'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 38

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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/o ... 1197.story

UF star Nick Calathes will bypass NBA to play in Greece
University of Florida standout point guard Nick Calathes is going pro. But not to the NBA.

Calathes, the state's two-time "Mr. Basketball" from Lake Howell , agreed to terms Friday to play for powerful Panathinaikos , the reigning Euroleague Basketball champion club based in Greece, according to sources close to the former Gators playmaker.

Neither Calathes nor his family would comment on the development, pending announcements from Panathinaikos and UF. Gators Coach Coach Billy Donovan apparently was informed of his player's decision Friday night, with at least one source saying a contract was signed.

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http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/9605 ... y-overseas

Sources: Calathes avoiding NBA, to play overseas
Jeff Goodman is a senior college basketball writer for FOXSports.com. He can be reached at In a baffling move, Florida star guard Nick Calathes is expected to choose Greece over the NBA.

According to sources close to the situation, Calathes will sign a contract to play for Panathinaikos, one of the top teams in Greece, despite potentially being selected in the first round of the June 25 NBA Draft.

Calathes will then be eligible for the 2010 NBA Draft, but teams will likely, according to a source, have to pay a significant buyout to Panathinaikos.

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http://newsok.com/former-nba-star-grant ... le/3371993

Former NBA star Grant battles Parkinson’s
Brian Grant is afraid. Just 37 and three seasons removed from his NBA career, Grant has Parkinson’s disease.

Fear is unfamiliar for the dreadlocked 6-foot-9 forward who played 12 seasons in the league and built a reputation for hard-nosed play after a ferocious battle against Karl Malone in the 1999 playoffs. "I’d be lying if I said, ‘Nah, I’m not scared. I’m going to face this thing head on,’ " Grant said, his voice cracking and the weight of the diagnosis showing in his eyes. "I am going to face it head on, but I still have fear. There are times when I’m scared of just losing control of me, you know? Not being able to control myself, and having to have someone take care of me.”

Grant didn’t take much notice about a year and half ago when his left hand would occasionally twitch. Settling into retirement, he figured his body was adjusting from the grind of the NBA. But the twitching didn’t go away. It grew more frequent and pronounced. Grant was living in Miami — he’d had several good years playing for the Heat (2000-04), and he was trying to figure out what he was going to do with the rest of his life.

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http://blog.nola.com/hornetsbeat/2009/0 ... hey_a.html

It is unlikely the Hornets can find a team willing to trade for starting small forward Peja Stojakovic, who has back problems and is guaranteed $29.5 million over the next two seasons. But they could negotiate a buyout. If an agreement could be reached, only Stojakovic's buyout would count against the cap the next two seasons, not his salary.

Without a buyout, Stojakovic is owed $14.2 million next season and $15.3 million in 2010-11. In the final year of Stojakovic's deal, he has an early termination option clause in which he could exercise to become a free agent. If he does not, he would still be on the books to collect $15.3 million. Early termination options are available on contracts that are at least five years in length, and a player cannot exercise the clause until after the fourth year of the contract.

Stojakovic, who missed 20 games this season because of back spasms, will have the highest salary on the Hornets' payroll next season. Another possibility is that Stojakovic could be forced to retire because of back problems. He had season-ending surgery to remove a disk fragment in 2006. If he retired and a league-appointed physician confirmed he was unfit to play, the Hornets would still have to absorb Stojakovic's salary for the 2009-10 season. But the Hornets could apply for salary cap relief and Stojakovic's salary would taken off the books the next season. If Stojakovic was to prove the doctors wrong and resume his career, his salary would return on the Hornets' books if he plays in 10 games, including those played in the preseason.

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http://blog.nola.com/hornetsbeat/2009/0 ... f_b_1.html

On Pargo, who had sports hernia surgery last week, and talks with his agent Mark Bartelstein, who said he has had contact with the Hornets: "Well, I'm not going to comment on talks with any specific players. I've talked with Mark about a number of players; he's got a number of players in the draft."

On whether Pargo, as a European free agent, can negotiate now or must wait until July 1 as other NBA free agents: "Hypothetically, because he's a European player and free agent, we could. I'm not going to go into interest level on any players."

