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Allen Iverson announces retirement from basketball

To NBA fans, Allen Iverson, one of the most exciting guards in history, has basically been retired for several years now. But as for Iverson himself, it’s finally an official done deal as of yesterday. Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Allen Iverson, who last played in the NBA in 2010, formally announced his retirement, and like his career, it was done with flair.

Speaking at an afternoon news conference at the Wells Fargo Center, Iverson was emotional, talking about his career and those close to him.

Iverson was candid in his comments and unwavering in his belief in himself and what he stood for. When asked if there was anything he would change during a stormy career, he said, “No, not one thing.”

Then he expanded.

“It’s easy to say I wish I would have done things this way, but I can’t go back and rewind it back and do it all over. I am happy with the way I done it because it taught me a lot.”

Miles Plumlee steps up for Suns

The NBA season started Tuesday, and on Wedneday there were 14 games. One great performance came from an unexpected source. Here’s Arizona Sports:

It’s just one game and it came against an underwhelming Portland Trail Blazers team, but the Phoenix Suns’ revamped frontcourt had a solid season debut in Wednesday’s 104-91 win at US Airways Center.

Despite operating somewhat shorthanded with the recent trade of Marcin Gortat and the suspension of forward Markieff Morris, Phoenix’s bigs left their mark on a game that opened something of a new era for the Suns, who were debuting new jerseys, a new coach and an overhauled roster.

Center Miles Plumlee, acquired in an offseason trade with the Indiana Pacers, scored 18 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked three shots — surpassing his 2012 season total for points and matching it in blocks.

Denver Nuggets exercise contract options on Kenneth Faried and Evan Fournier

The Nuggets have exercised the fourth-year contract option on forward Kenneth Faried and the third-year option on guard Evan Fournier for 2014-15, general manager/executive vice president of basketball operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Faried, the 22nd overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, averaged 11.5 points and 9.2 rebounds – both career-highs – in 80 games for the Nuggets last season. He recorded 31 double-doubles and ranked ninth in the NBA in field-goal percentage (.552).

In 126 career games (119 starts), Faried has averaged 11.1 points and 8.6 rebounds, while posting 43 double-doubles. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2011-12.

In addition to his production on the court, Faried received the 2012-13 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association.

Fournier, the 20th overall pick in 2012, averaged 5.3 points and 1.2 assists in 38 games as a rookie last season. He scored in double-figures in six of his final nine appearances, including a career-high 24 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on April 14.

Fournier, 21, turned pro as a teenager and played for Union Poitiers Basket 86 in France’s top pro league before entering the NBA Draft. He twice was named the French League’s Most Improved Player.

Chicago Bulls exercise contract options on Jimmy Butler and Marquis Teague

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has exercised its fourth-year option for the 2014-15 season for guard/forward Jimmy Butler, and its third-year option for the 2014-15 season for guard Marquis Teague. By exercising the respective player options, both players will be under contract with the Bulls for the 2014-15 season.

Butler (6-7, 220), appeared in all 82 games last season and posted averages of 8.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 1.4 apg in 26.0 mpg. He also shot .467 from the floor, .381 from beyond the arc and .803 from the line. During the 2013 Playoffs, Butler started in all 12 games and averaged 13.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 2.7 apg in 40.8 mpg. In Chicago’s first game of the 2013-14 season (against the Miami Heat), Butler posted 20 points, five steals, three rebounds and three assists in 29:55 of action.

Teague (6-2, 190), saw action in 48 games last season and averaged 2.1 ppg, 1.3 apg and 0.9 rpg in 8.2 mpg. He also appeared in eight playoffs games for Chicago last year.

Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio must lead Timberwolves to greatness

The Wolves are looking to do big things from now on. With health and continued improvement from young, talented players, they have the potential to rise up. Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

The Timberwolves spent $120 million last summer to add pieces around charismatic stars Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio in a league in which, more often than not, you only go as far as your best players take you.

They signed Corey Brewer for his energy and defense, Kevin Martin and Chase Budinger for their shooting and Nikola Pekovic for his muscle and low-post scoring, all in an attempt to finally reach the playoffs after a long decade away.

But if the Wolves indeed are headed that way for the first time since Kevin Garnett wore their uniform, it is Love and Rubio who will lead them with a two-man game — part old-school sensibilities, part new-school invention — that unsolicited teammates and opposing NBA coaches compare to a modern Stockton-Malone combination.

