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

nasty daddy · Post #81 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:25 am

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/ma ... -scenario/

Wizards's draft spot falls
When healthy, the Wizards have three All-Star-caliber players in Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, a blend of veteran players and six players under the age of 23 - which management sees as an efficient mix.

The options Grunfeld mentioned include keeping the pick. The players expected to be available at the fifth spot - Italian pro and former star high school point guard Brandon Jennings, USC shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, Arizona State swingman James Harden and Davidson guard Stephen Curry - are all talented, but each has his share of questions.

The Wizards, according to league insiders, are hesitant to take on yet another project player and would rather package their pick in a trade for a veteran who could contribute immediately.

nasty daddy · Post #82 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:29 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

Texas coach Rick Barnes said swingman Damion James hasn't signed with agent Andy Miller, despite rumors to the contrary. Miller said the same thing Monday afternoon. Both of them said that Miller is advising James, which is allowed under NCAA rules.

"He's allowed to advise -- he hasn't signed anything,'' Barnes said. "Andy Miller has done everything right with us.''

nasty daddy · Post #83 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:31 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• Florida's Nick Calathes has a Greek passport, and, according to multiple sources, Calathes may stay in the draft even if he can't get assurance that he'd be picked because of his ability to play overseas. Calathes is projected to go late in the first round or early in the second, according to NBA sources.

nasty daddy · Post #84 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:32 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• Wake Forest coach Dino Gaudio is setting up workouts for guard Jeff Teague but is being careful not to push him back to school. Teague is down the list of point guards behind Ricky Rubio, Curry, North Carolina's Ty Lawson and Brandon Jennings, who is playing in Italy. That could entice Teague to return next season. But Teague is still all over the first round at this juncture and his status will depend on workouts.

nasty daddy · Post #85 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:32 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• Gonzaga's Austin Daye has the talent to be picked as early as No. 10 in the first round. But according to NBA sources, many teams are waiting to see how Daye reacts during workouts. If he shows any sign of toughness, he may stick.

nasty daddy · Post #86 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:33 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• NBA sources expect USC's Taj Gibson to stay in the draft because he can be a late first-round pick and because of the current swirl of negative attention around the Trojans.

nasty daddy · Post #87 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:34 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said former Big East player of the year Luke Harangody is looking for a first-round guarantee. If he can get one, he'll stay in the draft.

nasty daddy · Post #88 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:34 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• UCLA coach Ben Howland isn't making a prediction on freshman Jrue Holiday just yet. Holiday, who was back in Florida at the IMG Academy this week, is expected to return to campus for exams and then head to Chicago next week for the draft combine. NBA sources said they fully expect Holiday to stay in the draft since he's projected to be selected somewhere from the teens on down in the first round. Agent Dan Fegan is advising Holiday, just as Miller is doing for Lawal and James.

nasty daddy · Post #89 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:35 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• Kentucky's Jodie Meeks has even more reason to return to play for John Calipari now that John Wall has committed to play the point. Having Wall alongside him would take more pressure off Meeks. NBA sources expect Calipari to convince Meeks to return just like Patrick Patterson did last week.

nasty daddy · Post #90 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:35 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• Saint Mary's sophomore guard Patty Mills is projected to go late in the first but there are conflicting reports on whether he'll stay in the draft. Mills has been non-committal as to whether he might return to the Gaels. Mills is projected to be selected somewhere in the first round, but is further down on the list of point guards, even though he was a star for the Australian Olympic team in Beijing last summer.

nasty daddy · Post #91 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:37 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said Tyler Smith could return to the Vols if he isn't guaranteed to be selected in the first round. According to NBA sources, Smith is projected to be a second-round pick. If that holds, Pearl may get Smith back to help challenge Kentucky and Florida in the SEC East.

nasty daddy · Post #92 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:38 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• Maryland coach Gary Williams said Greivis Vasquez hasn't signed with an agent and is being advised that the point guard depth won't be an issue in the 2010 draft. If that's the case, there is a good chance Vasquez could return to the Terps. Williams said that, with Vasquez, the Terps would have nine of their top 10 players back and a chance to be "really good." Williams said he thinks there is a strong chance Vasquez could be among the top-20 players in the 2010 draft if he decides to return to Maryland next season.

nasty daddy · Post #93 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:38 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• Barnes said, with or without James, the Longhorns will be a "really good" next season with Gary Johnson and Dexter Pittman up front, along with newcomer Shawn Williams. Barnes said Pittman has the potential to be a lottery pick. The perimeter would have a rotation of Justin Mason, Dogus Balbay and newcomers Avery Bradley and Florida transfer Jai Lucas, whom Barnes said is "better than I thought." Lucas will be eligible in mid-December.

nasty daddy · Post #94 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:39 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... =katz_andy

• McKillop said he wants to play a few marquee games, but isn't having any luck. You would think high-profile teams would want to play Davidson now that Curry is gone, but the Wildcats are having issues getting big-time gigs.

nasty daddy · Post #95 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:41 am

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... cruit-war/

Taggart is unlikely to be drafted, according to numerous NBA sources, but it's no sure thing that he'll return for his senior season -- especially since he has already earned his undergraduate degree. The Memphis staff is not expecting a decision from Taggart until close to the June 15 deadline.

