Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

2010 All-Star weekend in new Dallas Cowboys stadium

Dallas  has  been  selected as the site of NBA All-Star  2010, Commissioner David Stern, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones jointly announced today during a press conference outside the American Airlines Center.

Following  the  mantra  that “everything is bigger in Texas,” the 59th NBA All-Star  Game  will  be played on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010, at the new Dallas Cowboys  Stadium in Arlington, which will have a seating capacity in excess of  80,000. This collaboration between the NBA, and the ownership groups of the  Mavericks and Cowboys, will afford all Mavericks season ticket holders a chance to partake in the pageantry of the NBA All-Star Game.

The T-Mobile Rookie  Challenge  and  NBA  All-Star  Saturday Night festivities will take place  at  American  Airlines Center, home of the Mavericks. 2010 will mark the first time the All-Star competitions are split between two venues since Houston  in  1989  when  The  Summit hosted All-Star Saturday Night and the Astrodome hosted Sunday’s All-Star Game.

“Dallas  is  a  vibrant  city  with  a passionate sports fan base that will embrace  the  NBA  All-Star experience,”  said  Stern.  “We appreciate the collaborative  efforts of Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones on what will surely be one of the most memorable basketball events of all time.”

Nets exercise 3 player options but decline Mo Ager option

The New Jersey Nets have exercised a fourth year contract option on Josh Boone and third year contract options on Sean Williams and Yi Jianlian while declining to pick up the fourth year contract option on Maurice Ager, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today.  Boone, Williams and Yi are now signed through the 2009-10 season.  Per team policy, terms of the agreements were not released.

Boone was selected by New Jersey with the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft.  The third year center has appeared in 131 games in his first two seasons with the Nets, averaging  6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting .557 (337-of-605) from the field in 18.6 minutes.

Sean Williams, drafted 17th overall in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft by New Jersey, appeared in 73 games as a rookie.  He tallied 5.6 points on .538 (164-305) shooting, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 17.5 minutes.  His 106 blocks on the season marked the second highest block total for a Nets rookie in team history, trailing only Kenyon Martin’s 113 blocks during the 2000-01 season.  Williams was selected to the 2008 Rookie All-Star team and recorded eight points and 10 rebounds in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans.

Yi was selected with the sixth pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft by Milwaukee.  He was traded to New Jersey, along with Bobby Simmons, for Richard Jefferson on June 26, 2008.  In 66 games with Milwaukee, Yi averaged of 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 25 minutes.  Yi is a member of the Chinese National Team which competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and 2004 games in Athens.

Ager was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, 28th overall, of the 2006 NBA Draft.  He was acquired by the Nets along with Devin Harris, Trenton Hassell, DeSagana Diop and Keith Van Horn, along with Dallas’ first round draft picks in 2008 and 2010 and cash considerations from the Mavericks in exchange for Jason Kidd, Antoine Wright and Malik Allen on February 19, 2008.  In his first two NBA season, Ager played in 58 games with Dallas and New Jersey, averaging 2.1 points and 0.6 rebounds in 6.5 minutes.

Greg Oden out 2-4 weeks

The Oregonian (Joe Freeman) reports: A debut of despair was supplanted by an evening of relief for the Trail Blazers and rookie center Greg Oden on Wednesday. A magnetic resonance imaging performed on the 7-foot player revealed some relatively good news: Oden has a mid-lateral right foot sprain and only will miss two to four weeks. Oden, who suffered the injury Tuesday night during the Blazers’ season-opening loss at the Los Angeles Lakers, is expected to miss between six and 14 games.

Jason Caffey legal woes continue

A judge has dismissed former NBA player Jason Caffey’s bankruptcy case, clearing the way for several women to sue him for thousands of dollars in child support. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Margaret A. Mahoney dismissed the bankruptcy case Tuesday — which means the mothers of his children can sue for child-support payments. Caffey has 10 children with eight women… Caffey of Mobile, who played for the University of Alabama and won two NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls during the 1990s, filed for bankruptcy protection in August 2007. He listed $1.9 million in debts against about $1.15 million in assets.

Nuggets exercise Renaldo Balkman option

The Denver Nuggets have exercised the fourth-year option on F Renaldo Balkman’s contract, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

Balkman averaged 5.5 ppg (9-14 FG, .643), 3.3 rpg and 1.25 spg in four preseason games with Denver.

Balkman was acquired by trade from the New York Knicks on July 28 in exchange for G Taurean Green, F Bobby Jones and a 2010 second round draft choice.

In two seasons with New York, Balkman averaged 4.2 ppg and 3.8 rpg in 133 games. He was originally drafted by the Knicks with the 20th overall selection of the 2006 NBA Draft.

The Nuggets open the regular season at Utah tonight at 7:00 pm MT.

Wolves exercise options on Brewer and Foye

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that the team has exercised the third-year option on forward Corey Brewer and the fourth-year option on guard Randy Foye.

Brewer, a second-year forward from Florida, averaged 5.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game during his rookie campaign and ranked fourth among all NBA rookies with 0.96 steals per game. Brewer scored in double figures 18 times last season, and his 18 rebounds at Atlanta on Dec. 6 were the most by a Wolves rookie in 12 years.

Foye, the seventh overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft out of Villanova, appeared in 39 games for the Wolves last season after missing the season’s first three months while recovering from a knee injury. A member of the NBA All-Rookie Team in 2007, Foye averaged 13.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game last season.

Warriors sign Don Nelson to extension

The Golden State Warriors have signed Head Coach Don Nelson to a contract extension, it was announced today by President Robert Rowell.  Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

“We’re elated that Don has elected to sign an extension,” said Rowell.  “He has proven to be one of the most successful and innovative coaches in the history of our game and his continued presence on the sidelines is certainly a prominent asset for our team and organization.  Our fans and players enjoy his entertaining style and we all look forward to the day he establishes the NBA’s all-time wins record for a coach.”

Nelson, 68, is currently the second-winningest coach in NBA history (1,280 wins), trailing only Lenny Wilkens (1,332) on the league’s all-time victory list.  Over the first two seasons of his most recent stint with Golden State, Nelson has posted a combined 90-74 record (.549) and guided the Warriors to their first consecutive winning campaigns since 1990-91 and 1991-92.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue to coach this team,” said Nelson.  “I’ve really enjoyed the last two years in the Bay Area and I’m excited about the future and the potential of our young team.  Additionally, I’d like to thank Chris Cohan, the entire Warriors organization and our great fans for their incredible support.  This is a special place for me.”

Last season, Nelson guided the Warriors to a 48-34 record, marking the team’s best record since 1993-94 and just the ninth time in franchise history (since 1946) and the third time since 1975-76 that the team has amassed 48 victories in a single season.  Additionally, Golden State’s 48-34 (.585) record in 2007-08 marked the best record for a non-playoff team since the NBA adopted its current 16-team postseason format prior to the 1984 NBA Playoffs.

Nelson returned to Golden State prior to the 2006-07 campaign, leading the Warriors to a 42-40 record that season and their first trip to the NBA Playoffs in 13 years.  Additionally, he guided Golden State to a First Round triumph over the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks, marking the first time that a #8 seed had defeated a #1 seed in a seven-game series in NBA history.

Entering in his 30th season as an NBA head coach in 2008-09, Nelson has compiled a 1,280-954 (.573) record in 2,234 regular-season games in 29 years.  Only Wilkens has coached more NBA games (2,487). In fact, as Nelson embarks on his 45th year in the NBA as a player, coach, general manager or consultant, only Wilkens has more combined games as a player and head coach than the 3,287 that “Nellie” has registered in his career.

Spurs exercise Ian Mahinmi option

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have exercised the third-year team option on center Ian Mahinmi’s rookie scale contract. Mahinmi is now signed through the 2009-10 season. Per team policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are very excited about Ian Mahinmi’s development,” said Spurs General Manager RC Buford. “We’ve literally seen him grow up in front of our eyes, since he joined us he’s grown more than an inch and gained over 30 pounds. He is a talented young man who has continued to work hard and improve as a basketball player. Being named to the D-League First Team last season – in his first year in the States – is an indication of what a bright future he has.”

Mahinmi, who turns 22 on November 5, is entering his second season with the Spurs. He split the 2007-08 campaign between San Antonio and the Austin Toros, the NBA Development League team owned and operated by the Spurs. Mahinmi started the season in San Antonio, appearing in six games with the Spurs, averaging 3.5 points in 3.8 minutes, before being assigned to the Toros on 11/21.

Mahinmi was named to the 2008 All-NBA Development League First Team. In 46 games with the Toros, he averaged 16.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.70 blocks in 29.6 minutes while shooting .615 (276-449) from the field and .766 (219-286) from the line. Mahinmi ranked 19th in the D-League in scoring, second in field goal percentage, eighth in rebounding and ninth in blocks. For the season Mahinmi posted 16 double-doubles. He scored in double figures 38 times, with 20-or-more 17 times and 30-plus four times. Mahinmi scored a season-high-tying 32 points (11-15 FG, 10-16 FT) and grabbed a season-best 17 rebounds vs. Utah on 12/21.

Heat exercise Daequan Cook option

The Miami HEAT announced today that they have exercised the third year Player Option on Daequan Cook. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Cook, a 6’5”, 210-pound guard, has appeared in 59 regular season games (19 starts) and has averaged 8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 24.4 minutes. Last season, Cook set new HEAT rookie records in both three-point field goals made (79) and attempted (238) while shooting 33.2 percent accuracy from beyond the arc which was the fourth highest single-season percentage for a HEAT rookie. Additionally, Cook ranked among the NBA rookie leaders in three-point field goals made (2nd), three-point field goal attempted (2nd), three-point field goal percentage (3rd), scoring average (8th), minutes per game (10th), assists per game (tied-10th) and rebounds per game (tied-16th).

Cook was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round (21st overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft. His draft rights were acquired by the HEAT along with Philadelphia’s 2009 second-round draft pick and cash considerations for the draft rights of Jason Smith (20th overall selection) on draft night.

Mavs exercise Shawne Williams option

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have exercised the option on forward Shawne Williams for the 2009-10 season.

“We are excited to exercise the option on Shawne’s contract,” said General Manager/President of Basketball Operations Donnie Nelson.  “He is a young player that has improved every season and has a bright future as a Maverick.”

Williams (6-9, 225) was acquired in a trade with the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Eddie Jones on October 10, 2008.  He was selected by Indiana with the 17th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. The third-year forward averaged 6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 65 games (3 starts) last season with the Pacers improving on his rookie numbers of 3.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in 2006-07.

He played five games for the Mavericks this preseason and averaged 2.0 points and 1.6 rebounds in 8.6 minutes.