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

Big Baby suffers injury in altercation
Celtics forward Glen Davis has suffered a right thumb injury and could be lost to the team for a significant period of time

Davis underwent X-rays today and will have to get further tests to determine the full extent of the damage. Surgery could be required

Obviously, the injury does not come at a good time for the Celtics [team stats], who open their 2009-10 NBA season tomorrow night in Cleveland. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said after today’s practice that he was unaware of the circumstances, but sources said the club has been fully apprised of the situation

nasty daddy · Post #728 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:30 am

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/2803

Also, the Bulls haven't officially picked up Joakim Noah's fourth-year option, but no doubt that will happen later this week.

nasty daddy · Post #729 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:33 am

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/

Suns get rights to Jarron Collins
The Phoenix Suns today announced that the club has been awarded the rights to center Jarron Collins. Collins, who spent the preseason with the Portland Trail Blazers, became available after being waived October 22, 2009.

The 6-11, 249-pound Collins is an eight-year NBA veteran who has spent every career regular season with the Utah Jazz. The 30-year-old owns career averages of 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 16.9 minutes in 480 games (206 starts). Collins, who has averaged 8.8 rebounds per 48 minutes over the course of his NBA career, is a durable post player who has appeared in 70 or more games in five of his eight NBA seasons. Collins was a four-year performer at Stanford where he helped lead the Cardinal to the 1998 Final Four. He is one of 10 players in Stanford history with 1,000 points and 700 rebounds.

Jarron is the younger twin brother of Hawks center Jason Collins. He joins teammates Robin Lopez (New Jersey’s Brook) and Taylor Griffin (L.A. Clippers’ Blake) as Suns players with brothers in the NBA. Phoenix now has a member of three of the NBA’s five active brother pairings.

nasty daddy · Post #730 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:34 am

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4929

Cavaliers exercise J.J. Hickson option
The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised the third-year contract option on forward J.J. Hickson, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.

Hickson’s extension keeps him under contract with the Cavaliers through the 2010-11 season. In 62 games played as a rookie during the 2008-09 season, he averaged 4.0 points on .515 shooting and 2.7 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per game. In six games (one start) during the 2009 preseason, Hickson posted averages of 9.8 points on .522 shooting and 3.5 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game. “J.J. is a young, talented player who continues to work hard and still has a great deal of upside,” Ferry said. “We are excited to keep him in our program and help him fulfill his potential.”

The 6-foot-9 forward was selected with the 19th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft by Cleveland. The 21-year old played one season at North Carolina State, earning ACC All-Freshmen Team honors after averaging 14.8 points on a conference-best .591 shooting and 8.5 rebounds in 28.7 minutes per game in 31 games.

nasty daddy · Post #731 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:35 am

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4928

Hornets exercise Julian Wright option
The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have picked up the option for the 2010-11 season for forward Julian Wright.

Wright (6-8, 225) is in his third season with the Hornets after being drafted in the first round (13th overall pick) of the 2007 NBA Draft. The University of Kansas product averaged 4.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.3 minutes last season in 58 games (19 starts). Wright started all seven preseason games this season and averaged 7.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 24.9 minutes.

nasty daddy · Post #732 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:37 am

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4927

Nicolas Batum to have right shoulder surgery
Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum will undergo surgery on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.

The surgery will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Friday in Los Angeles at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. A timeline for Batum’s return will be determined following surgery.As a rookie last season, Batum appeared in 79 games (76 starts), averaging 5.4 points (44.6% FT), 2.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 18.4 minutes

Batum ranked eighth in 3-point shooting (36.9%) and 10th in blocked shots (0.51) among rookie leaders a season ago. He scored in double figures on 13 occasions. A leader on the French National Team that finished fifth in the 2009 European Championships, Batum ranked second on the team with 9.6 points and 4.9 rebounds to go with 1.8 assists, 1.00 block and 28.6 minutes in nine games.

nasty daddy · Post #733 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:38 am

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4925

Bulls exercise options on Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah
The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has picked up the options for the 2010-11 season for guard Derrick Rose and forward/center Joakim Noah. By exercising the respective player options, both players will be under contract with the Bulls for the 2010-11 season.

Rose, appeared in 81 games (80 starts) last year en route to being selected the 2008-09 T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Year. On the season, he averaged 16.8 ppg, a team-high 6.3 apg and 3.9 rpg in 37.0 mpg. The Chicago native shot .475 from the field and .788 from the free throw line. He finished the 2008-09 campaign in the top three in several categories all-time among Bulls rookies, including total points (third with 1,361), scoring average (third) and assists (third with 512). Rose was the first selection in NBA Draft 2008.

