Inside Hoops – Page 1269 – NBA Blog

Sacramento: Arena measure backers vow to regroup after Hansen funding revelation

Sacramento’s arena war hit new levels of intensity this week after Seattle financier Chris Hansen was revealed as the secret source of money for a petition drive to put the city’s arena plans to a public vote.

Seizing on outrage at the news, arena supporters took to the streets Saturday, hanging more than 1,000 fliers on front doors asking residents who signed the petitions to withdraw their signatures. “Don’t let Seattle money steal away our chance at 4,000 jobs for Sacramento!” the fliers urged.

Arena backers, a group that includes many of the city’s prominent business people and politicians, argue the Seattle funding offers proof that the two-month-old petition drive is really an attempt to derail the city’s downtown arena plans and push the Kings out of town.

Yet Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork, the group behind the ballot measure, insists it is a homegrown effort, aimed at giving voters a voice. Its leaders today vowed to come back fighting – possibly with a local fundraising effort.

Reported by Tony Bizjak and Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee

Nik Vucevic brings skills at center for Magic

Vucevic doesn’t compare to [Dwight] Howard athletically or on the defensive end — not by any stretch.

But he provides a more well-rounded offensive game than Howard did – the ability to shoot outside. Vooch also showed he can collect rebounds at a Dwight-like rate at times, finishing second in rebounding to Howard last season and mimicking Howard as a double-double machine.

Vucevic, the 76ers’ No. 16 pick in the 2011 draft out of USC, had a break-out season. He averaged 13.1 points and 11.9 rebounds after limited playing time as a rookie with the Sixers. He recorded 46 double-doubles – the third highest total in the NBA.

He exposed defending champion Miami’s lone weakness, feasting on the Heat’s soft interior with two 20-20 games, including a franchise-record 29-rebound performance.

Reported by Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel (Blog)

Ty Lawson charged with physical harassment, criminal mischief

Ty Lawson, the Denver Nuggets’ star point guard, was charged with physical harassment and criminal mischief stemming from a Saturday night domestic violence arrest.

Lawson’s girlfriend, Ashley Nicole Pettiford, was also arrested, Grayson Robinson, Arapahoe County Sheriff told The Denver Post.

A mandatory restraining order was issued after charges were filed surrounding a domestic violence incident, according to court records.

“They were yelling at each other and broke each other’s phones,” Robinson said. “I don’t believe it was physical otherwise.”

Reported by Ryan Parker of the Denver Post

Kobe Bryant begins running on treadmill

Questions remain on when Kobe Bryant will actually step foot onto a basketball court. But he provided yet another example Monday on how he’s made tangible progress surrounding his surgically repaired left Achilles tendon.

Bryant posted a video on his Instagram account that showed him at the Lakers’ practice facility running on a weight-bearing treadmill. Bryant then added the hashtags, “#mambamental” and “#vinoclock.”

In a sit-down interview with comedian Jimmy Kimmel last week at the Nokia Theatre, Bryant said he’s unsure whether he would suit up in the Lakers’ season opener Oct. 29 against the Clippers at Staples Center.

Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News Blog

Police officer who escorted LeBron James to concert violated policy

En-route to Friday’s Justin Timberlake and Jay Z concert, Miami Heat superstar LeBron James was given a police escort to navigate the bumper-to-bumper traffic into Sun Life Stadium.

A grateful James posted the clip of the good deed on his Instagram account with the caption: “They treat us so well! Needed it cause traffic was nuts!!” James has a little under 3.5 million Instagram followers.

“Light police escort on the wrong side of the street,” James said. “Headed to the big homie concert, JT. Holla.”

On Monday, Miami-Dade police said the officer who gave James and his fiancée the wrong-way escort into the stadium “violated departmental policies.”

Reported by the Miami Herald staff

Atlanta Hawks D-League affliate to hold open tryouts

The Bakersfield (Calif.) Jam, the Hawks’ NBA Development League affiliate, will hold open tryouts at the Suwanee Sports Academy Oct. 5-6.

The tryout is one of five being held by the Jam nationwide. There will also be camps in Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Salt Lake City in September and October.

There is a $150 pre-registration fee (arriving at Bakersfield Jam offices by Oct. 2; $200 for after the pre-registration deadline and day-of registration).

Reported by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (Blog)

Trail Blazers sign guard Dee Bost

The Portland Trail Blazers signed guard Dee Bost to a contract, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey. We assume this is a nonguaranteed contact that will bring Bost to training camp, where the team will evaluate him further.

Bost (6-2, 176) played four seasons at Mississippi State, where he averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 assists as a senior. Bost finished his career with 633 assists, tops in Mississippi State history and eighth all-time in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Last season he played for Buducnost Podgorica in Montenegro where he averaged 8.3 points and 1.8 assists in 21.5 minutes per game.

Bost, 23, becomes the 17th player on the Trail Blazers’ current roster.

Heat draft pick James Ennis arrives in Australia

In Australia, Heat second-round acquisition James Ennis, the swingman out of Long Beach State, was introduced as the newest member of the Perth Wildcats…

Both Ennis and Perth coach Trevor Gleeson downplayed the opt-out in Ennis’ Wildcats contract that would allow him to return to the Heat at any point if summoned this season.

“When I got drafted at 50 in second round, they didn’t have a lot of roster spots, so they gave me a decision to go D-League or overseas and I picked overseas,” Ennis said. “I would like to stay for 12 months and help the Wildcats get a championship. That’s my main goal.”

It also is his coach’s preference.

“Here he’s going to play a substantial role on our team, and develop him on the court, off the court, professionally, at life skills, living away from America for the first time,” Gleeson said. “I think he’s going to be well-rounded and then go back a seasoned veteran.

Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Udonis Haslem is going to get married

It looks like wedding bells will be ringing for Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem.

The former college standout for the Florida Gators applied for a marriage license Monday, according to Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts records.

He’s marrying his college sweetheart, Faith Rein, a track and field star at UF.

Reported by Joey Flechas of the Miami Herald

Agent says Jarvis Varnado will be in Heat camp, not Italy

If Jarvis Varnado is going to leave the Miami Heat to play overseas it will be a case of later rather than sooner.

Despite a report in La Gazzetta dello Sport that the shot-blocking center was close to a deal in Italy, Boca Raton-based agent Mitch Frankel said Sunday his client remains under contract to the Heat and is planning to be at training camp, which opens Oct. 1.

Varnado has a non-guaranteed contract that becomes partially guaranteed on opening night of the regular season, Oct. 29 against the Chicago Bulls at AmericanAirlines Arena. He began his career in Italy in 2010 after being selected in the second round of the NBA Draft that year by the Heat. He joined the Heat last January, spitting the remainder of the season between the Heat and the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Skyforce, securing a championship ring despite his inactive status in the playoffs.

Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel