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Documents: Seattle working to bring NBA back


Posted Feb 5 2012 7:54PM

SEATTLE (AP) -- The city of Seattle has been working behind the scenes the past eight months with a hedge-fund manager to bring an NBA team back to town - possibly as early as next fall if the Sacramento Kings fail to get a satisfactory deal for a new arena, newly released documents show.

The city turned over the documents to The Seattle Times on Friday under a public records request. The documents included the agenda for a meeting between the parties on Dec. 13, with topics including "Review of Basic Deal Structure," "City Debt Capacity" and "Financing Issues."

A Seattle native who now lives in San Francisco, 44-year-old hedge-fund manager Christopher Hansen, approached the city about his desire to buy an NBA team and build an arena south of Safeco Field, the documents show. Hansen told city officials an arena could be built with minimal impact on taxpayers.
"I really appreciate it and look forward to making this happen in Seattle. I genuinely mean that and am confident that with a little effort and creativity we can find a solution that meets our needs and the City's/State's desire to get a team back to Seattle without a large public outlay," Hansen wrote in a June 16 email to Julie McCoy, chief of staff to Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, and Ethan Raup, the mayor's director of policy and operations.
Seattle hasn't had an NBA team since 2008, when owner Clay Bennett moved the Sonics to Oklahoma City and renamed them the Thunder.
Hansen, who heads Valiant Capital Management LLC, offered to provide information on recent arena deals that have been put together.
The Dec. 13 meeting was attended by McCoy and Raup and set up by Carl Hirsh, a New Jersey arena consultant hired by the city in July. The agenda also included discussion of KeyArena, where the Sonics played, and which could be used as a temporary home for a new team with the permission of the NBA. The league considered it an unsuitable even before the Sonics departed.
The documents don't mention how Seattle would obtain a team, but the Times reported that they show the city has been following developments in Sacramento, which is under a March 1 deadline to come up with a proposal to build an arena for the Kings.
In addition, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has expressed interest in placing a team in Seattle, leading to speculation the financially struggling Phoenix Coyotes could move to the city and possibly share an arena with a basketball team.
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn said Saturday he is taking the proposal seriously, but doesn't want the city left "holding the bag."
"It's a pretty substantial commitment that would have to be made by the investors," McGinn said, emphasizing that the city budget can't be tapped to fund an arena.
He added that any offer also must honor the will of Seattle voters, who in 2006 overwhelmingly approved an initiative that says the city must make a profit on any investment it makes in a sports arena.

[OnePiece]

After Landry injury, Hornets to sign forward Lance Thomas

Posted Feb 5 2012 4:58PM

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- New Orleans general manager Dell Demps says the Hornets plan to sign forward Lance Thomas to a 10-day contract on Monday.
The move comes as forward Carl Landry recovers from a left knee injury that occurred during the Hornets' loss at Detroit on Saturday night.
Landry posted on his Twitter account on Sunday that he has a sprained medial collateral ligament. The club has yet to announce how long Landry is expected to be out.
The 6-foot-8 Thomas, a second-year pro out of Duke, was in training camp with New Orleans and saw brief playing time in two of the Hornets' first three regular season games before being waived on Dec. 31.
Thomas spent his first pro season in the NBA Development League.

[OnePiece]

Pistons G Knight breaks nose vs. Hornets

Posted Feb 4 2012 8:47PM

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Brandon Knight broke his nose in the first quarter of the Detroit Pistons' game against the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday night.

The rookie point guard, who had a career-high 26 points in Friday's win over Milwaukee, sustained the injury midway through the first quarter. While going for an offensive rebound, he was hit by teammate Greg Monroe's elbow.

The Pistons say that Knight's return is doubtful.

[OnePiece]

Embattled D'Antoni says no point in panicking


Posted Feb 4 2012 7:39PM

NEW YORK (AP) -- Mike D'Antoni insists he is not worried about his Knicks or his job, saying that "panicking's not going to help."

The Knicks went into their game against New Jersey on Saturday with an 8-15 record, a huge disappointment in a season that began with high expectations. That's triggered speculation that D'Antoni's job could be in jeopardy, but he says the chatter "doesn't do anything to me."
D'Antoni is in the last year of a four-year contract and has had only one winning season in New York, which was rebuilding during much of that time. This was expected to be the season the Knicks would contend with a front line of Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler, but the rest of the team hasn't produced.