In two seasons with Chicago, Noah (6-11, 232) has appeared in 154 games (86 starts) and averaged 6.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.2 apg and 1.13 bpg in 22.5 mpg; he has shot .520 from the field and .684 from the line. The Bulls selected Noah in the first round (ninth overall) in NBA Draft 2007.

nasty daddy · Post #734 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:40 am

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=4923

Kings exercise options on Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson and Donte Greene
The Sacramento Kings today exercised the fourth-year option on center Spencer Hawes and third–year options on forwards Jason Thompson and Donté Greene, it was announced by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

Hawes, currently in his third NBA season, was selected by Sacramento in the first round (10th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft as an undergraduate out of Washington. He has averaged 8.2 points (.464 FGs, .324 3FGs, .660 FTs), 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.90 blocks per game in 148 games over his first two seasons. Thompson was selected by the Kings as a senior out of Rider (12th overall) in the 2008 NBA Draft. He averaged 11.1 points (.497 FGs, .692 FTs), 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game in 82 games in 2008-09, becoming just the second rookie in the Sacramento-era to play in all 82 contests.

Originally selected by Memphis in the first round (28th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft as an undergraduate out of Syracuse, Greene joined the Kings after being acquired in a trade with Houston last summer. He averaged 3.8 points (.326 FGs, .260 3FGs, .853 FTs) and 1.6 rebounds per game as a rookie in 2008-09.

nasty daddy · Post #735 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:45 am

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14146

Josh Howard Still Hurting: Dallas Mavericks swingman Josh Howard missed the entire preseason while recovering from surgery on his left ankle and left wrist last May. He wasn't even cleared for court play until October 14th. And now, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas, Howard could be out even longer still. "It could be a while," Coach Rick Carlisle said. "It could be weeks. I don't know. I don't know. We'll find a way without him, but we know we're better with him. When he comes back, we'll have to be ready to integrate him very quickly."

Howard missed 30 games for the Mavericks last season, but finished third on the team in scoring at 18.0 points a game. He also grabbed 5.1 rebounds and 1.06 steals while shooting 45% from the field. Even besides the injuries, his numbers were lower across the board – points, rebounds, assists, field-goal shooting, free throw shooting – than each of the two previous seasons.

This season Howard will earn $10.9 million. The team holds an $11.8 million option for the 2010-11 season.

nasty daddy · Post #736 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:48 am

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14146

Big Baby in a Fight? Boston Celtics power forward Glen Davis is likely out of the season opener in Cleveland tomorrow with a hand injury. According to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Globe Davis suffered the injury defending himself when he got into an altercation with a friend.

"I am not making a public statement until we have all of the facts relative to the injury," Celtics President Danny Ainge told the Globe's Frank Dell'Apa. "We sent him for a scan and further tests. It looks like he's going to be out for a while."

That's not good news for the Celtics at all, and means they will have to rely more heavily on the production of Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett from day one than they had hoped.

nasty daddy · Post #737 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:55 am

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14146

Options Update: The Chicago Bulls today picked up the 2010-11 rookie scale contract team options on Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose, a move that shouldn't surprise anyone. Yesterday the Sacramento Kings did the same for Spencer Hawes, Donte' Greene, and Jason Thompson.

Here is the list of outstanding 2010-11 rookie scale team options that must be exercised by October 31st. Any player whose option is not picked up will be an unrestricted free agent following the 2009-10 season.
Boston – J.R. Giddens
Charlotte – Alexis Ajinca
Cleveland – J.J. Hickson
Denver – Arron Afflalo
Detroit – Rodney Stuckey
Golden State – Acie Law
Indiana – Brandon Rush, Roy Hibbert
Memphis – O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley, Darrell Arthur
Milwaukee – Joe Alexander
Minnesota – Kevin Love, Corey Brewer, Oleksiy Pecherov
New Jersey – Yi Jianlian, Brook Lopez, Courtney Lee, Sean Williams
New Orleans – Julian Wright
Orlando – Ryan Anderson
Phoenix – Robin Lopez, Jared Dudley, Alando Tucker
San Antonio – George Hill, Ian Mahinmi
Toronto – Marco Belinelli
Utah – Kosta Koufos
Washington – Nick Young, JaVale McGee, Javaris Crittenton

