Former Sonics owner drops lawsuit against new owner
Associated Press

Updated: August 29, 2008, 10:50 PM ET

SEATTLE -- Former Seattle SuperSonics owner Howard Schultz is dropping his lawsuit against new team owner Clay Bennett, ending an attempt to return the team from its new home in Oklahoma City.

After two recent rulings in Schultz's lawsuit went in favor of Bennett, the Starbucks Corp. CEO filed a motion for dismissal Friday in federal court.

"As a result of these developments, our legal team and I no longer believe we can be successful with this litigation," Schultz wrote in a letter to former members of his ownership group, the Basketball Club of Seattle.

In a statement Friday from Oklahoma City, Bennett said, "We are pleased to now be able to move on. We look forward to an exciting future of NBA basketball in Oklahoma City."

Last week, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman ruled in Seattle that the NBA could intervene in the lawsuit. She also denied Schultz's motion to split the trial into two separate phases: a liability phase and, if needed, a remedy phase. The trial was scheduled for June 15.

Schultz also said the city of Seattle's settlement with Bennett, allowing the Sonics to move to Oklahoma City in time for the 2008-09 season, hampered his case. Schultz also feared that furthering the legal battle could anger the NBA and hamper efforts to get a new team in Seattle in the future.

"We have received feedback that a continuing adversarial relationship with the NBA was not politically useful to the city's ongoing efforts to secure a future franchise," Schultz wrote. "Thus, the prevailing wisdom of many in the Seattle community and the advice of key members of the BCOS is that Seattle's best chance for a professional basketball franchise is to end this litigation and allow the city, state Legislature and other parties to begin the necessary fence mending with the NBA."

Schultz sold the team to Bennett's ownership group in 2006 for $350 million.

Last April, Schultz sued to regain ownership, contending Bennett failed to carry through on a promise to negotiate in good faith for a new arena in Seattle for one full year. Schultz had hoped to undo the sale so he could initiate a transfer of the team to a buyer who would keep it in Seattle.

"It was very disappointing not being able to move forward with an effective strategy," said Schultz's attorney, Richard Yarmuth. "At some point in life you have to look and see if you can achieve your goals. ... It was not a good plan."

Bennett's lawyers argued that it was "too late to unscramble the eggs," noting that the NBA team is already "firmly embedded in Oklahoma City."

"We are pleased Mr. Schultz sees that it is neither in his nor Seattle's best interest to continue this litigation," Bennett's attorney, Brad Keller, said in a statement. "The team has left for its new home in Oklahoma City and it's time to move on."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

Donyell Marshall will chuck for Philly.

Lorenzen Wright to Cavaliers...like they need anymore bigs

The Thunder re-signed Bob Swift.

Pat Garrity retired (finally).

LOL @ saying "The Thunder."

what a hell of a player Swift turned out to be...just like Johan Petro & Saer Sene...

3 bigs, 3 first rd picks, and less than 7 ppg avg combined

Petro has some potential, if only because he hasn't managed to have a knee injury yet.

Arenas to miss first month of season (AP)
Gilbert Arenas had a third operation on his bothersome left knee Wednesday morning, once again throwing into doubt his status for an upcoming Washington Wizards season. Arenas had a "moderate amount of debris" removed from the knee after experiencing swelling and discomfort during his rehabilitation.

At least Gil "took less money" from the Wiz to compensate.

Wizards are a joke, I heard Chris Broussard on the Cleveland radio station last week, and he thinks the Wiz are going to be last year's Hornets because Etan Thomas is healthy...

Yeah...Etan Thomas...right...

Hasn't Etan Thomas had, like, one healthy season??

Hasn't Etan Thomas had, like, one healthy season??

No, he's been healthy his entire career. :)

Whoops.


Beasley fined $50,000 for involvement in Rookie Transition Program incident

Associated Press
Updated: September 18, 2008, 8:35 PM ET

NEW YORK -- Miami Heat rookie Michael Beasley was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Thursday after acknowledging that he was involved in an incident involving teammate Mario Chalmers and Memphis' Darrell Arthur at the Rookie Transition Program this month.

The NBA said Beasley, the No. 2 overall pick, originally failed to cooperate with the league investigation of the matter. The Heat said Beasley eventually chose to reveal that he was part of the incident.

