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Three Euroleague teams to play NBA preseason games

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Euroleague Basketball have announced that three Euroleague teams will compete in five NBA preseason games from October 10-21, 2008. The five games, which are part of the Euroleague American Tour, will be played by 2008 Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow (Russia), FC Barcelona (Spain) and Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania). The teams may face up to five NBA opponents including the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Orlando Magic, the Toronto Raptors and possibly the Los Angeles Clippers.

“These games continue our collaboration with Euroleague Basketball, as we work together to grow the game of basketball on a global basis,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern.

The Euroleague American Tour continues a tradition of friendly competition between the NBA and Euroleague Basketball, dating back to 1978 when Maccabi Tel Aviv played the Washington Bullets in Tel Aviv, Israel. Following the 2008 preseason schedule, 33 games will have been played between the two leagues since Euroleague Basketball was created in 2000, including 13 games during NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS™ in 2006 and 2007.

“We value the chance to partner with NBA teams in their own arenas,” Euroleague Basketball CEO Jordi Bertomeu said. “There are basketball fans of all types in North America whom we plan to entertain with our own distinct playing style. We are sure they will appreciate again that the international game has a lot to offer our sport.”

The Euroleague American Tour tips off on Oct. 10 in Orlando, Florida, when six-time Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow makes its North American debut against the Orlando Magic. CSKA’s second preseason game will take place in Toronto, Canada, when CSKA plays the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 14.

FC Barcelona play two games as part of the Preseason Shootout at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif. The 2008 NBA Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers will be Barcelona’s first opponent on Oct. 18, followed by the either Los Angeles Clippers or Toronto Raptors on Oct. 19. For Barcelona, founded in 1926, the games in Los Angeles will be their first played in the United States.

ORACLE Arena in Oakland, Calif. will be the final site of the Euroleague’s American Tour when the Golden State Warriors hosts Lietuvos Rytas on Oct. 21. Rytas is the 2005 ULEB Cup champion and hold five Lithuanian League crowns.

For the third consecutive year, NBA teams will participate in preseason games abroad. The Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets and Washington Wizards will play four games in Barcelona, Berlin, London and Paris as part of NBA Europe Live 2008.

Clippers sign Ricky Davis

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed veteran free agent swingman Ricky Davis to a multi-year contract, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

Carrying career averages of 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 31.1 minutes, Davis tallied 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 82 games played for the Miami Heat during the 2007-08 season. The 6-foot-7-inch Iowa product also connected on 420-971 FG (.433), 135-333 3FG (.405) and 155-197 FT (.787) on the year.

“We believe he will be a good addition,” Clippers Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor said. “His versatility and ability to shoot from the outside will spread the floor and help our low post players.”

Davis turned in his most productive NBA season in 2002-03 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 20.6 points, 5.5 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 79 games played.

Davis was originally selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round (21st overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft, after one season at Iowa where he tallied 15.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

How to determine schedule for any team

The Oklahoman (Mike Baldwin) reports on a team’s 82-game regular season schedule: “Four games against division opponents. Four games against six out-of-division conference opponents. Three games against the remaining four conference teams. Two games against teams in the opposing conference. A five-year rotation determines which out-of-division conference teams are played only three times.”

Warriors match clippers offer to Azubuike

The Golden State Warriors have matched the contract offer submitted to restricted free agent guard Kelenna Azubuike by the Los Angeles Clippers, it was announced today by Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin. The Warriors had seven (7) days from receipt of the contract – Friday, July 18 – to match the offer from Los Angeles. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Various reports have said it’s likely a three-year deal for around $3 million per season, but that’s not official in any way.

“We are pleased to have Kelenna back in the fold,” said Mullin. “He’s a young and talented player who has continued to improve during his two seasons with our team. His versatility, athleticism and ability to shoot the 3-pointer certainly fit our style of play. Additionally, we think he will continue to improve and expand his game.”

Azubuike, 24, appeared in 81 games with Golden State last season, averaging career-high figures in scoring (8.1), rebounds (4.0) and minutes played (21.4). The 6’5” guard scored a career-high 33 points on November 2 against the Clippers, one of 34 double figure scoring outings. In 17 starting assignments, he averaged 13.1 points and 5.7 rebounds.

The Warriors originally signed Azubuike on January 2, 2007 from the NBA Development League’s Ft. Worth Flyers. He appeared in 41 games during his rookie campaign, averaging 7.1 points and 2.3 rebounds. Overall, he has averaged 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 122 career NBA games. The London, England native was never drafted by an NBA team after attending the University of Kentucky for three years (2002-03 – 2004-05).

Clippers trade Brevin Knight to Jazz for Jason Hart

The Los Angeles Clippers acquired guard Jason Hart from the Utah Jazz in exchange for Brevin Knight, Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor announced today.

With the addition of Hart, the Clippers boast a revamped roster which currently features six new players, including two-time All-Star Baron Davis, two-time All-Defensive First Team member Marcus Camby and the seventh overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft, Indiana product Eric Gordon.

“We are glad to have Jason back with us,” Baylor said. “He played an important role for us when he was here previously, and we think he will be a valuable component this time as well.”

A seven-year NBA veteran, Hart is a native Los Angeleno and attended Inglewood High School. He rejoins the Clippers after appearing in 57 games for the Utah Jazz last season. The 30-year old point guard split the 2006-07 season with Sacramento and the Clippers, playing in 23 games and averaging 9.0 points and 4.0 assists for Los Angeles.

