NBA FanHouse

Jamison Mad at Wiz Effort, Takes Out Anger on Snacks

Tom Ziller — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:28:00 EST

Wizards forward Antawn Jamison hasn't been able to help his team on the court after suffering an exhibition schedule shoulder separation. But he's trying to inspire his mates in the locker room. Friday night, that meant the post-game gastronomy in Indianapolis had to suffer.

Washington fell to a rather miserable Indiana team by 16 points. According to the Washington Post's Michael Lee, Jamison gave the business to his teammates in the locker room after the final buzzer. Lee reports that a tray of snacks had been "tossed into a corner, shattered to pieces, with fruit and candy scattered everywhere." Quelle horreur!

The main culprits of the lazy night, at least according to Lee's telling, were Gilbert Arenas and Andray Blatche. Things certainly haven't begun as planned for the Wizards. The team sits at 2-4, last place in the Southeast with the opening night win in Dallas almost completely forgotten at this point. Washington's only other win came against an abominable New Jersey team which might not record 15 wins this season.

This wasn't how things were supposed to go, not after the Wiz sold the No. 5 pick in the draft for Mike Miller and Randy Foye, and as a result sold a second-round pick that could have been DeJuan Blair in order to creep away from a Miller/Foye induced luxury tax payment. Washington made those moves to win immediately, to contend for a decent playoff seed and prepare for a serious title push within a season or two. Perhaps that was all a bit overambitious, or perhaps Jamison's absence really means that much. But again, losing by 16 to the Pacers doesn't fit into any sort of contention plan.

Hopefully the Wizards can do right by the snack trays tomorrow against a sizzling Suns team which just knocked off the Celtics in Boston. Good luck, 'Zards. You probably need it.

Jamison Mad at Wiz Effort, Takes Out Anger on Snacks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Granger Looks Lonely on the Pacers

Tim Povtak — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers, NBA Preseason

ORLANDO -- Danny Granger has all the makings of a great player who may get lost for many years.

Playing for the Indiana Pacers already makes him look like he's standing alone on an island -- waiting to get rescued.

"It doesn't matter how many points you score. If you don't win games, no one really cares,'' Granger told FanHouse Wednesday night before the Pacers played the Orlando Magic. "I've proven I can score. Now I have to prove we can win.''

Granger averaged 25.8 points last season when he won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award, becoming the first player in league history to raise his scoring average by at least five points in three consecutive seasons.

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Yet he did it for a team that hasn't reached the playoffs since 2006, and a team now that doesn't look much improved from where it has been in recent years.

Finishing ahead of Granger in the scoring race were Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki, all well-established stars who were in the playoffs. Finishing directly behind him were Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh, all more recognizable stars.

Of those nine, which one doesn't seem to fit in the group?

"Recognition is really not that important to me, but if we start winning games, that takes care of itself."
- Danny Granger Granger.

"Recognition is really not that important to me, but if we start winning games, that takes care of itself,'' Granger said. "If we were in the Eastern final, and I was scoring 21 points a night, people would think I was great. I do think we're headed in the right direction.''

Granger and the Pacers were mauled Wednesday night by the Magic, the defending Eastern Conference champs whose talent advantage accentuated just how far the Pacers must climb to be competitive.

"They have four or five All-Stars. I lose count,'' Granger said after the game. "We have the tools to make the playoffs, but it's going to be tough in the East. There are a lot of teams that got better.''

The Pacers will start the season without Mike Dunleavy, arguably their second-best player who still is recovering from knee surgery. They also will start without rookie Tyler Hansbrough, who was nursing a shin bruise. Their point guard is journeyman T.J. Ford. Their center is Roy Hibbert, a second-year player who slipped to 17th in the draft because many people thought he was merely a backup.

"A lot of people are skeptical, but the only thing that changes people's minds is winning. Words are pretty hollow. Talk doesn't mean anything, so there's not much I can say,'' he said. "We just have to win.''

The Pacers won 36 games in each of the last two seasons. They have dramatically changed the roster in the last few years, starting a rebuilding process that could get more painful before it starts paying off.

Granger has been underestimated before. He was lightly recruited out of high school, eventually playing at both Bradley and New Mexico. And after a good college career, he slipped to No. 17 in the 2005 Draft because there were questions about his knees.

His scoring average in the NBA has gone from 7.5 points as a rookie to 13.9 ppg, 19.6 ppg and finally to 25.8 ppg, earning him a reserve berth in the All-Star Game last season.

"I've always been overlooked as a player, at every level,'' he said. "Becoming an All-Star really meant something because of that. Now I just want to help this team start winning consistently. We can do that.''

Granger Looks Lonely on the Pacers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 22 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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Blogger Benson Restricted From Writing During Indiana's Training Camp

Chris Tomasson — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers

A waiter at a Hollywood restaurant recently was fired after he wrote on his Twitter page how a notable actress stiffed him on a tip.

It seems the actress, Hung star Jane Adams, claimed she had forgotten her wallet and went to her car and never returned. The tab, about $14, was later paid by her agent. But the payment came with no tip, leading waiter Jon-Barrett Ingels to write, "Not a big deal to me financially, but the principle of the thing was ridiculous.''

Fired.

We've seen this scenario before. Last spring, after Brian Dawkins bolted as a free agent from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Denver Broncos, a Philadelphia stadium worker named Dan Leone wrote on his Facebook page about the Eagles being "retarded'' for letting Dawkins go.

Fired.

Employers are nervous these days about social networking. So, if you're a fringe employee, you better watch what you're Tweeting or blogging.

If it was a renowned chef at the Hollywood restaurant who made a Twitter page comment in a similar way Ingels did, he probably would have kept his job. If Leone had been an indispensable turf expert, he would have had a much better chance to stick around.

It's the same in the NBA. If you're a solid player with a guaranteed contract, management might frown upon what's on your mind. But blog away.

If you're a guy on the fringe, that's another story. Then you're Rod Benson.

Benson has a cult following in the blogging world. His site, www.toomuchrodbenson.com, is considered a must read by many for its honesty and humor. Recently, he also has contributed to the Ball Don't Lie blog on Yahoo! Sports.

But Benson, a 6-foot-10 forward-center, went undrafted out of California in 2006. He has been an above-average D-League player, averaging 10.9 points and 9.2 rebounds, but never has been considered an obvious candidate to stick with an NBA team.

So when the Indiana Pacers invited Benson to training camp on a nonguaranteed contract, they put on him on what could be called restrictions. The Pacers kindly asked Benson to not blog during training camp, and he complied.

Benson has posted a note on his site that reads, "Gone Campin'," writing that the site and his Twitter account "will be down until the end of camp.'' He's also taken a break from Yahoo!.

"It wouldn't be a problem if he was a mid-level exception player,'' his agent, Bill Neff, said about the attitude NBA general managers have had about Benson's blog. "It's a double standard.''

