NBA Teams – Page 2325 – NBA Blog

Raptors training camp in Ottawa

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday that Head Coach Sam Mitchell and his team will conduct training camp at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario from September 30 – October 4, and then back at Air Canada Centre from October 5-28. This will be the first time the team has held camp in the nation’s capital.

“We are very excited to hold training camp in our nation’s capital, symbolizing our identity as Canada’s team,” said Bryan Colangelo, Raptors President and General Manager. “Carleton University offers us state of the art facilities and a great working relationship with a highly successful basketball program.”

The Raptors will conduct two-a-day practices at the Ravens’ Nest Gymnasium on the campus of Carleton University. All practice sessions will be closed to the public. A specific practice schedule with days, times and media availability will be released later.

The team will host an open intrasquad game Saturday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. at the Ravens’ Nest Gymnasium. Admission information will be available in the near future.

The Raptors Basketball Development Department, in conjunction with Carleton University Men’s and Women’s Basketball, will conduct three clinics for ages 10-14 at the Ravens’ Nest Gymnasium. A co-ed clinic Thursday, October 2 from 6-7:30 p.m. will be open to the general public. There will be no fee to register for the clinic, however a waiver must be completed and brought by the participant to the clinic. Registration for the co-ed clinic may be done online by going to the Carleton University web site, www.carleton.ca/athletics, and clicking on the Raptors logo.

The Raptors open the 2008 preseason Tuesday, October 7 at Cleveland and return home to play host to the New York Knicks the following evening at 7 p.m. at Air Canada Centre. The club’s 2008-09 regular season opener is Wednesday, October 29 at Philadelphia. The home opener is set for Friday, October 31 versus the Golden State Warriors.

Coach Porter wants Suns to defend

The Suns are known for scoring. As for defense, they’ve actually been better at it than a lot of fans give them credit for. It’s not true that the Suns back away and let the other team shoot layups just to get the ball back quicker. Sometimes they guard layups and only give up open 10-footers. See? But if coach Terry Porter has his way, even that will change. Here’s the Arizona Republic (Paul Coro):

“Our defense will be better just because we’re going to have different schemes,” said Porter, who will have the Suns denying middle penetration, a change from previous seasons, when the Suns forced dribblers to the paint. “It’s always a challenge when you get a new group together. You have to see how everyone responds and plays off each other. From an energy standpoint, we’re going to be solid. Effort is going to be consistent. It really comes down to having more of a presence at the defensive end.”

It’ll be interesting to see how big a factor aging legend Shaquille O’Neal is this season, especially on defense. More from the Arizona Republic:

Depth will bring rotation challenges for Porter to manage. He said a 10-man rotation is hard but added that going nine deep could work. Dragic, a 22-year-old Slovenian, is one of those with a role, backing up Nash. The Suns went through a whirlwind summer to get Dragic. Porter has just begun to get a live look at Dragic in recent weeks. “He’s really good at reading different pick-and-roll situations and fast breaks,” Porter said. “The challenging part for him will be just the adjustment to the culture, the NBA style of play and the physicality of the game. Most point guards struggle a bit their rookie year. “At times, I’m probably going to have to be a little more patient than I am, because I played that position.”

As long as the Suns keep their offense as it’s been, with lots of exciting fast breaks and sweet pick-and-rolls, cutting and movement, I’ll love watching them play. Hopefully, what they do with the ball doesn’t change much now that Mike D’Antoni is gone.

–Jeff

Cousin says Marbury is selfish

A good way to sell a book is to write interesting details about someone famous. And when you’re actually related to that famous person, you probably have some decent stuff to share. Stephon Marbury for a long time has been known as a “me-first” kind of guy, and that’s probably sometimes been unfair. But his own cousin has joined in and shared stuff that helps solidify that reputation. Here’s the New York Daily News (Mark Lelinwalla):

Stephon Marbury has carried the stigma of being a selfish player for the majority of his 12-year NBA career. Now, his older cousin is saying Marbury is even more self-centered off the court and is dishing details on the Knicks point guard in his autobiography, “The Beautiful Struggle,” the Daily News has learned. The book, due out in late September from Xlibris Publishing, has former NBA pro and current overseas player Jamel Thomas alleging that Marbury ruined a potential deal for him with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In it, Thomas includes a conversation that he allegedly had with Kevin Garnett, in which Garnett tells him how Marbury’s presence on the team spoiled his cousin’s chances of signing with Minnesota.

