NBA FanHouse

Stephen Jackson: Winning Wasn't a Priority for Golden State

Chris Tomasson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST

MILWAUKEE -- Four months after Stephen Jackson arrived in Golden State in January 2007, the Warriors won their first playoff series in 16 years. They went 48-34 the following season, their best record in 14 years.

Jackson would like to take plenty of credit for it.

"The Warriors were (garbage) when I got there, so look what happened,'' Jackson said in an interview Friday with FanHouse. "So I love challenges.''

That's why the 10th-year swingman is ecstatic about his trade last Monday from the Warriors to Charlotte. Even though the Bobcats (3-8 entering Friday) never have made the playoffs since entering the NBA as an expansion team in 2004, Jackson believes it's "a great opportunity for me to be part of something great.''

Also: Don Nelson Opens Up About Issues with Monta Ellis

Jackson no longer believed that was a possibility in Golden State. The Warriors, devastated by injuries, went 29-53 last season and they were off to a 3-6 start (they entered Friday 3-8) when Jackson got his wish and was dealt.

"I wanted to win and I didn't feel like winning was a priority (in Golden State),'' Jackson said. "I didn't feel like winning was the main goal there, and I didn't want to be a part of a situation where winning is not the main focus. I want to be somewhere where they want to win, where they want to compete. So that's why I wanted out.''

"I wanted to win and I didn't feel like winning was a priority (in Golden State). ... So that's why I wanted out."
- Stephen Jackson Jackson didn't get into a lot of specifics about why he believed the Warriors weren't putting a premium on winning. He did say not spending to acquire players was one concern.

"As a whole from the top of the organization to the bottom of the team, (wanting to win) wasn't the total attitude, and you can see it by being there,'' Jackson said. "(Player acquisitions had) something to do with it, but it's a number of things. I'll be going on all day saying about things that I wasn't happy with.''

Jackson had a bus to catch after Charlotte's morning shootaround in Milwaukee before Friday's game against the Bucks. So he didn't have time to talk all day.

But he did say plenty.

Jackson said he had no regrets about publicly stating in August that he wanted to be traded. The NBA fined him $25,000 for his comments.

"I've been speaking my mind my whole career, and that ain't going to stop,'' he said.

Jackson said his relationship with Warriors coach Don Nelson didn't deteriorate until Nelson suspended him for two games during the preseason, costing him $139,090 in salary. The suspension came after Jackson had a run-in with Nelson during an Oct. 9 preseason game against the Lakers, and the following week Jackson gave up being captain of the Warriors.

"I didn't have a problem with Nellie until he fined me in the preseason,'' Jackson said. "I was supposed to be the captain and he fined me in the preseason. That's when our relationship went sour. But I still have respect for him. I have nothing bad to say about him. But the fine in the preseason I felt was unnecessary.''

Jackson said he was upset with Nelson for not defending him against the officials when he picked up five fouls and a technical in the first nine minutes against the Lakers. He didn't return to the game after his outburst.

"I told him how I felt about leaving me in the game in the preseason and getting five fouls in the first quarter and not standing up for me with the referees,'' Jackson said. "I spoke my mind, and he didn't like what I had to say.''

Now, though, Jackson has become Larry Brown's problem. Well, check that. The Bobcats coach doesn't believe Jackson will be pose much difficulty.

"You asking me about problems?'' said Brown, whose Bobcats acquired Jackson and guard Acie Law for guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic. "No. I've known him." As Brown went on to explain, Jackson tried out for the 76ers when Brown was the coach in 2000, and Jackson also played for Brown's close friend Gregg Popovich from 2001-03. "He's like family. I haven't heard any teammates have a problem with (Jackson).

"It's like Rasheed (Wallace, a controversial player who helped Brown win a title with Detroit in 2004). You never heard teammates have a problem with Rasheed. You never heard coaches have a problem with him. He wants to win. It's important to me. ... Obviously, a kid like (Jackson) is not going to be on the trading block unless things are working out. Again, you hope that the trade works out for everybody.''

Problems haven't been new for Jackson.

While Jackson was with Indiana In 2006, there was an altercation outside an Indianapolis strip club, when he was punched and hit by a car but not hurt seriously. Jackson then fired a gun into the air. That led to a seven-game NBA suspension to start the 2007-08 season.

It was hardly the first time Jackson had been suspended. He got a 30-game NBA suspension from the Pacers after he went into the stands during the infamous Nov. 19, 2004 brawl at Detroit. Jackson eventually pleaded no-contest to a misdemeanor assault charge, getting one year's probation plus community service.

Thursday marked the five-year anniversary of the brawl. Jackson was asked how he looks back on it now.

"I didn't even know you all remember that,'' he said. "I didn't know the brawl had an anniversary. I don't look back on it. It happened. I got fined for it. I left it at that. The only thing I remember from the brawl is getting fined. I don't remember how it happened. I don't even think about it until you bring it up.''

Now, what Jackson wants to think about is helping the Bobcats break a six-game losing streak. He entered Friday averaging 19.5 points and 45.0 minutes in two Charlotte games.

"It's working out well,'' Charlotte guard Raymond Felton said of Jackson's acquisition. "He's just trying to get used to the offense. We all know what he brings to the game. He's a hard worker.''

Brown said the Bobcats made the deal because they needed more scoring. Considering Jackson, 31, has three more seasons on his contract after this one for about $28 million, it's a move that was made for the long haul.

That's fine with Jackson, whose career scoring average is 15.5.

"Championship experience, leadership on both ends of the court, and a guy that wants to win and has a positive attitude,'' Jackson said when asked what he brings to the Bobcats. "(It's) a great situation for me. ... It's another chance for me to help another team get back into the playoffs and get back to that winning attitude.''

Jackson was on San Antonio's 2003 NBA title team. But he didn't say anything about taking credit for that. The Spurs were pretty good when he got there.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson.

Stephen Jackson: Winning Wasn't a Priority for Golden State originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knicks Reportedly Pass on Allen Iverson

Matt Watson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Heat, Knicks, NBA Rumors

A four-time scoring champ leading Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo offense? It looked like a match made in heaven on paper, but the Knicks have apparently decided the intangibles surrounding Allen Iverson -- including ugly exits with two teams in the span of seven months -- outweighed the potential gains.

According to Howard Beck of the New York Times, the Knicks went back and forth on the issue, with a team source suggesting Thursday afternoon there was a 90 percent chance the team would offer a contract. Ultimately, however, the team's brain trust decided that "Iverson posed too great a risk" -- a damning indictment if there ever was one, considering the 2-7 Knicks are currently on pace for a 15-win season.

If not with the Knicks, where will Iverson land? Not the Heat, according to Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald, who reports that the team has denied reports out of New York suggesting they were in pursuit of A.I.

