Inside Hoops – Page 2125 – NBA Blog

Andray Blatche scores 36 on Nets

The AP reports:

Andray Blatche is starting to give Washington Wizards’ fans something to be excited about in a season of turmoil highlighted by the gun-related suspension of Gilbert Arenas and a couple of high-profile trades.

The 23-year Blatche continued to thrive being the new leader of the Wizards, scoring a career-high 36 points and adding 15 rebounds in an 89-85 comeback victory over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday night.

Newark native Randy Foye provided the winning margin with two jumpers in the final 44 seconds but Blatche, who has averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds over his last seven games, almost single-handedly carried Washington in this one.

Timberwolves suspend Al Jefferson after arrest

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports:

Timberwolves basketball player Al Jefferson was arrested and booked into jail early this morning for allegedly driving drunk, according to jail records, and the Wolves immediately responded by suspending their leading scorer for two games.

Jefferson was arrested by the State Patrol at 1:08 a.m., a little more than three hours after the Wolves’ 110-91 loss to Portland at Target Center, and was brought to the Hennepin County Jail shorty after 2 a.m., according to the State Patrol and jail records. He was released at 3:19 a.m…

That’s a penalty that will cost Jefferson, the Wolves’ highest-paid player who earns $12 million in the second season of a five-year, $65 million contract, roughly $293,000 in lost wages.

Shaq to have right thumb surgery

Cavaliers center Shaquille O’Neal traveled to Maryland today with Cavaliers Head Team Physician Dr. Richard Parker from The Cleveland Clinic for additional evaluation of his right thumb sprain by Dr. Thomas Graham at the National Hand Center in Baltimore.

O’Neal is now scheduled to undergo surgery to repair the thumb Monday morning at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Graham, with Dr. Parker assisting.

His status will be updated following the surgery and a time table for his return to play will be established at that point. We’ll update you here on InsideHoops.com when more is known.

Fun, unlikely idea: LeBron James to Lakers

Almost no chance Lakers ever get LeBron James

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will be the star of this summer’s NBA free agent market. And as is the case with all players who expect the league maximum salary (or anything even remotely close), the safest bet is that he remains with his current team.

While LeBron’s teammates in Cleveland are not the best supporting cast in the world, they’re good enough to form a squad that currently sports a league-best 46-14 record. He’s in a winning situation. The team is one of only a few legitimate championship contenders in the league. Mainly due to LeBron. But the skills of his teammates fit in well around him.

While select other teams can offer LeBron a maximum contract this summer, the Cavs can offer a longer deal, with more money involved. And most of the teams with cap room this summer are flawed, rebuilding squads that won’t offer LeBron a better shot at a championship than his current team offers.

How about LeBron James to the Lakers? Would he entertain the notion? Sure, why not! Human beings tend to entertain lots of notions. Have you entertained the notion of marrying Jessica Alba? Is it likely? Heck no.

The Lakers have no cap room. So LeBron would have to sign at a bargain rate and make less money than Jerome James (0.0 ppg) makes on the Chicago Bulls this season.

How about trades? The Cavs will never trade LeBron James. They’d consider it only if they knew for a fact he was going to sign elsewhere, and even then the team would probably refuse to believe LeBron was really leaving and would do everything possible to change his mind if there was any indication he might take off.

Does LeBron want to be a Laker? I’m sure the thought has entered his mind. They’re the NBA champions. Every good player probably imagines themselves joining the league’s best, somehow, at some point. At least in conversation with their buddies on a rainy day.

There certainly are positives to LeBron sacrificing his NBA salary for the sake of signing with the Lakers. His market value would increase being in Los Angeles. He’d be playing on a team pretty much guaranteed to win lots of championships. As Kobe Bryant gets old, LeBron would still be improving (if that’s even possible). So as Kobe faded, LeBron would gain even more glory. It’s fun stuff to think about. But likely? No.

I’d say there’s a 70 percent chance the Cavaliers keep LeBron. A 15 percent chance the Knicks get him. A 14.5 percent chance some other team in the league gets him. And a 0.5 percent chance (make sure you understand, that’s half of one percent) the Lakers get him.

So, it’s not impossible!

It’s also possible you win the lottery tomorrow. Good luck with that!

