Month: October 2012

Sacramento Kings waive Tony Mitchell, Willie Reed, and Hamady Ndiaye

The Sacramento Kings today requested waivers on forwards Tony Mitchell, Willie Reed and center Hamady Ndiaye, according to Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

Mitchell, a 6-6, 210-pound forward from the University of Alabama, averaged 1.7 points (2-2 FG, 1-1 3pt), 0.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and 5.3 minutes per game in three preseason contests for the Kings. Mitchell played for the Kings during the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Reed, a 6-9, 220-pound forward from Saint Louis University, averaged 0.8 points (1-3 FG, 1-2 FT), 1.0 rebounds, and 2.8 minutes per game in four preseason games.

Ndiaye, a 7-0, 235-pound center from Rutgers, averaged 0.7 points (1-4 FG, 2-4 FT), 1.2 rebounds, and 4.8 minutes per game in six preseason contests. Ndiaye had played two NBA seasons with the Washington Wizards.

The Kings’ roster now stands at 14 players. The deadline for teams to turn in their rosters to the NBA is Monday, October 29, by 2 p.m. PDT. Sacramento opens its season on the road on October 31 at Chicago at 5:00 p.m. PDT. The Kings host Golden State on Monday, November 5 at 7 p.m. PDT in their first home game of the 2012-13 season.

Miami Heat waive Rodney Carney and Jarvis Varnado

The Miami Heat announced today that they have waived forwards Rodney Carney and Jarvis Varnado.

Carney appeared in five games with the HEAT this preseason, averaging 6.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 13.6 minutes. He originally signed with Miami on September 27, 2012.

Varnado did not appear in a game with the HEAT this preseason. He originally signed with Miami on September 7, 2012.

The Heat’s roster now stands at 16.

Utah Jazz waive Chris Quinn and Darnell Jackson

Utah Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey announced today that the team has waived forward Darnell Jackson and guard Chris Quinn.  Following the moves, Utah’s roster now stands at 15 players.  Utah opens the regular season on October 31 at EnergySolutions Arena when the team will host the Dallas Mavericks at 7 p.m. (ROOT, 1280 AM/97.5 FM).

Jackson (6-9, 265, Kansas) appeared in six preseason games for Utah, averaging 1.7 points in 5.7 minutes per game.  Quinn (6-2, 175, Notre Dame) played in five preseason contests, averaging 1.8 points and 1.4 assists in 6.0 minutes.

Golden State Warriors announce digital upgrades to Oracle Arena

warriors

The Golden State Warriors announced today a variety of fan friendly digital upgrades to Oracle Arena, the Warriors ground for all home games, to significantly improve the game day experience for fans for the 2012-13 season.

“There has been more invested in Oracle Arena this summer than any other summer since the building was renovated in 1997,” said Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer Rick Welts. “Our job is to provide the best game day environment on a season-long basis and we know these enhancements, focused on improvements for fans and ways to make Oracle Arena and our team more digitally advanced, will improve the overall experience for our fans.”

During the offseason, the following additions and upgrades to Oracle Arena were created to provide fans with the best game day possible:

·         StadiumVision – An advanced digital display platform developed by Cisco throughout the arena providing fans and partners with a best in class display system for scores, updates and latest sponsorship information.

·         HD Scoreboard – A new, high-definition (HD) center-hung scoreboard enabling fans to clearly see the in-game action from the scoreboard, replays, updates and half-time and time-out performances. As part of the scoreboard assembly, eight JBL loudspeakers have been added inside the lower ring to provide the best sound possible for fans.

·         LED Press Table Signage System – A state-of-the-art LED signage system directly in front of the press table providing fans the latest partner announcements and offers.

·         Bypass Lane – Fans don’t have to miss a single minute of action on the court this year with the new Bypass Lane application at Oracle Arena. Bypass (available only in designated areas) allows fans to order and pay for food and beverage from the comfort of their seat on their mobile phone, available soon for iPhone and Android with the 2.0 version of the Warriors Mobile App. Orders are then delivered directly to their seats!

·         Mobile Ticket Upgrades – Fans interested in upgrading their seat location on game day can now do so while already in the arena. The Warriors have partnered with Pogoseat to offer seat upgrades (subject to availability) to those inside the arena interested in upgrading their seat location via the Warriors Mobile App.

·         iPad Kiosks – iPad kiosks will be located throughout the arena where fans can get information on upcoming game tickets and sign up for the latest Warriors offerings.

·         Paper-less Ticketing – The Warriors are offering a select fan base paper-less ticketing for the 2012-13 season, via a paperless season ticket card, and look to move the entire arena to paper-less ticketing for the 2013-14 season.

7 percent of Sacramento Kings will be sold

A 7 percent share of the Sacramento Kings is about to head for the auction block.

The share held by bankrupt Sacramento developer Bob Cook is expected to be sold off, with the proceeds to be split among Cook’s creditors.

David Flemmer, the court-appointed trustee overseeing Cook’s bankruptcy, originally proposed auctioning the Kings’ stake in March.

But one of Cook’s creditors, an investment firm from Capitola called Omni Financial, blocked the sale. Omni said it was already the rightful owner of the 7 percent share after Cook defaulted on a loan.

Months of litigation ensued. Now a compromise has been worked out that would allow the sale to move forward and the proceeds to be split among three creditors. Omni would get 47 percent.

— Reported by Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee

David Stern reportedly hopes to get an NBA team back in Seattle

Between now and his departure, Stern is determined to get a franchise back into Seattle, league sources said. He has become a strong ally of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s group to bring back the NBA there. Ballmer’s group has been trying to get the Maloof family to sell the Sacramento Kings, so that the franchise can eventually play in a new arena in Seattle.