[OnePiece]

Blazers' Aldridge gets comfortable with leadership role


Posted Feb 4 2012 5:51PM

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- LaMarcus Aldridge is direct: He really wants to be an All-Star and he feels he's played well enough to deserve it.
But in the same breath, the Trail Blazers' forward says what's ultimately more important is his team's success as a whole.
Aldridge's conflict -- striking the delicate balance between humility and bravado -- shows how he's matured since he arrived in Portland nearly six years ago. He's gone from the soft-spoken rookie from Texas playing in Brandon Roy's shadow to the confident and consistent leader of the Blazers.
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"I want to win," Aldridge said. "I feel like if you get too enticed into that individual stuff, it can take a toll on you. You have to be focusing on your team, and on winning. You need to keep your focus on the big picture."
But making the All-Star team?
"It would be nice," he said. "Of course I would like to be an All-Star. Who wouldn't?"
Aldridge is averaging 22.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, putting him among the top players in the NBA. He is a candidate for the U.S. team that will play in the London Olympics this summer.
The All-Star starters, decided by fan voting, were announced on Thursday. The squads include Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant and the like -- the NBA's superstars.
The league's coaches determine the reserves, which will be announced next Thursday.
Aldridge has some hurdles. He comes from a small-market team and the Blazers are having an inconsistent season, struggling late in several games. His competition includes the formidable Kevin Love and perennial favorite Dirk Nowitzki.
But he has his supporters. Denver coach George Karl is a vocal fan of the Blazers' 6-foot-11 star, and Cleveland Cavaliers coach Byron Scott heaps on the praise.
"The thing that impresses me is how hard he plays," Scott said before a game against the Blazers this season. "He's so long and athletic. He can do it on the post, and he can do it on the perimeter. He runs that floor as well as any big man in this league, and he's a very unselfish, young, talented basketball player."
Aldridge's breakout came last season when Roy - himself a three-time All-Star - was hobbled by recurring knee injuries. The Blazers began to run plays through, and to, Aldridge, who put up big numbers.
After Roy was sidelined on Dec. 15, Aldridge went on a tear leading up to the All-Star break, averaging 26.3 points and 9.7 rebounds. That included eight games with at least 30 points.
Aldridge said he felt snubbed when the reserves were announced last season and his name wasn't on the list.
"I felt like my resume was perfect," he said.
Roy and Aldridge were part of the same class in 2006, brought to Portland via draft-day trades. Roy, already a star in the Pacific Northwest at Washington, was the sixth overall pick by Minnesota, while Aldridge, who played at Texas, was the second overall pick by the Chicago Bulls.
From the start, the Blazers were Roy's team. He excelled in his first year and was the league's Rookie of the Year. As likable as he was talented, Roy was a dream for Portland, which was trying to escape the "Jail Blazers" era that marked the early 2000s.
Aldridge was relegated to a supporting role, something he readily admits, even referring to himself as Robin to Roy's Batman.
It was clear to everyone who watched last season that Aldridge blossomed in Roy's absence. No disrespect to Roy, but Aldridge said he made a conscious choice to take over.
"I had to own it," he said. "I feel like I could've been here these six years and still been the quiet guy in the locker room. But I needed to stand up and be a leader."
He finished last season averaging a career-best 21.8 points and 8.8 rebounds.
Aldridge worked hard at home in Texas during the NBA lockout in anticipation of this season. He returned to Portland for the Rip City Classic, a charity basketball exhibition that included pal and fellow former Longhorn Kevin Durant, and as the Blazers' union rep he was active in the negotiations for a settlement.
But when an agreement was reached and training camps were finally opened early in December, Portland was hit by what became known around the organization as "Black Friday." Roy's knee problems were insurmountable and he abruptly retired. Former No. 1 draft pick Greg Oden had another setback with his oft-injured knees. And Aldridge learned that he needed to undergo a procedure to treat Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome, a condition that can cause an irregular heartbeat.
Focused on his own health, Aldridge was unaware of the shock that rocked Rip City.
"I felt great. I was in great shape," he said. "So when everything happened, it was like, `What?"'
Aldridge missed most of training camp. When he returned, he was the last man standing in the trio that many had hoped would take the Blazers to an NBA championship. Portland quickly regrouped, bringing in free agents Jamal Crawford and Kurt Thomas to shore up the roster.
Like many NBA teams, the Blazers' start to the abbreviated season has been uneven. Portland is 13-10 overall, helped by a 10-1 record at the Rose Garden but dragged down by a 3-9 mark on the road.
Aldridge thinks the team is still adjusting to new personnel and the compact schedule.
However, in another sign of how far he's come, Aldridge puts the onus for the Blazers' success on himself. He said he hasn't yet played his best, but he feels as though he's coming on.
"I feel like last year I was better. I might have better numbers this season, but I feel like last year down the stretch I was playing really well," he said. "I want to be dominant. I want to close games. I want to be one of the best power forwards in this league, and I think I'm getting there."

