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Full 2010 preseason schedule

The NBA today released its 2010 preseason schedule, which is highlighted by a comprehensive international slate of games that includes seven contests in China, Europe and Mexico. The preseason slate tips off on Oct. 3, when the New York Knicks visit Armani Jeans Milano – the former team of Knicks forward Danillo Gallinari and head coach Mike D’Antoni – in Milan, Italy, and the New Jersey Nets host Maccabi Haifa.

As is the case these days, the action starts overseas, with a few NBA squads heading to Europe.

I’ve always had mixed feelings about teams playing preseason ball overseas. Because generally it’s just a warmup. I think if NBA fans overseas are going to get a rare taste of live NBA action, it should be the best basketball possible, and we usually don’t see that before the regular season begins.

See the complete 2010-11 NBA preseason schedule.

Brook Lopez pulls out of world championships; replaced by McGee

The AP reports:

New Jersey center Brook Lopez, struggling to recover from a bout with mono, has withdrawn from the U.S. national team and will be replaced by Washington’s JaVale McGee.

Lopez informed USA Basketball officials Wednesday that he didn’t believe he was in good enough condition to take part in training camp next week in New York.

InsideHoops.com editor says:

Team USA is now dreadfully short on legit big-men. The squad’s current 15-man roster includes centers Tyson Chandler and McGee, and power forwards Kevin Love, Lamar Odom and Jeff Green. If Green does not make the final 12-man roster — and I had assumed he wouldn’t, though perhaps this increases his chances — the team will be very thin up front.

2010-11 Wizards preseason schedule

The Washington Wizards announced their seven-game 2010 preseason schedule today, highlighted by two preseason games at Verizon Center. After playing at Dallas (Oct. 5), Cleveland (Oct. 7) and Chicago (Oct. 8) to open the preseason schedule, the Wizards will return home to host the Atlanta Hawks on October 12 and the Milwaukee Bucks on October 14 at Verizon Center. The Wizards will conclude 2010 preseason action with games in New York against the Knicks (Oct. 17) and versus Detroit in Toledo, OH (Oct. 19) before opening the regular season on Oct. 28 at Orlando.

“We are excited for the 2010-11 season to begin, and our preseason games will allow our fans a preview of what is ahead for our team,” said Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld. “The anticipated debuts of our offseason additions and the return of our veteran players give us much to look forward to as we head into the upcoming season.”

The NBA announced last night that the Wizards will open the season at Orlando in a nationally-televised game on TNT. The entire 2010-11 regular season schedule will be announced on Tuesday, August 10.

Wizards re-sign Josh Howard

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has re-signed free agent swingman Josh Howard. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced. It had been reported that the deal would be for one year.

“We were impressed with Josh’s versatility, how well he fit in with our team and his attitude and work ethic both before and after his unfortunate knee injury,” said Grunfeld. “His experience playing in a winning situation makes him an ideal veteran presence for us as we develop our roster of young talent.”

A former All-Star (2007), Howard holds career averages of 15.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in 435 games (371 starts) over seven professional seasons in Dallas and Washington, including career highs of 19.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists during the 2007-08 season. He was originally acquired by the Mavericks in the first round (29th pick) of the 2003 Draft, and later appeared in 62 career playoff games (57 starts) for Dallas, with averages of 15.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in postseason play. Howard averaged 16.7 points and 7.4 rebounds in 23 playoff games (all starts) for the Mavericks during their run to the 2006 NBA Finals.

Howard initially joined the Wizards via trade from Dallas on February 13, 2010, and appeared in four games (three starts) for Washington last season. In his first three contests as a Wizard, he averaged 17.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game before a knee injury on February 22nd vs. Chicago caused him to miss the final 28 games of the season.

Wizards sign Hilton Armstrong

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed center Hilton Armstrong to a free agent contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

“Hilton brings what we were looking for in a backup center for our roster,” said Grunfeld. “He is a defensive-minded, skilled big man who will be able to provide consistent minutes and step in to fill a larger role when necessary.”

Armstrong (6-11, 235), the 12th overall selection in the 2006 NBA Draft (by New Orleans), holds career averages of 3.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 224 games (37 starts over four professional seasons with New Orleans, Sacramento and Houston. He registered career-highs of 4.8 points (.561 field goal percentage) and 2.8 rebounds per game in 70 games (29 starts) during the 2008-09 season with the Hornets. A former Big East Defensive Player of the Year and All-Big East performer, Armstrong also helped the University of Connecticut to the NCAA championship as a sophomore.

Mavericks re-sign Brendan Haywood

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have re-signed center Brendan Haywood. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. We’ll add contract details later today.

Haywood (7-0, 263) re-signs with the Mavericks after originally being acquired in a seven-player trade with Washington that also brought Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas on Feb. 13, 2010. Following the trade, during which time the Mavericks posted a 23-7 record, Haywood averaged 8.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 26.5 minutes in 28 games (19 starts). The eight-year veteran finished the season with averages of 9.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 blocks (fourth in NBA) and 30.6 minutes in 77 games.

