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The Indiana Pacers announced Sunday they have picked up the options on second-year players Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush.
Rush, a 6-6, 210-pound guard, entered the league in the 2008-09 season and averaged 8.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 24.0 minutes per game.
Hibbert, a 7-2, 278-pound center, also began his NBA career last season and averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 14.4 minutes per game.
Good NBA seats are expensive. Fans shelling out big money to sit near the court should expect a good view of the action.
But what about when players get off the bench and remain standing for a while? On the one hand, it’s nice to see guys cheer their teammates. On the other, these giants prevent fans from seeing what they paid to see.
The Cavs are one team with players who remained standing a lot, and now the league office has reportedly taken action.
Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:
The NBA has issued a memo to its teams directing players on the bench to remain seated during games. Game officials will be keeping a closer eye and will issue faster warnings and possible technical fouls if not followed. Players are permitted to cheer, but standing during regular-game action and blocking the fans’ views apparently isn’t going to be allowed.
That goes for Tuesday night’s first preseason game at The Q, where the Cavs will host the Charlotte Bobcats in the first of eight practice games before the season opener.
The Cavs weren’t exactly thrilled that their custom has been legislated.
“It is hard to take that out of the game,” LeBron James said. “Part of the game is emotions, your teammates are all you have. That was part of the reason we played great basketball, because we cheered each other.”
I support the league protecting the paying fan’s view.
The AP reports: Rookie Taj Gibson had 19 points and nine rebounds to help the Chicago Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 104-95 on Friday night in the preseason opener for both teams. Derrick Rose added 17 points, and Luol Deng and John Salmons had 15 each for the Bulls. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 27 points in 26 minutes. Luther Head scored 14 points, and Brandon Rush scored all 13 of his points in the second half for Indiana. Chicago’s Tyrus Thomas left the game in the third quarter because of a concussion.
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The Indiana Pacers today announced that they have exercised the team option to extend Coach Jim O’Brien’s contract for one additional year.
Pursuant to team policy, terms of contracts were not disclosed.
“We are very happy to get the option done on Jim’s contract,” said Larry Bird, President of Pacers Basketball Operations. “When I interviewed Jim for this job, he was committed to everything we want to do. We both feel we’re moving in the right direction.”
“I appreciate (owner) Herb (Simon) and Larry’s confidence as we move toward getting this franchise back to where it belongs,” said O’Brien. “I love Indianapolis and all of the fans in Indiana, and I remain committed to bringing a championship to the Indiana Pacers.”
The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday they have signed free agent Luther Head to a contract. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Head, a 6-3, 185-pound guard from Illinois, has played four seasons in the NBA with Houston and Miami. He has a career scoring average of 8.6 points with a career-high of 10.9 in 2006-07 with the Rockets. That same season, Head shot .441 from 3-point range, which was fourth in the NBA that season and third best in Rockets’ history. He is a career 39 percent shooter from beyond the arc.
“Luther is a guy we have had our eye on,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird. “He can shoot, he has speed and quickness and he will fit in well in our up-tempo game. I think he’s going to be a good addition to our basketball team.”
The AP reports: A spokesman says billionaire shopping mall magnate and Indiana Pacers co-owner Mel Simon has died at age 82. Simon Property Group spokesman Les Morris says Simon died Friday. Simon spent nearly 40 years leading what is now Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, the nation’s largest shopping mall company.
“Mel Simon was an extraordinary person, a giant of a man who contributed so much to our community and to our state,” said Pacers Sports & Entertainment President Jim Morris. “His kindness, generosity, creativity, warmth and genuine goodness is almost immeasurable. He’s one of the major reasons Indianapolis is a major league city in many different ways. The success of the Simon family has touched the lives and benefitted every single Hoosier.”
“Melvin was a very dear friend and golfing buddy,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird. “He is a true legend to this city, not only for the visible things that everyone sees each day, but because he was a man who cared about people. He is one of this country’s greatest success stories, a man who is a true example of the American Dream. As an owner of the Pacers, he was a joy to work for and to work with. But he wasn’t only an owner, he was the biggest and best Pacers fan. I will miss him and the Pacers’ family will miss him.”
“My heart is very heavy today, Mel Simon was a great owner but more importantly a loving and giving friend,” said former Pacers player Reggie Miller. “My thoughts and prayers go out to the Simon family.”
