Raptors sign Ronald Dupree

The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have signed forward Ronald Dupree. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.

Dupree, 6-foot-7, 210 pounds participated with the Raptors’ entry in the 2010 Las Vegas Summer League. He averaged 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds helping the club to a 5-0 mark. He had a team-high 24 points and added eight rebounds in a victory over New Orleans.

Dupree has played in 154 NBA games with Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota and Seattle, averaging 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds. He spent last season in Germany with Telekom Baskets Bonn where he averaged 12.0 points in 33 outings.

The training camp roster now stands at 16.

Rockets will limit Yao Ming to 24 minutes per game

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports:

Rockets will limit Yao Ming to 24 minutes per game

There will be no negotiations, no gray areas. Unless Yao Ming’s surgeon changes his mind and the plan, on all matters involving Yao’s playing time this season, the Rockets will not need to hold further meetings or reach compromises.

Most of all, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey pledged that he and coach Rick Adelman will not come to blows over a star center’s playing time, something Bulls vice president John Paxson and former coach Vinny Del Negro did when limiting Joakim Noah’s minutes last season as the Rockets will Yao’s this season.

Yao will play no more than 24 minutes per game, Rockets vice president and athletic trainer Keith Jones said. There will be no exceptions. If Yao has played his 24 minutes and the Rockets have the ball and eight seconds on the clock to make up a one-point deficit, Yao will not play those eight seconds…

When Yao plays one night, he will skip much of the practice the next day, with the Rockets so determined to limit the demands on Yao that Jones and associate athletic trainer Jason Biles have already outlined Yao’s workout schedule from the start of camp Sept. 25 through the last game of the regular season.


04235371 date 14 08 2008 Copyright imago Xinhua Yao Ming China cheering PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN Vdig vertical Close cheering Highlight Olympic Games Beijing 2008 Summer Games National team international match National jersey Beijing happiness Enthusiasm Basketball OS Summer men Team Single optimistic Action shot Highlight Human Beings Photo via Newscom

David Robinson’s private equity firm targets property

Eben Novy-Williams of Bloomberg reports:

Admiral Capital Group, the private- equity firm of former San Antonio Spurs All-Star David Robinson, entered into a joint venture with United States Automobile Association Real Estate to invest in property.

San Antonio-based USAA’s $50 million investment will be matched by investors including Admiral Capital, Covenant Multifamily Offices and Spurs owner Peter Holt.

The group will make investments between $25 million and $100 million in office buildings, lodging, multifamily dwellings and retail properties.

Rockets offer Erick Dampier a contract

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports:

Rockets offer Erick Dampier a contract

Seeking additional center depth with Yao Ming on a strict playing time limit, the Rockets have offered free agent center Erick Dampier a two-year, $4 million contract, a person with knowledge of the offer said on Wednesday.

Dampier, who was waived by the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday, is also expected to consider a minimum contract offer from the Miami Heat and an offer from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Former employee suing Shaq

QMI Agency reports:

Shaquille O’Neal is being sued by a former employee who accuses the NBA superstar of trying to plant child pornography on his computer.

Shawn Darling, who worked for O’Neal as an IT consultant from 2007-09, is taking the Celtics big man to court in Florida for “intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and civil R.I.C.O (a racketeering charge).”

According to the lawsuit, Darling was ordered to delete information from a computer and email account that would have exposed multiple affairs O’Neal was having while he was still married. After the information was deleted, Shaq allegedly tried to plant child pornography on Darling’s computer to frame the employee and keep him from releasing any of the incriminating evidence.

UPDATE: The Boston Herald reports:

In a lengthy statement released by his representatives yesterday, O’Neal called Darling “an ex-con” with a lengthy record. He portrayed the suit as a brazen cash-grab by a man who previously tried to extort him for $12 million by threatening to expose O’Neal’s personal communications and e-mails.

“Mr. O’Neal has made it crystal clear that he will never respond to these outrageous tactics,” Shaq’s representatives said in a statement. “As a result, Darling filed a lawsuit which seeks only to embarrass, harass and extract money from Mr. O’Neal.”

