Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant favorite players of 2015 rookies despite injuries

Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant had injury-marred seasons to forget in 2014-15, but this year's rookie class still counts the stars of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers as its favorite players.

Durant, at 21.2 percent, won the vote, edging out Bryant, at 18.2 percent, in an annual survey of rookies conducted by NBA.com.

LeBron James finished third at 15.2 percent to complete a top three that was identical to the choices of the 2014 rookie class. Reigning league MVP and NBA champion Stephen Curry finished tied with Dwyane Wade in fourth, each earning 9.1 percent of the vote.

The voting was conducted at the Panini Rookie Photo Shoot at the New York Knicks' practice facility earlier this month.

In addition to being asked questions about their expectations entering the league, the rookies were asked to evaluate their fellow 2015 draftees.

According to the rookies, No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor is No. 1 when it comes to this year's class; the Philadelphia 76ers center was voted most likely to be named rookie of the year and most likely to have the best career.

Okafor, who was drafted behind Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves and D'Angelo Russell of the Lakers, earned 41.9 percent of the vote for rookie of the year predictions. The vote for best overall career was closer, with Okafor, at 24.1 percent, winning by just 6.9 percentage points over Towns, who got 17.2 percent of the vote.

Among the other survey winners, Russell was voted the best playmaker in the draft, and Brooklyn's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (44.3 percent) was considered the funniest by a wide margin over Charlotte's Frank Kaminsky (25.7 percent).

Source: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13471941/kevin-durant-kobe-bryant-favorite-players-2015-nba-draft-class

Dellavedova takes qualifying offer, re-signs with Cavs

CLEVELAND (AP) — Matthew Dellavedova has hustled his way back to the Cavaliers.

Dellavedova, who emerged as an unlikely postseason hero when All-Star guard Kyrie Irving was injured, signed a $1.2 million contract for next season on Monday.

He had been a restricted free agent, and although the Cavs signed Mo Williams this summer to be Irving's primary backup, the team wanted to keep Dellavedova because of the energy he brings off the bench.

Dellavedova accepted the Cavs' qualifying offer and he can be an unrestricted free agent next summer when the league's salary cap will expand. He made $816,000 last season.

The Australian has endeared himself to Cleveland fans, and his teammates adore "Delly" for his non-stop hustle and attitude. Dellavedova started 13 games during the regular season, but was forced into a more prominent role in the playoffs because Irving was slowed by injuries.

With Irving out, Dellavedova scored 19 points in a series-clinching win over Chicago in the second round and he scored 20 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against Golden State. He was hospitalized following the game for dehydration.

Dellavedova played in 67 games during the regular season, averaging 4.8 points, 3.0 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 20.6 minutes. He shot a career-high .407 percentage from the 3-point line.

In the playoffs, he averaged 7.2 points and 2.7 assists in 24.9 minutes.

General manager David Griffin's goal was to re-sign the Cavs' core players this summer and he has gotten deals done with LeBron James, Kevin Love, Iman Shumpert, James Jones and Dellavedova.

The Cavs remain interested in re-signing free agents Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith.

Cleveland also traded center Brendan Haywood - and his expiring $10.5 million contract - and forward Mike Miller to Portland for two trade exceptions and to save luxury-tax money.

Source: http://www.nba.com/2015/news/07/27/cavs-re-sign-dellavedova.ap/

Report Card Grades for the Top 2014 NBA Free-Agent Signings

Not every free-agent signing made during the NBA's frenetic off-season is a good one.

Then again, it sure seemed as though the league was getting smarter during the frenzy of the summer of 2014, as the overpays largely involved role players and shooters. Many of those even made sense given the relevant rosters and team options included in contracts.

Fear not, though. I'm not handing out straight A's, much as I'm sure the league's GMs would love my across-the-board approval.

Given the length and size of the contracts, as well as the fits of some of these players, not every marquee signing made sense this offseason. Some were excellent, the majority were quality deals and a select few stood out in a negative way.

That said, let's avoid discussing the order of this countdown. It's taken straight out of Bleacher Report's D.J. Foster's rankings of the top 50 free agents, with those who haven't signed removed from this particular article.

Indulge me, and let's have the focus center around the merits of each signing, or lack thereof, not the order in which these 20 players appear.

Clippers' Paul hopes to play in All-Star Game

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul says he hopes to play in the All-Star Gamebut it's too early to know whether he'll be healthy enough to return for the Feb. 16 contest in New Orleans. 

Paul was announced as an All-Star reserve Thursday. He earned MVP honors after leading the West to a victory over the East in last year's game. 

