Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Sam Cassell talks Knicks

NY Newsday (Ken Berger) reports Sam Cassell discussing the Knicks: “New York fans are far from fair-weather fans, but if you don’t play hard for them …” Cassell said at his locker after the Clippers wasted the listless Knicks, 103-94. Cassell didn’t finish the sentence. Didn’t have to.
“They want effort,” he said. “They want guys diving on the floor for loose balls like the early ‘90s. They want guys getting at it, making it a tough basketball game. That’s what New York is all about – battling, like the Giants in the playoffs. But when they don’t see that, they tend to get discouraged. Tickets are very expensive in New York. If you’re paying $1,000 a seat, you want to see effort every night.” “They’ve got Isiah over there, their best three guys played, it pays well,” Cassell said. “Damn, what more you want? You’re playing in New York City. Damn, I wish was like eight years younger and had the opportunity to come to New York to play. Shoot, every night to play in the Garden? Damn, there’s no place like it.”

Rumor: Heat, Suns talking Shaq trade

The Miami Herald (Barry Jackson) reports: The Heat has told center Shaquille O’Neal’s representation that it is talking about trading him and he should be prepared for the possibility of a deal, according to two officials close to the situation. Phoenix has discussed sending forward Shawn Marion and point guard Marcus Banks to the Heat in return for O’Neal. Asked for confirmation, one of O’Neal’s representatives said O’Neal has been made aware that discussions with Phoenix are serious and ongoing, but that a deal was not definite. Dallas also has been mentioned as a potential destination, though the Heat had not immediately informed O’Neal of that possibility. O’Neal, 35, was shocked by the turn of events, an associate said.

The East Valley Tribune (Scott Burdow) writes: The Miami Herald is reporting that the Suns are trying to acquire center Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. I know this is the time for rumors, what with the NBA trading deadline on Feb. 21, but I can’t believe this is true. O’Neal is old and broken down. He would fit into Mike D’Antoni’s system about as well as  a tank on the Autobahn. Plus, he’s owed $40 million over the next two years, which would put owner Robert Sarver into luxury tax territory.

Steve Nash investing in womens soccer league

Ticker reports: Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash is best known for his basketball skills, but soccer isn’t far behind. According to a report on Monday in the St. Louis Business Journal, Nash has joined in as an investor for the Women’s Professional Soccer league. Nash, who grew up playing soccer in Canada, won’t run any of the seven projected franchises, but he will assist in the development of the league.

Charges against Sprewell dropped

The AP reports: Prosecutors are dropping their case against former basketball star Latrell Sprewell, who was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their children. Lucian Chalfen, spokesman for Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore, said Monday the charges will be dismissed in a year if Sprewell stays out of trouble. An order of protection against Sprewell on behalf of Candace Cabbil remains in effect, Chalfen said.

Nets trade Jason Collins to Grizzlies for Stromile Swift

The Memphis Grizzlies acquired center Jason Collins and cash considerations from the New Jersey Nets in exchange for forward/center Stromile Swift, club General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

“Let me first thank Jason Collins for his contribution to the Nets over the past seven years. He was a vital member of the core group of players that went to the playoffs six consecutive years, including two NBA Finals, and we wish him the best of luck for the remainder of his career,” said Nets president Rod Thorn. “With that said, we are pleased to add Stromile to our roster. He is a player who will add athleticism and experience to our frontcourt rotation.”

“We are pleased to add a veteran big man with Jason’s team defensive skills and outstanding intangibles to the Grizzlies,” Wallace said. “He has considerable playoff experience with the Nets and will add depth and a defensive presence at the center position. The entire organization wishes Stromile all the best with the Nets.”

Currently in his seventh season, Collins owns career averages of 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 510 games (404 starts). A strong post defender, Collins had spent his entire NBA career with the Nets after they acquired his draft rights (18th selection in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft) along with Richard Jefferson and Brandon Armstrong from the Houston Rockets for the draft rights to Eddie Griffin on June 27, 2001.

Collins, who attended Stanford with twin brother and current Utah Jazz member Jarron, was the starting center for two NBA Finals teams (2002, 2003) and averaged 3.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 23.7 minutes in 75 career playoff games (58 starts) with the Nets.

In 43 games (23 starts) this season, the 29-year-old is averaging 1.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 15.9 minutes. He will wear jersey No. 34 for the Grizzlies.

