'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 26

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3524

Rodney Stuckey has fallen off
The Detroit Free Press (Vince Ellis) reports: Troubles continue for point guard Rodney Stuckey after his three-point, one-assist effort against the Bucks. He also fouled out. After averaging 14.3 points at one point, his scoring average has fallen to 13.4. Stuckey is a source of concern for coach Michael Curry. “We got to find a way to get Stuckey on track,” Curry said after Wednesday’s practice. “He kind of ignites everybody else. I think he spends a lot of time trying to make sure everybody else is OK on the court, but his natural instinct is to be aggressive, and we just want him to be himself.”

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3525

Larry Brown learns to chill
The Charlotte Observer (Rick Bonnell) reports: A kinder, gentler Larry Brown? Charlotte Bobcats guard Raja Bell sure thinks so. This is Bell’s second stint playing for Brown. Bell started his career with Brown and the Philadelphia 76ers from 2000 through 2002. “More mellow,” Bell said recently. “From the first couple of days (after Bell’s trade from Phoenix to Charlotte), I could see a different guy. When he needs to yell, he will. But in day-to-day demeanor, he’s a different guy.” Bell says Brown is no less an authority figure. But he’s more collaborative, less strident, less prone to overreact and wear out players with constant criticism.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3527

Kings trade Shelden Williams, Bobby Brown to Wolves for Rashad McCants, Calvin Booth
The Sacramento Kings today acquired Rashad McCants and Calvin Booth from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Shelden Williams and Bobby Brown, according to Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. “We’re looking forward to having Rashad and Calvin join the team,” said Petrie. “Calvin is an experienced center and Rashad has had some terrific moments scoring the ball in the league. We also want to thank Shelden and Bobby for their contributions and wish them the very best.”“Shelden Williams and Bobby Brown are both talented young players and we’re excited to get a better look at them,” Timberwolves General Manager Jim Stack said. “We’d like to thank Rashad and Calvin for their professionalism during their time with us and wish them all the best as they move forward with their careers.”

McCants, a 6-4, 215-pound guard, who is currently in his fourth NBA season, averaged 9.1 points (.360 FGs, .319 3FGs, .741 FTs) and 1.9 rebounds per game through 34 outings for the Timberwolves this season. A first round selection (14th pick overall) by Minnesota in the 2005 NBA Draft out of North Carolina, McCants has posted career averages of 9.9 points (.429 FGs, .369 3FGs, .735 FTs), 2.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game over 225 contests, of which he has started in 38. Booth, a 6-11, 230-pound center, who is currently in his 10th NBA season, has played in only one game this season for the Timberwolves. He has amassed career averages of 3.3 points (.450 FGs, .222 3FGs, .748 FTs) and 2.8 rebounds per game through 359 outings, of which he has started in 83 for Washington, Dallas, Seattle, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Minnesota. Booth was a second round selection (33rd pick overall) by the Washington Wizards in the 1999 NBA Draft out of Penn State.

Williams, a 6-9, 250-pound forward/center, who is currently in his fourth NBA season, and second with the Kings, averaged 3.7 points (.449 FGs, .762 FTs) and 2.6 rebounds per game over 30 outings this season for Sacramento. The fifth overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks out of Duke, Williams has posted career averages of 4.6 points (.447 FGs, .250 3FGs, .732 FTs) and 4.1 rebounds per game through 175 contests with the Hawks and Kings. Brown, a 6-2, 175-pound guard, who is currently in his rookie campaign, averaged 5.2 points (.381 FGs, .330 3FGs, .765 FTs) and 1.9 assists per game over 47 contests, of which he started in one. Upon a solid career at California State Fullerton, Brown was not drafted by an NBA team in the 2007 NBA Draft. He signed with the Kings as a free agent prior to the start of this season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 1127/rss13

Dumars: Pistons won't make a deal
As expected, the Pistons aren't going to make any deals Thursday. Pistons president Joe Dumars confirmed, even before the 3 p.m. trade deadline, that the Pistons would move forward with their current roster.

Central Division rival Cleveland has been trying to work deals on several fronts, but it looks like those deals are falling through. They discussed sending former Piston Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to the Suns for Shaquille O'Neal, as well as offering Wally Szczerbiak and his $13 million expiring contract for Richard Jefferson.

