AP, AUSTIN, Texas: Authorities say suspended Texas forward Alexis Wangmene had been arrested on a drunken driving charge.
Texas coach Rick Barnes announced Tuesday night that Wangmene was suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules. Wangmene did not play in No. 5 Texas' 76-53 win over Iowa State, but was on the bench in street clothes.
Travis County sheriff's spokesman Roger Wade said Wangmene was arrested early Sunday morning by Department of Public Safety officers in Austin and charged with driving while intoxicated. Wangmene was released from jail on a personal recognizance bond.
Texas spokesman Scott McConnell says Wangmeme remains suspended and Barnes had no immediate comment.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
NCAA pegs Pearl, Kiffin, Tennessee with violations
AP, KNOXVILLE, Tenn: The NCAA says both Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl and former football coach Lane Kiffin committed recruiting violations and failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance of NCAA rules within their programs.
Following its 22-month investigation of the athletic program, the NCAA notified Tennessee of a dozen rules violations by the coaches, their assistants and the university itself in a letter released by the school on Wednesday. Kiffin, who is now at Southern California, received a separate notice of the allegations against him.
Tennessee's baseball program was included in the investigation, but was not accused of any violations.
The university has until May 21 to respond to the NCAA's allegations and is expected to appear at a June 10-11 meeting of the Committee on Infractions. A final decision by the NCAA and any sanctions likely would come several weeks after that.
"Receipt of the NCAA's notice of allegations by the University of Tennessee is another step in bringing this matter to conclusion," Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton said in a statement. "Our institution has operated in complete cooperation with the NCAA since April 2009 as they have pursued their investigations. We take these allegations seriously and most items noted in this document have already been reported broadly."
Pearl has been charged with unethical conduct after misleading NCAA investigators in a June 14 interview about hosting high school juniors at a cookout at his house on Sept. 20, 2008, and phoning John Craft, father of recruit Aaron Craft, during the probe in an effort to influence Craft's statement to investigators about the cookout. Craft is now a freshman at Ohio State.
"Throughout this process we have recognized that we made significant mistakes, and we look forward to concluding this matter with the NCAA," Pearl said in a statement. "The penalties imposed on our program to date have been severe, but I want to commend our student-athletes and staff for staying focused and working through these potential distractions."
Tennessee reduced Pearl's his salary by $1.5 million over four seasons in September and banned him from off-campus recruiting for a year. The Southeastern Conference also weighed in, suspending him for eight conference games, which he has already sat out.
The NCAA alleged that Pearl's assistants, Tony Jones, Steve Forbes and Jason Shay "violated the NCAA's principles of honesty" by not providing complete information to investigators about the cookout. Tennessee lowered each assistant's salary and banned them from off-campus recruiting for various lengths of time for their role in the scandal.
Pearl, Jones and Forbes are also accused of making a total of 96 impermissible phone calls to 12 recruits or relatives of recruits between Aug. 1, 2007, and July 29, 2009. Tennessee has been charged with failure to monitor the coaching staff's telephone contacts during that time.
"Any allegation from the NCAA is a serious matter for us, and we will address these issues in a timely manner," said Jimmy Cheek, chancellor of Tennessee's Knoxville campus. "As an institution we have been proactive in dealing with these allegations, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the NCAA."
Kiffin and his assistants are also accused of making improper phone calls to recruits even after Tennessee officials had warned them against making such phone calls. Kiffin made impermissible phone calls to recruits from Jan. 3-9, 2010, just days before ending his 14-month tenure at Tennessee and leaving for USC. Among the recipients of the calls was Seantrel Henderson, who signed with USC after Kiffin was hired but was later released form his commitment.
"On the advice of my legal counsel, we cannot comment other than to say we look forward to working through the process with the NCAA," Kiffin said in a statement.
Kiffin and recruiting intern Steve Rubio also visited a Florida high school on Oct. 12, 2009, after Tennessee officials warned the coach that Rubio was not permitted to make on-campus visits.
Kiffin's failure to monitor charge also stems from trips taken by members of the school's athletics hostess program to visit recruits.
"The NCAA enforcement process provides for Tennessee and Lane to address those charges. Until that process is completed, it would be unfair and premature for me or USC to comment on this matter," Southern California athletics director Pat Haden said in a statement. "However, I will say this: Since his return to USC last year as our head football coach, Lane has been vigilant in making sure he and the football program follow the NCAA's rules and compete the right way. Lane has my support as our head football coach."
Following its 22-month investigation of the athletic program, the NCAA notified Tennessee of a dozen rules violations by the coaches, their assistants and the university itself in a letter released by the school on Wednesday. Kiffin, who is now at Southern California, received a separate notice of the allegations against him.
Tennessee's baseball program was included in the investigation, but was not accused of any violations.
The university has until May 21 to respond to the NCAA's allegations and is expected to appear at a June 10-11 meeting of the Committee on Infractions. A final decision by the NCAA and any sanctions likely would come several weeks after that.
"Receipt of the NCAA's notice of allegations by the University of Tennessee is another step in bringing this matter to conclusion," Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton said in a statement. "Our institution has operated in complete cooperation with the NCAA since April 2009 as they have pursued their investigations. We take these allegations seriously and most items noted in this document have already been reported broadly."
Pearl has been charged with unethical conduct after misleading NCAA investigators in a June 14 interview about hosting high school juniors at a cookout at his house on Sept. 20, 2008, and phoning John Craft, father of recruit Aaron Craft, during the probe in an effort to influence Craft's statement to investigators about the cookout. Craft is now a freshman at Ohio State.
"Throughout this process we have recognized that we made significant mistakes, and we look forward to concluding this matter with the NCAA," Pearl said in a statement. "The penalties imposed on our program to date have been severe, but I want to commend our student-athletes and staff for staying focused and working through these potential distractions."
