Kareem Rush

Los Angeles Rumors: Vujacic, Clippers, Kobe

Earlier tonight, we learned that former Lakers and Clippers standout Lamar Odom has agreed to play in Spain for the remainder of the season.  Odom was once deadset on making his NBA return with Doc Rivers and the Clippers, but he’ll presumably be more open to other opportunities as he tries to work his way back.  Here’s the latest out of the Staples Center..

  • The Clippers won’t re-sign Sasha Vujacic to a second 10-day contract, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.  Coach Doc Rivers says that the club could re-sign the veteran guard later on if they don’t use the roster spot on someone else.
  • Word from the Clippers camp indicates that they won’t part with a meaningful asset like Reggie Bullock or a first-round draft pick to avoid the luxury tax, tweets Zach Lowe of Grantland.com.  However, Lowe is somewhat skeptical and believes that might not prove to be true.
  • Kobe Bryant thinks the Lakers are well-positioned for the summer ahead, but he says doesn’t want to have input on the team’s decision-making, observes Brett Pollakoff of NBCSports.com.
  • Former Lakers guard Kareem Rush says he isn’t through playing just yet, writes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: Brand, CP3, Obradovic, Rush

Let’s round up a few odds and ends from around the Association….

  • Elton Brand tells Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he was “a little surprised” that the Mavericks didn’t re-sign him this summer. However, the veteran big man added that Dallas had been in the mix: “They had to get their cap situation straight and they did tender an offer.”
  • Appearing on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (video link), Chris Paul admits that he could see himself retiring a little earlier than expected in order to spend more time with his children (hat tip to Matt Moore of Eye on Basketball). Of course, the Clippers guard just signed a five-year deal with the club this summer, so he’s not about to call it a career anytime soon.
  • Rigas Dardalis of Eurohoops.net translates an interview with longtime Panathinaikos coach Zeljko Obradovic on Greece’s OTE TV. Shortly after the 2012/13 NBA season ended, Obradovic said he’d consider taking an NBA job if a playoff team reached out to him, but he tells OTE TV that while a couple clubs were considering interviewing him, none ended up contacting him directly.
  • After recently working out at the Lakers facility, former NBA vet Kareem Rush is prepared to rejoin the team’s D-League affiliate, the L.A. D-Fenders, he tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). Rush appeared in seven games for the D-Fenders in 2011/12.

Lakers Notes: Johnson-Odom, Boateng, Buss

As we heard over the weekend, the Lakers have yet to start negotiating a contract extension with Kobe Bryant, which is hardly a surprise, given the new CBA. Veteran extensions have become virtually non-existent since the lockout, and given the uncertainty relating to Kobe's recovery from Achilles surgery, there's no reason for either side to rush into contract discussions.

Here's more on the Lakers:

  • Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports (via Twitter) that she has heard Darius Johnson-Odom and Eric Boateng mentioned as possible camp invitees for the Lakers. However, nothing has been finalized yet.
  • Gilbert Arenas and Kareem Rush have also been spotted working out recently at the Lakers facility, according to Shelburne, but she says not to read too much into that (Twitter link).
  • Jim Buss and Jeanie Buss have been the ones making headlines lately, but their younger brother Jesse Buss is also involved with the team, and spoke to Laker Nation about his role with the NBA team and its D-League affiliate. Among other topics, Buss addressed the challenge of scouting for a franchise that always has a win-now mentality, and discussed the outlooks for rookies Ryan Kelly and Elias Harris.

Read more

Minor Moves: Foote, Rush

The latest news and notes from around the D-League:

  • Former Cornell center Jeff Foote, currently with the D-League's Springfield Armor, will be called up by the New Orleans Hornets, according to Eurobasket.com's David Pick (link via Twitter).
  • Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears reports (via Twitter) that Kareem Rush has entered the D-League player pool. Rush last played with the Clippers in 2009.

Kareem Rush To Sign With D-League

One more ex-NBA veteran is on the comeback trail. Kareem Rush announced today on Twitter that he'll sign with the D-League in hopes of making his way back to the Association (hat tip to Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside).

Rush, a former standout scorer at the University of Missouri, last saw NBA action in 2009/10, when he played in seven games for the Clippers before being released. For his NBA career, the 31-year-old averaged 6.4 PPG on 40% shooting in 346 games with the Lakers, Bobcats, Pacers, Sixers, and Clippers.

Rush, the older brother of the Warriors' Brandon Rush, is the latest former player to head to the D-League in hopes of returning to the NBA. Greg Ostertag, Rafer Alston, and Jerome James are among the other familiar names to sign with the D-League this season.