NBA Commissioner David Stern issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Indiana Pacers and Fever Owner Melvin Simon:
“The NBA family has lost one of its most successful and respected owners. More importantly, we have lost a great friend. Mel and Herb Simon purchased the Indiana Pacers in 1983, and under their stewardship the organization became a model franchise and one of the league’s most successful teams. Mel’s impact on the community, however, extended well beyond basketball. His social activism throughout the years earned many well-earned accolades. His influence, on and off the court, will be felt for a very long time. We extend our deepest sympathies to Mel’s wife Bren, their four children, and the entire Simon family.”
The Indiana Pacers announced Wednesday they have signed their second round draft pick (52nd pick overall) A.J. Price to a multi-year contract.
Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Price, a 6-2, 181-pound guard from the University of Connecticut, was named to the All-Big East Second Team, USBWA All-District First Team and Big East All-Tournament Team as a senior.
For his career, he had 1,284 career points in three seasons, ranking 25th all-time at Connecticut. He also handed out 469 career assists (4.7 apg), which ranks 9th in school history.
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The Golden State Warriors have hired 13-year NBA veteran Calbert Cheaney as a Special Assistant, the team announced today.
In this role, Cheaney will work closely with the team’s players to assist with their overall personal and professional development, while also assisting the entire basketball operations staff with various functions, including pro player evaluation. He will report to General Manager Larry Riley.
“We’re really fortunate to have an individual the caliber of Calbert Cheaney return to our organization as a member of our basketball operations staff,” said Riley. “Throughout his NBA career, Calbert was regarded as a consummate professional and one of the classiest individuals in the game. We look forward to his contributions and the positive impact he will have on our players and our organization overall.”
Cheaney, 38, rejoins the Warriors after playing the final three seasons of his NBA career with the team (2003-04, 2004-05 & 2005-06), during which time he appeared in 176 games with Golden State. Overall, the Evansville, IN, native played 13 seasons in the NBA, amassing career averages of 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 26.7 minutes in 825 regular-season games with Washington, Boston, Denver, Utah and Golden State. Prior to joining the NBA, Cheaney played four seasons at Indiana University, culminating in his being named College Player of the Year and winning both the Wooden and Naismith Awards following his senior season. In 2003, he was inducted into the Indiana University Sports Hall of Fame.
“I’m very grateful for this opportunity to return to the Warriors’ organization, and look forward to contributing on many different levels,” said the 13-year NBA veteran. “My family and I had a great experience during my playing days in the Bay Area and we’re very excited about our return. I’ve always envisioned rejoining the NBA in some capacity following my playing career, and this is the perfect situation. The Warriors are a great organization with tremendous fan support, and an extremely talented young team. I look forward to playing a role in our continued growth, both on and off the court.”
Since retiring from the NBA, Cheaney and his wife, Yvette, have resided in the Washington D.C. area with their two children, Julian and Sydney.
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Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports: Jeff Foster put his college education on hold 10 years ago so he could focus on his NBA career after his senior season at Texas State University. Today in front of about 20 friends and family members, the Indiana Pacers center will receive a degree in applied arts and sciences at a ceremony in San Marcos, Texas. “I promised myself and I promised my family that I would get this finished,” said Foster, who was three classes shy of a degree when he left. “I dropped all my classes except one the final semester there because I had to get ready for the draft. Once we had kids, I really realized I needed to get this done.”
Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has signed free agent center Primoz Brezec.
“We feel that Primoz will provide us with additional size and depth in the front court, but just as beneficial is the wealth of experience he brings to the team not only on the NBA level, but internationally as well,” Stefanski said.
Brezec (7-1, 255) has appeared in 321 games with 214 starts across seven NBA seasons with Indiana, Charlotte, Detroit and Toronto. For his career, he has averaged 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 19.0 minutes per game while shooting 50.0% from the floor and 70.6% from the line.
Last season, Brezec played for Lottomatica Virtus Roma of the Italian League. He started the 2007-08 season with the Bobcats before being traded to the Pistons and then the Raptors.
Originally the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NBA Draft by Indiana, Brezec played three seasons with the Pacers before being selected by Charlotte in the 2004 expansion draft.
Brezec’s best season came during the Bobcats inaugural campaign in 2004-05. He averaged career highs of 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 and 0.76 blocks in 31.6 minutes per game while ranking 13th in the league with 3.1 offensive boards per game.
A member of the Slovenian National Team, Brezec has competed in the 2003 and 2005 FIBA European Championships and the 2006 FIBA World Championship.
InsideHoops.com editor says: The 76ers adding Primoz Brezec is like the Celtics adding Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, or Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. OK, but seriously, Brezec is a solid backup and he’s good enough to have stayed in the league this whole time, instead of going overseas like he did. He’s also a very good interview and is totally outspoken about just about anything.