Lakers sign veteran swingman Barnes
July 22, 2010
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP)—Matt Barnes(notes) is going back to Los Angeles, this time tojoin the two-time defending NBA champion Lakers.
The Lakers announced Thursday they had signed the free-agent forward. Termswere not disclosed.
Barnes, a UCLA product who started 58 games last season for Orlando, saidearlier this week on his Twitter page that he was headed to Toronto. But thedeal fell through, and the Lakers moved in to grab the seven-year veteran.
The well-traveled swingman will be joining his eighth NBA team. He hasaveraged 7.3 points, with a career high of 10.2 for Phoenix during the 2008-09season.
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Spurs sign G Gary Neal
July 22, 2010
SAN ANTONIO (AP)—The San Antonio Spurs have signed guard Gary Neal to acontract.
A team statement issued Thursday says terms aren’t being disclosed.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Neal led the Spurs’ summer league team in scoringwith 16 points in 25.8 minutes per game in five games. He was 30 of 60 from thefield and 17 of 34 from beyond the 3-point line in Las Vegas.
He went undrafted in the 2007 NBA draft after playing college ball at LaSalle and Towson. Since then, he has played one season of pro basketball inSpain and two in Italy.
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Spurs ink Neal after solid summer league
July 22, 2010
SAN ANTONIO (AP)—The San Antonio Spurs have signed guard Gary Neal to acontract.
A team statement issued Thursday says terms aren’t being disclosed.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Neal led the Spurs’ summer league team in scoringwith 16 points in 25.8 minutes per game in five games. He was 30 of 60 from thefield and 17 of 34 from beyond the 3-point line in Las Vegas.
He went undrafted in the 2007 NBA draft after playing college ball at LaSalle and Towson. Since then, he has played one season of pro basketball inSpain and two in Italy.
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US players asked to fill multiple roles
July 22, 2010
LAS VEGAS (AP)—Andre Iguodala(notes) is the only player listed at two positions onthe USA Basketball men’s national team roster, though not the only one who willhave to fill multiple roles.
The team has lost big men Amare Stoudemire, David Lee(notes) and Robin Lopez(notes), andnow the 19 players being looked at during the first week of training camp haveto be able to fill in at those spots as well as their own.
“I played 1 through 4 this whole week,” Iguodala said Thursday. “I playedthe majority of time at the 3. I played the point a little bit, too. I just wantto be out there and contribute to the success of this team.
“I think I’m a (player) who can diversify and play anywhere. It reallyshows that you don’t have a big weakness. Coaches can move you anywhere and plugyou right in. They will always include you in (the roster) because you can playanywhere.
The Americans were already short-handed heading into the summer after themembers of the 2008 Olympic team declined to play—though Dwyane Wade(notes) and ChrisPaul(notes) attended the first half of practice Thursday and are expected to visitagain.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski believes the guys who are playing will have the U.S.team ready when the world championships start Aug. 28 in Turkey.
“Versatility is a good thing for us, and the defensive pressure,”Krzyzewski said. “We have to not just play hard, we have to play so we don’twaste that effort by fouling or gambling. The guys got to know what we want themto do and how it fits their skills. And I thought we had a great effort today.”
Iguodala, a guard/forward from the Philadelphia 76ers, is one of severalplayers who feels he can fit in at several positions.
“Rudy (Gay) can play 2, 3 or 4, (Kevin Durant(notes)) can play anywhere on thefloor, (Lamar Odom(notes)) is an older guy who can continue that trend like ScottiePippen,” Iguodala said. “I think he can play the 1, 3, 4 and 5. We have thatkind of versatility across the board.”
Krzyzewski said no lineups are set and all players have to be ready to mixinto any situation.
“It’s not so much lineups,” Krzyzewski said. “Our team, just like the(2008) Olympic team, even though it’s not the same personnel, has to be the sameas far as knowing how to play three or four minutes and somebody else is goingto come in. How do you adjust to that? And how do you adjust to only playing twominutes in a half?”
Odom is one player who is certain he can make any adjustment the coaches askof him. He frequently mentioned that he wants to “do as many things aspossible” and contribute “any way I can help the team.”
“(I can play) every position,” Odom said. “When it comes to basketball,I’m a basketball player. I don’t have a true position. Whatever you need me todo you need me to fill in?
“In baseball, they’d call me a utility guy. If you need me to pitch, I’llpitch or if you need me to pinch hit, I’ll pinch hit or play third base, secondbase, first base or center field. (With 10 guards on the team) you’ve got to letthem do their thing. I’m basically at the 4 or 5, but just kind of roaming; (Ican) get the ball off the glass and I can push it.”
Odom is listed as a forward, as is Iguodala, Gay, Danny Granger(notes), Jeff Green(notes),Kevin Love(notes) and Gerald Wallace(notes), while the centers at training camp are BrookLopez(notes) and Tyson Chandler(notes). But positions aren’t important in international play,where big men often play on the perimeter.