Neither of those deals was likely to get done before the deadline, according to league sources.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/community/eton_090219.html

Dice Rolls into Eton
In these cost-conscious times, families across Michigan are getting stricter about spending. But even the most well planned budget is not immune from the unpredictability of life. Sudden expenses can be hard to swallow, especially for the parents of a child born with a learning disability. At the Eton Academy in Birmingham, students from 1st to 12th grades receive specialized training and resources to help them work through their learning difference. A private school for which state financial aid is unavailable, many Eton families are unsure where next year’s tuition will come from. It is a frightening predicament, yet another consequence of the nation’s economic recession. “Our school is a private school but it’s a little different in that family don’t really choose to be here; they need to be here,” said Pete Pullen, the Head of School at Eton Academy. “It’s an expense that was not anticipated, so they never planned or saved for this. For pretty much all of our families it’s a challenge.” To help more families meet that challenge, Pullen decide to tweak an offer from the Pistons when they visited for their “Read to Achieve” tour stop Wednesday afternoon. At every stop on the tour - which will include more than 20 schools by season’s end - the Pistons and Detroit Free Press Gift of Reading Program have provided a $2,500 scholarship for a student and a $2,500 grant to the school. Pullen decided to forego the grant to have a second winner in the scholarship essay contest. He couldn’t be more pleased with the recipients, seventh-graders Caitlin Goyer and Ethan Perlman.

Caitlin is probably one of the hardest working students that we’ve ever had at Eton,” Pullen said. “There’s not a task she’s not willing to try and there’s not an assignment she’s not going to put her very best effort into completing. It’s really a school designed just for her.” Pullen said Ethan has worked hard to become a better classmate and practice the ideals of good sportsmanship everyday. “I think that’s probably what the judges of the contest saw, a lot of passion,” Pullen said, “and he’s turned that passion into a great understanding of what sportsmanship truly is.” Given the unique mission of Eton Academy - which helps students overcome learning differences such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), dyslexia and dysgraphia, a writing deficiency caused by motor-control difficulties regardless of reading ability - the Pistons did much more than their 13th library renovation at Eton in March 2007. The Pistons and Rock Financial outfitted a literacy lab with 10 desktop computers and software designed to aid students with learning differences. They also renovated a resource room, which is open to the public, so parents could learn more about learning differences and determine if their child could benefit from a school like Eton. For current students, however, nothing is more popular than the Live, Learn and Play Center, which includes a café for high schoolers, custom Pistons graphics splashed on the walls and beanbag chairs to snuggle into for extended reading time. IBM has provided the newest attraction, a Young Explorer machine that will help the school’s youngest students with reading comprehension.

This has transformed our entire school,” Pullen said. The school has increased the number of hours the librarian works to accommodate the demand of students and teachers, who spend at least one class period each week at the center. “That’s really important for kids who are challenged or having difficulty with reading,” Pullen added. “This really attracts them and makes this a really cool place for them to be.” The coolest place to be Wednesday afternoon was the gymnasium, where after a brief basketball clinic Pistons forward Antonio McDyess arrived to answer questions from students. He talked about his role models (his mother and grandmother) and his proudest NBA moment (reaching the NBA Finals with the Pistons in 2005). When asked what he would have done if he didn’t play in the NBA, McDyess said he’d like to be a teacher. “I know what you’re all saying,” he said. “’He’s 6-10, teaching school, writing on the blackboard?’ But, hey, that’s what I wanted to do.” McDyess also revealed he didn’t start playing basketball until 8th grade - when he grew from 5-foot-7 to 6-foot-4 in one summer. “None of my clothes fit,” he said, laughing. “You can be anything you want in life,” McDyess said, giving his last words of advice. “Anything’s possible.” The students saw that for themselves just a few moments earlier, when 11th grader Rontez Farley challenged McDyess to a free-throw shooting contest - and won, three shots to two.Beating a professional athlete at his own game? Anything’s possible, especially at Eton Academy.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090219/S ... 1051/rss16

Larry Hughes goes from Chicago to N.Y.
NBA trade deadline was at 3 p.m. — The Chicago Bulls have traded guard Larry Hughes to the New York Knicks for forward Tim Thomas.

Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro announced the trade today. Neither team would say whether additional players were involved.

The Bulls acquired Thomas from the Knicks before the 2005 season, but he only played three games with them. Chicago sent him home that December and waived him in March.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090219/S ... 1051/rss16

McCants headed to Kings for Shelden Williams
The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to trade guard Rashad McCants to the Sacramento Kings for forward Shelden Williams in a swap of disappointing lottery picks, two people with knowledge of the deal told the Associated Press.