Hart brings back to Los Angeles career averages of 5.2 points, 2.4 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 297 games. He has appeared in a combined 12 playoff games with the Spurs (2003-04) and Kings (2005-06), averaging 2.7 points. The former Inglewood High School star signed with the Jazz as a free agent prior to the 2007-08 season and averaged 2.9 points, 1.5 assists and 1.0 rebounds last year with Utah.

The 6-3, 180 pound point guard enjoyed his best professional season in 2004-05 with Charlotte, appearing in 74 games and averaging 9.5 points, 5.0 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game. The onetime Syracuse University standout began his NBA career with Milwaukee after the Bucks drafted him with the 49th selection of the second round in the 2000 NBA Draft. Hart played in one game with the Bucks during his rookie season.

A native of Livingston, N.J., Knight attended Seton Hall Prep in East Orange, N.J., before playing four seasons at Stanford University (1993-97), where he was a First Team All-American as a senior and won the 1997 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the nation’s most outstanding senior male collegian under six feet tall.

Knight also has his own foundation called Assist by Knight (http://asssistbyknight.org), established in 2002, which focuses on life-enriching activities for disadvantaged youth.

Nuggets officially send Camby to Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers today acquired forward Marcus Camby from the Denver Nuggets. In return, Denver will have the option to exchange second round picks with the Clippers in 2010. As a result of the trade, the Nuggets receive a $10,000,000 trade exception, which can be used until one year from the completion of the trade.

More info and a link to our initial reaction is here.

Nuggets to trade Marcus Camby to Clippers

Super-quick, unedited, initial InsideHoops.com reaction: This is an interesting move for the Clippers. They already have Chris Kaman at center. Camby is up there in age, too and will be a free agent in a couple of seasons. Between Camby and Kaman, Camby is quicker if one has to guard power forwards, but he’d be out of position. They’ll sure be big up front, at least. Also, by taking Camby on this basically means the Clippers gave up on getting any of the league’s good restricted free agents, like Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala, Luol Deng and others. Which is surpising. You’d think they’d sign one of those guys to an offer sheet, even if the original team winds up matching the offer. Maybe the Clippers did their homework and found out that basically every good player was going to be matched by their original team.

On the plus side, this gives the Clippers a pretty damn good twin towers frontcourt. And Camby will be a free agent in a couple of seasons, so the team can maintain cap room if they want, or trade Camby when he’s an expiring contract.

So the core of the Clippers is now Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Kaman and Camby. Extremely exciting backcourt, huge guys up front, and Thornton.

As for the Nuggets, creating more cap space is always a good thing, but Camby was their main defender, rebounder and shot-blocker. They traded him away for cap relief. Again, he’s old, but still, it would have been nice to get something useful back for him. Apparently that wasn’t going to happen. The team must have felt that what they’ve have gotten back wasn’t any better than some additional salary flexiblity and that big exception.

InsideHoops readers are discussing the news here. Go there and post your opinion.

Baron Davis messed up

The Oakland Tribune (Carl Steward) reports: Maybe Baron Davis wasn’t as smart as so many of us thought. He threw away a great situation in a place where he was mostly revered and pampered for a little more money, only slightly more security and the foolish allure of playing in his hometown. That plan works if you’re going with the Lakers. But with the Clippers, particularly with Elton Brand and Corey Maggette now gone, B.D. probably just signed the death warrant on the rest of his career. He might as well be back in New Orleans. By next midseason, with the Clippers slogging through a 57-loss season, Davis will be miserable, bored, sullen out, of shape and probably injured.

Clippers renounce rights to five players

The Los Angeles Clippers today renounced their rights to free agents Dan Dickau, Shaun Livingston, Boniface Ndong, Smush Parker and James Singleton.

Per the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, a renounced player no longer counts toward team salary, so teams use renouncement to gain additional cap room. After renouncing a player, the team is still permitted to re-sign such player, but the team must either have enough salary cap room to fit the salary, or sign the player using the Minimum Salary exception. After renouncing a player, a team can still trade the player in a sign-and-trade agreement.

Warriors sign Corey Maggette

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent forward Corey Maggette to a contract, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

Maggette, 28, appeared in 70 games (65 starts) last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.01 steals in 35.7 minutes per contest. He ranked 11th in the NBA in scoring, fourth in free throws made and sixth in free throws attempted, while shooting 45.8% (458-1,000 FG) from the field, 38.4% (78-203 3FG) from three-point range and 81.2% (553-681 FT) from the line. Maggette, who established a new career high in three-point percentage last season, scored 30-or-more points eight times and tallied 20-or-more points 43 times – including in 38 of his final 44 games played.

“We are really excited to add a player of Corey’s ability to our team,” said Mullin. “He’s been one of the most productive players in our league for the last several years and provides us with additional versatility and veteran leadership.”

A nine-year NBA veteran who has spent the last eight seasons with the Clippers, Maggette owns career averages of 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 29.1 minutes in 589 games with Orlando and Los Angeles. The 6’6’’ 225-pound Maggette, who has averaged more than 20 points per game and led the Clippers in scoring three times in the last five seasons, had his finest NBA campaign in 2004-05, establishing career highs in scoring (22.2 ppg), rebounding (6.0 rpg) and assists (3.4 apg). A career 81.9% shooter from the free throw line, the Duke University product has shot better than 80% from the stripe in each of the last seven seasons, while also ranking in the NBA’s top-five in free throws made and top-10 in free throws attempted in four of the last five seasons.

Maggette will wear uniform #50.