NBA News Blog – Page 963 – NBA Blog

Seattle City Council OKs arena deal

A wealthy hedge-fund manager won approval Monday for his plan to bring professional men’s basketball and hockey back to Seattle, with initially skeptical City Council members agreeing to put up $200 million for a new arena after he promised to personally guarantee the city’s debt.

Council members voted 6-2 to approve Chris Hansen’s plan for a $490 million arena near the Seahawks and Mariners stadiums south of downtown.

“I was a skeptic when this came forward because I was worried about our taxpayers,” said Councilwoman Sally Bagshaw. “The fact that we have a personal guarantee from Mr. Hansen … that makes a big difference.

“At the end, we’re going to have something the city is proud of.”

— Reported by the Associated Press

Brook Lopez confident injury is behind him

During the recovery process from his second foot injury last season, Brook Lopez was hesitant to say he was back to 100 percent.

But that, Lopez said Monday, was just a case of him being hesitant because he hadn’t played in any competitive game settings yet.

“It was being cautious,” Lopez said at the opening of the Nets team shop at Barclays Center. “And, honestly, I hadn’t played any 5-on-5 or competitive basketball, but now, being that I’ve been here for three weeks, I’ve played 5-on-5 with everyone on the team … we’ve got 15 guys going every day, and I’ve had no problems. I’m very confident in my foot.”

— Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (Blog)

Steve Blake punctures foot in parking lot accident

Backup Lakers point guard Steve Blake suffered a puncture wound to his left foot stepping on a spike strip in a parking lot and is prohibited from any impact exercises for approximately three weeks.

Lakers training camp opens in eight days.

With Blake sidelined, Chris Duhon will get an added opportunity to impress his new coaching staff in pursuit of backup minutes behind Steve Nash.

— Reported by Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register

Jack McClinton, Robert Dozier working out with Heat

With the Miami Heat still sorting through roster possibilities five days before the start of training camp, former University of Miami guard Jack McClinton was among those working out Monday at AmericanAirlines Arena.

With teams allowed to carry up to 20 players during training camp, the Heat remain two spots below the maximum.

In addition to McClinton, also working in the team’s pre-camp sessions were Heat 2009 second-round pick Robert Dozier, the forward out of Memphis, and swingman Chamberlain Oguchi, who had an impressive offseason with the Nigerian national team at the London Olympics.

— Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Lou Amundson, Wolves agree to deal

The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to terms with free agent power forward Lou Amundson.

Amudson’s deal with Minnesota is a guaranteed contract for one year at the league minimum.

Amundson’s agency tweeted the agreement on Monday and the Timberwolves were expected to announce the deal once he passes a physical. Amundson adds some needed depth to the frontcourt in Minnesota

— Reported by ESPN.com News Services

Knicks hire Dave Hopla as assistant coach

The Knicks have hired shooting coach Dave Hopla as an assistant.

According to a league source, Hopla will work specifically in player development and conduct individual drills for the Knicks, similar to the role that former assistant Kenny Atkinson served last season.

Hopla has worked with the Wizards and Raptors as a shooting consultant.

— Reported by Ian Begley of ESPN New York

Also, according to sources, the Knicks are expected to hire shooting coach Dave Hopla, who once made 550 out of 550 free throws while working with the Wizards.

— Reported by the New York Daily News

Gary Forbes believes diabetes helped further career

But after all the twists in his career, taking him from the NBA Development League to the Philippines, Italy and Israel and finally back to the NBA, Forbes’ perspective has changed as dramatically as his address. He not only could have an NBA career with diabetes, he might not be in the NBA without it.

“I think the disease has helped me become better,” said Forbes, a veteran of two NBA seasons. “I’m better … at taking care of my body, getting the right amount of sleep, eating the right foods, working out, doing the things it takes to be in this league, and not only to be in this league but to be a good diabetic.”

Forbes was heading into his sophomore year at Virginia (he transferred to UMass after his coach, Pete Gillen, left) when he developed an unquenchable thirst and began dropping weight, losing 20 pounds in a week.

“I was going to the store every five minutes to get something to drink,” Forbes said.

Even with the checklist of diabetes symptoms, he did not start to realize that he could have the disease until doctors began asking about his family history. He had watched his father check his blood-sugar level and give himself injections of insulin, but it was so routine in Forbes’ life that he did not think that he would soon follow the same regimen.

— Reported by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle

Sixers plan to use Spencer Hawes as power forward

76ers plan to use Spencer Hawes as power forward

[Doug] Collins has already said – loosely – that the preliminary plan is to move center Spencer Hawes over to power forward, teaming him early on the floor with Andrew Bynum, who will get the majority of the minutes at center and will be spelled by Kwame Brown.

Collins likes the idea of having Hawes at power forward alongside Bynum, because Hawes is skilled at manning the high post offensively and should let the Sixers take advantage of his ability to hit the elbow jumper (which will give Bynum infinitely more room to operate in the post) and use his ball skills to create more opportunities for players cutting off of him.

Hawes, who has never played power forward for extensive minutes, gave two reasons in a phone conversation earlier this week for why he expects the transition to be relatively seamless.

“I don’t think it’s a huge challenge,” Hawes said. “I’ve guarded the four a lot. Offensively, the way we’ve done it, the four and the five are pretty interchangeable. I don’t think the transition will be overwhelming.”

— Reported by John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer

John Stockton, Karl Malone being inducted into Utah Sports Hall of Fame

Utah Jazz legends Karl Malone and John Stockton will join former BYU athletes Richard George, Chad Lewis and Doug Padilla next month in being inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame.

The Oct. 23 event at EnergySolutions Arena includes a 6 p.m. reception and 7 p.m. dinner. For reservations ($75), send checks or credit card information to the USHOFF, P.O. Box 95982, South Jordan 84095.

Malone and Stockton were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in consecutive years.

— Reported by the Deseret News

Baron Davis will have non-playing role with Knicks this season

Baron Davis will have a multi-faceted role with the Knicks this season: He will spend some time around the team in an advisory role; he will work with Madison Square Garden’s “Garden of Dreams” Foundation; he’s expected to provide content for MSG’s in-game entertainment and he may do some scouting for the team, according to two sources with knowledge of Davis’ agreement with the Knicks.

Davis, 33, suffered a serious right knee injury in last season’s playoffs, and is expected to miss the entire 2012-13 season.

He’s currently an unrestricted free agent, but the veteran point guard has maintained close ties with the team. He’s spent a significant time rehabbing his injury at the team facility and he maintains a close relationship with several players.

— Reported by Ian Begley of ESPN New York