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An MRI performed today on New Jersey Nets forward Yi Jianlian confirmed a Grade 1 sprain of the medial collateral ligament of the right knee. Yi will begin rehabilitation immediately. There is no timetable for his return.
Both the Nets and Yi are off to slow starts in the 2009-10 NBA season. The team has no wins and four losses. Yi is shooting just 40.6% from the field and averaging 9.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
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The New Jersey Nets have exercised third year contract options on Courtney Lee and Brook Lopez, and a fourth year contract option on Yi Jianlian, while declining to pick up the fourth year contract option on Sean Williams, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today. Lee, Lopez and Yi are now signed through the 2010-11 season. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released.
Lee was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 22nd pick in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft. He was traded to New Jersey on June 25, 2009 along with Rafer Alston and Tony Battie for Ryan Anderson and Vince Carter. The Western Kentucky product appeared in 77 games for Orlando last season, earning 42 starts. He averaged 8.4 points while shooting .450 (243-540) from the field and .404 (82-203) from downtown, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 25.2 minutes per game.
Lopez was selected by the Nets in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft with the 10th overall pick. He was the only Net to appear in all 82 games, earning 75 starts from 11/14 vs. ATL through 4/15 at NYK. Lopez averaged 13.0 points (6th among rookies), 8.1 rebounds (2nd among rookies) and 1.84 blocks (9th in NBA, 1st among rookies) in 30.5 minutes per contest (7th among rookies). He shot .531 (448-844) from the field (1st among rookies) and .793 (172-217) from the line (5th among rookies) while being selected to NBA All-Rookie First Team. He finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting (Derrick Rose, O.J. Mayo) and set the Nets all-time rookie blocks record with 151. He recorded 55 games scoring in double figures, 13 games scoring 20+ points, one game scoring 30+ points, 23 games with 10+ rebounds and a Nets rookie center record 18 double-doubles. The Stanford product led the Nets in scoring nine times, in rebounds 48 times and in blocks 57 times.
Yi was selected with the sixth pick in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft by Milwaukee. He was traded to New Jersey, along with Bobby Simmons, for Richard Jefferson on June 26, 2008. During the 2008-09 campaign, Yi appeared in 61 games, earning 52 starts. He averaged 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per contest. He shot .382 (191-500) from the field, .772 (95-123) from the line and .343 (48-140) from downtown. The 7-foot forward recorded 23 games scoring in double figures, four games scoring 20+ points, four games with 10+ rebounds and three double-doubles. He led the Nets in scoring three times, in rebounds 10 times, and in blocks nine times. Yi missed 16 games with a broken fifth finger, right hand (1/12-2/10) which he suffered on 1/9/09 at Milwaukee. Yi is a member of the Chinese National Team and competed in 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2004 games in Athens.
Sean Williams was selected 17th overall in the first round of the 2007 NBA Draft by New Jersey. He appeared in 106 games over two seasons, averaging 4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per contest.
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.
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Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports (via blog): Magic center Dwight Howard has coined a new nickname for Vince Carter, who was called “Half-Man, Half-Amazing” in his high-flying, younger years. Laughed Howard, “He’s now ‘Half-Man, Half-Retired.’ “He’s not the Toronto Raptors Vince Carter who was dunking on seven-footers, but he’s still one of the league’s best players.” Carter, the eight-time all-star acquired in a trade this summer, showed flashes in his Magic debut Monday night as Orlando opened their preseason with a 110-105 victory against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Arena.
InsideHoops.com editor says: If a young Vince Carter and the current Dwight Howard both jumped as high as they could in the same direction, just as the wind gusted along with them, perhaps a typhoon would be created, sweeping the Magic arena away, delaying the NBA season. That would be pretty awful. Fortunately Carter is older now so as realistic as the scenario I just described may be, chances are it won’t happen.
The AP reports: Al Harrington scored 23 points and Wilson Chandler had 21 to help the New York Knicks beat the New Jersey Nets 115-107 on Sunday in the preseason opener for both teams. David Lee added 20 points and nine rebounds, and New York made 13 of 31 3-pointers. Chris Douglas-Roberts led the Nets with 21 points, and Brook Lopez had 19, and Bobby Simmons added 16… Newcomer Darko Milicic was 1 of 4 from the field in limited action for the Knicks. Danilo Gallinari had nine points in 26 minutes after playing only 28 games last season in an injury-plagued rookie year.
The New Jersey Nets struggle to attract fans and face many issues as they attempt to build a new basketball arena in Brooklyn and relocate the team. And now the AP reports:
Russian tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov says in his personal blog that he has made an offer to buy the New Jersey Nets.
Prokhorov, considered Russia’s richest man, said Tuesday on his blog that he sent team shareholders an offer over the weekend. Under the proposal, Prokhorov’s holding company Onexim would obtain a controlling share in the Nets in return for loaning the money to build a new arena.
If the team is going to be sold I expect it would happen relatively sooner rather than later.
New Jersey Nets Basketball player practice jerseys during the 2009-10 season will be adorned with a logo of PNY Technologies, Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of high-quality computing and digital imaging products.
The Nets are the first NBA team to grant sponsor logo placement rights on its practice jerseys
As part of the two-year agreement, PNY will own the naming rights for the Nets practice facility in East Rutherford, to be called the PNY Center.
Launched in Brooklyn in 1985, PNY is now headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, and operates in 13 locations, with products sold in over 50 countries. It is considered a leading manufacturer and supplier of flash memory cards, USB flash drives, solid state drives, computer memory upgrade modules, as well as consumer and professional graphics cards. Whether it’s an SD™ card for a digital camera, a MicroSD™ card for a cell phone or a Graphics Card for a home computer, PNY offers complete solutions for digital lifestyle needs.
