September 30, 2008

Sam Cassell stays with Celtics

The Boston Celtics have re-signed guard Sam Cassell. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Cassell, a 6'3", 195 pound guard, is a veteran of 15 NBA seasons. Cassell won his third NBA title as a member of the Celtics last season after signing mid-season from the L.A. Clippers. Cassell averaged 7.6 points and 2.1 assists in 17 regular season games with the Celtics last season and finished the season with combined averages of 11.2 points and 3.9 assists per game. The 2003-04 All-Star scored 20 or more points 10 times last season including a season-high 35 points against the Indiana Pacers on November 7. He scored a high of 22 points with the Celtics against the Knicks on April 14.

September 18, 2008

Gilbert Arenas will miss first month of the season due to knee operation

Gilbert Arenas had a third operation on his bothersome left knee Wednesday morning, once again throwing into doubt his status for an upcoming Washington Wizards season.

Arenas had a "moderate amount of debris" removed from the knee after experiencing swelling and discomfort during his rehabilitation. The Wizards offered no timetable for his return — beyond the fact that he obviously won't be ready for the start of training camp next week — but Arenas told The Washington Post that he plans to be back on the court in early December, which would rule him out for the first month of the season.

The surgery is the third on the knee in 17 months for Arenas, who missed 69 regular-season games last season and had to shut himself down in the playoffs. It also raises more doubt about the wisdom of the Wizards' decision to give him a six-year, $111 million contract in July.

Arenas first hurt his knee in a game against Charlotte in April 2007. He tried to rush back and was playing in summer league games a few months later. The overzealous approach resulted in a second operation in November, causing him to miss most of the season.

Arenas vowed to take a more cautious approach to rehabilitation this summer, but the knee has not responded the way he would like.

The doctor who performed the operation Wednesday said debris buildup is common in Arenas' type of injury, and that an MRI showed the knee to be structurally sound.

"This was a proactive procedure that will enhance his rehabilitation process," said Dr. Marc Connell, the Wizards' team physician.

Despite the knee problems, the three-time All-Star decided to opt out of his contract at the end of last season and make himself a free agent. He re-signed with the Wizards, saying he accepted $16 million less than what was offered because he wanted to give the team more flexibility under the salary cap. Nevertheless, the $111 million deal was the richest in franchise history.

Arenas has proven to be one of the most exciting players in the NBA when healthy, averaging 22.8 points, 5.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds in his seven-season NBA career.

The Wizards' hopes of becoming a top Eastern Conference team have been disrupted by injuries to top players for the past two seasons. This was the season, they hoped, that everyone would stay more or less healthy.

"He had worked extremely hard over the summer and we know how much he's looking forward to returning to help the team," team president Ernie Grunfeld said. "However, our team has proven its resiliency in dealing with injuries in the past and we're approaching the start of training camp with confidence that they will once again compete at a high level until Gilbert's return."

September 3, 2008

Heat seeks help from Jamaal Magloire


The Heat signed the former All-Star center, Jamaal Magloire, on Tuesday, four days after agreeing to basic terms with the nine-year veteran. Magloire will likely compete with Mark Blount when training camp begins later this month for the starting center position.

The 6-foot-11, 265-pound Magloire has averaged 8.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in his career. He spent his first five seasons with the Charlotte and New Orleans Hornets, and has now been with five teams since the start of the 2005-06 season — Milwaukee, Portland, New Jersey, Dallas and now Miami.

Magloire has worn four different uniforms over the past three seasons, and spent last season as a forgotten man at the end of the New Jersey and Dallas benches. He doesn't think he's finished, and the Miami Heat apparently agree.

Luol Deng will play in Great Britain's European Championship


Luol Deng will play in Great Britain's European Championship qualifying games after the national association bumped up the insurance to cover his lucrative NBA contract.

Deng signed a new deal with the Chicago Bulls last month reportedly worth up to $80 million. British Basketball had been struggling to pay the insurance for the 23-year-old Sudanese-born player, who moved to London as a child to escape the conflict in his homeland.

However, the association said Saturday it had "reluctantly" agreed to increase his coverage, meaning Deng can play against Israel in Tel Aviv on Wednesday and against the Czech Republic in London next Saturday.

Deng is Britain's biggest basketball star, and the team would have little hope of reaching next year's Eurobasket tournament in Poland without the forward. He is also the cornerstone of Britain's push to have a competitive team at the 2012 London Olympics.


Credits to FoxSports.

2008 Olympics

 
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