Each weekday morning, Ball Don't Lie serves up a handful of NBA-related
stories to digest with your NSFW meatloaf.
Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "The economic realities that could have the Miami Heat operating below the NBA's roster limit this season also have taken a bite out of the team's coaching department. While Erik Spoelstra's staff will return intact, all will operate at salaries significantly lower than last season. Seeking to avoid the type of layoffs that cost the business side of the team's operation about 20 jobs in May, Heat President Pat Riley instead asked those on the basketball side of the team's operation to voluntarily accept pay cuts ranging from two percent to 20 percent. The cuts, which include everyone from the team's media-relations staff to the scouting staff to the executive staff, will cost Spoelstra and Riley well into the six figures. [...] Because roster salary rules are negotiated league-wide, players cannot be asked for such concessions. The NBA's collective-bargaining agreement, however, allows the league to hold nine percent of all player salaries in an escrow account, with all or a portion of that amount returned to the league if certain revenue thresholds are not reached. The NBA is forecasting a revenue decrease of five to 10 percent this coming season."
Paul Coro, Arizona Republic: "The wait on the expected release of Sasha Pavlovic(notes) turned out to be worth it for the Suns. The Suns and Pavlovic, acquired from Cleveland in June in the Shaquille O'Neal(notes) trade, agreed to a buyout that would save $500,000 more than the Suns stood to save by simply waiving the guard. Phoenix made the O'Neal deal for Pavlovic and Ben Wallace(notes) with the savings in mind. Wallace stood to make $14 million this season but took a $10 million buyout and signed with Detroit. Pavlovic had only $1.5 million of his $4.95 million salary guaranteed but accepted a $1.25 million buyout, giving the Suns an extra $250,000 savings in salary and another $250,000 saved from the luxury tax it would have cost."
Alan Hahn, Newsday: "Eddy Curry is back at the MSG Training Center, we're told, after completing an offseason committed to conditioning and nutrition. Curry has been on his own since the start of September because both trainers, Tommy Weatherspoon and Jerry Powell, had contracts with him that expired on Aug. 31. The finished product will be officially unveiled on Sept. 29, the first day of training camp, but teammates are curious to see him run in pre-camp scrimmages. So what will it be at the 5 spot for Mike D'Antoni? Will he try to shoe-horn Curry's lumbering power game into his up-tempo, spread offense? Or will he go with the more natural fit of Darko Milicic(notes)?"
Joe Freeman, The Oregonian:
"Nicolas Batum, fresh off his breakout rookie season, has shown both
maturation and an improved game this summer during high-level
international competition in Europe. Batum, who starts alongside fellow
NBA players Tony Parker(notes), Ronny Turiaf(notes) and Boris Diaw(notes) on the French
national team, has displayed increased confidence, a newfound
aggressive nature and versatility while playing in EuroBasket, a
premier international tournament. 'The best players in the league are
always trying to add something to their games (in the offseason),'
Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said. 'You're either getting
better or getting worse. Well, I really feel like he's gotten better.'
When training camp opens in two weeks, the Blazers figure to have three
starting positions up for grabs — point guard, small forward and
center. Batum will compete with veteran Martell Webster(notes) to retain the
starting spot at small forward he unexpectedly earned about this time a
year ago. And heading into camp, coach Nate McMillan says, Batum is the
favorite."
Marc Stein, ESPN: "Sources told ESPN.com that the Mavericks are actively pursuing two-for-one trades in hopes of easing the roster logjam before training camp starts Sept. 28, with center Nathan Jawai(notes) and swingman Shawne Williams(notes) among those being made available. But completing such deals, especially this close to camp, is difficult, with many teams having largely completed their offseason business and several teams around the league planning to carry only 13 or 14 players in the midst of a depressed economy. Even without another trade, Dallas' roster number will to drop to 16 through the release of veteran swingman Greg Buckner(notes), who was acquired from Memphis in the four-team deal that netted Marion in July. Buckner became eligible to be traded again last week, but Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has said publicly that Buckner will be let go to try to find another job before camp — instead of launching his third stint with Dallas. 'Given our depth at that position, coupled with the number of guaranteed contracts, there is simply no room on our roster,' Nelson said."
Eddie Sefko, Star-Telegram: "The Mavericks also learned that forward Tim Thomas(notes) suffered a knee injury of undetermined severity during a pickup game on the East Coast. Apparently, the injury is at least a sprain, but could include some cartilage damage. A sprain would mean the 6-10 forward probably would be able to participate in at least part of training camp, which starts Sept. 28, if not all of it. Cartilage damage would require perhaps four to eight weeks of recovery time. The Mavericks hope to know more when their doctors examine Thomas."
RealGM: "Despite publicly seeking a trade, Stephen Jackson(notes) hasn't lost his captaincy with the Golden State Warriors. 'I've talked to him,' said Don Nelson. 'I don't anticipate any problems.' The Warriors have not addressed whether Jackson will be subject to a fine for his comments."
Sam Amick, Sac Bee: "Yes, it's only September and the thought of an injury update right now seems a bit absurd. But Francisco Garcia(notes) went through much of last season with lingering injuries, one of which (fractured right ring finger) he repeated again earlier this month while playing with the Dominican Republic national team. So in the smallest of significant ways, it actually mattered this afternoon when the Kings announced that Garcia's injury is not serious and he can resume full hoops activities next week."
Ronald Tillery, The Commercial Appeal: "The new-look Grizzlies will bond in Birmingham. At the behest of head coach Lionel Hollins, the Grizzlies' training camp opens Sept. 29 in Alabama at the Bill Battle Coliseum on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College. The week-long camp, which includes two-a-day practices, ends Oct. 5. 'We are very grateful to Birmingham-Southern College for welcoming our team to the city of Birmingham,' Hollins said. 'Many NBA teams hold training camp away from their home cities, and Birmingham will give our team a chance to bond and focus on the upcoming season.' Memphis has just two players — Rudy Gay(notes) and Mike Conley(notes) — who were with the team two years ago. The Griz have eight new players on their 15-man roster for this season."
Suzanne Barlyn, Wall Street Journal: "A former Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball star won a $1.46 million arbitration award against Morgan Keegan & Co. for losses related to mutual funds that made bets in debt and other mortgage-related holdings, according to an arbitration award. Horace Grant, who retired from the Lakers in 2004, filed a securities arbitration claim in March against Morgan Keegan, a regional brokerage owned by Birmingham-based Regions Financial Corp., seeking more than $1.5 million for losses related to investments in four mutual funds. Mr. Grant's allegations included that Morgan Keegan failed to disclose the true risk of his investments and that they were speculative. He also alleged that fund managers weren't properly supervised, according to a complaint filed with the dispute resolution arm of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or Finra."
