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Mark Cuban rips league over Chris Paul trade

Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Was almost Kobe’s teammate

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who was vocal in his opposition to the proposed trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers, still doesn’t think the NBA-owned New Orleans Hornets ended up with a decent deal.

The right deal, in Cuban’s opinion, would have been none at all, even if that meant losing Paul for nothing at the end of the season.

“You’re better off just taking the cap room, or whatever,” Cuban said.

Paul ended up being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, who visited the Mavericks at the American Airlines Center on Monday night.

“I don’t think it was about the Lakers, per se,” Cuban said before the game. “I think it was just the way they did the deal, which was ridiculous. I don’t think it was about which team. I think it was the fact that, even with the Clippers, we just went through this whole (collective bargaining agreement) and said the incumbent team still has the advantage and then the team the league owns (wimps) out. And look how it’s worked out for them.

“Bad management gets you bad results.”

— Reported by Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas

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Eric Gordon having knee surgery, out six more weeks

Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon
Needs his knees

Anyone remember guard Eric Gordon playing basketball? If so, it was probably last season when he was on the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s only managed to play in two games since becoming a member of the Hornets.

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that Gordon will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee tomorrow.  The surgery is needed to fully resolve an injury that was sustained earlier in the season during a Hornets game. After that point it did not fully heal with treatment and rest. The doctors expect that Eric will be fully recovered and able to return to playing in up to six weeks.

“After consulting with our medical staff, we concluded that surgery was the best route and in the best interest of Eric for the long term. We had hoped with rest and rehab, Eric’s knee would have healed.” General Manager Dell Demps said. “Eric is eager to return to the court and we are confident Hornet Fans will get to see him soon.”

With Chris Paul and David West gone, the Hornets have been a disaster this season. They’ve been led in the scoring department by guard Jarrett Jack and forwards Carl Landry and Trevor Ariza. Emeka Okafor provides some rebounding. Chris Kaman has been disappointing. And there’s not much else going on, other than lots of losing.

He sustained the injury to his knee in the first quarter of the team’s opening game in Phoenix on 12/26.  In two games this season, Gordon averaged a team-best 21.0 points per game, including hitting the game-winning 20-foot jumper with 4.2 seconds remaining against the Suns on 12/26.

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Clippers hope to sign J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith
JR Smith
Not afraid to shoot while double-teamed

The Los Angeles Clippers are one of a handful of teams vying for free-agent guard J.R. Smith, who will be eligible to return to the NBA on Wednesday after his Chinese team’s season concludes, according to a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking.

The Clippers were interested in Smith even before the season-ending injury to Chauncey Billups last week, believing they could use more offensive firepower off the bench. That was going to be a harder sell to Smith, who is looking for a larger role. Now, they can offer Smith the opportunity to start.

Like Billups did with recently-signed Kenyon Martin, point guard Chris Paul has taken a lead role in recruiting Smith, according to the source. The two are close from their two seasons as teammates with the Hornets.

— Reported by Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles

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Arena in Anaheim ready, waiting for NBA team

If they renovate it, will the NBA come?

The groundbreaking ceremony outside Honda Center on Wednesday was for a $20 million arena renovation project, which will benefit customers who attend NHL games, concerts and other events in a building that will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year.

But there also appeared to be a not-so-hidden message behind the carefully staged photo op in which Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli, arena executives and Anaheim politicians wearing yellow hardhats posed with gold-plated shovels:

Let’s show the NBA we’re ready and waiting.

And it’s safe to assume the photos and video already have reached Sacramento and the NBA offices in New York.

It was nine months ago that the Sacramento Kings owners ended protracted negotiations with Anaheim Arena Management, the Samueli-owned company that owns and operates Honda Center for the City of Anaheim, on the morning of the relocation deadline in May.

But Henry Samueli made it clear Wednesday that he remains committed to bringing an NBA franchise to Anaheim, even if it’s not the Kings.

