'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 54

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14101

Portland's 15th Spot: Jason Quick of the Oregonian said today on 95.5 The Game in Portland the Trail Blazers have chosen to waive veterans forward Ime Udoka and center Jarron Collins in favor of keeping injured rookie point guard Patrick Mills. Coach Nate McMillan is reportedly less than thrilled with the decision.

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What's Up Matt? It's becoming almost a certainty Utah Jazz forward Matt Harpring has played his last game in the NBA. A while ago the Jazz mentioned they would re-evaluate him in six weeks, but Harpring – who is suffering debilitating knee and ankle injuries – is still at his offseason home in Atlanta. According to Tim Buckley of the Deseret News, it's probably going to stay that way.

"Status quo," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said Tuesday. "Again, my assumption is just wait and see where he's at — and there comes a point in time when, probably, physically he will have to make a decision."

Once Harpring misses 41 games this season, insurance will pick up the rest of the $6.5 million on the final year of his contract.

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scott in sydney:
Can I assume the Ben Gordon/Rip Hamilton experiment will work out better than the Allen Iverson/Rip Hamilton experiment?

Mike Moreau:
I would share your assumption, Scott. It didn't have to be what it turned into last year. But, Iverson was never in the plans going forward. It's new coach, new team, new hope in Detroit. I hear the players like the vibe.

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Scott in Sydney:
Are the Pistons set up to make a run at a top free agent this offseason?

Mike Moreau:
Scott - this season hasn't even started! Please STOP talking about next year! Enjoy this season's journey first. And Steve Kyler is your guy for that question in about 6 months.

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Peter in Vancouver:
Do you think Chuck Hayes is the next Ben Wallace? He is strong and plays exceptional defense.

Steve Kyler:
Good comparison... he just keeps playing hard and tough... if he could develop some offensive game he'd be one of the more underrated players in the game I do like the Ben Wallace comparison, very similar approach... not quite as physical.

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scott in sydney:
Can I assume the Ben Gordon/Rip Hamilton experiment will work out better than the Allen Iverson/Rip Hamilton experiment?

Steve Kyler:
It is so far... I think the difference is Ben Gordon has spent his career coming of the bench and got paid handsomely for it... Ben is also not a ball nominator, he does not need the ball as much as Iverson did. Short term I think they will be fine... Long term you can't have that much cash tied up into the two guard spot.

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Scott in SydneY, Australia:
Are the Pistons set up to make a run at a top free agent this offseason?

Steve Kyler:
The Pistons won't have any cash... unless they use Rip Hamitlon or Tayshaun Prince as sign and trade chips, they won't be salary cap players, they spent their wad this summer.
Player 2009-10 2010-11
Rip Hamilton $11,625,000 $12,650,000
Tayshaun Prince $10,324,380 $11,147,760
Ben Gordon $10,000,000 $10,800,000
Charlie Villanueva $6,500,000 $7,020,000
Jason Maxiell $5,000,000 $5,000,000
Kwame Brown $4,000,000
Chris Wilcox $3,000,000 $3,000,000
Fabricio Oberto* $1,900,000
Rodney Stuckey $1,805,040 $2,767,126
Austin Daye $1,677,840 $1,803,720
Ben Wallace $1,306,455
Will Bynum $825,497
DaJuan Summers $457,588 $762,195
Jonas Jerebko $457,588 $762,195
DeRon Washington $457,588 $762,195
TOTAL $59,794,564 $56,475,191

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Eiji Kita jr. in philippines:
my friend want to get my Iverson he said i could choose any of his players which is as follows, Gay, Biendrins, Millsap, Randolph, Hilario, Horford, Duhon, Scola, Monta Ellis, C Villanueva. Who should I get. Thank you and God Bless

Steve Kyler:
I assume your talking Fantasy trades...
Biendrins has stats across a number of categories... that would be my first request... Horford would be second... Nene third... Monta fourth.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14096

We Have A Deal: The NBA and its locked Referees reached the framework of an agreement yesterday, which will likely be ratified by the Referees' union on Friday. The terms of the deal are not yet known, but it does seem the NBA backed off some of its tougher negotiating tactics, which centered around the league's desire to be able to phase out poorly performing Refs and has lessened the impact of some of the travel and pension cuts they were seeking.

Both NBA commissioner David Stern and lead Referee negotiator Lamell McMorris had taken themselves out of the labor talks which then came to a screeching halt. Apparently both parties started talking privately several weeks ago and reached an agreement yesterday in New York.The new deal is expected to be for two years, something both sides agreed was fair, given the reductions and pay freezes the NBA is asking for, which would allow the Refs to bargain to remove those provisions when economic conditions for the league improve.

