The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports: The Rockets agreed to release center Loren Woods from his contract on Monday, then signed this season’s first-round pick Donte’ Greene before their first game in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League on Monday. Woods, who had been signed late last season to a partially-guaranteed contract for next season, had been receiving interest from several European teams and asked for his release. The Rockets had been considering him as a potential backup for Yao Ming, particularly if they are unable to sign free agent Dikembe Mutombo.
Category: NBA Teams
NBA teams blog
Artest doesn’t want to be a Nugget
The Rocky Mountain News (Chris Tomasson) reports: “I cannot play in Denver because they question my drive to finish my career off strong and not embarrass my family,” Artest wrote Sunday night. “Any player wants to win a championship is low risk.” So what’s that all about? I can’t remember anybody on the Nuggets criticizing Artest. So Artest was sent another e-mail on Monday asking who on the Nuggets might have spoken ill of him. The e-mail also asked if his thinking means he won’t consider Denver when he becomes a free agent next summer. Artest’s answer wasn’t specific. But he’s definitely down on playing for the Nuggets.
Pacers not raising ticket prices
The Indianapolis Star (Phillip B. Wilson) reports: While ticket prices for an Indianapolis Colts game are skyrocketing with the arrival of Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Pacers are bucking the national trend by not raising prices for a second consecutive season… The Pacers, meanwhile, have struggled to keep fans at Conseco Fieldhouse. Their $42.39 ticket average is down from $45.79 two years ago and below the NBA’s 2007 average of $48.83. Still, attendance suffered; the Pacers’ average of 12,221 last season was worst in the NBA.
Nuggets will miss Najera
The Rocky Mountain News (Aaron J. Lopez) reports: Not only was Eduardo Najera an ambassador in the community, but he was the true definition of a team player, something the Nuggets lack far too often. He was one of the team’s best pick-and-roll defenders and never worried about how many points he scored. Not that Najera was invisible on offense. He ran the court as well as any big man on the roster and became a dangerous three-point shooter — much to the delight of coach George Karl, who would love to have three Najeras on his bench every season.
Spurs last season were elderly
The San Antonio Express-News (Mike Monroe) reports: The 13 players who suited up for the Spurs in their playoff run last season averaged 32.46 years old. That made them, if not quite as ancient as dirt, the oldest team in the NBA. Depending, in part, on what Popovich and his assistants see from first-round draft pick George Hill, who is 22, and a group of equally young players who will put their skills on display in summer league games in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City over the next nine days, the Spurs figure to be significantly younger when the 2008-09 regular season begins. Simply plugging free agent signee Roger Mason Jr., 27, in the guard spot once occupied by Brent Barry, who is 36, instantly drops the average age to 31.76. It will drop more before next season’s opener, perhaps dramatically, depending on which players make the roster. Fans and media critics who have been calling for the Spurs to get younger and more athletic may finally be getting their wish.
Marbury puts logo tattoo on head
The New York Post (Marc Berman) reports: Stephon Marbury bounded off the Knicks’ team bus at Vegas’ Valley High last night – a new tattoo inscribed on his left temple. The “3” logo found on his Starbury sneaker and apparel line is now a permanent part of his bald head. Good thing the permanent tattoo ink wasn’t used on his Knick jersey. Even the cocky Marbury knows he may be giving up his Knick jersey in a couple of months, with team president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D’Antoni contemplating waiving him before the season opener.
Gortat and Lee rise for Magic
The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports: Center Marcin Gortat represented significant progress, hardly resembling the player that the Magic sent home after just three summer-league games for more seasoning in 2005. Friday at RDV Sportsplex, Gortat finished as the leading rebounder and shot-blocker in the six-team developmental league. Gortat, 6-feet-11, 240 pounds, has continued to impress since he surprisingly took veteran Adonal Foyle’s job during the playoffs last season as Dwight Howard’s backup. He averaged 12.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, sharing the starring role this summer with Courtney Lee. Lee scored 101 points in five games for a 20.2 average, justifying his reputation as a marquee shooter. He hit 31 of 71 3-pointers for 44 percent and made 31 of 34 free-throw attempts.
DJ Augustin makes great early impression on Larry Brown
The AP reports: The superlatives kept streaming out of Larry Brown’s mouth: Terrific. Attentive. Real good. Great kid. Despite his well-earned reputation of being brutally tough on rookies and point guards, the new Charlotte Bobcats coach couldn’t stop saying nice things about D.J. Augustin — his rookie point guard. “He just does what you ask him to do, without exception,” Brown said after a minicamp practice this week. “I knew he was a good player but he’s far exceeded my expectations.” … Augustin will start in Charlotte’s summer league opener Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers, leading a team of rookies and free agents looking for training camp invitations.
Baron Davis messed up
The Oakland Tribune (Carl Steward) reports: Maybe Baron Davis wasn’t as smart as so many of us thought. He threw away a great situation in a place where he was mostly revered and pampered for a little more money, only slightly more security and the foolish allure of playing in his hometown. That plan works if you’re going with the Lakers. But with the Clippers, particularly with Elton Brand and Corey Maggette now gone, B.D. probably just signed the death warrant on the rest of his career. He might as well be back in New Orleans. By next midseason, with the Clippers slogging through a 57-loss season, Davis will be miserable, bored, sullen out, of shape and probably injured.
Nets add Hayes and Najera
The New York Daily News (Julian Garcia) reports: In reaching agreements with forwards Jarvis Hayes and Eduardo Najera Friday, the Nets added players who fit that description perfectly. It doesn’t hurt that both can do other things that should help keep the Nets competitive until they are able to go on a major shopping spree two summers from now. Hayes, a five-year veteran, played for the Pistons last season, averaging 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds for the Eastern Conference finalists. He can help the Nets in two areas where they need it most – on defense and perimeter shooting. Najera, an eight-year veteran who turned 32 Friday, averaged 5.9 points and 4.3 rebounds with the Nuggets last season. He’s regarded as a tough player who is also great in the locker room.