'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12

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http://www.twincities.com/ci_10578536?s ... ost_viewed

Briefly: Wittman said guard Blake Ahearn would be part of the Wolves' training-camp roster, and they are expected to add center Rafael Araujo as an extra big man, with Jefferson and center Jason Collins (arm) sidelined by injuries.

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

Free throws: The Celtics have 16 players on their training camp roster and no more will be added, general manager Danny Ainge said. Sam Cassell and newcomer Darius Miles do not have guaranteed contracts. Even so, the Celtics might waive another player with a low contract or make a trade to accommodate both Cassell and Miles (the roster limit is 15). "We've got a month to find out," Ainge said.

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http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/knicks/a ... e_lik.html

There's rumors camp invitee Danny Grunfeld will sign with a Spanish team.

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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/s ... nba29.html

Former NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp's return to basketball ended before it started after Italian team Montegranaro Premiata broke off his one-year contract a week before its season is to begin.

Kemp spent nine days in Italy training with the team and playing in three exhibition games. The ex-Sonic traveled to the United States to check on his home in Houston after Hurricane Ike and didn't return. "I am very sorry for my inability to return to the club in a timely manner due to personal issues," Kemp wrote in a letter posted on the team's Web site Saturday. "I'm very sorry that these unforeseen circumstances have resulted in the club's understandable decision."

Kemp, 38, had not played in the NBA since 2003, with Orlando, and has had legal problems in recent years. In 2005, he was arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine and marijuana in his truck in Shoreline. He pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted possession of more than 40 grams of marijuana, after the charge against him was amended from a felony to a gross misdemeanor. He was also arrested in 2006 in Houston and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Kemp played 625 games for the Sonics, averaging 16.2 points.

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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/s ... nba29.html

• Players Charlotte signed to its training-camp roster include forwards Marcus Williams, a graduate of Roosevelt High in Seattle who played 11 games in the NBA last season, and Andre Brown, an ex-Sonic.

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http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/orego ... xml&coll=7

The Trail Blazers begin training camp Tuesday with one of the deepest rosters in the NBA, renewed community enthusiasm, playoff aspirations and the byproduct of this desirable combination: financial optimism.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=1776

The Rocky Mountain News (Chris Tomasson) reports: Forward Michael Ruffin was hoping to stick around his hometown in the hope his parents could see him play regularly. Instead, the 1995 Cherry Creek High School graduate will go to training camp with Chicago rather than the Nuggets. Ruffin didn’t feel good about his chances of making the roster with a nonguaranteed contract on the cost-cutting Nuggets, who have 13 players with guaranteed deals and aren’t certain if anybody else will be kept.

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http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=1781

Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has signed free agent Cory Underwood to replace Justin Reed on the Sixers’ training camp roster.

Last season, Underwood (6-10, 240) played for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA Development League. He was coached by Jeff Ruland, who was named an assistant coach for the Sixers back in August. In 36 games with 13 starts for the T-Birds, Underwood averaged 6.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game while shooting 42.0% from the floor and 66.1% from the line.

Since finishing his collegiate career at Southern University of New Orleans in 2003, Underwood has played in numerous leagues, including the ABA (American Basketball Association), the USBL (United States Basketball League), WBA (World Basketball Association), CBA (Continental Basketball Association) as well as leagues in both Brazil and Poland. The native of Queens is also a frequent participant in the Entertainers Basketball Classic at Rucker Park in New York City and is known as “The Undertaker.”

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http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=1779

The Palm Beach Post reports — Heat first-round draft pick Michael Beasley missed most of Monday’s first practice session after suffering a mild left groin strain. “Just a little sore,” coach Erik Spoelstra said when asked about Beasley’s injury. “Really precautionary. He started practice, did dummy offense and moved around a little.” Beasley was hurt during a five-on-five drill. He watched from the sideline along with fellow forward Udonis Haslem, who is recovering from a foot injury.

The South Florida Sun-Sentile reports — Beasley said he still finds himself deferring to the veterans during drills. “I’m a little hesitant sometimes, because we’ve got guys like Dwyane and Shawn Marion and U.D.,” he said. “But Dwyane told me to play my game, don’t think about nothing, don’t think about too much.”

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=1777

The Salt Lake Tribune (Ross Siler) reports – Although they had until Oct. 31 to do so, the Jazz have exercised the fourth-year option in guard Ronnie Brewer’s contract, general manager Kevin O’Connor said Monday at the team’s annual media day. “We’ll do it now and kind of make him feel like he understands that the work he did this summer is rewarded,” O’Connor said, “and the work he did last summer and last year is rewarded.” Brewer took over as the Jazz’s starting shooting guard last season and went on to average 12.0 points and 2.9 rebounds. He gained an additional 10 to 12 pounds from last season and weighed in Monday at 235 pounds.

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http://www.nba.com/news/garcia_extension_080929.html

The Sacramento Kings signed swingman Francisco Garcia to a multi-year contract extension, it was announced Monday by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Garcia, a three-year NBA veteran, amassed career averages of 8.1 points (.440 FGs, .357 3FGs, .792 FTs), 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game through 225 outings with the Kings. His best year, statistically, occurred during the 2007-08 campaign when he averaged 12.3 points (.462 FGs, .391 3FGs, .779 FTs), 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game over 79 contests. Garcia started in 20 games last season (2007-08), averaging 16.4 points (.448 FGs, .370 3FGs, .798 FTs), 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He recorded a career-high 31 points in 35 minutes at Phoenix on November 21, 2007.

