FanHouse

Phil Jackson Confirms He'll Return

Matt Watson — 2009-07-03T16:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Lakers

Shortly after the Lakers' championship run, Phil Jackson admitted that he'd like to return to the sidelines for the final year of his contract but couldn't commit until doctors put him through a series of medical tests. He did so this week, and he was given the thumbs up.

"After consulting with Lakers team internist Dr. John Moe, I feel confident that I can gainfully pursue an NBA season with another long playoff postseason. All things point to go!" Jackson said in a statement posted on the Lakers official site.

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Rumors Swirl Rubio May Stay in Spain

Matt Watson — 2009-07-02T20:15:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Knicks, Timberwolves, NBA Rumors

While most NBA draft picks are preparing for summer league play in Orlando and Las Vegas next week, rumors continue to swirl that Ricky Rubio may wait a year -- and perhaps even longer -- until he makes the jump to the NBA.

According to El Periodico, a Spanish newspaper, Rubio has already ruled out playing this coming season, and in fact plans to drop the lawsuit he filed against DKV Joventut, his current Spanish team, regarding his buyout clause, which he previously argued was too much money for what Joventut has been paying him.

Before fans in Minnesota get too upset, they should consider the source: El Periodico's report neither cites a source nor includes a byline -- this could be nothing more than re-hashed speculation that we've been hearing all week.

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Ron Artest Joining Kobe, Lakers

Matt Watson — 2009-07-02T19:17:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Lakers, Rockets, NBA Transactions

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. That's the mindset that Ron Artest has apparently taken following today's news that he's agreed to join Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. Artest was instrumental in helping the Rockets take the eventual champion Lakers to seven games during the Western Conference semifinals. Instead of serving as Kobe's antagonist, he'll become Kobe's sidekick.

According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, Artest met with Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss and spoke with Phil Jackson on Thursday before instructing his agent to get a deal done. Details of the agreement -- both the length and the amount -- are still unknown, but from the sounds of it, Artest isn't about to quibble over the details.

Povtak: Lakers Learned from Previous Champs
Ziller: Adding Artest Means Less Pau | Washburn: Ariza to Houston

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Trade Coming? Wolves Draft Ricky Rubio, Jonny Flynn, Ty Lawson

Matt Watson — 2009-06-25T21:20:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Timberwolves, NBA Draft, NBA Rumors

When the Kings opted for Tyreke Evans with the fourth pick, Ricky Rubio fell to the Timberwolves at No. 5. Considering it wasn't that long ago that Rubio was talked about as a potential No. 1 pick, you can't blame Minnesota for taking a player who should be their point guard of the future.

Except, just five minutes later, the Timberwolves took Jonny Flynn out of Syracuse, giving them the two best point guards of the draft. Are they going to hold on to both players? It's theoretically possible, but a more likely scenario is that we'll see one of them involved in another trade, possibly announced sometime tonight.

Update: Make it three: with the 18th overall pick, the Timberwolves selected Ty Lawson, although ESPN's Ric Bucher just reported that he's headed to Denver for a future first-rounder the Nuggets picked up from the Bobcats. Bucher was presumably referring to the conditional pick the Nuggets received in the Alexis Ajinca trade last year, which is top-12 protected in 2010, top-10 protected in 2011, top-8 in 2012, top-3 in 2013 and unprotected in 2014.

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Grizzlies Take Hasheem Thabeet Second

Matt Watson — 2009-06-25T19:50:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Grizzlies, NBA Draft

Blake Griffin went first, of course. There was no drama about that -- Clippers VP Andy Roeser essentially let the cat out of the bag with his unbridled praise for Griffin minutes after winning the NBA lottery. The real question mystery started at No. 2, and the Grizzlies answered that question by going with Hasheem Thabeet from Connecticut.

Thabeet is a bit of a project offensively, but that's to be expected -- unlikely most prospects who practically grow up in a gym, Thabeet has only been playing the sport for seven years. Will he pan out? Or will he follow the path of another failed No. 2 pick who happens to be Thabeet's new teammate, Darko Milicic, who never found stardom before settling into the life of a role player?

Time will tell, just like time will tell if Thabeet and Darko will ever share a locker room -- with Marc Gasol already anchoring Memphis' frontcourt, Milicic is rumored to be on the block. Stay tuned. (Update: That didn't take long -- Darko was traded to the Knicks for Quentin Richardson and cash.)

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2009 NBA Draft: Player Tracker

Matt Watson — 2009-06-25T07:00:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: NBA Draft

Entering Thursday's draft, there's only one pick we can take for granted: Blake Griffin is going to L.A. He's been the overwhelming favorite from the minute the Clippers won the lottery -- but once he's off the board, absolutely anything could happen.

