There used to be some sense in adding an end-of-the-line veteran. Now there isn't (and if there is, he will go by the name of Alonzo Mourning, anyway). Now there has to be enough growth that Dwyane Wade truly believes something is being built around him when he has the right to opt out in 2010.
'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
Moderators: Cowology, theBigLip, Snakebites, dVs33
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 922&lc=NBA

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=1725
The Arizona Star (Greg Hansen) reports: Salim Stoudamire has escaped pro basketball’s burial grounds — the Atlanta Hawks — and now will play for a winner. The ex-Wildcat shooting star has signed with the San Antonio Spurs and is expected to replace the three-point shooting threat of Brent Barry and perhaps Robert Horry.
InsideHoops.com editor says: A shooting guard in a point guard’s body, Salim is good at making it rain from three-point range. His attitude has been questioned over the years, though. But this could be a really good fit for him.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.topix.com/nba/cleveland-cava ... ign-dupree
In an attempt to start filling out the training camp roster, the Cavaliers have signed guard/forward Ronald Dupree .

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... ltics+news
The Celtics are trying to keep expectations under control as they come off an NBA championship season.
"We have our nucleus back, so we are looking to repeat," Rondo said. "But we are going to take it one step at a time, like last year."
Pierce is not shy about stating the team's goal of attempting to win successive titles."I looked up and saw the banner from last season but I also saw we haven't repeated since '68-69," Pierce said. "That's more motivation to repeat. So, let's try to make more history."

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 922&lc=NBA
It what might be the last straw to finalize Goran Dragic’s release to the Phoenix Suns, Tau Cerimaca filled his spot on the roster by signing former Arizona point guard Mustafa Shakur to a one-year contract.
The Spanish team announced the deal on their website Thursday night. Shakur played in seven games for Prokom of the Polish League title last season and is a far cry from NBA caliber after a disappointing career with the Wildcats.
As of Friday afternoon, Dragic was still waiting for word that the completion of his agreement. After that he will return to Slovenia to obtain his work visa before training camp.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 922&lc=NBA
Jerry Colangelo's achievement in directing Team USA basketball to the Olympic gold medal in Beijing will be recognized at an appreciation luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Monday at the Arizona Biltmore.
The event, presented by the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation, benefits Special Olympics Arizona.
Doug Collins, who was NBC's basketball analyst during the Beijing Games, will serve as master of ceremonies at the luncheon.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 922&lc=NBA
New Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez is scheduled to land at Portland International Airport on Monday at 11:55 a.m., The Oregonian has learned.
Fernandez, the Spanish star who has never been to Portland, will be arriving on an international flight, and fans interested in greeting Fernandez should congregate at PDX's International Meet and Greet area, which is located at the north end of the baggage claim (or by carousel No. 10).
After arriving, Fernandez will be taken to the Rose Garden to meet Blazers staff. He will then be introduced to the media at 2:30 p.m. on Monday at the Rose Garden. *Note: A source says the flight that Fernandez will be on is often up to 45 minutes EARLY, which included three times this week. In that case, fans wishing to greet Rudy should arrive a little after 11 a.m.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... 922&lc=NBA
For all the consternation over the Thunder logo, team uniforms are what fans will see on TV broadcasts 82 times this season. That's what sellout crowds will see 41 times inside the Ford Center.
Thunder officials are expected to unveil team uniforms next Monday at Media Day. Insiders say the road uniforms will be sky blue, the color of the state flag. Home uniforms will be white.
If Thunder is inscribed on home, white uniforms and road "Oklahoma City” uniforms are dark sky blue, like the state flag, the team logo becomes a minor topic. The uniforms Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Nick Collison and their teammates wear on ESPN highlights are what the nation will see most, not the logo.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://rimshots.freedomblogging.com/200 ... th-shakur/
It what might be the last straw to finalize Goran Dragic’s release to the Phoenix Suns, Tau Cerimaca filled his spot on the roster by signing former Arizona point guard Mustafa Shakur to a one-year contract.
The Spanish team announced the deal on their website Thursday night. Shakur played in seven games for Prokom of the Polish League title last season and is a far cry from NBA caliber after a disappointing career with the Wildcats.