“So both (Green) and Kevin Love have to play both,” Krzyzewski said. “Youhave got to figure out how to have the best players with the best talent on yourteam and devise a system. Guard is a very talented position on this team.”
Sacramento’s Tyreke Evans(notes), last season’s Rookie of the Year, sat out as aprecaution because of a sore ankle. But the Americans are well stocked in thebackcourt.
“We’re guard oriented,” USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said.“We’re athletic, very much so. And we don’t have a lot of bigs.”
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US needs players to fill multiple roles
July 22, 2010
LAS VEGAS (AP)—Andre Iguodala(notes) is the only player listed at two positions onthe USA Basketball men’s national team roster, though not the only one who willhave to fill multiple roles.
The team has lost big men Amare Stoudemire, David Lee(notes) and Robin Lopez(notes), andnow the 19 players being looked at during the first week of training camp haveto be able to fill in at those spots as well as their own.
“I played 1 through 4 this whole week,” Iguodala said Thursday. “I playedthe majority of time at the 3. I played the point a little bit, too. I just wantto be out there and contribute to the success of this team.
“I think I’m a (player) who can diversify and play anywhere. It reallyshows that you don’t have a big weakness. Coaches can move you anywhere and plugyou right in. They will always include you in (the roster) because you can playanywhere.
The Americans were already short-handed heading into the summer after themembers of the 2008 Olympic team declined to play—though Dwyane Wade(notes) and ChrisPaul(notes) attended the first half of practice Thursday and are expected to visitagain.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski believes the guys who are playing will have the U.S.team ready when the world championships start Aug. 28 in Turkey.
“Versatility is a good thing for us, and the defensive pressure,”Krzyzewski said. “We have to not just play hard, we have to play so we don’twaste that effort by fouling or gambling. The guys got to know what we want themto do and how it fits their skills. And I thought we had a great effort today.”
Iguodala, a guard/forward from the Philadelphia 76ers, is one of severalplayers who feels he can fit in at several positions.
“Rudy (Gay) can play 2, 3 or 4, (Kevin Durant(notes)) can play anywhere on thefloor, (Lamar Odom(notes)) is an older guy who can continue that trend like ScottiePippen,” Iguodala said. “I think he can play the 1, 3, 4 and 5. We have thatkind of versatility across the board.”
Krzyzewski said no lineups are set and all players have to be ready to mixinto any situation.
“It’s not so much lineups,” Krzyzewski said. “Our team, just like the(2008) Olympic team, even though it’s not the same personnel, has to be the sameas far as knowing how to play three or four minutes and somebody else is goingto come in. How do you adjust to that? And how do you adjust to only playing twominutes in a half?”
Odom is one player who is certain he can make any adjustment the coaches askof him. He frequently mentioned that he wants to “do as many things aspossible” and contribute “any way I can help the team.”
“(I can play) every position,” Odom said. “When it comes to basketball,I’m a basketball player. I don’t have a true position. Whatever you need me todo you need me to fill in?
“In baseball, they’d call me a utility guy. If you need me to pitch, I’llpitch or if you need me to pinch hit, I’ll pinch hit or play third base, secondbase, first base or center field. (With 10 guards on the team) you’ve got to letthem do their thing. I’m basically at the 4 or 5, but just kind of roaming; (Ican) get the ball off the glass and I can push it.”
Odom is listed as a forward, as is Iguodala, Gay, Danny Granger(notes), Jeff Green(notes),Kevin Love(notes) and Gerald Wallace(notes), while the centers at training camp are BrookLopez(notes) and Tyson Chandler(notes). But positions aren’t important in international play,where big men often play on the perimeter.
“So both (Green) and Kevin Love have to play both,” Krzyzewski said. “Youhave got to figure out how to have the best players with the best talent on yourteam and devise a system. Guard is a very talented position on this team.”
Sacramento’s Tyreke Evans(notes), last season’s Rookie of the Year, sat out as aprecaution because of a sore ankle. But the Americans are well stocked in thebackcourt.
“We’re guard oriented,” USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said.“We’re athletic, very much so. And we don’t have a lot of bigs.”
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Lakers sign C Ratliff to 1-year contract
July 22, 2010
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Veteran center Theo Ratliff(notes) has agreed to a one-year dealwith the Los Angeles Lakers.
Ratliff said Thursday he’ll join the two-time defending NBA champions as abackup to 7-foot stars Pau Gasol(notes) and Andrew Bynum(notes).
The 15-year pro played 49 games last season with San Antonio and Charlotte,averaging 3.6 points and 3.2 rebounds. He revived his career while starting 26games with the Bobcats, averaging 5.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.54 blockedshots.
The Lakers will be the 37-year-old Ratliff’s ninth NBA team. The defensivespecialist had his most productive seasons with Philadelphia, averaging acareer-best 12.4 points in 2000-01.