“That’s a pretty bold statement,” Wolves coach Rick Adelman said, taken aback at the mention of the Utah Jazz greats, point guard John Stockton and power forward Karl Malone. “I coached against those guys and those are two Hall of Famers who played together for 18 years. They invented, I guess, the pick-and-roll between the two of them.”

Detroit Pistons boast a powerhouse frontcourt

Here’s Michigan Live on what the Pistons frontcourt brings to the table:

With Andre Drummond at center, Greg Monroe shifting from center to power forward, and [Josh] Smith at small forward, the Pistons have a powerhouse front line.

Their hope is that gains in rebounding and defensive rim protection counteract any issues in offensive spacing caused by playing Smith at small forward.

To the Pistons’ benefit, Smith and Monroe are willing passers who can operate as post hubs, while Drummond is content to rebound and run pick-and-rolls. They all seem capable of playing with any group of teammates.

That was proven to some extent in preseason, when Will Bynum was the only veteran playmaking guard who regularly participated in games. Billups took most of preseason off to preserve his 37-year-old body, Jennings missed most of it after surgery for an impacted wisdom tooth and hairline jaw fracture, and Rodney Stuckey missed most of it after surgery for a broken thumb.

Michael Carter-Williams faces tough initiation into NBA

The point guard position is one of the NBA’s hardest. And it’s even tougher when you are a rookie, and on a rebuilding team, and going against some nasty opponents. Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Michael Carter-Williams will not get the opportunity to ease his way into the NBA.

In six of the first seven games, the 76ers’ rookie point guard will introduce himself to a Murderers Row of point guards in the league.

He will be matched up against Washington’s John Wall twice, Chicago’s Derrick Rose, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, and twice against Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving.

It’s a brutal challenge that the 6-foot-6, 185-pounder says he welcomes.

“It’s a big learning experience for me to see what I can get better on against the best of the best,” Carter-Williams said.

General Manager Gersson Rosas leaves Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that Gersson Rosas has resigned as the General Manager.

“I made the personal decision to resign as General Manager of the Dallas Mavericks after determining that the position was not the best fit for me at this point in my career,” said Rosas. “The decision was made solely by me, as I firmly believe this change is in my best interest.”

“Mark Cuban asked me to reconsider my decision, but graciously accepted my decision and we part as friends, Rosas continued. “I would like to thank Mark and the Dallas Mavericks for the opportunity.”

“I was disappointed when Gersson told me of his decision, but I understand and all of us wish him the best,” Cuban said.

Rosas was hired as the team’s General Manager on Aug. 1, 2013.

Suns going to battle with untested big men

It’s going to be a rough year for the Phoenix Suns. There’s no other way to say it. Here are a few of the many reasons why, via Arizona Sports:

The Phoenix Suns are one day away from a new era.

Jeff Hornacek will make his debut as an NBA head coach Wednesday night as the Suns host the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2013-14 season opener for both teams at US Airways Center.

The first-year head coach will take the court with one of the youngest and most inexperienced teams in the league — especially at the center spot.

After last week’s trade of Marcin Gortat to the Washington Wizards, the Suns are left with three post players — Miles Plumlee, Alex Len and Viacheslav Kravtsov — who have a combined 279 minutes of NBA playing experience.

Shaq says Nets could knock off Heat in East

The Miami Heat are still considered the best team in the East — and the league. But on paper, the Brooklyn Nets look able to at least compete with the champs. And Shaquille O’Neal agrees. Here’s the New York Daily News:

The big-name acquisitions made over the summer by GM Billy King have the Nets talking NBA title contention. But the championship rhetoric isn’t contained within the confines of the Barclays Center or the team’s training site in East Rutherford.

Some believe the Nets have what it takes to knock LeBron James and the two-time defending NBA champion Miami Heat from their perch. Former NBA great and current TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal is one of them. He feels Brooklyn’s title aspirations are legitimate, provided its star players can stay on the court and build chemistry.

“If they can stay healthy, I think they can give Miami a run,” O’Neal said Monday at a TNT luncheon in New York, according to SI’s Richard Deitsch. “If they come together, I think they can take Miami.”

The consensus at Nets practice Monday was they were appreciative of his comments and agree with his qualifier regarding the team’s health.