New Orleans Pelicans Blog – Page 53 – NBA Blog

New Orleans Times-Picayune to limit printing to three days per week

Many daily newspapers have been moving away from paper for years, emphasizing digital news. Lately, some print dailies have been moving away from publishing daily, too.

To try to combat the industry’s decline — in readership, advertising and profits — a handful of newspapers are now cutting back their publishing schedules from seven days a week in print to just three.

The latest to go to three days a week: The storied New Orleans Times-Picayune, one of America’s oldest papers, which announced Thursday that it plans to limit its print schedule — beginning this fall — to Wednesday, Friday and Sunday editions. It will maintain 24/7 online reporting via its site, Nola.com.

This is a tactical trend for New York-based Advance Publications, which owns the Times-Picayune, as it pushes toward a limited print-digital model. Advance said Thursday that in addition to the Times-Picayune, it will also cut back the print frequency of its three papers in Birmingham, Mobile and Huntsville, Ala., to three days.

— Reported by Paul Farhi of the Washington Post

Hornets forward Carl Landry faces uncertain future with team

With an expiring contract and no guarantee from the Hornets on a possible extension, forward Carl Landry may have played his final home game Thursday night at the New Orleans Arena.

With two picks already assured to be among the top 14 in June’s NBA draft, it’s not certain what direction the Hornets may go with their rebuilding plans now that Tom Benson owns the franchise.

But Coach Monty Williams indicated Thursday night that changes are likely ahead for their roster.

“It could be some surprises, and I’ll just leave it at that,’’ Williams said. “We’ve been evaluating older guys, even when they’re not on the floor.’’

— Reported by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Hornets sign Darryl Watkins to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed center Darryl Watkins to a 10-day contract.

The 6’11” center is in his second NBA season, originally appearing in nine games for the Sacramento Kings during the 2007-08 season, averaging 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.9 minutes per game. Undrafted out of Syracuse in 2007 after four seasons with the Orange, Watkins has appeared in preseason games for the Kings (2007-08), San Antonio Spurs (2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) and most recently the Hornets in 2010-11, where he played three games, scoring 2.0 points and pulling down 3.0 rebounds in 9.0 minutes of action.

To make room for Watkins, the Hornets announced today they have waived center Chris Johnson. Johnson has missed the last eight games with a concussion, suffered Apr. 1 against the Phoenix Suns. Originally claimed off waivers on Mar. 20, Johnson played in seven games for New Orleans this season, averaging 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11.5 minutes.

The roster currently stands at 15.

Hornets shut down Chris Kaman

Hornets center Chris Kaman will miss New Orleans’ final five games because of a bruised left tibia.

The Hornets say the injury occurred during New Orleans’ victory over Memphis on Sunday night.

The 7-foot Kaman missed the Hornets’ win at Charlotte on Monday night.

— Reported by the Associated Press

2014 NBA All-Star weekend host city will be New Orleans

New Orleans is slated to host the 63rd NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 16, 2014, it was announced today by NBA Commissioner David Stern.

The 2014 All-Star Game will be played at New Orleans Arena, home of the Hornets, pending the completion of arena and hotel agreements. This will mark the second time that NBA All-Star will be hosted in New Orleans, having previously been held in the “Crescent City” in 2008.

“There is no better place to celebrate and showcase the NBA than in New Orleans, a city with a rich tradition of hosting major events that is second-to-none,” said Stern. “Our 2008 NBA All-Star festivities proved a terrific experience for everyone involved, and we anticipate 2014 will be even better.”

A weeklong celebration, NBA All-Star showcases NBA players’ passion for basketball, engagement with fans, commitment to community and respect for the history and tradition of the game.