For all you fans who watch every basketball movie that comes out, you’ve seen a little of Jamel Thomas already in the Sebastian Telfair documentary “Through the Fire,” which I really liked. Anyway, as someone who covers the NBA for a living who is also a New Yorker, I’ll definitely be checking the book out and will let you know how must-read it is.

–Jeff

Ewing wants head coaching job

Patrick Ewing wants to be a head coach, still. This despite the fact that if he ever does get the job, every time he stands up or paces the sideline, dozens of fans will be unable to see the game and possibly become unruly. Anyway, here’s the Orlando Sentinel blog (Brian Schmitz):

Q: You’ve said that it seems to take big men longer to land head coaching jobs. How long will you chase this dream?

Patrick Ewing: Hopefully, I’ll get a fair chance. I have a year left on my contract here (with the Magic). I’ll keep doing it until I don’t feel I’m getting a fair shot. Then I’ll mosey into the sunset and do something else.

I can’t say he is or is not one of those next in line guys. I haven’t heard that he was close to getting a head coaching job yet. He may have to stick with being an assistant a bit longer than he may want.

— Jeff

Oklahoma City Thunder store opens

At 5 p.m. Wednesday, the NBA franchise in Oklahoma City was officially named Thunder at a name and logo unveiling event in downtown Oklahoma City. At 5:15, the Thundershop was opened on the ground floor of the Leadership Square building and more than 1,000 fans made their way through the front doors.

Team officials say approximately 1,500 fans attended today’s name and logo unveiling event with the majority of them making their way to the Thundershop. Fans waited several hours to purchase Thunder merchandise, and each customer averaged at least two items per purchase.

“We were impressed with the great response from the fans in Oklahoma City,” said team spokesman Dan Mahoney. “We had customers lined up for several hundred feet outside the Thundershop. We appreciate everyone’s response to today’s announcement.”

Following the event, Thunder players Desmond Mason and Damien Wilkins joined the festivities in the Thundershop. Both purchased Thunder merchandise, while Wilkins helped out some of the fans by bagging their items.

The ThunderShop will be open on the lobby level of Leadership Square from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

Rockets announce two staff promotions

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey today announced the promotion of Gersson Rosas to Director of Player Personnel and the hiring of Arturas Karnisovas as Director of Global Scouting & International Affairs.

“Gersson has demonstrated superior decision making and leadership while his role has rapidly expanded,” said Morey. “This promotion shows the continued quality of his work as he helps the Rockets pursue a championship.”

In his new role, Rosas will be responsible for the evaluation of draft prospects, free agents and potential trades. He will also oversee the coordination of national and international scouting activities. Rosas enters his fifth season with the Rockets after working last season as the team’s Director of Scouting. Previous to that, Rosas served three seasons as the team’s Personnel Video Coordinator/Personnel Scout.

“This is an exciting time to be part of this organization and I would like to thank our owner, Leslie Alexander, Daryl Morey and Rick Adelman for the opportunity to take on this new role with our team,” said Rosas. “Growing up in Houston during the championship years was a special experience and that same excitement seems to be in the air again, so being a part of it at this point in time is very fulfilling.”

Rosas’ experience includes work as a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team at the University of Houston (2003-04), as an assistant coach at Westbury Christian High School (2002-03) and as a basketball coordinator for the Venezuelan Basketball Federation during the 2002 World Basketball Championships.

Additionally, Rosas served as the head coach of the Global Games Prep USA Team during the summer of 2004. Rosas, who began his career in scouting as an intern for the Rockets in 2001-02, has also been a camp coach in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program (2006-08) and at the Reebok RBKU Camp (2006-08).

Karnisovas joins the Rockets after spending the past four and a half years working in the international basketball operations department for the NBA. In his new role with the Rockets, Karnisovas will oversee all of the team’s international scouting operations.

“The addition of Arturas will allow us to continue to develop our international reach in terms of scouting and player evaluation,” said Rosas. “It is always a major benefit anytime you can add an individual to your staff that possesses a wealth of international experience and such a well-rounded understanding of the game.”

