Nets' Vandeweghe says future starts with team's youngsters

By John Schuhmann, NBA.com
Posted Aug 12 2009 12:25PM

It's a question all NBA general managers ask themselves every year: Are we focused on the present or the future? In New Jersey, the answer is clear.

The Nets traded Vince Carter, their best player, before the Draft to put themselves at the top of the list when it comes to cap space next summer. The deal, of course, followed the departures of Jason Kidd (at the 2008 trading deadline) and Richard Jefferson (last summer).

With all three trades, the Nets sacrificed short-term success for long-term opportunity. The Carter trade, with the lack of any other moves this offseason, has earned them failing grades from several pundits. NBA.com's own David Aldridge wrote that the Nets have had the worst summer of any team in the league.

Clearly, their roster is lacking experienced, top-of-the-line talent. As the Nets stand, it's very likely they'll be at or near the bottom of the Eastern Conference in the 2009-10 season. But the focus in East Rutherford is not on the next eight months.

The question is: How well are the Nets positioned for the longer-term future?

New Jersey will have more cap space next summer than any team in the league, around $25 million, depending on where the salary cap line falls. That's a lot of money to spend, enough to sign two major free agents (and there will be a lot of those to go around).

The Nets also have a deep developing core, led by point guard Devin Harris, who's under contract through 2013 at a very reasonable rate, and center Brook Lopez, who's coming off an impressive rookie season. With Courtney Lee, Yi Jianlian, Terrence Williams and Chris Douglas-Roberts, they have young depth as well. The Nets, all things considered, are in a better position than their equally focused-on-the-future neighbors in New York.

"When you're building a team up, all the young players are X-factors," Nets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said Tuesday. "That's why player development becomes so important and, in some cases, takes precedence over winning one particular game. You may sacrifice a little bit waiting for young players to improve."

Would the Nets be better off if they had kept Vince Carter? The 11-year veteran provided leadership. But he missed just two games last season and his team still went 34-48. With some improvement from their younger players, the Nets may have won a few more and maybe challenged for the eighth spot in the East.

"We weren't going where we wanted to go as we were constructed," Vandeweghe said. "Vince Carter is a tremendous basketball player, but we looked at our team and we realized that we weren't going to get to a championship level."

So the Nets took a step back, hoping it would allow them to take two steps forward. Carter's absence provides a greater opportunity for the younger players to develop. And for Vandeweghe and team president Rod Thorn, it's better to be in the position they are now than the one they've been in for the last five years.

"We weren't satisfied just staying in the middle," Vandeweghe said. "That, to me, is the worst place to be if you're going to improve your team."

So they're back at the bottom -- familiar territory for long-time Nets fans -- and looking toward next summer when they can start climbing back to the top, as they did in the first few years after Jason Kidd arrived.

Many doubt the Nets' ability to attract high-caliber free agents next summer. They're losing a lot of money at the Izod Center. Their proposed move to Brooklyn is seemingly forever in doubt.

If they don't get the go-ahead on the Brooklyn move, the franchise's future will be in a serious state of uncertainty. They need to break ground by Dec. 31 in order to sell tax-exempt bonds for the project (or have the budget go up considerably), and with an eminent domain hearing on Oct. 14 holding things up, it will be a tight squeeze at best. If they can't get to Brooklyn, no one knows where the Nets will end up and how that will affect their spending next summer when they have all that cap space.

Even if free agents aren't willing to spend a year or two in New Jersey, though, there are other ways to bring in more talent. Vandeweghe is quick to bring up the possibility of using cap space to acquire players via trade.

For now, the Nets play a waiting game, both with Brooklyn and with their roster. While they wait, they're preaching patience and a focus on improving from within.

Practise with Player and Assistant Coach of NBA

Arya Perdhana - detiksport


Jakarta -Detection Basketball League (DBL) slap on the back to make the world basketball country. In cooperation with the NBA, DBL hold training camp with the players and NBA assistant coach.

As published in the release detiksport received, the DBL akan Indonesia Development Camp that will dihelat DBL Arena in Surabaya Indonesia, 16-18 August come.

According to the plan, training camp will be followed by the 48 best basketball players DBL, consisting of 24 players and 24 players, son of daughter. They were selected from various cities throughout Indonesia, based on the ability to play basketball, the ability to lead, and their behavior during the play in the high school level.

They will all get to practice with guidance from the Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Martin, Portland Trailblazers assistant coach Joe Prunty and Neal Meyer, former assistant coach LA Clippers.

Martin is the three stars are presented DBL to Indonesia after Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers) and David Lee (NY Knicks). Martin, 25 years, seasons ago rataan record 24.6 points per game for the Kings.