Neff doesn't have a beef with the Pacers because he said they "asked nicely'' for Benson to not blog during training camp, and Neff didn't get the feeling it was an ultimatum. But Neff said he's dealt with at least four NBA teams before that were wary about giving Benson an opportunity due to his blogging.

After Benson arrived in Indiana, he had a meeting with Pacers executives Larry Bird and David Morway and a team public relations official. He was told it would be a good idea to suspend his social networking during training camp.

"It was something they felt they needed to address,'' Benson said. "I'm young and athletic... But I'm also good at something else. It's a very dicey situation because I was one of the first ones to get into social media on a public scale.''

Benson, for now, is being a good soldier about it. Since graduating from California, he's been in and out of NBA summer and fall camps, played with three D-League teams and had a stint in France. He's willing to put his blogging career on hold at least until he finds out if he makes the Pacers.

"They've been straight shooters,'' said Benson, who, if he were to make the team, would try to work out something with his blogging.

The Pacers spent the past week in Asia, playing games against Denver in Taipei, Taiwan, and Beijing. So fans of Benson weren't able to read any irreverent posts from Benson about the trip.

A number of e-mails were sent last week by FanHouse, giving Pacers officials, while in Asia, the opportunity to comment on Benson and his blogging. While some of the e-mails were returned, no comment on Benson ever was made.

It might soon be a moot point. Neff believes Benson, who has totaled nine points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes while playing in two of Indiana's three preseason games, has little chance to make the Pacers due to all their guaranteed contracts. Benson doesn't agree with that assessment, saying he's been playing well.

But the bigger issue for Benson, 25, is whether his blogging ever could cost him a chance to make an NBA team even if he might be playing better than non-blogging candidates.

"It's a very unique situation,'' Benson said. "All I can do is play my game. I'm hoping I can be a writer and a blogger without having it be a detriment to my athletic career... I censor myself (in writing). I don't think that I write anything that would be detriment to a team.''

Still, Benson has heard the stories over the years from Neff about general managers being wary about him.

"It's just people misunderstanding Rod,'' said Neff, who said Benson has made more in a year from blogging than from playing in the D-League, where salaries are around $25,000. "He's a brilliant guy. He has like a 180 IQ... He's just silly and goofy. Some general managers say they have a problem with that.''

Neff was asked to provide an example or two of when Benson might have written something a bit too edgy.

"Early in his (pro) career, he wrote some stuff about Dakota,'' Neff said about Benson being with the D-League's Dakota Wizards in 2006-07. "He said all the players did was chase women, and some of them were married. (Dakota's married players) didn't like that. And he wrote all of the women in Dakota were fat. That got him in trouble, but he's since learned. Now (on his blog), he mostly makes fun of himself.''

Benson admits he probably did go a bit too far with his blogging after arriving in Bismarck, N.D.

"It was culture shock when I came to Dakota,'' said Benson, who is from San Diego. "I saw a lot of things I hadn't seen before.''

Benson mostly writes zany stuff about personal experiences. It's funny listening to him talk about how he came up with "Too Much Rod Benson.''

"We were playing Stanford (in college) and I ran off six or eight points in a row at one point,'' Benson said. "The announcer on TV said, 'That's just too much Rod Benson.' So I used that for my online personality.''

Neff, who loves reading Benson's blogs, calls him "Not Enough Rod Benson.'' Recently, though, Benson has written some things that one could see not thrilling a conservative NBA official.

In May, he wrote "an extremely hard intentional foul is now a 'Derek Fisher.'" He was referring to Fisher's playoff flagrant foul on Houston's Luis Scola.

Earlier this year, Benson wrote the following about the D-League All-Star game being held in Phoenix during All-Star Weekend: "Wedged between a celebrity game and Rookie-Sophomore showdown, the D-Leaguers will battle in an All-Star Game of their own. You don't need to know the TV ratings to know that the D-League game won't be watched by many people. Why would people watch it, anyway? They don't know the players, they hardly respect the talent, and they don't subscribe to NBA TV.''

OK, this isn't exactly Jim Bouton writing Ball Four. Then again, Bouton once had a 20-win season for the New York Yankees.

If everything were to be equal, it's understandable how an NBA general manager might choose over Benson a player for the end of the bench who doesn't tote around a laptop.

That's unfortunate for many observers of Benson. But NBA officials are still generally an old-school, conservative lot. A lot of this social networking is a concern, which is why the league and teams are putting in rules to contain it.

It would be great if Benson some day could make an NBA team and be able to blog with at least just a moderate filter. In this troubling economy, he could generate a bit more interest in the team and perhaps bring some additional hits to the team web site if it runs some versions of his blog.

Former NBA benchwarmer and funny man Mark Pope a few years ago wrote an entertaining blog that was posted on the Nuggets' site. Of course, Pope is a Mormon, so nobody had to worry about him writing about going to clubs.

That subject comes up often in blogs by Benson, who doesn't deny he enjoys a night on the town. He has helped create the so-called "Boom Tho,'' movement, which has been said to be devoted to the philosophy of "having fun, being ridiculous and being yourself.'' One even can buy a T-shirt in a link from his blog (that hasn't gone camping) for $21 plus tax.

The most important thing Benson can do now, though, is the job on the court. If he plays well enough that an NBA team believes he can help, hopefully a place can be found for his blogging.

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

Blogger Benson Restricted From Writing During Indiana's Training Camp originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Player to Watch: Roy Hibbert

Matt Moore — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers

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

Seven feet, two inches. Two hundred and seventy eight pounds. Only 23 years of age. Size, agility, athleticism, post moves and tremendous upside. Not Greg Oden. Not Andrew Bynum.

His name is Roy Hibbert, and if he finds the right track, lock up your pivots, lock up your wives, lock up your post defense and run for your lives. If he can't, he's doomed to "obligatory tall guy that never panned out" status. It's a thin ledge for the big fella.

For a team as underwhelming as the Pacers were last year (save the occasional Danny Granger "Oh, Holy God" game), they have so many bright spots. Mike Dunleavy Jr. can be a capable all-around foundation player. Granger is next, in so many contexts. You can do worse than T.J. Ford at point. Brandon Rush, lots of potential. Tyler Hansbrough ... makes nice commercials.

But Hibbert represents an entirely different set of potential. A franchise center has become impossible to find. Emeka Okafor is considered a top-10 center and he was trade bait this year. Not only that, but Hibbert has produced when on the floor: 17.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks per 36 minutes. If only he could stay on the floor for that long.

Hibbert's also averaging 7.7 fouls per 36. Essentially, the guy's defense bears a striking resemblance to Godzilla knocking down a building. He can't stay on the floor, and that same problem has already popped up in the preseason. A terrific player who can't actually stay on the floor is not as good as a less talented player who can take up minutes.

But if Hibbert can get some more control over that frame, it's a frame that can compete with anyone. What's more, Hibbert has an honest-to-God set of post moves. His rebounding style is a little awkward, but that's made up for by the fact that he's friggin' huge. Best of all, Hibbert comes without the complimentary severe leg injury that so many franchise centers come with. You can't teach size, but you also can't undo knee surgery. Not that you can't come back and dominate afterward, but not having had those problems is a plus.

