Month: June 2012

After trade, New Orleans Hornets need a center

New Orleans Hornets General Manger Dell Demps said they cannot ignore the reality of not having a center currently on their roster after trading veterans Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza to the Washington Wizards earlier this week.

Okafor was the Hornets starting center, although he missed 39 games last season with a knee injury. Chris Kaman filled in, but he will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and is not likely to re-sign with the Hornets, according to sources.

But Demps said it’s still too early to say who they may select with the 10th overall pick in the first round of next Thursday’s draft because they are looking at every possible opportunity.

“We’re looking at all options,’’ Demps said.

— Reported by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Jazz still deciding on DeMarre Carroll

DeMarre Carroll

Jazz General Manager Kevin O’Connor confirmed to the Salt Lake Tribune on Saturday morning that the organization indeed has a team option on small forward DeMarre Carroll, an option the Jazz are still deciding on.

There had been some confusion on this issue. But Carroll emerged from his exit interview with the team confident that he will remain with the organization for next season.

“He should be confident,” O’Connor said. “He did a lot of good things for us this year. He hustled, he played defense and he provided a spark.”

The Jazz have until June 30th to decide their team option on back-up point guard Jamaal Tinsley.

— Reported by Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune

Dwyane Wade might need knee surgery, may miss Olympics

dwyane wade

Dwyane Wade played with knee pain throughout the playoffs. He’ll soon know exactly what was causing that problem, and if it could keep him out of the London Olympics.

One day after celebrating his second NBA championship, the Miami Heat guard told The Associated Press on Friday that he will soon have his ailing left knee examined, and acknowledges that surgery may be a possibility. Wade appeared in all 23 postseason games for Miami, averaging 22.8 points, and scored 20 in the title-clinching win for the Heat against Oklahoma City on Thursday night.

“I’ve got to make a decision on what my knee needs and what’s best, because my career and finishing my career strong is what’s important to me,” Wade said. “And I know, yeah, the Olympics are coming up. It’s something I really want to do. But at the same time, if I have to make a big decision, if something has to happen surgery-wise, that will have to be a step I have to take. My loyalty and my commitment to Miami Heat basketball is the No. 1 thing.”

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Ex-wife of Dennis Rodman keeps restraining order

A California court on Friday extended a restraining order against former basketball star Dennis Rodman and told him to stay away from his ex-wife who testified he showed up drunk at her apartment.

The decision comes as Rodman, 51, and his former spouse, Michelle, continue to battle in court over unpaid child support payments that her attorneys say total about $800,000.

It was a busy day for the former couple, who after the ruling on the restraining order also had a separate hearing on child support.

In the first hearing, Orange County Court Commissioner Renee Wilson extended a restraining order she first granted as a temporary measure on May 30. Wilson’s ruling keeps the restraining order in place at least until a child support trial scheduled for late October, when the matter is set to be revisited.

Wilson also ruled that Rodman, a Hall of Fame retired National Basketball Association player known for his great rebounding skills, will be allowed to visit his two children with Michelle. But Wilson ordered that an off-duty sheriff’s deputy must be present to monitor the visits.

— Reported by Dana Feldman of Reuters

Heat vs Thunder 2012 NBA Finals was big TV ratings success

Superstars LeBron James and Kevin Durant doing battle in the NBA Finals was as popular as expected.

The 2012 NBA Finals – the Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder to become NBA Champions – generated the most-watched and highest-rated five-game average for The Finals since 2004 and the second most-watched in ABC history, according to Nielsen.

The Finals averaged 16,855,000 viewers (P2+) and 11,584,000 household impressions, up five percent from 16,084,000 viewers and 11,061,000 household impressions in 2011. The series generated a 10.1 household rating, up six percent compared to a 9.6 last year through five games.

Thursday’s Game 5 broadcast delivered a 10.9 HH rating, 18,461,000 viewers and 12,538,000 household impressions, up 1 percent compared to Game 5 last year (10.8 rating, 18,313,000 viewers and 12,472,000 household impressions).

NBA Finals Game 5 was the highest-rated program of the night and helped ABC win the night among all programs on broadcast and cable. This marks the 30th consecutive time the NBA Finals have led ABC to win the night.

2012 NBA Finals – Top 10 local markets: 1.Oklahoma City (43.8); 2.Miami (33.1); 3.Tulsa (26.9); 4.West Palm Beach (20.1); 5.Cleveland (17.4); 6.Memphis (15.9); 7.New Orleans (14.4); 8.Atlanta (14.2); 9.Chicago (14.1) 10.San Antonio (14.0).

If Brandon Roy makes NBA comeback, Warriors have interest

brandon roy

Warriors general manager Bob Myers said on Friday morning that the team has interest in former Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy, who has made it clear that he will try to play in 2012-13.

On Dec. 15, 2011, the Blazers announced that they had used the amnesty clause to waive Roy, and shortly after that Roy announced that his professional basketball career was over.

But Roy, 27, has been training over the past several months with the goal of joining an NBA roster for the start of the season.

There’s a connection between Myers and Roy; Myers used to be Roy’s agent.

— Reported by Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area

Atlanta Hawks may want Danny Ferry as next general manager

The Atlanta Hawks have spoken with Danny Ferry about becoming the club’s next general manager, according to league sources.

Ferry, currently the vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs, would replace Rick Sund as the Hawks’ lead basketball decision maker.

Sund’s contract ends on June 30 and, sources say, he is not interested in returning for a fifth year as the Hawks’ GM. Sund could either remain with the organization as a consultant or move on altogether.

— Reported by Chris Broussard of ESPN the Magazine

Thousands of fans greet Oklahoma City Thunder at airport

More than 2,500 Oklahoma City Thunder fans found their way to Will Rogers Airport Friday afternoon to welcome their team home.

The team landed in Oklahoma City around 2 p.m.

Fans packed a designated area just north of the airport to watch the team deplane and waited near a temporary stage, where players and coaches were expected to address the crowd.

— Reported by RJ Young of the Oklahoman

Here is a photo. 

Players Association wins Early Bird Rights ruling. But, NBA will appeal

Here is now Jeremy Lin got NBA contract Bird Rights 

The NBPA ANNOUNCED:

Arbitrator Kenneth Dam today affirmed the National Basketball Players Association’s position that players claimed off waivers retain their valuable “Bird” and “Early Bird” rights when they become free agents. As a result of the arbitrator’s decision, Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak of the New York Knicks will enter the 2012-13 free agency period with “Early Bird” rights, and Chauncey Billups of the Los Angeles Clippers and J.J. Hickson of the Portland Trailblazers will enter the 2012-13 free agency period with full “Bird” rights. Future players claimed off waivers will likewise benefit from today’s ruling.

“Bird and Early Bird rights are the lynchpin of our Soft Cap system, and we’re pleased that Professor Dam recognized that a player does not forfeit these important rights unless he makes an affirmative decision to sign with a new team as a free agent,” NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter said. “Players fought hard for a Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows maximum flexibility for free agent players while also permitting teams to retain their core free agents, and today’s decision affirms both of these important principles.”

THE NBA LATER ANNOUNCED:

The NBA announced today that a decision has been issued in the recent arbitration proceeding brought by the Players Association on behalf of Jeremy Lin, Steve Novak, Chauncey Billups, and J.J. Hickson.  In that decision, arbitrator Kenneth Dam ruled that players who are claimed off of waivers have the same “Bird” or “Early Bird” rights that they would have if they were traded.  The NBA will appeal the ruling.