NBA News Blog – Page 1506 – NBA Blog

LaMarcus Aldridge anxious for contract extension

Portland Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge wants a contract extension, and apparently the team isn’t quite ready to offer what he may feel he’s worth.

Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports:

LaMarcus Aldridge expressed displeasure and confusion Monday afternoon at the unresolved status of his contract negotiations with the Trail Blazers.

Speaking publicly for the first time since negotiations started in July, Aldridge said at the team’s annual media day that he was stunned the Blazers had not signed him to a long-term contract, particularly considering the prominent role he has played in helping transform the franchise into a Western Conference power.

“I didn’t think it would take this long,” Aldridge said. “I thought that after what we did last year, having 54 wins and after the big change that’s happened … here, I just felt like it wouldn’t be this hard to get it done. But it is. I can’t say that I’m happy about it.”

Nothing really to worry about just yet.

Chris Paul may play fewer minutes

Star point guard Chris Paul is the heart and soul of the New Orleans Hornets. While reducing his minutes during the season to keep him fresh for the playoffs and healthy long-term has been a regular goal, it’s been hard to do.

But maybe this is the season CP3 gets preserved a bit.

John DeShazier of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports:

“I think so,” Byron Scott said Monday at the New Orleans Arena hours before the team trekked to Lafayette to hold the first week of training camp, beginning today. “I’m really comfortable and more confident this year that I’ll be able to do it with Bobby (Brown) and Darren (Collison). They’re going to be fighting it out for the backup role.

“Both of those guys have had their moments in the scrimmages the last couple of weeks. So I feel really good that I’m going to be able to cut (Paul’s) minutes down to what I think he should be playing, which is about 34 to 35 minutes, not 39 minutes.”

Seeing Paul a bit less on the floor may not please his biggest fans live as the game happens, but perhaps they’ll get to enjoy his career a few extra seasons down the road as a result.

Grizzlies, Marko Jaric to part ways

The Memphis Grizzlies today announced that they have mutually agreed to allow guard Marko Jaric to not join the team for training camp and the preseason, and have provided permission for Jaric’s agent to seek a roster spot with another team.

“With the offseason additions of Allen Iverson, Marcus Williams and Sam Young, our backcourt has become crowded,” Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace said. “Therefore, we have agreed with Marko Jaric and his representatives that he is permitted to seek out another situation that will provide him with a better opportunity to play. Marko is a proven NBA player and is deserving of such an opportunity.”

Jaric, a seven-year NBA veteran, owns career averages of 7.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 25.2 minutes in 447 games with the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves and last season with the Grizzlies. Memphis acquired the 6-7, 224-pound guard, along with the draft rights to O.J. Mayo, Greg Buckner and Antoine Walker in exchange for the draft rights to Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins on June 26, 2008. Jaric was originally selected by the Clippers in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft (30th overall) and played six years professionally in Europe before making his NBA debut in 2002.

Welcome party for Shaq in Cleveland

Shaquille O’Neal is old but still good (and big) enough to contribute positively to a team. I worry that he’ll throw Cleveland Cavaliers chemistry off a bit this season, though. Even if he’s more effective than Zydrunas Ilgauskas for stretches, Big Z can hit open mid-range jumpers that Shaq can’t make.

Anyway, Cleveland welcomed Shaq to town in style. The AP reports:

Shaq got in one last party before training camp.

Shaquille O’Neal, the big man Cleveland is counting on to deliver this championship-starved city a title, was welcomed to town Sunday with a star-studded party that included sports celebrities and Average Joes looking to rub elbows with them.

Fashionably late, O’Neal arrived in an SUV at 11:15 p.m. as fans, one of them holding a life-size cardboard cutout of O’Neal in an Orlando Magic uniform, cheered on the sidewalks and took pictures of the town’s newest superstar, who will be teammates with reigning league MVP LeBron James.

O’Neal has had a good first impression of Cleveland.

”It’s a nice town,” he said. ”The entertainment is already here. Everything is here. The Browns are here, LeBron is here and now I’m here.”

NBA preseason begins this Thursday.

Jazz injuries start early

Tim Buckley of the Deseret News reports: Three Jazz players — all small forward/swingmen types who are rotation regulars for the club — were injured at training camp this morning. Andrei Kirilenko (strained left quadriceps muscle), C.J. Miles (strained left hip flexor) and Kyle Korver (inflamed left knee) all did not take part in tonight’s second session of two-a-days. Usual backup shooting guard Korver underwent an MRI exam, results of which were not immediately made known.