Prunty while quite successful mengasisteni Blazers coach Nate McMillan and his club pass to take play-off as the team ranked five West Region despite 2-4 defeat of the Houston Rockets in the first round.

Roy's thirst to win could bring rings to Portland

By Vince Thomas, for NBA.com
Posted Aug 11 2009 1:08PM

You want a nice little laugh? Dig this: Brandon Roy's $82 million contract is only the second-largest deal in Blazers history, behind guess whose? Yep, Zach Randolph's $84 million deal he signed in 2004.

True, B-Roy's deal is more lucrative on a per-year basis, but you have to admit that piece of trivia is still funny.

Want another factoid? Okay, this one is less laughable and more, say, telling: For Roy's player-option fifth year in the 2014-2015 season, he's expected to earn about $20.1 million, which just clips the $19.7 million Scottie Pippen earned as a 37-year-old, averaging about 11-4-4 for the embryonic "Jail Blazers." Roy will be a "still in or near his prime" 31 that final year and, very realistically, maybe a couple rings deep.

Yeah, I said it: Roy and the Blazers might cop a couple rings within the next six seasons. Portland has that much potential and, perhaps more importantly, Roy is that good.

If you're not a hoops junkie with NBA League Pass or you're an early-riser that can't stay up for West Coast games, you might not know just how good this young kat is. Even his Second Team All-NBA and precocious debut in the Playoffs -- where he averaged 27 points, five rebounds and three assists -- was overshadowed by a loss to the Rockets in the first round.

Don't get it twisted, though. There's a reason why Roy and the Blazers played tug-o'-war over that fifth year of the contract extension. Roy wanted options and the Blazers wanted him locked in as long as possible. Other than Kobe and D-Wade, there is no better two-guard in the league. In fact, other than Kobe, D-Wade, LeBron and Chris Paul, I don't think there's a better, more valuable perimeter player -- period. Carmelo Anthony might be the best scorer in the league, but there are intangibles that Roy offers -- like an even-keeled leadership -- that arguably makes Roy more of a Real Franchise Player than 'Melo.

Introducing Roy as Portland's cornerstone, general manager Kevin Pritchard intimated that he noticed Roy's broad shoulders from the get-go.

"I remember driving back from that workout thinking this is our guy, and he's going to be a pillar of our franchise," said Pritchard, according to AP. "Brandon is a leader. He's a guy who cares about his teammates."

And this is why, no matter how understated his game is, no matter how reserved he can seem as a personality, Roy is worth every cent of that max contract he just signed. At his press conference, Roy said he's "very focused and determined to bring a championship to the Rose City." That's not just a platitude, coming from Roy.

Almost all athletes, on a fundamental level, "want" to win a championship. Roy is from a different ilk, one of those players that seems to be "driven" to win a championship.

The comical thing about the way Roy somehow floats under the radar is that he's such a killer in the clutch. You'd think it'd be hard to ignore a dude that routinely rips opponents' hearts out, all the while beating on his chest. Roy, almost too many times to count, has gone into Tasmanian Devil-mode in late game situations and carried the Blazers. He ranked seventh in 82games.com's "clutch stats" category last season, which included four game-winners.

He's one of the league's few assassins and it's all motivated by this thirst to win. Watching Roy's press conference, I got the feeling he was starving for a championship. Starving. You pay players like that as much as the salary cap allows.

"I always go back to, man, there's still something missing. And it's that championship," he said. "It's holding that trophy at the end of the season, knowing that we were the best team. Again this contract is great. I'm happy for my family and it's going to make things a lot easier. But at the same time, my goal when I came to this organization was to help win a championship. And not just one. But we have to start with one. So I'm excited."

"Not just one." He said that. That's a man on a mission. Andre Iguodala, Josh Smith and Luol Deng signed big contracts last summer. None, however, for the max. This might be conjecture, but I don't think those dudes are wired like Roy. B-Roy looks, sounds and plays like a young dude on a march to greatness. That mindset and personality-type can be invaluable to a franchise.

Now his focus turns to next season, with Roy's Blazers on the cusp. There are plenty of wholly plausible scenarios that could place Portland in the Western Conference finals, battling for a shot at the trophy. Portland is two-deep (sometimes three-deep) at practically every position. Not to mention most of the players -- and this is the scary part -- are at stages of their careers where their games leap to new levels.

LaMarcus Aldridge (also looking for an extension), Greg Oden, Martell Webster and Rudy Fernandez are all still players where their potential is their commodity. This could be a team that goes from last season's 54 wins and first-round exit to a 60-win contender. And they're really dangerous now that Andre Miller is on board to help relieve Roy of some of his leadership and facilitating duties.