Garcia was selected in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Kings as an undergraduate out of Louisville. He enjoyed a three-year career for the Cardinals, averaging 14.4 points (.448 FGs, .369 3FGs, .849 FTs), 3.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.48 steals per game through 98 outings, of which he started 80.

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http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/jawaire ... 92908.html

As a result of concerns raised during routine pre-season cardiac screening, Nathan Jawai will be held out of practice until further tests are conducted. It is anticipated that these tests will be concluded later this week.

The club acquired the draft rights to Jawai from the Indiana Pacers on July 9. He was the 41st overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft. He is the first indigenous player from Australia to be drafted by an NBA team.

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http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=a ... &type=lgns

Veteran guard Damon Jones won’t be joining the Milwaukee Bucks after all. The Bucks, who open training camp Tuesday, said that by mutual decision Jones instead would work out on his own and try to catch on with another NBA team. The Bucks said both parties would explore options to help the 10-year veteran reach that goal.

The 6-foot-3 Jones was acquired from Cleveland Aug. 13 in a three-team deal.Milwaukee also received guard-forward Adrian Griffin and guard Luke Ridnour from the Oklahoma City Thunder, formerly the Seattle SuperSonics. The Cavaliers got guard Mo Williams from the Bucks, and Oklahoma City acquired forwards Joe Smith and Desmond Mason from Milwaukee.

Jones averaged 6.5 points and 1.9 assists per game and shot 41.7 percent from 3-point range for Cleveland last season, his third with the Cavaliers. He’s also had stints with New Jersey, Boston, Golden State, Dallas, Vancouver, Detroit, Sacramento, Milwaukee and Miami.

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http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=t ... &type=lgns

The Utah Jazzed exercised their fourth-year contract option for the 2009-10 season on guard Ronnie Brewer, the team announced Monday.

Brewer averaged of 8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.26 steals in 20.9 minutes per game over his first two seasons with the Jazz, appearing in 132 games. In 2007-08, the 23-year-old averaged 12.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.70 steals in 27.5 minutes while starting all 76 games in which he played.

Utah begins its preseason schedule on Tuesday, October 7 against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Jazz host the Denver Nuggets in their regular-season opener on Wednesday, October 29.

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http://www.dailynews.com/ci_10586184

For the Lakers, these issues are easy to define but hard to solve, at least right away. Most immediate is the fate and the fortune they intend to commit to their young center Andrew Bynum, who is eligible for an extension.

Bynum's agent has said that he'll pursue a maximum extension (five years, $80million) for his client and would like to resolve the situation as soon as possible. The Lakers, though enamored with Bynum's development, have said they prefer to see how his surgically repaired knee responds to the rigors of training camp.

After that, the decisions get murkier, though no less important.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/news/jazz_brewer_080929.html

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced Monday that the team has exercised its fourth-year option on guard Ronnie Brewer for the 2009-10 season. Per team policy, financial terms were not released.

Originally selected by the Jazz in the first round (14th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft, Brewer (6-7, 218, Arkansas) has appeared in 132 games (90 starts) over his first two seasons and holds career averages of 8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.26 steals in 20.9 minutes per game. In 2007-08, Brewer increased his numbers over his rookie year in every major statistical category, averaging 12.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.70 steals in 27.5 minutes while starting all 76 games in which he played. He led the NBA in steals-per-turnover ratio (1.87) and ranked seventh in field goal percentage (.558).

Brewer led the Jazz in both steals and field goal percentage while scoring in double figures on 53 occasions, 46 times more than his rookie year. He was also selected to compete on the sophomore squad in the 2008 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... gh/?page=2

Former Oak Hill Academy star guard Brandon Jennings will make his Italian League debut for Lottomatica Oct. 5 against Basket Napoli. Jennings, who turned 19 last week, signed a $2 million shoe deal with Under Armour.

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http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... gh/?page=2

Ex-UMass star Gary Forbes, who went undrafted by the NBA, plays for Basket Napoli .

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http://www.examiner.com/x-441-Golden-St ... en-Jackson

On Sunday, after the Warriors’ morning practice, Jackson was again optimistic about his chances for a contract extension.

When Jackson was asked about Mullin’s negotiating style, he said he hadn’t dealt with Mullin _ only with Rowell and Cohan.

That would seem to mean one of only two things: Something's not quite right with Jackson's story or the Warriors are considering giving Jackson a contract extension and Mullin, the top man in the basketball operations department, isn’t in on it. A Warriors spokesman, citing team policy, said Rowell doesn’t comment on contract issues. This, of course, wouldn’t seem to bode well for Mullin, who is entering the final year of his contract. On Thursday he said he was not disappointed the Warriors hadn’t approached him with extension talk.

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http://www.nypost.com/seven/09292008/sp ... 131208.htm

Jarvis Hayes and Stromile Swift sat the end of the morning workout after banging left knees. Neither believed serious.