On whether injuries to Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic could be career-threatening: "Career-threatening, no. Like every team, we've got to factor injuries into the season and be prepared to deal with them. That's something we need to do as we move forward. They're going to come. They're going to come to any player on every team. If they don't, you're probably going to have a very successful year. Our challenge is to be prepared for them and ready to handle whatever that may be."

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http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... ?page=full

Ready to rumble
World Wrestling Entertainment and the Nuggets' ownership had an interesting verbal match last week. WWE was scheduled to have "Monday Night Raw" at the Pepsi Center in Denver tomorrow and sold about 11,000 tickets. But a scheduling conflict cropped up when the Nuggets advanced to the Western Conference finals and were slated to play Game 4 against the Lakers there on the same night. Once the basketball schedule was announced, Kroenke Sports Enterprises, which owns the Nuggets, told WWE its event could not take place there. With plane tickets already purchased and a fleet of 16 trailer trucks already en route to Denver, WWE was furious. "We do 300 live shows per year and this is the first time this happened," said Rob Zimmerman, WWE vice president of public relations.

Zimmerman said there were no contract provisions about conflicts with NBA games and the contract was finalized three days before the playoffs began. KSE executive vice president Paul Andrews declined comment on the contract terms. While the Nuggets offered to have the wrestling event a day earlier, WWE opted to move the show to the Staples Center in Los Angeles tomorrow and Tuesday and will return to Denver Aug. 7 at the Denver Coliseum. Vince McMahon, chairman of WWE, made several strong comments against Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke and KSE. Zimmerman said WWE turned down a request from KSE to make a joint statement and talk about Kroenke in a very positive and apologetic light if an agreement was reached. But Andrews said KSE and WWE had agreed to move the show to tonight, and KSE was also surprised about the WWE event moving to Los Angeles.

Andrews added that McMahon asked for five tickets to attend Game 4, where he could apologize to Kroenke. Andrews said it was "sad" for Denver fans that WWE chose to move the event to LA, especially considering the initial agreement to move it to tonight. "We believed we had a deal as of Tuesday late in the day. We were shocked," Andrews said. "We learned by the press conference that Vince had second thoughts that we verbally agreed to. We were going to move it to Sunday. We didn't hear from them and then he announced it's moving to Staples Center."

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http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizard ... pdate.html

I told you guys yesterday not to get too alarmed over the JaVale McGee rumor on ESPN.com. I spoke to someone in the know who told me that there was "absolutely nothing at all" to infer from Chad Ford's item that Oklahoma City and the Wizards discussed a swap of the No. 3 pick for the No. 5 pick and McGee. It's understandable that teams would be interested in McGee, with his long arms, highlight reel dunks and oodles of potential. It's also not unusual for teams to make inquiries about the availability of players this time of year. But the Wizards aren't looking to move McGee. They are still high on him, encouraged by his potential and upside, and expect him to blossom into a star with this organization. So you JaVale Junkies can relax - for now.

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http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... ing-fancy/

Often youngest on court, Ricky Rubio boasts polish, experience
Tony Barone Sr., the Memphis Grizzlies' director of player personnel, had traveled to Spain last weekend to scout Rubio, the 18-year-old phenom. But with Rubio sidelined, DKV Joventut fell behind by 24 points at halftime and never bounced back. Barone wondered whether Rubio would be able to return to the lineup three days later for Game 2. The real possibility existed that Barone would head home without getting to see Rubio play again.

On Tuesday, Rubio started on the bench and DKV Joventut stumbled once more. So his coach summoned him to the scorer's table, more out of desperation than anything else, and the entire complexion of the game changed. Manning the point and operating at a dizzying pace, Rubio finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals in an 82-77 victory. And Barone left the arena as a believer. "The kid," Barone said, "has the ability to lead a team."