Hibbert's holes aren't a pandemic, I should note. He has a good grasp on spacing and displays great touch with the ball. With Granger as the brightest point and a developing roster, Hibbert could blossom if placed in the right head space. But he'll have to meet the coaching staff halfway. With Solomon Jones on the club, the Pacers won't hold his starting position and minutes naturally. He'll have to earn his spot, and he'll need to find it in the context of the offense. The last thing the Pacers need is a high usage center trying to assert himself while Granger sits idly by. Hibbert not only has to assert himself, he's got to do it in a way that isn't too forceful. Just so long as we're not making this too complicated.

Player to Watch: Roy Hibbert originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Preview: Pacers

Matt Steinmetz — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers, NBA Preseason, NBA Previews

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

Not long ago, the Indiana Pacers were said to have a character problem, what with players such as Stephen Jackson, Ron Artest and Jamaal Tinsley. That issue, we know, has been taken care of.

Now the Pacers have a talent problem. As in, not enough of it.

One quick scan up and down the Pacers' roster reveals a team bereft of anyone resembling a go-to guy, franchise player, true No. 1 option, whatever you want to call it. There's nobody who commands a double-team and perhaps the only player capable of making teammates better, Mike Dunleavy, won't be available for the start of the season.

Coach Jim O'Brien, who was recently given a contract extension despite leading Indiana to back-to-back 36-win seasons, wants to compensate for his team's deficiencies by playing uptempo.

That makes some sense, especially when your point guard is T.J. Ford, but it's a stretch to think the Pacers can be successful over the long haul by playing fast. For one, they're not very athletic. For two, they aren't exactly overflowing with finishers.

The Pacers did score 105 points per game last season, fifth-highest in the league. But some of that had to do with the fact that Indiana played small a fair amount with Danny Granger, a natural small forward, played plenty of four.

Granger averaged 25.8 points per game last season and won the NBA's Most Improved Player award. But breakthrough season or not, it's still difficult to envision Granger being the kind of player who can create for a teammate or help you consistently in an area other than scoring.

The Pacers are looking to incorporate young big men Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough into the rotation, which might make sense but it will come with a price. Hibbert is a nice passer and has some low-post game. But he's a plodder and is best suited for a halfcourt game.

Hansbrough is a better athlete than some think but be careful if you're expecting more than an energy guy/role player contribution from him. Plain and simple, the Pacers need a star.

The Pacers are counting on Dahntay Jones to give them some toughness on the perimeter, and he will. But Jones flourished last year in Denver because all he was asked to be was one-dimensional. The greater his role, the more apparent his shortcomings will become.

There's also no way around the fact the Pacers' best players have had very little NBA success. Granger went to the postseason as a rookie but has gone dry in each of the past three seasons.

Troy Murphy has been in the league eight years and has never made it to the postseason, and Dunleavy has gone his whole seven-year career without going to the playoffs.

Neither is likely to get there in 2009-10 either.

Last Season By the Numbers

Record: 36-46 under Jim O'Brien. Finished 4th in the Central Division, 9th in the Eastern Conference.

Offense: 108.1 points per 100 possessions, 18th in the NBA. 13th in shooting, 14th in turnover rate, 21st in offensive rebounding, 25th in free throw rate.

Defense: 109.2 points per 100 possessions, 19th in the NBA. 15th in shooting defense, 22nd in opponent turnover rate, 10th in defensive rebounding, 28th in opponent free throw rate.

Top Performers: Danny Granger, who was named to his first All-Star team and won the league's Most Improved Player award, led the team with 25.8 points per game on an efficient .584 True Shooting percentage. Troy Murphy averaged a double-double for the season at 14.3 points and a team-high 11.8 rebounds per game. T.J. Ford averaged 5.3 assists per game splitting the starting job with Jarrett Jack, who left this summer as a free agent. Granger (21.8), Murphy (17.8), Ford (16.6) and Roy Hibbert (16.1) each played above average according to PER.

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 Roy Hibbert.

[I]f Hibbert can get some more control over that frame, it's a frame that can compete with anyone. What's more, Hibbert has an honest-to-God set of post moves. His rebounding style is a little awkward, but that's made up for by the fact that he's friggin' huge. Best of all, Hibbert comes without the complimentary severe leg injury that so many franchise centers come with. You can't teach size, but you also can't undo knee surgery. Not that you can't come back and dominate afterwards, but not having had those problems is a plus.

See Moore's full post on Hibbert.

Offseason Tracker

IN: Tyler Hansbrough (draft), A.J. Price (draft), Dahntay Jones (free agency).

OUT: Marquis Daniels (free agency), Jarrett Jack (free agency), Jamaal Tinsley (buyout).

FanHouse Preview: Pacers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former Replacement Official Says Refs Will Be Tested

Tim Povtak — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Nuggets, Pacers, NBA Referees

Bert Smith has been there, done that, so when an NBA replacement official calls him this week to ask for advice, on what to expect from star players and volatile coaches, on what it's really going to be like doing the games, they would be wise to listen closely.

It will range from obstacle course to gauntlet.

Smith was a young, promising official working college basketball games in the Big 12 and Conference USA when the NBA plucked him to be a replacement in 1995 during the last referee union lockout.

He worked 16 games that year, including a Sonics-Pacers game Nov. 18 in Indianapolis when he ejected then Seattle coach George Karl, who kept riding him over a call he didn't like, got a technical foul, then drop kicked the ball into the stands to show his displeasure. Smith tossed him.

"George was the only guy that year I had to eject,'' said Smith, now a veteran NCAA official who works mostly in the Southeastern Conference. "It's going to be interesting this time. It's not going be be easy. The replacements have to realize they are going to be tested, really tested. They have to understand that Kobe (Bryant) wants to be yelling at (regular official Steve) Javie, not a replacement guy. Phil Jackson and Doc Rivers (coaches of the Lakers and Celtics) don't want replacements doing their big game.''

The NBA will start the exhibition schedule with replacements this week in Utah when the Jazz play the Nuggets, now coached by the same George Karl. His Seattle team in 1995-96 won 64 games. His Denver team played in the conference final last spring, and should be even better this time.

"I don't remember (kicking the ball and being ejected in '95). I'm getting too old to remember,'' Karl said earlier this week. "Go back and get the video. I've gotten thrown out in Indiana a lot.''

Smith wasn't asked by the NBA to be a replacement this time. He left the NBA's developmental program several years ago, deciding to focus on the college game and his other career. He knows several college officials who rejected requests this time from the NBA, but he also knows some who accepted and will be among those starting the season.

"It's a touchy situation (for guys with NBA aspirations). If you're asked and tell them no, it's like saying, `I don't want this job interview.' And they just say, `if you don't want to help us out now, then why should we help you out later?''' Smith said. "If you don't come through for the boss, the boss is going to remember.''