Paul played his first six seasons in New Orleans. He has been out since separating his right shoulder in a win against Dallas on Jan. 3 and is expected to return sometime around the All-Star break.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said before his team played at the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night that he has no problem if Paul's first game back is the All-Star game.

Source: http://www.nba.com/2014/news/01/30/clippers-paul-all-star.ap/index.html

NBA: New York Knicks to ensure colour clash won't happen again

It did not take long on Saturday night for fans and commentators at Madison Square Garden to realize something was amiss between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks. Their uniforms looked alike. Too alike.

The Knicks have worn their new orange alternate jerseys four times already this season, but in each previous outing, the other team arrived wearing a contrasting shade. Not the Hawks. The result was a jumble of blood red versus burnt orange that became an exercise in facial recognition, looking twice, squinting, guessing: Which ones are the Hawks?

According to the NBA rule book, the home team is mandated to wear light color jerseys, and the visitors dark jerseys, unless otherwise approved. This would explain Atlanta's uniform choice.

"Neither team was at fault," Tim Frank, the NBA's vice president for basketball communications, said. "The Knicks orange has been designated as a light alternate home uniform. Going forward, we'll ensure that the opponent wears a more distinguishing color uniform when the Knicks wear orange."

The color scheme drew mostly critical notice from fans via Twitter and the MSG Network broadcaster Mike Breen, who said he thought even the players might have been having a difficult time telling one another apart. The first half especially was filled with sloppy play and errant passes.

Carmelo Anthony dismissed a question that the uniforms had any effect on the game, which the Knicks lost 110-90. He referred to the suggestion as "nitpicking."

"That ain't got anything to do with why we're losing basketball games," Anthony said, albeit with slightly more colorful language.

The Knicks have already worn the orange jerseys four times this year (all losses) and plan to wear them at least six more times. The NBA has had other games in which teams have worn single-color uniforms - with separate shades for each team. But ESPN's Paul Lukas, the founder of Uniwatch.com, which tracks and analyzes aesthetics in sports, wrote in an email that Saturday's game "definitely had less uniform contrast than any NBA game in recent memory."

It is not the first time this fall that on-field attire by teams made headlines. On September 8, the Arkansas State football team was assessed two penalties - one at the start of each half - for wearing dark gray uniforms at home against Auburn, which wore navy blue.

Arkansas State coach Bryan Harsin told reporters after the game that wearing the uniforms was his decision.

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said of the penalties, "You don't hear about that very much."

In September, two baseball games featured opposing teams wearing dark uniforms: the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers, each in red; and the Tampa Bay Rays and the Minnesota Twins, each in blue).

Basketball, with its close confines and fast pace, is a different form of sport, and uniform colors would perhaps play a bigger role in helping fans, broadcasters and even players keep pace.

In 2004, Wisconsin and Illinois met at Assembly Hall in Champaign, Illinois, both wearing dark jerseys in a memorable matchup of bright orange versus bright red. Wisconsin committed 17 turnovers. But the uniforms were probably toughest on those fans straining to discern one team from the other.

New York Times

Rose back for Bulls, says he wasn't ready in 2012-13

CHICAGO (AP) -- Derrick Rose's long-awaited return is just about complete.

The former MVP point guard was back wearing his familiar uniform No. 1, looking ready to lead the Chicago Bulls back to contention in the Eastern Conference after sitting out a season following knee surgery.

He said Friday at the team's media day he understands why fans were frustrated he didn't return last season, but he had to be careful.

"Of course, I would want my favorite player to be back out there," Rose said. "At the same time, I have to be selfish with the idea. The thought of me injuring myself again, I don't want to put myself in that position. I just tried to stay far away from it and just think everything through and stay positive."

One big concern for him was his ability to handle double teams, particularly in the playoffs. He never felt ready to face them.

His confidence is not an issue now, though. He has said he sees no reason why he can't dominate again, and he has no regrets about the way he handled his recovery.

He's expected to suit up for the first time at Indiana on Oct. 5, and general manager Gar Forman anticipates him playing in every preseason game.

That hinges on how Rose feels, and the same goes for his minutes once the season starts.

"I think with Derrick, it'll remain fluid as we go," Forman said. "I think it's difficult at this point to look ahead and say where his minutes will be two weeks from now, four weeks from now, whatever time frame you want to put on it. I think it's something that from a medical standpoint, from a front-office standpoint, from a coaching standpoint that we'll evaluate day to day."

Forman said he expects some "ups and downs as we go" but has little doubt Rose will overcome them. He also said the decision not to play last season "absolutely" was the right one.

Coach Tom Thibodeau called the criticism Rose absorbed unwarranted, saying he followed chairman Jerry Reinsdorf's orders by taking a cautious approach.

