Ben Maller's NBA rumors
by FOXSports.com
Artest: I'm not talking about Kings opt out
In an e-mail to the Bee late Thursday night, Ron Artest sounded like a man who plans on being in Sacramento next season. The Kings small forward has until June 30 to exercise the early termination option in his contract and become a free agent. As of now, however, he said the option is hardly being considered at all. "My agent (Mark Stevens) is on a business trip," Artest wrote. "We have not talked about opting out at all. The playoffs just got me thinking that if me and kev (Martin) (played) the majority (of last season) and mike (Bibby) doesnt miss all those games, we could have piled on 12 or 18 more wins. That would have put us at 56 wins and that is still a failure." Artest, of course, deemed last se -- Sac Bee
Warriors hoping Baron Davis opts out of contract
Several core Warriors are convinced owner Chris Cohan is considering paying off ($5.1M) Don Nelson rather than risk a players' rebellion next season. That gloomy forecast is largely based on how downbeat last season ended. In the second half of the Warriors' elimination-from-playoff-contention loss (next to last game) at Phoenix, Nelson benched Baron Davis - purportedly because his offense backfired (2-13) in the opening 24 minutes. He did not play in the second half, as if a franchise player never shot blanks only to rediscover his stroke of genius in the final 24. ... There are more than a few Warriors observers who believe Nelson (with management's unspoken blessing) might've been trying to incite Davis to exercise his early-out clause July 1, 2008 in order to become a free agent. Executive VP Chris Mullin could certainly use the $17.8M Davis would forfeit in that event to invest in rising free agents Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins, Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus. Davis has repeatedly stated his wish to remain a Warrior but agent Todd Ramasar expressed a need for his 29-year-old client to reconsider his position.-- NY Post
Heat like Rose over Beasley for No.1 pick
Indications are the Heat leans strongly toward taking Memphis point guard Derrick Rose over Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley if it picks first. ''If I were Miami, I would take Rose simply because he's a point guard that has size and athletic ability and he's special,'' Bilas said, adding it would be difficult to secure an impact point guard through free agency. And if Miami picks third or fourth, Bilas said he ''probably'' would take Arizona point guard Jerryd Bayless or Indiana shooting guard Eric Gordon, though several NBA personnel people said Stanford center Brook Lopez would make sense at No. 3. -- Miami Herald
Carmelo unlikely to be headed to Nets?
As for Anthony, a report out of New Jersey said the Nets and Nuggets had "exploratory" trade talks involving the two-time All-Star forward and teammate Marcus Camby. Given Nets general manager Kike Vandeweghe's ties to the Nuggets, the rumor seemed natural, though without much foundation. Vandeweghe and Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien declined to comment, but a prospective deal does not seem to make much sense for the Nuggets. Small forward Richard Jefferson is the most attractive player on the Nets roster, but he faces an assault charge stemming from a confrontation at a Minneapolis nightclub. Anthony has had his share of off-the-court problems, but he is four years younger than Jefferson and remains one of the NBA's biggest standouts. -- Rocky Mountain News
Mavs putting Nowitzki on trade market?
It's highly unlikely Dirk Nowitzki will be traded. We're not saying he should. But it must be discussed if the Mavericks don't feel they can compete for a championship in the next few years with him. His trade value will never be higher than it is now. -- Dallas Morning News
Pistons Billups should be ready to play
Pistons guard Chauncey Billups admits he's having a tough time being patient. The good news for Billups is his time on the sideline appears to be over. He's back practicing with the Pistons, after missing nearly three playoff games and a handful of practices because of a strained right hamstring. Either way, Billups said he would be ready. He said he's not worried about re-injuring himself by practicing or playing. "I don't think none of it is mental right now -- I know what pain is," Billups said. "And when I feel it kind of pulling, trying to restrict, I know exactly what that is. It's not a mental thing. I feel the muscle. Mentally, I'm fine. I'm excited, happy to be back out there for what I can do."-- Detroit News
Bulls Paxson adds a pair to list of coaching candidates
Losing twice to the New York Knicks during the regular season was difficult for the Bulls to accept. Now feeling the sting of losing coach Mike D'Antoni to the Knicks, the Bulls have expanded their coaching search. Two assistant coaches joining the interview list are Utah's Tyrone Corbin and the Lakers' Brian Shaw. More names could still be added. -- Arlington Heights Daily Herald
NBA keeps lottery off camera
The NBA continues to conduct the lottery behind closed doors, about 90 minutes before the broadcast but in the presence of representatives for every lottery team -- including Heat senior vice president Andy Elisburg. (The team representatives inside the room are different from the ones who will be on stage during the broadcast, a group that will include the Heat's Dwyane Wade.) The people in the room where the lottery is performed are not permitted to leave -- or use phones or electronic devices -- to spread the results before ESPN's broadcast at 8 p.m. -- Miami Herald
