Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

NBA lockout threatens to deliver big blow to Portland businesses and workers

It’s possible some, perhaps even all, of the 82-game regular season schedule will be eliminated. And though it’s difficult to forecast the exact economic impact a prolonged lockout would have on the Portland area, the hit would be substantial, according to local businesses.

“The value of the Blazers team to this community is measured in the millions,” said Drew Mahalic, CEO of the Oregon Sports Authority. “Their absence will, quite frankly, be devastating to the Portland regional community in that it impacts so many different businesses when they play.”

A lot of the revenue generated from Blazers games — gate receipts, parking dollars, food and concession funds — pads the wallet of billionaire owner Paul Allen and helps pay for the multimillion-dollar operation of running the team.

But Blazers home games also funnel money throughout the community. TriMet ridership increases on game nights. Business booms at local restaurants and bars. Hotels house visiting NBA teams.

Also, to help host a Blazers game, the Rose Garden contracts with up to four vendors, including Ovations Food Services, which oversees the food and beverage operations for the Rose Quarter and employs 900 people every game night.

— Reported by Joe Freeman of the Oregonian

Celtics may target Josh Howard in free agency

Josh Howard

A free agent who could be on the Celtics’ radar is former Wizard and Maverick Josh Howard, who is healthy after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in February 2010. Howard played in 18 games for the Wizards last season, averaging 8.4 points in 10 starts ….. One agent said he believes the NBA will not want to start the season after Christmas, as it did with the lockout in 1998-99. That season was pushed back to February and 50 games were squeezed into two months ….. Celtics second-round draft pick E’Twaun Moore has begun the exhibition season with Benetton Treviso, averaging 10.4 points in four games for the Italian team. Ex-UConn standout Jeff Adrien and ex-Celtic Brian Scalabrine are also on the roster.

— Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe

Magic would likely use amnesty clause to part ways with Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas

If there’s an amnesty clause written into the NBA’s next CBA, the Magic will most likely use it to pay off Gilbert Arenas and part ways with the enigmatic, fading point guard.

It’s an easy call to use this mulligan, given the three years and $62 million left on Arenas’ contract.

With the amnesty clause, a team that foolishly overpaid for a player can pay off said player and release him, with the money this time coming off the salary cap.

This is a boon for top-spending clubs such as the Magic, whose current payroll is about $75 million, second only to the L.A. Lakers’ $91 million.

The last time amnesty was used, in 2005, the so-called “Allan Houston rule” allowed teams to lop off a salary, but they could only subtract it from the punitive luxury tax.

— Reported by Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel

Celtics guard Avery Bradley may sign in Israel

Avery Bradley

Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley is nearing a deal to play with Hapoel Jerusalem during the NBA lockout, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

A formal agreement could be reached as soon as this week that would allow Bradley to return to the NBA if the league-imposed lockout ends during Hapoel’s season.

After failing to complete a deal with Memphis Grizzlies guard Greivis Vasquez last week, Hapoel turned its attention to signing Bradley.

— Reported by Marc J. Spears and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports

WNBA Finals Game 1: Lynx beat Dream 88-74

More than 15,000 fans walked into Target Center on Sunday night, hoping that the Minnesota Lynx could give them a little relief from the sports abyss the Twin Cities sit in at the moment.

They waved white pom-poms and hollered at the top of their lungs, and Rebekkah Brunson and Co. made sure they didn’t go home disappointed.

Brunson had 26 points and 11 rebounds and Seimone Augustus added 22 points to lead the Lynx to an 88-74 victory over the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the WNBA finals…

Lindsay Whalen added 15 points and six assists and the Lynx turned a close game into a runaway with a 13-0 run to open the fourth quarter. Taj McWilliams-Franklin added eight points and 10 boards while battling an illness.

Angel McCoughtry scored 19 of her 33 points in the third quarter and Lindsey Harding scored 20 points for the Dream.

— Reported by the AP

Andrew Bogut moves closer to signing in Australia

Adelaide Now reports:

andrew bogut

FIBA (Federation of International Basketball Associations) has made progress on insurance deals for NBA players looking to play overseas during the league lockout, making Bogut’s NBL debut imminent.

The 2011-12 iiNet NBL Championship tips off on Friday when the Kings face Melbourne – and its NBA guard Patty Mills – at The Cage.

Bogut, drafted at No. 1 by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2005 and on the threshold of All Star status, tweeted yesterday he had “110 per cent” not signed with any of his suitors – the Kings, Adelaide 36ers or Gold Coast.

Kobe Bryant MAY have verbal agreement to play in Italy during lockout

kobe bryant

Nothing is official, and verbal agreements to sign a contract pending the ability of the team owner to actually get the money to make it happen aren’t set in stone. But Kobe Bryant is now pretty close to actually signing in Italy. Wait and see if it materializes.

UPDATE: Already, this report is being shot down. It may not be true. Apparently the owners need a lot of magic to make this thing happen, and it probably won’t. But here’s the earlier report:

The AP reports:

Italian club Virtus Bologna has reached a verbal agreement with Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant to play in Italy during the NBA lockout.

The sides have settled on a $3 million contract for the opening 40 days of the Italian league season, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday.

Bryant, who spent much of his childhood in Italy, was in the country for sponsor appearances over the past two days but was flying back to the U.S. for labor talks with the NBA on Friday.

Bryant will get a work visa and return to Italy next week, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has still not been signed.

Virtus had been due to open the season Oct. 9 against Roma, but schedules now need to be reworked after Venezia was added to the league as a 17th team.

Deron Williams 15 points, 9 assists in win for team in Turkey

FIBA.com reports:

Deron Williams

Deron Williams captured a gold medal with Team USA at the Beijing Games and no doubt will want to be with the Americans when they try to defend their title next year in London.

A 27-year-old in the prime of his career, Williams is an NBA superstar and one of the best guards in the game.

Unlike his previous seasons as a professional, though, Williams is not in the United States getting ready for the new season.

Instead, he’s in Turkey.

Because of the NBA lockout and the uncertainty of the 2011-12 NBA season, Williams has signed for Besiktas and on Tuesday night, he helped the club move a step closer to playing in the Eurocup.

In the first leg of their Qualifying Round tie with Dexia Mons Hainaut in Istanbul, Williams made just three of his 15 shots from the floor but ended up with 15 points as Besiktas won 78-70.

He also handed out nine assists.

Read NBA fan opinions or share your views in this basketball forum topic.

Ben Wallace faces drunken driving, weapons charges

The Detroit Free Press reports:

Detroit Piston Ben Wallace is facing a 5-year felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon after police found an unloaded pistol in a backpack in his car as they arrested him on suspicion of drunken driving Saturday in Bloomfield Township.

When officers searched his car, they discovered an unloaded pistol in a backpack in the “passenger compartment” of the vehicle, according to a news release issued by the police department today.

Wallace, 37, is expected to appear Oct. 3 for a pre-examination conference in 48th District Court in Bloomfield Township, according to police. He has been arraigned on a 93-day misdemeanor charge of drunken driving and a 5-year felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon, police said, without specifying what day he appeared in court.

ClickOnDetroit reports:

Wallace was arraigned in Bloomfield Township Sept. 24 on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and carrying a concealed weapon…

Police said the roadside investigation revealed that Wallace was intoxicated and subsequently taken into custody…

Police said a search of his vehicle revealed an unloaded pistol in a backpack, which was in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.