"You talk about a guy who's as loyal as they come to his family, to his teammates, to our organization, to the city - he's already done a lot and will continue to do a lot," Thibodeau said. "That's who he is.

"When I look at it, when I look back and I've been thinking about it, he followed Jerry's orders exactly. Jerry made it very clear from the beginning as to how he wanted him to approach it: to be cautious, to be cautious, make sure you're completely healthy. He told him he didn't want him to come back until he was 100 percent, and that's exactly what he did. And then, he got criticized for it."

Rose tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Game 1 of the 2012 playoffs against Philadelphia, sending the top-seeded Bulls toward a first-round exit. His recovery became a running soap opera, particularly after he started practicing with the team in midseason.

The Bulls never publicly ruled out a return by Rose, and as injuries and illnesses to teammates mounted, his image took a hit. If he dominates again, that would go a long way toward repairing it.

The Bulls are aiming high after winning 45 games and a playoff series last season. With Rose, they believe they can challenge Miami for supremacy in the Eastern Conference. After all, they captured the NBA's top seed the last two seasons he played.

While his health figures to be scrutinized, particularly in the early going, it's not the only story line.

There's Joakim Noah's plantar fasciitis in his foot, an issue for him two of his past three seasons.

There's Luol Deng, coming off a season that ended with him in the hospital after complications from a spinal tap to test for viral meningitis. He has an expiring contract and will likely hit the market at the end of the season.

"I just have to go out there and do what I've been doing, just play basketball," he said. "We have a great opportunity ahead of us. Derrick is back. Everybody's healthy. We love the makeup of the team. The potential is great."

NOTES: The Bulls filled out their training camp roster on Friday, signing of free agents Patrick Christopher, Mike James, Dahntay Jones, Kalin Lucas, Dexter Pittman and D.J. White.

Original Source: http://www.nba.com/2013/news/09/27/bulls-rose-returns.ap/index.html

The Top 10 PR Blunders in NBA History

I love the NBA just as much as the next guy. I would even go so far as to say I’m an ardent, die-hard fan. I am dazzled by the physical prowess and skill of the players and the brilliant minds of the coaches. I’m devastated when my team loses and am filled with fiery vengeance during the rematch. But one of my most favorite aspects of the sport doesn’t even take place on the hardwood—it’s the press conferences.

Public relations in sports is a tricky lady. On one hand, you’ve been hired to play, coach, or officiate a game at an exceedingly high level—not much talking required. But on the other hand, you’re expected to be a role model. Dealing with a scandal or other PR blunder can be more difficult than shooting free-throws is for Shaq. Here are 10 PR blunders from the past few decades that made an already bad situation even worse.

10. Kobe Bryant’s Sexual Assault Case

When you’re on top of the basketball world, everything you do is analyzed under a microscope. So when superstar Kobe Bryant was accused of sexual assault and eventually sued for the same charge, the public, the press, and each of his sponsors knew his days on top would be short-lived. Or so we thought. Ever the clutch player, Bryant attempted to shoot his way out of this scandal by not only admitting adultery, but by also purchasing a $4 million, 8-carat diamond ring for his wife (you know, to show there were no hard feelings).

Maybe in the long run, this wasn’t so much a blunder because he somehow managed to get us all to like him again. He retained all his sponsorships, his wife dropped the divorce claim, and he went on to win a couple more rings for himself.

9. Tony Parker Cheating Scandal

All-star point guard Tony Parker seemed to have met his match when he married the beautiful actress Eva Longoria in 2007. The prenuptial agreement the pair signed at the beginning of their marriage, while smart, should have reminded us all that celebrity marriages tend to have short shelf-lives. Not only did Longoria discover her husband’s infidelity, but she also learned that he had been cheating with Erin Barry—wife of former teammate, Brent Barry.

This story might not have gotten Parker such bad press had he cheated on someone a bit less pretty than Eva Longoria.

8. Kevin Garnett, Kevin Garnett, and Kevin Garnett

KG is one mean dude. Both on and off the court he’s simply not to be messed with. A veteran of the game, he is not above getting creative with his trash talk. In Round One of the 1999 Western Conference Playoffs, Garnett’s Timberwolves squared off against Tim Duncan and the Spurs. As Duncan was preparing to shoot a free-throw, Garnett yelled out, “Happy Mother’s Day.” This might’ve seemed like an innocent jest had Tim Duncan’s mother not passed away from breast cancer when Duncan was only 14-years old. And the insensitivity continues! Something similar occurred in 2010 when Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva, accused Garnett of calling him a “cancer patient.” Villaneuva suffers from alopecia universalis, an autoimmune disease that results in hair loss. Most recently, KG told Knicks guard Carmelo Anthony that his “wife tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios.”

