NBA News Blog – Page 1487 – NBA Blog

Thunder sign Mike Wilks

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has signed veteran guard Mike Wilks.

Wilks, a six-year NBA veteran, holds career averages of 2.5 points, 1.2 assists, 1.0 rebound in 229 career NBA contests. The Rice University product, who has played for eight different NBA teams, appeared in three preseason games with the Atlanta Hawks earlier this year.

EARLIER

The Oklahoma City Thunder will sign free agent guard Mike Wilks, InsideHoops.com has learned.

Wilks’ agent Bill Neff confirmed to InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner that the team will soon add the 30-year-old veteran, who has career averages of 2.5 points and 1.2 assists per game.

A 5-10, 180-pound point guard, Wilks played for three different teams in the 2007-08 season and was not in the NBA in 2008-09.

Wilks provides backup depth and can contribute behind starter Russell Westbrook, who plays 34.1 minutes per game.

Share your team opinions on the InsideHoops OKC Thunder forum.

Allen Iverson retiring

The AP reports:

With no apparent interest from NBA teams, Allen Iverson is set to retire, according to an online report.

Commentator Stephen A. Smith published a statement on his Web site Wednesday attributed to Iverson. It said Iverson plans to retire but also that “I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level.”

The statement also said Iverson has tremendous love for the game and the desire to play, adding there is “a whole lot left in my tank.”

“His legacy would be huge,” Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star LeBron James said. “He’s one of the best when you talk about guys 6-foot and under in the game of basketball. He played injured and he played hard every single night. I don’t think it should end this way, but if it does, he’s left a lot of great things behind.”

The 10-time All-Star played three games this season with Memphis before taking a leave of absence to attend to personal matters. He was waived after the two sides agreed to part ways.

Iverson is a free agent and therefore can say he’s retiring, but there is nothing to stop him from changing his mind and remaining available, should a job offer come his way.

It would be a real shame if Iverson’s career went out on such a sour note, though considering it’s mainly his own doing, perhaps it’s fitting.

Iverson has made it clear that he only wants to join a team that will make him their star. He should instead focus on how to help a team win, hoping that the two goals are one and the same. But he’s always been primarily a scorer and one who doesn’t necessarily make teammates better.

Taking his advanced age and very specific skill set into consideration, he’s better suited as scoring punch, not a team’s primary star.

But apparently it’s all or nothing in Iverson’s eyes, and for now, he’ll stick with nothing and focus on enjoying life off the court.

However, don’t be shocked if he does wind up latching on with a team sometime in the coming weeks or months. This thing may not be over.

If this is the last we’ve seen of Iverson, he’ll be missed. He was a joy to watch.

Former Kings employee bet on NBA games

Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports:

A former Kings employee has been barred from working in the NBA after an investigation showed he gambled while employed by the team.

The Kings in January fired Jack Mai, who was in his third season as the team’s assistant director of scouting. His dismissal was not related to gambling.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Kings said they had been informed that Mai participated in “improper wagering activities” while working for the team. The Kings added that they cooperated with the league’s investigation.

The NBA is naturally focused on stamping out any form of gambling/betting that is against their rules after the Tim Donaghy scandal. They should be commended for this, continuing to monitor and look into it, and outing anyone, including this former Kings employee, who did anything wrong.

Have an opinion? Share your reaction in this forum topic.

Bobcats set personal record in 35-point win over Raptors

The AP reports:

Gerald Wallace broke out of his shooting slump with 31 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, helping the Charlotte Bobcats to the most lopsided victory in team history, 116-81 over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.

Stephen Jackson added 23 points for Charlotte, which held the listless Raptors to 35 percent shooting. The sixth-year Bobcats’ previous biggest win was a 32-point rout of Indiana on Nov. 16, 2005.

While Wallace entered as the NBA’s third-leading rebounder, he was shooting 38 percent from the field and averaging only 13.7 points. But he took advantage of one of the NBA’s worst defenses by beating numerous defenders off the dribble.

The Raptors shot just 34.5 percent from the field in this game and hit just 4 of their 19 three-point attempts.

Toronto point guard Jose Calderon dished 8 assists, but the four other Raptors started combine for just three.

Hedo Turkoglu, the big Raptors off-season addition, brought nothing. In 22 minutes he shot just 2-of-7 for five points, two assists and almost nothing else.

The lone bright spot for Toronto off the bench today was Amir Johnson, who shot 6-of-9.

Thunder waive Ryan Bowen

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has waived forward Ryan Bowen.

Bowen appeared in one game for the Thunder scoring four points to go along with two rebounds and one steal in eight minutes of action against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 22nd.