Tennessee reduced Pearl's his salary by $1.5 million over four seasons in September and banned him from off-campus recruiting for a year. The Southeastern Conference also weighed in, suspending him for eight conference games, which he has already sat out.
The NCAA alleged that Pearl's assistants, Tony Jones, Steve Forbes and Jason Shay "violated the NCAA's principles of honesty" by not providing complete information to investigators about the cookout. Tennessee lowered each assistant's salary and banned them from off-campus recruiting for various lengths of time for their role in the scandal.
Pearl, Jones and Forbes are also accused of making a total of 96 impermissible phone calls to 12 recruits or relatives of recruits between Aug. 1, 2007, and July 29, 2009. Tennessee has been charged with failure to monitor the coaching staff's telephone contacts during that time.
"Any allegation from the NCAA is a serious matter for us, and we will address these issues in a timely manner," said Jimmy Cheek, chancellor of Tennessee's Knoxville campus. "As an institution we have been proactive in dealing with these allegations, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the NCAA."
Kiffin and his assistants are also accused of making improper phone calls to recruits even after Tennessee officials had warned them against making such phone calls. Kiffin made impermissible phone calls to recruits from Jan. 3-9, 2010, just days before ending his 14-month tenure at Tennessee and leaving for USC. Among the recipients of the calls was Seantrel Henderson, who signed with USC after Kiffin was hired but was later released form his commitment.
"On the advice of my legal counsel, we cannot comment other than to say we look forward to working through the process with the NCAA," Kiffin said in a statement.
Kiffin and recruiting intern Steve Rubio also visited a Florida high school on Oct. 12, 2009, after Tennessee officials warned the coach that Rubio was not permitted to make on-campus visits.
Kiffin's failure to monitor charge also stems from trips taken by members of the school's athletics hostess program to visit recruits.
"The NCAA enforcement process provides for Tennessee and Lane to address those charges. Until that process is completed, it would be unfair and premature for me or USC to comment on this matter," Southern California athletics director Pat Haden said in a statement. "However, I will say this: Since his return to USC last year as our head football coach, Lane has been vigilant in making sure he and the football program follow the NCAA's rules and compete the right way. Lane has my support as our head football coach."
Vanderbilt reviewing bloody mascot incident
AP, NASHVILLE, Tenn: Vanderbilt officials are investigating how their mascot left a young man with a bloodied nose while crowd surfing through the student section.
Mr. Commodore moved through the students before coming down, first putting his hand on the young man's shoulder before knocking him in the face. Video on ESPN.com shows the incident during No. 18 Vanderbilt's 60-51 loss to instate rival Tennessee.
The young man stemmed the blood with newspaper, and assistant vice chancellor Brock Williams said Wednesday the student is fine.
School officials are trying to determine what happened. Williams says they will wait to decide whether to address stunts like crowd surfing. Vanderbilt's next home game is March 5 against Florida.
Mr. Commodore moved through the students before coming down, first putting his hand on the young man's shoulder before knocking him in the face. Video on ESPN.com shows the incident during No. 18 Vanderbilt's 60-51 loss to instate rival Tennessee.
The young man stemmed the blood with newspaper, and assistant vice chancellor Brock Williams said Wednesday the student is fine.
School officials are trying to determine what happened. Williams says they will wait to decide whether to address stunts like crowd surfing. Vanderbilt's next home game is March 5 against Florida.
Calhoun will miss Marquette game
AP, STORRS, Conn: UConn coach Jim Calhoun will skip the No. 14 Huskies' game vs. Marquette on Thursday night in Hartford, and also missed practice on Wednesday afternoon.
But it had nothing to do with the sanctions levied against the coach and his program one day earlier by the NCAA Committee on Infractions. Rather, Calhoun will attend a memorial service in Nashua, N.H., for his sister-in-law, Eileen McDevitt Fucile, who died on Monday.
Associate George Blaney will coach UConn (20-6, 8-6 Big East) vs. the Golden Eagles (16-11, 7-7).
Meanwhile, with the conference season winding down and a postseason bid to prepare for, the Huskies tried to focus on basketball as talk of the NCAA decisions hovered over them.
"Yeah, we saw all that stuff, but there wasn't really any type of mood on the team about it," junior Kemba Walker said. "It's great that they didn't take postseason play away from us, but other than that. ... I know coach Calhoun as a person. I know him very well and I know he wouldn't cheat to do anything. But it is what it is."
Among the penalties given UConn is a three-game suspension of Calhoun for next season's first three Big East games. Calhoun was cited for failing to monitor and promote an atmosphere of compliance within his program.
UConn was charged with recruiting violations, including allowing impermissible benefits from a booster, making impermissible phone calls and text messages, and providing impermissible complimentary tickets to individuals responsible for teaching or directing activities with prospective athletes.
Besides Calhoun's suspension, the penalties included three years of probation, permanent disassociation with the booster, reduction of a scholarship for three years, and recruiting restrictions.
Calhoun said on Tuesday he had not yet decided whether to appeal the decision. And on Wednesday, most of the Huskies said they simply ignored the NCAA's announcement.
"I didn't pay attention to it at all," freshman Jeremy Lamb said. "I didn't even know it was coming out. I was in the student union, and people were saying it was coming out. But I didn't pay much attention to it. And I'm not going to think about it now."
Calhoun's absence is nothing new. He missed seven games last season while on an undisclosed medical leave, and has missed parts of 20 games in previous seasons due to illness.
"We're not worried, we're still going to be under a great coach," Lamb said. "It's going to be a different voice, but the same stuff will be said."
Calhoun did speak to the team before leaving for New Hampshire, but didn't bring up the sanctions.
"He's got bigger things to worry about," Walker said. "It's not going to affect us at all, anyway. We're just going to play basketball, that's it."
