NBA players authorize return of union

NBA players have authorized the return of the players’ association, with more than 300 submitting the necessary signatures to a third-party accounting group.

The union must re-form before players and owners can continue negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. The hope is to complete the CBA next week so both sides can ratify it in time to open training camps Dec. 9.

When talks with the NBA broke down Nov. 14, the NBPA disclaimed interest in representing the players, paving the way for them to file an antitrust lawsuit against the league. But negotiations continued despite the litigation, and a tentative agreement was reached early last Saturday.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Charles Oakley will not return to Bobcats coaching staff

Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced today that Charles Oakley will not return as an assistant coach on Paul Silas’ staff.

“I’ve known Charles Oakley for a long time and his work ethic as a coach mirrored the intensity he displayed during his playing career,” Higgins said.  “While we are disappointed that things did not work out the way we had hoped, we want to thank Charles for his efforts last season and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Deron Williams will not sign extension with New Jersey Nets

Deron Williams

Deron Williams’ agent said his client will play out this season and take his chances as a free agent.

“Deron will not be signing the extension,” Jeff Schwartz told The Record this afternoon. “Based on the new rules it doesn’t make any sense for him to sign the extension. It has nothing to do with how much he likes New Jersey. Because of the rules, he’s going to play the season out and opt out of his deal.”

As The Record reported in today’s editions, sources with knowledge of the Nets thinking had been resigned to the fact that the chances of Williams’ signing an extension were slim.

According to the new rules, Williams can get a two-year extension from the Nets for roughly $39 million that would be tacked on to the two years, $31 million he has remaining on his deal. If Williams opts out after the season, he could get five years, and about $101 million from the Nets or four years and $73 million from another team.

— Reported by Al Iannazzone of the Bergen Record

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Danny Ainge says Celtics not looking to trade Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Thursday that he has no intentions of trading point guard Rajon Rondo and suggested he’s unsure where the rumors that insinuated that he was lusting over New Orleans star Chris Paul originated this week.

After noting that he wanted to keep his core together and later identifying that core as the team’s four All-Stars (Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett), Ainge was asked point blank if he was planning to trade Rondo.

“I’m not, no,” bottom-lined Ainge during a press conference with coach Doc Rivers to discuss the team’s post-lockout agenda.

“I”ll talk to Rondo,” Ainge added. “But I won’t tell you what I’ll say to him. Rondo will be fine, Rondo knows that we love him. He knows that we like him. He’s excited to come back and play basketball, in my opinion. He gets a lot of attention; He’s a great player. There’s a lot of people that call me and aks me about Rondo. So, how these rumors get out, it’s unfortunate, but we didn’t leak those rumors out. We’ll deal with it. He’ll be fine.”

— Reported by Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston

Pacers president Larry Bird preaching patience

Patience.

That’s what Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird and general manager David Morway say is their approach in using up their projected $21 million in salary cap space once the free agency period begins Dec. 9.

“We’re not going to spend all of our money right away,” Bird said. “We come off more next year.”

Bird and Morway have been actively working the phones trying to find a starting power forward and another scorer.

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star 

Trail Blazers deny that team has made decision on Brandon Roy

Brandon Roy

The Trail Blazers have not made any decisions on using the amnesty provision to waive Brandon Roy.

Team president Larry Miller, in a packed news conference at the Rose Garden on Wednesday, was adamant a that column by The Oregonian’s John Canzano — which quoted a source saying Portland had decided to waive Roy — was dead wrong.

“We have not, and regardless of what’s been said by John Canzano and others out there, (made a) decision on amnesty as of yet,” Miller said.

In addition to Canzano, KATU.com and at least one national website reported that the Blazers intended to use the amnesty clause to jettison Roy’s contract from the salary cap.

— Reported by Mike Tokito of the Oregonian

Tyson Chandler expects to leave Mavs

Tyson Chandler

In a surprise development on the first day that NBA teams and agents could start talking about new contracts, Tyson Chandler came away convinced that his time with the Dallas Mavericks is coming to an end.

“I really think I’m going to be on a new team come training camp,” Chandler told ESPN.com in a telephone interview Wednesday night. “I’m really taking a hard look at all of my options, trying to see what best suits me.”

Chandler’s doubts about the Mavericks’ willingness to re-sign him to a lucrative long-term deal will be welcome news for organizations throughout the league. Chandler and Denver center Nene rank as the two most coveted unrestricted free agents in the 2011 class, but the overwhelming sentiment in many front offices has been that Chandler’s return to Dallas was essentially a done deal after the 7-footer’s role in helping the Mavericks win their first championship.

Chandler, though, insisted Wednesday that such assumptions are a misnomer and admitted for the first time that he’s disappointed by the club’s decision not to offer him a contract extension after he was widely credited — most notably by Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki — for changing the team’s defensive culture after three first-round exits in the previous four years.

— Reported by Chris Broussard and Marc Stein of ESPN.com

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Nuggets hope to re-sign Nene, Arron Afflalo

Nene

Denver Nuggets General Manager Masai Ujiri said he will try to re-sign free agents Nene and Arron Afflalo when teams can agree to terms with players starting Dec. 9.

Nene opted out of the last season of his contract and is one of the most sought-after players on the market. Ujiri said he has contacted the center’s agent and wants to bring him back.

Afflalo is a restricted free agent.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Kris Humphries files for annulment against Kim Kardashian, says he was defrauded

Kris Humphries

TMZ has learned … Kris Humphries just filed for an annulment against Kim Kardashian, on grounds Kim defrauded him into marrying her.

Sources close to Kris tell TMZ … Kris was not in on the alleged fraud, meaning he did not stage the marriage for Kim’s reality show.  We’re told Kris wanted this to be a genuine marriage, but Kim was never really on board.

Kim has already filed for divorce — but according to the docs, obtained by TMZ — Kris wants Kim to pay his attorney’s fees.

— Reported by TMZ

Nets GM denies Dwight Howard trade talks

Dwight Howard

Nets general manager Billy King vehemently denied rumors Wednesday that he was in trade discussions with the Orlando Magic regarding All-Star center Dwight Howard.

“I’ll go on the record that I haven’t talked to Orlando about a trade since February, right before the trade deadline,” King said at a press conference at the team’s practice facility. “I have not had any conversations at all with my good friend Otis (Smith, the Magic general manager).

“So, I don’t know where that is coming from.”

There were published reports which stated the Nets were in talks with the Magic about trading two first-round draft picks and center Brook Lopez in return for Howard, who is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent next June.

King also promised that if a trade does happen involving any Nets, it won’t be a long, drawn-out process like the three-month pursuit of Carmelo Anthony was last season. Several Nets were subjected to daily rumors throughout the early part of last season and Anthony eventually ended up landing with the Knicks.

— Reported by the Associated Press

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