What about the Bobcats? Despite Larry Brown's affection for his former player, that doesn't seem likely either, especially after Charlotte filled their need for a scoring playmaker with the recent acquisition of Stephen Jackson. Brown has admitted to placing calls around the league on behalf of Iverson but nevertheless sounds reluctant to bring him aboard his own team given the focus on developing his young backcourt.

"Here's what happened -- when he thought about coming with me, he said, 'Coach, I don't care if I start, you just give me an opportunity to start,' " Brown said in a recent radio interview. "And I said that's fair. I hope I do that with all my players. But I told him that if he came with me, I have two guards sitting there and they would be unhappy, and I didn't think that was fair."

So what's next? Barring the unexpected, Iverson will likely be forced to spend at least the next several weeks waiting in limbo, either waiting for injuries to create a starting opportunity or a contender to make a compelling enough offer for Iverson to swallow his pride and come off the bench.

Knicks Reportedly Pass on Allen Iverson originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warriors Trade Stephen Jackson to Bobcats for Bell, Radmanovic

Matt Steinmetz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Warriors, NBA Transactions

The Golden State Warriors no longer have a Stephen Jackson problem. He's Larry Brown's issue now.

The Warriors and Bobcats reached agreement Monday morning on a trade that will send Jackson and Acie Law to Charlotte for Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic. Jackson had made it clear late in the summer that he "was looking to leave" the Warriors and hadn't relented on that theme through the early regular season.

The Bobcats weren't on Jackson's original "wish list" of teams, however, his agent, Mark Stevens had said about a week ago that his client would be willing to play for any team if it meant getting out of Golden State.

The Warriors and Bobcats had talked about numerous scenarios over the past few weeks. The Warriors had wanted Boris Diaw as part of the deal, but Charlotte didn't want to give up the versatile forward. The Bobcats had wanted to include center Nazr Mohammed, but Golden State had little interest in him.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had been the favorites in acquiring Jackson, but that apparently changed in recent weeks. It was widely reported the Warriors wanted to acquire Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and his expiring contract, for Jackson but the Cavaliers were unwilling to do that.

The Warriors had been very interested in acquiring second-year power forward J.J. Hickson from the Cavaliers, but in recent games Hickson has emerged, making Cleveland less likely to part with him.

It remains to be seen if Charlotte will keep Jackson or look to move him. The Bobcats now find themselves with three versatile swingmen -- Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw and Jackson.

Perhaps the best part of the trade from the Warriors' perspective is that it saves them approximately $20 million.

Bell is on the final year of his contract, and Radmanovic's contract runs through 2010-11 (assuming he doesn't exercise his early termination).

Jackson, on the other hand, has three-plus years remaining on his deal, and is owed upwards of $28 million after this season ends. Jackson signed a contract extension with the Warriors less than a year ago, and it runs through 2013.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Warriors Trade Stephen Jackson to Bobcats for Bell, Radmanovic originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Josh Smith Path to Salvation: Who Should Convert?

Tom Ziller — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Hawks, Heat, Nuggets, Warriors

Hawks buzzard Josh Smith has famously wasted quite a few Atlanta possessions over the years by taking ill-advised three-pointers. That phraseology is actually redundant when it comes to Smith: it would be considered ill to ever advise Smith to take a three.

Thankfully, someone showed Josh the light, and he hasn't attempted a trey all season. He convinces when he tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he hasn't even felt tempted to fire up a bomb. He found Basketball Jesus! Like a good son of the word, he should spread his experience. Which players would most benefit from a Brother Smith knock at the door?

Monta Ellis, G, Golden State. Ellis has a career three-point shooting mark of 29.1 percent. He has slowed his outside trigger this year, but averages 1.3 three attempts per game over his career.

Anthony Carter, PG, Denver. You may be interested to learn that Carter, who seems to fancy himself a designated gunner at times in Denver, has a career 23.9 percent mark from downtown. He took 217 threes over the previous two seasons, and hit only 66. Not a good look.

Gerald Wallace, F, Charlotte. Smith's kindred spirit has certainly backed off trey-shooting heights reached under Sam Vincent, but one three for Crash is one three too many. Incidentally, Wallace has hit exactly one three this year ... in 10 attempts.

And finally, Dwyane Wade, SG, Miami. Maybe it's sacrilege to suggest a superstar should abandon a shot as part-and-parcel to basketball as the three-point basket, but let me burn, brothers.

Wade is never going to learn how to consistently hit a three-pointer. He's a career 28.1 percent deep shooter, and last season he hit his peak of ... 31.7 percent. For a guy who gets to the rim at will, draws an unbelievable amount of fouls and hits two-pointers at an above-average rate, he needs to let the three go. (Of course, I write that after a game in which Wade hit three of six. C'est la vie.)

If Wade needs to pace himself on pace, there are better ways to use the rest possessions than by firing up threes. Like, almost anything short of handing the ball to the other team would be better. (That's only a small exaggeration.)

I never thought I'd be advising Dwyane Wade to take a page from Josh Smith's book, but there you go.

The Josh Smith Path to Salvation: Who Should Convert? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stinkface Chronicles: Back-to-Back

Rob Peterson — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:05:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Bobcats, Nets, Pistons, NBA Videos

It's rare that we have back-to-back Stinkface. As a matter of fact, yesterday's Stinkface and today's are the first time we've gone back-to-back.

That's fine by us. NBA teams go back-to-back an average of 20 times a season. Far be it from us to complain about it.

Also, we have an excellent reason for our quick turnaround: Detroit's Will Bynum.

Video after the (two-footed) jump.

Young Mr. Bynum, who is generously listed at 6-foot-0 (in three-inch heels, maybe), blew up all over Charlotte's Tyson Chandler at The Palace last night. And when we say blew up, we mean it.

Thanks to Need4Sheed.com for coining a phrase that perfectly fit Bynum's nasty flush: By-num-ite!

(Can someone get J.J. Walker out of mothballs? Wouldn't you love to hear him drop a "By-num-ite!" on the video board in Detroit? Of course you would.)

It all starts with Bynum handling the rock on the left wing and a simple cut to the top of the key by Ben Gordon. Bynum, who was probably supposed to work the ball to Gordon or to Charlie Villanueva, who was to come off Gordon's screen and probably plant himself on the low block.

Only, the play didn't develop because Bynum, who works his dribble at the 28-foot mark, quickly crossed-over Charlotte's Gerald Wallace. With no one in the post, Bynum was cleared for take off.

With that head of steam, and one of the game's better weak-side help defenders in Chandler coming at him, Bynum shows three things crucial for stinkface-age: aggression, athleticism and an absence of fear. Bynum plants his two feet, takes off from the left block and flies. As Bynum starts his ascent, Chandler, he of 767 career blocks, knows he's not going to get this one and draws his hand away for the fear of getting snapped off at the wrist. Bynum then throws down so hard, not only does he let out a little "Ooooh-uh" as he flushes it through, it sounds as if the rim mic explodes. I hope a sound-tech in the truck didn't have that amped too loud. He'll probably need to have his hearing checked. That, and veteran Pistons announcer George Blaha going bat-guano crazy just adds to the festivities.

Of course, a Stinkface wouldn't be complete if we didn't guage the reaction of the bench, which in this case, merits discussion. Moments after Bynum lands, the Pistons bench nearly runs onto the court en masse in search of a group hug. Then, at the 13-second mark, check out the guy with the lanyard behind rookies DaJuan Summers and Austin Daye. Pause it. Now, THAT'S stinkface.

Perhaps the video's most priceless moment comes at 1:30 when Bynum captures his low-Earth orbit on the video screen above. You deserve to smile big, Will. You were epic.

As for the night's other Stinkface dunk, we give you Andre Iguodala for the second Stinkface Chronicles appearance in a row -- and for the second time on the Nets in less than a week -- this time with only two comments. One, Nets coach Lawrence Frank is not pleased. As soon as Iggy throws it down, he pops off the bench and asks for a sub. He's seen this YouTube before. And two, yes, Mr. Ian Eagle, Iguodala is a highlight machine.

Stinkface Chronicles: Back-to-Back originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cleveland Remains Stephen Jackson's Most Likely Destination

Matt Steinmetz — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Bobcats, Cavaliers, Heat, Warriors

We all know Stephen Jackson is a short timer in Golden State. And now, with the Warriors off to a troubling 2-4 start, it looks as if Jackson will be gone sooner rather than later.

When Jackson first said he was "looking to leave" the Warriors, he listed Cleveland, New York or one of the Texas teams as desired destinations. Since then, a few other teams have supposedly expressed interest.

Charlotte, Miami and even Philadelphia are said to have emerged. However, there remains little doubt that the Cavaliers remain Jackson's most likely end-up spot. The reason: compatibility.

Let's take a look:

o. Cleveland Cavaliers: There is no doubt Jackson would be a big help to the Cavaliers. It would give Cleveland a secondary playmaker to LeBron James, and a shot-maker too. Jackson would also be a plus on the defensive end, allowing James the occasional break from guarding the opposition's best perimeter player.

While the remaining three-plus years and $30-plus million on Jackson's contract are a heavy price for the Cavaliers to pay, it's a relatively small investment if it nudges James toward staying in Cleveland long-term.

The Cavaliers are reluctant to trade Zydrunas Ilgauskas because they don't want to lose a big. The Warriors would love to have Ilgauskas' expiring contract, although they know that's likely wishful thinking.

Still, there is a deal here, and it involves some combination of J.J. Hickson, Daniel Gibson, Jawad Williams, Darnell Jackson and Danny Green and possibly Delonte West. The fact Cleveland isn't exactly firing on all cylinders offensively doesn't hurt.

o. Miami Heat: The Heat has recently been mentioned, although that doesn't seem to make much sense. Miami has made it clear they're not interested in taking on long-term money.

Jermaine O'Neal is a coveted player because of his expiring monster contract ($23 million). But the fact remains Miami isn't likely to move O'Neal for just that reason.

Miami believes it has a shot at signing James as a free agent in the offseason, and it is not about to give up on that dream for Jackson.

o. Charlotte Bobcats: Despite Mark Stevens, the agent for Jackson, recently saying he doesn't care where his client ends up, that's not really believable. Can you really envision Jackson in Charlotte, with Larry Brown the coach? Me neither.

There's also the very real issue of the Warriors wanting Boris Diaw, and the Bobcats only wanting to part with Vladimir Radmanovic and/or Nazr Mohammed.

o. Philadelphia 76ers: Philly would be willing to move Samuel Dalembert, whose contract expires at the end of next season. But Dalembert has a trade-kicker in excess of $2 million.

In addition, the Warriors would have to include another player, and the Sixers would surely insist on Speedy Claxton, who's got an expiring contract. The problem with that is such a deal would put the Warriors in luxury tax land, a place they're unwilling to go.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Cleveland Remains Stephen Jackson's Most Likely Destination originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA HouseCast: LeBron Goes to NYC, Iverson Goes Home

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Knicks, Nets, Rockets

Welcome to the NBA FanHouse podcast, where our writers get together a few times a week to talk about everything going on in the world of hoops. Want to participate? Leave a comment, or follow us on Twitter @NBAFanHouse.

In this episode, Matt Moore joins me to talk about what went down over the weekend, which included LeBron James' trip to New York on Friday, and Allen Iverson taking a personal leave from the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

We discuss LeBron's options in 2010, and wonder whether we've seen the last of A.I. in Memphis. All that, plus a discussion of the Houston Rockets, who have been a pleasant surprise so far this season.

Download MP3

NBA HouseCast: LeBron Goes to NYC, Iverson Goes Home originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's What's Jumping Out of (NBA) Box

Matt Steinmetz — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Bulls, Kings, Raptors, Wizards, NBA Last Night, Thunder

Couldn't help but notice some interesting box score lines from a busy Friday night of NBA games. Among them ...

Gerald Wallace, Charlotte: 4-for-20 from the field, 0 assists in 53 minutes. You almost have to try not to get an assist in that many minutes. And for what it's worth, five of Wallace's misses were actually blocked. To be fair, we'll mention Wallace's 15 rebounds, but even they come with a caveat. New York, the Bobcats' opponent, shot 38 percent from the field and the game went into double OT. In other words, there were plenty of misses.

Gilbert Arenas, Washington: 23 points on 9-for-22 from the field, 7 turnovers and 4 assists. Arenas made it look easy the other night when he had 29 points and nine assists in a win over Dallas. So ... maybe there are going to be some ups and downs for him.

Nick Young, Washington: 0-for-8 from the field in 12-plus minutes. It's not the eight misses we're focusing on, it's that he got up eight shots in little more than a quarter's worth of work.

John Salmons, Chicago: 2-for-14 from the field. To say Salmons is off to a terrible start shooting the ball is an understatement. He's now 5-for-29 from the floor through two games.

James Harden, Oklahoma City: 8 assists in 16-plus minutes. That's not bad for a two guard, especially when you're talking about a rookie.

Jose Calderon, Toronto: 3 assists and 3 turnovers in 34 minutes. Hey, it's just one game, but we're talking about a player here who had a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season and a 5-to-1 turnover-to-assist ratio two seasons ago. Is the fact the ball isn't going to be in Calderon's hands as much -- with Hedo Turkoglu on board -- going to be a factor?

Kevin Martin, Sacramento: 9-for-29 from the field. No excuse for taking that many shots ... unless you're knocking down more than half of them.

Jason Thompson, Sacramento: 4-for-16 from the field in 39 minutes. That kind of shooting really mitigates those six offensive rebounds.

Here's What's Jumping Out of (NBA) Box originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Could Las Vegas Be the Next NBA City?

Tim Povtak — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Bucks, Grizzlies, NBA Gambling

You have to give Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman an "A" for persistence. Neither the bad economy, nor the bad publicity from the All-Star Game in 2007 -- or even the stepped-up anti-gambling push after the snake-like Tim Donaghy raised his head -- has deterred Goodman from continuing his push for an NBA franchise.

He does make a lot of sense. Las Vegas really would be NBA heaven.

Goodman at his weekly press conference Thursday brought up the issue again of moving forward with plans for a new downtown arena in hopes of luring an NBA franchise to his city.

Considering Las Vegas has successfully hosted NBA exhibition games for many years, and it has been hosting the NBA-sanctioned Summer League, Vegas really would be a great place for the league to put a franchise.

Many NBA players spend time and money in town there during the off-season. Owners in Vegas would have no trouble luring free agents. And it sure beats Milwaukee or Toronto in January.

"I believe as soon as we have an arena -- this is my belief, I have nothing that is signed in blood, there's no contract -- but I believe we'll have a team,'' Goodman told reporters at his press conference Thursday.

Goodman wants his Las Vegas city council next week to give exclusive contract for the development of a downtown arena project to the Cordish Company, a Baltimore-based real estate developer.

The NBA has long been intrigued by the prospect of adding Las Vegas to its club, but there currently are no plans for expansion beyond the 30 teams it already has and the league keeps discouraging the movement of existing franchises.

Kansas City has been trying for years to get into the NBA mix and it already has a new arena waiting for a tenant. Seattle, which just lost its team to Oklahoma City, has made noise about wanting another team, and possibly building a new arena. Yet Las Vegas -- with a new arena -- would blow everyone else out of the water.

Teams all over the league are looking for ways to cuts costs now. Even commissioner David Stern has said he expects a significant drop in league revenues this season.

Yet Vegas wants to move forward in a bad economy, which really accentuates its desire for a team. Current teams in Charlotte and Memphis are struggling badly to sell tickets, and they likely would welcome a pitch from an arena-ready Las Vegas.

The 2007 All-Star Weekend in Vegas was filled with problems when fans went overboard in their enthusiasm, and the city police weren't ready to handle it. There were fights, shootings and other lawlessness from fans that flooded the city and caught everyone off guard. Yet those were easily correctable problems.

Goodman thinks the NBA would thrive in Las Vegas.

And he's ready to prove it with a new arena.

Could Las Vegas Be the Next NBA City? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Still Responding to Slow Economy

Matt Watson — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:50:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, NBA Fans

If you make your living as a quick change artist or riding a unicycle while balancing bowls atop your head, you might want to consider a second job.

Due to the economy, one of the many cost-cutting tactics adopted by NBA is to reduce the number of prominent halftime acts, opting against booking high-priced traveling acts in favor of more affordable local options, Fred Whitfield, chief operating officer of the Charlotte Bobcats, told David Biderman of the Wall Street Journal.

From the WSJ:

So during halftime this season, don't expect to see one of those national traveling acts that cost up to $15,000 per game. For about a dozen games this year, Mr. [Fred] Whitfield has enlisted the Junior Bobcats-a group of youth basketball players who are mostly 8 to 12 years old-to entertain the fans. The kids work pro bono, he says, and as a bonus, their parents usually buy tickets to see them perform. "It saves money and drives in revenue," Mr. Whitfield says.

Yes, things have apparently gotten so bad that NBA teams are not only slashing their halftime budgets but also looking forward to the extra 20-30 tickets a five-minute youth basketball game might generate.

Some of the other cost-cutting maneuvers make sense -- teams opting to email holiday cards instead of printing paper ones, cutting back on employee perks such as free cellphone texting -- but the payoff is only realized several thousand dollars at a time. Some decisions are more drastic, such as reducing the size of coaching staffs and scouting departments, but the savings still pale in comparison to roster decisions.

With a reduced salary cap and luxury tax, many teams were expected to carry 14 players into the season instead of the maximum of 15. Instead, over half the teams in the league opted for a full roster. Considering the league minimum salary is upwards of $400,000 for a rookie without any experience (and greater than $1 million for players with at least six years in the league), one extra player might equal several regular employees on the marketing or sales staff.

The extent of the league's efforts to reduce costs also highlights just how punitive the NBA's fines can be. Larry Brown and the Bobcats, for instance, were recently handed matching $60,000 fines for Brown's ejection and subsequent comments about the officiating. In most years, $60,000 is a rounding error for teams. This year, it could very well be the difference between someone else in the organization keeping his job or getting the axe several months later.

NBA Still Responding to Slow Economy originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bobcats Could Lose Bell Up to Four Months With Wrist Injury

Matt Moore — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats

I would say this is poor timing for the Bobcats, but really, is there a good time to have any of your players tear a wrist ligament? Because to me, what Raja Bell suffered this week, a partial tear in his left wrist in a preseason game against Utah, is not something that's ever good.

But the implications are more than just "lost a veteran player" for the Cats. This injury impacts them on multiple levels and springs more than one leak on the good ship Bobcats.

Plus, it probably hurts a lot, too.

The Bobcats' backcourt is kind of a mess to start with. The two best players are D.J. Augustin and Raymond Felton, but both are point guards, and putting one of them in the starting small guard spot is just asking for trouble, forcing them away from their natural talents. Flip Murray was brought in over the offseason, but he's sidelined with a shin problem. Which leaves Gerald Henderson. No problem, Henderson is tall, athletic, can attack the basket and has great tangibles and scoring instincts. One problem.

He's a rookie, and Larry Brown hates rookies like I hate Thin Mints. And I hate Thin Mints. Seriously. They can troop their little selves elsewhere if they want me to buy them. Similarly, Brown has little patience, and only occasionally can stomach them, as in the case of Augustin, who committed to playing with his means.

But all of these things are difficulties in the immediate. More concerning -- much more concerning, actually -- is the fact that Bell's prognosis means he'll be sidelined right up until the trade deadline. Bell has a sizable expiring contract to go along with his experience and perimeter shooting ability (which has diminished somewhat). The Bobcats were in a fine position to dangle Bell on the open market to contenders looking for the final piece of the puzzle. Instead they may simply have to reap the cap space from his expiring deal, which won't help much given their market-size and prospects for the future, which make landing a big-name free-agent, even in 2010's buffet of ability, a hard sell.

Larry Brown has consistently outperformed expectations outside of the New York reclamation project, which ended up being his unicorn (as opposed to David Lee, who is a hippogriff). He'll need to pull another rabbit out of his hat in order to manage the Bobcats' backcourt if the worst-case scenario for Bell comes to light. He could still opt to postpone surgery, which would only mean losing him for several weeks and him living in significant pain on a daily basis. So there's that, for those of you that think being a professional athlete is always awesome, all the time.