As of Friday afternoon, Dragic was still waiting for word that the completion of his agreement. After that he will return to Slovenia to obtain his work visa before training camp.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://newsok.com/okc-thunder-notebook/ ... 1222052152
For all the consternation over the Thunder logo, team uniforms are what fans will see on TV broadcasts 82 times this season. That's what sellout crowds will see 41 times inside the Ford Center.
Thunder officials are expected to unveil team uniforms next Monday at Media Day. Insiders say the road uniforms will be sky blue, the color of the state flag. Home uniforms will be white.
If Thunder is inscribed on home, white uniforms and road "Oklahoma City” uniforms are dark sky blue, like the state flag, the team logo becomes a minor topic. The uniforms Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Nick Collison and their teammates wear on ESPN highlights are what the nation will see most, not the logo.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
-
- Bench Warmer
- Posts: 1,284
- And1: 62
- Joined: Feb 05, 2004
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
nasty daddy, I have a suggestion: Would it be possible to split your news threads into Pistons news and League news? For those of us whose primary interest is the Pistons, that would make it easier to keep up what's going on. Thanks for all the work you do on these!
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazer ... rnoon.html
New Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez is scheduled to land at Portland International Airport on Monday at 11:55 a.m., The Oregonian has learned. Fernandez, the Spanish star who has never been to Portland, will be arriving on an international flight, and fans interested in greeting Fernandez should congregate at PDX's International Meet and Greet area, which is located at the north end of the baggage claim (or by carousel No. 10).
After arriving, Fernandez will be taken to the Rose Garden to meet Blazers staff. He will then be introduced to the media at 2:30 p.m. on Monday at the Rose Garden.
*Note: A source says the flight that Fernandez will be on is often up to 45 minutes EARLY, which included three times this week. In that case, fans wishing to greet Rudy should arrive a little after 11 a.m.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/ar ... t0920.html
Jerry Colangelo's achievement in directing Team USA basketball to the Olympic gold medal in Beijing will be recognized at an appreciation luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Monday at the Arizona Biltmore.
The event, presented by the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation, benefits Special Olympics Arizona.
Doug Collins, who was NBC's basketball analyst during the Beijing Games, will serve as master of ceremonies at the luncheon.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/sm ... 80922.html
Craig Smith told us his surgically repaired knee is feeling just fine. While we had him, of course, we had to find out what else is going on in the Rhino's world.
Q: On his knee:Smith: The knee is feeling pretty good. I just have to get my bounce back so I can dunk on guys during the season ... It sucks to have an injury, but it's good that I'll be ready before training camp. I'm going really hard to get my conditioning up so I can be ready for the first day.
Q: On Jefferson coming back from his injury:Smith: It affects you a lot because you have to get on rhythm with your teammates ... He is going to be well prepared, but it's mostly the conditioning. (It's) being able to stay in shape, because once he comes in they are going to hit him hard, so he has to keep working on his cardio ... Get in and get some work in, but don't put too much on it that it risks another injury.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.wnba.com/games/20080921/INDDET/recap.html
The Indiana Fever have been knocked out of the WNBA playoffs by the Detroit Shock the last two seasons. Sunday, they at least delayed Detroit's hat trick. Tamika Catchings had 27 points and 10 rebounds and the Fever won 89-82 in overtime to force a decisive third game in the Eastern Conference playoff series. Game 3 is Tuesday night in Auburn Hills."We went to Game 3 with them in the conference finals last year, and it was a great game until Catchings got hurt,'' Indiana coach Lin Dunn said. "So we know we can compete in this situation on this floor. We just need to play another great game on Tuesday.'' Indiana came into the game with a 0-4 record against the Shock this season, including Detroit's win in Game 1 on Friday night. "It was a hard-fought game, but give Indiana credit - they played as well as they could possibly play,'' Detroit coach Bill Laimbeer said. "They might play that well again Tuesday, but we know we have a lot of room for improvement.''