[OnePiece]

Hawks C Collins to miss 2 weeks with elbow injury

Posted Feb 4 2012 2:08PM

ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Hawks say reserve center Jason Collins will miss the next two weeks with a sprained left elbow.
Collins, the primary backup to Zaza Pachulia with All-Star center Al Horford sidelined the next three months, was injured in Thursday's home loss to Memphis.
Collins, an 11-year NBA veteran, has started 31 of 81 career games in three seasons with Atlanta. He is averaging 3.8 points and four rebounds this season in 22 minutes per game.
Atlanta hosts Philadelphia on Saturday night. The Hawks have won three of four and are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference at 16-7.

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Kobe Bryant and LeBron James were both named starters to the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.
NBAE via Getty Images

James, Bryant named Eastern, Western players of the month


Posted Feb 3 2012 8:07PM

NEW YORK -- The Miami Heat's LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant on Friday were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in December and January.

James led Miami to a 16-5 (.762) record for games played in December and January, matching the best start to a season in franchise history, behind averages of 29.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists. A three-time Eastern Conference player of the week so far this season, James ranks second in the NBA in scoring, fourth in field goal percentage (.551), ninth in minutes (37.4 mpg) and 10th in steals (1.8 spg). Appearing in 20 of Miami's 21 games, James led the team in scoring 16 times, tallying 25-plus points 16 times and 30-plus points on 11 occasions.
Bryant averaged a league-high 30.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists for games played in December and January, helping the Lakers to a 13-9 record (.591). On Jan. 1 at Denver, Bryant became the youngest player in NBA history to score 28,000 points. On Jan. 10 in Phoenix, Bryant scored an NBA season-high 48 points, kicking off four straight 40-plus-point games over a five-night span. Bryant passed Jerry West as the Lakers franchise leader in free throws made on Jan. 28 at Milwaukee and passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the franchise leader in field goals made on Jan. 29 at Minnesota.
Here is a closer look at the month for James and Bryant:
LeBron James, Miami Heat
Dec. 25 @ Dallas: Tallied 37 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 105-94 season-opening win over the Mavericks.
Jan. 4 vs. Indiana: Posted 33 points, a season-high 13 assists and eight rebounds in a 118-83 win over the Pacers.
Jan. 29 vs. Chicago: Collected 35 points, 11 rebounds and five assists during a 97-93 victory over the Bulls.
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Jan. 3 vs. Houston: Posted 37 points, eight rebounds and six assists in a 108-99 win over the Rockets.
Jan. 10 vs. Phoenix: Tallied a season-high 48 points on 18-of-31 shooting to go with five rebounds, three assists and three steals during a 99-83 win over the Suns.
Jan. 29 @ Minnesota: Collected a 35-point, 14-rebound double-double during a 106-101 win over the Timberwolves.
Other nominees for Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Atlanta's Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, Chicago's Derrick Rose, Cleveland's Kyrie Irving, Dallas' Shawn Marion, Houston's Kyle Lowry, Indiana's Roy Hibbert and Danny Granger, Memphis' Marc Gasol, New Jersey's Deron Williams, Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month are part of a series of on-court performance awards called "The Kia NBA Performance Awards." The series, currently in its fifth season, is part of a multiyear marketing partnership between Kia Motors America and the NBA, and includes four of the league's most prestigious year-end honors: Most Valuable Player Award, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man Award, and Most Improved Player. Kia Motors is the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA and the Kia Optima is the league's Official Vehicle. For more information on the "The Kia NBA Performance Awards" visit www.NBA.com/awards.

