Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Rumor: Heat, Suns talking Shaq trade

The Miami Herald (Barry Jackson) reports: The Heat has told center Shaquille O’Neal’s representation that it is talking about trading him and he should be prepared for the possibility of a deal, according to two officials close to the situation. Phoenix has discussed sending forward Shawn Marion and point guard Marcus Banks to the Heat in return for O’Neal. Asked for confirmation, one of O’Neal’s representatives said O’Neal has been made aware that discussions with Phoenix are serious and ongoing, but that a deal was not definite. Dallas also has been mentioned as a potential destination, though the Heat had not immediately informed O’Neal of that possibility. O’Neal, 35, was shocked by the turn of events, an associate said.

The East Valley Tribune (Scott Burdow) writes: The Miami Herald is reporting that the Suns are trying to acquire center Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. I know this is the time for rumors, what with the NBA trading deadline on Feb. 21, but I can’t believe this is true. O’Neal is old and broken down. He would fit into Mike D’Antoni’s system about as well as  a tank on the Autobahn. Plus, he’s owed $40 million over the next two years, which would put owner Robert Sarver into luxury tax territory.

D-League All-Star team rosters

Thirteen players with NBA experience highlight the rosters for the second annual D-League All-Star Game. The game will be held Feb. 16, on Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas and will tip off at 2 p.m. CST and will be shown live on NBA TV.

The two 10-man rosters were selected by a combination of fan balloting on D-LEAGUE.com and voting of the league’s 14 head coaches.  The Red Team will be the home team, while the Blue Team will be the visitors.

Call-Ups Eddie Gill and Billy Thomas highlight the Red Team roster.  Gill, selected first in the 2007 D-League draft by the Colorado 14ers, earned the season’s first call-up Nov. 15, when he signed with the New Jersey Nets.  He ranks among D-League leaders with 7.9 assists per game and 2.5 steals per game.  Thomas, Gill’s teammate in Colorado, earned a Dec. 24 call-up by the Nets and is among league leaders with 2.5 steals per game.

Reigning D-League Most Valuable Player Randy Livingston joins the Red Team, as does Dallas Mavericks assignee Nick Fazekas.  Fazekas is averaging 18.9 points for the Tulsa 66ers while Livingston sits atop the league’s leader board with 11.3 assists per game for the Idaho Stampede.

NBA-assigned players Morris Almond, Kyrylo Fesenko and Ian Mahinmi headline the Blue Team.  Almond and Fesenko, teammates on the Utah Jazz and their D-League affiliate Utah Flash, have both seen multiple assignments during the season.  Almond most recently joined the squad on Jan. 25, while Fesenko headed to Orem on Dec. 13.   Mahinmi is in his second stint with the Austin Toros from the Spurs.  Almond is second in the league with 26.4 points per game, while Fesenko is averaging 10.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.  Mahinmi ranks among the league’s best, shooting .639 (163-255).

Los Angeles D-Fenders center Jelani McCoy, Austin Toros guard Keith Langford and Fort Wayne Mad Ants guard Jeremy Richardson, all Call-Ups this season, round out the Blue Team’s roster.  McCoy, who earned a call-up from the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 29, is averaging 2.2 blocks, ranking him among the league’s best defenders, while Langford, who earned a call-up from the Spurs on Dec. 28, is averaging 24.1 points, ranking him among the league’s top five scorers.  Richardson has twice been called up this season, first by the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 20, and then by the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 10.  Richardson is averaging a league-high 28.2 points to go with 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 40.8 minutes in nine games for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

C.J. Watson, the 100th Call-Up in league history, and member of the Golden State Warriors, was selected to the Blue Team by the fans and coaches. Since he is with the Warriors, he will be replaced on the D-League All-Star roster by NBA veteran and Bakersfield Jam guard Andre Barrett.  Watson, who played 16 games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers before earning a call-up from the Warriors on Jan. 8, had his NBA contract renewed through the end of the 2007-08 season.

Nine additional D-League standouts will compete in the All-Star Game, including three D-League Player of the Month and D-League.com Performer of the Week honorees.  The Red Team will include Lance Allred (Idaho), Elton Brown (Colorado), Kaniel Dickens (Colorado), Dwayne Mitchell (Iowa), Kasib Powell (Sioux Falls), and Cory Violette (Idaho). The Blue Team will include Sean Banks (Los Angeles), Rod Benson (Dakota) and Carlos Powell (Dakota).

The Red Team will be coached by Idaho Stampede (22-5, .814) head coach Bryan Gates and his assistant Ray Lopes, while the Blue Team will be helmed by Los Angeles D-Fenders (18-8, .692) head coach Dan Panaggio and his assistant Chucky Brown.  Both coaches were selected based on their teams having the highest winning percentage by Jan. 31.  Prior to the game, Gates and Panaggio will choose starting lineups for their respective teams.