General manager Chris Wallace and coach Lionel Hollins spent Saturday in Spain to scout Rubio again, a trip clouded by an Internet report that indicated Rubio may not want to sign with Memphis. Jonathan Givony, president and director of scouting for DraftExpress.com, cited an anonymous source last week who said Dan Fegan, Rubio's agent, wants Rubio in Los Angeles, where the Clippers hold the first overall pick. Whether this is mere posturing on Fegan's part is unclear. But if there are obvious obstacles -- including a reported $6 million buyout from Rubio's contract with DKV Joventut -- many scouts and coaches familiar with Rubio think the Grizzlies would be wise to surmount them. "He is by far the smartest player in the draft," Givony said. "His knowledge of the game, his overall feel -- it's amazing. Wherever he goes, those fans are going to fall in love with him. He's such a fun player to watch, so unpredictable, so creative. To me, it's a no-brainer for a franchise like Memphis."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4364

Report: Nick Calathes going pro in Greece
The Orlando Sentinel (Chris Harry) reports: University of Florida standout point guard Nick Calathes is going pro. But not to the NBA. Calathes, the state’s two-time “Mr. Basketball” from Lake Howell , agreed to terms Friday to play for powerful Panathinaikos , the reigning Euroleague Basketball champion club based in Greece, according to sources close to the former Gators playmaker… The deal, sources said, will pay Calathes around $1.1 million per year, in addition to providing him with a home, car and tax credits, making for a total package commensurate to what the NBA rookie salary scale provides a late-lottery selection. Golden’s State forward Anthony Randolph, the final lottery pick of 2008 at No. 14, made $1.424 million as a rookie.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Nene Battling Injuries, Says He's 'OK'
Nene is quietly dealing with multiple injuries. The latest is a sore right calf that requires the use of a sleeve to keep it warm and loose. He ices it on the bench.

The Nuggets big man said he feels "a little pull" when he runs, but added, "It's OK, though. I'll be OK."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Bobcats Can Not Move From Charlotte
City Attorney Mac McCarley sent these answers to commonly asked questions about the city's involvement in the [Bobcats'] arena:

Q: How long is the agreement with the Bobcats?
Through the end of the 2029-30 NBA season.
Q: What happens if they're sold?
The new owners would be subject to all the same restrictions and guarantees.

Q: Can the team leave?
No. The city may seek an injunction to force the team to honor the commitment to play here, or can enforce liquidated damages of $200 million in the first five years (2005-2010), $150 million in years five to 10, and a declining balance going from $85 million in year 11 down to $7 million in year 25.
Q: What protects the city from the team leaving?

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Wizards Not Dealing JaVale McGee
I told you guys yesterday not to get too alarmed over the JaVale McGee rumor on ESPN.com. I spoke to someone in the know who told me that there was "absolutely nothing at all" to infer from Chad Ford's item that Oklahoma City and the Wizards discussed a swap of the No. 3 pick for the No. 5 pick and McGee. It's understandable that teams would be interested in McGee, with his long arms, highlight reel dunks and oodles of potential. It's also not unusual for teams to make inquiries about the availability of players this time of year. But the Wizards aren't looking to move McGee.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

No Rift Between Jackson and Bynum
Phil Jackson said he had a chat with Andrew Bynum after practice Friday and feels fine about them moving forward together. “This is all overdone, tremendously overdone,” Jackson said about issues over Bynum’s playing time.

Jackson said Bynum, whose conditioning the coach questioned back at the start of the season, is struggling on that front again after his long layoff from injury and still is limited to short spurts on the court. “Andrew’s tolerance level on the floor is about four to five minutes, maybe eight minutes maximum,” Jackson said. “So we’re trying to monitor that.”

Jackson said he and Bynum sit next to each other during film sessions and have clear communication. Jackson said he doesn’t have “any trouble” with Bynum’s desire to play more, but he said Bynum’s “activity level shrinks considerably” when he gets fatigued.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Grizz Executives Scout Ricky Rubio
General manager Chris Wallace and coach Lionel Hollins spent Saturday in Spain to scout Rubio again, a trip clouded by an Internet report that indicated Rubio may not want to sign with Memphis. Jonathan Givony, president and director of scouting for DraftExpress.com, cited an anonymous source last week who said Dan Fegan, Rubio's agent, wants Rubio in Los Angeles, where the Clippers hold the first overall pick.

