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

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4200269

Jordan tipped as possible buyer
After losing tens of millions of dollars, the first black majority owner of a major professional sports team is exploring selling the Charlotte Bobcats. Bob Johnson's decision could pave the way for minority investor Michael Jordan to take control of the team -- if he's willing to meet Johnson's price.

The Charlotte Observer first reported Thursday that Johnson is using Galatioto Sports Partners to help with a potential sale. The firm, which Johnson used to assemble his initial group of minority investors, includes former NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik. "We are aware that Bob Johnson is looking for additional investors, and has retained Galatioto to assist that effort," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.

Johnson's ownership of the team has been rocky since he paid the NBA $300 million for the expansion franchise in 2003, just over a year after the Hornets left Charlotte for New Orleans.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... enanigans/

Chauncey on Kobe inbound shenanigans
The Nuggets pulled even at a game a piece in their series with the Lakers and Chauncey had this heads up play at the expense of Kobe Braynt.

Video in the link above^.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

Matt Watson of Detroit Bad Boys got a phone interview with Louisville’s Terrence Williams whom just finished up his work-out with the Pistons. Williams is an athletic wing that should be pretty high on the Pistons draft board when the 15th pick rolls around. If you’re looking for a little more on Terrance Williams check out A. Sherrod’s profile on him from a couple of weeks ago. You can also follow Williams from his Twitter account.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

Keith Langlois sees PG Ty Lawson as a safe pick for the Pistons. Lawson is a compact Will Bynum-type with a winning pedigree helping UNC win the National Title this past season as a junior. Drafting a point guard would do little to follow the Piston’s “point guard of the future” storyline they’ve laid out for Rodney Stuckey. SI mocks Lawson to go at #11 to the Nets and has the Pistons with Ohio State 7-footer B.J. Mullens. Drafting size might be the way to go for the Pistons with the Dice and Sheed situation. If Kwame is somehow able to get more than his $4.1 million option with the Pistons from another team we’d be left with no true center.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

There’s also a rumor out there that the Pistons may be looking to trade the #15 pick

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http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

mLive has a run down of the guys the Pistons worked out this week

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http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

Chris Ford, a member of the Pistons 50th Anniversary Team, interviewed for the 76ers head coaching position. He’d been serving as a scout for Philadelphia. Ford was drafted by the Pistons with the 14th overall pick in 1972 and spent his first 6 years here in Detroit.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

Former Piston (2003-04) Bobby Sura is suing General Motors. Sura, the co-owner of a Nashville Saturn dealership, says GM’s plans to cut the Saturn brand would make his dealership worthless.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

Rip Hamilton is slapping a $1 million lawsuit on his sleazeball former business manager for cheating the Ripster out of a ton of loot.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

Pistons assistant Dave Cowens was named to the coaching staff for the USA Basketball men’s national team program minicamp on July 22-25 in Las Vegas

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

Some of the inner-working the the blockbuster Billup/Iverson deal at Pistons Powered. The Pistons originally wanted ‘Melo but the Nuggets said nahhhh. In the same post over at Powered Dan Feldman looks at the possibility of a Manu Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto for Tayshaun Prince and Amir Johnson trade.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

Need4Sheed was tipped off by an Eli Seckbach tweet to a awesome vid at former Piston Alex Acker’s Cali home. It’s pretty interesting stuff, like how out-of-control the overseas hoops fans are. Ak also tells a funny story about the first time he met ‘Sheed during a pick-up game where Wallace was basically looking like a crazy bummy dressing left-handed jump shooting football helmet wearing nut job. Classic!

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

HoopsWorld spotlight 6 players they expect to have break out season in 09/10. Amongst the six is 3rd year Piston Rodney Stuckey. (via mLive)

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http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

Ben Gordon’s name has been thrown out their as a possible Piston target to help boost the offensive output. New Bulls GM, Gar Forman, says he wants to keep Gordon in the Windy City.

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2009/05/22 ... ppings-37/

OT: The WWE is making the Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke their new top heal over the scheduling conflict for their Monday Night Raw program. Wait, so Vince McMahon is carrying this thing on to promote his company? That’s not like him.

