NBA Rumors
Posted By admin on September 12, 2010
An Andrew Bogut sighting took place Friday at the Milwaukee Bucks’ training facility. And it was a sight that had to please Bucks coach Scott Skiles and general manager John Hammond. The 7-foot center was running the court and taking part in a five-on-five scrimmage, and he was knocked to the floor several times during the workout but bounced quickly to his feet. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Blog
More than two weeks before the official opening of training camp, Bogut appeared to be making great progress in his comeback from multiple injuries to his right hand and arm. “I still feel it’s going to be a long process for me, but I’ve already been scrimmaging here the last couple days,” Bogut said after the informal workout session. “Obviously, if I take a huge hit, I might be in some trouble for now.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Blog
“It’s more my elbow, getting my full extension,” Bogut said. “I still don’t have my full range of extension like I have in my left hand, by about 5 degrees. “I’m shooting the basketball (right-handed), but the ball is kind of going left, right, up, down. I’m shooting air balls. It will take some time, but I’m confident once it’s good to go and I spend two or three extra weeks getting some shots up, it will be fine.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Blog
“If I can get through camp and get through exhibitions, I will,” Bogut said. “But if I can’t, I might have to miss some (preseason) games. The good thing about this injury is I can lift weights, and I can do conditioning. I have no excuse not to be in shape once they throw the ball up.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Blog
The Charlotte Bobcats will bring veteran forward Darius Miles to training camp with a nonguaranteed contract as he attempts another comeback from a serious knee injury. General manager Rod Higgins said Friday the former No.3 overall draft pick will get a chance after participating in offseason workouts and summer-league practices with Charlotte. AP
Miles could bring frontcourt depth to Charlotte, whose roster makeup remains uncertain depending on whether they trade or waive center Erick Dampier, who has a voidable contract. AP
nba rumors – nba rumor mill and trade rumors Ed Pinckney’s tenure with Comcast SportsNet as the 76ers’ analyst was brief. He is leaving after one season to join the coaching staff of the Chicago Bulls. This was a very difficult decision for Pinckney, who thoroughly enjoyed his role sitting next to play-by-play voice Marc Zumoff, but he has a long-standing relationship with Tom Thibodeau, the Bulls’ new coach. Philadelphia Daily News Blog
Pinckeny confirmed the move to the Daily News, but declined to comment until a formal announcement comes from SportsNet and the Bulls. Philadelphia Daily News Blog
Allen Iverson could continue his career in China. The 35-year-old guard is in talks with Foshan (the new name of Shaanxi) for the next season, according to sources from the Chinese team. TheHoopsMarket
Iverson, still a free agent after not signing a contract with any NBA team, would have a “strong desire” to play in the CBA. TheHoopsMarket
nba rumors – nba rumor mill and trade rumors Miami Heat President Pat Riley broke a two-month silence Friday by wondering why so many around the NBA could not hold their tongues when it came to his team’s July signings of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. In his first expansive comments since skimming off the top of this offseason’s free-agent class, Riley hit back at those who took shots at the decision by the three All-Stars to join forces in South Florida. South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Charles Barkley, to me, went way over the top. I thought way, way, way over the top,” Riley said. “I think Charles is probably the only guy in the league that can get away with what he gets away with. For some reason, he just gets away with it. And calling these guys a bunch of punks, it’s a personal attack. “They are not that. LeBron isn’t that. Dwyane is surely not that, and neither is Chris. And Charles knows that. And for him just to say that is wrong.” South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Riley also took umbrage with comments emanating from the Orlando, namely from Magic General Manager Otis Smith and Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, the former Heat coach and long-time Riley bench assistant. “Stan’s out there making comments about Chris Bosh being a lapdog to Dwyane Wade or something like that,” Riley said. “I don’t know what happened to some of these guys along the way.” South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Smith had spoken about how the “great ones” do it on their own and “usually stay in one location.” He said of LeBron, “I thought he was, I guess, more of a competitor.” “I thought that was an absolutely stupid remark,” Riley said. “He never made any kind of comment like that when he signed Rashard Lewis and he brought him down from Seattle with a $128 million contract or anything like that.” South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Pat Riley insists he had a fear he might have come out of free agency with nothing. Perhaps. But we do not know of any statute of limitations when it comes to NBA penalties for any prearranged shenanigans. It’s Riley’s story, and he’s sticking with it. South Florida Sun-Sentinel Blog