“I have always taken great pride in our city hosting Super Bowls. I don’t think any city does it better than New Orleans,” said Tom Benson. “With the NBA, we get the unique opportunity from time to time to host the NBA All-Star Game, which has proven to be one of the highlights of the NBA season and will be a highlight for our city in 2014. I thank Commissioner Stern for making this announcement today and once again proving how much he believes in the city of New Orleans. In February 2013, we will host the Super Bowl. In February 2014, we will host the NBA All-Star Game. The city of New Orleans is the place to be. Hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact will be generated for our region in these back-to-back February events. We could not be more pleased.”

The 2014 All-Star Game will mark the 30th year that Turner Sports will provide NBA All-Star coverage, and the 12th consecutive year the All-Star Game will be televised in primetime on TNT. The All-Star Game will be seen by a worldwide television audience in more than 200 countries and territories and in more than 40 languages.

“The addition of the 2014 NBA All-Star Game is part of an unprecedented run of major sporting events for New Orleans. It started with the 2012 BCS Championship, which was followed by the 2012 Final Four just three months later,” said Governor Bobby Jindal. “In 2013, we will host the Super Bowl and the NCAA Women’s Final Four. No city in America has attracted such a string of major sporting events in such a short period of time. This proves that Louisiana continues to be a world class destination for major events. These events will generate millions in economic return for the city and state, provide thousands of jobs for our citizens and provide immeasurable national and international publicity for our great state.”

“We are pleased to add the 2014 NBA All-Star Game to an already unprecedented lineup of international events being hosted in the city,” said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “Commissioner Stern and the NBA have been unbelievable partners for New Orleans. NBA All-Star 2014 will once again put New Orleans on the world stage and give us an opportunity to showcase our city’s comeback.”

NBA All-Star competitions will get underway on Friday, Feb. 14, as the league’s top rookies and second-year players square off in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge. The following day’s festivities will feature NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, an all-inclusive skills showcase comprised of Haier Shooting Stars, a competition featuring NBA and WNBA players, and NBA legends; Taco Bell Skills Challenge, a contest of top guards working against the clock to complete a series of passes, free throws, layups and agility drills; the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, a longstanding staple of the evening; and the high-flying Sprite Slam Dunk contest. Sunday’s slate of activities will also feature the Sprint Pre-game Concert before the 63rd NBA All-Star Game tips off.

In 2008, more than 2,500 people who attended NBA All-Star rolled up their sleeves and participated in the inaugural All-Star Day of Service. Ten service projects were conducted across New Orleans on Feb. 15, which was at the time the largest single-day effort by the NBA family in its ongoing support in rebuilding the city. The 2008 Day of Service highlighted a weeklong schedule of community events, with NBA All-Stars and participants, former players, NBA business and media partners, and guests coming together to give back to several thousand New Orleans-area residents.

LeBron James captured All-Star MVP honors in a 134-128 victory for the Eastern Conference when New Orleans played host in 2008. James tallied 27 points, including a thunderous drive-and-dunk in the final minute, to secure the award. Ray Allen added 28 points for the East, while the West was paced by 18 points apiece from Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Brandon Roy.

The NBA will continue to celebrate its tradition and commitment to social responsibility during NBA All-Star 2014 with a full schedule of NBA Cares events. NBA Cares will partner with schools, government, and local nonprofit organizations in New Orleans and surrounding areas to highlight the league’s grassroots and community initiatives that reach millions of young people and their parents while providing critical resources to community-based programs.

One of the week’s most popular attractions, NBA All-Star Jam Session, the world’s largest interactive basketball theme park, will be held at The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. At Jam Session, fans can have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of participating in NBA All-Star excitement, with the chance to meet and collect free autographs from NBA players and legends. Jam Session is nonstop basketball action, as fans can shoot, slam, dribble and drive all day; compete against their friends in skills challenges; or get basketball tips from NBA players and legends. Young fans can hang out at Kids Zone, with hoops and interactive activities that are the perfect size for kids’ slam dunks, three-pointers and jump shots. For fans who want NBA entertainment, Jam Session features the NBA’s favorite players, mascots, dance teams and celebrities as they hit Center Court in a variety of basketball competitions, including NBA All-Star Practice and the Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

Owner of New Orleans Saints will buy Hornets

The NBA’s days as an owner of the New Orleans Hornets are drawing to a close. The league reached a tentative agreement early Friday morning with New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson to buy the team for $338 million, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions.

