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

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

• Whichever team drafts Pitt senior Sam Young is going to get one of the toughest -- and most improved over the past four seasons -- players in the draft.Young participated in Friday's skill work for the first time without a wrap on his left biceps. He was involved in one of the most bizarre incidents ever in predraft workouts. A week ago in Toronto, Young was impaled by a metal piece off a vertical testing pole. "It was one millimeter away from hitting my nerve; three millimeters away from a blood vessel," Young said.

He described the incident as follows, and the account was corroborated by at least one Raptors official: Young jumped up to slap the pole, turned in the air and the piece of metal popped into his skin. But the piece had two sides, and it went in two different directions, making it impossible for him to just pull it out. Young was suspended in the air on the pole before Raptors personnel gently took him down with the pole still attached to him. "It didn't break off, so I hung on it," Young said. "They turned the vertical pole sideways. But I couldn't take the whole thing with me. So the guys in the gym weren't sure what to do. I waited 15 minutes for paramedics. They came, put a towel over my face and with a chain saw separated me from it. There were sparks flying everywhere."

The worst part was when Young was in the ambulance. "I'm holding part of the pole that's still in me, and the ambulance had to go over speed bumps to get out of the arena," Young said. "I'm trying to keep it steady, but it's pulling on my skin. It was crazy. I wanted to yank the whole thing out, but I wasn't sure about the effect. I finally got to the hospital, they drugged me up, they fiddled with it and yanked it out. I would have been in trouble had I pulled it out. It was the craziest hour of my life."There were no stitches and almost no blood from the puncture wound. Young said he was told not to do the weightlifting portion of the testing in Chicago, and he isn't supposed to do any lifting for two weeks as a precaution. He said doctors told him to rest for a few weeks, but that wasn't going to happen. Young went and worked out for Chicago and Indiana after the incident. He's heading to Golden State for a group workout next week. "I was determined to not let it affect me," Young said.

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

• Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge was not a fan of the new format for the combine (drills and agility testing with no games being played). But a number of other executives, including Denver's Mark Warkentin, liked the interview portion of the week.

Teams such as Denver and Detroit were able to interview lottery picks in Chicago, something that didn't happen in past years. Those players wouldn't go to their teams for individual workouts because they were picking too low.

Some agents who in the past might have been preventing players from going to teams with picks later in the first round or in the second don't realize that these teams can trade up to get players, and they now at least have interviewed them before they make the move.

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http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_12483206

Jackson will have chance to break Auerbach mark
Kobe Bryant has made this season his quest to prove he can win an NBA title without Shaquille O'Neal hogging the headlines, not to mention the rap stage. However, Bryant's thirst may not be as severe as his coach's.

Phil Jackson has failed twice to win his 10th NBA championship ring. Losses to Detroit in 2004 and Boston last year kept him from breaking a tie with Red Auerbach. "As far as getting there, not winning, it's a very big disappointment," Jackson said after the Lakers' conference-clinching 119-92 win over the Nuggets on Friday night. "Huge. We feel like we failed our team as a coaching staff in both situations. You feel that way."

Their choice of opponent is tricky. The Lakers get home-court advantage if Orlando, ahead three games to two, closes out Cleveland at home tonight. But a Cavaliers comeback gives Cleveland the home-court advantage and forces L.A. to find a way to stop LeBron James.
However, the Lakers beat Cleveland twice this season, 105-88 at home and 101-91 on the road. They lost at Orlando, 106-103, and at home, 109-103.

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http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_12483206

Odom or Ariza?
Whether the Lakers win the NBA championship or not, their offseason decisions will be few. They have three free agents: starting forward Trevor Ariza, sixth man Lamar Odom and backup guard Shannon Brown.

With Odom on the books for $14.1 million next season and averaging 11.3 points as a part-time starter, he'll have to come back at a lower salary. It's expected the Lakers will keep either Odom or Ariza. The latter has been a force this postseason, as the Nuggets will attest, and he's making only $3.1 million.

Center Andrew Bynum, however, will receive a bump from $2.8 million to $12.5 million.

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http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_12481987

On Friday, Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony turned 25. ("I wanted Sonny Weems to sing to him," coach George Karl said. "Rookies are supposed to sing 'Happy Birthday,' but Sonny Weems got hurt today in shootaroundhow does that happen?")

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http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4382

Eddie Jordan to be new Philadelphia 76ers coach
Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that Eddie Jordan has agreed in principle to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The rumor is that it’s a three-year deal. More info later today. “I saw first-hand the immense impact Eddie Jordan had in helping the Nets reach two NBA Finals and as the head coach in Washington, he consistently put his teams in a position to win on a nightly basis,” Stefanski said. “He embodies all the qualities I was looking for in the next head coach of the Sixers and we are very excited to have him in Philadelphia.”

In June of 2003, Jordan was named the head coach of the Wizards. Under his leadership, Washington made the playoffs in four consecutive seasons from 2005 through 2008. During that four-year span, the Wizards posted a combined regular season winning percentage of .521. In 2005, Jordan guided Washington to a first-round upset of the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Jordan has been a head coach in the NBA for over 500 games across eight seasons with Washington and Sacramento. His first stint as a head coach came with the Kings at the tail end of the 1996-97 season. Following his time with Sacramento, Jordan served as the lead assistant coach for New Jersey, helping the Nets capture back-to-back Eastern Conference Championships in 2002 and 2003.