The Wolves also got rookie guard Bobby Brown from the Kings and sent rarely used center Calvin Booth to Sacramento. The sources requested anonymity because the trade has not been announced.

McCants was the 14th overall pick in 2005. He is averaging 9.1 points per game, but has appeared in only six games since Jan. 1. Williams was the fifth overall pick in 2006 by Atlanta. He has never fulfilled the promise he showed while at Duke and is averaging just 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds for the Kings.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090219/S ... 1051/rss16

Thunder rescinds Chandler trade
The Oklahoma City Thunder rescinded its trade with the New Orleans, sending center Tyson Chandler back to the Hornets.

Chandler failed a physical Wednesday, and the Thunder backed out of the deal that sent Chris Wilcox, Joe Smith and second-round pick DeVon Hardin to New Orleans.

No specific reason was given as to why Chandler didn’t pass the physical, but he missed the last 12 games before the All-Star break because of a sprained left ankle. “We were pleased to add Tyson to the Thunder roster,” general manager Sam Presti said. “During the course of the physical examination and outside consultations, some questions arose that gave us cause for concern. We felt that this course of action was the best for our organization.” New Orleans players had been distraught about the trade Tuesday, questioning it as a decision brought on because of the team’s desire to stay below the salary cap instead of as a way to improve the roster. Chandler is due to make about $12 million next season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3528

Thunder to trade Chris Wilcox to Knicks for Malik Rose
ESPN.com (Chris Sheridan) reports: The Knicks agreed to a minor trade Thursday with the Oklahoma City Thunder, swapping Malik Rose for Chris Wilcox. A source with knowledge of the trade disclosed it to ESPN.com, saying it was agreed to early Thursday afternoon. It was unclear whether there were any additional parts involved in the trade.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090219/S ... 1051/rss16

Lakers trade Mihm to Grizzlies
The Los Angeles Lakers traded seldom-used center Chris Mihm to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, getting a future draft pick and a lighter payroll in the deal.

Mihm appeared in 18 games for the Lakers this season, averaging two points and 1.9 rebounds while playing 4.8 minutes per game for the overall NBA leaders. Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson indicated the club made the deal largely to trim its payroll while helping Mihm’s chances of landing a better job next season. “Hopefully it’s a chance for him to play, show his wares,” Jackson said before the Lakers’ game against Golden State. “He’s in a free-agent year. ... He was doing the right thing, working hard. He cared about his game, cared about this team.”

Mihm, the seventh overall pick in the 2000 draft, couldn’t consistently crack Jackson’s playing rotation despite the injury absence of fellow 7-footer Andrew Bynum, who could be out until May after tearing a ligament in his right knee Jan. 31.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090219/S ... 1051/rss16

Bulls get Miller, Salmons from Kings
The Chicago Bulls acquired center Brad Miller and John Salmons from the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday for four players, including forwards Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni.

Sacramento also got Michael Ruffin and Cedric Simmons in the deal, but immediately traded Ruffin to the Portland Trail Blazers for forward Ike Diogu and cash. The Kings then waived guard Quincy Douby and veteran Sam Cassell, acquired on Tuesday from Boston, to make room for their new players. The Bulls gave up some salary flexibility to acquire Miller, a two-time All-Star who played 105 games with the Bulls early in his career. Although he hasn’t played since Jan. 30 because of a hip injury, Miller — who’s averaging 11.9 points and 8.0 rebounds — showed flashes of his best game earlier in the season.

Salmons, a versatile swingman and Sacramento’s second-leading scorer with 18.3 points, also could be a prominent contributor in Chicago. The disappointing Bulls apparently are still committed to chasing a playoff berth despite starting the day seven games below .500. The trade clears more than $13 million in salary cap room next season for the Kings, the NBA’s worst team. Among the four players acquired by the Kings, only Nocioni has a contract that stretches into next season.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... p_may.html

League memo: NBA salary cap may drop next season
J.A. Adande of ESPN is reporting that a NBA league memo warns teams that the salary cap may drop over the next couple of seasons.

J.A. Adande: The salary cap is expected to drop next season, with a league memo suggesting a hypothetical number of $57.3 million, according to two team executives. Again, that is only hypothetical; the actual figure won't be finalized until this summer. The salary cap is determined by taking 51 percent of the league's basketball related income and dividing it among the 30 teams. The salary cap for the 2008-09 season is $58.68 million. A smaller cap could affect the teams in position to make bids for free agents this year -- most notably Detroit, Oklahoma City and Memphis -- and if the number stays the same or drops again in 2010 it will impact the free agent class that is expected to include LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire.