Despite the trials, Smith still looks back at '95 as a positive experience for him. Until December of '95, they were working with two-man crews instead of today's standard three-man crews, which automatically made the job tougher.

They were easy targets for fans, players, coaches and broadcasters who didn't like the way games were going.

"We were just a means to the end for the NBA, but I have no regrets at all. For the most part, guys (players and coaches) were respectful. But it's really a no-win situation. We missed calls. Games weren't officiated as well, but regular officials miss calls, too. They (players and coaches) will want to see what you're made of, what kind of intestinal fortitude you have. All you can do is be honest with them when you miss a call.''

Former Replacement Official Says Refs Will Be Tested originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pacers Won't Have Hansbrough, Dunleavy For a While

Tom Ziller — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers, NBA Injuries

Golden boy NCAA champ Tyler Hansbrough, a lottery pick of the Pacers, isn't getting off on the right foot -- err, shin -- in Indianapolis. A nagging shin injury Hansbrough dealt with at the start of his senior season at North Carolina has returned, and the rook has been deemed to be out "indefinitely." That means he'll miss at the least the start of training camp this week, and perhaps the preseason or the opening weeks of the regular season.

The news ain't good for Mike Dunleavy, either. Lil' Dun missed the majority of 2008-09, and he won't be ready on time for this season either. Indy coach Jim O'Brien told media Dunleavy won't likely be practicing until November, which puts the forward on schedule to miss at least a half-dozen regular season games.

The injuries have opened up an opportunity for other players, though. Like Rod Benson.

Benson, a D-League and French league vet, is a FanHouse favorite. Too Much writes for his own site, Yahoo's NBA blog Ball Don't Lie, and he even released a song calling out various beloved bloggers. Benson also happens to be a pretty darned good player, and he's been one of the most curious cases in terms of D-League stars not getting called up to the Bigs.

There's been a ton of speculation that Benson's writing hasn't helped him land a job on an NBA bench. Benson is hilarious, and as a minor league basketball player, a lot of his jokes are about basketball ... and basketball players ... and basketball coaches. Benson himself has openly wondered if his writing was preventing a contract.

That's why it's particularly curious -- and disheartening, to be honest -- that Benson has basically scrubbed his online presence. He told his Twitter followers on Friday he won't be tweeting or blogging for a while, and his old content on his website has been pulled. Either Benson decided to find out if it's his talent or writing keeping him for getting a job, or the Pacers requested the removal of the content. For fans of the Boom Tho movement, either answer is bad news.

But if it gets Benson into The Association, maybe it'll be worth it. It looks like Indiana is going to need help, and I think Rod can provide it.

Pacers Won't Have Hansbrough, Dunleavy For a While originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Debate in the Paint: Pacers Were Least Productive This Summer

Matt Steinmetz — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers

Every Tuesday this offseason, two of our NBA experts will go at it with a Debate in the Paint. This week, the topic is which team did the least this summer to improve.

Put it this way: I'm just not feeling the Indiana Pacers' offseason. It's not that they haven't done anything, it's just that what they've done isn't much. There have been a few unimpressive offseasons -- with the Knicks, Warriors, Bulls, Heat and Nuggets coming to mind - but we're going with Indiana for least productive.

It's one thing to sit tight if you're knocking on the door to an NBA title and it's fine to simply tinker if you're a playoff team or knocking on the postseason door. But neither of these really describe the Pacers, do they?

Povtak: Knicks Spent Summer on Sidelines

Sure, there would be some who disagree. They'd say that the Pacers are coming off a 36-win season and just a little more improvement should get it done. Danny Granger's getting better and Mike Dunleavy's coming back.

But we're not buying.

On draft night, the Pacers went the safe route with Tyler Hansbrough, a player who may never make a significant impact and certainly won't his rookie season. And be honest -- do you ever see him being an impact guy?

It's also tough not to see the Pacers paying the price for losing Jarrett Jack, who started 53 games a year ago. As a starter, Jack might leave a little something to be desired, but as a third guard or perimeter player coming off the bench, he's not bad.

Jack's not a star, but he's solid and above average defensively. That's where the Pacers are going to miss him because T.J. Ford and Earl Watson are liabilities at that end. The acquisition of Dahntay Jones will mitigate things a tad there, but Jones can't guard ones like Jack could.

It's obvious the Pacers are crossing their fingers that Dunleavy returns to health after missing most of last season with a knee injury. Dunleavy says he should be ready for the start of camp next week, but who knows how the knee will react?

Dunleavy said on his blog the other day that he was "freaking out" after he experienced pain in the knee after working out. Dunleavy was reassured later by the team's medical staff that there was nothing unusual with the kind of pain he was having. But Dunleavy's knee figures to get a lot of attention this year.

There's also another little gnawing issue and that's coach Jim O'Brien. He's been known to wear a little bit on players after a few years, and this would be Year No. 3 for him in Indiana.

And they don't look much better than they did the first two years.

Debate in the Paint: Pacers Were Least Productive This Summer originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pacers Co-Owner Melvin Simon Dies

Tim Povtak — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers

Basketball was big in the state of Indiana before Melvin Simon and his brother Herb got involved.

They just made it bigger and better.

Melvin Simon, the older of the two brothers who own the NBA's Indiana Pacers, died Wednesday, leaving a huge hole at the top of the state's basketball fraternity. He was 82.

It was the brothers who bought the Pacers in 1983 and thwarted a probable move to Sacramento, leading the franchise to the success in the '90s that prompted construction in 1999 of Canseco Fieldhouse, one of the league's finest facilities.

Simon started what is now the country's largest shopping mall development company, using his fortune to purchase the Pacers, who were struggling both on the court and off in the early '80s.

They bought a team that had finished 20-62 the season before, attracting an average crowd of just 5,000 fans. It was a year before the NFL's Colts moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore.

They hired Donnie Walsh as general manager and built a team that by the end of the decade started a run that included at least 40 wins in 15 of 17 years. They reached the Eastern Conference final six times in 11 years, becoming one of the NBA's best-drawing teams in a basketball-crazy state. They reached the NBA Finals in 2000. They won 61 games in 2004.

The Pacers started a slide earlier this decade with a string of on- and off-the-court troubles involving various players. The most prominent incident was the ugly brawl of 2004 that started with Ron Artest and spilled into the stands in Detroit and involved various spectators.

The Simon brothers were so appalled by the actions of their team that they ordered a revamping of the roster, directing the basketball operations department to put more emphasis on character. Although Simon mostly stayed in the background, leaving his basketball people to run the operation, his presence has been felt for more than 25 years.

"He's one of the major reasons Indianapolis is a major league city in many different ways,'' said Pacers Sports and Entertainment President Jim Morris in a statement released this afternoon. "The success of the Simon family has touched the lives and benefited every single Hoosier.''