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http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4384

Nene has broken arm
The Denver Post reports: With a cast covering his left forearm, Nene had a hard time getting dressed after the game. The Nuggets center fractured his arm late in the fourth quarter and left the game with 6:13 to play. Afterward, the Brazilian would not talk to the media about the injury or how it happened.

InsideHoops.com editor says: It obviously must be awful to get eliminated while also getting injured. After Nene has a few days to relax and cool off, I hope he realizes how proud of himself he should be, coming back from illness, rising up to improve as a basketball player, and having a terrific season.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19156

Tracy McGrady Has Shoulder Surgery
Rockets guard Tracy McGrady had arthroscopic surgery on Friday to ease or end the discomfort he had in his left shoulder the past two seasons, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said.

The surgery was timed to allow McGrady to resume basketball-related work when his rehabilitation from microfracture knee surgery will allow.

“It is not an issue that would keep him longer than the other rehab,” Morey said.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19156

Knicks Offering Trades to Memphis?
With less than a month to go before the draft, the Grizzlies are in exploratory mode with the No. 2 overall pick -- from trading up in order to pry No. 1-in-waiting Blake Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers to moving down and acquiring an established NBA player. "We've had a good amount of activity, and it will increase the closer we get to draft night," said Wallace, the Grizzlies' general manager. "There's a different level of activity when you're at No. 2. You can say the draft starts when we pick."

The draft is June 25, and there will be enough rumors to match the amount of cell phone minutes Wallace logs by then. Wallace would not respond to or acknowledge potential deals the Grizzlies are weighing. The pre-draft rumor mill, though, has the Grizzlies spinning in a number of directions: The New York Knicks offered to buy the Grizzlies' 27th pick for $3million, according to a source. The Griz turned down that proposal.

The Knicks, according to speculation, also expressed interest in acquiring center Darko Milicic in a deal that could possibly include Quentin Richardson, whose $9.3 million contract expires after the 2009-10 season. Milicic will earn $7.5 million this upcoming season -- the last of a three-year, $21 million deal. Oklahoma City and Sacramento are said to be interested in moving up from the third and fourth slots, respectively. Those teams have interest in Griffin and Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio. Would the Kings be willing to part with power forward Jason Thompson (a 2008 lottery pick) and the No. 4 selection for the chance to take Rubio?

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19156

Odom Hoping Long Break Will Cure Ails
On a weary-legged Lakers team that has played 13 physical playoff games in 26 grueling days, (Lamar) Odom is the player who will benefit most from extended time off before the Lakers open the Finals on Thursday. In addition to a lower back contusion still sore enough that he has to sleep on his stomach, he admits he’s fatigued, his body’s run down and he’s fighting a bad cold.

“Right now everyone has a little tickle in their throat,” Odom said. “Their nose is running. Their body’s tired. A day of going to the sauna, get a massage, let my body recover, eat, drink water all day would be perfect.”

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19156

Nene Fractures Arm in Denver Loss
With a cast covering his left forearm, Nene had a hard time getting dressed after the game.

The Nuggets center fractured his arm late in the fourth quarter and left the game with 6:13 to play. Afterward, the Brazilian would not talk to the media about the injury or how it happened.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19156

Stoudemire Serious About Knicks in 2010
(Asks Post) "How serious will you consider the New York Knicks in 2010"?

(Answers Amare Stoudemire) "I will be totally serious about that, I spent a lot of my childhood there, I have a connection with the state, and I also love the entire coaching staff"

"I think Coach D'Antoni's doing a phenomenal job with the Knicks, NY's a great city, I follow them closely."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_19156

Stoudemire: 'I'm Better Than Chris Bosh'
Back in New York, ESPN Radio's Brandon Tierney had Amare Stoudemire on this morning and reiterated remarks about his desire to play for Mike D'Antoni in 2010 while boasting about being better than Chris Bosh. Stoudemire told The Post similar stuff during All-Star Weekend.

When Tierney asked Stoudemire if he's better than Bosh, the Suns forward said, "Oooh man, are you kidding me? Ask Chris Bosh that question."

So that's a yes? "No doubt about it, I'm better than Chris Bosh".

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=18959

76ers, Jordan reach agreement for coaching job
The Philadelphia 76ers have found their next head coach, reaching an agreement in principle with Eddie Jordan to end a search that lasted nearly three weeks.

Jordan was offered the job on Friday and made the decision later that night to coach the Eastern Conference playoff team. He becomes the 22nd coach in franchise history and third since the start of last season.

Jordan, fired by the Washington Wizards in November, was one of two candidates that interviewed twice with Sixers president Ed Stefanski.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12808

Underclassmen Update
A couple of big name underclassmen have made their decision to stay in the NBA Draft final. Most noticeably is DeMar DeRozan, who has signed on with Aaron Goodwin. DeRozan originally wanted to return to USC for his sophomore season, but in light of everything that has happened with the university and his mother's health struggles DeRozan has decided to forego his college eligibility.DeRozan is currently refusing to workout for teams outside of the top five, leading to speculation that he could have received a promise. He's also not working out competitively at all. This is usually a recipe for disaster for most players, but because of the lack of star power in this draft and DeRozan's potential he shouldn't see much of a drop off in his stock.

