Month: June 2014

Tim Duncan exercises player option to stick with Spurs next season

tim duncan

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that forward Tim Duncan has exercised his player option for the 2014-15 NBA season.

The 6-11 Duncan was selected by San Antonio with the first pick in the 1997 NBA Draft. In his 17 seasons, Duncan has led the Silver and Black to 11 division titles and the playoffs every year. After helping guide the Spurs to the 2014 NBA Championship, Duncan became one of only five players in NBA history to win five championships and five MVP awards (regular season or NBA Finals). Other players on the list include Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Over the 17-year span San Antonio has posted a 950-396 regular season record, giving the team a winning percentage of .706, which is the best winning percentage in all of professional sports over that span and the best winning percentage over any 17-year span in NBA history. Over the span, the team has accumulated four 60-win seasons and currently owns an NBA-record 15 consecutive campaigns of 50-plus victories.

The 38-year-old Duncan, who leads all active players in career wins (898), has captured the NBA’s MVP Award two times (2002, 2003) and has earned NBA Finals MVP honors three times (1999, 2003, 2005). Duncan has appeared on both an All-Defensive Team and an All-NBA Team in the same season an NBA-record 14 times. The 1998 Rookie of the Year, Duncan has been an NBA All-Star 14 times and has been named the NBA Player of the Week on 22 occasions over the course of his career.

In 1,254 regular season games Duncan has averaged 19.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.23 blocks in 34.8 minutes. He is the Spurs all-time NBA leader in games played, points (24,904), field goals made (9,651) and attempted (19,074) and rebounds (13,940). He ranks second in blocks (2,791), fourth in assists (3,832) and sixth in steals (915). Duncan leads all active players in career double-doubles (796) and this past postseason passed Magic Johnson for the most career double-doubles in NBA playoff history (158).

Duncan has appeared in 234 playoff games, averaging 21.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.33 blocks in 38.0 minutes. His 234 games played in the postseason ranks first among active players and fourth all-time in NBA history. After winning the 2014 title, Duncan joined John Salley as the only players in NBA history to win a championship in three separate decades.

Darrell Arthur and Nate Robinson exercise options to stay with Nuggets

nate robinson

Denver Nuggets guard Nate Robinson and forward Darrell Arthur have exercised their contract options for the 2014-15 season, General Manager/Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Arthur, acquired in a draft-night trade on June 27, 2013, averaged 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 68 games with Denver last season. He also made a career-high 24 3-pointers – 19 more than his previous four seasons combined.

In 315 career games with Denver and Memphis, Arthur is averaging 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds.

Robinson, signed as a free agent last July 26, averaged 10.4 points and 2.5 assists in 44 games with Denver before suffering a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 29.

Preparing to enter his 10th NBA season, Robinson has averaged 11.4 points, 3.0 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 574 games with Denver, Chicago, Golden State, Oklahoma City, Boston and New York.

Sixers designing their new practice facility

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on the 76ers:

The Sixers, the last NBA franchise left without its own practice facility, are looking at the Thunder and several other NBA franchises as they design their 120,000-square-foot practice facility and team headquarters in Camden. New Jersey awarded the franchise $82 million in tax credits over 10 years to build it on the waterfront.

None of this should be surprising if you think about what the Eagles have done with the NovaCare Complex. That’s the type of facility that most NBA teams have. Those days when Charles Barkley worked out at the St. Joseph’s Fieldhouse, sharing the place with the Hawks, are long gone.

In Oklahoma City, there are a heated lap pool, a car detailer, and a barber on site. Sure, they have a restaurant. Most of these places have cafeterias. But their goal is to have the best restaurant in Oklahoma City.

The idea is to make the practice facility a place that players will go to year-round. And if you can get a haircut just steps off the playing court, you’re more likely to step on that playing court. Or maybe get your leg iced while you’re getting your hair cut. Same for the restaurant. At the least, you get a nutritious meal. Best case, it gets you on the court or looking at film for a few extra minutes.

Isaiah Austin diagnosed with basketball career-ending medical condition

Former Baylor center Isaiah Austin has been diagnosed with a career-ending medical condition. Genetic testing as part of preparation for the 2014 NBA Draft revealed that Austin suffers from Marfan syndrome.