From the league office, pressure on the Maloofs to sell has been growing, sources said – just as hopes for a new Sacramento arena have been fading. Seattle Sonics fans will never forgive Stern for his complicit role in Clay Bennett’s deception to move that franchise to Oklahoma City, but make no mistake: Stern desperately wants to return the NBA to one of its great markets and wants it for his own measure of vindication before he leaves office.

As one source involved in the process said, “Stern has enough time to get a team back to Seattle, but he’ll let Silver deal with the crowd [booing] on opening night.”

— Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports

Dallas Mavericks sign center Eddy Curry via waiver claim

Mavericks sign center Eddy Curry via waiver claim

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have been awarded free agent center Eddy Curry on a waiver claim.

Curry (7-0, 295) was the fourth overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls and has played in 525 games (411 starts) with Chicago, New York and Miami. He holds career averages of 13.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 24.9 minutes per game while shooting .545 from the field.

Curry spent training camp in San Antonio where he saw action in five games for the Spurs this preseason and averaged 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game.

“We are excited to bring Eddy Curry to Dallas,” President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson said. “He has worked extremely hard this offseason and can provide our front line with much needed depth.”

The former McDonald’s All-American and Illinois Mr. Basketball was an early entry candidate to the NBA Draft directly out of Thornwood High School in South Holland, Ill.

Curry is expected to be at Dallas’ shootaround tomorrow morning.

Read NBA fan reaction and share your opinion in this basketball forum topic.

CONFIRMED: David Stern will retire as NBA Commissioner on Feb. 1, 2014

David Stern informed the NBA’s Board of Governors today that he will step down as NBA Commissioner on Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years to the date he took over the position. Stern also announced that the Board of Governors voted unanimously to accept his recommendation that Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver succeed him as Commissioner.

“Adam is a world-class business executive who has influenced so many areas of our business during his tenure with the NBA,” Stern said. “I am pleased that the Board has chosen him as my successor and I know the NBA will be in very good hands.”

During his over 28-plus years as Commissioner, Stern has built the model for professional sports in league operations, public service, global marketing and digital technology. He has overseen the league’s growth with seven new franchises, a 30-fold increase in revenues, a dramatic expansion of national television exposure and the launch of two leagues, the Women’s National Basketball Association and the NBA Development League.

Interest generated by the leagues’ growing international initiatives has led to the opening of offices in 15 global markets, the televising of games in 215 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, and the creation of 13 language-specific Web destinations. The leagues’ digital assets, including NBA.com, WNBA.com, and NBADLeague.com; social media platforms; NBA LEAGUE PASS; NBA TV, which is available in nearly 60 million U.S. homes; and mobile applications reach hundreds of millions of fans every day.

Stern’s intense commitment to social responsibility both in the United States and around the world has been a signature of his tenure as commissioner. In 2005, the league launched NBA Cares, through which the NBA, its players and teams have raised more than $205 million for charity, provided more than 2.1 million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 750 places where children and families can live, learn, or play. NBA Cares supports a host of community outreach initiatives, including a myriad of internationally recognized youth-serving programs that focus on education, youth and family development, and health and wellness.

Silver has served as the NBA’s Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer since July 2006, following more than eight years as President and COO, NBA Entertainment. Silver has been instrumental in many league accomplishments, including playing a key role in the negotiations of the league’s last two television agreements, the last three collective bargaining agreements with the National Basketball Players Association, the development of the WNBA and NBA Development League, the partnership with Turner Broadcasting to jointly manage the NBA’s digital assets, the formation of iHoops – a partnership with the NCAA focused on basketball development and the creation of NBA China as a separately incorporated operating entity.

During Silver’s tenure, the NBA has seen rapid expansion of its digital activities as NBA Entertainment launched NBA TV – the league’s 24-hour television channel – and developed the NBA.com network, which consists of more than 60 unique websites, including NBA.com, WNBA.com, NBADLeague.com, team sites for the three leagues, and 13 international sections of NBA.com.

The NBA’s Global Merchandising Group – responsible for the product development, merchandising, licensing, sales development, e-commerce, retail, and direct-to-consumer initiatives of the NBA and WNBA – has seen record growth during Silver’s tenure, and sales of NBA and WNBA merchandise exceeded $3 billion at retail last year.

Silver has consistently been named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Sports by BusinessWeek, the Sporting News and the SportsBusiness Journal. He has also been recognized by Time Magazine and CNN on their list of Global Business Influentials, which features 20 of the world’s leading corporate executives.

Silver joined the NBA in 1992 and previously served under Commissioner Stern as Special Assistant to the Commissioner; NBA Chief of Staff; Senior Vice President and COO, NBA Entertainment before his appointment as the President and COO, NBA Entertainment and his current role as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer of the NBA.

Read NBA fan reaction and share your opinion in this basketball forum topic.

Anderson Varejao is OK with new All-Star ballot

Anderson Varejao is OK with new All-Star ballot

Cavaliers center/power forward Anderson Varejao had no reaction to the news that the NBA has opted to eliminate the center position from its All-Star ballots, instead listing frontcourt players and guards.

Varejao, who has been the team’s starting center since Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Shaquille O’Neal left, considers himself a power forward. Not that it matters.

“To me, it’s kind of the same,” Varejao said after practice on Thursday. “Playing power forward, you have to run around a bit more. Playing center, you have to be more physical against the big guys. I like to play both. I like to move around, and when I play center, I like being physical, to be down there to fight.”

— Reported by Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer