Deron Williams dealing with sprained ankle

Deron Williams recovering from a sprained ankle

Deron Williams will start this year’s training camp like the last — returning from an ankle injury.

The star point guard suffered a right ankle sprain and a bone bruise while working out recently in Utah — where he maintains a home — leaving Williams in a walking boot. He should be ready for training camp, which starts Oct. 1 at Duke University.

But you can’t blame Williams if he takes a cautious approach.

Most of his last season was sabotaged by ankle pain. Williams’ left ankle swelled up during the 2012 Olympics, and he soon began experiencing pain in his right ankle.

Reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Blog)

Charlie Villanueva testifies against Tate George in federal court

Charlie Villanueva
Charlie Villanueva testifies against Tate George in federal court
Doesn’t like being ripped off

[Former college basketball star] Tate George was portrayed as a con man Tuesday in federal court, where prosecutors alleged he used his accountant’s name after firing the guy and made key little mistakes in documents as part of a fraud.

George didn’t send a key letter to the home of Detroit Piston Charlie Villanueva in Rochester, Michigan, testimony revealed. The papers saying the pro baller’s $250,000 could be used any way George wanted instead were mistakenly sent to Rochester, Minn.

Soft-spoken Villanueva took the stand and told the jury he invested the quarter-million with his fellow UConn alum for a George project called Seaview Plaza in troubled Bridgeport, Conn.

It was 2010, Villanueva had just earned a $30 million contract with the Pistons and was looking for investment opportunities. He testified under questioning by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Intrater that he liked the idea of investing in Bridgeport as a way of giving back to the community.

Villanueva was promised the return of his $250,000, a profit of $37,500 and two percent on the gross for years to come; maybe more than $2 million. He never saw a dime.

Reported by Paul Mickle of the Trentonian

Rockets GM stays realistic on shot at championship

Rockets GM stays realistic on shot at championship

Asked by Houston’s SportsRadio 610 about the Rockets’ 2014 championship chances, Morey urged perspective.

“I think there are probably at least three teams better than us if not more,” he said, hardly the type of restraint offered a year ago in Los Angeles, before the Lakers’ Howard, Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant succumbed to injuries.

“Until you’re going into a season felling like you are the top one or two, I think it’s, and we haven’t really accomplished anything, I think it’s hard to talk about, ‘Hey, we’re one of the favorites to win the championship.’ But I do think we go in with a chance, where as we haven’t in the last few years.”

And, yes, he has the Heat a step above, when asked if the Heat, Thunder and Spurs were the three teams he was referencing.

Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel

Rick Barry happy to see Jason Kidd quickly break into NBA coaching ranks

Jason Kidd

“It’s all about timing. (Kidd) never had experience coaching. I actually had experience,” said the 69-year-old, Barry, who played two seasons with the New York Nets of the ABA. “I actually was a head coach in the minor leagues and I couldn’t even get an assistants job. He’s a very lucky young man to get a head coaching job for a team with that kind of talent on it, in that market. So he’s very fortunate. But I’m happy to see them get new blood in there. I’m so tired of these guys recycling guys. They go from one team to another. The guy loses, he gets fired, he gets hired someplace else by one of his buddies that’s a GM or something.

“Jason’s been there. He’s been there out on the floor and knows the things that has to be done. I think it gives him a tremendous advantage. I don’t care how much a guy has watched the game, studied the game, been around the game. If you haven’t played the game at that level, there are things about the game that you really don’t know.”

Barry said he was talked with former Nets coach Butch Beard about joining his staff in the 90s, but ownership nixed the idea. The New Jersey native (Elizabeth) never cracked the coaching ranks in the NBA. Always outspoken and often controversial, he has held several jobs in television and radio broadcasting – giving off the vibe that he’s either been blackballed, or he suffers from a persecution complex.

Reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Blog)

Wizards forward Chris Singleton having foot surgery, out 6-8 weeks

Chris Singleton

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced that forward Chris Singleton will have outpatient surgery today to repair a Jones fracture to the fifth metatarsal of his left foot. He will be out approximately six to eight weeks.

The injury occurred during a voluntary workout at Verizon Center on Tuesday. The Jones fracture was revealed following an X-Ray performed by team doctors and the surgery will be performed by Dr. Marc Connell and Dr. Ed Magur.

CSN Washington on Singleton: “He’s entering a contract year. The Wizards have the option on whether or not to pick up the final year of his rookie deal after the season and he already had more competition at his small forward spot with the addition of rookie Otto Porter. Singleton had a miserable 2012-13 in which his minutes were sporadic and he averaged just 4.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and shot less than 40% from the field and less than 20% from three-point range. Players have been training and doing individual workouts at Verizon Center since mid-August.”

Singleton averaged 4.1 points and 3.2 rebounds in 57 games for the Wizards last season. He did not miss a game due to injury last season and appeared in every game during the 2011-12 season.

Emeka Okafor out indefinitely with herniated disc in neck

Emeka Okafor out indefinitely with herniated disc in neck

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that center Emeka Okafor will be out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a herniated C4 cervical disc.

“I have worked hard over the summer and was looking forward to the start of training camp next week, so this is a disappointing and frustrating situation for me,” said Okafor. “But I have confidence that my teammates and coaches will be able to continue to take steps towards our goal of making the playoffs and that I will be able to do my part to help them once I return.”

After consulting with several specialists and the team doctors, Okafor will begin rehabilitation to reduce the inflammation and correct the injury. The herniated disc was originally revealed through an MRI after Okafor experienced discomfort in his neck.

“Emeka’s professionalism and dedication to taking care of his body are among the best I have ever seen during my time in this league as a player, coach and executive and I know that he will be diligent in his efforts to return to the court as soon as possible,” said Grunfeld. “Until then, his absence will create opportunities for other players to step up and provide the rebounding and defense that Emeka normally contributes.”

Okafor averaged 9.7 points and 8.8 rebounds in 79 games for the Wizards last season. He missed two games due to the flu and the final game of the season with a sprained right ankle.

Boston Celtics waive Donte Greene

Boston Celtics waive Donte Greene

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have waived forward Donte Greene.

Greene, a 6’11” forward, was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies on August 15 in exchange for Fab Melo and cash considerations. Greene posted career averages of 6.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 253 games with Sacramento.

According to ESPN Boston, “Greene came to Boston in a swap with the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Fab Melo and cash considerations. The Grizzlies already waived Melo, which means the Celtics sent approximately $1.7 million to Memphis in order to clear a roster spot and dip below the luxury tax line. Boston now has 14 guaranteed contracts totaling approximately $71.2 million. The luxury tax line is set to be $71.7 million for the 2013-14 season.”

Will Bill Laimbeer eventually land an NBA head coaching job?

It sounds like his failure to land a top job in the NBA has more to do with his personality – and perhaps his past – than his coaching abilities.

Kate Fagan of ESPN.com wrote a lengthy feature story about Laimbeer that offers some insights as to why NBA general managers are turning their backs on the man who was perhaps the baddest of the Pistons legendary Bad Boys.

Under the headline “The Feminization of Bill Laimbeer,” Fagan discusses Laimbeer’s success in the WNBA – he won three titles with the now-defunct Detroit Shock – his brief tenure as an NBA assistant and some of the reasons he has failed to land a job as a head coach in the NBA.

Basically, it sounds like nobody wants to give Laimbeer a shot as a head coach because he’s the same guy who was despised as a player while helping the Pistons win back-to-back NBA titles in 1989-90.

Reported by Brendan Savage of Michigan Live

Celtics need a fine season from Avery Bradley

Celtics need a fine season from Avery Bradley

The data, and the eye test, suggest Bradley took a step back in 2012-13. As much as the Celtics’ announcers raved over his improved jump shot, Bradley’s overall field goal percentage fell to 40.2 percent from 49.8 percent the previous year, while he went from hitting one out of every two shots from 10-15 feet to hitting only one out of every three from that range, according to HoopData. His 3-point shooting accuracy fell to 31.7 percent from 40.7 percent. Most worrisome, his accuracy on corner threes dropped to 34.7 percent last season from 55.6 percent (in an extremely small sample) in 2011-12.

These numbers aside, anyone could see Bradley’s difficulties at the other end of the court in the playoffs, when his most obvious skill, his on-ball defense, virtually disappeared. Raymond Felton made a mockery of the Celtics’ boast that Bradley was “the best ball-stopper in the league” by having his way with No. 0 in the pick-and-roll. With Jeff Green and Brandon Bass stepping up defensively on Carmelo Anthony, a fair argument could be made that the Celtics would have won their series against the Knicks if somebody, anybody, had been able to slow down Felton.

Reported by Ben Watanabe of NESN

Charlotte Bobcats will return to UNC Asheville for training camp

Bobcats Sports & Entertainment announced today that the Charlotte Bobcats will return to UNC Asheville’s Kimmel Arena for their training camps in 2013 and 2014. This year’s training camp will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Prior to training camp, the team will hold Media Day on Monday, Sept. 30, at Time Warner Cable Arena.

“We had great success with our training camp at UNC Asheville last year,” said Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins. “As we anticipated, it was a perfect venue for us, and we are excited to have the opportunity to go back to Kimmel Arena this season and next season.”

Kimmel Arena, which opened in November 2011, is home to the UNC Asheville Bulldogs men’s and women’s basketball teams. The arena is located in the Wilma M. Sherrill Center and has a capacity of over 3,200 for basketball. The multipurpose facility has hosted over 100,000 guests since its opening, and offers the modern amenities fans, players, and coaches expect, including wide concourses with views of the court, large video boards, intimate and comfortable seating and outstanding training facilities.