But it had nothing to do with the sanctions levied against the coach and his program one day earlier by the NCAA Committee on Infractions. Rather, Calhoun will attend a memorial service in Nashua, N.H., for his sister-in-law, Eileen McDevitt Fucile, who died on Monday.
Associate George Blaney will coach UConn (20-6, 8-6 Big East) vs. the Golden Eagles (16-11, 7-7).
Meanwhile, with the conference season winding down and a postseason bid to prepare for, the Huskies tried to focus on basketball as talk of the NCAA decisions hovered over them.
"Yeah, we saw all that stuff, but there wasn't really any type of mood on the team about it," junior Kemba Walker said. "It's great that they didn't take postseason play away from us, but other than that. ... I know coach Calhoun as a person. I know him very well and I know he wouldn't cheat to do anything. But it is what it is."
Among the penalties given UConn is a three-game suspension of Calhoun for next season's first three Big East games. Calhoun was cited for failing to monitor and promote an atmosphere of compliance within his program.
UConn was charged with recruiting violations, including allowing impermissible benefits from a booster, making impermissible phone calls and text messages, and providing impermissible complimentary tickets to individuals responsible for teaching or directing activities with prospective athletes.
Besides Calhoun's suspension, the penalties included three years of probation, permanent disassociation with the booster, reduction of a scholarship for three years, and recruiting restrictions.
Calhoun said on Tuesday he had not yet decided whether to appeal the decision. And on Wednesday, most of the Huskies said they simply ignored the NCAA's announcement.
"I didn't pay attention to it at all," freshman Jeremy Lamb said. "I didn't even know it was coming out. I was in the student union, and people were saying it was coming out. But I didn't pay much attention to it. And I'm not going to think about it now."
Calhoun's absence is nothing new. He missed seven games last season while on an undisclosed medical leave, and has missed parts of 20 games in previous seasons due to illness.
"We're not worried, we're still going to be under a great coach," Lamb said. "It's going to be a different voice, but the same stuff will be said."
Calhoun did speak to the team before leaving for New Hampshire, but didn't bring up the sanctions.
"He's got bigger things to worry about," Walker said. "It's not going to affect us at all, anyway. We're just going to play basketball, that's it."
Lakers end 3-game skid, blow out Hawks 104-80
AP, LOS ANGELES: All-Star game MVP Kobe Bryant scored 20 points, Pau Gasol added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers easily ended their three-game skid with a 104-80 victory over the struggling Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night.
Shannon Brown scored 15 points as the two-time defending NBA champions got right back into form after stumbling into their hometown All-Star weekend with increasingly embarrassing road losses to Orlando, Charlotte and league-worst Cleveland.
The Lakers jumped to a 22-point lead in the first half of their first home game since Feb. 3, never trailing for the NBA-best ninth time.
All-Star Joe Johnson scored 14 points for the Hawks, who opened a five-game road trip with their fourth loss in five games.
All-Star Al Horford scored 13 points as Atlanta made less than 37 percent of its shots, missing 14 of 15 3-pointers. Coach Larry Drew sat his five starters for the entire fourth quarter of Atlanta's fifth straight loss to the Lakers at Staples Center.
The Lakers played the past seven games on the road while the Grammys and the All-Star weekend occupied the building. Their loss to the NBA's worst team inspired another round of panic in their fans, but the Lakers calmly proved they can still turn it on against a solid playoff contender.
Two days after taking every available shot while leading the All-Star game with 37 points on the way to his record-tying fourth MVP award, Bryant took just 11 shots — and he didn't need to do much more against the discombobulated Hawks.
The larger Lakers dominated Atlanta on the boards 54-32, with Andrew Bynum racking up 15 rebounds and three blocked shots. A 26-point lead heading into the fourth quarter allowed coach Phil Jackson to give plenty of rest to his regulars before Wednesday's trip to Portland.
Atlanta's two All-Stars were fairly sharp, but their teammates didn't quite appear ready for the stretch run to start just yet. Outside of Johnson and Horford, the Hawks were 18 for 59.
The Hawks play five games in seven days on their trip, including Wednesday night in Phoenix.
The Lakers built a 15-point lead in the first quarter with 67 percent shooting, easily finding open shots and thoroughly outrebounding the smaller, quicker Hawks. Atlanta fell apart offensively in the second quarter, going nearly 5 minutes without scoring and nearly 6 1/2 minutes between field goals while the Lakers scored 14 straight points on the way to a 54-33 halftime lead.
Before the game, Bryant and Derek Fisher presented Atlanta reserve Josh Powell with his championship ring from last season's NBA title run with Los Angeles. Powell didn't contribute much to the Lakers last season, but Jackson praised his practice intensity.
Notes: Drew played two seasons with the Lakers from 1989-91, spent several years as a Lakers assistant coach and lives in Los Angeles in the offseason. He remembers panic when the Lakers went on any kind of losing streak, just as the current team faces, but says most of the pressure came from within the club — particularly Magic Johnson. ... The Hawks were the only team Los Angeles hadn't already played this season. The clubs meet again in Atlanta on March 8. ... Fans near courtside included Jack Black, Matthew Perry, USC defensive line coach Ed Orgeron, and Jim Buss, the son of Lakers owner Jerry Buss.
Shannon Brown scored 15 points as the two-time defending NBA champions got right back into form after stumbling into their hometown All-Star weekend with increasingly embarrassing road losses to Orlando, Charlotte and league-worst Cleveland.
The Lakers jumped to a 22-point lead in the first half of their first home game since Feb. 3, never trailing for the NBA-best ninth time.
All-Star Joe Johnson scored 14 points for the Hawks, who opened a five-game road trip with their fourth loss in five games.
All-Star Al Horford scored 13 points as Atlanta made less than 37 percent of its shots, missing 14 of 15 3-pointers. Coach Larry Drew sat his five starters for the entire fourth quarter of Atlanta's fifth straight loss to the Lakers at Staples Center.
