Rockets sign Antonio Anderson and Jordan Eglseder for training camp

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed guard Antonio Anderson and center Jordan Eglseder.

Anderson (6-6, 215, Memphis) averaged 16.2 points (.487, 242-497 FG), 6.1 assists and 1.25 steals in 40 games (40 starts) with Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley, helping guide the Vipers to the 2009-10 D-League championship. He was named to the All-NBA Development League Third Team and participated with the Western Conference in the 2010 D-League All-Star Game. Anderson’s efforts earned him a GATORADE Call-Up to the NBA, signing a 10-day contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 22 and inking a second 10-day contract on Mar. 5. As a collegian, Anderson played four seasons at the University of Memphis. He was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and earned All-Defensive Team honors for three straight seasons.

Eglseder (7-0, 280, Northern Iowa) finished his four-year career at Northern Iowa with averages of 9.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.02 blocks in 118 games (75 starts). The first 7-footer to ever hit the hardwood with UNI, Eglseder was one of just 13 Panthers to reach 1,000 points (1,066) and 500 rebounds (656) in a career. He also became the 32nd UNI player to reach 1,000 career points. Eglseder started all 32 games in 2009-10, averaging 11.9 points and 7.2 rebounds en route to the Panthers upset of number-one ranked Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and a school-record 30 wins. As a senior, Eglseder was a NABC District-16 First Team selection, a USBWA All-District pick and earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.

NBA, Players Association praise today’s meeting

The National Basketball Association and National Basketball Players Association issued the following statement:

“Today the NBPA and the NBA held another bargaining meeting that was both cordial and constructive.  We all agreed to continue the dialogue, and during the three-hour meeting, a number of issues were identified that will be addressed in smaller groups leading up to the next bargaining meeting.”

Mark Cuban again facing insider trading suit

Eric Torbenson of the Dallas Morning News reports:

Dallas Mavericks  owner Mark Cuban  had a turnover in federal court Tuesday as an appeals panel sent his insider trading case back for trial.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s dismissal of a Securities and Exchange Commission suit against the billionaire. The decision doesn’t mean the SEC wins outright, but simply that the issues need to get further hearing and the suit is back on.

The government contends Cuban broke insider trading rules by selling his stake in search engine company Mamma.com after learning of the company’s plan to sell a piece of itself to investors, which would dilute Cuban’s holdings. The stock sale allowed Cuban to avoid an estimated $750,000 in losses…

And a countersuit filed by Cuban that alleges the SEC brought the case against him in bad faith continues regardless of Tuesday’s ruling. Cuban wants the government to pay his legal fees for pursuing a case out of bias rather than legal merit, his own suit says.

Javaris Crittenton to try out for Bobcats

Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports (via blog):

Javaris Crittenton to try out for Bobcats

Javaris Crittenton is hoping to return to the NBA after accepting an invitation to try out for the Charlotte Bobcats in training camp, his agent Mark Bartelstein said on Tuesday.

The other half in the infamous altercation with Gilbert Arenas involving guns in a Verizon Center locker room, Crittenton is coming back after missing all of last season, with the final 38 games lost as the result of a season-ending suspension from NBA commissioner David Stern. But that embarrassing incident — which led to Crittenton receiving one year of unsupervised probation and a $1,250 fine after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge in January — overshadowed the fact that the 6-foot-5 point guard was going to miss the entire year anyway because of a severe left ankle injury.


04274054 date 08 02 2009 Copyright imago Xinhua Javaris Crittenton Washington Wizards centre against Troy Murphy Indiana Pacers left PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN Vdig horizontal premiumd duel NBA 2008 2009 Washington Wizards Indiana Pacers 119 117 Washington DC D C Dynamics Basketball men Team USA Group photo Action shot Human Beings Photo via Newscom

Mavericks must find help for Dirk Nowitzki

Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports:

The Mavericks’ future hall of famers are as dependable as any facet of the organization. And they have been durable. But addressing their roles and reducing their playing time is important because the two or three minutes per game saved would make a huge difference in the long run.

