Chris Mannix of SI.com: “While the Rockets may clear as much as $15 million in cap space after next season, Morey says they will be ‘very active’ in the trade market during ‘09–10. Houston has a coveted trading chip in McGrady, whose $22.5 million expiring contract makes him valuable even if he only plays half a season. ‘They’ll be able to make a blockbuster deal,’ says an Eastern Conference G.M., ‘because a lot of teams will want to wipe that salary off their books after next year.’ If Morey can trade for an All-Star, he believes the Rockets will be poised to make a title run in 2010–11, when Yao returns. ‘We’re not naive; we know we need Yao to be a contender,’ says Morey. ‘But NBA titles are won by teams with elite talent and good role players. We feel as if we already have some very good young talent.’”
Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News: “No one should make this any bigger than it is. Wallace, NBA defensive player of the year four times with the Pistons, averaged 23.5 minutes and 6.5 rebounds in an injury-plagued final season in Cleveland. In June, he was part of the trade that sent Shaquille O’Neal to the Suns, who bought out Wallace’s contract. Wallace said he was very close to retiring, then added something that makes me wonder how much he has left. ‘I had to sit down and talk to my family, to make sure this was what I wanted to do,’ he said. ‘And I said, maybe I’ll give it another chance to see if I can rekindle some of that passion for the game.’ Can you rekindle something late in a career? Possibly. Can you reinvent yourself? Probably not. Can you revisit a place you once knew and loved, where you won the ‘04 NBA title? Sure. Can it ever be the same? Nope. That’s the deal Wallace made three years ago, and he seems OK with his new role and his one-year, $1.3 million contract.”
Robert Lee of the Providence Journal: “The re-signing of power forward Glen Davis and the inking of forward Shelden Williams earlier this week leave the Celtics with just two open roster spaces left. One of the remaining spots will go to Indiana swingman Marquis Daniels for the $1.9-million biannual exception, unless a sign-and-trade deal can be made. The other is expected to be filled by a point guard to back up Rajon Rondo now that the Celtics have six reliable frontcourt players in Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, Rasheed Wallace, Davis, Brian Scalabrine and Williams. ‘We feel like we have one of the best frontcourts in all of basketball,’ Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Monday in a news conference to introduce Williams and reintroduce Davis. ‘We have a great deal of depth.’ In fact, Ainge said the frontcourt the Celtics will field this season could be the best in team history. ‘It’s the best frontcourt that we’ve had maybe ever in this franchise – since [Larry] Bird, [Kevin] McHale and [Robert] Parish probably. … Since that era, it’s the best frontcourt we’ve had,’ Ainge said.” (Via Red’s Army)
Michael Lee of the Washington Post: “Wizards Coach Flip Saunders made a lot of interesting comments on Wednesday about his team and, of course, the franchise player, Gilbert Arenas. Let’s start with Arenas, since DeShawn Stevenson has already stated that this whole team revolves around the guy. Saunders watched Arenas lift, train and play basketball last week in Chicago, where several players, including Dwyane Wade, O.J. Mayo, Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O’Neal have been working with famed trainer Tim Grover at Attack Athletics gym. Saunders said he realizes that a healthy Arenas makes the Wizards a markedly improved team. ‘No question, a player of his talent, when he’s playing, he puts us from a team that’s competing for the playoffs to a team that’s an elite team in the playoffs. When you walk in the gym right now, you wouldn’t think that he’s hurt,’ Saunders said. ‘If he’s at that ability when our season starts, we’re going to be an elite team in this league.’”
Ramona Shelburne of the Los Angeles Daily News: “If anything, by leaving now, Rambis has made himself a more viable candidate to replace Jackson someday. But if and when Jackson retires, which Rambis suggested could be later rather than sooner, there will be no shortage of candidates for the job. Depending on which players on the current team are still around, that list could be more interesting than anyone could ever imagine. Oft-speculated names include Rambis and fellow assistant Brian Shaw, former Laker Byron Scott, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and current Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan. But expect the list to be a lot longer and deeper than that. Though Rambis is still held in high esteem within the organization – Jackson placed calls on his behalf during the process, and his wife, Linda, still holds a position with the team – it had become clear he’d outgrown the second chair he’d been sitting in the past few years and was ready to drive his own bus.”