While the economic conditions have effected NBA teams, some of the monies that have already been put on the books before the economy went south may prevent the cap from dropping, or dropping as much as predicted. The NBA reached an extension for their broadcast rights with ESPN/ABC and TNT in the summer of 2007, and this season is the first of what is a more than 20% increase. The salary cap only decreased once in the history of the NBA, from the 2001-2002 season to the 2002-2003 season. Which was based more on the change in the formula on how the numbers are figured out than a drastic decrease in revenue. If the salary cap does decrease, it will effect all NBA teams equally. The Pistons, among several other teams, have positioned themselves to have a huge amount of cap space available over the next two seasons. So a decrease in cap space may effect teams, it won't be a devastating effect.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3529

Bulls to trade Larry Hughes to Knicks for 3 players
ESPN.com (Chad Ford) reports: The Chicago Bulls made their second big trade in two days on Thursday, agreeing to send Larry Hughes to the Knicks for Jerome James, Tim Thomas and Anthony Roberson, two league sources told ESPN.com. The move comes just one day after the Bulls agreed to send Andreas Nocioni and Drew Gooden to the Sacramento Kings for Brad Miller and John Salmons.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/king ... index.html

Report: Wolves to trade McCants to Kings for Williams
The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to trade guard Rashad McCants to the Sacramento Kings for forward Shelden Williams in a swap of disappointing lottery picks, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The Wolves also got rookie guard Bobby Brown from the Kings and sent rarely used center Calvin Booth to Sacramento. The sources requested anonymity because the trade has not been announced. McCants was the 14th overall pick in 2005. He is averaging 9.1 points per game, but has appeared in only six games since Jan. 1. The moody shooting guard from North Carolina fell out of the rotation shortly after Kevin McHale took over as coach. He hasn't played more than 15 minutes in a game since Dec. 27 and has often been seen brooding on the bench because of the decrease in playing time. At his best, McCants is a capable scorer off the bench. He averaged 14.9 points in that role last season in his first full year back from microfracture knee surgery. Williams was the fifth overall pick in 2006 by Atlanta. He has never fulfilled the promise he showed while at Duke and is averaging just 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds for the Kings. The burly power forward has only reached double figures in scoring three times this season and has done it just twice in rebounding.

The deal doesn't hinder either team's quest to clear salary cap space for the future. McCants will be a restricted free agent this summer and Minnesota had no intention of bringing him back. Williams will be an unrestricted free agent when the year ends. Brown has averaged 5.2 points and 1.9 assists as a backup point guard in his first season out of Cal State-Fullerton. Booth has played just 1 minute this season for the Timberwolves after being acquired from Philadelphia in the offseason. His contract is up after the season, meaning the Kings will be off the hook for his salary once the season ends.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/02/19/829/

The Pistons (27-25,14-14 home) will be hosting the San Antonio Spurs (35-17) Tip off is 8:00 pm est from the the Palace of Auburn Hills and will be televised nationally on
Spurs’ Snapshot
Road record: 17-10
Vs. East: 12-9
Last game: 2/17 (Tues) L 107-112 (OT) @ Knicks
Last 10: 6-4
Streak: Lost 2
Vs. Pistons: Dec. 2nd - PISTONS (89) @ Spurs (77)
Injuries: Manu Ginobili (Ankle, day-to-day)

The Spurs come into the Palace on the seventh game of an eight game road trip where they’re currently 3-3. The elongated road trip is due to the fact that the rodeo is playing the AT&T Center. Hey, it’s Texas. The Spurs will probably be without Manu Ginobili for a second straight game due to an ankle injury, the same ankle that he had surgery on causing him to miss the first 12 games of the season. The Pistons will need to get this game to stay above .500 at home. It’s also be nice to leave home for their 5-game road trip with something to build off of. The Pistons will start in Cleveland on Sunday and end the road trip in Boston the following Sunday.

ALSO OF NOTE: Pistons have lost 7 of their last 8 home games … Chicago is said to be Bosh’s first choice … NBA.com staff: a trade the Pistons should make … Pistons have won last 3 vs. Spurs, and 6 of last 8 … Stuckey must step it up … Pistons tied for 6th in the East, just two more victories than 8th place Milwaukee and only three more than 9th place New Jersey … OT: Cavs looking to package Ben Wallace and Pavlovich for Shaq …

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/d ... index.html

The Knicks finally blew up the rest of Isiah Thomas' roster, sending forward Tim Thomas, guard Anthony Roberson and center Jerome James to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard Larry Hughes, and forward Malik Rose to Oklahoma City in exchange for forward Chris Wilcox. Wilcox came available when the deal between the Thunder and New Orleans that would have sent center Tyson Chandler to Oklahoma City for Wilcox and Joe Smith fell apart when Chandler failed his physical.