Chalmers and Arthur, former Kansas teammates, were fined $20,000 apiece last week after being banished from the rookie symposium. They were found in a room at the resort where the event was taking place with two women -- which violated NBA policy for the event. Security at the resort said the scent of marijuana was detected, but no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found, and Chalmers and Arthur both insisted they were not using any illegal substances.

Beasley's involvement in the incident is not clear. He filed papers to dissolve the relationship with his agent, Joel Bell, last week, and was not available for comment Thursday.

"While we are disappointed with Michael's involvement, we are pleased that he chose to come forward and stand with his teammate and accept the consequences of his actions," Heat president Pat Riley said in a statement. "We are hopeful that both Michael and Mario have learned from this experience and we will have no further comment on the subject."

None of the three players will be suspended by the league. Chalmers and Arthur will have to repeat the symposium, which teaches incoming NBA players how to handle the on- and off-court rigors of life in the league, next summer.

Beasley's got "headache" written all over him.

I don't mean to pass judgement, but he's one of those players who will be declaring bankruptcy within 3 years after he retires.

The San Antonio DONES signed Salim Stoudemire.

Also, apparently Tony Delk retired:
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/hawks/entries/2008/09/22/tds_take_and_mo.html?cxntfid=blogs_hawks

:yingyang:

The Wizards are talking to Juan Dixon and the Cavs are inviting Ronald Dupree to camp.

Linton Johnson & DerMarr Johnson are going to camp with the Wizards...

the Cavs are inviting Ronald Dupree to camp.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
C'mon Dan Gilbert -- sign Superdupe!
You know you want to...

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
C'mon Dan Gilbert -- sign Superdupe!
You know you want to...

Isn't that almost a haiku thingamado?

Imitation is
the sincerest form of Dan's
wish to be the 'Stones

I don't get Haikus
but thats ok, cuz
I said so

At least Super Dupe will earn his paycheck, unlike most of that roster (Wally, Ben, Sasha, Boobie, Snow)

Shareef Abdur-Rahim retired. SAR was my favorite player in the NBA when I first started following the sport in grade school. I remember when he dropped 50 on the Pistons back in 2001 the day before Thanksgiving.

Washington Wizards Sign Juan Dixon
September 23, 2008

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Juan Dixon. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

“Juan is a proven NBA player and we like what he brings to our team,” said Grunfeld. “He is a tough, hard-nosed competitor who can score and his familiarity with our system is an added plus.”

Dixon (6-3, 165) was originally selected by Washington with the 17th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft out of the University of Maryland, where he led the Terrapins to the NCAA title and captured Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2002 Final Four. During his first tenure with the Wizards, the Baltimore native averaged 8.2 points and 1.6 assists in 176 games over three seasons (2002-03 through 2004-05).

“I’m excited to return to the area and to resume my career with the Wizards,” said Dixon. “I’m looking forward to the start of training camp and I’m ready to step in and contribute wherever Coach Jordan and the team sees fit.”

The six-year veteran has seen action with the Wizards, Trail Blazers, Raptors and Pistons and holds NBA career averages of 8.9 points and 1.7 assists per game. Last season, Dixon averaged 5.0 points and 1.8 assists in 53 games between Detroit and Toronto.

The Wizards’ training camp roster now stands at 18 players. The team will hold camp from September 27-October 3 at the Siegel Center on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

There's nothing good about mopeds...

Report: Ellis was injured in moped accident, not playing hoop
ESPN.com news services

Updated: September 25, 2008, 11:11 AM ET

Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis' ankle injury was the result of a moped accident and did not occur while he was playing pickup basketball, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, citing sources close to the team.

Ellis, 22, who signed a six-year, $66 million contract extension with the Warriors during the offseason, tore a ligament in his left ankle and sustained a high-ankle sprain in what one of the sources said was a "low-speed" moped accident, according to the report. He underwent surgery in late August and is expected to be sidelined for another two months.

The Warriors and Ellis' agent, Jeff Fried, declined to comment on the report, according to the newspaper.

Riding a moped is prohibited under the uniform player contract, which means the Warriors could tear up Ellis' contract. But according to sources, the team and Ellis are still working through the situation. A decision on discipline won't be made until next week, according to the report.