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “Dwight Howard wants to be a movie star and now he is being treated like one. And that’s not always a good thing. Just like many Hollywood celebs, Howard — or at least Howard’s representatives — apparently have had to work to get what they say is a fake nude photograph of the Orlando Magic center taken off of a popular urban website. The X-rated photograph first appeared yesterday on MediaTakeOut.com underneath a ‘warning’ label. A Magic official told me Thursday the photo of Howard was ‘doctored’ and a ‘hoax.’ Another popular entertainment website — TMZ.com — printed this statement from Dwight’s representatives: ’We have been working with our attorneys with mediatakeout.com all morning to get the photos taken down because they are falsified and doctored.’ Dwight, who is currently shooting a movie in New Jersey, better get used to this tabloid journalism and invasion of privacy (see ESPN’s Erin Andrews and Twilight star Ashley Green). He’s not just the Magic’s center anymore; he’s a sports and entertainment celebrity who is starting to run with the Hollywood crowd.”
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com: “A federal appeals court on Wednesday rejected a claim by one of Tim Donaghy’s co-conspirators, James Battista, and ruled that the NBA can be considered a victim for restitution purposes as a result of the betting scandal that rocked the league to its foundation. Battista, 43, who conspired with Donaghy to get inside information for gambling purposes, was the only defendant to challenge the order by U.S. District Judge Carol B. Amon that they pay more than $200,000 in restitution to the league. Battista and Donaghy, who refereed NBA games for 13 years before resigning in 2007 amid the gambling probe, are serving 15-month prison terms. A third conspirator, Thomas Martino, was sentenced to one year. Battista’s actions harmed the NBA, which also can be reimbursed for legal fees that resulted from the probe, ruled a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. The ruling was reported by the New York Law Journal. Now, if only the court could do anything about the Bobcats’ attendance. For all intents and purposes, the ruling closes the legal book on one of the ugliest periods in NBA history.”
D-League President Dan Reed for NBA.com: “Earlier this week I gave my annual presentation to the upcoming NBA rookie class at the NBA’s Rookie Transition Program. A little-known fact is that an average of 30% of the entire NBA draft class in any given year plays in the NBA D-League during their rookie year. Last year, 18 of the 60 NBA draftees spent time in the NBA D-League – 30% on the nose! So my presentation was very relevant to the audience — in fact, I started the presentation by asking 1/3 of the room to stand up, to visually show how many players would be impacted. It was pretty powerful, and certainly got their attention. I always love giving this presentation, because it immediately changes the perception of the league in players’ minds. Guys come in thinking that playing in the NBA D-League is a ‘demotion,’ when in fact it’s the exact opposite — its a sign that their NBA team is investing in their development and wants to give them every opportunity to play to get better.”
Pete Thamel of The New York Times: “Jeremy Tyler signed a one-year contract with Maccabi Haifa of Israeli’s top basketball league. Tyler, who will be the first American to leave high school early to play basketball professionally overseas, signed Wednesday for $140,000. The deal includes the typical trappings of an overseas contract, including a car, an apartment and business-class airline tickets. The 6-foot-9 Tyler chose Haifa over offers from teams in Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Slovenia. Sonny Vaccaro, an adviser to Tyler, said that Tyler could have earned more money elsewhere but that Haifa offered English-speaking coaches and the best situation for playing time. ‘It feels good, but it doesn’t feel like mission accomplished,’ Tyler, 18, said. ‘It feels good that I’m going to go over there and will become a better basketball player. I’m excited, anxious and ready. All of the above.’ Brandon Jennings, a high school prodigy who played in Rome last season and was selected 10th in this year’s N.B.A. draft, played sporadically in Italy last season. Tyler said he did not want to have to struggle for playing time.”