Mavericks must find help for Dirk Nowitzki

So where does the help come from? The first option likely will be Shawn Marion.

“I think something that’s been proven is that Rick is creative with the lineups, whether it’s three guards or going small,” said president Donnie Nelson. “That may lend itself to Shawn playing some (power forward) minutes. That’s certainly a strong possibility.”

Meanwhile, the emergence of Roddy Beaubois and the play of J.J. Barea and perhaps Dominique Jones will all be counted on to spell Kidd. And young big men Alexis Ajinca and Ian Mahinmi could get opportunities to help Nowitzki.

Nenad Krstic has finger surgery

Oklahoma City Thunder center Nenad Krstic underwent successful surgery this morning to repair a fracture to the second finger on his right hand. The surgery was performed in Oklahoma City by Thunder team physicians.

Krstic suffered the injury in the final game of the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. Krstic averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in 23.6 minutes per game while helping lead Serbia to a fourth place finish at the World Championships.

The 7-0 center is expected to be ready for the Thunder’s opening night contest against the Chicago Bulls.

Bucks got deeper this summer

Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:

The Bucks should have a much deeper team than the one they finished with last season, when coach Scott Skiles had to use Primoz Brezec for important minutes at the center spot in Game 7 of the playoffs against Atlanta (with Bogut injured and backup Kurt Thomas in foul trouble).

“No disrespect to our guys on the bench, but we didn’t really have guys we could rely on coming off the bench,” Bogut said. “Kurt when he was backing me up was a great backup, and we had a couple guys.

“But this year there are questions for us. Does Maggette come off the bench for us or does he start?

“Coach is going to have his work cut out for him figuring out rotations. We genuinely have 10 or 11 guys who can play and on an NBA team you can’t play that many guys. You’ve got to narrow it down to eight or nine guys and the rest pick up feeder minutes. Coach has a tough deal on his plate.”

Baron Davis vies for Emmy for gang documentary

The AP reports:

Baron Davis vies for Emmy for gang documentary

Dear Emmy voters, Baron Davis regrets to inform you that he won’t be able to attend the awards ceremony for his documentary film on L.A. gang life.

By then, he’ll be busy with his other passion.

The Los Angeles Clippers point guard will already be at training camp when the Emmy awards for news and documentaries are handed out in New York City next Monday.

From afar, though, he’ll be rooting for the film “Crips and Bloods: Made in America,” which is up for best documentary. Davis served as executive producer, putting up the money and providing entree into a world that he escaped from – largely because of basketball – but hasn’t forgotten.


Dec 2, 2009; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Baron Davis (1) dribbles up court during the game against the Houston Rockets at the Staples Center. The Rockets defeated the Clippers 102-85. Photo via Newscom

Tough for Knicks to trade for Carmelo Anthony

Jonathan Abrams and Howard Beck of the New York Times report:

Tough for Knicks to trade for Carmelo Anthony

The Denver Nuggets are lending an open ear to N.B.A. suitors clamoring for Carmelo Anthony, a potentially distressing development for the Knicks in their efforts to land the three-time All-Star.

In preliminary conversations, the Nuggets have told the Knicks that they do not possess the assets they are seeking if they decide to trade Anthony, according to a Knicks official. The official did not want to be identified because he was describing private conversations between the teams.

For the moment, the Knicks are left hoping that Anthony remains in Denver through this season, which would allow his contract to expire. If that happens, the Knicks could then pursue him in free agency with cap room that will be created by the departure of Eddy Curry.


Denver Nuggets Carmelo Anthony (15) knocks Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams down drawing an offensive foul during the third quarter of the first round playoffs game two at the Pepsi Center on April 19, 2010 in Denver. Utah beat Denver 114-111 to even the series at 1-1. UPI/Gary C. Caskey Photo via Newscom