LeBron will bring in plenty of his people, some on the Heat’s payroll. Riley will insist it is not salary-cap circumvention, but rather keeping a player in his comfort zone. That sales job began Friday. South Florida Sun-Sentinel Blog
If the Heat can upgrade at center, possibly with the likes of an Erick Dampier, it will. While Riley was effusive in how Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Jamaal Magloire each bring a special skill set to the position, there was not a sense that Riley views any as a championship answer. South Florida Sun-Sentinel Blog
Don’t be surprised if Dwyane Wade or LeBron James is at the point of attack at the point guard position for the Miami Heat when NBA training camps opens later this month. But for now, it’s Heat president Pat Riley who is taking aim at some around the league for critical-to-venomous remarks about Miami’s star-studded offseason makeover. After months of silence, Riley spoke out Friday for the first time since the Heat signed LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade on July 9 during NBA free agency. Miami Herald
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Despite their legal issues, Riley said he expects both Wade and forward Udonis Haslem to be available for the start of training camp. Wade has been in Chicago, where he is scheduled to attend hearings next week in a custody battle with his ex-wife over their two young sons. Miami Herald
Riley said coach Erik Spoelstra has been designing specific packages that would have James, who is 6-8 and 260 pounds, play as many as four positions. Riley had a similar dynamic in Los Angeles in the 1980s when he coached Magic Johnson. Although the Heat’s roster is filled with guaranteed contracts, Riley said another player or two could be added in the coming weeks to fill voids. Miami Herald
Luis Scola scored 27 points, Carlos Delfino added 26 and Argentina pulled away late for a 73-61 win over Russia in a consolation game at the world championship. Argentina led 58-56 with 6:11 left before Delfino and Scola combined for 13 points during a 15-5 run that sealed the win. Delfino plays for the Milwaukee Bucks and Scola is on the Houston Rockets. AP
Eleven NBA teams down, 19 more to go for veteran Joe Smith, who signed with the Nets yesterday. The 6-foot-10, 225-pound forward and center, who was the No. 1 overall selection in 1995 by Golden State, is one contract from playing for a dozen teams after signing a one-year veteran’s minimum free agent deal for roughly $1.3 million. NY Post
The Nets had been considering Smith for a while as front-court insurance. He joins Troy Murphy, Derrick Favors and Kris Humphries at the power forward spots and can also play some center behind Brook Lopez along with free agent signee Johan Petro and undrafted rookie Brian Zoubek. NY Post
Smith gives the Nets 15 players on the roster, including undrafted rookies Zoubek and guard Ben Uzoh. NY Post
Fan question: I remember reading that September 13 had some relevance as far as the date that Erick Dampier could be traded or cut. Do you know if that date has any significance? Answer: It is the first day he can be packaged by the Bobcats with another player in a trade, part of the league’s two-month rule. But, again, the Heat can’t participate in such a trade (due to the size of Dampier’s contract), only wait until Dampier’s new team waives his non-guaranteed contract and then swoop in. We will, of course, be providing minute-by-minute Dampier coverage starting Monday. (Or not.) South Florida Sun-Sentinel Blog
Kevin Durant scored 33 points, two shy of the U.S. record at the worlds, in an 89-79 victory over Russia in the quarterfinals. He raised his average to 19.9 points per game, fifth-best in the tournament and tops among players still with a chance to medal. If he maintains that average, he would tie Carmelo Anthony’s 2006 mark for best on a U.S. team that featured NBA players. “We don’t want to rely on him like that, but if he’s scoring like that at will and really making it easy, why not feed the guy whenever he’s open?” guard Stephen Curry said. “Even when he’s not open, he’ll find a way to get open, so he’s definitely playing at a high level right now scoring-wise.” AP
Bango, the Milwaukee Bucks’ mascot and known daredevil, has been named the NBA Mascot of the Year. Bango was awarded the honor at the league’s annual mascot meetings in Miami. Yes, the league has a mascot meeting. “It is truly an honor for the Bucks organization, and for our fans worldwide to know that Bango has been honored by the NBA mascot community as the NBA Mascot of the Year,” said John F. Steinmiller, the team’s vice president. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Blog
The Maine Red Claws are holding tryouts as they prepare to get their roster settled before the season opens this fall. The NBA Development League affiliate of the Boston Celtics [team stats] and Charlotte Bobcats is holding open tryouts Saturday at the Clark Athletic Center on the campus of the University of Massachussetts at Boston.
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