The league chose Benson, who will be purchasing the team by himself, over a group of investors including businessman Raj Bhathal and former NBA head coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy, and former minority owner Gary Chouest, who had tried unsuccessfully to buy the team from majority owner George Shinn three years ago. The Bhathal group also included Larry Benson, Tom Benson’s younger brother.

The New Orleans Times Picayune first reported the sale to Tom Benson on its website this morning.

Benson would be allowed under the NFL’s rules to buy the Hornets. That sport prohibits cross ownership, the rule that prompted the Denver Nuggets’ former primary owner, Stan Kroenke, to transfer ownership of the Nuggets to his son, Josh, when Stan Kroenke obtained a majority ownership stake of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.

— Reported by David Aldridge of NBA.com

Hornets sign Jerome Dyson to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed guard Jerome Dyson to a 10-day contract.

Dyson, a University of Connecticut product, has appeared in 44 regular season games (all starts) with the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Developmental League this season, averaging 17.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 34.0 minutes of play. The 2010 Third Team All-Big East selection was signed to the Hornets training camp roster on December 9th, 2011, appearing in one preseason game with New Orleans (five points and one assist in seven minutes of action). He was the last player waived on December 24th prior to the start of the season.

The 6’3” guard also played 47 games (10 starts) for the 66ers in the 2010-11 season, averaging 15.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists. The 24-year old went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft and played with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2010 preseason.

The Rockville, Maryland native will wear #11 for New Orleans and brings the roster to 15.

Hornets guard Jarrett Jack done for season

Already a massive struggle, the New Orleans Hornets’ season just got even more challenging.

The team announced today that Jarrett Jack will miss the remainder of the season due to a stress fracture in his right foot. Jack has missed the last three games due to the injury.

Jack has appeared in 45 games (39 starts) this season for the Hornets, averaging career-highs of 15.6 points, 6.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 34.0 minutes of play. The seventh-year guard led the team in scoring 16 times this season, in assists 27 times and in rebounds once. He collected five double-doubles and recorded his first triple-double of his NBA career with 17 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds 3/21 vs. GSW.

Hornets guard Eric Gordon may play soon

Barring any unforeseen setbacks or missteps, Hornets shooting guard Eric Gordon — the team’s leading scorer despite playing two games this season — could be back on the court in a matter of days.

Gordon was expected to go through the team’s practice session Tuesday evening, the final step in the rehabilitation process after arthroscopic knee surgery Feb. 14 that removed some cartilage and other debris from his right knee, an injury that arguably wrecked the Hornets’ season and cast Gordon’s future with the team in doubt.

In recent weeks, Gordon has ramped up the intensity of his workouts, he said, building to the point where he’s ready for the final post-operative exam: a full-contact practice to determine if the knee is strong enough to play in the final month of the regular season.

— Reported by Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune

Monty Williams apologizes for Jason Smith foul on Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin

Prefers to not be hacked

New Orleans Hornets coach Monty Williams said before Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers that he sent Clippers forward Blake Griffin an apologetic text after Jason Smith leveled him to the ground in last week’s game between the two teams.

Williams, in his second season as the Hornets’ coach, texted Griffin on Friday, waiting until the day after Smith hit him to earn a two-game suspension for the buzz to die down, he said. Smith sat out Monday’s game — which the Clippers won 97-85 — to complete the suspension.

“I’ll say this, because I’m here in this city: What Jason did was wrong,” Williams said Monday. “I told him that it was and that he went about it the wrong way, and that’s why I reached out to Blake to let him know that it wasn’t something we do on a regular basis.”

— Reported by Pedro Moura, special to ESPN Los Angeles