The Las Vegas Review-Journal (Steve Carp) reports: For now, Las Vegas will have to be content with its lone tie to the NBA, as the host city for the annual Summer League. Commissioner David Stern said the league is not in a position to add members, and relocation is not an option because there is no NBA-quality arena in Las Vegas. “It’s more about the economy than the arena,” Stern said. “The idea of expansion, of building arenas, it’s waiting to see if the economy has bottomed out, what it’s going to do.”
Category: General NBA insight
General NBA insight
Mike Sweetney comeback an uphill battle
The Boston Herald reports: The week collapsed before Mike Sweetney could start his comeback. After spending roughly 1 years away from basketball, the veteran power forward signed on with the Celtics for a stint in this week’s summer league in Orlando, Fla. But Sweetney pulled a hamstring 15 minutes into his first game Monday, and spent the rest of his week getting treatment. Not surprisingly, Sweetney responded with gracious relief when Celtics assistant Clifford Ray walked over and told him there was a chance he could work out at the C’s practice facility next week… Sweetney now is listed at 275 pounds, though that may be an old number. He said he’s lost 40 pounds, though he’s not letting on to his actual weight.
Dwyane Wade wants to stay with Heat provided they’re championship contenders
The AP (Tim Reynolds) reports on Dwyane Wade: The reigning NBA scoring champion, who can opt out of his Heat contract after the 2009-10 season, said Monday that simply getting to the playoffs “is not enough” to satisfy him anymore, and that his long-term commitment to Miami hinges entirely on the franchise getting back into the mix for the title trophy he hoisted just three years ago. “I’m going to listen. I owe the Miami Heat that much. I’m going to listen to what they have to say and I’m going to think about it,” Wade told The Associated Press. “But right now, the way I feel, I want to make sure that we’re on track to where I want us to be on track to before I sign back.” Wade made clear that he would like to stay with the Heat, reiterating something he’s said countless times in recent months.
Detroit Pistons coaching search
The AP reports: The Detroit Pistons don’t plan to wait long to name a replacement for fired coach Michael Curry. Joe Dumars, the Pistons’ president for basketball operations, doesn’t have a “complete list” of candidates but wants to act in less than a week, before next Tuesday’s opening practice for the NBA developmental league. “My goal is to have a head coach in place by the time we go out to Las Vegas,” Dumars said in a video posted on the team’s Web site. The NBA Summer League runs July 10-19.
Blake Griffin started baseball at age 3
The AP reports: Blake Griffin got an early start playing in front of big crowds., playing baseball as a three-year-old. “I was really nervous,” Griffin said. He was the batboy/little brother hanger-on for older brother Taylor’s T-ball team of six-year-olds when the coach said he could bat in a lopsided game. “That was the largest crowd I’d ever played in front of.” He doubled the first time up, tripled the second. “We knew he was special right then,” his father said.
Hasheem Thabeet worked as a bouncer
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The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports: Hasheem Thabeet did what he could to help his family. His father, an architect, had died of complications from diabetes, so Thabeet, at age 17 and all of 7 feet, found work as a bouncer outside a nightclub in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He was an intimidating presence at the door, blocking ill-advised attempts to get inside — a skill set that, as it turned out, would prove invaluable in the not-so-distant future. But he also harbored a secret. “When a fight started,” Thabeet said, “you wouldn’t see me.” … Thabeet spoke five languages, but academic transcript issues landed him at three prep schools in three states before he settled for good at Cypress Community Christian School outside of Houston. He was a project — he was used to kicking the ball with his feet instead of shooting it with his hands — but UConn coach Jim Calhoun was willing to take the risk. Thabeet’s potential was immense.
Former Rockets president group wants to buy Bobcats
The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports: A group headed by former Rockets president and chief executive officer George Postolos has entered into negotiations to purchase the Charlotte Bobcats, a person with knowledge of the talks said Saturday. Postolos, who shepherded the Rockets through the arena referendum and move to the Toyota Center and helped the value of the franchise grow from $166 million to $422 million during his tenure, left the team in May 2006 after 7½ years to form The Postolos Group, a company that helps with the acquisition of sports franchises.
Jrue Holiday feels he should have been drafted higher
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Philly Burbs/The Intelligencer (Tom Moore) reports: Jrue Holiday considers playing for the 76ers to be an ideal situation for him. The Sixers are looking for a young point guard to push the ball upcourt and defend, which Holiday believes are among his strengths. But Holiday is still bothered that he dropped to No. 17 in Thursday’s NBA Draft after he had been regarded as a top-12 prospect during nearly the entire pre-draft process of workouts and interviews. “Honestly, it’s motivation to do better,” said Holiday during Friday’s introductory news conference at PCOM. “I wasn’t expecting it. I wish I could’ve gone higher. I really don’t think there are 16 players in the draft better than me. All the teams I worked out for know what I can do.”
Jazz happy to have Maynor
The Salt Lake Tribune (Ross Siler) reports: The Jazz scouted six of Eric Maynor’s games his senior season, general manager Kevin O’Connor said. Wednesday’s interview, might have made the difference, though, when Maynor offered advanced answers in a Pick-and-Roll 101 quiz. There are questions about Maynor’s shooting and size, how he will adapt from VCU and how much he can expect to play as a rookie. Those answers can wait at least until Maynor reports for the start of summer-league practices next week in Orlando, Fla. “I’m not even going to look at it as being a rookie, just being an NBA basketball player,” Maynor said.
James Johnson comes from kickboxing family
The Chicago Tribune (K.C. Johnson) reports: For James Johnson, fighting is a family thing. The Bulls’ affable first round NBA draft pick detailed Thursday how he grew up the middle of nine children in Cheyenne, Wyo., surrounded by black belt kickboxers. Johnson’s father, Willie, is an ex-marine who won seven world kickboxing championships and runs J & P’s Martial Arts school in Cheyenne. Eight of Willie’s children, including James, are black belts in the sport with only James’ 10-year-old sister currently sporting just a blue belt. Johnson said he went 20-0 in kickboxing bouts before “retiring.”