Bobcats Could Lose Bell Up to Four Months With Wrist Injury originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Collects $120K from Brown, Bobcats

Matt Watson — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:10:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, NBA Referees

Earlier this week, the NBA fined Washington's Gilbert Arenas $25,000 for refusing to speak; today, it fined Larry Brown and the Bobcats a combined $120,000 for Brown talking too much. Brown hasn't been happy with the NBA's replacement referees all preseason, and his frustration boiled over on Monday when he was ejected from Charlotte's game against the Hawks in a contest that featured 61 fouls and five total technical fouls.

The next day, Brown vented about the disjointed flow of the game, although to be fair he seemed to put just as much blame on the NBA rule book and his own players' mistakes as he did the replacement referees.

Nevertheless, the NBA wasn't in the mood to split hairs, giving Brown and the Bobcats matching $60,000 fines -- $35,000 for the ejection and $25,000 for the complaints. If the fines collected were actually used to close the gap between what the NBA league is offering the regular referees and what the regular referees are asking, I think Brown would agree it's money well spent. Unfortunately, that's not how things work, so this might be the last time Brown speaks his mind anytime soon.

NBA Collects $120K from Brown, Bobcats originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Larry Brown Wishes the Game Were More Up-Tempo

Tom Ziller — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:33:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, NBA Coaches

In a Charlotte Observer story this morning, Bobcats coach Larry Brown tells beat writer Rick Bonnell that certain NBA rules have strangled the game's beauty. Brown most recently blew up at a replacement referee who wouldn't look him in the eye, but the coach is now putting on the pose that the game is not entertaining fans because of ... illegal defense rules?

Brown tells Bonnell that the league needs to force the game into a more "up-and-down" style, to reignite flow into the sport by allowing any type of defense and moving in the three-point line. Hey, maybe he's right. I'm not opposed to a free-flowing game. But my Hypocrisy Radar is bugging out, and you can't just ignore a Hypocrisy Radar.

Brown presides over a legacy of slow-down, drag-it-out basketball. Last season, only three NBA teams played at a pace slower than the Bobcats. Brown's Pistons teams were famously slow, ranking 24th and 29th in pace in the coach's two seasons there. Brown's 76ers teams never ran, and finished in the top half of the league in pace ony once in six years. Every single one of Brown's Pacers teams finished in the bottom third of the league in pace.

If Brown wants a more "up-and-down" NBA, he'd do well to stop calling every single play from the sidelines, and to stop grinding his teams' offenses to a halt, and to give his players some freedom. When Flip Saunders took over the Pistons in 2005-06, the team's pace did not increase in comparison to the Brown Pistons. But -- with the same personnel -- the offense bloomed, jumping from 17th under Brown to 4th under Saunders. No one would argue the Pistons offense became less entertaining when Brown departed.

Brown could very well be correct than allowing all types of zone defenses would cause teams to attack more regularly, and would stop coaches (like Brown) from forcing "the right way" down their point guards' throats. But the movement needs a less hilarious advocate, I'm afraid.

(Via TrueHoop.)

Larry Brown Wishes the Game Were More Up-Tempo originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Larry Brown, Replacement Refs Don't Mix

Brett Pollakoff — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, NBA Referees, NBA Coaches

An hour before the Phoenix Suns were set to play their first preseason game of the year, I asked the team's head coach, Alvin Gentry, how he felt about the prospect of replacement referees calling the games. His response?

"You think I'm touching that one?" Gentry joked. "You want to see the memo I got from the league?"

Actually, I did, but he didn't have it handy. The point was, replacement referees are a touchy subject, and complaints about them were supposed to be kept to the bare minimum by team personnel.

Apparently, Larry Brown didn't get the memo. Because he flipped out and was ejected by the replacement refs during his Bobcats' preseason game Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks.

Brown had enough with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter, when a referee asked security to escort him from the floor after a second technical foul for arguing one of the 61 fouls that were called on the night. That's the funny part, actually -- Brown, being a veteran coach who has been thrown out of plenty of games in his career, left on his own accord, and didn't need a security guard to show him where the locker room was.

But this doesn't erase the fact that the league is going to have a real problem on its hands the longer the replacement officials are allowed to call these games. While they're certainly adhering to the rule book and, for the most part, calling the game by the letter of the law, the replacements are almost definitely violating the spirit of the law, by killing any flow at all by not knowing when to make a call, and when to allow play to continue without a whistle.

There's a rhythm to NBA basketball, and for as much scrutiny that's given to the officiating, it's truly an art to try and call the games evenly for both sides, while still making sure that all of the rules are sufficiently enforced.

It's clear that the replacement officials were instructed to simply call everything, but it's equally clear that this isn't the best way for the referees to run a professional basketball game.

The best solution for everyone would be for David Stern to come to his senses, and give the referees' union the relatively small concessions it's seeking before the start of the regular season. If that can't be accomplished, then he at least needs to tell the replacement officials to loosen up a bit, and allow the game to be played as it was intended, and not with multiple whistles being blown for every minute of game action that we're seeing on the court.

Larry Brown, Replacement Refs Don't Mix originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip-Off Timer: 14 Teams Without a Title

Matt Watson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Cavaliers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Hornets, Jazz, Magic, Mavericks, Nets, Nuggets, Pacers, Raptors, Suns, Timberwolves

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Tuesday, there are 14 days remaining.

For everything the NBA has done to level the playing field -- the draft lottery, the salary cap, the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax -- only a select handful of teams have a legitimate chance to win the championship in any given year.

I know optimism is supposed to reign supreme in October, but here's a harsh dose of reality: in the past 26 years, only seven different organizations have hoisted the Larry O'Brien, and six of those teams have won more than once. In fact, in a league where fluke success is rare and dynasties are the norm, there are 14 teams that have yet to win a title.

Will any of these perennial losers buck their unfortunate losing streaks in the near future? While the Lakers, Spurs and Celtics (winners of nine of the last 11 titles) would disagree, it's a very real possibility.

While many expect the Lakers to repeat -- and at least one Celtic has predicted Boston will win 72 games -- the Magic and Cavaliers have re-tooled through trades and free agency after finishing last season as the two strongest teams in the East.

In fact, this might be Cleveland's last chance in a long time -- if LeBron James can't close the deal this year, he might bolt via free agency (surely you've heard, right?), adding a sense of desperation to their usual motivation. If the Cavs can't separate from the pack early, don't be surprised to see Danny Ferry make wholesale changes by the trade deadline.

The Magic are somewhat better positioned for long-term success, although they mortgaged their future by swapping the promising Courtney Lee in a package for the aging Vince Carter. It also remains to be seen how they perform with the expectations of being an elite team now that they're no longer able to play the underdog role, although you can never accuse a Stan Van Gundy team of being unprepared.

But if Cleveland and Orlando fall short, are we destined to watch yet another dynasty stamp their name in the NBA record book? The Denver Nuggets, who took the eventual champion Lakers to six games in the Western Conference finals last year, beg to differ, as do fellow non-champions like the Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz and New Orleans Hornets.

As for the Clippers, Grizzlies and Timberwolves? They all fall into the never-were and never-will-be categories (or at least not-anytime-soon). Same goes for the Suns, who don't seem to know if they're building for the future or playing for today, as well as the Nets and Pacers, who have some interesting building blocks but not much else.

The Raptors and Bobcats hope their rebuilding process is nearing completion, but they'll be considered a success if they simply reach the playoffs, let alone win a game or two in the first round. And if there's anything we can learn from past champions, it's that the real winners are built to last and are never content to simply be there.

Tip-Off Timer: 14 Teams Without a Title originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Player to Watch: Boris Diaw

Matt Moore — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats

FanHouse previews a player to watch from each NBA team in advance of the 2009-10 season.

If you're attempting to put together a competing team without a superstar, you need a lynchpin. A guy who can do several things well, if no one thing brilliantly. Some opt for a point guard, some opt for a traditional big man. Larry Brown opted for Boris Diaw.

Since being traded to Charlotte last season, Diaw went from being the gap filler in Phoenix who could never quite fill the tank completely, to the lynchpin in Charlotte. The Bobcats came on strong at the end of the year, narrowly mising an oppotunity to lose to the Celtics in fewer games than the Bulls did. And if they're going to build on that success, Diaw is going to have to maintain his role on the Cats.

In Charlotte, Diaw posted a career high for points per 36, and had his best statistical year since 2005-2006 when he was the Amare fill-in for SSOL. This is especially impressive considering the pace differential. More important is how Brown used Diaw.

Emeka Okafor and Gerald Wallace benefited a lot from Diaw, thanks to his interior passing. Diaw's time in the high post allowed him to use his specialized, but diverse set of skills to create for the Cats, something that was missing when it was just Jason Richardson trying to score a lot of points.

Diaw led all players in plus/minus, and his time at the four allowed for a positional shift that was huge for the Cats. Putting Diaw at the power forward position allowed Gerald wallace to slide to three, not only boosting his natural abilities, but lowering the risk of him accidentally killing himself. Meanwhile, with Diaw's ability to play at the perimeter, pick and roll defense improved and both Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin had more room to work penetration.

Like I said, Diaw's a jack of all trades, master of none. He's extremely capable of handling a variety of roles, including low and high post, perimeter, catch and shoot, and working the glass on both sides. He's not a fantastic player, and can easily be overwhelmed by a superior player and removed from the flow of the game. But when he's working in every phase of the game and adjusting, it's hard to compensate, which also frees the other players up.

So we enter year two of the Bobcats makeover, with Gerald Henderson joining the party, D.J. Augustin settling in, and Tyson Chandler patrolling the paint. The question is if Diaw can actually improve or if he slides back with more weight on his shoulders. But as the lynchpin of this team, if you're going to watch one player on the Bobcats, keep an eye on Diaw, on and off the ball.

Player to Watch: Boris Diaw originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Preview: Bobcats

Matt Moore — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, NBA Preseason, NBA Previews

FanHouse previews all 30 NBA teams in advance of the 2009-10 season.

The Bobcats are a playoff contender. I know it sounds weird. If you need to take a few minutes to repeat that to yourself in order to suspend belief in pursuit of finishing this column, feel free. I'll wait.

...

Ready? Okay, let's begin. The Bobcats are a playoff contender, and have been since Larry Brown decided to dump his best player (Jason Richardson) to Phoenix for jack-of-all-trades-master-of-awkward-spacing Boris Diaw and older than dirt Raja Bell. When that trade occurred, there was universal questioning of what in the carolina blue blazes Larry Brown was thinking. You don't ditch your best player!

Player to Watch: Boris Diaw | SI.com: Bobcats Can't Afford Not to Win
Bobcats Coverage | Schedule | Roster

But Brown understood a resounding principle of rebuilding/makeovers/reconfigurations. Whatever the core pillar is of the function that is not being successful, it is the first thing that must go. It definitely made sense to question the team at the time. How could Diaw, a notorious gap drifter, a player specifically not known for his toughness, focus, or leadership, thrive on a Larry Brown team? How could he make Emeka Okafor and Gerald Wallace better? And it was at this point that we were forced to remember something we had forgotten since Larry Brown took the job in New York. Larry Brown is a very smart basketball dude.

From the time Diaw and Bell were traded to the Bobcats through March 31st, the Bobcats went 27-24. In that span they knocked off the Lakers twice, Detroit, Phoenix, and Atlanta, and came within an Adam Morrison mustache hair of knocking off the Spurs. They had actually pulled themselves into the playoff race. Then came April. A disastrous, heartbreaking loss the Celtics started a 1-7 slide to end the year, with the Cats facing six playoff teams out of that final eight. And we're talking Boston, Orlando, and a killer game against the surging Bulls. In the end, the Bobcats simply didn't have enough to get over that final hump.

Over the summer, the Bobcats drafted Gerald Henderson, and then traded franchise center Okafor and his massive newly minted contract to the Hornets for Tyson Chandler, another move universally panned. So the prospects for this season aren't much better than last season. And the Bobcats certainly aren't going to be contending for any sixth seed in a newly stacked East. They're still lacking guard depth, Wallace is arguably their best player and he spends a ton of time on the shelf. Chandler's foot is a serious concern. But the question remains, how will Brown get this team to play: to their talent, or above it?

What no one factored into the Diaw trade was his ability to facilitate the interior passing game. Chandler may not have Chris Paul dishing to him anymore, but Diaw can go low, force a double-team, and then dump off to Chandler as he did to Okafor. With another year in the system, you have to expect the Bobcats' anemic offense to gain some sense of flow. Gerald Wallace can still stuff the stat sheet. But this year's final record will come down to one player. D.J. Augustin.

Augustin was expected to have a miserable first year. A rookie point guard, under Larry Brown? That's right next to waterboarding. But instead, Augustin seemed to flourish under the rigid demands of Brown. He wound up with a 14.9 PER, just .1 below the league average, which is rare for rookies. His defense was terrible, but he's a rookie. That happens. Augustin showed flashes of playmaking ability tempered with rookie uneasiness. If you factor his progression, it could be quite the boon for the Bobcats. Having a scoring game-manager to go alongside Raymond Felton would provide multiple players at each position who can play multiple dimensions. Which is pretty much how Brown wants to run things. Everyone able to do everything all the time.

You can tell from interviews that Brown doesn't have extremely high hopes for this squad. But even a playoff birth would be a major step for a franchise on the brink of financial ruin, who have been beset with poor draft choices and a fanbase still hurting from the departure of the Hornets. If Brown can just steady the ship, get some production out of Henderson and have Flip Murray just match last year's efficient production, his backcourt is set, and suprisingly cheap. If Chandler can get healthy, Wallace can stay healthy, and Diaw continues to lead, his frontcourt features three multi-faceted, talented guys. There are a lot of ifs on this team, but Brown has proven with Charlotte that he's willing to take chances as long as there's a chance the team will play more "the right way."

A disastrous start for the Cats could spiral the team into a year-long funk, ending with Brown jettisoning off into retirement again while the franchise is sold. A playoff run could push some air back into the city's professional basketball lungs. And another year of mediocrity might be the worst, and most likely, result of all. We'll have to see how the ifs shake out, before we know if the Bobcats will make anything out of this season.

Last Season By the Numbers

Record: 35-47 under Larry Brown. Finished 4th in the Southeast Division, 10th in the Eastern Conference.

Offense: 104.7 points per 100 possessions, 27th in the NBA. 19th in shooting, 30th in turnover rate, 10th in offensive rebounding, 19th in free throw rate.

Defense: 106.1 points per 100 possessions, 7th in the NBA. 13th in shooting defense, 5th in opponent turnover rate, 18th in defensive rebounding, 15th in opponent free throw rate.

Top Performers: Gerald Wallace played 71 games, and averaged a team-high 16.6 points and 1.7 steals per game. Traded Emeka Okafor led the team in per-game rebounding (10.1) and blocks (1.7). Boris Diaw finished second in scoring (15.1 points), third in rebounding (5.9) and second in assists (4.9). Raymond Felton led the team with 6.7 assists per game.

All statistics via Basketball-Reference.com.

Player to Watch

FanHouse's Matt Moore and Tom Ziller preview one player to watch from each team. Here's a snippet of Moore's post on Bobcats forward Boris Diaw.

Diaw's a jack of all trades, master of none. He's extremely capable of handling a variety of roles, including low and high post, perimeter, catch and shoot, and working the glass on both sides. He's not a fantastic player, and can easily be overwhelmed by a superior player and removed from the flow of the game. But when he's working in every phase of the game and adjusting, it's hard to compensate, which also frees the other players up.

See Moore's full post on Diaw.

Offseason Tracker

IN: Gerald Henderson (draft), Derrick Brown (draft), Robert Vaden (draft), Tyson Chandler (trade).

OUT: Emeka Okafor (trade).

FanHouse Preview: Bobcats originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chandler Not Offended by Bobcats Trade

Chris Tomasson — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Hornets, Thunder

It wasn't as bad as the minor league baseball player who last year was traded for 10 bats. Nevertheless, center Tyson Chandler wasn't too thrilled when he saw last February what New Orleans received for him from Oklahoma City.

Players, you see, are often sensitive about what a team gets back when they are traded. Marcus Camby wasn't dancing the Cha-cha-cha when Denver, in a July 2008 salary dump, got nothing more from the Los Angeles Clippers than the right to exchange second-round picks in 2010.

And Chandler grumbled when he saw all the Hornets, in an attempted salary dump, got for him were Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, who both had expiring contracts, and the draft rights to somebody named DeVon Hardin.

"The... deal was like, 'Come on,''' Chandler said in an interview with FanHouse. "Because I'm pulling for my teammates, even though I was gone to a new situation at the time, I wanted to still see them succeed. I felt like, 'Come on. You still got to give my boys a chance to succeed.'''

Fortunately for the Hornets and for Chandler's piece of mind, the trade was rescinded when Chandler failed a physical due to an alleged troublesome toe. But Chandler was traded again last July to Charlotte, and this time it went through. What the Hornets got back, center Emeka Okafor, hardly was embarrassing.

"Emeka is a great player,'' Chandler said. "(The Hornets) still got a chance to do some things.''

Other than executives from contending teams going to lunch when Allen Iverson's representatives were on hold, Chandler again being dealt was the NBA's biggest offseason non-surprise. The Hornets were looking to shave payroll, and Chandler will make $12.2 million this season and likely won't opt out of the $13.2 million he's due in 2010-11.

"I definitely knew they had to make a move, and I knew I was the piece,'' Chandler said. "I was just hoping I would land in a good spot, and I'm very happy where I landed because of the coaching (Hall of Famer Larry Brown in charge) and the good young players. ... I knew that I was going to be the one that was going to be traded.

"It's a business. If I was a businessman, I may have treated this differently. But, if I'm a businessman and I got to make a business decision, it is what it is.''

But the latest deal was hardly the salary dump the Hornets sought to do last February. Okafor does make $1.4 million less over the next two seasons ($11.5 million and $12.5 million), which allows the Hornets to save in the short term on luxury tax. But he has two more years than Chandler left on his contract, earning $13.5 million in 2011-12 and $14.5 million in 2012-13.

There actually has been more talk about the deal being made to save the Bobcats bucks.

"You can figure out why it was made,'' Brown said when asked why Charlotte made the trade, apparently referring to Chandler having a total of $25.4 million left on his contract to Okafor's $52 million. "It's not about the players.''

Welcome to Charlotte, Tyson. Your new coach, who says "I love Emeka,'' was not excited to see him depart.

But Chandler remains undeterred. He could care less what anybody might say about why he was picked up by the Bobcats.

"I feel like they acquired me to get better regardless of what anybody says,'' said Chandler, 27, who has career averages of 8.2 points and 9.0 rebounds in eight seasons to 14.0 and 10.7 for Okafor, 27, in five years. "Even if management says it, I feel that way. ... I feel that I bring a great presence. I feel I bring leadership. I feel like I speed up the game.''

For now, Chandler is stuck in neutral. He underwent surgery on his left ankle last May and wasn't yet ready to play Tuesday in Charlotte's preseason opener.

Brown, who at least likes that the 7-foot-1 Chandler can play some power forward while the 6-10 Okafor is pretty much just a center, foresees Chandler returning very soon. Chandler said the ankle feels much better and his only concern is conditioning since he couldn't do much running during the offseason.

As for his left big toe that torpedoed his Oklahoma City physical, Chandler is still confused. He underwent surgery on it in April 2007 but said it hadn't been a problem for a while.

"That was an interesting thing for me because I was out because of an ankle injury,'' Chandler said. "I thought it was my ankle (when Chandler learned he failed the physical). I was very surprised when they said it was my toe because that hadn't kept me out of anything.''

It was indeed an interesting February for Chandler, who was a member of the Thunder for one day. But at the least the Hornets hadn't tried to trade him for a rack of balls.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Chandler Not Offended by Bobcats Trade originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shaq's Debut Overshadowed by Delonte West, Replacement Officials

Chris Tomasson — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Cavaliers, NBA Referees

CLEVELAND -- The Shaq show was overshadowed.

Center Shaquille O'Neal made his preseason debut for Cleveland on Tuesday night, looking good in a 92-87 win over Charlotte at Quicken Loans Arena. But most of the talk after the game centered on Delonte West's continued troubles and Bobcats coach Larry Brown's frustration with replacement officials.

A source said after the game that West will not be at Cavaliers practice Wednesday, and it's possible his absence could continue beyond that. The source said he will be in the Washington D.C. area Wednesday to address legal matters concerning his Sept. 17 arrest in Maryland after police said he was pulled over for speeding on a motorcycle while carrying two loaded handguns and a loaded shotgun in a guitar case.

Cavaliers 92, Bobcats 87: Box Score
SI.com: Cavs Reveal Their Depth in Preseason Opener

Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry declined comment to FanHouse after the game. But the team is expected to have a statement Wednesday on West.

West, who hasn't talked to reporters since the team's media day Sept. 28, got testy before the game when reporters attempted to interview him, and wouldn't comment. Cavaliers coach Mike Brown had said before the game West would play and he warmed up, but he wasn't used nor was even on the bench.

"Delonte is going through a process right now, but, while he's going through that process, we're trying to use all the resources that we have available to help him through it."
- Cavs coach Mike Brown "Danny approached me and told me that he wasn't going to play,'' Brown said. "It was his decision he did not want him to play. ... Delonte is going through a process right now, but, while he's going through that process, we're trying to use all the resources that we have available to help him through it. It's going to take a little bit of time, but we have the patience to deal with it.''

West missed a game that featured a total of 55 fouls called by replacement officials, with Cleveland shooting 41 free throws to Charlotte's 24. Larry Brown got a technical in the final minute of the third quarter for arguing a call on a Bobcats player, and continued to ride the officials the rest of the game.

"They're learning,'' the Charlotte coach said about the replacement officials, who are working preseason games while the regular officials are locked out. "They're trying to get better. This is not an easy game to officiate. All you want as a coach is consistency, but this is not an easy thing for them. We have the best officials in all of sports, and this is the way it is.''

The negativity overshadowed the first game with Cleveland for O'Neal, acquired during the summer from Phoenix. Playing only the first half, O'Neal totaled six points, three rebounds and a block in 16 minutes. His new sidekick, Cavaliers star LeBron James, had 15 points while also only playing the first half.

Mike Brown ended up using 18 of the 20 players on his roster. The only ones who didn't play were Leon Powe, out following knee surgery, and West.

It remains to be seen when West might play again. He had unexcused absences from two-a-day practices Sept. 29 and Sept. 30 before returning Oct. 1. West did not make the trip to Akron, Ohio, for a team scrimmage last Saturday.

"We have a nice support system around him,'' said Mike Brown. "He has a nice support system back at home in place. I'm confident that he's going to utilize it just like he did last year. And things will get him back on track, and he'll do what he needs to do to keep himself right first because that's more important than this game.''

West, who has a bipolar disorder, last year missed 12 days of the Cavaliers' training camp to seek treatment for depression and a "mood disorder'' he said he has battled his entire life.

"I'm not really thinking about that, sitting back and, 'Well how much time is he going to need,''' said Mike Brown. "If he needs some time, then we'll have to sit back and have to talk about it. Danny has been involved with this process this whole time. I've just gotten updates.''

Meanwhile, the games continue. And at least O'Neal wasn't critical of the replacement officials after his Cavaliers debut.

"They're out they're working hard,'' O'Neal said. "They did a fabulous job. The (locked-out) refs want their business handled a certain way. The great (NBA commissioner) David Stern wants his business handled a certain way. Hopefully, they can come to some type of medium. I thought the officials -- I don't want to call them replacement officials because they're in the same program as all the veterans -- did a nice job. But hopefully the real referees will come back because this is an important season for a lot of people and we want everything done right. We want everybody that's supposed to be in place to be in place.''

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Shaq's Debut Overshadowed by Delonte West, Replacement Officials originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will Joe Johnson's Future Be in Atlanta?

Matt Moore — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bobcats, Hawks, Knicks, Timberwolves

Since arriving in Atlanta in 2005, Joe Johnson has been the resident star of the Hawks. Josh Smith draws the oohs and aahs with the highlight reel dunks and eye-popping stat lines, but Johnson has been the only player to really approach greatness, his finest moment coming in the 2007 playoffs, which we mentioned a few days ago.

It's long been expected that Johnson would sign an extension within the last few weeks, to lock him up with the Hawks for the forseeable future, without any question of him going elsewhere in the summer of 2010.

Turns out: not so much.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports today that Johnson has elected not to sign the extension the Hawks have offered and will become a free agent next summer. In doing so, Johnson has rejected a four-year, $60 million offer from the Hawks, which is kind of a lot of dough. You could make a lot of pizzas with that. You could feed all the Ninja Turtles pizza, including Michelangelo, almost a dozen times with that much dough. And Johnson feels he can do better.

Though Johnson has an impressive set of skills, being able to play as a shooting guard running point as well as filling time at the the three in a pinch, it's hard to argue with his age (he'll be 29 when he hits the market next year), minutes, and history that he's worth a max-max-max contract. He was 13th in scoring this year, and had an abysmal playoff run, especially when compared to the year before. It's hard to see teams lining up offers the same way they will for LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and others in the '10 free agent class.

Still, even if the offers are dimmed for Johnson more than he seems, electing not to sign the extension may have been the best move. If he and his agent can generate a perception that the interest is out there, he can translate that into a bigger contract from the Hawks, which is probably a pretty likely scenario. Hawks blog Peachtree Hoops outlines the possibilities for Johnson and comes to much the same conclusion, though they're hoping Johnson signs for less money.

There are other options, though, if we whip out our crystal ball.

New York is obviously focusing all its intentions on LeBron. But in order to lure him to the Big Apple, they'll need someone else to show as his sidekick. You know, the player that the Cavs have failed to provide him with since he was drafted. Signing Johnson would pretty much make it so that as long as they have a breathing point guard (which is essentially all Chris Duhon is), and anything resembling a frontcourt that can just rebound (kind of like the Cavs have now), James will not only be facing the lure of the bright lights of the city, but a solid chance to compete with a talented and flexible roster IF Johnson signs.

If you're opting for the smaller markets, there's Charlotte or Minnesota. Both teams will have at least some cap space (depending on what the Bobcats do with Raja Bell and Raymond Felton), and signing Johnson would fill their most obvious need at small guard. Minnesota presents a young talented roster that figures to be on the rise over the next few years, with a glaring hole at two-guard. Minnesota also will have the money to throw at Johnson. Cold winters may not spark the interest of Arkansas' sixth or seventh favorite son, though.

There are other options if you put your imagination to the test (Boston, Houston, and Chicago to name a few), but the most likely scenario is still Atlanta. He's built a home and identity there, and if he can't drum up the interest elsewhere, making a home there could be his only option. It's a gamble Johnson has made, and this year represents his only chance to improve his odds.

Will Joe Johnson's Future Be in Atlanta? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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