nasty daddy · Post #96 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:43 am

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Pos ... ions-3220/

#2- Memphis Grizzlies
Will Consider: Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet, James Harden, Jordan Hill
Making the biggest jump in the lottery, from 6th to second probably helps alleviate some (but certainly not all) of the frustrations caused by previous lottery disappointments. Although they may not be able to address their biggest need—an athletic power forward/center who can run and play next to Marc Gasol, this certainly gives them a lot more options to work with. They can trade the pick, take Hasheem Thabeet and try to form a 90’s style twin-towers tandem, or opt for the biggest overall talent in Ricky Rubio. Sources say that the Grizzlies are very high on Thabeet, to the point that they would have considered taking him with a top-5 pick already last year. But would they really pass on a talent like Rubio? Each option brings its own share of issues. Is there a team out there that likes Rubio or Thabeet enough to make a serious trade offer? If Thabeet is the choice, can Marc Gasol defend the power forward spot in today’s NBA, especially on the pick and roll? If it’s Rubio, are the Grizzlies ready to admit their mistake and give up on the #4 overall pick in 2007, Mike Conley, by drafting his replacement? Is Ricky Rubio even a good fit next to O.J. Mayo, who Memphis is said to consider to be their point guard of the future? These are just some of the many questions we’ll be asking over the next seven weeks.

nasty daddy · Post #97 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 1:54 am

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/ar ... tml?&wired

Nash not in hurry to extend deal
The Suns' upcoming personnel decisions don't just affect the franchise's future. They will affect Steve Nash's future with the franchise.

Nash, 35, and his agent, Bill Duffy, have let the Suns know that they will wait to see how the Suns roster is altered before getting serious about negotiating a two-year contract extension. If and when that time comes, Duffy said Nash would ask for a raise from the current deal, which is slated to expire after paying him $13.125 million for the 2009-10 season. "This is kind of a perplexing time because he (Nash) absolutely wants to win and he loves the (Phoenix) market but all the pieces have to line up properly," Duffy said. "We just want to wait and see what their game plan is so we can sign off on it. We respect their willingness to extend his contract but we also are very cognizant of the team dynamic to make sure it will work in terms of Steve's goals, which are to win a championship."

Suns General Manager Steve Kerr first approached Nash about a desire to have off-season extension talks during the season and affirmed his stance after the Suns finished 46-36 but out of the playoff picture. At the time, Nash said that being a championship contender was not a must for him to extend his contract.

nasty daddy · Post #98 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 2:08 am

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4349

Clippers likely to draft Blake Griffin no.1
The Los Angeles Times (Lisa Dillman) reports: Danny Manning, Michael Olowokandi . . . and now Blake Griffin. The Clippers have twice had the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, and will get it again for a third time, having won the league’s draft lottery Tuesday night at Secaucus, N.J. “Clearly, we’re taking Blake Griffin,” Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy said in a telephone interview from Barcelona, Spain. “This guy is the No. 1 pick. We’re extremely excited. He’s the guy.” There wasn’t much of a question the Clippers would do anything other than take the dynamic, explosive forward from Oklahoma. Dunleavy, though, wasn’t about to be coy in the wee morning hours in Spain and erased any shred of doubt about the team’s intention in the draft June 25 in New York.

nasty daddy · Post #99 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 2:12 am

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12704

Cage Match! You have to hand it to World Wrestling Entertainment top man Vince McMahon – he knows how to get headlines. In case you haven't heard, there is an issue surrounding Monday's home game for the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center because the date had been promised to the WWE. And McMahon is not happy about the fact the Nuggets have first dibs on the date. "Quite frankly, it's my view that (Nuggets owner) Stan Kroenke should be arrested, should be arrested for impersonating a good businessman, because he's not a good businessman," McMahon said on ESPN.

Of course, that's a little ridiculous. The WWE has also threatened to hold their event in the parking lot. I suppose that might be fine, but the parking lot will likely be full of the cars of Nuggets fans.

To date the NBA has stayed out of the disagreement, waiting for the Nuggets, the Pepsi Center, and the WWE to work this out on their own. The WWE knew when they signed their contract with the Pepsi Center back in August 2008 this could happen, but the venue is kind of stuck in the middle because the dates of the games are dictated by the NBA schedule. Stay tuned – five days to go and nothing has been finalized.

nasty daddy · Post #100 » by **nasty daddy** » Thu May 21, 2009 2:14 am

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12704

Nash Says No Extension: Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash, whom the team has tried to open contract extension talks with, says not yet according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The Suns have reportedly been thinking about a two-year extension added to the end of this current contract, which expires after the 2009-10 season.

Nash would prefer to wait until after the Suns make any roster moves, and can you really blame him? With all the rumors surrounding the Suns about how they supposedly trying to cut salary to save money, how they might trade Shaquille O'Neal, how they would really like to keep Amar'e Stoudemire but only if the price is right, etc, it's no wonder Nash doesn't want to commit until he knows who else will be on the court with him.

For Nash there is no hurry – chances are he could get a very similar two-year deal next summer if the doesn't like what he sees from the Suns this spring and early summer.