Prior to his work with the league, Karnisovas was a decorated international player and a two-time Olympic bronze medalist for Lithuania (1992, 1996). After a stellar four-year career at Seton Hall, Karnisovas enjoyed a professional career overseas that spanned eight years and included stints with Cholet Basket (France, 1994-95), FC Barcelona (Spain, 1995-97; 2000-02), Olympiakos (Greece, 1997-98), and Fortitudo Bologna (Italy, 1998-2000). He was named the FIBA 1997 European Player of the Year and was a three-time FIBA EuroStars participant (1997, 1998, and 1999), earning EuroStars MVP honors in 1997. In addition to reaching the Euroleague Final Four on three occasions, Karnisovas helped his teams capture three Spanish ACB titles (1996, 1997, and 2001), a Spanish National Cup (2001), an Italian League championship (2000) and a silver medal in the European Championship (1995).

Suns going solar to power arena

The Arizona Republic (Ginger D. Richardson) reports: The Phoenix Suns plan to use solar panels for power at the US Airways Center, becoming one of only a handful of professional sports teams that get a portion of their energy from renewable sources like sun or wind. The new photovoltaic system will consist of more than 1,100 panels and be installed on the fifth level of the center’s parking garage at First and Madison streets in downtown Phoenix. At 194 kilowatts, it will produce enough energy to reduce the team’s power usage by the equivalent of 26 home games each season, Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said… The Suns’ installation will cost about $1.5 million, and the team estimates it will receive a yearly rebate of $60,000 to $85,000 from Arizona Public Service Co. via the utility’s renewable-energy incentive program.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I’ll always remember a little pocket FM radio I had when I was a kid, given to me by my dad, which had a solar powered rechargable battery. That thing was cool. And as for this story, stating the obvious, it sounds like every team should move in this direction.

Manu Ginobili has left ankle surgery

The San Antonio Spurs announced that earlier today Manu Ginobili underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to correct a posterior impingement of his left ankle.

The surgery was performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Richard Ferkel.

Ginobili will return to San Antonio on Thursday. He will be in a posterior splint – and on crutches – for three weeks. At the end of the three-week period he will be re-evaluated and begin his rehabilitation process.

Ginobili originally suffered the injury in the Spurs-Suns series in the 2008 NBA Playoffs. The injury hampered Ginobili for the remainder of the postseason. After a rehabilitation program Ginobili was cleared to play in the 2008 Olympics. He re-aggravated the injury in the tournament’s semifinal round in a game versus the U.S.A. on August 22.

Following the conclusion of the Olympic Games Ginobili returned to San Antonio. An MRI conducted last week confirmed that he had re-aggravated the injury and that there was no additional damage to the ankle or the ligament.

Heat waive Stephane Lasme

The Miami Heat announced today that they have requested waivers on forward Stephane Lasme. The 6’8” forward was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the HEAT on Mar. 21, 2008. He was signed for the remainder of the 2007-08 season on Apr. 10. In 16 games (four starts) last season, Lasme averaged 5.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.38 blocks and 18.9 minutes. Lasme was originally the 46th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors for whom he appeared in one game last season before being waived on Nov. 17.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I think Lasme is good enough to land 10-day contracts here and there, and maybe the occasional non-guaranteed deal, but he’ll have to keep improving and really prove himself worthy of a contract that lasts a while. I like him as a player.

It`s official: Oklahoma City Thunder

The Seattle Sonics are now officially the Oklahoma City Thunder. The name was finally confirmed by the team and announced Wednesday at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. The team’s logo was also revealed, and it did turn out to be the same one that spread around the internet a few days ago in a photo on a mini-basketball in plastic-wrap.

Hit the front page of insidehoops.com to see the logo, though I had to edit the surroundings and did a lousy job of that, so don’t blame the team for the white spaces at the bottoms. But, aside from that, there’s the logo.

I’m now posting two polls, asking if fans like the name, and if they like the logo. Hit insidehoops in a few minutes, and scroll down until you see the polls. Then, vote. Tell your friends to do the same.

I personally think ‘Thunder” is a decent name. It’s powerful. And it’ll grow on fans, the same way the Heat name and other names always do over time.

— Jeff