Patrick Ewing might be back in NY as Knicks' assistant
Maybe this will be the year that Patrick Ewing finally returns to New York. Mike D'Antoni said Thursday that he would consider hiring the Knicks' Hall of Fame center as one of his assistant coaches. "I know what he did in New York and I know that he's done a good job since he left," D'Antoni said. "He will definitely be considered." -- NY Daily News
Bickerstaff up for Knicks GM job
Billy King, Billy Knight, Bernie Bickerstaff and a mystery man are the exclusive competition for the Knicks' GM job, it says here. -- NY Post
Nuggets Moe not expected to r
Doug Moe, the winningest coach in Nuggets history, said Thursday he "most likely" won't be back for a fifth season on George Karl's staff. He said he will make a decision when his contract expires June 30. "At my age, I need to spend more time with the grandkids," said Moe, who will turn 70 on Sept. 21. -- Rocky Mountain News
Mavs have to value shop
The Mavericks have eight players under contract for next season. Those contracts put the team nearly $25 million over the salary cap, meaning there is precious little flexibility to fill out the roster. Rick Carlisle must show he can be an astute bargain shopper. -- Dallas Morning News
Donaghy sentencing pushed back to July
Tim Donaghy and two accomplices in an illegal betting ring are scheduled to be sentenced within 3 days of one another this summer after the former NBA referee's sentencing date was postponed yesterday - for a fourth time. Donaghy, who has admitted to dishing inside NBA information to high school buddies James "Baba'' Battista and Thomas Martino in exchange for cash payments, was scheduled to be sentenced next week in New York on gambling and wire-fraud charges. Yesterday, that date was pushed back again, this time to July 14, according to Robert Nardoza, spokesman for the federal prosecutors' office in Brooklyn. -- Philadelphia Daily News
Wolves could deal second-round pick?
Don't be surprised if the Timberwolves trade one of their two second-round draft picks (Nos. 31 and 34) in June for a similar pick next year and use the other on a European player. -- Pioneer Press
D'Antoni: Knicks must compete for playoffs
Mike D'Antoni, who will represent the Knicks on the Secaucus dais Tuesday, realizes 39 wins is all it might take in the downtrodden East. "We have to compete for the playoffs," D'Antoni told The Post yesterday in a phone interview from Phoenix. "Hopefully the East stays that way and it doesn't go where teams are winning games all over the place. We need to try to get in. If it doesn't happen, I'd be disappointed. There's no guarantees, but me personally, I would be very upset." -- NY Post
Ariza ready to get playing time with Lakers
Trevor Ariza, who hasn't played since January because of a broken right foot, looked comfortable running up and down the floor at the end of the Lakers' practice Thursday. He's ready to play if Jackson is ready to insert him in the lineup. "I definitely feel like I can play, but it's not really my decision," Ariza said. "It's a good feeling. I just want to come in and play if I get a chance and see what happens." Ariza proclaimed himself healthy but said he wasn't sure where his conditioning was and wouldn't really know until he played in a game. "My foot feels fine," Ariza said. "I don't feel any pain." Asked if Ariza would play today in Game 6 in Salt Lake, Jackson said, "probably not." But Ariza could be back soon enough. -- LA Daily News
Did You Know?
As a TV show, the lottery thrives in years like this, when there are a couple of star players. Last year's lottery show generated a 2.0 rating -- ESPN's best for the event -- but below its 2.4 average for playoff games. -- Miami Herald
D'Antoni's mom wanted him to be doctor or lawyer
Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni inherited his basketball passions from his father. His mother, an assistant county clerk, valued more intellectual pursuits and wanted him to become a doctor or lawyer, not a basketball player. She might have had a point. After graduating from Marshall as the career assists leader, in 1973, D'Antoni spent four years as a basketball vagabond: two-plus seasons with the N.B.A.'s Kansas City Kings, 50 games with the A.B.A.'s Spirit of St. Louis, and, finally, two games with the San Antonio Spurs, who cut him in 1976. Disappointed but undaunted, D'Antoni took his game to Milan, where he became one of the greatest point guards in Euroleague history. It still was not good enough for the N.B.A. — he failed to make the Chicago Bulls in 1978 before returning to Italy. "It leaves a mark," D'Antoni said. "I lost my confidence at a couple stops." -- NY Times
Who Knew?
The last time the Spurs played a Game 7 on the road was in 1990, when they lost 108-105 to Portland in two overtimes in the Western Conference semifinals. The Spurs have played in two Game 7s since, beating Detroit 81-74 in the 2005 NBA Finals and losing 119-111 in overtime to Dallas in the 2006 Western Conference finals. The Spurs are 2-6 all-time in Game 7s. -- San Antonio Express-News
Ben Maller can be heard weeknights on "The Third Shift on Fox" via the vast Fox Sports Radio Network. The show is broadcast live Monday-Friday from 2am till 6am (est). Check your local radio listenings for the FSR affiliate in your town, listen to XM Satellite Radio Channel No. 142 or via live streaming audio online at FoxSports.com/Radio. Say hi to Ben at myspace.com/benmaller. Interact with Ben's fans and talk sports on Ben Maller's forum Questions, comments and news tips can be sent to Ben via e mail at BigBen@Foxsports.com or Ben@BenMaller.com.
advertisement