“This is an ideal fit between our two companies,” said Nets CEO Brett Yormark. “Our brand attributes line-up perfectly with PNY’s; we’re both about speed, precision, and durability. PNY will be synonymous with the pulse of the Nets, including through brand exposure during post-practice interviews. This unprecedented spotlight provides PNY the compelling opportunity to activate its brand, not just in the nation’s No. 1 media market, but also internationally. Due to the popularity of our players Yi Jianlian and Eduardo Najera, Nets Basketball regularly receives extensive exposure in China and Mexico, respectively.”
“With an array of lifestyle oriented products to engage fans and enhance the overall game experience, PNY is pleased to expand our support of Nets Basketball,” said Tony Gomez, vice president of sales and marketing at PNY. “Our comprehensive alliance allows PNY to further extend our reach to the broad and ever-growing global NBA fan base. On the dawn of our 25th Anniversary, the PNY brand is stronger than ever and our alignment with the Nets and its global media reach will prove to be a key asset in targeting this important international audience.”
In addition to practice jersey branding, the PNY logo will be seen on the media backdrop used for interviews at all practices. PNY logo placement will also be on Nets coaching staff apparel worn at team practices.
As a special feature on the Nets home page of njnets.com, including on the Nets’ two Chinese language Web sites, PNY will sponsor the ‘Live from Practice’ feature. Each day an image of a home practice will be posted on the site, which will also include updated team news.
PNY will also garner brand presence at Nets home games, as well as sponsor many fan-focused activities in the IZOD CENTER, such as the sponsorship of the ‘High 5 Line,’ along with PNY branded prizes and cheer sticks.
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The Atlanta Hawks have signed veteran center Jason Collins, according to Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund. Per team policy, terms were not announced.
“Jason provides us with additional size and a good interior defensive presence,” Sund said. “He has extensive experience, having started in two NBA Finals with the Nets, and is another player with strong character and leadership qualities.”
An eight-year veteran, Collins spent last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he appeared in 31 games (22 starts), and averaged 1.8 ppg and 2.3 rpg.
He spent his first six-and-a-half seasons with the New Jersey Nets, where he appeared in 510 contests (starting 404 of them) before he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on February 4, 2008 in exchange for Stromile Swift. He then came to the Timberwolves as part of an eight-player deal on June 26, 2008 that also involved Kevin Love and O.J. Mayo.
Collins has played in 572 career regular season games, including 429 starting assignments, averaging 4.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 1.0 apg in 23.4 mpg (.410 FG%, .648 FT%). Collins also has significant postseason experience, playing in 75 playoff games (3.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg), including two trips to the NBA Finals with the Nets in 2002 and 2003.
The native of Southern California played four seasons at Stanford University alongside twin brother Jarron (now of the Utah Jazz). He earned Honorable Mention All-America by the Associated Press and was named to the All Pac-10 First Team in 2001, after putting in 14.5 ppg and 7.8 rpg. Collins attended Harvard-Westlake Prep in North Hollywood, California.
Jason Paul Collins was born December 2, 1978 in Northridge, California. He will wear uniform number 34.
The New Jersey Nets have named John Loyer as an assistant coach, team President Rod Thorn announced today. Loyer joins Tom Barrise, Roy Rogers and Doug Overton as a member of Head Coach Lawrence Frank’s staff.
“We are pleased to add John to Coach Frank’s staff,” said Thorn. “The experience he has gained in both Philadelphia and Portland will be an asset to both the players and coaches.”
Loyer joins the Nets following four seasons as an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers. Prior to his time in Philadelphia, Loyer spent a total of five seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers as the team’s video coordinator (2000-01), advance scout (2001-03) and assistant coach (2003-05).
Before joining the Trail Blazers staff in 2000, Loyer spent 12 years in the collegiate coaching ranks with stops at Wabash Valley College (1999-00), University of Akron (1987-89) and the University of Cincinnati (1989-99). He was an assistant at Cincinnati for 10 years during which time the Bearcats made it to the Final Four once and twice to the Elite Eight.
Overall, while an assistant coach on the college level, teams he worked with posted a 234-86 (.731) record. The team Loyer recruited at Wabash Valley College went on to win the 2001 National Junior College championship.
A 1988 graduate of the University of Akron, Loyer was a four-year letterman in basketball and earned a degree in social studies. He and his wife Katie have three children, sons Foster and Fletcher, and daughter, Jersey.
With the economy still struggling, many businesses need to seek new, innovative ways to attract attention and draw consumer dollars. Vincent M. Mallozzi of the New York Times reports:
Perhaps no other team has enhanced its marketing game the way the Nets have. They are offering ticket buyers free jerseys, complete with the names of their favorite players — and their favorite opponents.
The Nets are promoting a 10-game plan that includes tickets to see the Los Angeles Lakers, the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. Any fan who buys at least two tickets to one of those games will receive a reversible jersey, one side featuring the name of a Nets star, like guard Devin Harris, and the other featuring the name of a marquee opponent: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce or Ray Allen.
“I don’t think it has ever been done before,” said Chris Granger, the N.B.A.’s senior vice president for team marketing and business operations. “I don’t think any team has ever given premium items as part of a promotion that highlights someone from another team.”
The Nets have a tough time drawing fans to games primarily due to the location of their arena. Factor in the team’s current rebuilding state and they have to be creative in order to keep drawing fans as they continue their hopeful move to Brooklyn, New York.