Pacers Co-Owner Melvin Simon Dies originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip-Off Timer: ABA Began Play 42 Years Ago, and Legacy Remains

Chris Tomasson — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nets, Nuggets, Pacers, Spurs

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Tuesday, there are 42 days remaining.

The uniforms arrived. The sneakers showed up. So did the basketballs.

Well, there was one problem with them. They were the wrong color.

The American Basketball Association had been formed 42 years ago to compete against the stodgy NBA, and the Denver Rockets and Oakland Oaks were set to make their preseason debuts Sept. 27, 1967 at a Phoenix high school. But one of rules of the newfangled league was to play with a red, white and blue ball, and the balls on hand all were brown.

No problem.

"The commissioner, George Mikan, told us to just get a brown ball and paint it,'' said Bob Bass, a longtime NBA and ABA coach and executive who was the first coach of the Rockets. "So the PR guys painted it, and it was terrible. The ball was so slick there were like 45 turnovers in the first half.''

Eventually, genuine red, white and blue balls began to arrive. And the ABA played its first regular season game Oct. 13, 1967, when the Oaks defeated the Anaheim Amigos 134-129.

The ABA lasted just nine seasons, but its legacy continues. Aside from giant Afros and wild fastbreak play, the league popularized the three-point shot, which didn't enter the NBA until 1979. And the dunk contest was born in the ABA.

Four teams were admitted into the NBA from the ABA in 1976: Denver, Indiana, New Jersey and San Antonio. All the Spurs have done is win four of the past 11 NBA titles.

The ABA provided the first pro stop for basketball legends Julius Erving, George Gervin, Moses Malone and David Thompson. It's where Larry Brown and Hubie Brown got their head-coaching starts.

Two icons inducted into the Hall of Fame last Friday each chose men with ABA roots to be their presenters. Michael Jordan went with Thompson and David Robinson with Gervin and Larry Brown.

Of course, the Hall of Fame is a sore spot for some ABA enthusiasts. There are nine players in the Hall who played in the ABA. But Erving, Gervin, Malone, Thompson, Rick Barry, Billy Cunningham, Cliff Hagan, Connie Hawkins and Dan Issel are enshrined primarily because of what they accomplished in the NBA.

Some have called for ABA legends Roger Brown, Mel Daniels and Artis Gilmore to be inducted. Roger Brown's career ended before the merger with the NBA, and Daniels was then over the hill. Although Gilmore did become an NBA All-Star, he was truly dominant in the ABA, averaging 22.3 points and 17.1 rebounds in five seasons.

In addition, some call for coach Bobby Leonard, who led the Pacers to three ABA titles, to be enshrined. The only coaches in history to have won three or more NBA and ABA titles are Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, John Kundla, Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich and Leonard."A lot of people are forgetting the ABA and what was accomplished. It's like the old Negro Leagues (in baseball).''
-- longtime ABA guard Mack Calvin

"A lot of people are forgetting the ABA and what was accomplished,'' said Mack Calvin, a longtime ABA guard. "It's like the old Negro Leagues (in baseball).''

One ABA event, though, is pretty hard to forget. Early in the 1975-76 season, with three teams having just folded and the ABA down to seven teams, league officials knew the days were numbered.

So the ABA came up with a slam-dunk contest during halftime of its All-Star Game to serve as a final hurrah. On, Jan. 27, 1976 in Denver, Erving took off from the free-throw line to throw down a memorable dunk and defeat Thompson, who earlier had made what he calls the first-recorded 360.

"Everything came together,'' said Carl Scheer, a longtime ABA and NBA executive who, as Nuggets general manager, played a key role in the 1976 ABA dunk contest and in bringing a similar show to the NBA in 1984 when the NBA All-Star Game was played in Denver. "It was one of those nights that happen once in a lifetime.''

It wasn't enough, though, to save the ABA, which folded half a year later after Erving's New York Nets had defeated Thompson's Nuggets to win the league's final crown. But it didn't take long for ABA veterans to establish themselves in the NBA.

In the first NBA All-Star Game played after the merger, five of the 10 starters had ABA roots, and Larry Brown of the Nuggets was the West coach, his team having the conference's best record at the break. Taking the floor at the start Feb. 13, 1977 in Milwaukee were Issel, Thompson and Bobby Jones for the West and Erving and George McGinnis for the East.

The ball was brown. But none of them seemed to matter, especially Erving, named the game's Most Valuable Player.

Tip-Off Timer: ABA Began Play 42 Years Ago, and Legacy Remains originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Debate in the Paint: Raptors Just Can't Escape Mediocrity

Tim Povtak — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Celtics, Magic, Pacers, Raptors

Every Tuesday this offseason, two of our NBA experts will go at it with a Debate in the Paint. This week, the topic is the Toronto Raptors, and whether they are moving toward being contenders in the East.

The Toronto Raptors never have won more than 47 games in a season, and they probably never will, which makes this whole debate kind of sad. It's a wonderful city with a lively international flair, but it has a franchise that is destined for a life of basketball mediocrity.

They should have stuck to hockey.

Ziller: Fear the Raptors

Yes, the basketball fans are a little excited now because the Raptors wheeled and dealed all summer, thinking they were growing stronger when mostly they were just spinning their wheels, making noise and going nowhere.

The Raptors won 33 games last season and they'll probably win another five now, letting them contend for the eighth and final playoff spot before the inevitable happens next summer.

Chris Bosh is going to break their heart again, just like Tracy McGrady did in 2000 and then Vince Carter did in 2004.

American-born players love to visit Toronto. They just don't like to stay too long, which is a fight the franchise has waged since its inception in 1995. When Bosh becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer, the lure of Miami, New York or even Cleveland will take him away.

The Raptors signed unrestricted free agent forward Hedo Turkoglu of Orlando to a five-year, $53 million deal. They signed restricted free agent Jarrett Jack of Indiana to a $20 million contract. Both were nice additions, but guess what? Their current teams didn't try to hard to keep them. That should tell you something.

The Magic figured they already had seen the best of Turkoglu, 30, and they weren't interested in watching him start the downside of his career with a fat, new contract. The Pacers could have kept Jack as easily as matching the offer, but they declined, deciding their future was elsewhere.

They Raptors gave their own Andrea Bargnani, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 Draft, a $50 million extension, still hoping he lives up to his potential. None of the three has been, or will be, an NBA All-Star, which means they spent a lot of money trying to compile a supporting cast for a player that may not stick around very long.

Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo knows that it's the international players who will enjoy Toronto the most. Turkoglu is a good fit culturally. Yet he won't be able to repeat his performance of the last two years when he had Dwight Howard clearing his path.

Bosh is outstanding, but he doesn't always make teammates better like Howard does now, or like Shaquille O'Neal used to do with his presence.

Toronto will improve, but so will almost everyone else in the East, leaving the Raptors no room to go. Rookie DeMar DeRozan might have been the most athletic player in the draft, but it will take him a couple years. They got Amir Johnson in that multi-team trade of Carlos Delfino, and they snagged Rasho Nesterovic again, but both are there just to provide depth.

