a long time and his work ethic as a coach mirrored the intensity he displayed during his playing career,” Higgins said.  “While we are disappointed that things did not work out the way we had hoped, we want to thank Charles for his efforts last season and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Deron Williams will not sign extension with New Jersey Nets

Deron Williams

Deron Williams’ agent said his client will play out this season and take his chances as a free agent.

“Deron will not be signing the extension,” Jeff Schwartz told The Record this afternoon. “Based on the new rules it doesn’t make any sense for him to sign the extension. It has nothing to do with how much he likes New Jersey. Because of the rules, he’s going to play the season out and opt out of his deal.”

As The Record reported in today’s editions, sources with knowledge of the Nets thinking had been resigned to the fact that the chances of Williams’ signing an extension were slim.

According to the new rules, Williams can get a two-year extension from the Nets for roughly $39 million that would be tacked on to the two years, $31 million he has remaining on his deal. If Williams opts out after the season, he could get five years, and about $101 million from the Nets or four years and $73 million from another team.

— Reported by Al Iannazzone of the Bergen Record

Read NBA fan opinion or share your views in this basketball forum topic.

Danny Ainge says Celtics not looking to trade Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Thursday that he has no intentions of trading point guard Rajon Rondo and suggested he’s unsure where the rumors that insinuated that he was lusting over New Orleans star Chris Paul originated this week.

After noting that he wanted to keep his core together and later identifying that core as the team’s four All-Stars (Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett), Ainge was asked point blank if he was planning to trade Rondo.

“I’m not, no,” bottom-lined Ainge during a press conference with coach Doc Rivers to discuss the team’s post-lockout agenda.

“I”ll talk to Rondo,” Ainge added. “But I won’t tell you what I’ll say to him. Rondo will be fine, Rondo knows that we love him. He knows that we like him. He’s excited to come back and play basketball, in my opinion. He gets a lot of attention; He’s a great player. There’s a lot of people that call me and aks me about Rondo. So, how these rumors get out, it’s unfortunate, but we didn’t leak those rumors out. We’ll deal with it. He’ll be fine.”

— Reported by Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston

Pacers president Larry Bird preaching patience

Patience.

That’s what Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird and general manager David Morway say is their approach in using up their projected $21 million in salary cap space once the free agency period begins Dec. 9.

“We’re not going to spend all of our money right away,” Bird said. “We come off more next year.”

Bird and Morway have been actively working the phones trying to find a starting power forward and another scorer.

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star