Swift, who was originally selected with the second pick overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Grizzlies when the team was still located in Vancouver, has played all but one of his seven-plus seasons with the Grizzlies (2005-06 with the Houston Rockets).

The 6-9, 220-pound forward/center has appeared in 507 games (97 starts) with the Grizzlies and Rockets, and has posted averages of 8.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 20.4 minutes per game. In 35 games (four starts) this season, Swift is averaging 6.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 15.7 minutes.

Swift, 28, ranks among the Grizzlies’ top five all-time franchise leaders in games played (441, 2nd), rebounds (2,128, 5th), free throws made (984, 3rd), free throws attempted (1,387, 3rd), steals (307, 5th) and blocks (607, 2nd).

Players of week: Brad Miller, Hedo Turkoglu

The Orlando Magic’s Hedo Turkoglu and the Sacramento Kings’ Brad Miller today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Jan 28 through Sunday, Feb. 3.

Turkoglu, who earned his second consecutive Player of the Week honor, guided Orlando to a 3-0 week, posting averages of 24.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Turkoglu recorded a season-high-tying eight assists on Feb. 2 in a 121-115 win at Indiana and led or tied in assists in all three of Orlando’s games last week. The Magic sit atop the Southeast Division with a 31-18 record.

Miller, who posted point-rebound double-doubles in each of Sacramento’s three games last week, helped the Kings to a 3-0 record. Miller set a career high with 21 rebounds on Jan. 30 against Charlotte, 18 of which came on the defensive end, setting a Sacramento single-game record. Miller recorded two 20-point, 20-rebound games, joining Chris Webber as the only players in Kings history to record multiple 20-point, 20-rebound efforts. Webber accomplished the feat five times.

Trail Blazers recall Josh McRoberts from D-League

The Portland Trail Blazers recalled forward Josh McRoberts from the NBA Development League’s Idaho Stampede, it was announced today by Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard.

“It was a really good experience,” said McRoberts. “It was the first time that I’d played in a game with extended minutes in a long time, so it was good to get out there and get some game action.”

McRoberts, who was assigned to the Stampede on Jan. 9, averaged 7.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 26.5 minutes in eight games with the Trail Blazers’ D-League affiliate.

Prior to joining the Stampede, McRoberts posted averages of 1.3 points, 0.7 rebounds and 2.3 minutes in three games with the Trail Blazers this season after being selected by Portland with the 37th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

The Duke University product is the fifth player in Trail Blazers history to be assigned to the D-League.

Ramon Sessions out 6 weeks

Milwaukee Bucks rookie guard Ramon (rah-MAHN) Sessions sustained a left hand fracture in the team practice on Friday, February 1, General Manager Larry Harris announced today.  Sessions was originally assigned to the Tulsa 66ers on November 8, 2007, before being recalled from the Bucks D-League affiliate yesterday.  He is expected to miss six weeks of action.

Sessions appeared in 24 games (17 starts) with Tulsa, averaging a team-high 21.1 points (6th in the D-League), a team-high 7.6 assists (3rd in the D-League) and 6.5 rebounds (19th in the D-League) in 36.2 minutes per contest. His points, rebounds and assists add up to 35.2 per game, eighth in the league. Sessions is the only player to be named the D-League Performer of the Week twice this season, claiming the award on November 26, 2007 and January 28, 2008.

A 6-3, 190-lbs guard out of Nevada, Sessions was the 56th overall selection by the Bucks in the 2007 NBA Draft. He has been on assignment in Tulsa for the entire D-League season. He was joined by Bucks teammate David Noel on January 20. Sessions played in five preseason games with the Bucks, averaging 1.4 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 7.0 minutes of action.

Wizards-Lakers team connections

Wizards forward Caron Butler was a Laker for one season in 2004-05…Butler averaged 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in 77 games for Los Angeles, but was dealt to Washington with Chucky Atkins for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit prior to the 2005-06 season…Butler and Lamar Odom were teammates in Miami and were dealt together from the Heat to the Lakers in the trade that brought Shaquille O’Neal to Miami…Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson and Lakers guard Trevor Ariza were teammates in Orlando in 2005-06…Antonio Daniels and Lakers forward Vladimir Radmanovic were teammates in Seattle from 2003-05…Lakers forward Luke Walton and Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas were collegiate teammates at the University of Arizona.