Lawrence Frank signs new Contract

Lawrence Frank signed a multiyear contract extension on Monday.  Frank was entering the final year of his contract with the Nets.  The Nets were 41-41 last season and advanced to the second round before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Face of USA Basketball, Kobe or Lebron?

Lebron James USA BasketballThe Face cannot have blemishes which mean no bashing teammates, demanding trades, slamming management or otherwise shady behavior.

“The 22-year-old star is wise beyond his years and arguably the best player on Team USA – and he does it all without toting a bunch of personal baggage. He dances on stage at the ESPYs, will host “Saturday Night Live” and meshes all of it with basketball in a seemingly effortless way. And we like to see him – not in train-wreck Kobe fashion – but because we actually like to see him.” Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post said.

Marc Spears thinks Kobe should be the face of USA Basketball:

“Bryant led the league in scoring last season. He has three championship rings. LeBron James is just getting started. While “King James” truly is a talented player, he has a long way to go to match Bryant’s résumé.”

Source: The Denver Post

Cavaliers Standing Still

Since the start of free agency this summer, a number of free agent point guards signed reasonable deals elsewhere, leaving little in the way of help at the team’s weakest spot.

So who is left in the market?

Jason Kline breaks down the guards that are still available or might be available via a trade.

“Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro, whose rights are held by Washington, has gotten out of his contract with FC Barcelona and is ready to play in the states. The Wizards retained free agent DeShawn Stevenson last weekend, which doesn’t leave enough money to sign Navarro. The Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat and Cavaliers are interested in him and have contacted the Wizards, Miami was the only team that actually made an offer but was rejected.”

“Cleveland Clinic Courts” Design Unveiled

At a press conference held at Quicken Loans Arena, Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert and General Manager Danny Ferry were joined by Cleveland Clinic Chief Marketing Officer Jim Blazar to present the first peek of the design and features for the state-of-the-art, 50,000 square foot facility that will become the “home away from home” for the Cavaliers players and coaching staff.

 

 “This facility will provide our coaching staff and players the environment and technological advances to develop our players and team to reach all of the potential that there is in each player and each team. Partnering with the Cleveland Clinic on this project, who has the same philosophy as we do in health care and human potential was a natural”, said Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the Cavaliers.

“Cleveland Clinic Courts” Design

Key features:

  • Two adjacent regulation NBA courts with a total of 6 hoops
  • Extra large, strength and conditioning training area that over looks the playing court area.
  • Large theater-style team meeting room for video instruction with over-sized seating.
  • Three spacious locker rooms for Cavs players, visiting teams, and staff.
  • Underground parking

    • NBA Referee Donaghy under Investigation

    The FBI is investigating veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy for allegedly betting thousands of dollars on games he worked the past two seasons and possibly unduly influencing their outcome.

    An NBA assistant coach who spoke Friday on the condition of anonymity said he was “shocked’’ by the allegations, in part because Donaghy has a solid reputation in coaching circles.  Donaghy called a total of 131 regular season and 20 playoff games the last two seasons.

     Washington Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan was fined $25,000 for comments he made about the referees during his team’s tense first-round playoff series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2006.

    No referee, umpire, linesmen or other in-game official has ever been arrested or indicted for point-shaving or match-fixing in the history of the four major sports in North America but several match-fixing scandals involving referees have occurred in international soccer.

    Source:  Albany Democrat – Herald

    Steve Francis returns Home

    Steve Francis will come back to Houston where he began his NBA career.
    Francis signed a two-year deal Thursday. He was a three-time All-Star with the Rockets before getting traded to Orlando after the 2003-04 season.
    Francis passed on better offers from the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers.
    Dealt by the New York Knicks to the Portland Trail Blazers after the season, Francis accepted a buyout of the last two seasons of his contract, worth roughly $30 million, to become a free agent.
    Francis’ two-year contract is worth $2.4 million the first year. He can opt out after one season.

    Source:  Houston Chronicle