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Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan surprised his former teammate Scottie Pippen for Pippen’s 47th birthday party Monday night. Pippen’s wife, Larsa, planned the secret bash at Chicago hot spot Sunda. Bulls family, including team president Michael Reinsdorf and his wife, Nancy, NBA power broker William “World Wide Wes” Wesley, Antoine Walker, Ahmad Rashad, and new Bulls recruit and Chicago native Nazr Mohammed gathered to celebrate at the club with Pippen.
— Reported by the New York Post
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Count Tyson Chandler among those who think Rasheed Wallace has something left.
After taking the last two seasons off, Wallace worked out at the Knicks practice facility, and is considering signing with the team. And after seeing him work out, Chandler thinks Wallace can help.
“He looked good,’’ Chandler said Wednesday at a charity event featuring his photography, including pictures of former Knicks Jeremy Lin and Landry Fields.. “Rasheed can be a great addition to us.”
Despite his extended break from the NBA, with Wallace’s last game action coming with Boston in the 2010 Finals, Chandler said Wallace still has skills that can help the Knicks.
— Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post
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Upon becoming an unrestricted free agent last summer, Young admitted Wednesday to being “shocked” at ending up in Philadelphia.
A phone call and subsequent chat with Doug Collins early in the free agency period gave the Sixers the inside track with Young.
Collins sealed the deal by meeting with Young’s parents a few days later.
“He sat down and talked to my dad and mom. Once my mom started raving about him, it was pretty much a wrap right there,” said Young, smiling.
Young officially signed a one-year, $6 million contract July 12.
— Reported by Tom Moore of Philly Burbs
In May, the Clippers picked up the option on Del Negro’s contract, giving him a third season as coach for about $2 million. Still, Del Negro, 46, enters the new season in the final year of his contract.
Sitting in his office Wednesday afternoon, Del Negro leaned back in his chair and said of his situation: “I think there’s always pressure, but I think that’s a position that you want to be in.
“My goal coming here was to help change the environment, change the culture and change the direction of the organization.”
Last season the Clippers went 40-26 in the regular season and Del Negro took them to the second round of the playoffs for just the second time since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984.
All signs point to Del Negro’s leading the Clippers to back-to-back playoff appearances. If that happens, it will be for just the second time during the 32 years Donald Sterling will have owned the team. The Clippers last reached the postseason in consecutive years in 1992 and 1993 when Larry Brown was coach.
— Reported by Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times
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The Chicago Bulls have invited veteran center Kyrylo Fesenko to training camp on a non-guaranteed contract, according to sources close to the situation.
Sources told ESPN.com that Fesenko is on course to sign with the Bulls by week’s end after working out for team officials this week.
Chicago has been searching for an established big man willing to come to training camp on a non-guaranteed deal because league rules prevent the hard-capped Bulls from handing out any guaranteed deals heading into the season.
— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com
The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that forward Darrell Arthur sustained a small, non-displaced fracture in the head of the fibula in his left leg during a recent workout while preparing for training camp.
The injury was diagnosed by team physician Dr. Fred Azar after Arthur underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the Campbell Clinic earlier this week.
The 24-year-old is being treated by the team’s athletic training staff and will be evaluated on a weekly basis by Dr. Azar. He will return to action in an estimated 4-6 weeks but could return earlier if symptom-free.
In other news, center Hamed Haddadi will return to full action without any restrictions after an eight-week rehabilitation following right thumb surgery.
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Forward Danny Granger, the team’s leading scorer the past five seasons, will be limited some at the start of training camp after an issue with his left knee, which happened while working out in Los Angeles late in the summer, caused him to get an injection in it. Granger’s at the fieldhouse working out with the rest of his teammates daily, but the Pacers, who don’t believe it’s a major issue, plan to take it easy with him early on and allow him to use the preseason to work on his conditioning. Granger’s expected to play in some of the preseason games.
I ran into forward David West in the building and immediately noticed that he spent a lot of time in the offseason toning up his upper body.
— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star (Blog)
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And although this Blazers season will be littered with a heavy dose of new — from coach to general manager to an overhauled roster that features five rookies — Stotts says he will open training camp with Hickson at center, in part, because of his history with the team.
“J.J. is the incumbent,” Stotts said. “I’m not saying he’s going to be the starting center opening night. We’ll have to see how training camp goes, see how the preseason goes, and then we’ll make that determination. Meyers (Leonard) has played very well (this summer). But it’s just like politics: J.J. has been here, he’s the returner, so going into it he has the advantage.”
Who starts at center is just one of many questions looming over the franchise as the Blazers prepare for a rebuilding season that is sure to feature plenty of bumps and bruises along the way. The Blazers’ 15-man roster averages just 25.0 years old, likely making it one of the youngest in the NBA this season.
— Reported by Joe Freeman of the Oregonian
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Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of unlicensed driving and resisting arrest.
Barnes, who was not present in court, entered his plea Tuesday through his attorney.
Superior Court Judge Burt Pines sentenced him to two years of probation. The judge also ordered Barnes to complete 30 hours of community service and attend 13 counseling sessions with a private therapist.
— Reported by the Associated Press
They’ve alienated elected officials, many of their fans and some of their sponsors. Yet the Sacramento Kings remain a powerful brand in this community – and a compelling draw for corporations and advertisers.
The team today will announce a partial lineup of corporate partners for 2012-13, including new sponsors Nokia Siemens and Wal-Mart, and a returning former sponsor, Verizon Wireless. For Nokia Siemens, the deal is the first with a professional American sports team, Kings officials said.
The list represents “more sponsorship commitments than at any point during the Kings’ 27-year tenure in Northern California,” the team said.
— Reported by the Sacramento Bee