Author: Inside Hoops

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Nets need size

The Bergen Record (Al Iannazzone) writes the following in his blog: Yes, they have some size with Josh Boone, Stromile Swift and Sean Williams, but they need more since it’s too early to say whether Nenad Krstic or DeSagana Diop will be back. Right now, I would say the chances are better for Krstic from a sheer dollar perspective. My hunch is someone – the Mavericks, for instance – will give Diop more than the Nets. They need to improve inside. They have said it repeatedly. The Nets’ best bet would be to do it via trade – I would go after Elton Brand, Marcus Camby, and restricted free-agent Josh Smith in a sign-and-trade to name a few – since there is no guarantee they’re going to find an impact big at 10. Plus who knows if Kevin Love or Anthony Randolph will be on the board still.

Sonics trial could get ugly

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Greg Johns) reports: With less than two weeks remaining until the start of the city’s trial against the Sonics, an attorney unaffiliated with either party says this could turn into the legal equivalent of a barroom brawl if the case gets to court. The looming question now is whether the struggle over the Sonics’ lease issue at KeyArena will reach Judge Marsha Pechman’s courtroom for the opening gavel on June 16 or if the sides will come to some sort of pretrial agreement. Longtime Seattle attorney Randy Aliment said he’s surprised the situation has gone this far without resolution and notes that more than 90 percent of cases are resolved out of court. From Aliment’s perspective, both parties in this particular battle have significant motivation to find a tenable solution, as does the NBA.

Some feel Wizards don’t need Gilbert Arenas

The Washington Post (Sally Jenkins) writes: There is a seemingly compelling case to be made — and some fans are making it — that the Wizards don’t need Arenas. When he was healthy and started 70-plus games in 2006-07, they went 41-41. This season they went 43-39, despite the fact that he made just 13 starts on his bad knee. There was a negligible difference in the team’s shooting percentage, which hovered right around 45 percent during both seasons, or assists, averaging 19.6 per game this season, versus 20.2 in 2006-07. (Both seasons ended in first-round playoff losses.) Moreover, they were better defensively, appeared to move the ball more, and generally seemed more focused when Arenas didn’t play. Why, his critics argue, should the Wizards make a long-term commitment to a point guard who can be selfish and disruptive, has yet to demonstrate leadership, and doesn’t defend?

Origin of `Beat L.A.` chants

The Los Angeles Daily News (Elliott Teaford) reports:  For what it’s worth, the “Beat L.A.” chant started in Boston Garden near the end of the Philadelphia 76ers’ victory over the Celtics in the 1982 Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics crowd urged the Sixers to beat the Lakers in the Finals. Philadelphia would lose to the Lakers in six games, but that didn’t stop the chant from spreading around the nation like a plague without a cure. It was even heard in the Meadowlands when the Ducks, who play in Anaheim, not L.A., faced the New Jersey Devils in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. “The fortunate but unfortunate part about the “Beat L.A.” (chant) is that it’s so unoriginal,” Derek Fisher said, breaking into a wry smile when asked if he was looking forward to hearing it from the Boston crowd.

Samuel Dalembert files lawsuit against business partners

The Philadelphia Daily News (Phil Jasner) reports: The 76ers’ Samuel Dalembert has filed a lawsuit claiming breach of contract and fraud, among other allegations, against a group of business partners regarding an investment in the licensing of “Speed Racer” products and merchandise. The suit, filed May 12 in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, says that Dalembert invested more than $1 million in the project in 2006, only to learn that the defendants – New York design studio Art Asylum and others – did not have the licensing rights.

Alonzo Mourning may play next season

The AP reports: Alonzo Mourning, whose season ended when he suffered severe knee and leg injuries in a game in December, said that if his body gets healthy, he’d like to play one more season before finally calling it a career. “I just want to get my body right to do it. I need to get my body where my mind is,” said Mourning, while appearing at Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor’s charity golf event. Mourning, 38, has said several times previously that a return wasn’t out of the question – but yesterday’s comments may have been his strongest yet.

Brian Shaw won’t be next Suns coach

The Orange County Register (Kevin Ding) reports: One less thing for the Lakers to worry about next season, when they’ll only be expected to go 82-0 with Andrew Bynum on this team: Brian Shaw isn’t going to coach Shaquille O’Neal with the Phoenix Suns. Shaw told me after practice today that he got word from Suns general manager Steve Kerr that Phoenix is going in another direction. “He wanted to have a coach that had experience in terms of being a head coach,” Shaw said.

Donnie Walsh had spotty draft record with Pacers

The Indianapolis Star (Bob Kravitz) reports: As much as Donnie Walsh is revered around here, his draft record since the early years has been spotty at best. Yes, he took Reggie Miller at No. 11 in 1987, took Rik Smits, a no-brainer at No. 2 in 1988, and hit pay dirt with Antonio Davis in the second round in 1990 and Dale Davis at No. 13 in 1991. Beyond that, though, we’re looking at . . . George McCloud at No. 7 in 1989 . . . Malik Sealy at No. 14 in 1992 . . . Scott Haskin at No. 14 in 1993 . . . Eric Piatkowski at No. 15 in 1994 . . . Erick Dampier at No. 10 in 1996 . . . Austin Croshere at No. 12 in 1997 . . . Jonathan Bender at No. 5 in 1999 after sending Antonio Davis to Toronto . . . Primoz Brezec at No. 27 in 2000 . . . Jamaal Tinsley, acquired from Atlanta and chosen at No. 27 in 2001, one pick ahead of Tony Parker . . . Fred Jones at No. 14 in 2.

Suns want Barbosa to take summer off

The East Valley Tribune (Jerry Brown) reports via a blog: The Suns have asked Leandro Barbosa to take the summer off to rest and skip the 2010 Olympic qualifying tournament for his native Brazil. Barbosa has complained of some right knee soreness since the end of the season and will be returning to Phoenix in June to have the knee looked at again. But the Suns are confident that the problem is minor and will require only some rest over the summer.

InsideHoops.com says: It’s always tough to ask international players to skip big events, and the assumption is they don’t want to unless they really have to.