The Lakers played the past seven games on the road while the Grammys and the All-Star weekend occupied the building. Their loss to the NBA's worst team inspired another round of panic in their fans, but the Lakers calmly proved they can still turn it on against a solid playoff contender.
Two days after taking every available shot while leading the All-Star game with 37 points on the way to his record-tying fourth MVP award, Bryant took just 11 shots — and he didn't need to do much more against the discombobulated Hawks.
The larger Lakers dominated Atlanta on the boards 54-32, with Andrew Bynum racking up 15 rebounds and three blocked shots. A 26-point lead heading into the fourth quarter allowed coach Phil Jackson to give plenty of rest to his regulars before Wednesday's trip to Portland.
Atlanta's two All-Stars were fairly sharp, but their teammates didn't quite appear ready for the stretch run to start just yet. Outside of Johnson and Horford, the Hawks were 18 for 59.
The Hawks play five games in seven days on their trip, including Wednesday night in Phoenix.
The Lakers built a 15-point lead in the first quarter with 67 percent shooting, easily finding open shots and thoroughly outrebounding the smaller, quicker Hawks. Atlanta fell apart offensively in the second quarter, going nearly 5 minutes without scoring and nearly 6 1/2 minutes between field goals while the Lakers scored 14 straight points on the way to a 54-33 halftime lead.
Before the game, Bryant and Derek Fisher presented Atlanta reserve Josh Powell with his championship ring from last season's NBA title run with Los Angeles. Powell didn't contribute much to the Lakers last season, but Jackson praised his practice intensity.
Notes: Drew played two seasons with the Lakers from 1989-91, spent several years as a Lakers assistant coach and lives in Los Angeles in the offseason. He remembers panic when the Lakers went on any kind of losing streak, just as the current team faces, but says most of the pressure came from within the club — particularly Magic Johnson. ... The Hawks were the only team Los Angeles hadn't already played this season. The clubs meet again in Atlanta on March 8. ... Fans near courtside included Jack Black, Matthew Perry, USC defensive line coach Ed Orgeron, and Jim Buss, the son of Lakers owner Jerry Buss.
Refreshed Lakers shoot down Hawks
Reuters, LOS ANGELES: Refreshed and back in synch after the All Star break, the Los Angeles Lakers flexed their muscles with a 104-80 thrashing of the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
Kobe Bryant followed up an MVP performance in Sunday's All Star game with 20 points, while Pau Gasol added 14 points and 10 rebounds as the defending NBA champions ended a three-game losing skid in style.
Much having been made of their recent slump, the Lakers (39-19) quickly jumped on Atlanta and took a 21-point halftime lead before cruising to the finish.
"We have 24 games left in the regular season so the sense of urgency," Bryant told reporters.
"This is not about statements, it's about us playing the right way and tonight we did a great job and came out with the win."
Currently third in the Western Conference, Los Angeles has battled inconsistency all season.
The Lakers were coming off an embarrassing loss to the NBA-worst Cleveland Cavaliers in their last outing, but against Atlanta they turned up their intensity.
The Hawks (34-22) were held to just 36 percent shooting and lost for the fourth time in five games.
Joe Johnson was Atlanta's leading scorer with 14 points as the Hawks fell a game and a half behind the Orlando Magic for fourth-place in the Eastern Conference.
Atlanta was playing the first contest of a five-game road trip against Western Conference teams and the Lakers made it a rude opening for the visitors.
Shannon Brown scored 15 points off the bench and Andrew Bynum made some critical defensive plays, grabbing 15 rebounds and blocking three shots.
"We were out there playing more aggressive defensively and it paid off," Bynum said.
"We have a goal to beat last year's record (of 57-25). Setting short-term goals and trying to meet them can change the way we play."
Kobe Bryant followed up an MVP performance in Sunday's All Star game with 20 points, while Pau Gasol added 14 points and 10 rebounds as the defending NBA champions ended a three-game losing skid in style.
Much having been made of their recent slump, the Lakers (39-19) quickly jumped on Atlanta and took a 21-point halftime lead before cruising to the finish.
"We have 24 games left in the regular season so the sense of urgency," Bryant told reporters.
"This is not about statements, it's about us playing the right way and tonight we did a great job and came out with the win."
Currently third in the Western Conference, Los Angeles has battled inconsistency all season.
The Lakers were coming off an embarrassing loss to the NBA-worst Cleveland Cavaliers in their last outing, but against Atlanta they turned up their intensity.
The Hawks (34-22) were held to just 36 percent shooting and lost for the fourth time in five games.
Joe Johnson was Atlanta's leading scorer with 14 points as the Hawks fell a game and a half behind the Orlando Magic for fourth-place in the Eastern Conference.
Atlanta was playing the first contest of a five-game road trip against Western Conference teams and the Lakers made it a rude opening for the visitors.
Shannon Brown scored 15 points off the bench and Andrew Bynum made some critical defensive plays, grabbing 15 rebounds and blocking three shots.
"We were out there playing more aggressive defensively and it paid off," Bynum said.
"We have a goal to beat last year's record (of 57-25). Setting short-term goals and trying to meet them can change the way we play."
NBA hoping to speed up games with warning horns
AP, AUBURN HILLS, Mich: The NBA has a message for players and officials: Be ready to start when a timeout is over.
The league's scoreboard operators have been told to sound warning horns during breaks in the action in an effort to cut down on the length of games. According to a courtside memo Tuesday night at the Detroit Pistons' game against the Houston Rockets, games have been taking longer, "largely due to prolonged delays after breaks."
NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed to The Associated Press that the new protocol went into effect Tuesday night.
Memos outlined new procedures for locally telecast games, including warning horns to be sounded shortly before the ends of timeouts and breaks between periods.
Those warning horns are to be followed by final horns ending those breaks, and referees are directed to make sure huddles break promptly.