After weeks of combines, workouts and rumors, all we know for sure is that there's no consensus whatsoever among fans and teams how the rest of the first round should play out. And with several teams getting a jump-start on the trade market earlier this week, there figures to be plenty more movement before the day is done. Keep tabs on who's going where after the jump.

East Draft Grades | West Draft Grades
NBA Draft Coverage

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Did Shaq Learn of Trade on Twitter?

Matt Watson — 2009-06-25T01:10:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: NBA Rumors, NBA Twitter

Did Shaquille O'Neal learn that he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers via a tweet on Twitter? It certainly would appear that way judging from his responses to a pair of fans who reached out minutes after the trade was announced online:

allonso: @THE_REAL_SHAQ is it true u a CLEVELAND CAVALIER
THE_REAL_SHAQ: @allonso I didn't hear dat yet

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Phil Jackson Wants to Return but May Skip Road Trips

Matt Watson — 2009-06-24T05:30:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Lakers

Phil Jackson confirmed during a radio interview on Tuesday that he hopes to return to the sidelines for the final year of his contract in 2009-10, although a final determination won't be made until early next month when he undergoes a series of medical exams. Jackson's physical condition has been an ongoing storyline during his time with the Lakers; he's had both of his hips replaced since 2006, and he missed a road game last April due to swelling in
his legs.

But even if he's medically cleared for another season (perched atop his elevated chair) on the sidelines in 2009-10, there's a chance he might miss a few more games, telling ESPN Radio 710 that he's considered passing the clipboard to assistant coach Kurt Rambis while staying behind as the team embarks on several grueling road trips.

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Pistons Trade Amir Johnson for Fabricio Oberto's Contract

Matt Watson — 2009-06-23T20:50:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Bucks, Pistons, Spurs, NBA Rumors, NBA Transactions

Just hours after being traded from the Spurs to the Bucks, Fabricio Oberto is reportedly on the move yet again, this time going to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Amir Johnson. The deal has yet to be officially announced by either team, but multiple outlets, including Sean Deveney of Sporting News, who broke the story, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, cite unnamed sources within the Bucks organization confirming the deal. (Update: It's official.)

As if being traded twice in one day wasn't enough, Oberto should probably wait by the phone; his contract is only partially guaranteed, meaning the Pistons have the option of waiving him before July 1 and only be on the hook for $1.9 million of the $3.8 million he'd otherwise be owed.

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Who Has the NBA Invited to the Draft?

Matt Watson — 2009-06-22T17:00:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: NBA Draft

Mock drafts are fun, but if you want the real inside scoop on who's expected to be a high draft pick, you need to see the list of the players the NBA has invited to the draft. Generally speaking, it's limited to players the league has been assured will go in the top half of the first round.

There are always exceptions, but ever since Rashard Lewis awkwardly hung around until the second round, the league has done a respectable job making sure no one gets too embarrassed. The league hasn't yet released an official list, but thanks to some sleuthing by DraftExpress, we know at least 16 players have been extended invitations, although only 13 have confirmed their attendance. Keep reading for the full list:

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Nowitzki Seeks Custody of Unborn Child

Matt Watson — 2009-06-19T06:00:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Mavericks, NBA Police Blotter

According to court papers filed last week, Dirk Nowitzki is seeking sole custody of his ex-fiance's unborn child, pending paternity tests that confirm he is in the fact the father, according to the Beaumont Enterprise. Crystal Taylor, the mother of the child, is currently an inmate in the Jefferson County (TX) jail after being arrested last month for violating her probation and alleged theft.

Nowitzki has been estranged from Taylor ever since he alerted the police after discovering her secret past, which includes a lengthy police record, multiple aliases and, oddly enough, a previous relationship with former NFL quarterback Tony Banks.

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Is Mark Jackson Headed to Minnesota?

Matt Watson — 2009-06-19T04:50:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Timberwolves, NBA Rumors

For the third morning in a row, the Timberwolves are subjects of the league's biggest buzz. Early Wednesday morning, Kevin Love broke the news on Twitter that Kevin McHale would not be returning, and later that night, a report out of Boston indicated the Wolves were contemplating an offer that would bring Amar'e Stoudemire to Minnesota. (GM David Kahn later acknowledged trade discussions took place but denied interest in the Suns' offer.)

And finally today, Pro Basketball News cites multiple unnamed sources that claim Mark Jackson has emerged as the prohibitive favorite to coach the Wolves next year. Needless to say, count on the team's PR department issuing a denial -- Kahn is on the record saying the coaching search won't even begin until after next week's draft.

