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NBA postpones training camps, cancels October 9-15 preseason games

The NBA announced today that player training camps for the 2011-12 season have been postponed indefinitely because a new collective bargaining agreement has not been reached with the National Basketball Players Association. Training camps were scheduled to open on October 3.

In addition, the league canceled all preseason games scheduled from October 9 through October 15.

“We have regretfully reached the point on the calendar where we are not able to open training camps on time and need to cancel the first week of preseason games,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver. “We will make further decisions as warranted.”

Read NBA fan reaction or share your views in this basketball forum topic.

Cavaliers forward Semih Erden signs with Turkish team

Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

Semih Erden has become the first Cavaliers player to find work overseas during the NBA lockout. He won’t have to leave his hometown to earn a paycheck.

The 7-foot forward is planning to play for Besiktas, a Turkish team that also signed New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams. The club is located in Erden’s native Istanbul.

He was expected to finalize the contract either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Under terms of the agreement, he can return to the Cavaliers once the lockout is resolved. Agents for several Cleveland players have said their clients are considering European options as the league’s work stoppage threatens the start of the season.

LeBron James plays touch football game in NYC park

Sam Gardner of Fox Sports Florida reports:

When Brian Eduardo took the field for his weekly flag football game Monday night at Chelsea Park in New York City, he expected it to be just like every other Monday night, and it was.

That is, until LeBron James showed up.

Eduardo was one of about 40 people playing in a New York City Social Sports Club league that had just wrapped up their games for the night when the 6-foot-8 Miami Heat forward happened to walk by and asked if he could play.

“Our games were done,” Eduardo said. “We were putting our flags away and he stepped up to everybody and said, ‘Hey, are you guys done?’ and we looked up and we were like, ‘Oh my God, that’s LeBron James. No, no, no, we’re not done, we’re not done.’ ”

Minutes later, two of the four teams in attendance — the Untouchables and WRTL — were on the field for a two-hand touch game with LeBron.

James played on Untouchables side of the ball and Eduardo played for the WRTL team as the other two squads watched from the sidelines. LeBron played quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back, and — as you might expect — he did just fine.

Cavaliers still searching for assistant

Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

Cavaliers coach Byron Scott has spoken informally to a handful of candidates for the club’s vacant assistant coach job, but no hiring is imminent.

With NBA owners and the players union at loggerheads, the Cavs aren’t rushing to fill the hole created by the departure of Chris Jent, who joined the Ohio State staff.

Cavs forward Luke Harangody may go overseas if lockout lingers

Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

Cavaliers forward Luke Harangody is weighing the option of playing overseas if the NBA lockout continues.

His agent, Mark Bartelstein, said he’s spoken to multiple European teams about the 6-foot-7 Notre Dame product, but stressed there is no deal imminent.

“If we feel it’s the right fit we would have to consider it,” Bartelstein said.

Harangody averaged 3.9. points and 2.9 rebounds in 49 games during his rookie season, split between the Cavs and Boston Celtics.

Lionsgate sued over music used in LeBron James documentary

HollywoodReporter reports:

Lionsgate has been hit with a quirky copyright infringement lawsuit over a piece of music used in documentary More Than A Game, which chronicles basketball superstar LeBron James’ rise during his high school days in Ohio.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Georgia federal court comes from Mason Hall, a songwriter who says he authored a copyrighted composition entitled, “We Ready.”

Hall is suing Lionsgate as well as what may or may not be a LeBron James label at Interscope Records (“Interscope Lebron LLC”) for using his composition in the film without license.

Before this lawsuit even touches upon the question of fair use, the plaintiff’s first task may be convincing a judge that the song in question is really his.

Omri Casspi out of EuroBasket 2011

Israel have suffered a major blow ahead of the EuroBasket with confirmation that Omri Casspi will be unable to play in Lithuania with a knee injury.

The Cleveland Cavaliers forward, the only Israeli ever to play in the NBA, was hurt in practice two weeks ago but had hoped to recover in time with the initial diagnosis suggesting he could be back on court within a fortnight of sustaining the injury.

However, that has not proved to be the case and he has now left the squad with only one week left until tip off.

— Reported by FIBA Europe

Alonzo Gee signs in Poland

Asseco Prokom added another weapon to its new-look backcourt with the signing of Alonzo Gee. The move comes on the heels of the additions of fellow newcomers Leroy Nobles and Jerrel Blassingame, all of whom can make their Euroleague debuts this season. Gee (1.98 meters, 24 years old) arrives from Cleveland of the NBA, where he averaged 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 40 games last season. He has also played for Washington and San Antonio in the NBA, as well as for Austin in the NBA D-League after finishing his college career at the University of Alabama (NCAA).

— Reported by Euroleague.net

LeBron James jumps into swimming pool in Barcelona

LeBron James is in Spain on a promotional trip and was in Barcelona, jumping from high in the air into a swimming pool.

It took him a while to make the leap, but LeBron finally took the plunge.

I laughed hearing some kid yell “booooooo!” at the 1:09 mark.

Really, he’s high up in the air. I’d be extremely hesitant to do it as well. You also have to make sure the pool is as deep as you need it to be so your legs don’t crash into the bottom. I completely understand him hesitating before doing the jump.

Houston lands 2013 NBA All-Star Game

Mark Berman of My Fox Houston reports:

NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports the Houston Rockets and the City of Houston landed the NBA All-Star Game in 2013. The game will be played at Toyota Center on Feb. 17, 2013. NBA All-Star week will be Feb. 15-17. The Rockets and Toyota Center also hosted the game in 2006.

Click2Houston reports:

The entire NBA All-Star Weekend will be in the Bayou City from February 15-17, 2013. Hilton Americas Marketing Director Janice O’Neill-Cox spoke with Local 2 Sports Wednesday afternoon, saying, “We played a key role in working with the league to make sure availability was in place. It’s a big boost for our city to land the game, and we’re excited about it.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: I don’t get why Houston is getting the game again. They just had it in 2006. Meanwhile, other teams haven’t hosted it in a long time. Also, Madison Square Garden renovations will be mostly complete in time. And the new Brooklyn Nets arena will exist by mid 2012. Unusual call to send the big weekend back to Houston so soon.