Last season, Haywood became only the third player in the last 20 years to record 20-rebound games with two different teams in a single season after coming down with 20 boards vs. Indiana on Feb. 22 and 20 at Chicago as a member of the Wizards on Jan. 15.

Drafted by Washington out of the University of North Carolina in 2001, Haywood played 579 games for the Wizards and left as the franchise’s longest-tenured player. He ranked third all-time in franchise history in field goal percentage, fourth all-time in blocked shots and sixth all-time in rebounds and games played.

The Greensboro, N.C., native holds career averages of 7.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in 607 contests (469 starts).

Bulls trade Kirk Hinrich to Wizards

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired guard Kirk Hinrich, the draft rights of first round pick Kevin Seraphin and cash considerations from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for the rights to Vladimir Veremeenko (a second-round draft pick of the Wizards in 2006).

“We are excited to add Kirk and Kevin to our team, as their acquisition significantly bolsters our roster,” said Grunfeld. “Kirk will provide another solid veteran presence to our backcourt and bring playoff-tested toughness, defense and leadership. Kevin is a talented young player with tremendous size and physicality, and we are looking forward to helping him reach his full potential.”

“During this free agency period, we wanted to aggressively position ourselves to explore every avenue possible to improve our team. That said, it was not an easy decision for us trade Kirk, but one that we felt was necessary in order to make the Chicago Bulls a better basketball team,” said Chicago Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. “Since Kirk joined us back in 2003, he came to play every time he stepped on the court and he always gave 100 percent. We will miss Kirk and wish him the best of luck.”

Veremeenko (6-10, 230), is a 25-year old native of Gomel, Belarus. Selected in the second round (48th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, Veremeenko spent the 2009-10 season with Unics Kazan (Russia-A Superleague).

Seraphin (6-9, 264), was drafted by Chicago in the first round (17th selection) in the 2010 NBA Draft. The 20-year forward played last season with Cholet Basket in France.

Hinrich, selected by Chicago in the first round (seventh overall) in the 2003 NBA Draft, spent the last seven seasons with the Bulls. In 514 career games (433 starts) with Chicago, Hinrich averaged 13.4 ppg, 5.8 apg, 3.4 rpg, 1.27 spg, 34.1 mpg and shot .415 from the field, .379 from behind the arc and .809 from the line. He also played in 34 playoff games with the Bulls and averaged 15.3 ppg, 5.8 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.41 spg, 35.8 mpg and shot .421 from the field, .405 from downtown and .757 from the line.

Hinrich leaves the Bulls ranking first in team history in three-point field goals made (812), first in three-point field goals attempted (2,144), fourth in assists (3,004), fourth in steals (655), fifth in turnovers (1,116), sixth in three-point field goal percentage (.379), sixth in disqualifications (30), seventh in minutes played (17,502), eighth in points (6,902) and 10th in field goals made (2,510).

Clippers meet with Mike Miller

Frank Burlison of the Los Angeles Daily News reports:

Some 24 hours after meeting with the star of the most publicized period of free agency in NBA history, the Clippers had another discussion with a member of the class Saturday.

Mike Miller, a 6-foot-8, 30-year-old forward who averaged 10.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game with the Washington Wizards during his 10th season in the league, met with team president Andy Roeser and general manager Neil Olshey at the team’s complex…

Miller, who hit .480 on 3-pointers and .501 overall, averaged a career-best 18.5 points per game for Memphis during the 2007-08 season.

Gilbert Arenas new jersey number is 9

CSN Washington reports:

Washington Wizards Gilbert Arenas has chosen a new number for the 2010-2011 season. Arenas is listed as No.9 on the Wizard’s website.

Agent Zero wanted to change his jersey from No. 0, a number he has worn since college, in hopes for a fresh start and a new image after a tumultuous season of a 50-game suspension and a felony conviction for bringing guns into the locker room.

InsideHoops.com editor says:

There are only a small number of gun names/references that pretty much everyone knows. Bigger guns like an Ak-47, M-16. A medium-sized one like an Uzi. And smaller ones like a 45 or a 9. That’s all I can think of. So, really, is 9 the best choice for a guy who was just suspended for gun-related issues?

Anyway, I don’t care much about jersey numbers. I’m about basketball. So, here’s hoping that Gilbert has a great return to the NBA. The combo of John Wall at point and Arenas as a scoring guard should be terrific to watch and that’s what I’ll be anticipating next season.

John Wall to wear jersey #2

The AP reports:

The Washington Wizards’ No. 1 overall draft pick announced Wednesday night on Twitter his choice of jersey for the start of his NBA career.

Wall made the simple post: “I picked to wear (number symbol)2 for nxt yr”. He offered no immediate explanation, although the easy interpretation is that he added up the digits of the number he wore at the University of Kentucky.