Smith's future in Oklahoma City was uncertain; it's likely the veteran big man is now seeking a buyout of the remaining contract for this season from Oklahoma City. That would free him up to sign with another team, and Smith desperately would like to go to Boston and try to win a title with the Celtics. Boston cleared a roster spot earlier this week by trading Sam Cassell to Sacramento for a future second-round pick.

The Knicks' deals continue to give New York maximum cap flexibility in the summer of 2010, when the free agent class headed by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will be available. Hughes's contract ($13.6 million next season) expires in 2010; Wilcox is a free agent after this season. Chicago also maintains flexibility in 2010 by acquiring the contracts of Thomas, James and Roberson -- all of which expire in 2010.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/d ... index.html

The Dish: Magic nab Rockets' Alston in last-minute deal
Just before the deadline, a three-way deal was consummated between Orlando, Houston and Memphis that sent Rockets guard Rafer Alston to the Magic, with Memphis guard Kyle Lowry and Orlando forward Brian Cook going to the Rockets. Memphis is getting a future first-round pick from Orlando as part of the deal.

The move is big for the Magic, which has been reeling since the shoulder injury to starting point guard Jameer Nelson that is likely to keep him out the rest of the season. Alston has been a starter in Houston the past two seasons and brings toughness and defense most every night, but the Rockets believe that second-year guard Aaron Brooks is their point guard of the future and have been looking to move either Alston or Luther Head for the past few months.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/trad ... index.html

Aldridge: Magic get Alston in three-team deal
Orlando gets: G Rafer Alston
Houston gets: G Kyle Lowry, F/C Brian Cook
Memphis gets: Future first-round pick

Just before the deadline, a three-way deal was consummated between Orlando, Houston and Memphis that sent guard Rafer Alston to the Magic, guard Kyle Lowry from the Grizzlies to Houston and forward Brian Cook to the Grizzlies. Memphis is also getting a future first-round pick from Orlando as part of the deal.

The move is big for the Magic, which has been reeling since the shoulder injury to starting point guard Jameer Nelson that is likely to keep him out the rest of the season. Alston has been a starter in Houston the past two seasons and brings toughness and defense most every night, but the Rockets believe that second-year guard Aaron Brooks is their point guard of the future and have been looking to move either Alston or Luther Head for the past few months.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/trad ... index.html

Knicks acquire Hughes, Wilcox in separate deals
New York gets: G Larry Hughes, F Chris Wilcox
Chicago gets: F Tim Thomas, G Anthony Roberson, C Jerome James
Oklahoma City gets: F Malik Rose

The Knicks finally blew up the rest of Isiah Thomas's roster, sending forward Tim Thomas, guard Anthony Roberson and center Jerome James to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard Larry Hughes, and forward Malik Rose to Oklahoma City in exchange for forward Chris Wilcox. Wilcox came available when the deal between the Thunder and New Orleans that would have sent center Tyson Chandler to Oklahoma City for Wilcox and Joe Smith fell apart when Chandler failed his physical. Smith's future in Oklahoma City was uncertain; it's likely the veteran big man is now seeking a buyout of the remaining contract for this season from Oklahoma City. That would free him up to sign with another team, and Smith desperately would like to go to Boston and try to win a title with the Celtics. Boston cleared a roster spot earlier this week by trading Sam Cassell to Sacramento for a future second-round pick.

The Knicks' deals continue to give New York maximum cap flexibility in the summer of 2010, when the free agent class headed by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will be available. Hughes's contract ($13.6 million next season) expires in 2010; Wilcox is a free agent after this season. Chicago also maintains flexibility in 2010 by acquiring the contracts of Thomas, James and Roberson--all of which expire in 2010.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/trad ... index.html

Report: Kings acquire backup center O'Bryant
The Boston Globe reports the Celtics have traded backup center Patrick O'Bryant to the Kings for a future draft pick. The newspaper reports Boston made the deal to free up salary cap space.

O'Bryant, who was selected ninth overall by the Warriors in the 2006 Draft, has appeared in 26 games with the Celtics. He is averaging 1.5 ppg and 1.3 rpg in 4.2 minutes per game.