After being sued by Oracle Arena security guard Alan Strickland, who claimed he was assaulted at the end of Game 6 of the NBA Finals last June, Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri has claimed in his legal response that he only shoved Strickland in the chest after being shoved by the security guard multiple times while attempting to get to the court.
Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic has the full story and the details on Ujiri’s response to Strickland’s lawsuit, in which he claimed that the Raptors’ executive “attacked” him and “hit him in the face and chest with both fists.” As Kaplan details, Ujiri also disputed Strickland’s claim that he wasn’t showing the proper credentials when he attempted to reach the court to celebrate his team’s title.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Rumors that the Knicks have interest in Elton Brand are a win-win for the Sixers‘ general manager, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. As Pompey writes, if New York’s interest is legit and Philadelphia pushes to retain its GM, the situation could even result in a raise and/or a contract extension for Brand.
- In a Q&A with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Sixers wing Matisse Thybulle discussed his workout regimen during the hiatus, his newfound TikTok stardom, and how he has tried to keep things in perspective as his rookie season has been derailed by COVID-19. “I think we have people who are more essential than basketball players who aren’t able to work right now, and I think at the end of the day getting that stuff is more important than a basketball season,” Thybulle said. “At this point, this is real life. This is not about entertaining. This is not about what’s on TV. It’s about making sure you’re healthy and making sure your family is healthy, and I think that takes precedence over anything else.”
- In case you missed it, we took a closer look at the Celtics‘ 2020/21 cap situation on Monday in the second installment of our Salary Cap Preview series. The Nets will be up next.
Brand ???? Why. Sixers should be much better. And further ahead. Than where they are. Please no Brand.
In other words Thybule is not showing up for a restart no matter what procedure is used. The franchisees should schedule a quick playoff at least so players have to publicly declare (and to help with a ‘force majuer’ lawsuit).
Things like internet-surfing, things that Thybule (or anyone) does in their self-quarantine, can be done as well in an NBA quarantine. Player families, can do the same thing; players do not have to separate from people that are doing the sanctioned “q” along with him. Maids, cooks, etc can be hired that would follow procedure; the NBA & ESPN have money and will be making it.
If the NBA can put together eight reasonably full teams where the players are willing to take the precautions, then a year’s conclusion is possible.
For whatever reason the lab science is not strong on a coronavirus vaccine. Waiting for next season may not work.
Possible correction, depending on the sophistication of testing, people may not be able to quaratine together; hugging may not be acceptable. I think though that testing can be good enough to allow hugging, etc. in a contained group. Of course the testing may be considered “elitist” by some.
I don’t want Brand either. The Sixers should of kept Butler and Reddick.
Should they? Nope, Butler isn’t all that & JJ is an overpaid shooter.
Brand is a really good GM and Sixers should definitely keep him. But they do need to get rid of Brett Brown.
If Elton Brand leaves to the Knicks I think the Knicks will be getting a good GM and make a lot of trades