RED TEAM ALL-STAR ROSTER

Pos. Player (Team) Ht. Wt. Birthdate College

G Eddie Gill (Colorado) 6-1 180 08/16/1978 Weber State
G Randy Livingston (Idaho) 6-4 210 04/02/1975 Louisiana State
G Dwayne Mitchell (Iowa) 6-5 210 08/24/1982 Louisiana-Lafayette
G Billy Thomas (Colorado) 6-5 220 12/23/1975 Kansas
F Kaniel Dickens (Colorado) 6-8 235 07/21/1978 Idaho
F Elton Brown (Colorado) 6-9 250 09/09/1983 Virginia
F Nick Fazekas (Tulsa) 6-11 211 06/17/1985 Nevada
F Kasib Powell (Sioux Falls) 6-7 215 03/18/1981 Texas Tech
F Cory Violette (Idaho) 6-9 255 03/13/1982 Gonzaga
C Lance Allred (Idaho) 6-11 250 02/02/1981 Weber State

Head Coach: Bryan Gates (Idaho)
Assistant Coach: Ray Lopes (Idaho)
Athletic Trainer: Kevin Taylor (Idaho)
Honorary Captain: Rick Barry

BLUE TEAM ALL-STAR ROSTER

Pos. Player (Team) Ht. Wt. Birthdate College
G Morris Almond (Utah) 6-6 225 02/02/1985 Rice
G Andre Barrett (Bakersfield) 5-10 173 02/21/1982 Seton Hall
G Keith Langford (Austin) 6-4 215 09/15/1983 Kansas
G CJ Watson (Rio Grande Valley) * 6-2 180 04/17/1984 Tennessee
F  Sean Banks (Los Angeles) 6-8 210 01/20/1985 Memphis
F Rod Benson (Dakota) 6-10 225 10/10/1984 California
F Carlos Powell (Dakota) 6-7 220 08/29/1983 South Carolina
F Jeremy Richardson (Ft. Wayne) 6-7 190 02/11/1983 Delta State
C Kyrylo Fesenko (Utah) 7-1 288 12/24/1986 Ukraine
C Ian Mahinmi (Austin) 6-11 230 11/05/1986 France
C Jelani McCoy (Los Angeles) 6-10 245 12/06/1977 UCLA

Head Coach: Dan Panaggio (Los Angeles)
Assistant Coach: Chucky Brown (Los Angeles
Athletic Trainer: Marco Nunez (Los Angeles)
Honorary Captain: Lenny Wilkens

* Watson will be replaced by Andre Barrett due to his active status with the Golden State Warriors.

Steve Nash investing in womens soccer league

Ticker reports: Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash is best known for his basketball skills, but soccer isn’t far behind. According to a report on Monday in the St. Louis Business Journal, Nash has joined in as an investor for the Women’s Professional Soccer league. Nash, who grew up playing soccer in Canada, won’t run any of the seven projected franchises, but he will assist in the development of the league.

Charges against Sprewell dropped

The AP reports: Prosecutors are dropping their case against former basketball star Latrell Sprewell, who was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their children. Lucian Chalfen, spokesman for Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore, said Monday the charges will be dismissed in a year if Sprewell stays out of trouble. An order of protection against Sprewell on behalf of Candace Cabbil remains in effect, Chalfen said.

Nets trade Jason Collins to Grizzlies for Stromile Swift

The Memphis Grizzlies acquired center Jason Collins and cash considerations from the New Jersey Nets in exchange for forward/center Stromile Swift, club General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

“Let me first thank Jason Collins for his contribution to the Nets over the past seven years. He was a vital member of the core group of players that went to the playoffs six consecutive years, including two NBA Finals, and we wish him the best of luck for the remainder of his career,” said Nets president Rod Thorn. “With that said, we are pleased to add Stromile to our roster. He is a player who will add athleticism and experience to our frontcourt rotation.”

“We are pleased to add a veteran big man with Jason’s team defensive skills and outstanding intangibles to the Grizzlies,” Wallace said. “He has considerable playoff experience with the Nets and will add depth and a defensive presence at the center position. The entire organization wishes Stromile all the best with the Nets.”

Currently in his seventh season, Collins owns career averages of 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 510 games (404 starts). A strong post defender, Collins had spent his entire NBA career with the Nets after they acquired his draft rights (18th selection in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft) along with Richard Jefferson and Brandon Armstrong from the Houston Rockets for the draft rights to Eddie Griffin on June 27, 2001.

Collins, who attended Stanford with twin brother and current Utah Jazz member Jarron, was the starting center for two NBA Finals teams (2002, 2003) and averaged 3.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 23.7 minutes in 75 career playoff games (58 starts) with the Nets.

In 43 games (23 starts) this season, the 29-year-old is averaging 1.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 15.9 minutes. He will wear jersey No. 34 for the Grizzlies.