Kenyon Martin has no plans to opt out

The Denver Post reports: Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin has no plans to opt out of his contract at the end of this season. “They could have sent in that paperwork that day (I signed the contract),” Martin said Friday during Nuggets media day. “No, I ain’t opting out of nothing. I worked for that (money). I want that.” As a result, Martin will make nearly $17 million next season in the last year of his pact. He could have opted out of the deal and become a free agent next summer. He originally signed the seven-year, $92.5 million contract in 2004.

Timberwolves, Antonio Daniels agree to part ways

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that the team and Antonio Daniels have mutually agreed to part ways. Daniels and his agent, Tony Dutt, have the team’s permission to pursue a trade, and have agreed to accept a buyout in the event that a trade cannot be consummated.

“I understand Antonio’s desire to be assured of playing time this season, and that this is especially important to him in light of the fact that this is the final year of his contract,” said David Kahn, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. “However, with Jonny Flynn and Ramon Sessions on our roster, the opportunity for Antonio to play would have been unlikely. One of our main priorities this season is to accelerate the development of our young talent. This is a critical year for our team, and I believe that it is best to relieve the team of any potential distractions before the start of training camp.”

Daniels was acquired in a trade with New Orleans on Sept. 9, a move that eliminated the Wolves from the financial obligations of Darius Songaila’s contract for the 2010-11 season. The 6-4 guard has appeared in 867 career games over his 12-year career, including stops in Vancouver, San Antonio, Portland, Seattle, Washington and New Orleans. Originally selected by Vancouver with the fourth overall pick of the 1997 NBA Draft, Daniels owns career averages of 7.6 points and 3.4 assists per game.

Trail Blazers sign Ime Udoka

The Trail Blazers have signed forward Ime Udoka, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re really excited about having Ime back,” said Pritchard. “He played a key role in our resurgence and we look forward to adding a player of his talent, character and experience to what is shaping up to be a very competitive camp roster.”

Udoka (6-5, 220), a five-year NBA veteran, has posted career averages of 6.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 20.4 minutes in 227 games (78 starts) with the L.A. Lakers, New York, Portland and San Antonio.

The 32-year-old saw action in 67 games, including three starts, with San Antonio in 2008-09. He averaged 4.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 15.4 minutes.

As a Trail Blazer in 2006-07, Udoka experienced his best season as a professional, notching career highs of 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 28.6 minutes in 75 games (all starts). His .461 field goal percentage and .406 three-point percentage also marked career bests.

A Portland native and Jefferson High School graduate, Udoka played his senior season and graduated from Portland State University in 2000.

Trail Blazers training camp tips off on Tuesday, September 29.

Knicks re-sign David Lee

New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that forward David Lee has been re-signed to a contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. It’s been widely reported that that the deal is for one year.

“While this was a long process, we always wanted David to remain in New York and we are very happy to have him re-signed,” said Walsh. “David really flourished playing for Coach D’Antoni last year and we once again expect him to play a big role for us this season.”

Lee, 6-9, 240-pounds, averaged career-highs of 16.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 34.9 minutes in a career-high 81 games during the 2008-09 season. He also posted a league-high 65 double-doubles, while also ranking third in the NBA in rebounding and seventh in field goal percentage.

Lee was drafted by New York with the 30th overall selection in the 2005 NBA Draft and has career averages of 10.9 points and 9.0 rebounds in 287 career games over four NBA seasons with the Knicks. The University of Florida product set the Knicks franchise record for field goal percentage, shooting .600 from the floor in 58 games during the 2006-07 season. Lee was also named Most Valuable Player of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge at 2007 All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, after scoring a game-high 30 points.

Knicks re-sign Nate Robinson

New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that guard Nate Robinson has been re-signed to a contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. It’s been widely reported to be a one-year deal.

“We are very happy to have reached an agreement with Nate,” Walsh said. “Nate established himself as one of the top reserves in the game last season and we expect him to play a key role for us this season.”

Robinson, 5-9, 180-pounds, averaged career-highs of 17.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 29.9 minutes in a career-high 74 games during the 2008-09 season and finished third in the voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. The Seattle, WA-native was also the winner of the 2009 Sprite Slam Dunk competition at NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix and joined Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Harold Miner and Jason Richardson as the only two-time winners of the competition. Robinson first won the award at the 2006 dunk contest in Houston.

Robinson has career averages of 12.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 282 career games over four NBA seasons all with New York. The University of Washington product was originally drafted following his junior season by the Phoenix Suns with the 21st overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft, before having his draft rights traded to New York on draft night.