There was about a week long period in which it appeared that there was a slim chance Tyreke Evans was going to head back to Memphis despite all the reports that he was in for good. Evans was very behind on hiring an agent, which has him with very few workouts currently scheduled. Evans has finally hired an agent though, joining up with Arn Tellem's talented group that also contains Gerald Henderson and Wayne Ellington.

And Xavier's Derrick Brown has also decided to keep his name in the draft, undoubtedly impacted by Sean Miller's decision to take the head coaching job at Arizona. Brown is currently slated to be a mid-2nd round pick, but he should rise as teams recognize his athletic ability and versatility. Click here to view HOOPSWORLD's tracking of the underclassmen who are in and out of this year's draft.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12808

Darko's Best Shot?
At this time of year it's easy to get consumed by all of the rumors, smoke, and mirrors out there. Every team is trying to position themselves to complete what they feel is the best move for their franchise. One of the more interesting rumors is the New York Knicks supposed interest in Darko Milicic.

According to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal the Knicks are intrigued by the prospect of attaining Milicic in exchange for Quentin Richardson. One of the Knicks' biggest problems last year was their lack of a true low post presence at the center position. While Darko has been the butt of many jokes over the past five years, Knicks Coach Mike D'Antoni's system is quite a good fit for him. In D'Antoni's offense Darko would not be regulated to solely playing inside the painted area. As we saw with Amar'e Stoudemire in Phoenix he's spend a lot of time in the 18-20 foot area where he'd be involved in a lot of pick-and-rolls. This would allow Darko to utilize his full skill set as he is an above average passer and a viable mid-range jump shooter

It's a low-risk, high-reward type move for the New York Knicks. They need a big man that can fit into D'Antoni's style of play and in theory Darko can do so. He's well on his way to being remembered solely as one of the biggest busts of all-time, but he's never really been able to find a team he's comfortable with. Everyone loves D'Antoni and his style of play that is so exciting to watch. Who knows, it may just be perfect for Darko and if it isn't his contract fits perfectly into their 2010 plans anyway.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12811

Jeff Adrien
Misconceptions about his game: "I think some guys don't realize how good of a shooter I can be and how good an inside scorer I can be, or how well I can handle the ball, really, if I'm given the chance to. All that stuff is going to get better with me working hard because of my work ethic."

On which team he fits best: "I really think I fit in with any team in the NBA. I feel like I'm the type of guy that goes in and brings toughness and brings hustle and that works hard. I think I fit any style in the NBA. I'm fit for the fast game, I'm fit for the slow game, and I think I fit any team in the NBA."

Which player his game most resembles: "I think there are a lot of guys at my position that have great success. I think Craig Smith, Paul Millsap, Jason Maxiell, Glen Davis, they all had great success and I think that I bring, if not the same thing to the table, then more."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12811

Jerel McNeal
Misconceptions about his game: "I think that the biggest knock that I get is that a lot of people categorize me as a two guard because of my size. They feel like in the league I won't be able to play the two or I am going to have to make the transition to the point guard in the NBA. I don't look at myself as a two guard or a point guard; I just look at myself as a guard. I'm somebody who can do a ton of different things on the basketball floor and help his team be successful. With the abilities that I have, I feel like the main thing I need to focus on is continuing to do the things that I do and do me and whatever team has use for that, I feel like things will work out for the best."

Which player his game most resembles: "Delonte West plays a lot of off guard but at the same time he can play the point guard as well. Guys that are somewhat combo guards like (Rodney) Stuckey in Detroit, he can play both guard spots. As far as my game, I really have a hard time comparing myself to anybody else just because I don't see anyone on that level that has a game that is really similar to mine. What I try to do is take bits and pieces of guys that I admire parts of their game and put it all together in my game.

On which team he fits best: The way I look at it, just because I'm a player and have a sense of confidence and pride in myself, I feel like any team can use me. At the same time I know there are a lot of teams that probably aren't interested and feel like they can't use me. But I feel like if I get on any team I feel like I can always make a spot regardless of what team because they don't have a guy exactly like me that can do all the things I can do in certain situations."

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Chat.asp?CHAT_TOPICS_ID=307

basketball fanatic in in front of my computer: mabuhay! =) will prince, rip and wallace have a change of scenery in the next season? which team will probably make a deal to take them?

Yannis Koutroupis: I'd only bank on Rasheed having a change of scenary, with the San Antonio Spurs being the frontrunners.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Chat.asp?CHAT_TOPICS_ID=307

colin in oregon: out of these FA vet PF's..who would be the best fit for the blazers? wilcox, mcdyess, gooden, joe smith, mikki moore, melvin ely, sean marks, or s swift?

Yannis Koutroupis: McDyess is the most talented and would be the most productive, but I think Joe Smith would be the best mentor. Either one of them would be great pickups for the Blazers.