"We communicated to teams that the first horn was a warning that the TO was to end and that they should be on their way to resume by the second," Frank said in an e-mail.
Detroit's 108-100 loss to Houston ended in 2 hours, 4 minutes — the Pistons' fastest home game of the season.
Elsewhere, Indiana's game at Washington ended in 2:21.
"I'm a rookie coach, and I need to get my guys out of the huddle faster," Indiana's Frank Vogel said.
Charlotte's home game against Toronto was over in 2:12, and players said the change wasn't a big deal.
"I didn't notice it. I really didn't even know about it," Toronto guard Jerryd Bayless said. "I'm not really worried about the horn too much, I'm worried about what (coach) Jay (Triano) and everybody else is saying. I don't know, I didn't hear it."
The league's scoreboard operators have been told to sound warning horns during breaks in the action in an effort to cut down on the length of games. According to a courtside memo Tuesday night at the Detroit Pistons' game against the Houston Rockets, games have been taking longer, "largely due to prolonged delays after breaks."
NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed to The Associated Press that the new protocol went into effect Tuesday night.
Memos outlined new procedures for locally telecast games, including warning horns to be sounded shortly before the ends of timeouts and breaks between periods.
Those warning horns are to be followed by final horns ending those breaks, and referees are directed to make sure huddles break promptly.
"We communicated to teams that the first horn was a warning that the TO was to end and that they should be on their way to resume by the second," Frank said in an e-mail.
Detroit's 108-100 loss to Houston ended in 2 hours, 4 minutes — the Pistons' fastest home game of the season.
Elsewhere, Indiana's game at Washington ended in 2:21.
"I'm a rookie coach, and I need to get my guys out of the huddle faster," Indiana's Frank Vogel said.
Charlotte's home game against Toronto was over in 2:12, and players said the change wasn't a big deal.
"I didn't notice it. I really didn't even know about it," Toronto guard Jerryd Bayless said. "I'm not really worried about the horn too much, I'm worried about what (coach) Jay (Triano) and everybody else is saying. I don't know, I didn't hear it."
Knicks land Anthony, certain he's worth the price
AP, GREENBURGH, N.Y: Players like Carmelo Anthony don't come cheap, and many times they don't come around at all.
So even though it cost much of their core, the New York Knicks couldn't pass up a chance to pair him with Amare Stoudemire.
"I think this puts us in a way ahead of everything, because these are the kind of guys that are really hard to get," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. "Whether it's in the free agent market or whether they're in a trade, they're very difficult to get. And they're guys that can go out there and get 30 to 40 points in a playoff game."
Yes, the Knicks are talking about the playoffs.
And they think the three-team, 13-player deal they completed Tuesday with Denver and Minnesota will make them better when they get there.
"When you go out hunting, would you rather have a bigger gun or a little gun?" coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We got a bigger gun."
Anthony, who signed a three-year, $65 million extension before the deal was finalized, will join fellow All-Star Stoudemire in the frontcourt, giving the Knicks the potent duo they hoped they could assemble last summer in free agency.
"We liked the way our team played this year and I looked at it and I thought we had one piece that was at the high level of the league. We always wanted two pieces at least," Walsh said.
Stoudemire has led the Knicks to a 28-26 record this season, but said they will be even more dangerous with Anthony bringing his 25.2 points per game to join his 26.1 average.
"Every team needs a 1, 1A punch," Stoudemire said. "And so with the ways that we both can score .... we're very versatile, so it's hard to guard us."
Stoudemire said he had "no doubt" the All-Star forwards and longtime friends could play together, and said Anthony would handle the move to New York as well as he has.
"It's what he wants. It's what I wanted, to come to New York and play on the big stage," Stoudemire said. "He has the same type of swag. This is what he wants and he can handle it. We're going to do it together."
The Knicks also got guards Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter, and forwards Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams from Denver. New York dealt forwards Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari, guard Raymond Felton and center Timofey Mozgov to the Nuggets.
New York also shipped centers Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph to Minnesota for forward Corey Brewer. Denver acquired center Kosta Koufos from Minnesota, plus New York's first-round draft pick in 2014, second-round picks in 2012 and 2013 and cash.
The Knicks haven't made the playoffs since 2004, but are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference in their first season since acquiring Stoudemire from Phoenix last summer. He thinks the blockbuster deal could make them better equipped to face teams such as Boston or Miami, which already have multiple All-Stars, in the postseason.
"They're pretty good. That's a heck of a trade," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "Really, it's nice to see. It's a good trade for both teams. I thought Denver got everything it could possibly get in the deal, and I thought the Knicks did everything they could as well. They ended up with Carmelo, Corey Brewer and Chauncey Billups. They have a heck of a basketball team. It just makes the East more interesting."
Miami's LeBron James said he was happy his friend's uncertainty was finally over.
"I think it's great for the NBA," James said. "The fact that the Knicks are back, the Celtics have been back for the last few years and all the other teams are trying to compete, I think it's great."
It was Anthony's refusal to take the extension when the Nuggets offered it to him last summer that forced them to explore trading their leading scorer. The Knicks hoped they could sign him next summer in free agency, but felt they couldn't wait because Anthony wanted the extension this season, before a new collective bargaining agreement next summer could severely restrict salaries, and that could have forced him to lock in long term with whatever team Denver traded him to.
So the Knicks agreed to trade four of their top six players, realizing there were few chances to add a player of Anthony's caliber.
"Now we've got two guys in our stable," D'Antoni said.
The Knicks hope Anthony will be able to play Wednesday when they host Milwaukee. All the players in the deal must pass physicals before any of them can play.
Nuggets president Josh Kroenke said in a statement the Nuggets enjoyed watching Anthony grow during his seven seasons with the team.
"However, Carmelo made it very clear early in the season that he wasn't willing to recommit to the organization and wanted to pursue other opportunities in basketball and life," Kroenke said. "At that point, we decided it was imperative that we do what was in the best interest of the Denver Nuggets and our fans. We wish Carmelo the best in his career and sincerely thank him for what he's helped us accomplish."