Keep in mind this is the second time in these talks that the NBA believed it had a deal only to be voted down by the Union. If the Union ratifies the new agreement, the locked out veteran Referees would return to work for the regular season openers next week. The locked out Referees lost two paychecks in this dispute.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14100

Pistons Need Identity
For the better part of the last decade you've known who the Detroit Pistons are. Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace have struck fear in the hearts of opponents, daring them to try and score against one of the league's best defenses. Over the last year, however, two of the core pieces of that team have move on. Billups was traded to the Denver Nuggets for, essentially, cap space, and Rasheed is now a member of the Boston Celtics. Ben Wallace has returned, but the 2009-10 Detroit Pistons are still very much a team in flux, not sure who they are or where they're headed. "It's a learning experience," says Ben Gordon, one of the newcomers to the squad. "We've got a lot of talented players, but right now we're in the process of trying to get things to gel. We're trying to get that cohesiveness with the team so we can reach our potential. ... Right now the most important thing is we don't really have an identity. We're trying to figure out what our identity is and build some chemistry. I think once that happens it will be easy for everyone." Gordon, of course, is expected to be a big part of the Pistons' new identity.

He's one of those rare players who is more than capable of starting but is also happy to come off the bench, making him a lethal weapon in the Pistons' second unit. He also finds that he feels more like a veteran leader in Detroit than he did with the Chicago Bulls. "I've been in the league a little longer than most of our guys, so whatever I know, I have to kind of pass along that knowledge and that wisdom. Our guys are very talented, but there's certain situations they haven't been in and experiences they just haven't had because they haven't been in the league as long as I have. I think we have to work together and try to make each other better, because I can still learn, too. I am a veteran, a young veteran, but I still have a lot to teach and can help these guys get better, too." Tayshaun Prince couldn't agree more, and feels the addition of Gordon will be key to the success of the team this season. "Ben's going to be huge for us. He'll definitely be huge for us, and obviously you see what Will Bynum has done for us, too. They're going to bring a great deal of energy off our bench. Ben is one of those guys who can spread the defense, make shots in bunches, but can also put it on the floor and create. The guard rotation we have gives us the ability to penetrate and do some things that we haven't done well the last few years. They can penetrate, get the ball in the paint and make plays for themselves, or create for other people on the team. Those are things Ben can bring to us whether he's starting or not."

Of course, part of joining a new team is learning a new system. Gordon isn't alone in that respect, as the the Pistons hired a new head coach over the summer. Prince, Hamilton and Wallace are all familiar with John Kuester, who was an assistant under Larry Brown when they won the championship in 2004, but everyone else is starting from scratch. Fortunately, Kuester has already earned the trust and respect of his new team. "He really knows the game," says Gordon, smiling. "He wants us to be an offensively aggressive team, and that's just the make-up of the team we have. But right now he's really patient. He knows that he's working with and I think he's done a good job of really helping guys build confidence. He's letting us know it's a work in progress and that it's not going to happen overnight. We have to continue to chip away at it every day and every game." Fortunately, in the Eastern Conference you can afford to chip away early, as long as you get it going before January. Even with a new coach and a bunch of new faces, the Pistons believe they have the right pieces in place to make their tenth-straight postseason appearance come April. Ben Gordon will certainly play a significant role in making that happen.

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Jamison Improving; Lifting Weights
In addition to improving to 4-3 in the preseason, the Wizards had to be encouraged with the progress of Antawn Jamison, who started lifting weights for the first time before the game. Jamison suffered a shoulder subluxation last Wednesday in Cleveland and said he is slowly recovering the range of motion in his shoulder.

"Yeah, I've got my range of motion and can lift and things of that nature. Basketball-wise, the [medical and training staff] won't let me do any of that. But strength is up, and they're impressed as far as how fast I've been able to heal and how strong the shoulder is. Right now, it's me being patient as far as going along with the plan."

I asked if he's been able to shoot and Jamsion said, "They wont let me shoot at all. You know I want to. They said wait."

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Jefferson's Achilles Not a Big Concern?
Al Jefferson isn’t at Pepsi Center for tonight’s game against the Nuggets, but Kurt Rambis said his absence is because Jefferson isn’t feeling well — cold/flu-like symptoms — rather than that Achilles tendon issue.