Utah Jazz sign Francisco Elson

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has signed free-agent center Francisco Elson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

Elson (7-0, 240, California) owns career averages of 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds over seven NBA seasons with Denver, San Antonio, Seattle, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Elson has also appeared in 30 playoff games (10 starts), averaging 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds. Elson’s best statistical season came in 2006-07 with San Antonio, when he appeared in 70 games (41 starts), averaging 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19.0 minutes.

NJ Nets name Robby Hoenshel assistant trainer and director of sports rehabilitation

The New Jersey Nets have named Robby Hoenshel assistant trainer and director of sports rehabilitation, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Hoenshel comes to the Nets after working at the Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute where he served as a physical therapist.  His duties included evaluation and treatment of sports and orthopedic injuries.  Prior to working at Jacksonville Orthopedic Institute, the University of North Florida alum and Jacksonville native worked as a manager and physical therapist at Heartland Rehab in his hometown.

Hoenshel resides in New Jersey with his wife Jenny.

NJ Nets name Doug Overton player development coach

The New Jersey Nets have named Doug Overton player development coach, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

Overton takes on a new role in player development after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach.  He will be assisting the players with individual skills on the court.  Before coming to the Nets, Overton served as an assistant coach on Phil Martelli’s staff at Saint Joseph’s during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 campaigns.  Prior to his stint at Saint Joseph’s, the Philadelphia native spent the 2005-06 season as the Director of Player Development for the Philadelphia 76ers, where he assisted the coaching and scouting staffs and worked with the team’s community outreach programs.

An 11-year NBA veteran, Overton spent three different stints with the Nets (1998-99, 2000-01 and 2003-04) averaging 6.0 points and 2.8 assists in 26 games.  In 499 career games with seven teams (Washington, Denver, Orlando, New Jersey, Boston, Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia) Overton averaged 4.5 points and 2.1 points.

New Jersey Nets sign Stephen Graham

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent forward Stephen Graham, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

Graham, 6’6”/215, is a five-year NBA veteran with career averages of 4.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in 10.9 minutes in 180 career games with Cleveland, Chicago, Houston, Portland, Indiana and Charlotte.  He has shot .458 (297-648) from the field and .754 (126-167) from the line.  The Oklahoma State alum went undrafted in 2005 and made his NBA debut as a member of the Houston Rockets on December 11 at Portland.  The best season of his career came during the 2008-09 campaign with Indiana, when he appeared in 52 games, six starts, averaging a career-best 5.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in a career-high 13.2 minutes per contest.  Last season in Charlotte, Graham appeared in a career-high 70 games, eight starts, averaging 4.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in 11.5 minutes.  Graham appeared in two playoff contests last season in Charlotte.

Phoenix Suns name John Treloar director of player personnel

The Phoenix Suns named 30-year basketball veteran John Treloar the club’s director of player personnel.

In his new role, Treloar will assist President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby and General Manager Lance Blanks in all personnel decisions and will lead the club’s draft scouting process.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for John and his knowledge of the game,” said Blanks.  “His longstanding track record of consistency and success are admirable.  He is a perfect fit for what we are trying to do.”

Treloar, 53, joins the Suns following the last two seasons as the head coach of the NBA Development League’s Erie BayHawks, an affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, where he was also responsible for all personnel decisions.  Treloar joined the expansion franchise in 2008, and both assembled the squad and led it to a playoff berth in club’s inaugural season.

“We are excited to add John Treloar to our basketball operations department,” said Babby.  “He brings a wealth of experience and will enhance our ability to evaluate players from all sources.”

A 30-year veteran of basketball as both a coach and general manager, Treloar enjoyed success as an assistant coach at Louisiana State University (2004-08) and Indiana University (1997-2004) under Bob Knight and Mike Davis, helping to guide the Hoosiers to six NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2002 Final Four.

At the professional level, Treloar’s head coaching experience was established over eight seasons in the CBA with the Wichita Falls Texans (1990-94), Chicago Rockers (1994-95) and Connecticut Pride (1996-97).  His teams made seven playoff appearances in eight seasons and in 1991 Treloar became just the second coach in league history to win a championship in his first season on the bench. Prior to becoming a coach, Treloar served as general manager for both the Mississippi Jets (1987-88) and Texans (1988-89).

A native of Clinton, Miss., Treloar and wife, Debra, have two children, Taylor and Trey.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bellhaven College and a master’s degree in behavioral studies from the University of Alabama.