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Hornets’ Paul requests to be traded
July 22, 2010
NEW ORLEANS (AP)—Chris Paul(notes) has requested to be traded and the New OrleansHornets have scheduled a meeting with the star guard on Monday, according to aperson familiar with the situation.
Paul will sit down with new head coach Monty Williams, new general managerDell Demps and team president Hugh Weber in New Orleans, the person told TheAssociated Press on Thursday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity becausethe team had not made plans to meet with Paul public, and because Paul has notpublicly demanded a trade.
The person also said that Paul, through his representatives, has told theHornets he would prefer to be dealt to one of only a handful of teams, includingthe New York Knicks and Orlando Magic.
Paul, 25, cannot opt out of his contract for two years. However, he said ata recent charity golf tournament that he will be unhappy playing for the Hornetsif they fail to demonstrate a commitment to winning immediately.
The only free-agency move the Hornets have made this offseason so far isresigning reserve center Aaron Gray(notes).
The Hornets also have made it clear they have no intention of trading Paul.
Weber said earlier this month, while attending a community service eventwith Paul, that there was “no question” Paul would be in a Hornets uniformwhen next season opened. As recently as Tuesday, Weber also said that anexchange of text messages gave him the impression that Paul approved of therecent hirings of Williams and Demps.
After the Hornets came within one game of advancing to the 2008 WesternConference finals, Paul agreed to a four-year, $68 million extension that wentinto effect last season includes a player’s option for the fourth year.
Since then, however, the Hornets have traded center Tyson Chandler(notes) and firedcoach Byron Scott, who both were close with Paul, all while the club’sperformance went into steady decline.
The Hornets were bounced from the first round of the 2008-09 playoffs, thenmissed the playoffs entirely last season, during which Paul missed 37 games withthree separate injuries.
Earlier this month, Paul cut ties with his basketball and marketing agentsat Octagon and joined LRMR Marketing, an agency founded by his close friend andNBA superstar LeBron James(notes).
Meanwhile, the Hornets have made several key changes since June, startingwith the hiring of Williams, a former NBA player and first-time head coach.Williams has said Paul’s presence on the Hornets’ roster was one of the mainreasons he wanted to start his head coaching career in New Orleans.
On Wednesday, New Orleans hired Demps, a first-time general manager who wasa front-office executive for the past five years at San Antonio. Demps replacedJeff Bower, who served as both coach and general manager last season after Scottwas fired.
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Bulls acquire G Watson in sign-and-trade
July 22, 2010
CHICAGO (AP)—The Chicago Bulls have finalized a sign-and-trade deal with theGolden State Warriors for backup guard C.J. Watson(notes).
The Warriors will get a 2011 second-round pick in the deal, which was agreedto earlier this week.
Watson can play both guard spots, though his primary role with the Bullswould likely be to back up All-Star Derrick Rose(notes) at the point. He has averaged8.7 points in 23 minutes per game over three seasons.
The move is the latest in a busy offseason for the Bulls, who have alsoacquired two-time All-Star forward Carlos Boozer(notes), sharpshooter Kyle Korver(notes) andshooting guard Ronnie Brewer(notes)—who all played together in Utah.
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Arroyo finalizes return to Heat
July 22, 2010
MIAMI (AP)—Carlos Arroyo(notes) has finalized his deal to return to the Miami Heat.
Arroyo appeared in 72 games and made 35 starts at point guard for Miami lastseason, then decided to return to the club after a brief stint as a free agent.He averaged 6.1 points and 3.1 assists, plus had a stellar 4.17assist-to-turnover ratio.
The team announced his signing on Thursday, giving Arroyo the chance to viefor a championship alongside Dwyane Wade(notes), LeBron James(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes).
“By re-signing Carlos, we feel we have accomplished another big step inadding to this team,” Heat president Pat Riley said. “Carlos showed lastseason that he was one of the most competitive and efficient point guards in theNBA, and we are happy to have him back.”
Arroyo, who turns 31 later this month, played college basketball in Miami atFlorida International.
He becomes the 13th player under contract with Miami for the 2010-11 seasonand just the second true point guard, joining fellow returnee Mario Chalmers(notes).
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Paul to meet with Hornets on team future
July 22, 2010
NEW ORLEANS (AP)—A person familiar with the meeting says the Hornets havescheduled a face-to-face discussion with Chris Paul(notes) on Monday to talk about theteam’s plans for the future.
The star guard will sit down with new head coach Monty Williams, new generalmanager Dell Demps and team president Hugh Weber, the person told The AssociatedPress on Thursday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the teamhad not made plans to meet with Paul public.
Paul, who cannot opt out of his contract for two years, said recently thathe likes New Orleans but will be unhappy playing for the Hornets if they fail todemonstrate a commitment to winning immediately.
The only move the Hornets have made this offseason is resigning reservecenter Aaron Gray(notes).
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