Just when you think there isn’t any love to be lost at all between the Detroit Pistons and Rip Hamilton, news arrives in the latest tear in the once-strong relationship between franchise and player.
Former D-Leaguers-turned-NBAers Steve Novak and Mike Taylor aren’t quite ready to give up playing pro ball here in the States, and are looking to start again from square one.
Carmelo Anthony trade rumors may have temporarily ceded their control of basketball fans the world over, but the possibility of an Anthony trade still looms.
In Yao Ming’s election as a starter for the Western Conference All-Stars, there’s no heart-warming consolation to be had; Yao Ming’s season is gone, and his inclusion in this event -- which will give him the eighth All-Star berth of his career -- is really just a reminder of why using a popular vote as the sole mechanism to decide the All-Star starters is just a bit wonky.
With Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal both sidelined during last Saturday’s game against the Wizards, the Celtics were forced to rely on Semih Erden and Glen Davis as the entirety of their center rotation.
Considering that the news that Peja Stojakovic had given the Mavs a verbal commitment to join the team essentially came paired with a report that Dallas would sent Alexis Ajinca to Stojakovic’s old team, the Toronto Raptors, in exchange for no tangible assets at all, it’s not surprising that league officials raised an eyebrow.
Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution noted a bit of a scorekeeping oddity in his practice report, which can be chalked up to simple oversight or collusion against the visiting team depending on how quickly you take to conspiracy theories.
UPDATE (5:27 PM EST): Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported that the Mavericks have received a verbal commitment from Peja Stojakovic, who was just waived by the Toronto Raptors this afternoon, to join the team.
The D-League Showcase is in the books, and while Larry Owens was the first NBA call-up following the conclusion of the Showcase, more are sure to follow.
Ish Smith had enough draft red flags coming out of Wake Forest that he wasn’t selected at all in this past summer’s draft, but by now there should be no doubt that Smith is a legitimate NBA prospect.