Although they've been on the precipice recently with Drexler's Blazers and that crazy-talented squad earlier this decade, it's still been over 30 years since Portland has won a title.

Roy, unlike his peers and fortunately for Portland, isn't thinking about going anywhere else to win his ring.

"Portland is where I want to be," he said. "I don't know about some of the other superstars; they have ideas about other places. But I couldn't imagine being anywhere but here in Portland."

Pritchard, owner Paul Allen and Portland fans have to be in a gleeful haze right about now. Trust me, this kat is a keeper.

China will not Yao Force Play

Arya Perdhana - detiksport

Reuters

Beijing Threshing fracture injury could force the left foot of Yao Ming playing basketball for absent one season future. China will not claim to impose their stars the quick play.

Yao get injury time defend the Houston Rockets in the final phases of NBA competition, May. Two weekends back, China's most popular athlete is melakoni operation to cure his injury.

Injury was quite serious and can even create a center 28 years of age can be absent one season full. Not only can not defend the Rockets, Yao is not able to strengthen China's Team.

Consequently, China can not use any services at Yao Asian Championship which started yesterday in Tianjin. However, officials of Bamboo curtains select patient Yao recover.

"We hope he can recover soon and return to the field," said China's deputy Sports Minister Cui Dalin to AFP. "He was injury, is the fact. So we will not force him to do what he does not want."

Yao not only threatened to make absent one season, injury and even threaten the continuation of the career center who's tall is 229 cm.

Before the injury last, Yao had also suffered injuries in the same leg in April 2008. Still, Yao could recover in the Beijing Olympics and take their country in a position to finis-8; best position in history.

"If the matter of injury to players, we are very concerned and will treat them. We will maintain their interest and respect their choice," said Cui.

Big Match in the Christmas Day

Narayana Mahendra Prastya - detiksport


Next season, Christmas will be a busy calendar for the NBA. A number of big match will be on 25 December. What about the other NBA schedule?

NBA has released the schedule for the 2009-2010 season will begin on October 27 to come. As dilansir from the AFP, the Cleveland Cavaliers next season will be on LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal will entertain Boston Celtics in the first fight.

Meanwhile champion Los Angeles Lakers survive akan start the effort to maintain crown champion with the team sekota, Los Angeles Clippers on the same day.

Finalists seasons ago, Orlando Magic Philadelphia 76ers will entertain.

Christmas colored a number of big match. Date December 25 akan dipentaskan duel between contra Cavaliers Lakers. This fight will bring together the former punggawa O'Neal Lakers with his former colleagues, Kobe Bryant.

This is the fourth time in the last five years, Bryant and O'Neal in the face Christmas.

No less fierce duel will take place between the Celtics contra Magic. This is a recycling parties eastern semifinal NBA Playoff season ago. When the Magic subdues the score 4-3 with the Celtics in seven games.

On the same day, New York Knicks akan against the Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets at Portland, and Phoenix Suns Clippers entertain.

Deuteronomy final season ago between contra Magic Lakers held on the scheduled Jan. 18 in Los Angeles and March 7 in Orlando.

Meanwhile, for the title of All Star will be played on the day of Valentine, 14 February 2010, at the Cowboys Stadium, Dallas. This is the first time since 1996, All Star, held in the American Football club stadium.

IVERSON TAKE OVER TO BE GREECE

Arya Perdhana - detiksport


Had large as one of the best NBA players after retired Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson of the future is now uncertain. He may even have to play in Greece.

From International Basketball News, the Greek club Olympiakos neutralize Iverson join. Club of the NBA players go hunt up the two-year contract with a value of 10 million U.S. dollars for it.

Iverson is in the midst of their own free agent status. Detroit Pistons guard to remove the age of 34 years even though the new service during a year of post-menggaetnya Denver Nuggets.

In addition to the bid contract, Olympiakos have other factors that the existence of the drawer Josh Childress, former Atlanta Hawks player who berpaspor United States.

In addition to Iverson, who has a nine-Olympiakos title Greek basketball league are also trying to bring Nate Robinson and David Lee, both of them are players in the NBA.

Career in Greece can be an option for Iverson after interest clubs NBA on retroactive. The Miami Heat, New York Knicks, LA Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies are reported interest in the interest of players stunned.

Iverson-draft by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first year in 1996. He immediately became Rookie of the Year at the end of the 1996-1997 competition season.

Although well short for the size of NBA players, about 180 cm, Iverson was a productive printing number. Iverson became skorer top 1998-99 NBA season, 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2004-05.

Iverson was selected 10 times in the NBA All Star and MVP in the presentation to be All Star in 2001 and 2005. He is also a regular MVP in 2001 after the 76ers to bring race to the party but lost the final of the LA Lakers.