The circumstances surrounding Ellis' injury were not clear, even to team officials, in the days immediately following the incident. Ellis initially told team vice president Chris Mullin that he got hurt during a pickup basketball game in Jackson, Miss. But according to reports, team officials were skeptical about Ellis' explanation because of the severity of the injury.

Two years ago, Los Angeles Lakers forward Vladimir Radmanovic separated his shoulder in a snowboarding accident. Radmanovic, who at first said he had slipped and fell on a patch of ice, was fined $500,000 by the team.

Ellis averaged 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season, after winning NBA Most Improved Player honors after the 2006-07 season when he averaged 16.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

LOL

I understand why he lied now.

Owner: Speculation that LeBron will leave Cleveland 'insult to the city'

Associated Press
Updated: September 25, 2008, 4:04 PM ET

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert says the speculation that LeBron James will leave Cleveland in two years is out of line and "an insult to the city."

Gilbert says it's nothing more than conjecture from bored sports reporters.

He says James has given no indication that he plans to leave for New York after his contract expires in 2010.

Gilbert spoke to the media Thursday at the Cavaliers' practice facility. He says the Cavs can compete for a championship the next two seasons and that worrying about a contract extension for James is two summers away.

Poor Clevelanders. I'm sorry your city sucks and your superstar is an asshole. It must suck to live in Cleveland.

Alan Houston is going to get more money from the Knicks. Resigning for next year and wearing #14 to honor his dad.

I dont know how to do the fancy dancy link stuff but you can find more info at espn.com

Cleaves' signing with Nuggets imminent

By Chris Tomasson
Originally published 12:33 p.m., September 26, 2008
Updated 12:51 p.m., September 26, 2008

With Chucky Atkins injured, point guard Mateen Cleaves will get another chance to return to the NBA.
Danny Servick, the agent for Cleaves, confirmed Friday his client will sign with the Nuggets before training camp, which begins Tuesday. Cleaves, a six-year veteran, last played in the NBA in 2005-06.
Cleaves, scheduled to arrive in Denver on Friday afternoon, will sign a one-year nonguaranteed minimum contract. While Servick said Cleaves had been invited to Denver’s camp before it was known that Atkins would undergo right knee surgery Wednesday, his chances of at least starting the season with the Nuggets are now obviously better.
Atkins is expected to miss six weeks. That would keep the point guard out of all of training camp and the early part of the regular season, which begins Oct. 29.
“The Nuggets have always kept in touch with me regarding Cleaves,’’ said Servick, noting Cleaves worked out with them in April 2007, when the Nuggets chose to sign point guard Anthony Carter instead, and also in the summer of 2007.
Cleaves, 31, who won a national championship with Michigan State in 2000, has NBA averages of 3.6 points and 1.9 assists in 167 games. The 6-foot-2 Cleaves split 2006-07 with a team in Russia and the NBADL’s Bakersfield Jam and last season was with a team in Greece and the Jam.
“A lot of people have written off Mateen, thinking that he hasn’t continued to improve,’’ Servick said. “But his body is in the best shape I’ve ever seen him in.’’
Servick said Cleaves also has improved his shot, which had been a problem. He has an NBA career three-point percentage of 26.7 percent.
Also, forward Michael Ruffin,a 1995 Cherry Creek High School graduate, said Friday he will decide by this weekend whether he will attend camp with the Nuggets or Chicago.

© Rocky Mountain News

white chocolate retires

For all of you Petway fans.


Grizzlies sign free agent Brent Petway

Memphis, September 29, 2008 — The Memphis Grizzlies have added free agent forward Brent Petway to their roster, the club announced today. Per team policy, terms of the signing were not disclosed.

The 6-8, 205-pound Petway logged his first professional season last year with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Developmental League, averaging 7.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on 54.6 percent shooting in 45 games (27 starts).

Petway, who won the inaugural D-League Slam Dunk Contest during 2008 All-Star Weekend in New Orleans, was most recently a member of the Grizzlies’ 2008 Las Vegas Summer League squad, recording four points and three rebounds in two games (one start). A four-year performer for the University of Michigan (2003-07), the 23-year-old averaged 5.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 119 career games (37 starts) with the Wolverines.

Raptors signed Jamal Sampson

Has Mateen Cleaves played for every team in the NBA? Good to see him back in the league.

Has Mateen Cleaves played for every team in the NBA? Good to see him back in the league.


who?

who?
BANNED!