New York's once-passionate fan base was turned off by the team's poor play on the court and embarrassing press off it for most of the decade under Isiah Thomas' reign as president and coach. But in the third season under Walsh and D'Antoni, the buzz has come back, and it's only going to get louder once Anthony takes the court.
"New York City was on fire even before this trade happened with Carmelo, thanks to (the traded players) and I think with the help of Carmelo and Chauncey and the rest of the guys, we have a great shot at it," Stoudemire said.
Though Anthony was the focus, the Knicks are excited about the acquisition of Billups, a former NBA finals MVP and five-time All-Star who remains one of the league's top point guards and will orchestrate D'Antoni's pick-and-roll offense.
The Anthony trade saga lasted all season and often overshadowed the Knicks' improved play. During a chaotic final week, the Nuggets entertained offers from the Knicks and New Jersey Nets, with both owners meeting with Anthony during the All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.
Walsh repeated the Knicks' previous denials that Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan — with advice from Thomas — had taken the Anthony pursuit out of his hands and paid more than Walsh would have.
"I'm the one who knows basketball, so my job is to advise him, 'This is good for your franchise,' and I did that," Walsh said.
The Knicks are probably too far back to make a big move in the standings over the final portion of the regular season. But they believe they have enough time to fit in the new players and be a threat if they finally get back to the playoffs.
"It'll be up to the players and I'm sure Carmelo wants to come in and win. He didn't come here just to go to Broadway, he wants to win," D'Antoni said. "Amare I know wants to win, I talked to him. I know Chauncey wants to win, so let's sit down and figure it out. And there's a lot of talent there to figure it out."
So even though it cost much of their core, the New York Knicks couldn't pass up a chance to pair him with Amare Stoudemire.
"I think this puts us in a way ahead of everything, because these are the kind of guys that are really hard to get," Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. "Whether it's in the free agent market or whether they're in a trade, they're very difficult to get. And they're guys that can go out there and get 30 to 40 points in a playoff game."
Yes, the Knicks are talking about the playoffs.
And they think the three-team, 13-player deal they completed Tuesday with Denver and Minnesota will make them better when they get there.
"When you go out hunting, would you rather have a bigger gun or a little gun?" coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We got a bigger gun."
Anthony, who signed a three-year, $65 million extension before the deal was finalized, will join fellow All-Star Stoudemire in the frontcourt, giving the Knicks the potent duo they hoped they could assemble last summer in free agency.
"We liked the way our team played this year and I looked at it and I thought we had one piece that was at the high level of the league. We always wanted two pieces at least," Walsh said.
Stoudemire has led the Knicks to a 28-26 record this season, but said they will be even more dangerous with Anthony bringing his 25.2 points per game to join his 26.1 average.
"Every team needs a 1, 1A punch," Stoudemire said. "And so with the ways that we both can score .... we're very versatile, so it's hard to guard us."
Stoudemire said he had "no doubt" the All-Star forwards and longtime friends could play together, and said Anthony would handle the move to New York as well as he has.
"It's what he wants. It's what I wanted, to come to New York and play on the big stage," Stoudemire said. "He has the same type of swag. This is what he wants and he can handle it. We're going to do it together."
The Knicks also got guards Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter, and forwards Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams from Denver. New York dealt forwards Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari, guard Raymond Felton and center Timofey Mozgov to the Nuggets.
New York also shipped centers Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph to Minnesota for forward Corey Brewer. Denver acquired center Kosta Koufos from Minnesota, plus New York's first-round draft pick in 2014, second-round picks in 2012 and 2013 and cash.
The Knicks haven't made the playoffs since 2004, but are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference in their first season since acquiring Stoudemire from Phoenix last summer. He thinks the blockbuster deal could make them better equipped to face teams such as Boston or Miami, which already have multiple All-Stars, in the postseason.
"They're pretty good. That's a heck of a trade," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "Really, it's nice to see. It's a good trade for both teams. I thought Denver got everything it could possibly get in the deal, and I thought the Knicks did everything they could as well. They ended up with Carmelo, Corey Brewer and Chauncey Billups. They have a heck of a basketball team. It just makes the East more interesting."
Miami's LeBron James said he was happy his friend's uncertainty was finally over.
"I think it's great for the NBA," James said. "The fact that the Knicks are back, the Celtics have been back for the last few years and all the other teams are trying to compete, I think it's great."
It was Anthony's refusal to take the extension when the Nuggets offered it to him last summer that forced them to explore trading their leading scorer. The Knicks hoped they could sign him next summer in free agency, but felt they couldn't wait because Anthony wanted the extension this season, before a new collective bargaining agreement next summer could severely restrict salaries, and that could have forced him to lock in long term with whatever team Denver traded him to.
So the Knicks agreed to trade four of their top six players, realizing there were few chances to add a player of Anthony's caliber.
"Now we've got two guys in our stable," D'Antoni said.
The Knicks hope Anthony will be able to play Wednesday when they host Milwaukee. All the players in the deal must pass physicals before any of them can play.
Nuggets president Josh Kroenke said in a statement the Nuggets enjoyed watching Anthony grow during his seven seasons with the team.
"However, Carmelo made it very clear early in the season that he wasn't willing to recommit to the organization and wanted to pursue other opportunities in basketball and life," Kroenke said. "At that point, we decided it was imperative that we do what was in the best interest of the Denver Nuggets and our fans. We wish Carmelo the best in his career and sincerely thank him for what he's helped us accomplish."
New York's once-passionate fan base was turned off by the team's poor play on the court and embarrassing press off it for most of the decade under Isiah Thomas' reign as president and coach. But in the third season under Walsh and D'Antoni, the buzz has come back, and it's only going to get louder once Anthony takes the court.
"New York City was on fire even before this trade happened with Carmelo, thanks to (the traded players) and I think with the help of Carmelo and Chauncey and the rest of the guys, we have a great shot at it," Stoudemire said.
Though Anthony was the focus, the Knicks are excited about the acquisition of Billups, a former NBA finals MVP and five-time All-Star who remains one of the league's top point guards and will orchestrate D'Antoni's pick-and-roll offense.
The Anthony trade saga lasted all season and often overshadowed the Knicks' improved play. During a chaotic final week, the Nuggets entertained offers from the Knicks and New Jersey Nets, with both owners meeting with Anthony during the All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.
Walsh repeated the Knicks' previous denials that Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan — with advice from Thomas — had taken the Anthony pursuit out of his hands and paid more than Walsh would have.
"I'm the one who knows basketball, so my job is to advise him, 'This is good for your franchise,' and I did that," Walsh said.
The Knicks are probably too far back to make a big move in the standings over the final portion of the regular season. But they believe they have enough time to fit in the new players and be a threat if they finally get back to the playoffs.
"It'll be up to the players and I'm sure Carmelo wants to come in and win. He didn't come here just to go to Broadway, he wants to win," D'Antoni said. "Amare I know wants to win, I talked to him. I know Chauncey wants to win, so let's sit down and figure it out. And there's a lot of talent there to figure it out."
'Melodrama' proves sneaker is on other foot now
AP, All of a sudden, the NBA looks more like a fantasy league than a real one.
Talk about the sneaker being on the other foot: On the heels of LeBron James' migration to South Beach, now it's the megastars and their agents, not management, who decide where they want to play, with whom, and even when.
Fearful of getting little in return, as the Cavaliers basically did when James ducked out of town last summer as a free agent, front offices have few options at the moment other than cleaning up the mess left behind.
"I want to offer a personal apology to the Billups family," Denver Nuggets President Josh Kroenke said Tuesday, hours after reluctantly throwing local hero Chauncey Billups into the three-team, 13-player deal engineered by Carmelo Anthony so he could move to New York.
"They mean the world to me, personally, and I know that Chauncey means everything to Denver. He is," Kroenke added, "Denver basketball."
Except that he's not anymore.
Scenes like that will be repeated more often unless commissioner David Stern finds a way to tuck something into the next collective bargaining agreement to stop franchise players from fleeing small-market teams for the bright lights of the biggest cities. At the head of the 2012 free-agent class are Dwight Howard of Orlando, Chris Paul of New Orleans and Deron Williams of Utah, each of whom will have enough leverage to force deals that could unite them with pals in just about any town they choose.
Williams said he was eager to avoid the circus-like atmosphere that ensnared both James and Anthony once they made it clear they were shopping for teams.
"Obviously, I'm not going to do 'The Decision,'" he laughed. "I don't think anybody would tune in anyways."
"I don't think about it," Paul said, "because those guys will probably tell you they got tired of it a little bit. I mean if you're asking the same question over and over and getting the same answer, that's kind of crazy in itself."
But both made clear it would be crazier still not to explore every option.
"When people ask me about it, I just try to shrug it off and say you'll hear the decision live a year from now or two years from now," Williams said.
Stern was asked during last weekend's All-Star gala how he planned to reclaim some of that leverage for the owners, especially in the smaller markets. He answered that every team was trying to compete, conveniently leaving out that guys like Howard, Paul and Williams already belong to competitive teams — and are likely to want out, anyway.
So what to do?
Allowing owners to attach franchise tags to players, as the NFL currently does, might be the option easiest to sell to each side in negotiations. Especially since Paul, one of the players most likely to leave, also happens to be the most valuable piece of a franchise the NBA currently owns and desperately needs to sell.
Beyond that, owners could take a hard line and demand a hard salary cap, or shorter contracts and less guaranteed money, making it riskier for players to depart. As a sweetener, owners could relax those terms for players who re-sign with their current teams.
All that, of course, could be little more than wishful thinking — or simply the prelude to a walkout.
If you want to know just what Stern and his owners are up against, consider this snapshot from that same All-Star weekend. On Saturday, Paul, James and Anthony — all of whom share agent Leon Rose — sat side-by-side at the scorers table after practice, sharing a few laughs.
The three also were together in New York at Anthony's wedding last summer, along with Knicks star Amare Stoudemire. Paul got up to give a toast, mindful of James' move to Miami and his reunion with fellow Olympic stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh just a few days earlier. Paul looked at Stoudemire and Anthony, then laughed, "We'll form our own Big 3."
That joke came up again when James, Anthony and Paul were together again in Los Angeles. Taking note of the hoopla building over the weekend as speculation swirled around where Anthony would wind up, James turned to Paul and playfully said, "You started all this."
No argument there.
But nothing is likely to determine the future of the NBA more than whether it's the owners or players who get the last word on how it ends.
Talk about the sneaker being on the other foot: On the heels of LeBron James' migration to South Beach, now it's the megastars and their agents, not management, who decide where they want to play, with whom, and even when.
Fearful of getting little in return, as the Cavaliers basically did when James ducked out of town last summer as a free agent, front offices have few options at the moment other than cleaning up the mess left behind.
"I want to offer a personal apology to the Billups family," Denver Nuggets President Josh Kroenke said Tuesday, hours after reluctantly throwing local hero Chauncey Billups into the three-team, 13-player deal engineered by Carmelo Anthony so he could move to New York.
"They mean the world to me, personally, and I know that Chauncey means everything to Denver. He is," Kroenke added, "Denver basketball."
Except that he's not anymore.
Scenes like that will be repeated more often unless commissioner David Stern finds a way to tuck something into the next collective bargaining agreement to stop franchise players from fleeing small-market teams for the bright lights of the biggest cities. At the head of the 2012 free-agent class are Dwight Howard of Orlando, Chris Paul of New Orleans and Deron Williams of Utah, each of whom will have enough leverage to force deals that could unite them with pals in just about any town they choose.
Williams said he was eager to avoid the circus-like atmosphere that ensnared both James and Anthony once they made it clear they were shopping for teams.
"Obviously, I'm not going to do 'The Decision,'" he laughed. "I don't think anybody would tune in anyways."
"I don't think about it," Paul said, "because those guys will probably tell you they got tired of it a little bit. I mean if you're asking the same question over and over and getting the same answer, that's kind of crazy in itself."
But both made clear it would be crazier still not to explore every option.
"When people ask me about it, I just try to shrug it off and say you'll hear the decision live a year from now or two years from now," Williams said.
Stern was asked during last weekend's All-Star gala how he planned to reclaim some of that leverage for the owners, especially in the smaller markets. He answered that every team was trying to compete, conveniently leaving out that guys like Howard, Paul and Williams already belong to competitive teams — and are likely to want out, anyway.
So what to do?
Allowing owners to attach franchise tags to players, as the NFL currently does, might be the option easiest to sell to each side in negotiations. Especially since Paul, one of the players most likely to leave, also happens to be the most valuable piece of a franchise the NBA currently owns and desperately needs to sell.
Beyond that, owners could take a hard line and demand a hard salary cap, or shorter contracts and less guaranteed money, making it riskier for players to depart. As a sweetener, owners could relax those terms for players who re-sign with their current teams.
All that, of course, could be little more than wishful thinking — or simply the prelude to a walkout.
If you want to know just what Stern and his owners are up against, consider this snapshot from that same All-Star weekend. On Saturday, Paul, James and Anthony — all of whom share agent Leon Rose — sat side-by-side at the scorers table after practice, sharing a few laughs.
The three also were together in New York at Anthony's wedding last summer, along with Knicks star Amare Stoudemire. Paul got up to give a toast, mindful of James' move to Miami and his reunion with fellow Olympic stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh just a few days earlier. Paul looked at Stoudemire and Anthony, then laughed, "We'll form our own Big 3."
That joke came up again when James, Anthony and Paul were together again in Los Angeles. Taking note of the hoopla building over the weekend as speculation swirled around where Anthony would wind up, James turned to Paul and playfully said, "You started all this."
No argument there.
But nothing is likely to determine the future of the NBA more than whether it's the owners or players who get the last word on how it ends.
Nets land Williams in three-player trade with Jazz
Reuters, NEW YORK: The struggling New Jersey Nets acquired All-Star point guard Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz in a three-player trade after missing out on Carmelo Anthony, the two teams said on Wednesday.
The Nets, who were openly interested in acquiring Anthony until his trade to the New York Knicks, agreed to send guard Devin Harris, forward Derrick Favors, two first-round draft picks and cash to Utah for Williams.
"We are very excited to add a player the caliber of Deron Williams to our roster," Nets general manager Billy King said in a statement.
"He is one of the premier point guards in the NBA, and his skill and talent level will bolster our franchise as we continue to build toward our goal of becoming a championship-caliber team."
The 26-year-old Williams, selected third overall by Utah in the 2005 NBA Draft, is averaging a career-high 21.3 points per game this season along with 9.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds.
Favors, the third overall pick in last year's NBA draft, is averaging 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds this season.
Harris, who spent three-plus seasons in Dallas before being traded to New Jersey in 2008, is averaging 15.0 points and a career-high 7.6 assists in this campaign.
PARTING WAYS
Despite parting ways with Williams, the Jazz are confident former All-Star guard Harris will help the team who are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
"We feel that we've addressed a current need at point guard with Deron's departure, as well as the future with draft picks and a big man," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said.
"To do so we had to give up an All-Star, but we feel like this is a win for both sides."
The Nets have made pitches to several leading NBA players since Russian majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov purchased the team last year.
New Jersey, who set a record for the worst start to an NBA campaign last season and have stumbled to a 17-40 record this time round, talked with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh last year when they were free agents before shifting their focus to Anthony.
Anthony, a four-times All-Star who led the Denver Nuggets to seven consecutive playoff appearances, was the centerpiece of a nine-player blockbuster trade with the Knicks that was confirmed on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; editing by Ed Osmond)
The Nets, who were openly interested in acquiring Anthony until his trade to the New York Knicks, agreed to send guard Devin Harris, forward Derrick Favors, two first-round draft picks and cash to Utah for Williams.
"We are very excited to add a player the caliber of Deron Williams to our roster," Nets general manager Billy King said in a statement.
"He is one of the premier point guards in the NBA, and his skill and talent level will bolster our franchise as we continue to build toward our goal of becoming a championship-caliber team."
The 26-year-old Williams, selected third overall by Utah in the 2005 NBA Draft, is averaging a career-high 21.3 points per game this season along with 9.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds.
Favors, the third overall pick in last year's NBA draft, is averaging 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds this season.
Harris, who spent three-plus seasons in Dallas before being traded to New Jersey in 2008, is averaging 15.0 points and a career-high 7.6 assists in this campaign.
PARTING WAYS
Despite parting ways with Williams, the Jazz are confident former All-Star guard Harris will help the team who are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
"We feel that we've addressed a current need at point guard with Deron's departure, as well as the future with draft picks and a big man," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said.
"To do so we had to give up an All-Star, but we feel like this is a win for both sides."
The Nets have made pitches to several leading NBA players since Russian majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov purchased the team last year.
New Jersey, who set a record for the worst start to an NBA campaign last season and have stumbled to a 17-40 record this time round, talked with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh last year when they were free agents before shifting their focus to Anthony.
Anthony, a four-times All-Star who led the Denver Nuggets to seven consecutive playoff appearances, was the centerpiece of a nine-player blockbuster trade with the Knicks that was confirmed on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; editing by Ed Osmond)
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