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Phil Jackson's X Hat Helps Charity

Matt Watson — 2009-06-18T22:15:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Lakers

When Phil Jackson took the stage for the trophy presentation after winning Game 5, he was sporting a gold cap with a large, purple Roman numeral X, a custom-made gift from his agents commemorating Jackson's six titles with the Bulls and four with the Lakers.

After Jackson wore the hat again during Wednesday's rally at the Los Angeles Coliseum, many Lakers fans wanted to know where they could get one of their own. The custom-made hat was never intended to be anything more than a unique gift, but Jackson decided to capitalize upon the interest to help a good cause: fans can now purchase the hat for $25, with proceeds from the sale going to the American Indian College Fund.

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Amar'e Stoudemire Linked to Minnesota

Matt Watson — 2009-06-18T08:00:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Suns, Timberwolves, NBA Rumors

UPDATE: The rumor has been cast into the sea.

Amar'e Stoudemire has been linked to more rumors than it's possible to remember, but here's a new one you probably haven't heard before: Marc Spears of the Boston Globe cites an unnamed NBA executive who claims the Suns and Timberwolves are talking about swapping Stoudemire for Al Jefferson and the No. 6 pick.

On the surface, the move makes sense for the Suns -- as weak as this draft is, there are several intriguing point guard prospects expected to go early in the first round, and the Suns could theoretically snatch an heir to Steve Nash with the sixth pick.

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Dwight Howard Finally Gets a Puppet

Matt Watson — 2009-06-18T00:00:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Magic, NBA Videos

The Magic didn't simply parachute into NBA Finals from nowhere -- they had to knock off the defending champs from Boston and usurp the supposed heirs to the throne from Cleveland. And yet, even after they arrived, it always felt like they simply crashed the party.

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Donors Help Pay for Lakers' Parade

Matt Watson — 2009-06-17T05:30:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Lakers

On the eve of the Lakers' NBA championship, there was some question as to whether the city of Los Angeles would be able to afford a victory parade, what with the city operating at a budget deficit and more pressing concerns such as teacher layoffs on the mind of the city council.

Ultimately, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa insisted the celebration will go on, in part because the Lakers agreed to ease the city's burden by splitting the total cost, expected to be roughly $2 million. And in case that compromise didn't satisfy everyone, Villaraigosa announced on Tuesday that several private citizens had stepped up to fund the bulk -- $850,000 of $1 million -- of the city's remaining obligation. Keep reading for more info on the Lakers parade.

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McHale Out in Minnesota, Tweets Love

Matt Watson — 2009-06-17T01:50:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Timberwolves, NBA Rumors, NBA Twitter

There's no official confirmation yet, but as you can see above, Kevin Love seems to have let the cat out of the bag on Twitter: Kevin McHale, who led the Timberwolves to a 20-43 record after Randy Wittman's dismissal, is apparently no longer a candidate to resume coaching in 2009-10 and beyond.

(Update: GM David Kahn made the official announcement today.)

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The NBA's List of Early Entry Candidates

Matt Watson — 2009-06-16T22:00:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: NBA Draft

Early entry candidates testing the waters for the 2009 NBA Draft had until Monday evening to decide whether to jump in with two feet or get out the pool completely. All in all, 55 candidates pulled out while 49 stayed, including 10 international players.

As much as college fans complain about "one-and-done" ravaging the amateur game, it's worth pointing out that only five freshman are leaving school, and of those, only three (DeMar DeRozan, Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday) figure to be locks as lottery picks.

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Bill Laimbeer Resigns From WNBA's Shock in Search of NBA Work

Matt Watson — 2009-06-15T20:50:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Pistons, NBA Rumors

After six and a half years coaching the WNBA's Detroit Shock, Bill Laimbeer unexpectedly announced his resignation at a press conference on Monday. Laimbeer walks away as one of the most successful coaches in the history of the league, leading the Shock to WNBA championships in 2003, 2006 and 2008.

The timing of the announcement was a surprise as the WNBA regular season schedule kicked off two weeks ago; the Shock have played only three games. Laimbeer, who's long sought a coaching position in the NBA, admitted he made a mistake by waiting so long to make this decision but denied having another job lined up.

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Lakers, City Will Split Cost of Parade

Matt Watson — 2009-06-15T06:30:00 00:00

by Matt Watson

Filed under: Lakers, NBA Fans, Playoffs

Will the Lakers have a victory parade? In ordinary times, the question would seem silly. The Lakers are a source of great civic pride, why wouldn't they honor the team after winning their fourth NBA title of the decade?

But in times of economic crisis, it's a legitimate question, especially when the city is already scheduled to begin laying off dozens of city employees.

"We can't afford to cover the costs," city Councilwoman Jan Perry told the Los Angeles Times on Friday. "How could we make a decision about people's jobs and then sponsor the parade?"

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