Rambis said Jefferson’s sore Achilles wouldn’t have prevented him from playing tonight if it were an “important” ballgame, which, of course, everyone knows it isn’t. He said he isn’t concerned the Achilles will keep Jefferson out of the season opener just eight days away.

“But I don’t know how sick he is or how sick he will become,” Rambis said

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Jazz Still Awaiting Harpring's Decision
The Jazz still have received no indication whatsoever that veteran forward Matt Harpring plans to play again.

Harpring, due to make $6.5 million this season, remains at home in Atlanta with chronic knee and ankle injuries that likely have prematurely ended his NBA career. "Status quo," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said Tuesday. "Again, my assumption is just wait and see where he's at — and there comes a point in time when, probably, physically he will have to make a decision."

The decision to be made, specifically, is whether or not he'll attempt a comeback — and at this time it's not expected he will.

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Scalabrine Sprains Ankle; X-Rays Today
Brian Scalabrine sprained his right ankle in the last minute of tonight’s 108-103 preseason loss to the Knicks and will head back to Boston while the Celtics move on to Columbus.

Scalabrine stepped on a cameraman after going for a rebound. He was upset, believing he was beyond the established line for camera positions.

He will get X-rays on the ankle today.

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Dumars Praises Passion of Kuester
Joe Dumars, president of basketball operations, has the best seat in the building when it comes to watching the Pistons practice.

While certain newcomers like rookie Jonas Jerebko have caught his eye, he has been doubly impressed with the passion new coach John Kuester has brought to training camp. "I love his enthusiasm for the job," Dumars said Tuesday. "I think every player would tell you that's kind of defining who he is as a coach right now. "His enjoyment of being the head coach is really refreshing to see. Someone embracing being the head coach the way he is ... it's been refreshing to see him walk out here and watch him work every day."

Dumars said at Kuester's introductory news conference that the Pistons are in rebuilding mode, and he hasn't changed that assessment one week before the opener at Memphis. But Kuester has earned Dumars' confidence that the team will get better as the season progresses.

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Source: Refs to Return for Season Openers
An agreement in principle was reached in New York on Tuesday between the league and its veteran referees on a new two-year contract that will end the lockout of the NBA's 57 regular officials and get them on the court in time for next week's regular season opener, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions.

The agreement came after the referee's union indicated to the league that if it would accept the officials' latest proposal, the union's five-member executive board would recommend to the rank and file to ratify the deal, and that the union could assure broad support among the membership, the source said. The NBA agreed. The executive board will recommend passage of the new contract on Friday in a meeting of the officials in New Jersey, with the expectation of approval that would lead to all referees reporting to a brief camp on Saturday before the start of games a week from today. "I think it's great," players' association director Billy Hunter said. "We'd welcome them back."

Tuesday's meeting included NBA Commissioner David Stern and the union's attorney, Lamell McMorris, who hadn't met face-to-face in more than a month, since acrimonious negotiations between the two led to each recusing himself from further negotiations between the sides.

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Nash Leaves Game With Ankle Injury
(Steve) Nash left in the second half with an injured right ankle.

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Nuggets Waive Draper, Looby
The Denver Nuggets have waived G Dontaye Draper and C Kurt Looby, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

Draper appeared in two of Denver's first six preseason games, averaging 1.0 ppg, 2.5 apg and 1.00 spg in 9.0 minutes per contest.

Looby saw action in one game for the Nuggets this preseason, tallying two points, two rebounds and a block in six minutes vs. Partizan Belgrade on 10/3.

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Jazz Waive Three
Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor announced today that the team has waived forwards Alexander Johnson, Spencer Nelson and Goran Suton. The Jazz roster now stands at 16.

Johnson (6-9, 230, Florida State) has played in 102 regular season NBA games with Memphis and Miami and spent last season playing for Brose Baskets Bamberg of the German League. He appeared in four preseason contests with the Jazz, averaging 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.8 minutes a game. Nelson (6-8, 225, Utah State) has yet to appear in a regular season NBA game since going undrafted in 2005. He spent the 2008-09 season playing in Greece for Aris Thessaloniki, averaging 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 32 games. In five preseason games with the Jazz, he averaged 3.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in nine minutes a game.

Suton (6-10, 245, Michigan State) was selected by the Jazz in the second round (50th overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft. He appeared in six preseason contests with the Jazz, averaging 1.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 8.3 minutes a game.

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Warriors Waive Pruitt
State Warriors have waived forward/center Shaun Pruitt, the team announced today. Pruitt appeared in five preseason games for the Warriors, averaging 1.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 9.4 minutes per contest. The team's roster now stands at 15 players.