Month: March 2014

Kobe Bryant will not return to play this season

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who is recovering from a fractured lateral tibial plateau of his left knee, was examined today by team physician Dr. Steve Lombardo, who determined that Bryant’s injury has still not healed. With this diagnosis, Bryant will not return to play this season, it was announced today by the team.

“With Kobe’s injury still not healed, the amount of time he’d need to rehab and be ready to play, and the amount of time remaining in the season, we’ve simply run out of time for him to return,” said Athletic Trainer Gary Vitti. “However, Kobe will have the entire offseason to heal, rehab and prepare, and we look forward to him being 100% for the start of next season.”

“Obviously this has been a frustrating and disappointing season, but I appreciate all the support I’ve received from the Lakers and the fans, and look forward to being back and ready for the start of training camp,” said Bryant.

According to ESPN.com News Services, “In all, Bryant played six games this season, averaging 13.8 points, 6.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 42.5 percent shooting from the field. The Lakers are 22-42, tied for the worst record in the Western Conference. Los Angeles signed Bryant to a two-year, $48.5 million contract extension in November. The five-time NBA champion called his recovery “a slow process” during a news conference in New Orleans at All-Star Weekend last month.”

Also according to ESPN.com News Services, “The Lakers still must pay Bryant his entire $30.453 million salary for the 2013-14 season, and an insurance policy will cover only 15.6 percent of it ($4.75 million). After a player misses 41 consecutive games because of an injury, the league’s insurance policy kicks in. Starting with the 42nd game, the insurance pays for 80 percent of the player’s salary for games missed.”

Cavs sign Shane Edwards to 10-day contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Shane Edwards from the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers exclusively owned and operated NBA Development League team, to a 10-day contract, Cavaliers acting General Manager David Griffin announced today. To create the roster spot for Edwards, the team released forward Arinze Onuaku from his second 10-Day contract that was set to expire on March 13th.

Edwards has appeared in 40 games (32 starts) for the Charge this season, averaging 13.3 points on .547 shooting and 5.5 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game. The 6-7, 220-pound forward has scored 15 or more points 15 times on the season, including in 9 of his last 11 games, and has two double-doubles for the year.

Edwards will join the team in Phoenix today and will be available for tonight’s game against the Suns. He will wear jersey number 24.

George Karl does not think Melo is a Phil Jackson type of player

Here’s ESPN New York sharing insight from George Karl, a man worth listening to on basketball in general and Carmelo Anthony in particular:

Few know Carmelo Anthony as well as George Karl does.

And Melo’s former coach wonders if Phil Jackson would keep Anthony if the Zen Master takes over the Knicks’ front office. ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd asked Karl if the Knicks keep Anthony while discussing Jackson potentially taking over the Knicks.

“To me, when you ask me that question, I don’t think Melo is a Phil Jackson type of player,” Karl said on “The Herd.” “That would be my answer to that.”

Karl, who coached Anthony from 2005-11, says Anthony is just one of many major decisions Jackson would have to make if he joins the Knicks. Cowherd asked Karl if Anthony and Kobe Bryant have similar traits as prolific scorers.

Nets likely keeping Jason Collins for rest of season

Here’s ESPN.com with an update on the Nets and Jason Collins, who is on his second 10-day contract:

The Brooklyn Nets will sign center Jason Collins for the remainder of the season on Saturday, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.

Sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday that the Nets, who feel they’re getting everything they expected from Collins when they signed him for frontcourt depth Feb. 23, are already operating under the premise that the 34-year-old will finish the season with them even though his second 10-day deal doesn’t expire until after Friday. Sources say that the internal expectation all along was that Collins would be a Net for the rest of the season, from the moment he signed his first 10-day deal, as long he proved that he could still be an effective defender, which he did immediately.

Nerlens Noel still not expected to play this season

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer with another update on injured 76ers rookie Nerlens Noel:

Nerlens Noel still not expected to play this season

Rookie center Nerlens Noel continues to impress observers in the closed-door sessions during 76ers practices.

Though a source with knowledge of the situation doesn’t expect Noel to play this season as he recovers from last year’s knee surgery, all who see him are encouraged about what he will bring to the future.

On the one-year anniversary of knee surgery, Noel remains a mystery, at least to the public.

The team sees him every day and considers him and rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams the foundation of what is hoped will be a promising youth movement.