Intro by Jon Nichols on Monday, December 11th, 2006 at 4:20 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2694335

NBA commissioner David Stern, in a stunning reversal, has decided to shelve the new microfiber composite basketball after just a few months of use and switch back to the old leather model for all games starting Jan. 1, according to sources close to the situation.

The decision will be formally announced by the league later this week, sources told ESPN.com.

Despite an avalanche of player complaints about the new synthetic model from the first day of training camp in October, skepticism was high among players that Stern would consent to a change during the season. But with a number of prominent players complaining of cuts on their hands caused by the new ball's high-friction cover — Phoenix's Steve Nash and New Jersey's Jason Kidd among them — Stern was forced to concede that an in-season swap was unavoidable with the new ball inflicting injuries.

That's quite a turnaround by Stern.  I remember him strongly defending the new ball just a few weeks ago...

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Intro by Jon Nichols on Friday, December 8th, 2006 at 3:12 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://www.nypost.com/seven/12082006/sports/bad_answer_sports_peter_vecsey.htm

According to two agents whose clients play for the 76ers, Iverson went to team president Billy King this past Tuesday and demanded to be traded, something he professed repeatedly over the years he'd never do.

According to two general managers King contacted yesterday, the 76ers are aggressively attempting to accommodate their forlorn franchise player, whose prohibitive salary (currently $17.1 million with $19M and $20.8M remaining) makes him a difficult sell despite a 31-point average - at least if the Sixers hope to harvest relatively equal value.

Interesting to see how much value the Sixers would get in return...

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Intro by Jon Nichols on Thursday, November 16th, 2006 at 9:14 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2665070

MILWAUKEE — Already without injured small forward Bobby Simmons for the foreseeable future, the Milwaukee Bucks now will have to press on without power forward Charlie Villanueva.

The Bucks announced Thursday that Villanueva has a torn ligament in his left elbow and will be sidelined four to six weeks.

Not sure how common of an injury this is for basketball players.  Does anybody know if these kinds of injuries linger?

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Intro by Jon Nichols on Wednesday, November 15th, 2006 at 4:03 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&id=2662683&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1

All told, then, there seem to be some real differences that can be attributed to the new ball — just not the ones we're hearing about. For all the complaints about difficulty in handling, players are making fewer miscues than a season ago and haven't seen an increase in bad passes. The one apparent change is that it appears shots from 15 feet and in have become slightly easier thanks to some kind rolls....But as far as the new ball having an impact on the game, it's much ado about nothing. On 99 plays out of 100, the new ball has had no discernible effect.

Very interesting results.  But it also goes the other way...Even though the balls aren't any worse, they're not helping anything either.  So what's the point of making the change?

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Intro by Jon Nichols on Friday, October 27th, 2006 at 12:05 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2640347

SPOKANE, Wash. — Robert Swift's 2006-07 season might be over before it begins.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Friday that the SuperSonics center has a right knee injury that could cost him the entire season, citing two unnamed team sources — a member of the organization and a player.

Swift, 20, hurt his right knee in the opening minutes of the Sonics' preseason game against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, when he landed awkwardly on his right leg while trying to keep the ball in bounds.

Swift showed some ability last year, and was supposed to be the starting center for the Sonics this season.  It's not good if your 20-year old center has knee injuries.

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Intro by Jon Nichols on Tuesday, October 24th, 2006 at 4:47 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2637335

NEW YORK — NBA owners unanimously approved the sale of the SuperSonics on Tuesday to a group headed by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett, who says he wants to keep the team in Seattle.

Whether he does almost certainly depends on if he gets a new building.

Bennett's group purchased the SuperSonics and WNBA's Storm from the Basketball Club of Seattle, led by Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz, on July 18 for $350 million.

Howard Schultz just couldn't afford it.  He's got kids to feed, y'know?

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Intro by Jon Nichols on Monday, October 23rd, 2006 at 7:09 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2636270

The NBA commissioner said Monday the league is sticking with its new ball and is convinced it's a better product despite concerns from a number of players.

The upside to Stern is that all the new balls, made of a microfiber composite, feel exactly alike. No two leather balls were the same. Stern said it was customary for referees to go through a rack of balls to select the best one before each game.

"Players have complained that the ball gets too slippery when wet, and a couple have told me that the new design, with the seams no longer meeting, has at times produced a knuckleball effect. At a Celtics-Knicks game last week in New York, I saw Jamal Crawford shoot a high, high-arching 3-pointer that hit the back rim and simply died, dropping through the net without the slightest of bounces. Never saw the old ball do that." - Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com

Shaq has been a vocal critic as well.

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Intro by Jon Nichols on Monday, October 23rd, 2006 at 12:44 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650200990,00.html

PORTLAND, Ore. — Jazz basketball operations senior vice president Kevin O'Connor on Sunday declined specific comment on a Boston-based report revealing details of the Celtics' recent interest in Utah big man Carlos Boozer.

According to Sunday's Boston Herald, which cited an unidentified "league source," the Celtics "were involved in lengthy talks with Utah about ... Boozer, before discussions cooled off in late July." The Herald also reported that "the price would have been Al Jefferson, with Theo Ratliff's $11.7 million annual salary a match for Boozer's almost identical number."

Although it appears lopsided in the Jazz's favor at first, at second look it wouldn't be so bad for the Celts.  Boozer may be overpaid, but he's still a good, young big man and Ratliff's contract offsets his.  Jefferson, on the other hand, is promising because of his size (6′10″, 265) and age (21).  However, he shot under 50% from the field last year and had a Roland rating worse than Mark Blount.  The most similar season from a player at his age was Vlade Divac in 1990.  I think I speak for the majority when I say, "Huh?"

5 Comments

Intro by Jon Nichols on Friday, October 20th, 2006 at 1:59 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2632299

DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard agreed to a four-year contract extension Thursday that will keep him with the Mavs through the 2010-11 season, same as teammate Dirk Nowitzki and coach Avery Johnson.

The new deal, ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports, is worth in excess of $40 million, according to team sources. Howard will play for $1.7 million this season, the last on his rookie-scale contract.

Pretty good deal for the Mavs. 10 million a year sounds like quite a lot, but considering his youth, effectiveness, and reputation, they should be happy he signed.

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