Whether this is mere posturing on Fegan's part is unclear. But if there are obvious obstacles -- including a reported $6 million Euro buyout from Rubio's contract with DKV Joventut -- many scouts and coaches familiar with Rubio think the Grizzlies would be wise to surmount them.

"He is by far the smartest player in the draft," Givony said. "His knowledge of the game, his overall feel -- it's amazing. Wherever he goes, those fans are going to fall in love with him. He's such a fun player to watch, so unpredictable, so creative. To me, it's a no-brainer for a franchise like Memphis."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Gasol Unsure Rubio Is Coming
Pau Gasol, Rubio's teammate on the Spanish national team, said he expects Rubio to make a smooth transition to the NBA.

"I think he'll be OK because he's been competing against veteran players and professional players in Spain for the last four years," said Gasol, the Los Angeles Lakers forward and former Grizzly. "That obviously means something by the way he's capable of adjusting at such an early age at the professional level. So I think he'll do fine when he decides to come over.

"But I don't know if he's going to come over this year because of his buyout."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Sarver: "all in the same economic boat"
The playoffs have proven again that this is a stars' league. It is not by coincidence that LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard have their teams in the conference finals. So who is that player in Phoenix? Amaré Stoudemire is recovering from a serious eye injury and has a history of bad knees. His contract expires after next season. Who do you sign? Who do you keep? Nash says he wants a happier team full of purposeful athletes. But is there truly a trade market for Shaquille O'Neal?

These are heavy questions, and fans remain skeptical.

But guys like Sarver get rich for a reason. And at the moment, he's selling opportunity, reputation and how it's a great time for Suns fans to buy tickets they could never reach in the past. The other night, the team hosted an event for 100 potential clients and sold $595,000 worth of inventory. "With the exception of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, the rest of us are all in the same economic boat," Sarver said. "But we have excellent employees and a good demographic. It's a fun city to play in, the weather is good and players like to come to Phoenix. So I think we're at the high end of those 27 other teams. And we don't have to outrun the economy or the (salary) cap and tax rules. We just have to outrun a lot of those other teams."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Is Peja Stojakovic Facing Retirement?
(Peja) Stojakovic, who missed 20 games this season because of back spasms, will have the highest salary on the Hornets' payroll next season.

Another possibility is that Stojakovic could be forced to retire because of back problems. He had season-ending surgery to remove a disk fragment in 2006. If he retired and a league-appointed physician confirmed he was unfit to play, the Hornets would still have to absorb Stojakovic's salary for the 2009-10 season. But the Hornets could apply for salary cap relief and Stojakovic's salary would taken off the books the next season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Spurs Request Bond Funds for Arena Work
The Spurs are seeking $10 million in Bexar County bond money for improvements at the county-owned AT&T Center in addition to the $75 million in bonds that voters approved last year.

Last week, county commissioners put off approving a contract that would keep the Spurs in San Antonio until 2032, five years past the date in the original deal, after Commissioner Tommy Adkisson complained about rushed negotiations. County officials and the Spurs stressed that the contract is simply an extension to the original pact the two signed in 1999, when the bond vote that secured the funds to construct the Spurs' home court was approved. Both sides claimed that there would be no monetary changes to the extension.

But tucked into the 12-page document is the Spurs' request for the $10 million, part of $24 million still available from the 1999 bond election.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Jackson: Bynum's Knee Limiting Minutes
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Saturday night he doesn't believe center Andrew Bynum can play effectively for longer than four- to five-minute spurts because he hasn't recovered fully from a torn right knee ligament suffered Jan. 31.

"Andrew's tolerance level on the floor is about four or five minutes at a stretch," Jackson said before the Lakers faced the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. "Maybe eight minutes maximum. We're trying to monitor that."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19008

Trevor Ariza's Injuries Not Hampering Much
(Trevor) Ariza originally hurt his right hip and groin crashing to the floor on a second-half driving layup attempt in Game 2 on Thursday night. He reaggravated it in the third quarter Saturday, going back to the locker room for treatment before returning to start the fourth quarter, score eight of his 16 points and put his stamp on the series for the second time in three games.