The Thunder roster now stands at 14.

Have a reaction? Share your opinion in this forum topic.

Late bus delays Knicks in L.A.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports:

The Knicks couldn’t beat the L.A. traffic or the world champion Lakers last night at Staples Center.

The night started with a bad omen when half the team — and coach Mike D’Antoni — showed up to Staples Center just 45 minutes before tip-off, nearly an hour late.

The team bus got caught in a massive traffic jam on the L.A. freeways and then the Lakers jammed them 100-90. Even worse, center Eddy Curry, after an ineffective first half, sat out the second half with a sore knee – an ailment that plagued him all last season. The Knicks, who play in Sacramento tonight, dropped to 3-11. Curry may not be available.

Kobe Bryant shot 14-of-20 against the Knicks, finishing with 34 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists (but 4 turnovers) and 3 steals. Andrew Bynum and Ron Artest each scored 17 (though Artest had 6 turnovers), and Pau Gasol added 11 points with 16 rebounds.

Lots of Knicks players struggled, including Wilson Chandler (5-of-20, 15 points), Chris Duhon (2-of-9) and Al Harrington (2-of-7).

Share your opinion on the InsideHoops New York Knicks forum.

Wizards owner Abe Pollin dies

The following statement was released Tuesday afternoon by the Washington Wizards:

Washington Sports & Entertainment Chairman Abe Pollin passed away earlier today. Further details will be released through Washington Sports & Entertainment as they become available. The Pollin family asks that their privacy be respected in this difficult time.

Philly Burbs reports: Pollin was known as a driving force in the revitalization of downtown Washington, particularly in the Chinatown area where the Wizards play, as well as a loyal man and passionate owner who desperately wanted to bring another championship to a franchise that last celebrated a title in 1977-78, when Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes were the team’s stars.

The Washington Post reports: Decades ago, Abe Pollin showed up at Wes Unseld’s wedding. Years later, he showed up at Unseld’s father’s funeral. Fill in the blanks for all the moments in between, “too many to even mention,” said Unseld, a man who worked for Pollin as a player and a coach and an executive. More than 30 years ago, Pollin met young lawyers who were just showing up in a business in which he had already toiled for years. “He couldn’t have been nicer to me, a kid lawyer,” said Gary Bettman, now the commissioner of the NHL. “Just extraordinarily kind, when he didn’t need to be,” said Stan Kasten, now the president of the Washington Nationals.

Share your thoughts on the InsideHoops Washington Wizards forum.

Thunder recall Kyle Weaver from D-League

Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced today that the team has recalled guard Kyle Weaver from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

Weaver was originally assigned to Tulsa on November 21. He has joined the team in Salt Lake City and is expected to be in uniform tonight when the Thunder take on the Jazz.

Court rules in favor of eminent domain use for Nets Brooklyn project

Bruce Ratner, CEO and Chairman of Forest City Ratner Companies, issued the following statement today regarding the NYS Court of Appeals ruling in favor of the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn.

The Court’s ruling upholds the State’s right to use eminent domain given the public benefits associated with the Atlantic Yards Development in Brooklyn.

“Once again the courts have made it clear that this project represents a significant public benefit for the people of Brooklyn and the entire City,” Mr. Ratner said. “Our commitment to the entire project is as strong today as when we started six years ago. Today, however, this project is even more important given the need for jobs and economic development.”

Mr. Ratner said construction activity on the yards will continue, with the intent that the Nets will play ball in the Barclays Center in the 2011-2012 NBA Season.

In addition to Barclays, which has the exclusive naming rights, eight companies have signed on as founding partners for the arena.

The courts have ruled consistently in favor of the development. Mr. Ratner explained as well that the arena and larger development are expected to create 16,924 union construction jobs and over 8,000 permanent jobs. The tax revenues that will be generated for the City and State during the construction period are expected to exceed $240 million and after construction reach approximately $70 million a year.

Michael Redd returns tonight

Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:

Michael Redd is ready to return in Monday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Redd fared well in his first contact practice with some 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 work at Trinity University on Sunday, and he worked out again in the Bucks’ shootaround Monday morning at the AT&T Center.

Bucks coach Scott Skiles said he will bring Redd off the bench against San Antonio after the shooting guard missed nine games with a left patella tendon strain.

“He got through it well,” Skiles said of the contact work on Sunday. “We’ll bring him off the bench tonight and probably not play a lot of minutes or anything. Just get his feet back under him in a game and see how it goes.”

The Bucks have had great chemistry without Redd. Is it possible that his return will actually throw things off? It’s always hard to suggest such things about good players, but keep an eye on it.