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Looks like Kobe Bryant still has plenty of spending cash, because he just dropped a HUGE chunk of change on a sick new car. Must be nice.
According to our sources, Kobe’s new ride is a Ferrari 458 Italia. We’re told the Black Mamba paid $329,000 yesterday for the car … which he paid for in full with a check.
— Reported by TMZ
Californian Larry Ellison, ranked as the third-richest person in the U.S., has inquired about buying the Memphis Grizzlies with apparent hopes of moving the team to San Jose.
But team owner Michael Heisley today downplayed the possibility of a sale — and of a relocation, citing a lease that ties the franchise to Memphis and FedExForum until 2021.
“I can’t downplay it enough. If it happens I’ll be surprised,” said Heisley, a Chicago-based billionaire who added that talks had not become serious. “It’s in the initial stages. We’ve handled this just like we’ve handled several other dozen requests. My situation in Memphis has not changed a lick. My preference will always be for somebody in Memphis to buy the team. There’s not any interest in Memphis. But we’ve always made it known that if somebody wants to buy the team, we’ll listen. If they’re real buyers we’ll probably be sellers. So far there hasn’t been anyone willing to buy the team under my terms and for my price.”
— Reported by Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal
The Los Angeles Lakers have recalled guard Darius Morris from the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Morris was assigned to the D-Fenders on March 7th and played in one game with the team, helping defeat the Dakota Wizards 99-98 on March 10th. In 28 minutes, Morris totaled a team-high 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting, a rebound, four assists and a steal.
Morris was the third Lakers’ player assignment of the season for the D-Fenders, who at 30-11, currently own the best record in the D-League.
A rookie out of Michigan, Morris has appeared in 13 games for the Lakers this season, averaging 2.7 points and 1.1 assists in 10.3 minutes.
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The Lakers were seven minutes from acquiring Minnesota forward Michael Beasley, but Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor blocked an agreed-upon three-team trade right before the deadline that would have sent Fisher to Minnesota, not Houston, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The trade also would have involved Portland.
“It was whisker-close,” said the person, who did not want to be identified.
The Lakers responded by quickly sending Fisher to the Rockets, barely beating the noon deadline. They are not expected to re-sign Fisher if he takes a buyout with the Rockets.
Sessions, 25, is a quick penetrator with an unremarkable outside shot. He lost playing time to rookie Kyrie Irving, the top pick in last year’s draft, and was averaging 10.5 points and 5.2 assists but shooting only 39.8%.
— Reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times
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The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired Jordan Hill from the Houston Rockets in exchange for Derek Fisher, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. In addition, Houston will receive the Dallas Mavericks’ protected first round selection in the 2012 NBA Draft that was acquired by the Lakers earlier this season in exchange for Lamar Odom.
A 6-10 forward/center in his third year out of the University Arizona, Hill was originally selected by the New York Knicks with the eighth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Acquired by Houston as part of a three-team, nine-player trade midway through his rookie campaign, Hill has appeared in 151 career NBA games (18 starts) with the Knicks and Rockets, averaging 5.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 14.7 minutes.
Following a junior season at Arizona in which he averaged 18.3 points and 11.0 rebounds and was named Third Team All-America by the Sporting News, Hill declared for the NBA Draft, leaving the Wildcats ranked among the school’s career leaders in points (27th/1,208), rebounds (10th/763), blocks (6th/140) and field goal percentage (.578).
In 32 games (7 starts) with the Rockets this season, Hill is averaging 5.0 points on 50.4 percent shooting from the field and 4.8 rebounds in 14.7 minutes.
Fisher, a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers, ranks among franchise leaders in games played (5th/915), steals (7th/968), three-point field goals made (2nd/846) and three-point field goal percentage (2nd/.375). Becoming just the 308th player in NBA history to score 10,000 career points on March 13 at Memphis, Fisher has played in 538 consecutive NBA games including 416 consecutive starts, both tops among all active players.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to Derek for everything he has meant to this organization over the years,” said Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss. “Few who have worn the Lakers uniform have done so with as much class as Derek, both on the court and in the community. From his famous 0.4 shot in San Antonio to his clutch performances in the Finals against Orlando and Boston when it mattered most, Derek will always hold a special place not only in my heart, but in the heart of Lakers fans everywhere.”
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired the Los Angeles Lakers’ first round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft (lottery-protected) and forwards Jason Kapono and Luke Walton from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for guard Ramon Sessions and guard/forward Christian Eyenga. Additionally, the Cavaliers received the right to swap their least favorable first round pick in the 2013 NBA Draft with the Lakers (Please note: the Cavaliers currently own their own first round pick and Miami’s) and cash considerations.