The Magic, Cavaliers and Celtics all made major moves to improve and they have left the rest of the East behind. Atlanta will retain it's spot as the fourth best team in the East just by keeping it's team intact. Philly, Chicago, Miami and now Washington will slug it out for the last few playoff spots. Maybe the Raptors can jump into that mix.

If a .500 team gets the blood pumping, then the Raptors might get you excited. It's a great city, but building a great team there is an impossible task.

Debate in the Paint: Raptors Just Can't Escape Mediocrity originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pacers, Jamaal Tinsley Finally Part Ways

Matt Watson — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:10:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers

It's been 16 months since Jamaal Tinsley last took the court for the Indiana Pacers, but it wasn't until Wednesday that the two sides finally agreed to sever ties, coming to terms on a buyout that will make him an unrestricted free agent once he officially clears waivers later this week.

Tinsley spent the last year and a half in limbo, not quite suspended but simply unwelcome to participate in team activities, as Larry Bird desperately tried to repair his team's image by ridding the roster of malcontents and troublemakers. (Tinsley's brushes with the law include participating in a barroom brawl and being the target of drive-by shooters.)

Every now and then a trade rumor would pop up (for a stretch in October he appeared to be headed to Denver, though those plans were dashed when Chauncey Billups became available) but for the most part he's been a forgotten man, quietly biding his time knowing that his bank account would grow whether he played or not.

It's unclear just how much the Pacers gave Tinsley to walk away, but he made $6.3 million to do nothing last year and was due $14.7 million over the next two years.

Where I'm from, that's called "leverage" -- unless Tinsley was feeling unusually generous toward an employer who all but destroyed his career, I'd wager that Tinsley will receive the vast majority of what he was due. Had the two sides not come to an agreement this week, they were scheduled to take part in an arbitration hearing on Monday.

This drawn-out process undoubtedly created bad feelings, but for now, everyone is saying all the right things. "This ends a very difficult period for all parties involved," Bird said in the team's official release. "We are pleased to have this resolved."

"Jamaal and I would like to thank the Pacers for working on a resolution to this and Jamaal and I are sorry things didn't work out," said Tinsley's agent, Raymond Brothers, in the same release. "We both wish the Pacers the best of luck in the future."

So what now for Tinsley? Missing the last year and a half has certainly hurt his market value, but there will likely be interest from at least a few teams for a player who's averaged 7.0 assists for his career, including 8.4 assists in 39 games in 2007-08. Tinsley has never been much of a shooting threat, but he could rehabilitate his career as an unselfish playmaker off the bench.

The 76ers are believed to have expressed interest in Tinsley, and other teams still in the market for help at the point will probably take a look, as well. Considering his buyout, he'd be wise to accept the veteran's minimum while opting for a situation that offers playing time over a few more nickels and dimes. After such a long layoff, his top priority should be proving that he can still play before worrying about his next contract.

Pacers, Jamaal Tinsley Finally Part Ways originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Summing Up Some Offseason Moves

Matt Steinmetz — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Pacers, Pistons, Spurs, NBA Transactions

There's still some tidying up to do this free agent season. We still need to find out about Lamar Odom, David Lee, Andre Miller, Drew Gooden and a few more interesting names out there.

But there's already plenty in the books, so let's take a look:

Best offseason move: Celtics sign Rasheed Wallace.

Wallace is a perfect fit in Boston, playing alongside veterans Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. If Boston stays healthy, they'll likely have the best interior defense in the league: Kendrick Perkins, Garnett and Wallace.

Worst offseason move: Cavaliers re-sign Anderson Varejao for contract worth up to $50 million.

File this under: You've got to be kidding me. Hey, we understand general manager Danny Ferry is putting a premium on winning this upcoming season, but this one is going to have ramifications for a while. Only in the NBA can a limited glue guy make this kind of money.

Biggest offseason head-scratcher: Pistons sign Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva.

Maybe it's that you always expect a little more from Joe Dumars, Detroit's GM. But it's hard to fathom how Gordon and Villanueva are going to make a difference in the East. It's now official: the Pistons are a middle-of-the-pack team.

Most underrated offseason move: Hawks acquire Jamal Crawford in trade with Warriors.

We all know Crawford isn't a perfect player. He's not great defensively and he can be a volume shooter at times. But he gives the Hawks some legitimate firepower, not to mention a guy who can go out and get you a good shot on his own late in a game.

Most overrated offseason move: Mavericks acquire Shawn Marion in sign-and-trade.

Marion's game was exposed some after he was traded from Phoenix and didn't have the luxury of getting spoon-fed by Steve Nash. Jason Kidd will certainly give Marion a hand, but Marion will never be the factor he was for the Suns. Dallas has made a lot of moves in the offseason, but from this angle they're no better than the 50-win team they were last season.

Riskiest offseason move: Lakers sign Ron Artest.

For the Lakers, it boils down to this: If they win another title, signing Artest was a great move; if they don't, it was awful. Good luck with that.

Safest offseason move: Mavericks re-sign Kidd.

Of course, if you're the Mavericks you had to retain Kidd, right? Well, maybe they did. But Kidd's impact and influence on games is diminishing, and now he's under contract through the age of 39.

Least productive offseason: Pacers.

Indiana signed Dahntay Jones and didn't match for Jarrett Jack. The Pacers have missed the playoffs three consecutive years, and they ain't going in 2009-10, either. Their best players are Danny Granger and Troy Murphy, and Mike Dunleavy's got knee issues. This season could get very ugly for coach Jim O'Brien.

Most productive offseason: Magic.

Magic general manager Otis Smith knew he wasn't going to be able to re-sign Hedo Turkoglu. So, he went into pro-active mode, acquiring Vince Carter, Brandon Bass and, most recently, Matt Barnes, while also matching the offer for improving backup center Marcin Gortat.

Runner-up: Spurs.

By acquiring Richard Jefferson, drafting DeJuan Blair and signing Antonio McDyess, the Spurs' window remains open.

Follow Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Big NBA Names on the Move

Shawn Marion is now a Dallas Maverick. The four-time NBA All-Star was traded from the Toronto Raptors to Dallas as part of a complex four-team deal. Click through see which other NBA stars will be playing in different uniforms next season.