In other words, if you really don’t want people to like you, take a page from Kevin Garnett’s book.

7. Rodman (Need I Say More?)

It should come as no surprise that Dennis Rodman finds himself on this list. The first real “bad boy” of the NBA could all but escape the tabloids—that is, if he even wanted to escape. Long after his myriad of drug and alcohol abuses, marriages and divorces, and legal troubles, the Worm once again found a way to crawl into the limelight by forming a most unlikely and taboo friendship with North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un. This alliance came at a dangerous time between North Korea and the U.S. as the supreme leader announced that North Korea had conducted its first underground nuclear test that very month. Rodman later said that Kim was a “friend for life.”

6. LeBron: The Decision

With unrestricted free agency in his sights, then rising star LeBron James would soon face a decision common among all unrestricted free agents: renew his contract or get a fresh start with a new team. Trades are a big part of professional sports. Without trades, Dirk would never have gone to Dallas, Wilt would have stayed in Philly, and Bill Russell would have won his record number of championships somewhere other than Boston.

But there’s a classy way to go about a trade, and then there was LeBron’s way, which involved a 90-minute live TV special in which James would not reveal his decision until the very end, keeping everyone—his own team included—in the dark. At the words, “I’ve decided to take my talents to South Beach,” Cleveland fans all but rioted in the streets.

Three years and two rings later, most would agree that he made the right move for his career.. Most.

5. Ron Artest’s (Metta World Peace’s) Courtside Brawl

Kobe Bryant once said of his now former teammate, “he’s the one guy that I can rely on night in and night out to compete and play hard.” This is true. Whenever Metta World Peace sets his mind to beating you, he usually accomplishes that feat—even if you’re not necessarily wearing a jersey . . . or are a member of the opposing team . . . or a member of any team.

Towards the end of a heated game between the Pistons and the Pacers, an altercation erupted between Artest and Pacers center Ben Wallace. After the fight broke up, Artest retired to the scorer’s table in an effort to calm down. An allegedly drunk spectator threw a drink at him, then all hell broke loose. In one of the worst melees in basketball’s—and probably any sport’s—history, players, fans, officials, coaches and police squared off in an all-out war. This free-for-all resulted in several suspensions, probations, and even a few hospital bills. It also revealed key insight into just how unstable Ron Artest can be.

While Artest’s name change to Metta World Peace in 2010 came as a bit of a shocker, all of his subsequent assault charges did not.

4. Jason Kidd’s DWI

There are few things more awe-inspiring than seeing an NBA veteran making plays with the same ease as the rookies half his age. On the other hand, there are few things more disappointing than seeing that same veteran player-turned-coach being arrested for a younger man’s misdemeanor—namely driving while intoxicated.

3. Jayson Williams’ Manslaughter Case

In 2002, Jayson Williams officially established himself as one of the dumbest people alive.

While giving a tour of his 30,000 sq. ft. mansion to his NBA charity basketball team, the former New Jersey center shot and killed Gus Christofi, the team’s limo driver. Now, before you start mentioning Williams in the same breath as OJ and Aaron Hernandez, you should know that this tragedy was in no way premeditated—it wasn’t even meditated! Williams shot Christofi by accident. Accidents happen all the time, but he brought even more bad press upon his head when he attempted to cover up the incident by tampering with evidence.

Why Jayson Williams thought it was necessary to carry a shotgun during the tour, we may never know.

2. Tim Hardaway, Sr. and the LGBT Community

Sometimes what a person says in the public arena can easily be taken out of context. In the case of Tim Hardaway, Sr., well, read this statement from 2007 and you can decide for yourself:

”Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don’t like gay people and I don’t like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don’t like it. It should not be in the world or in the United States.”

Kudos to Tim for his honestly. He did later apologize for his comments, but this statement has taught me at least one lesson: ignorance is not bliss.

1. Tim Donaghy Fixes Games

Remember those awful replacement refs from last year’s NFL season? Well, at least they were unintentionally awful. In the case of NBA referee Tim Donaghy, there was a definite method to the madness. After steeping himself in massive debt resulting from a gambling addiction, Donaghy was approached by a low-level mob representatives who told him there was a way out: fix the games. From 2003 to 2007, Donaghy placed bets on games that he himself officiated.

When this story broke, all the positive PR in the world could not have saved him; his decision not only ruined his career, but also tarnished the reputation of the entire league.

Jake Magleby has written extensively about effective sales and financing strategies to help small business owners succeed in the fast-paced and ever-changing business world. He also helps Calgary SEO companies with marketing strategies.