The Shock were more upset about a fourth-quarter incident that left Plenette Pierson with a shoulder injury that is expected to rule her out of Game 3. Pierson and Ebony Hoffman got their arms tangled while battling for position on a rebound, and Pierson ended up crumpled on the floor in obvious pain. Laimbeer immediately asked the officials to eject Hoffman, but they decided to give both players technical fouls. Hoffman then hit two key 3-pointers to help Indiana win the game. "We don't understand how Plenette gets a technical foul on a play where there was a deliberate attempt to injure her,'' Laimbeer said. Pierson was suspended for four games earlier this season after a fight with Los Angeles' Candace Parker, and Laimbeer practically demanded that Hoffman also get suspended. "To just allow someone to injure one of our players, maybe for the rest of the year, that's wrong,'' he said. "If there isn't a suspension, we'll know how we stand with this league.'' Pierson said through a Shock public-relations representative that Hoffman had deliberately twisted her arm, but Hoffman saw the play differently. "We got tangled up, and unfortunately she had to leave the game,'' she said. "There was nothing intentional. I'm sure the league will review it and see that we were both going for the ball.'' The controversy threatened to overshadow a memorable finish.
The teams made the first 43 free throws of the game before Tammy Sutton-Brown's miss with 24.8 seconds left. That left Detroit down three, and Katie Smith could only split a pair from the line at the other end. Katie Douglas then hit one of two, leaving the Fever up 73-70 with 13.8 seconds to go. Yinka Sanni's layup made it 73-72, but Catchings made two more free throws to restore the three-point edge.Deanna Nolan, though, came back down the floor and hit a 3-pointer with 6 seconds to play to force overtime. "I thought we had the game wrapped up and dang if Deanna Nolan doesn't hit an NBA 3-pointer on us,'' Dunn said. The Shock, though, struggled to hit inside, and Indiana clinched the game with consecutive 3-pointers by Hoffman and Tully Bevilaqua. "We knew they were focused on stopping Catchings and (Tammy) Sutton-Brown, so we ran a couple plays that would get Ebony and Tully open, and they knocked down the shots,'' Dunn said. Hoffman, who also had a key 3-pointer in the final minute of regulation, finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Sutton-Brown had 19 points for Indiana. Nolan and Pierson scored 16 points each for Detroit, but starting center Kara Braxton finished with just six on 3-of-8 shooting. "We need Kara to show up to play on Tuesday,'' Laimbeer said. "We have to get her more involved.''The Shock also announced Sunday that if they advance to the Eastern Conference finals, scheduling conflicts will force them to move their home games to Eastern Michigan University's arena, about an hour from the Palace. In 2004 and 2006, the Shock played home playoff games at Joe Louis Arena in downtown Detroit for similar reasons.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/blogs/han ... now-a-spur
Salim Stoudamire has escaped pro basketball’s burial grounds — the Atlanta Hawks — and now will play for a winner. The ex-Wildcat shooting star has signed with the San Antonio Spurs and is expected to replace the three-point shooting threat of Brent Barry and perhaps Robert Horry.
In three years with the dismal Hawks, Stoudamire averaged just 17 minutes per game and was often slowed by a chronic ankle injury. His career average is eight points per game. Perhaps an organization as effective as the Spurs will change Stoudamire’s career path. Winning is contagious, right? Perhaps Salim’s rep as a clubhouse malcontent will change — it will probably have to change; he will have to adapt — as he becomes a role player on a team with superstars Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan.
If he does, Salim could spent another 10 years in the league as a Steve Kerr-type specialist and make millions of dollars.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/expansi ... 80922.html
The NBA Development League’s two expansion teams, the Erie BayHawks and Reno Bighorns, will take the first step towards formulating their rosters for the 2008-09 season with the 2008 NBA D-League Expansion Draft on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008.
Reno will select first, as determined by a random drawing, in the 10-round Expansion Draft, which will be conducted via teleconference at 2 p.m. ET from the NBA D-League Office in New York City. Erie will select second. The order of selection will alternate in each round, such that the team selecting second in the first round (Erie) will select first in the second round.
The list of available players is comprised of the 55 unprotected players from 2007-08 NBA D-League teams. NBA D-League teams were each able to protect up to 10 players from their 2007-08 end-of-season rosters. Immediately following the draft, each team will submit a draft list of its selected players, in order of preference, to the D-League Office. “The Expansion Draft gives incoming teams an opportunity to begin crafting their 2008-09 rosters,” said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League. “It affords Erie and Reno the opportunity to draft the rights to returning players with D-League experience.”