Grizzlies assign Lester Hudson to D-League

The Memphis Grizzlies assigned guard Lester Hudson to the Dakota Wizards, the team’s NBA Development League’s affiliate, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Hudson, who will make his third D-League appearance this season, has averaged 4.3 points and 1.3 rebounds on 38.2 percent shooting in 7.4 minutes in eight appearances with Memphis after he was claimed off waivers on Jan. 8. The 6-3, 190-pound guard has posted 2.3 points and 0.8 rebounds on 38.5 percent shooting in 5.4 minutes in 24 total games this season with the Grizzlies and Boston Celtics, who originally selected him with the 58th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

A native of Memphis, Tenn., Hudson averaged 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 39.7 percent shooting in 28.0 minutes in five games with the Maine Red Claws during his first two D-League stints (Dec. 15-20, Dec. 26-30). The 25-year-old scored a D-League career-high 25 points on Dec. 16 at Erie while also collecting seven rebounds and a D-League career-best six assists.

Cavaliers recall Danny Green from D-League

The Cleveland Cavaliers have recalled guard/forward Danny Green from the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.

Green was assigned to Erie on Feb. 24 and played in two games (one start) with the BayHawks, averaging 25.5 points on .415 shooting, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 4.0 steals, and 1.0 block in 35.5 minutes per game. In his most recent game with the BayHawks against the Dakota Wizards on Feb. 26, he scored a game-high 36 points on 13-28 shooting (.464), including making 6-12 (.500) from three-point range, and added team highs of nine rebounds and three steals in 44 minutes.

The BayHawks are the D-League affiliate of the Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors.

Kidd, Hawks coach have sideline run-in

ESPN reports:

Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Woodson drew an unusual technical foul with 1:37 remaining in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks.

Down 97-95, Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd noticed Woodson standing on the court and drove into him, causing the contact and foul.

Woodson and Kidd argued after the play, and both had to be restrained from one another.

Dirk Nowitzki made the ensuing technical free throw, and the Mavericks went on to win in overtime, 111-103.

Carlos Arroyo arrested: traffic violation, resisting arrest

Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports:

Carlos Arroyo arrested for traffic violation and resisting arrest

Heat point guard Carlos Arroyo was arrested Friday in Coral Gables and is facing charges for a traffic violation and resisting arrest.

According to the arrest report, Arroyo was spotted at 8:41 a.m. driving slow enough along the 7100 block of Old Cutler Road to the point that he was said to be impeding traffic.

Arroyo apparently was on his way to the Heat’s practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. He did not attend the workout in advance of Saturday’s game against Milwaukee…

Arroyo, 30, eventually stopped but “attempted to resist” being handcuffed when he exited his car. He was also accused of being “confrontational and challenging” and “posing a threat to both himself and officers,” the report said.

Robin Lopez scores 30 on Clippers

The AP reports:

Robin Lopez went to the free-throw line two points from tying the family’s single-game scoring mark.

He didn’t get it, but his career-best 30 points and 12 rebounds were more than enough to help the Phoenix Suns beat the Clippers 125-112 on Friday night for their fifth straight victory.

“I wasn’t even aware of it,” said a smiling Lopez, a former San Fernando Valley resident whose twin brother, Brook, leads the fraternal competition with a 32-point game. “I was just trying to catch (teammate) Goran Dragic’s 32 points.”

Lopez made 13 of 16 shots for the Suns, who beat the Clippers for the seventh straight time.

Michael Jordan to buy Charlotte Bobcats

Agreement in place for sale of Charlotte Bobcats

Robert L. Johnson, the majority owner of Bobcats Sports and Entertainment today announced that he has signed a definitive agreement to sell majority interest of Bobcats Sports and Entertainment to Michael Jordan and MJ Basketball Holdings, LLC. The deal is subject to NBA approval.

According to the Charlotte Observer, former Houston Rockets president George Postolos said: “I remain committed to becoming an NBA owner, and I’m glad that Michael will continue to bring his talent to the sport and the league.”

InsideHoops.com will update this page on Saturday.

The AP reports:

The purchase price and details of Jordan’s ownership group — called MJ Basketball Holdings LLC — weren’t immediately available. Blunt said Johnson would have no further comment.

Former Houston Rockets executive George Postolos also bid on the Bobcats and didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.

The AP reports:

After paying $300 million for the expansion franchise that began play in 2004-05, Johnson has lost tens of millions of dollars each season as the Bobcats have struggled to draw fans and find sponsorships.

Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, recruited Jordan to be a minority investor and gave him the final say on all basketball decisions.