“This is devastating news, but Isaiah has the best support system anyone could ask for, and he knows that all of Baylor Nation is behind him,” head coach Scott Drew said. “His health is the most important thing, and while it’s extremely sad that he won’t be able to play in the NBA, our hope is that he’ll return to Baylor to complete his degree and serve as a coach in our program.”

Marfan syndrome is caused by a genetic mutation that leads to problems in connective tissues throughout the body. One feature of Marfan syndrome is aortic enlargement, which can be life-threatening. According to The Marfan Foundation, about one in 5,000 people have Marfan syndrome.

— Via BaylorBears.com

Grizzlies hope to sign Zach Randolph to contract extension

Zach Randolph still may look like a 14-year-old kid when you look at his face from certain angles, but the big veteran power forward has game, and the Grizzlies hope to keep him around. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

Grizzlies hope to sign Zach Randolph to contract extension

The Memphis Grizzlies are hopeful of coming to terms on a contract extension with former All-Star forward Zach Randolph before free agency starts July 1, according to sources close to the situation.

Randolph must decide by June 30 whether to opt out of the final season of his contract, which is valued at $16.5 million, but sources told ESPN.com that the Grizzlies are working to hammer out the specifics of an extension with Randolph before the 32-year-old is exposed to other potential bidders.

If the Grizzlies are intent on lowering Randolph’s salary starting next season, such a deal would have to wait until after July 1 to be completed and require Randolph to opt out, become a free agent and sign a new long-term deal at a reduced rate. If the Grizzlies are prepared to wait until the 2015-16 season for Randolph’s salary to be reduced, they could extend him for up to three years at lowered terms after he opts in for 2014-15 at the $16.5 million.

Bulls reportedly seek trade for Arron Afflalo

The season of signing, trading, drafting, etc. is rapidly approaching. League-wide, roster-flipping fun will soon be upon us. Here’s Yahoo Sports reporting on the Bulls:

Bulls reportedly seek trade for Arron Afflalo

The Chicago Bulls are pursuing a trade for Orlando Magic swingman Arron Afflalo, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Afflalo, 28, has two years left on his contract – including an Early Termination Option (ETO) provision next summer – and front office executives believe the Magic are prioritizing a trade for Afflalo over working to extend his contract.

It is unclear how the Bulls’ pursuit of Afflalo would impact the franchise’s free-agent interest in New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony.

Nets, Cavs discuss a Marcus Thornton, Jarrett Jack trade

With the draft and free agency soon approaching, rosters are going to start shifting around, and reports about specific targets that various teams have will start to materialize. Here’s ESPN.com reporting on the Nets and Cavs:

Nets, Cavs discuss a Marcus Thornton, Jarrett Jack trade

The Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers are discussing a swap of guards Marcus Thornton and Jarrett Jack, according to sources briefed on the talks.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Nets, amid fears that they’ll be unable to re-sign Shaun Livingston in free agency, have identified Jack as a prime target to either help fill the void or improve their backcourt versatility.

Elfrid Payton could interest the Magic

Here’s the Orlando Sentinel reporting on the Magic:

When Elfrid Payton entered his senior year at John Ehret High School outside New Orleans, he wasn’t even the most highly regarded guard on the varsity basketball team.

Payton was only 16 years old, and he looked more like a junior-high student than a potential Division I recruit. He measured 6-feet-1 and only 145 pounds. Indeed, most recruiters focused instead on his backcourt mate, a player named O.C. Tart.

But Tart got into trouble midway through the 2010-11 season, and Tart’s suspension forced Payton to play a bigger role. Payton led Ehret to the state semifinals, and his play netted him a scholarship offer from Louisiana-Lafayette.

These days, Payton ranks as one of the better point-guard prospects in the 2014 NBA Draft, and he could entice the Orlando Magic when the team makes its second pick of the first round, at 12th overall.

Joel Embiid has surgery on right foot

Top prospect Joel Embiid had surgery on the stress fracture in his right foot Friday, and now he waits.

He waits to see how far he falls in the NBA draft Thursday night. He waits to see how long it will be before he can hit the court again. He waits to see how he responds to an injury that has a history of giving NBA big men problems.

The Kansas center, who was in the running to be taken No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, had two screws inserted into the navicular bone in his right foot at Southern California Orthopedic Institute, according to a release distributed by agent Arn Tellem.

— Associated Press