“We want to thank Ramon and Christian for their hard work and contributions here. Ramon is a true pro and approached his job in a way that showed that every day. Christian grew a great deal during his time here and worked very hard on his game. We wish both of them the very best,” said Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant. “Our primary focus continues to center on building this team with our young core and, most importantly, through the draft as we develop a very talented group that can play and succeed together for many years to come.”
Sessions, a four-year NBA veteran out of the University of Nevada, is averaging 10.5 points and 5.2 assists per game this season. The 6-3 guard was originally selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round (56th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft and played for the Bucks and the Timberwolves before being traded to the Cavaliers in the summer of 2010. He currently owns career averages of 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 300 games.
Eyenga, the 30th overall pick by Cleveland in the 2009 NBA Draft, has played in six games this season averaging 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 13.8 minutes. The 6-7 forward played in 44 games as a rookie with the Cavaliers averaging 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 21.5 minutes. For his career, the 22-year old from the Congo has posted averages of 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 20.4 minutes.
Kapono, 31, is averaging 2.0 points on .382 shooting and 0.5 rebounds in 9.9 minutes per game in 27 games this season. He was originally drafted by the Cavaliers in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft (31st overall). He has career averages of 6.7 points on .442 shooting and 1.7 rebounds in 509 games (87 starts).
Walton, also 31, is averaging 1.3 points on .429 shooting and 1.6 rebounds in 7.1 minutes per game in nine games during the 2011-12 season. Also an eight-year veteran drafted in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft (32nd overall), Walton has career averages of 4.9 points on .433 shooting, 2.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 17.3 minutes per game in 493 games (138 starts).
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Shaquille O’Neal used to complain about foul calls, and how his defenders deserved them on every play.
O’Neal was a unique player, regarded as almost impossible to officiate, due to his unique quickness at his size, as well as his strength that allowed him to shake off rough and cheap shots.
James acknowledged Tuesday that he sees a similarity.
“A lot of people say that to me,” James said. “A lot of people say that they look at me, like I’m being officiating like Shaq (was) when he played. A lot of people tell me that. Because of the power and the strength, and they see us finish with contact so many times. They feel like sometimes, it may not be a foul. A lot of people have come up and told me that, people who are part of the game and people who have never played the game of basketball in their life.”
— Reported by Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post (Blog)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Darius Morris suffered a bruised left wrist Saturday while playing for the franchise’s D-League affiliate team, the D-Fenders, against the Dakota Wizards. Morris was examined today by Dr. Steven Shin of the Kerlan Jobe Orthopedic Clinic and his status is listed as day-to-day.
Morris, a rookie out of Michigan, has appeared in 13 games for the Lakers this season, averaging 2.7 points and 1.1 assists in 10.3 minutes.
Selected by the Lakers in the second round (41st overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft, Morris appeared in 67 games (53 starts) in two seasons at the University of Michigan, averaging 9.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Morris became the 51st Wolverine to be drafted into the NBA and was an All-Big Ten Third Team selection last season. The first Wolverine to lead the Big Ten in assists since Gary Grant in 1988, Morris set a Michigan record for assists in a single season (235) last year.
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The teams talked last week about a trade for Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, though nothing was close to accomplished and discussions dried up.
The Lakers are unwilling to trade Pau Gasol for Rondo, making a deal with Boston unlikely before the trade deadline Thursday.
“Unless they give up Gasol, they’re not going to get a top-level point guard,” said a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Rondo had 24 points and 10 assists in the Lakers’ 97-94 victory Sunday over Boston at Staples Center. Gasol had 13 points and 13 rebounds.
— Reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times
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The Los Angeles Lakers play their longtime rival Boston Celtics on Sunday, but all anybody wanted to talk about following the team’s light practice Saturday was what was talked about at the team’s meeting between players and coaches Thursday in Minnesota.
The Lakers canceled practice Thursday following back-to-back losses to Detroit and Washington on their three-game road trip that ended with a 105-102 win over the Timberwolves on Friday.
In place of practice, Lakers coach Mike Brown scheduled a film review at the team hotel and invited players and his coaching staff to speak their minds.
Part of the assistant coaches’ message was urging the players to curtail any “external chatter,” according to a source.
“It wasn’t an airing out session,” Brown said Saturday, downplaying its significance. “It was a film session.”
The session was mostly X’s and O’s based and run by Brown until he handed over the floor to his assistant coaches.
“I utilized my assistants a lot because I don’t like the players hearing my voice a lot,” Brown said. “I talked a lot. I said, ‘You know what? I’m going to have someone else talk.’ After two losses like that everybody’s feeling kind of down. So, I wanted to hear other guys’ voices.”
— Reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles