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Odds & Ends: Warriors, Jazz, Rockets, Iverson

September 6th, 2012 at 10:41pm CST by Zachary Links

We've seen a sharp rise in the size of overseas contracts in recent years, and it seems that the Chinese Basketball Association has had about enough.  Several CBA clubs are calling for an NBA-style salary cap to be instituted post-haste as the season gets underway in two months, writes Alastair Himmer of Reuters.  The league has had a salary cap in years past, but with no luxury tax system in place, there was no real way to enforce it.  Last year, Kenyon Martin signed a $2.7MM deal with the Xinjian Flying Tigers before leaving midway through the season.  Here's tonight's look around the Association..

  • Warriors coach Mark Jackson has promoted Darren Erman to the No. 3 assistant coach after the departure of Wes Unseld Jr., sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).  Unseld Jr. recently left Golden State to join Jacque Vaughn's staff in Orlando.
  • The Jazz are still working to complete a buyout agreement with Raja Bell and sign second-round pick Kevin Murphy, but Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter) would be surprised if both situations aren't resolved before camp starts.
  • The Jazz announced that Michael Sanders has been promoted to an assistant coach on Tyrone Corbin’s staff.  Utah also agreed in principle with D-League coach and former Jazz scout Brad Jones to take over Sanders’ previous position as assistant coach in charge of player development.
  • The Rockets have elevated Gersson Rosas to executive vice president of basketball operations, according to Mark Berman of FOX Houston.  Rosas, who previously served as the club's vice president player personnel, was a finalist to become the next assistant GM of the Spurs.
  • Former MVP Allen Iverson is reportedly thinking about playing if China if he cannot land an NBA deal, but Neil Hartman of CSNPhilly.com would like to see him call it a career.  Iverson last appeared in an NBA game in February 2010 and turned down offers in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic last season.
  • Robert Pera, the prospective new owner of the Grizzlies, is recruiting singer/actor Justin Timberlake to be a minority owner of his club, sources have told Marc Stein of ESPN.com.  One source added that Timberlake is making "a meaningful investment into the team" and "plans to be active" with the club.  A recent piece by Will Leitch of New York Magazine revealed that rapper Jay-Z owns just a fraction of one percent of the Nets.
  • Kevin Willis celebrated his 50th birthday today and the former NBA center told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) that he could still play 15-20 minutes a night and would return if a team was serious.  Willis would easily eclipse Kurt Thomas and Grant Hill (both turn 40 in October) as the NBA's oldest player.  With that said, it's extremely difficult to imagine a comeback for Willis at this stage.
  • In an interview with HoopsWorld, free agent Sean Williams said that he isn't sure where his next NBA opportunity might come from and hasn't spoken with his agent recently.  Late last week it was reported that the Knicks are considering the former first-round pick.
  • Former University of Florida standout Taurean Green has signed with Italian team Sigma Barcellona, according to a report from Amnotizie.it passed along by Sportando.  Green averaged 9.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 3.9 APG for Turkish team Tofas Bursa last season.
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Allen Iverson Considering Playing In China

September 4th, 2012 at 9:28am CST by Luke Adams

While the possibility looks slimmer with each passing day, Allen Iverson still hasn't given up hope on a return to the NBA. If that doesn't work out though, the former MVP is considering playing overseas in the Chinese Basketball Association, according to a report by NetEase Sports (English translation via HoopsHype).

"I definitely want to return to the NBA, but if I can't get back there, I'm hoping to play ball here [in China]," Iverson said, according to HoopsHype's translation. "China is still one of my choices, but the team that wants me to join has got to show me that they really mean it, like 'Hey, we really need you.'"

Iverson, who hasn't appeared in an NBA game since February 2010, reportedly turned down offers from teams in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela last season. However, if the 37-year-old recognizes that an NBA team is unlikely to take a flier on him, China could be a realistic option — when AI was asked in April about playing in the CBA next season, he didn't rule out the possibility.

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Knicks Will Not Pursue Allen Iverson

May 27th, 2012 at 10:42am CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks, while in need of shoring up their backcourt, will not consider talking with Allen Iverson as they deem the former Sixers star too big of a gamble, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Creative Artists Agency client made an appearance on Wednesday night in Philadelphia during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals where he expressed his desire to get back into basketball. Iverson, 37 in June, has a history with Knicks head coach Mike Woodson as Woodson was an assistant coach to Larry Brown for two seasons while Iverson was with the Sixers.

Iverson last played professionally in 2010/2011 when he signed a two-year, $4MM contract to play for Turkish club Besiktas Cola Turka, the same franchise Deron Williams later called home during the 2011 NBA lockout. He managed to average 14.3 PPG and 4.7 APG in seven league games before returning to the United States in January 2011 after a calcium deposit in his calf required treatment from Dr. James Andrews. While Iverson thought he would be able to return to Turkey in time for the playoffs, the former Georgetown star has not seen the court of a professional game since suffering the injury.

Even if Iverson is not the answer, the Knicks still need to find help to build backcourt depth heading into next season. Knicks GM Glen Grunwald expressed the team's commitment to re-signing Jeremy Lin during Friday's conference call to announce Woodson's new contract, but the former Harvard star's return is not a guarantee. Berman suggests the Knicks will look to lesser guards to sign with the team's $2MM lower exception including Raymond Felton, Derek Fisher and Gary Neal. There is concern that if Steve Novak's Bird rights aren't restored then the Knicks won't be able to afford to retain him or J.R. Smith, who is presumed to be gone if he doesn't pick up his $2.5MM player option for next season.

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Odds & Ends: Iverson, Clippers, Mavericks, Shaq

May 23rd, 2012 at 10:44pm CST by Alex Lee

The 76ers defeated the Celtics tonight in an ugly, defensive affair to force a Game 7 on Saturday night in Boston.  Early in the game, an ESPN reporter spoke with Allen Iverson who was in town to deliver the game ball to tonight's referees.  Iverson said he still wants to play basketball, whether in the NBA or elsewhere.  Here are other links from late Wednesday night:

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Odds & Ends: Cavs, Deron, Suns, Iverson

April 27th, 2012 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

While we try to survive the first day in two months with no NBA games, let's check in on some odds and ends from around the league:

  • Chris Grant spoke to Cleveland media today about the Cavaliers' future and Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal has a pair of interesting quotes from the GM. Grant says the team will have about $20MM in cap space but will be careful about how they use it, and adds that the Cavs "love" this year's draft.
  • Asked if there was a perfect situation for him in free agency, Deron Williams replied, "No, not with enough cap space to sign a max player" (via Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News).
  • Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic talked to a handful of Suns facing free agency, all of whom expressed some interest in returning to Phoenix.
  • Allen Iverson, currently in China for an NBA Legends Tour, didn't rule out the possibility of playing in the CBA next year, says Jon Pastuszek of NiuBBall.com.
  • Scottie Pippen told ESPN 1000 in Chicago that he could see Phil Jackson returning to coaching and thinks he'd be a great fit for the Knicks. ESPNChicago.com has the details.
  • Restricted free agent D.J. Augustin would like to return to the Bobcats, telling Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) that he loves "the city, the people and the organization."
  • With the draft odds set, ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider-only) takes a look at some potential targets for the lottery teams.
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Current Free Agents With Playoff Experience

April 16th, 2012 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

With many playoff contenders plagued by health issues, including injuries to a handful of superstars, some teams may be thinking about adding an extra body for the postseason. There are plenty of young players available in the D-League, but for a club in need of one extra piece, a veteran with playoff experience may be the preferred candidate.

Listed below are a few free agents with extensive playoff experience who would still be eligible for the postseason if they signed with an NBA team today. Many of these players have been out of the league this season and are hardly sure bets to pick up where they left off, but for clubs with depth issues, they could be worth at least a look.

