Inside Hoops – Page 1602 – NBA Blog

Knicks cannot sign Josh Harrellson anytime soon

Because the Knicks traded Harrellson away, however, he can’t come back to them. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, teams that trade away players cannot re-sign them for a year after the trade – ending the previous common practice of a team trading away a player, only to see that player get bought out of his contract or waived and re-sign with the team that traded him 30 days after the deal was done.

The Rockets cut Harrellson after signing veteran swingman Carlos Delfino this week. Now, among the four players the Knicks sent to Houston in the Camby deal, only Toney Douglas remains on their roster, after the Rockets had cut Jordan last month.

— Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (Blog)

Spanish national basketball team has some aging stars

In 2016, when the Games are held in Rio de Janeiro, both Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro will be 36 years of age.

Both have been, and continue to be, extraordinary players.

But can they keep it going for another four years and if so, would they be as potent then as they are now?

Felipe Reyes, who was in the same junior teams as Gasol and Navarro, played his last game for Spain on Sunday.

Marc Gasol, who has blossomed into one of the best centers in the world and is still in his prime, knows Pau and Navarro well.

— Reported by FIBA.com

EMU basketball coach Rob Murphy hopes to work for Orlando Magic

As the Eastern Michigan men’s basketball program sits in limbo, coach Rob Murphy’s contract is an issue.

Murphy, who reportedly wants to leave the Eagles for a job with the Orlando Magic, would be required to pay the university $210,000 to break his contract.

That is equivalent to one year’s salary and would need to be paid in a lump sum or in monthly payments over the remaining term of the five-year contract, which is four more years.

— Reported by Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press

Arron Afflalo excited to join Magic

Afflalo will be competing for the starting shooting guard with veteran J.J. Redick. He has become one of the league’s steadier defenders, a role he embraced in Denver.

He said last season, “I developed more confidence (offensively), hit some big shots. It’s an opportunity for me to continue to grow.”

Afflalo, originally drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 2007, averaged 15.2 points and 2.4 assists last season.

— Reported by Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel

Dallas Mavericks still look good

The Mavericks will go into next season with a pretty good team. No, not a championship-contending team, but at least a club that will compete for the playoffs and should make the playoffs because Rick Carlisle is a good coach.

Plus, the quick overhaul is not just about now. There are possibilities for the future with a rebuilt backcourt of guards O.J Mayo and Darren Collison. Granted, they are both here because they were out of favor elsewhere, but if there is talent involved, there’s hope for a career jump start.

The new center is Chris Kaman. He can score. He’s OK if he stays healthy.

Kaman may not be long range, but he’s a good pickup for now.

And then veteran Elton Brand is the new front-line swingman, and is a do-it-all welcome for any club, plus has the “great guy” reputation.

Add that to Dirk and Marion, then add the re-signing of Delonte West (a personal favorite) for the backcourt, and I’ve got to admit the quick remake of the roster went far beyond where I thought it would go.

— Reported by Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Suns center Jermaine O`Neal feels young again

For a man who has missed 39 percent of his teams’ games over the past eight seasons, any presumption of improved health is taken with great caution, but O’Neal said he feels five years younger.

He credits Boston doctors for a surgery that healed his left wrist. After getting a testimonial last year from Kobe Bryant, O’Neal went to Germany after the season to undergo Regenokine treatment on both knees, with the left being his primary concern.

The Suns have that visit and former captain Grant Hill to thank for landing O’Neal. Hill, now with the Los Angeles Clippers, was getting the treatment simultaneously and told O’Neal how he should consider the Suns because of the athletic trainers. They have performed wonders on 30-something players with health issues such as Hill, Steve Nash, Shaquille O’Neal and Antonio McDyess.

“I always knew the training staff was phenomenal,” O’Neal said. “That’s the word around the league among players. They really take the body and put three, four years on it by the things they do to the body.”