Swift, who was originally selected with the second pick overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Grizzlies when the team was still located in Vancouver, has played all but one of his seven-plus seasons with the Grizzlies (2005-06 with the Houston Rockets).

The 6-9, 220-pound forward/center has appeared in 507 games (97 starts) with the Grizzlies and Rockets, and has posted averages of 8.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 20.4 minutes per game. In 35 games (four starts) this season, Swift is averaging 6.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 15.7 minutes.

Swift, 28, ranks among the Grizzlies’ top five all-time franchise leaders in games played (441, 2nd), rebounds (2,128, 5th), free throws made (984, 3rd), free throws attempted (1,387, 3rd), steals (307, 5th) and blocks (607, 2nd).

All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge participants

The Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade will defend his PlayStation Skills Challenge title against three of the league’s biggest stars on Feb. 16, as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans. The competitors hoping to deny Wade’s quest for his third consecutive title are the New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul, the New Jersey Nets’ Jason Kidd and the Utah Jazz’s Deron Williams.

The Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and consists of four players competing in a two-round timed “obstacle course” consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The two players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times.

At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.

Wade, who defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James in the finals of the 2006 Skills Challenge in Houston, and bested the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant last year in Las Vegas, ranks fifth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 24.5 points. Paul, a competitor in the 2006 Skills Challenge in Houston, leads the league in steals (2.5) and is second in the league in assists (10.9). Kidd, champion of the inaugural Skills Challenge in 2003, ranks third in the NBA in assists with 10.4 per game. Williams, a first-time competitor in the Skills challenge, is fourth in the league in assists, averaging 9.6.

The Skills Challenge will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which will also feature the Three-Point Shootout, Slam Dunk and Shooting Stars. TNT and ESPN Radio’s national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. EST from New Orleans Arena. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 17, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

YEAR-BY-YEAR WINNERS
2003 – Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 – Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 – Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 – Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 – Dwyane Wade, Miami

Players of week: Brad Miller, Hedo Turkoglu

The Orlando Magic’s Hedo Turkoglu and the Sacramento Kings’ Brad Miller today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Jan 28 through Sunday, Feb. 3.

Turkoglu, who earned his second consecutive Player of the Week honor, guided Orlando to a 3-0 week, posting averages of 24.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Turkoglu recorded a season-high-tying eight assists on Feb. 2 in a 121-115 win at Indiana and led or tied in assists in all three of Orlando’s games last week. The Magic sit atop the Southeast Division with a 31-18 record.

Miller, who posted point-rebound double-doubles in each of Sacramento’s three games last week, helped the Kings to a 3-0 record. Miller set a career high with 21 rebounds on Jan. 30 against Charlotte, 18 of which came on the defensive end, setting a Sacramento single-game record. Miller recorded two 20-point, 20-rebound games, joining Chris Webber as the only players in Kings history to record multiple 20-point, 20-rebound efforts. Webber accomplished the feat five times.

Trail Blazers recall Josh McRoberts from D-League

The Portland Trail Blazers recalled forward Josh McRoberts from the NBA Development League’s Idaho Stampede, it was announced today by Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard.

“It was a really good experience,” said McRoberts. “It was the first time that I’d played in a game with extended minutes in a long time, so it was good to get out there and get some game action.”

McRoberts, who was assigned to the Stampede on Jan. 9, averaged 7.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 26.5 minutes in eight games with the Trail Blazers’ D-League affiliate.

Prior to joining the Stampede, McRoberts posted averages of 1.3 points, 0.7 rebounds and 2.3 minutes in three games with the Trail Blazers this season after being selected by Portland with the 37th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

The Duke University product is the fifth player in Trail Blazers history to be assigned to the D-League.

Ramon Sessions out 6 weeks

Milwaukee Bucks rookie guard Ramon (rah-MAHN) Sessions sustained a left hand fracture in the team practice on Friday, February 1, General Manager Larry Harris announced today.  Sessions was originally assigned to the Tulsa 66ers on November 8, 2007, before being recalled from the Bucks D-League affiliate yesterday.  He is expected to miss six weeks of action.

Sessions appeared in 24 games (17 starts) with Tulsa, averaging a team-high 21.1 points (6th in the D-League), a team-high 7.6 assists (3rd in the D-League) and 6.5 rebounds (19th in the D-League) in 36.2 minutes per contest. His points, rebounds and assists add up to 35.2 per game, eighth in the league. Sessions is the only player to be named the D-League Performer of the Week twice this season, claiming the award on November 26, 2007 and January 28, 2008.

A 6-3, 190-lbs guard out of Nevada, Sessions was the 56th overall selection by the Bucks in the 2007 NBA Draft. He has been on assignment in Tulsa for the entire D-League season. He was joined by Bucks teammate David Noel on January 20. Sessions played in five preseason games with the Bucks, averaging 1.4 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 7.0 minutes of action.