[nasty daddy]

http://sportsradiointerviews.com/2009/0 ... ng-summer/

Step 1: Accomplished. Ron Artest signed a one-year deal this past off-season, hoping to play well and then capitalize on a good 2008-2009 campaign by inking a multi-year contract this coming summer. People claim he was simply staying out of trouble and not getting in to those immature squabbles on the floor because he wanted to get paid, but watching him, it seems like he’s simply growing up. The way he didn’t react to physical confrontations this post-season, keeping his team focused - those things just showed he is a leader. Now, I can be influenced pretty easily, but I truly think teams looking at signing him are getting a bonafide, sure-handed, secure leader. Bank on it. I was quick to bank on Artest going the other way a couple years ago, certain he would explode at some point in the season, but people change, man. People change. Artest joined The Carmichael Dave Show on KHTK in Sacramento to discuss the injury that prevented him from playing well versus the Lakers, whether or not he was satisfied with the season, and where he wants to play next year.

Where are you going to play next season?
“I’m coming back as a Rocket. I don’t wanna go anywhere else. I wanna stay right in Houston. Right in Houston, I got a chance to win a championship, Yao Ming will stay healthy, he’s not playing no ball with the Chinese National Team. I believe this team can win. And, we’ll actually be better, and I believe we can get homecourt advantage throughout the entire playoffs and that’s gonna be important.”

[nasty daddy]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/w ... countdown/

Which teams will be looking to trade?
Lots of them. Among the possibilities:
• The Wizards will be offering to deal No. 5 in an attempt to acquire a veteran, as well as to trim payroll to avoid the luxury tax next season. The last time they held the No. 5 pick, in 2004, they dealt it to Dallas for Antawn Jamison (while the Mavs used it to draft Devin Harris).

• Minnesota could package No. 6 with its other two first-rounders (Nos. 18 and 28) to either move up or acquire a ready-made star.

• Oklahoma City (Nos. 3 and 25) will tirelessly explore all options in search of the best value, but then that's like predicting winter will follow autumn. Because there are no sure-thing All-Stars in this draft -- not even Blake Griffin is viewed across the board as a certainty to become a No. 1 or 2 star on a good club -- teams will develop idiosyncratic tastes for certain players. Some teams may love Jordan Hill, while others may view little future in him. I'm guessing the hot players who will be in demand by a number of teams will be skilled offensive stars such as Rubio and Curry.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/237/st ... ni_popular

Bob Johnson seeks buyer for Bobcats
Amid losses, Bob Johnson faces a challenge in finding a buyer in this economy. Charlotte Bobcats majority owner Bob Johnson has stepped up efforts to sell the team, recently hiring a sports investment banker to look for a buyer.

Johnson said last month that he owns about 70 percent of the team. The Observer reported in April that minority partners have been told to expect roughly $35 million in cash losses the next two seasons. Roughly a year ago, while addressing the Observer's editorial board, Johnson implored the Charlotte business community to provide more financial support for his team.

However, it's questionable whether a buyer would accept that valuation in the current economy. Forbes magazine, in its annual valuation of NBA teams, estimated in December that the Bobcats are worth $284 million, or 29th among 30 teams (topping only the Milwaukee Bucks).

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http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribu ... as-gm.html

Bulls introduce Gar Forman as GM and he likes Ben Gordon
Forman also addressed possibly the biggest story of the Bulls' offseason--the future of unrestricted free agent guard Ben Gordon. "We like Ben," Forman said. "He's our kind of guy. He's got great makeup and character, a great work ethic. Our goal is to re-sign Ben Gordon. In the conversations we've had, I think Ben wants to stay here in Chicago."

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http://www.floridatoday.com/article/200 ... 002/SPORTS

Magic GM rules out Jameer Nelson return in playoffs
Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson desperately wants to return to action and told NBA TV that it was a possibility, but general manager Otis Smith shot down that idea today.

Nelson had surgery on Feb. 19 to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder and has started working out in basketball drills again. Nelson said he can shoot without pain, but he’s yet to go through contact drills.

Not so, says Smith, who said he has Nelson’s future in mind when definitively ruling out his all-star point guard for the rest of the playoffs. He said Nelson won’t be fully released to go full speed until August. “He’s a long way away and he just started shooting last week,’’ Smith said. “He was done for the season in February and that hasn’t changed. Right now he’s having a hard enough time playing (pick-up) against (athletic trainer) Keon (Wise). It’s about his future. If it was up to him he’d play, but it’s not up to him. He’s moving good, feeling good and looking good, but that’s playing against air.’’