Gary Dineen, NBAE / Getty Images

Shaquille O'Neal
New Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Previous Team: Phoenix Suns

Jennifer Pottheiser, NBAE / Getty Images

Ron Artest
New Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Previous Team: Houston Rockets

Philip Scott Andrews, AP

Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon
New Team: Detroit Pistons
Previous Teams: Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls

Carlos Osorio, AP

Vince Carter
New Team: Orlando Magic
Previous Team: New Jersey Nets

Fernando Medina, NBAE / Getty Images

Richard Jefferson
New Team: San Antonio Spurs
Previous Team: Milwaukee Bucks

Eric Gay, AP

Trevor Ariza
New Team: Houston Rockets
Previous Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Bill Baptist, NBAE / Getty Images

Jamal Crawford
New Team: Atlanta Hawks
Previous Team: Golden State Warriors

Scott Cunningham, NBAE / Getty Images

Hedo Turkoglu
New Team: Toronto Raptors
Previous Team: Orlando Magic

John Raoux, AP

Mike Miller and Randy Foye
New Team: Washington Wizards
Previous Team: Minnesota Timberwolves

Getty Images

Summing Up Some Offseason Moves originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pacers Refuse to Match Toronto's Offer Sheet to Jarrett Jack

Gary Washburn — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers, Raptors, NBA Transactions

As expected, the Indiana Pacers allowed Jarrett Jack to go to the Toronto, refusing to match the Raptors' four-year offer sheet for the emerging point guard.

"It was a very difficult decision because Jarrett proved last season what he can bring to a team," Pacers President of Basketball Larry Bird in a statement. "We thank Jarrett for his contributions to the Pacers, both on and off the court, and wish him the best in Toronto."

The Pacers have already planned for life after Jack by agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with veteran guard Earl Watson. He can't sign a deal until Friday, seven days after his was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Indiana also drafted for Connecticut guard A.J. Price to come off the bench.

Jack averaged a career-high 13.1 points last season for Indiana after being acquired in a draft-day trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. Jack could fill in at the shooting guard position or backup Jose Calderon at the point.

The Raptors have added DeMar DeRozan, Hedo Turkoglu, Devean George and Antoine Wright to a revamped roster. Anthony Parker signed with Cleveland while Shawn Marion and Kris Humphries were traded to Dallas.

If anything, the Raptors will be a different team next season and the addition of Jack, a close buddy of Chris Bosh from their lone season together at Georgia Tech, could play a factor in whether Bosh re-signed with Toronto. General manager Bryan Colangelo has yet to make the expected impact in Toronto and wholesale changes were in store for a club that has been downtrodden since the departure of Vince Carter.

Pacers Refuse to Match Toronto's Offer Sheet to Jarrett Jack originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Celtics Officially Ink Marquis Daniels

Matt Moore — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:19:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Pacers

On Friday here on FanHouse, Tim Povtak reported that the Celtics were hot on the trail for free-agent swingman Marquis Daniels to bolster their team as they reload in the OK Corral the Eastern Conference has become this summer.

Looks like the C's have their man.

Daniels' agent confirmed to Yahoo! Sports that the Celtics are in the final stages of working out a sign-and-trade for Daniels with his former club, the Pacers. If that fails, the biannual exception is in the Celtics' back pocket, with Daniels ready to accept.

Daniels, along with Rasheed Wallace, continues the Celtics' upgrades this offseason. Daniels brings scoring ability off the bench at multiple positions, which the Celtics have been struggling with. Most of their key reserves are isolated role players, fit for specific roles. Daniels, on the other hand, has the length and athleticism to play both shooting guard and small forward.

At 6-6, he's mid-sized for both positions, and able to hit the boards. He's got the stereotypical "high motor." Perhaps best of all, he's only 28. Not exactly a spring chicken, but on a roster that's filled with players whose stats you can find in the fossil record, the Celtics will take it.

So now the Celtics have landed one marquee free agent, boosted their bench, and could wind up re-signing their energetic big man Glen Davis this week. The window for the Celtics may be tight, but they've added a few more bars to keep it propped open this season.

Celtics Officially Ink Marquis Daniels originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thunder Waives Earl Watson, Who Could Sign With Indiana

Gary Washburn — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers, Summer League, Thunder, NBA Transactions

The Thunder waived guard Earl Watson on Friday and Watson is expected to sign with the Indiana Pacers as soon as his one-week waiver period expires. The Thunder will have to pay Watson a portion of final $6.6 million of his contract and it gives Oklahoma City more roster flexibility.

The move may be an indication that former lottery pick Shaun Livingston has cemented himself as the reserve point guard and it gives Watson a chance to play significant minutes. That wasn't going to happen this season for OKC, which is preparing for the future.

Watson, 30, averaged 6.6 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Thunder last season but he became increasingly unhappy when Russell Westbrook was given the starting job. OKC has a couple more veteran contracts -- Damien Wilkins, Chucky Atkins -- that could be gone by training camp.

Watson's signing is also a sign that Indiana won't match Toronto's offer sheet to Jarrett Jack. Watson is a solid reserve point guard and good defender. And he also just married actress Jennifer Freeman (My Wife and Kids) in May, so it has been a good couple of months for the former UCLA standout.

Thunder Waives Earl Watson, Who Could Sign With Indiana originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Celtics Could Be Getting Marquis Daniels

Tim Povtak — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:08:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Pacers, NBA Rumors, NBA Transactions

Indiana free agent Marquis Daniels could be headed to the Boston Celtics by next week as part of a sign-and-trade deal still being discussed by the two teams, according to two NBA sources.

Daniels, who has played all three perimeter positions in his six-year career, would give the Celtics a reliable backup behind both small forward Paul Pierce and shooting guard Ray Allen. He also could serve as a third point guard.

Daniels is coming off his best season, one where he averaged 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Pacers. But the team declined to exercise its option, which would have paid him $7.3 million next season.

"I'll be with a contender. That much I can say with certainty,'' Daniels said Friday at his Feed the Children charity event in Orlando, just a couple of miles from where he grew up. "There still are a few options, but I've pretty much got my mind made up. Just some small details have to be worked out.''

One of the names being discussed as part of the sign-and-trade is Celtics power forward Brian Scalabrine, who is going into the final year of his contract making $3.5 million.

The sign-and-trade would allow the Celtics to pay him more than the $1.9 million exception that they would have to use to sign him outright as an unrestricted free agent. Daniels had been asking teams for something closer to the mid-level exception.

Daniels, 28, said Friday his agent also has talked with Dallas (where he started his career), Orlando, Houston, New York and Charlotte. Daniels talked at length with Pacers general manager Larry Bird 10 days ago at the Orlando Summer League. Returning to the Pacers also remains a possibility.

Daniels lit up Friday when asked about the chance of playing for his home-town team. His charity giveaway was being done in a parking lot adjoining Amway Arena, where the Magic play.

"That would mean a lot. I grew up right down the street. I used to come watch them practice all the time,'' he said. "I'm just not sure what can be worked out.''

The Magic, who already will be venturing into the luxury-tax territory for the first time this season, have been trying to fill out their roster now with lower-priced players. They already traded veterans Tony Battie, Rafer Alston and second-year player Courtney Lee to get Vince Carter.

Celtics Could Be Getting Marquis Daniels originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Larry Bird Pacing Indiana's Rebuilding

Tim Povtak — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers, Summer League, FanHouse Exclusive

ORLANDO -- Larry Bird won't get the salary cap space and the star he needs in Indiana until the summer of 2011. But in the meantime, he has a pretty clear plan: Assemble the supporting cast first.