[OnePiece]

Report: Kaman returning to Hornets soon


Posted Feb 3 2012 7:34PM

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The New Orleans Hornets have decided to reactivate 7-foot center Chris Kaman, who had been excused from team activities since last week while the club sought to trade him, according to a person familiar with the decision.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on Friday on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been announced. Kaman likely won't join the Hornets for Saturday's game at Detroit but probably will return Monday against Sacramento.
The person said the relationship between Kaman and Hornets coach Monty Williams was fine. But when general manager Dell Demps hoped a trade would develop quickly, Williams wanted to start working younger players into the rotation.
Once a trade didn't happen as quickly as they thought, it made sense to bring Kaman back, the person said.
Kaman, 29, was acquired by New Orleans in the multiplayer trade that sent Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers before the season, but has struggled to find a consistent role with the Hornets. He's mostly backed up center Emeka Okafor.
His playing time and production have fluctuated significantly. He had a season-high 20 points in 28 minutes at Denver on Jan. 9, but in the last two games before he was deactivated, he had three points in seven minutes against Dallas and six points in 14 minutes against San Antonio.
In 17 games, Kaman has averaged 9.2 points and 6.6 rebounds. He is in the final year of a contract that pays him about $14 million this season, making him a potential trade target for a team that is interested in a former All-Star center with a large expiring contract that will clear salary cap space when the season ends.
Kaman was first deactivated Jan. 25, while he was still with the team. He was then excused from all team activities and advised to stay home and await a trade.
In recent games, the Hornets have given increasing minutes to 6-foot-10 power forward Gustavo Ayon of Mexico, an NBA rookie acquired in December from a team in Spain's top professional league. In the past six games that Kaman has missed, Ayon has had the first two double-digit scoring games of his career, with 16 points at Oklahoma City on Jan. 25 and 10 points against Phoenix on Wednesday.
It remains to be seen how Williams will work Kaman back into the rotation. The Hornets still have until the NBA trade deadline March 15 to deal Kaman or any other player on the roster.

[OnePiece]

Celtics' guard Rondo returns against Knicks

Posted Feb 3 2012 9:08PM

BOSTON (AP) -- Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo returned to the lineup for Friday night's game against the New York Knicks after missing the previous eight games with a right wrist injury.

Rondo was given a loud ovation when his name was announced in pregame introductions. The Celtics went 6-2 in his absence.
Boston coach Doc Rivers said he had no plans with his guard's minutes, but liked what he saw during the morning shootaround.
"I'll go by how he's playing," Rivers said. "Your eyes will tell you. He looked good. It's different because he hasn't had a lot of basketball."
Rondo was injured when he took an awkward fall and landed with his wrist under his back on a flagrant foul by Toronto's Linas Kleiza on Jan. 18.
Rivers said the team worked on some late-game situations during the morning shootaround. The Celtics blew a fourth-quarter lead against Cleveland on Sunday, and they almost gave up another lead when faced the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Tuesday.
"We worked on some end of game stuff as a refresher," Rivers said.
Rondo wore a brace on his wrist while shooting and taking free throws on the floor about 90 minutes before the scheduled start.

[OnePiece]

Magic suspend Davis 2 games for detrimental conduct

Posted Feb 3 2012 6:37PM

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Orlando forward Glen Davis has been suspended for two games by the Magic for conduct detrimental to the team.

Davis will miss Friday's home game against Cleveland and Saturday's game at Indiana.
Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy acknowledged before Friday night's game that some sort of verbal incident took place during the team's walkthrough Friday morning, but denied anything physical occurred between the two.
The Magic are also expected to play Friday night without starting point guard Jameer Nelson, who missed his fourth straight game with concussion symptoms.
Davis is averaging 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds. He's appeared in 22 games with one start.