Phoenix Suns Blog – Page 50 – NBA Blog

NBA says NYTimes.com blog was based on inaccurate info

The following is an official release from the NBA:

The information from Forbes that serves as the basis for this article is inaccurate and we do not know how they do their calculations. Forbes does not have the financial data for our teams and the magazine’s estimates do not reflect reality.

Precisely to avoid this issue, the NBA and its teams shared their complete league and team audited financials as well as our state and Federal tax returns with the Players Union. Those financials demonstrate the substantial and indisputable losses the league has incurred over the past several years.

The analysis that was posted this afternoon has several significant factual inaccuracies, including:

“(The NBA) is a fundamentally healthy and profitable business”

• The league lost money every year of the just expiring CBA. During these years, the league has never had positive Net Income, EBITDA or Operating Income.

“Many of the purported losses result from an unusual accounting treatment related to depreciation and amortization when a team is sold.”

• We use the conventional and generally accepted accounting (GAAP) approach and include in our financial reporting the depreciation of the capital expenditures made in the normal course of business by the teams as they are a substantial and necessary cost of doing business.

We do not include purchase price amortization from when a team is sold or under any circumstances in any of our reported losses. Put simply, none of the league losses are related to team purchase or sale accounting.

“Another trick…moving income from the team’s balance sheet to that of a related business like a cable network…”

• All revenues included in Basketball Related Income (“BRI”) and reported in our financial statements have been audited by an accounting firm jointly engaged by the players’ union and the league. They include basketball revenues reported on related entities’ books.

“Ticket revenues… are up 22% compared to 1999-2000 season”

• Ticket revenues have increased 12% over the 10 year period, not the 22% reported.

“17 teams lost money according to Forbes … Most of these losses were small…”

• Forbes’ claim is inaccurate. In 2009-10, 23 teams had net income losses. The losses were in no way “small” as 11 teams lost more than $20M each on a net income basis.

“The profits made by the Knicks, Bulls and Lakers alone would be enough to cover the losses of all 17 unprofitable teams.”

• The Knicks, Bulls and Lakers combined net income for 2009-10 does not cover the losses of the 23 unprofitable teams. Our net loss for that year, including the gains from the seven profitable teams, was -$340 million.

“Forbes’s estimates — a $183 million profit for the NBA in 2009-10, and those issued by the league, which claim a $370M loss…”

• Forbes’s data is inaccurate. Our losses for 2009-10 were -$340 million, not -$370 million as the article states.

“The leaked financial statements for one team, the New Orleans Hornets, closely matched the Forbes data…”

• This is not an accurate statement as operating income in the latest Forbes data (2009-10) is $5M greater than what is reported in the Hornets audited financials.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Will Celtics try to land Grant Hill?

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports:

Grant Hill is concentrating on staying in shape, and he takes nothing for granted after ankle problems and a hernia cost him significant parts of four seasons. In his six seasons in Orlando (2000-07), Hill played just 200 games. He blamed the Magic for misdiagnosing an ankle injury and botching the initial surgery, and spent years trying to regain the form that made him one of the game’s best scorers. He never quite got back to that level, but Hill was able to reinvent himself.

“I think going through all that helped me really learn and understand how to take care of myself, just really being in tune with my body,’’ he said. “I feel like I wear down more mentally than I do physically. I went out to Phoenix thinking I’d play two years, and now it’s four going on five. I don’t want to put a number on it. I want to take it year by year, but I definitely have a lot left in the tank.’’

Depending on his price and desire to come off the bench, Hill could be a target of the Celtics. He has a strong relationship with Doc Rivers, who wanted Hill to sign with Boston before he opted for Phoenix. Perhaps if Hill had remained healthy, Rivers’s coaching stint in Orlando would have been more successful.

“He was great, still is, he’s a friend,’’ Hill said of Rivers. “He was so supportive. It’s woulda, coulda, shoulda, we might have done some pretty good things together but it didn’t happen. I think I’m a better person going through all of that. And he’s a better coach. I think he will tell you that. It’s prepared him probably even more so what he’s doing now in Boston. It hasn’t hurt the friendship or relationship, at least I don’t think so, but it was an unfortunate set of circumstances.’’

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Phoenix Suns forward Gani Lawal still rehabbing his knee

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic (blog) reports:

If there was one last Suns player leaving the building to turn out the lights and lock the door before the lockout hit, it probably would have been Gani Lawal.

Lawal has been the most frequent Suns resident at US Airways Center since the season ended in mid-April. The 2010 second-round pick will complete the final month of his knee rehabilitation elsewhere in the Valley now that the lockout prohibits players from receiving treatment from team personnel.