— Reported by Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic

Houston Rockets waive Josh Harrellson

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has waived center/forward Josh Harrellson. He was acquired by Houston from the New York Knicks as part of the Marcus Camby sign-and-trade on July 11.

Harrellson (6-10, 275, Kentucky), who saw action in two games with the Rockets at 2012 NBA Summer League, averaged 4.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 37 games (four starts) with New York in 2011-12.

Originally selected by the New Orleans Hornets in the second round (45th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft, he had his draft rights acquired by New York for cash considerations in a draft-night deal (June 23, 2011).

Andrew Bynum receives big Philly welcome

Andrew Bynum heard the roar from hundreds of Philadelphia 76ers fans chanting his name the moment he stepped into the National Constitution Center.

No wonder he wants to stick around.

Bynum says about Philadelphia, he’s ”leaning toward making this my home.” That brought even louder cheers from an event that was more pep rally than press conference.

— Reported by Dan Gelston of the Associated Press

Orlando Magic re-sign guard Ish Smith

The Orlando Magic have re-signed free agent guard Ish Smith, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

Smith (#10, 6’0”, 175, 7/5/88) played in 26 combined games last season with both Golden State and Orlando, averaging 2.8 ppg., 1.6 apg. and 1.3 rpg. in 9.0 minpg. He played in six games with the Warriors, averaging 4.5 ppg., 1.5 rpg. and 1.5 apg. in 10.5 minpg., before being waived on Jan. 13. Smith was signed as a free agent by Orlando on Feb. 2. In 20 outings with the Magic, he averaged 2.3 ppg., 1.6 apg. and 1.3 rpg. in 8.6 minpg. Smith also played in one playoff game (May 2), tallying one rebound and one blocked shot in five minutes.

Smith led (or tied) the Magic in assists twice. He dished out a career-high-tying seven assists on Apr. 9 vs. Detroit. Smith also recorded a career-high-tying three steals on Apr. 9 vs. Detroit.

Originally signed as a free agent by Houston on Aug. 23, 2010, Smith has appeared in 69 career NBA regular season games with Houston, Memphis, Golden State and Orlando, averaging 2.5 ppg., 1.7 apg. and 1.2 rpg. in 9.8 minpg. He has played in six playoff outings, averaging 0.7 ppg. in 2.5 minpg. Smith also played in eight games (five starts) with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League in 2010-11, averaging 12.5 ppg., 7.9 apg., 4.3 rpg., 1.50 stlpg. and 1.25 blkpg. in 32.9 minpg.

Smith appeared in 121 career games (91 starts) during his four-year collegiate career at Wake Forest, averaging 9.2 ppg., 5.1 apg., 3.7 rpg. and 1.26 stlpg. He became the first player in Wake Forest history to post more than 1,000 points (1,114) and 600 assists (612) during his career. Smith finished his career ranked second all-time on the Demon Deacons’ list in assists.

Sandy Koufax was a good basketball player

When the 6-foot 2-inch Koufax graduated from Lafayette High School in 1953, his yearbook declared that he “has been scouted and will most likely be a professional basketball player.” The NBA was a backwater in the mid-1950s, but Koufax’s friend, the talk-show host Larry King, class of ’51 and team manager from an earlier Lafayette class, said that Koufax aspired to play for the Knicks.

Yes, Koufax also played baseball at the time, manning first base for the school team, but he was not much of a hitter. And no one had any premonition that he would become the pitcher that he did.

Instead, it was mostly basketball. In a Lafayette team photo, Koufax, No. 16, his biceps rippling, stands smiling beside his pal Fred Wilpon, No. 5, the future owner of the Mets and star pitcher on the baseball team. The Frenchies at the time were nearly all Jewish: Abramowitz, Weiss, Levine, Stolzenberg, Horwitz, Lichtman, Lichtenstein. And Koufax, whose yearbook entry featured these rather modest goals: “To be successful and make my family proud of me.”

–Reported by Richard Sandomir of the New York Times