Most of these will be picked up by the end of the week – it's just a matter of time. The ones most likely to NOT get picked up? Ajinca in Charlotte, Tucker in Phoenix, and Law in Golden State. There seems to be a lot of back and forth over players like Koufos in Utah, Mahinmi in San Antonio, and Pecherov in Minnesota. Outside of that, I'd be surprised if all the others weren't picked up.

nasty daddy · Post #738 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:57 am

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14143

Griffin Already Out?
Did you hear the collective groan go out across the continent yesterday? No, it wasn't thunder or a low-flying plane, it was the sound of Los Angeles Clippers fans bemoaning the seemingly inevitable news that rookie Blake Griffin will likely miss at least the first game of the 2009-10 NBA season due to a knee injury. Lisa Dillman of the L.A. Times has the story:

Optimism around the team's Playa Vista headquarters took a bit of a hit on Sunday, the air rushing out of a promising 6-2 preseason when Griffin didn't practice and had treatment afterward. He and his aching left knee are considered iffy for the season opener against the Lakers on Tuesday. Best-case scenario: The swelling that Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy described goes down, and the team doctor examines the knee Monday, clearing Griffin to play Tuesday. And all promptly get to work at erasing the strong memory of a 19-win season. Worst-case scenario: Curse 1, Griffin 0. Meaning he's out for an extended period. Whether this is Griffin's third injury or his second since being drafted by the Clippers in late June is debatable. This could easily be considered an extension of the second one because he aggravated the knee Friday when he came down after an explosive dunk late in the third quarter against New Orleans in the exhibition finale. Griffin winced after the play -- a bookend to a stellar block at the other end of the court seconds earlier -- but he continued to play and did not receive treatment on the bench or leave to get any treatment in the locker room.

It's not clear yet whether or not Griffin will be able to play on Tuesday night, when the Clippers kick off the new NBA season against the cross-building rival Los Angeles Lakers, and it's even possible that he could be out for an extended period of time. This is certainly a blow for the Clippers, who were hoping to cast off the injury curse and resume their quest for the playoffs with Griffin leading the way. But we were all expecting this news, right?

nasty daddy · Post #739 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 1:59 am

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14143

Jefferson Still Hurting
Unfortunately, this is the time of year when injuries can put a real dampener on the excitement of a new season start. As in L.A., fans in Minnesota have taken some hits over the last week. After watching their team play quite well in early preseason play, the Timberwolves' faithful learned that second-year forward Kevin Love would be out for six weeks with a broken finger. Shortly thereafter, it was Al Jefferson who took a knee, with both the flu and an Achilles' tendon injury. "I have no idea," Timberwolves head coach Kurt Rambis told Jerry Zgoda of The Star-Tribune. "His illness is a non issue. His Achilles is what we're addressing now and we're helping him work through that. We'll see how he is tomorrow. That's how we'll keep going. We'll keep evaluating him the following day, keep increasing his activity and see how he handles it."

Meanwhile, Love has had his surgery and is now beginning the process of rehabilitation. "Originally, they were saying six to eight weeks, but hopefully I can get back sooner than that," Love said. "They didn't make any promises."

Looks like Clippers fans and Timberwolves fans have something in common today.

nasty daddy · Post #740 » by **nasty daddy** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 2:00 am

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14143

Raja Bell Mulling Options
Whether or not you buy into the trade rumors that surrounded Charlotte Bobcats shooting guard Raja Bell a week or so ago, Bell is the focal point of an issue that could very well determine whether or not the Bobcats have a fighting chance of making the playoffs this season. Head coach Larry Brown has been more than clear about his displeasure with the team's lack of offseason improvements (they may have even taken a step back with the oft-injured Tyson Chandler), but now the team's shortcomings could quickly move to the backcourt if Bell's wrist injury requires surgery."There is an obligation," Bell told Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. "But there are two obligations: one to my family and myself and my career and (another) obligation to the team that I'm a part of. Being a competitor and a businessman, I'm kind of split down the middle. ... Hopefully this (specialist) comes back, tells me I'm fine to play, and then I don't have to make a decision.''

Bell, of course, was a big part of Brown's reinvention of the Bobcats last season, adding a defensive presence in the back court and a veteran voice in the locker room. He also averaged 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 40% from three as a Bobcat last season. He was also their only true shooting guard. Now, with Flip Murray also on the shelf, the only options open to Larry Brown are to run two points guards together in Raymond Felton and DJ Augustin, or to start rookie Gerald Henderson. . .and we all know how Brown feels about rookies.

There is plenty hanging in the balance as Bell prepares to make the most difficult decision of his career. If the wrist requires surgery it puts him on the shelf for up to four months, and probably ends Charlotte's playoff hopes.