  • Rasual Butler: The Raptors waived Butler last month in advance of the buyout deadline to allow him to catch on with a playoff team. Although the Bulls were thought to have some interest, Butler still hasn't landed another NBA job. The veteran forward has played in 30 postseason contests, including a handful with Chicago last season.
  • Michael Finley: Having been out of the NBA since 2010, the 39-year-old Finley is probably a long shot to contribute much to a playoff team. But he was still working out for NBA squads this season, and has 129 career postseason games on his resumé. Finley appeared in the playoffs in 10 straight seasons from 2001 to 2010, averaging 11.8 PPG.
  • Eddie House: The sharpshooter has appeared in 66 postseason games, with a good chunk of them coming for the 2008 champion Boston Celtics. House shot 42.6% from downtown in 35 playoff games in 2008 and 2009 for Boston. Last season, House was on the Heat's playoff roster, though his role and impact were reduced in Miami.
  • Allen Iverson: Iverson racked up over 3,200 minutes played in 71 career playoff games, which included a run to the Finals with the 2000/01 76ers. Iverson has averaged a staggering 29.7 PPG in the postseason, including 24.5 PPG in his most recent playoff appearance, in 2008 with the Nuggets. We know AI still wants to play in the NBA, but it's probably too late in the season for any team to risk the sideshow that could accompany signing the former MVP.
  • James Posey: After being amnestied by the Pacers prior to the season, Posey has yet to catch on anywhere, which is a little surprising. While his production had fallen off over the last two seasons, the forward still provides veteran leadership, having played in 65 postseason games in his career. Like House, Posey played a crucial role in the 2008 playoffs for the Celtics, averaging 22.0 minutes in 26 games for the eventual NBA champions.
  • Joe Smith: The 36-year-old has appeared in 62 career playoff games, including brief action in five games for the Lakers last year. Still, Smith hasn't been a useful part-time contributor since the 2008/09 season, so it's questionable whether he has much left to offer a contender.
  • Jarron Collins, Devean George, Morris Peterson, and Etan Thomas are among the other veteran free agents with multiple seasons of playoff experience.
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Iverson Refutes Dominican Republic Report

March 22nd, 2012 at 10:13pm CST by Luke Adams

10:10pm Gary Moore, Iverson's agent, says that Allen has not signed nor is considering signing with any team, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).

It's odd that Nunez would make such an announcement, especially if it wasn't true. Iverson was reportedly shocked by earlier reports that he had agreed to a deal.    

3:15pm Allen Iverson has reportedly signed a one-month contract in the Dominican Republic to play for Pueblo Nuevo, according to BasketballDominicano.com (via Sportando). Team president Milton Nunez said Iverson will arrive this weekend and will earn about $22K, according to the report.

Iverson, who last played in the NBA in 2009/10 with the 76ers, had drawn interest from a number of international professional leagues, including those in Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The 36-year-old, who scored more than 24,000 career points for the Sixers, Nuggets, Pistons, and Grizzlies, is still hoping to make his way back into the NBA.

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Odds & Ends: Howard, Iverson, Beaubois, Williams

February 21st, 2012 at 5:46pm CST by Michael Pina

With this weekend's All-Star game serving as a major benchmark in the Dwight Howard saga, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel breaks down what could happen, and when, once the mid-season festivities are over with. One interesting thing to note: The Magic's first game after the trade deadline is againt the Nets. If Howard is dealt there, things would get interesting in a hurry.

Here are a few other notes from around the league:

  • In a tweet, Sportando reporter Emiliano Carchia is reporting that a professional team in Puerto Rico has pulled its offer for Allen Iverson off the table. 
  • Last night, ESPN's Chris Broussard wrote that Dallas was ready to move on from French point guard prospect Rodrigue Beaubois. Alex Raskin of Hoopsworld disputes the report by saying Beaubois still has the support of several high-ranking executives in Dallas' personnel department. Raskin cites the team's possible need to replace Jason Terry next season as a prime reason as to why the Mavericks will likely keep him.  
  • Nets forward Shawne Williams will undergo surgery to remove a bone fragment in his left foot on Wednesday, according to the team. In his first season in New Jersey Williams has been a major disappointment, averaging just 4.5 PPG on 28.6% shooting from the three-point line after breaking out last year with the Knicks.
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Odds & Ends: Pistons, Kings, Iverson

February 20th, 2012 at 10:28pm CST by Ryan Raroque
With less than a week before the All-Star festivities begin in Orlando, here are a few other rumblings from around the league. 
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Iverson Declines Offer From Venezuela

February 18th, 2012 at 12:35pm CST by Zachary Links

12:35pm: Guaros de Lara GM Tomas Morris says that Iverson has declined the offer from the club, though the door remains open to a deal happening, tweets Francisco Vega of Latinbasket.com.  Sources tell Vega (via Twitter) that Guaros de Lara's offer was worth twice as much as the offer from Puerto Rico.

11:13am: Venezuelan club Guaros de Lara reached agreement on a deal with guard Allen Iverson, Venezuelan sources tell Sportando.  The pact will likely be announced at some point today.

Iverson was said to be deciding between the offer from Guaros de Lara and Puerto Rico's Indios de Mayaguez.  The eleven-time All-Star also had conversations with the Lakers but the deal would have required the 36-year-old to spend time in the D-League.

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