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... ccullough/
Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed free agent forwards DerMarr Johnson, Linton Johnson and Taj McCullough. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released. “DerMarr’s experience and versatility, Linton’s athleticism and defensive ability and Taj’s play with our summer league team gives them a chance to compete for a roster spot,” said Grunfeld. “We’re looking forward to training camp as an opportunity to evaluate how they might fit into the mix at the small forward position.”
DerMarr Johnson (6-9, 210) is a seven-year veteran who has seen action with the Hawks, Knicks, Nuggets and Spurs. He holds NBA career averages of 6.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 136 games. A Washington DC native, Johnson was originally selected by Atlanta with the sixth overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft following his freshman year at the University of Cincinnati. He averaged 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Hawks in 2001-02, but missed the entire 2002-03 season after suffering four cracked vertebra in his neck following a car accident. He returned to the NBA with New York in 2003-04 and spent the next three seasons (2004-05 through 2006-07) with Denver. Johnson averaged 3.4 points in five games with San Antonio last season. Linton Johnson (6-8, 205) is a five-year veteran who has seen action with the Bulls, Spurs, Nets, Hornets, Raptors and Suns. He holds NBA career averages of 4.1 points and 3.4 rebounds in 141 games after going undrafted out of Tulane University. Johnson had his best statistical run when he averaged 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds over the final 27 games for New Orleans/Oklahoma City after being acquired in a midseason trade with New Jersey. Johnson averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds last season in eight games between Toronto and Phoenix.
McCullough (6-7, 227) averaged 2.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in five games with the Wizards’ entry in the 2008 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The rookie out of Winthrop averaged 11.6 points and a team-high 5.8 rebounds as a senior last season and helped the Eagles to a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Wizards’ training camp roster now stands at 17 players. The team will hold camp from September 27-October 3 at the Siegel Center on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://truebluepistons.blogspot.com/200 ... ining.html
They suit up 12 players every night in the NBA, but for most nights on most teams the last three among them might as well be in street clothes, too. Most coaches don’t go more than three or four deep on their bench unless the margin gets out of hand or deep foul trouble or injury strike. But from everything we’ve gathered about the Pistons this summer – the messages Michael Curry is sending about his faith in young players, the glowing reports about Kwame Brown, the confirmation that Antonio McDyess is going back to the bench, the declaration of Rodney Stuckey as a “sixth starter” – they aren’t going to be governed by NBA convention this year. Which begs the question: How deep can the rotation really go? Ten players? Eleven? Joe Dumars has said there’s room for all five big men at the two power positions, power forward and center. So McDyess, Brown, Rasheed Wallace, Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell no doubt expect to play every night. Beyond Curry’s consistent message that Stuckey will play about 30 minutes a night, he’s given every indication that Arron Afflalo has earned more than the 13 minutes he played as a rookie. The Pistons think Walter Herrmann gives them something at small forward – size and outside shooting, for starters – that nobody else can supply behind Tayshaun Prince. And we know that Prince, Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton are fixtures.
So that’s 11 players. There’s no way they all fit into the puzzle if you pencil in the mainstays – Hamilton, Billups, Prince and Wallace – for 32 to 36 minutes a night, which actually represent fairly modest numbers for players of their stature. All of them, it could be argued, are among the top 50 players in the NBA, and players of that magnitude might typically play 36 to 42 minutes. Let’s take the five big men for the two power positions and see how the 96 minutes available there might be carved up. Wallace, of course, will be first in line. He averaged 30.5 minutes a game last season. But he turned 34 last week – a belated happy birthday, Mr. Wallace – and Curry is a big believer in all three of the young big men coming off his bench. So let’s figure Wallace for a slight reduction in minutes. We’ll assign him 28. McDyess, as Curry confirmed last week, will be coming off the bench again and having his minutes scaled back from the 29.3 of last season. He also recently turned 34. My hunch is McDyess and Wallace won’t spend too much time playing together this season, with the likely exception of the last five minutes of close games. I could see a scenario something like this: Wallace starts and plays the first 10 minutes, McDyess subs in and plays the next 10 minutes, Wallace returns for the final four minutes of the half. That would give Wallace his 28 minutes a game and leave McDyess with 20.And that leaves another 48 minutes to carve up among the other three big men. It will vary from night to night, in all likelihood, depending on the matchups and considering the probable production inconsistencies to be expected of three relatively young players. But it isn’t a stretch to think they might all wind up averaging somewhere around 16 minutes a game, though it might mean 24 minutes one night and eight the next.