The Suns might have bigger hopes for this year’s power forward draft pick, Markieff Morris, but Lawal has big plans for himself with the team.

“I think I’ll really be able to help us next year,” Lawal said after one of his weekday workouts. “I really do believe that in my heart. I’m looking forward to getting out there.”

Suns, Vince Carter agree to change date contract is guaranteed

The Phoenix Suns and guard Vince Carter have agreed to modify the date on which Carter’s contract becomes fully guaranteed, the club announced today. Originally, the Suns had until Thursday, June 30, but that date has been changed to the start of NBA free agency for the 2011-2012 season.

“This change gives us additional time and flexibility to make a decision on Vince’s contract,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby.

The 6-6, 220-pound Carter was originally acquired by the Suns from the Orlando Magic on Dec. 18, 2010, along with Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round pick and cash considerations in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark. Carter appeared in 51 games (41 starts) following the trade, and averaged 13.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in a Suns uniform.

Carter is a 12-year NBA veteran who owns eight NBA All-Star appearances, including seven selections as a starter. Carter was the 1998-99 NBA Rookie of the Year, earned All-NBA honors in 2000-01 (Second Team) and 2001-02 (Third Team), and won an Olympic Gold Medal as a member of the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

The 33-year-old Carter, who currently ranks eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list among active players (20,520), is 189 points shy of passing George Gervin for 34th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Carter averaged 20 or more points in 10-straight seasons from 1999-2000 to 2008-09, and owns career averages of 22.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 925 games (907 starts) with Toronto (1998-04), New Jersey (2004-09), Orlando (2009-10) and the Suns. Carter has appeared in 56 playoff games in six career appearances, and owns postseason averages of 23.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

Suns extend qualifying offer to Aaron Brooks

The Phoenix Suns have extended a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Aaron Brooks, the team announced today.

The 6-0, 161-pound Brooks was acquired by the Suns from the Houston Rockets at the 2011 trade deadline on Feb. 24 in exchange for Goran Dragic and a 2011 first-round draft pick. The 26-year-old Brooks appeared in 25 games (five starts) for Phoenix, averaging 9.6 points and 4.2 assists following the trade.

An established NBA point guard who owns career averages of 12.5 points and 3.6 assists in 272 games (129 starts), Brooks was originally selected by the Rockets with the 26th overall pick (first round) of the 2007 NBA Draft. The former Oregon Duck was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2009-10 after averaging career highs of 19.6 points and 5.3 assists while starting all 82 games for Houston. Brooks garnered the honor after registering the largest scoring increase of any NBA player (+8.4 points), and leading the NBA in three-point field goals made (209). The sharpshooting playmaker became just the sixth player in league history to tally at least 200 three-pointers and 400 assists in a single season.

A four-year pro, Brooks has made two playoff appearances in his first three NBA seasons, appearing in 19 postseason contests (13 starts), and averaging 12.8 points and 2.5 assists. Brooks started all 13 playoff games for the Rockets in 2009, as Houston won its opening round series and pushed the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers to seven games in the semifinal round. Brooks averaged career playoff highs of 16.8 points and 3.4 assists in 2009.

A four-year performer at the University of Oregon, Brooks earned Second-Team All-America honors as a senior, and was a member of the Wooden Award All-American Team and the All-Pac-10 First Team as a senior when he led the conference in scoring (17.7).

Suns say they will not trade Steve Nash

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:

Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby had an emphatic response to a Wednesday morning espn.com report that the Suns have discussed trading Nash to Minnesota in a package for the No. 2 pick in Thursday’s draft. It came on the heels of denying another espn.com report that the Suns explored sending Marcin Gortat to Minnesota.

“We are not trading Marcin Gortat. Period. End of sentence,” Babby said Wednesday morning. “We are not trading Steve Nash. Period. Exclamation point.”

The espn.com article did note how doubtful it is that Nash would be dealt to Minnesota, a 17-65 team last season, based on the presumption that Nash would want to play for a contender if he asked for a trade and that the Suns would abide.

Tina Charles and Candice Dupree rock WNBA this week

Tina Charles of the Connecticut Sun and Candice Dupree of the Phoenix Mercury, were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for regular season games played Monday, June 13 through Sunday, June 19.

While leading the Sun to a 2-0 record, Charles ranked first in the league in scoring with 28.5 ppg, and among Eastern Conference players, ranked first in field goal percentage (.632), and third in rebounds (11.0 rpg). This marks Charles’s second Player of the Week award in her career.