A normally impatient man is preaching patience now.

"Looking at the teams like the Lakers, Cleveland, Orlando, they are pretty damn good. We can't compete with that now on a night-to-night basis,'' said Bird, the Pacers President of Basketball Operations. "Not now, but we will. The ultimate goal is to win a championship. It's just not going to happen overnight.''

Bird has spent the last two years changing the culture of the Pacers, dismantling a decent team that kept finding itself with off-court problems and personality issues, and reassembling it with a younger, harder-working core.

It's why he traded for rookies Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush last summer. It's why he drafted Tyler Hansbrough last month. He is at the Orlando Pro Summer League this week, watching the three of them, and liking what he sees. "I've changed the culture [at Indiana]. No question about that. Now we just have to keep moving forward.''
-- Larry Bird

Hansbrough has scored 23 and 24 points in the last two games. Hibbert has scored 24 and 21.

"My vision was to get as many of a core group of guys together that we can move forward with. I just want to put together a group that plays hard, works hard, every single night,'' he said. "Then when we have the room [in 2011], we add a star or two to put us over the hump.''

Bird already has one semi-star he likes a lot in Danny Granger, who averaged 25.8 points and 5.1 rebounds last season. He is one of the few guys on his roster that has a contract beyond two years.

"I want guys like Danny. He works his tail off every summer, through the season. You want guys that play tough, play hard and don't miss games because of injuries. If you do that, you get better,'' he said. "This whole thing is a process, and hopefully, it won't take too long. We want back in the playoffs without waiting too long.''

Unlike Cleveland and Orlando, which had to hit bottom to get a top draft choice in the right year (LeBron James and Dwight Howard) to get really good, Bird is trying to do it without letting Indiana completely collapse. Granger was the 17th pick of the 2005 Draft.

"You'd love to have one great player who can take the pressure off the rest of the team,'' Bird said. "But if I can get two Danny Grangers and a couple more Hansbroughs, I'll be pretty good.''

Bird didn't win a championship as a coach for the Pacers (1997-2000), although he did reach the NBA Finals in 2000 and lost to Chicago in the conference final in 1998. He still has hopes of doing it as an executive.

"I like the Summer League stuff. I love watching these players, watching tape, the draft, just trying to judge players,'' he said. "I've changed the culture [at Indiana]. No question about that. Now we just have to keep moving forward.''

2009 NBA Draft

Eric "Pooh" Evans, 30, left, guards his brother Tyreke Evans, the fourth pick overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. (Jose Luis Villegas/Sacramento Bee/MCT)

MCT

Tyreke Evans, the fourth pick overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, will bring stability at the point guard position for the Sacramento Kings, July 01, 2009. (Jose Luis Villegas/Sacramento Bee/MCT)

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Tyreke Evans, the fourth pick overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, will bring stability at the point guard position for the Sacramento Kings, July 01, 2009. (Jose Luis Villegas/Sacramento Bee/MCT)

MCT

DeMar DeRozan, drafted ninth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association, watches second half action at the Los Angeles Sparks-Phoenix Mercury WNBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Sunday, July 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Lori Shepler)

Kevin Hart attends an NBA draft party at the M2 Ultra Lounge on June 25, 2009 in New York City. NBA Draft Party At M2 Ultra Lounge M2 Ultra Lounge New York, NY United States June 25, 2009 Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/FilmMagic.com To license this image (16857995), contact FilmMagic.com

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Charlie Alexander Villanueva attends an NBA draft party at the M2 Ultra Lounge on June 25, 2009 in New York City. NBA Draft Party At M2 Ultra Lounge M2 Ultra Lounge New York, NY United States June 25, 2009 Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/FilmMagic.com To license this image (16857986), contact FilmMagic.com

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NEW ORLEANS - JUNE 26: Marcus Thorton and Darren Collison and of the New Orleans Hornets attend a basketball camp and press conference after being selected by the Hornets in the 2009 NBA draft on June 26, 2009 at the University of New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marcus Thorton;Darren Collison

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NEW ORLEANS - JUNE 26: Marcus Thorton and Darren Collison and of the New Orleans Hornets stand with Chad Shinn, Hornets Executive Officer of the Board as they attend a basketball camp and press conference after being selected by the Hornets in the 2009 NBA draft on June 26, 2009 at the University of New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marcus Thorton;Darren Collison;Chad Shinn

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NEW ORLEANS - JUNE 26: Darren Collison of the New Orleans Hornets attends a basketball camp and press conference after being selected by the Hornets in the 2009 NBA draft on June 26, 2009 at the University of New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Darren Collison

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Larry Bird Pacing Indiana's Rebuilding originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tyler Hansbrough Makes Pacers Debut

Tim Povtak — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Pacers, Summer League

ORLANDO -- The last time Tyler Hansbrough played a game, there were 70,000 people in attendance and a national television audience watching the NCAA Championship.

This was a little different.

Hansbrough, the Atlantic Coast Conference all-time leading scorer from UNC, made his professional debut Monday for the Indiana Pacers at the Orlando Pro Summer League.

There were 300 people in the gym when the Pacers beat a Nets/Sixers combo team. He played in a reserve role - he said for the first time since his freshman year of high school.

"It was a change. There weren't a lot of people in the stands yelling at me, telling me how bad I was,'' Hansbrough played. "I had kind of gotten used to that. It always motivated me.''

Hansbrough, the No. 13 pick in the draft last month, started slowly Monday with four fouls and three points in the first half, but he finished with 17 points and five rebounds. He hit six of his 13 shots.

He played with the same intensity, the same fundamentally-sound skills that prompted Pacers general manager Larry Bird to select him earlier in the draft than some expected. Bird was in attendance, across from the team bench, giving him some tips during the game.

"That's big to have Larry Bird supporting you. If you're going to listen to anyone, you listen to a legend,'' Hanbrough said. "If you can't listen to him, you don't belong on the basketball court.''

As great as Hansbrough was in college, there are those who wonder if his skills will translate into the NBA. Sixers forward/center Marreese Speights and Hansbrough tangled once around the basket and exchanged a few unpleasentries.

"I guess that's how they approach the rookies, but I'm not going to back down. I'm just going to learn this game,'' Hansbrough said. "And I don't really care what people say. I could score 30 points in an NBA game and they still would question me. The only people I'm concerned about pleasing are my coaches.''

Hansbrough comes into the NBA this season with an impressive college resume. He is the only player in ACC history to earn first-team All-America honors all four years. He scored 2,872 career points. As junior, he was the NCAA Player of the Year. As a senior, he helped lead the Tar Heels to a national championship.

He earned his reputation as one of the hardest working hustlers in college basketball. Hansbrough believes it will translate into the NBA game.

"It's like starting over,'' he said. "And that's fine. People will try and test me every day. I know that. It will take time, but I know what I can do. I'll be fine.''

Tyler Hansbrough Makes Pacers Debut originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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