Thursday And-1 Links: Jeremy Lamb as a young jeans model

By Kurt HelinSep 26, 2013, 8:23 PM EDT
2 Comments

Here is our regular look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points.

• This is a few months old, but did you know Thunder reserve Jeremy Lamb was a jeans model in his youth?

• Dwyane Wade owns more than 400 pairs of socks.

• Five NBA teams that should have an improved defense this year.

• Danny Ferry thinks his Hawks team is still in the thick of it in the East. If by “in the thick of it” you mean “could possibly get playoff seed 6-8 if things break right” then yes, he’s correct.

• Andrew Bogut and Stephen Curry both say they are completely healthy heading into the playoffs.

• Curry will wear a flavored mouthpiece this season as part of an endorsement deal.

• Nerlens Noel is not expected on the court until December, but he will travel with the Sixers starting from Day 1.

• Kelly Olynyk has battled plantar fasciitis this offseason, but Celtics GM Danny Ainge said the rookie should be 100 percent by the start of camp.

• Not hoops related, but this is a fascinating story about the declining student attendance in college football.

• Minnesota signed their 2012 second-round pick Robbie Hummel, who has a camp invite now. If healthy he might make the team, but that’s a long shot now.

• Former Knicks first-round pick Renaldo Balkman — who looked good for Puerto Rico at FIBA Americas — will attend Mavericks training camp.

• Joe Alexander, the former Bucks first round pick, got a training camp from the Warriors.

• D.J. White has an invite to the Bulls training camp.

• The Lakers are bringing Darius Johnson-Odom and Eric Boateng to training camp.

Nets, Celtics officially complete trade sending Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn

By Dan FeldmanJul 12, 2013, 2:29 PM EDT
22 Comments

The Nets and Celtics have officially completed their blockbuster trade that sends Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn.

Because this detail had so many reported iterations, here are the final terms:

The Brooklyn Nets have acquired Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and D.J. White from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans and three first round draft picks (2014, 2016 and 2018), as well as the right to swap first round picks in 2017

As Kurt wrote when the trade was first reported, “Brooklyn should be a better team, a more dangerous playoff team, but a lot of things have to go right for them to knock Miami off it’s three-time defending Eastern Conference champions perch. Their margin for error is small.”

With the deal finalized, the Nets can move forward. I’m just not sure how far.

Celtics to sign D.J. White for the rest of the season

By Brett PollakoffMar 19, 2013, 2:09 PM EDT
2 Comments

The Celtics will sign D.J. White after the expiration of his second 10-day contract, according to a report from Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com.

White has appeared in four games for Boston this season, averaging 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in seven minutes of action per game. He did not appear in the Celtics’ close loss to the Heat on Tuesday — despite the absence of Kevin Garnett, Doc Rivers chose to go just eight deep into his rotation, with Chris Wilcox being the only big to get any minutes off the bench.

White has likely been added to the roster not to appear in games, but to be a solid and serviceable healthy body for the team to roll out during practices. Rivers wishes to give his veterans some extra rest in preparation for the run into the postseason, and having White around for the remainder of the season will allow him to do exactly that.

Tuesday And-1 links: The Nets dancer uniforms are… pretty fly?

By Kurt HelinSep 25, 2012, 7:10 PM EDT
13 Comments

Here is our regular look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points like the twitterverse loves making fun of replacement referees.

• The photo to the right shows off the new Brooklyn Nets dancer uniforms. They were going for urban, I guess. I think The Big Lead said it best — they look like the In Living Color-Fly Girls.

• Paul Millsap says he can’t worry about Derrick Favors starting for the Jazz, he just has to be the best player he can be. Tyron Corbin needs to find a way to get both of them on the court together a lot.

• From our long list of “he’s going to do great this season” reports that come out this year, here is Brook Lopez saying he wants to live up to his max contract. Not sure he can do that unless he can morph into Dwight Howard, but there you go.

• Then there is the report John Wall improved his strength and jump shot in the offseason. He’ll get the chance to show that jumper off.

• Next, Billy King said Andray Blatche “is in the best shape of his life.”

• Along the same lines, Udonis Haslem says he’s improved his jump shot.

• John Wall showed up to watch RG III play this weekend in Washington.

• The Bobcats marketing slogan this year is “TougherFasterStronger.” Not sure they could do worse in those categories than last season, so let’s hope they live up to it.

• Kevin Durant’s movie Thunderstruck comes out on DVD on Dec. 4. Just in time to fill your Christmas stocking.

• Yi Jianlian has signed to play this season with the Guangdong Tigers in China. In theory he can come back and play in the NBA when the Chinese Basketball Association season ends in February (as Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith, among others, did last season).

• While we’re at it, D.J. White signed a one-year contract with the Shanghai Sharks in China.

• Two rookies, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Jared Sullinger are now part of the Jordan brand (meaning Nike). Good gets for the shoe line.

• Michael Jordan (and a lot of other celebrities) show up singing a Beatles tune to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

• Agents Dan Fegan and Happy Walters are teaming up at a new agency.

• Dan Gadzuric worked out for the Sixers on Tuesday and should get a training camp invite.

• The Jazz are bringing in veteran big man Brian Butch as training camp fodder.

• Raptors have signed Chris Wright for training camp.

Friday And-1 links: Training camp notes… and JaVale Mcgee

By Kurt HelinSep 21, 2012, 8:41 PM EDT
2 Comments

Here is our regular look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points.

• JaVale McGee on a Segway, riding a rainbow road. Some days the Internet amazes you. Thank you, The Basketball Jones.

• Three Magic players will be out for at least the start of training camp: Al Harrington is fighting a toe injury; Moe Harkless is not fully recovered from hernia surgery; and Ish Smith had shoulder surgery and is not yet recovered.

• Charles Barkley is making headlines talking Tiger Woods.

• Delonte West is back in the recording studio, laying down hip hop tracks.

• Which is better than this — a 7-minute freestyle rap about Steve Nash and Goran Dragic.

• The Raptors are bringing in guard Jerel McNeal and forward Chris Wright as training camp fodder.

• Heat guard Norris Cole Norris Cole suffered what is described as a minor groin injury. He is expected to be fine for training camp.

• Former Nets lottery pick Terrence Williams agreed to an NBA minimum, non-guaranteed contract with the Detroit Pistons. Don’t bet on him making the final roster.

• Andre Emmett reached an agreement to come to camp with the Bulls.

• Othello Hunter reached a deal to play next season with CB Valladolid in Spain.

• The Shanghai Sharks are “moving in” on a deal with D.J. White, reports to ESPN’s Marc Stein.