— Reported by Randy Youngman of the Orange County Register

Chauncey Billups does not plan to retire yet

Chauncey Billups

Clippers guard Chauncey Billups realized his worst fears Tuesday when an MRI exam revealed he has a torn left Achilles’ tendon that will end his first season with the team.

But the 35-year-old Billups doesn’t plan on retiring.

“No, sir. There is no way I’m going to crawl out of the league,” Billups said Tuesday. “I’m going to be back. Trust me.”

Billups was examined at the Cleveland Clinic and he will return to Los Angeles on Thursday for further evaluation. No date has been set for his surgery.

But it is expected that Billups will be sidelined at least eight months while recovering from the injury. “I’ll get it taken care of and get back the best way I can. That’s exactly what I’m going to do,” he said.

His contract with the Clippers runs out after this season. Billups said he wants to return to the Clippers — if the feeling is mutual.

— Reported by Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times

Chauncey Billups out for season with torn left Achilles tendon

Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Career may be over

Clippers guard Chauncey Billups suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in last night’s 107-102 Clippers’ win in Orlando. The injury, which occurred with 5:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, will sideline Billups for the remainder of the 2011-12 NBA season.

Billups underwent an MRI today at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio which confirmed the injury. He will return to Los Angeles on Thursday for further evaluation. A date for surgery is yet to be determined.

In 20 games played this season (20 starts), Billups has tallied 14.9 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 30.4 minutes per game.

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Chauncey Billups suffers Achilles injury

Chauncey Billups

The good news for the Clippers was that they beat the Orlando Magic, 107-102, in overtime Monday night at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.

The bad news came when Chauncey Billups injured his left Achilles tendon with 5 minutes 48 seconds left in a game.

He was helped off the court and into the Clippers’ locker room and never returned.

The Clippers said Billups, 35, will be evaluated Tuesday when the team arrives in Cleveland.

Billups had 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter. He had made three three-pointers in the fourth, his last giving the Clippers an 82-74 lead.

— Reported by Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Blog)

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Hornets set to reactivate Chris Kaman

Chris Kaman
Chris Kaman
Enjoys hunting

The New Orleans Hornets have decided to reactivate 7-foot center Chris Kaman, who had been excused from team activities since last week while the club sought to trade him, according to a person familiar with the decision.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on Friday on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been announced. Kaman likely won’t join the Hornets for Saturday’s game at Detroit but probably will return Monday against Sacramento.

The person said the relationship between Kaman and Hornets coach Monty Williams was fine. But when general manager Dell Demps hoped a trade would develop quickly, Williams wanted to start working younger players into the rotation.

Once a trade didn’t happen as quickly as they thought, it made sense to bring Kaman back, the person said.

— Reported by Brett Martel of the Associated Press

Rafer Alston signs with Los Angeles D-Fenders in D-League

rafer alston

The Los Angeles D-Fenders have acquired guard Rafer Alston, it was announced today.  The acquisition comes one day after Ishmael Smith signed with the Orlando Magic to become the D-Fenders’ fourth NBA Call-Up of the season and the seventh Call-Up in franchise history.

InsideHoops.com first-reported this news late last night on Twitter.

“We’re excited to add a player with as much experience as Rafer to the D-Fenders’ backcourt and believe he will undoubtedly help us continue towards our ultimate goal of an NBA Development League Championship,” D-Fenders Head Coach Eric Musselman said.

Alston, selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round (39th overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft, has played in a total of 671 career NBA games with Milwaukee, Toronto, Miami, Houston, Orlando and New Jersey, averaging 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 28.9 minutes.

Additionally, the 6-2, 175-pound guard has appeared in 51 career NBA playoff games (34 starts) combined with Milwaukee, Miami, Houston and Orlando, averaging 9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 29.1 minutes.  Appearing in all five games during the 2009 NBA Finals with the Magic, Alston averaged 10.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 29.4 minutes.

Alston most recently played in China for Zhejiang Guangsha during the 2010-11 season where he averaged 19.6 points and 3.8 assists in eight games.

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