On June 16, Charles scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 79-71 win over the Washington Mystics. Three days later, she also recorded a career-high 31 points, while tying a franchise-record with 13 field goals, to go along with 12 rebounds in notching her second consecutive double-double in an 83-68 victory over the Chicago Sky. In her second season, the 2010 WNBA Rookie of the Year is averaging 20.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.

On the week, Dupree led the league with 15.0 rebounds per game. She also recorded her third consecutive double-double, the longest such streak of her career, which ties for third in the WNBA this season. Among Western Conference players, she ranked second in blocks (2.0 bpg) and sixth in scoring (19.5 ppg).

Her week was highlighted by setting a franchise record with 18 rebounds and scoring 21 points in a 93-89 victory over the Indiana Fever on June 19. It was the second 20-15 performance of her career, both coming with the Mercury. Dupree also scored 18 points and registered 12 rebounds, along with a block on June 17 against San Antonio.

The honor is Dupree’s fourth Player of the Week award in her career.

Other candidates for WNBA Players of the Week were Los Angeles’s Ebony Hoffman, Minnesota’s Seimone Augustus, San Antonio’s Sophia Young, Seattle’s Sue Bird, Tulsa’s Ivory Latta, and Washington’s Nicky Anosike.

Suns swingman Mickael Pietrus exercises option to stay with Phoenix

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Mickael Pietrus has exercised the one-year player option on his contract and will return to Phoenix for the 2010-11 season, the club announced today.

The 6-6, 215-pound swingman appeared in 38 games (4 starts) for the Suns, averaging 7.4 points and 2.2 rebounds. An eight-year NBA veteran with Phoenix (2010-11), Orlando (2008-10) and Golden State (2003-08), Pietrus owns career averages of 8.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 496 games (150 starts), and is a 35.9-percent three-point shooter.

Phoenix acquired Pietrus on Dec. 18, 2010 in a six-player trade with the Orlando Magic that included eight-time NBA All-Star Vince Carter, center Marcin Gortat, this year’s first-round draft pick and cash considerations in exchange for Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark.

Pietrus, whose nationality and play earned him the nickname “Air France,” grew up in Les Abymes on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, which is located approximately 310 miles southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He left the island for France at the age of 15 to join the junior program of French powerhouse Pau Orthez (PO OR-tez), and played four seasons professionally for Pau Orthez after making his debut at the age of 17.

Pietrus, 28, was originally selected with the 11th overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and spent his first five career seasons in Oakland before signing a free-agent deal with Orlando on July 10, 2008. A key reserve during the Magic’s run to the 2009 NBA Finals, Pietrus averaged 10.5 points while appearing in all 24 games that postseason.

Shaq reportedly in middle of kidnapping, robbery, sex tape case

TMZ reports:

Shaquille O’Neal is embroiled in a criminal case in which 7 gang members allegedly kidnapped, beat up and robbed a man who claimed to have a tape showing Shaq having sex with other women while he was married to Shaunie.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ … Ladell Rowles — a member of the Main Street Mafia Crip Gang in L.A. who is friends with Shaq — along with 6 other members went on a search and destroy mission in L.A. on February 11, 2008. They believed a man named Robert Ross had the sex tape and they tried getting it back with the help of a gun or two.

According to the police report, the 7 gang members met up with Ross at a convenience store — Pink Dot — on the Sunset Strip. The men allegedly surrounded Ross’ Rolls Royce Phantom with guns drawn, jumped into Ross’ car and ordered him to drive to Rowles’ house in South Central L.A.

Once there, Rowles allegedly pistol whipped Ross and demanded that he turn over the sex tape. Ross said he would get the tape and bring it back to them. The 7 men then allegedly took Ross’ Rolex, diamond chain and earrings, along with $15,000 in cash — then let Ross go.

The 7 men have been arrested and charged with robbery, kidnapping and other crimes.

InsideHoops.com says: Well, this all sounds like anyone’s typical morning. But seriously, of course being a fan of Shaq like everyone else, I certainly hope the report isn’t accurate.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Suns swingman Mickael Pietrus to pick up contract option

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:

Agent Bill McCandless would not have been doing his job had his client, Suns swingman Mickael Pietrus, opted out of his contract this summer and declined a $5.3 million option to be a free agent.

Pietrus waited to decide on the option until Monday afternoon but he is no fool. McCandless said Pietrus will opt in. That does not necessarily mean that he will remain a Suns player for the final year of his contract, given Phoenix’s overabundance of wing players.

McCandless said he and Pietrus are aware of the possibility of a Suns trade to better balance their roster.

“I’ll be surprised if Lon (Babby, Suns president of basketball operations) doesn’t make a couple deals on draft day or later,” McCandless said.