Now let’s focus on the three perimeter positions. Let’s start with the assumption that Stuckey gets those 30 minutes a game. It’s not a stretch to believe Billups will lose a few minutes – he turns 32 on Thursday – from the 32.3 he played last year and also log 30 a night. There are 144 minutes to parcel out for those three perimeter positions and we’ve just accounted for 60 of them. Hamilton and Prince have consistently been the leaders in minutes played over the last several seasons. Their minutes did come down last season – after hovering up around 36 to 38, Hamilton was at 33.7 and Prince at 32.9 last season. If the rotation is going to balloon to 11, they’ll probably have to come down a little more. For the sake of argument, let’s assign them the same 30 minutes we gave both Billups and Stuckey. That would leave another 24 minutes a game – and leaves the door open a little for Herrmann to make his case, depending on how high Afflalo’s minutes get. It’s not inconceivable Afflalo would command that many himself, but if he goes to 16 a game then that would leave Herrmann with eight.And all of that is fun for fans to dissect and analyze, but it’s not the way Curry or Dumars are thinking. Minutes are to be earned and nobody starts earning them until training camp opens. Besides, what happens to the blueprint when Rodney Stuckey’s hand gets caught in an opponent’s jersey in the last preseason game and his hand suffers multiple fractures? Stay tuned. It’s going to get real interesting real fast in one of the most competitive training camps the Pistons have ever held.

Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
- nasty daddy
- RealGM
- Posts: 121,442
- And1: 7
- Joined: Oct 16, 2005
- Location: Sydney
Re: 'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12
http://www.nba.com/bobcats/may_2008_offseason.html
bobcats.com: Tell us about the process that you’ve gone through this offseason. May: Right after the season, I went and saw the doctors and they informed me that my microfracture is healed. The only thing I was waiting on was a bone bruise that actually made me wait an extra two months before I got back on the court, which is good because it allowed me to get my body back in shape. Now that I’m back playing, my body feels good, I’m able to take hits, my knee feels good – so I’ve just been doing that. I was also back in school at Chapel Hill and trying to finish that up. I’m just trying to stay in shape the best way possible.
bobcats.com: We all know how excited you are to get back on the court, but is one of the important things not to rush things too quickly? May: Definitely. That was my thought process coming in today. I had played four-straight days and played pretty well, so when I came in today and saw the guys were working out, I decided to back it off today and allow three days of recovery so I can come back Monday and hit it hard again and try to push myself a little bit harder. It’s trial-and-error. You have to go hard, but you can’t go too hard. The one thing that has been fortunate for me is that ever since I’ve had the surgery, I haven’t had any setbacks. They postponed allowing me to play for two months just due to the fact that they wanted the bone bruise to completely go away. That’s the only minor setback that I’ve had. That’s the thought process – I don’t want any setbacks. I want to be able to go through this season, get through training camp, play well and get through the season without having to miss any games.
bobcats.com: Coming in and seeing the guys working out while you’ve been rehabbing has had to get your motor going a little bit more when you see the kind of commitment your teammates have this offseason, doesn’t it? May: There’s no question. I was talking to my father the other day, and I told him that I never thought you’d find 14 pros working out in September anywhere. I can’t believe that many guys are here. To have your captains – J-Rich (Jason Richardson), Gerald (Wallace) and Ray (Felton) – those guys have been here this summer working out hard. Matt Carroll’s been here all summer, partly due to the fact his wife just had a baby, but he’s been here all summer. Adam’s been here, too. That’s good when you have all those guys here to develop more camaraderie and be able to get on the court together. That does nothing but help.
