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The latest NBA Lakers rumors indicate that small forward Matt Barnes could be on the way out in Los Angeles. The idea is that Metta World Peace would be more than enough to make up for his departure, along with the new additions such as Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, and Antawn Jamison.

The idea that Barnes was tied for sixth in the league in technical fouls last season can't be too comforting. Of note, he was joined on the list by several other Lakers including Kobe Bryant and Metta World Peace, along with brand new addition Dwight Howard. That could just mean players on this team get heated quite often, playing in Hollywood. However, as a Bleacher Report article notes, Barnes is a skilled player, but for every great play he makes a bone-headed one. So with that in mind do the Lakers really need to worry about keeping him around?

Most likely, the answer is no. Just looking at the roster they have, minus Barnes, is staggering. There's early questions regarding Nash and Kobe getting up there in age, or Howard having issues with his back injury. However, the roster is a talented list of guys including several who are current or former All-star players.


Read More: NBA Lakers Rumors 2012: Is Matt Barnes Done in... | Gather

Reggie Miller knows exactly what he will be most proud of when he is inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. Not his 25,279 NBA points, 14th all-time. Not his 2,560 three-pointers made, No. 2 all-time. Not his 18-year career with one team, the Indiana Pacers.

It will be that he and his sister, Cheryl Miller, will become the only siblings in the Basketball Hall of Fame entering as players.

"I think it's more cool for the Miller family to have a brother-sister act in the Hall of Fame," he said. "That's what I'm most excited about because no one else can say that."

Miller and 10 others will be inducted Friday: Lidia Alexeeva, Don Barksdale, Mel Daniels, Phil Knight, Katrina McClain, Hank Nichols, Don Nelson, Ralph Sampson, Chet Walker and Jamaal Wilkes. The All-American Redheads, pioneers in women's basketball, will be inducted in the team category.

Miller, who played collegiately at UCLA, went through his mental hard drive, trying to think of other hall of fame siblings in in any sport.

"Joe and Phil Niekro?" Miller said. "I don't think Joe is in. (He's not.). … Peyton and Eli (the Manning brothers), they're definitely both getting in. But just think how hard we're trying to wrack our brains to come up with names."


Read More: www-usatoday-com/sports/basketball/nba/pacers/story/2012-09-03/Reggie-Miller-Cheryl-Miller-Basketball-Hall-of-Fame/57559926/1

For decades, various upstart leagues have attempted to go toe to toe with the NBA in order to win the recreational dollar of the hoop-lovin' sports fan. We're about to see, in no uncertain terms and coming down on high from the league's founders and investors, the first minor-league competitor put in place in order to take on the NBA's official minor league. Look out, D-League, because the well-heeled American Basketball League is looking to glom on to that sweet, sweet D-League dollar.

(Actually, it's looking to serve as an alternate liaison between minor-league players and overseas contacts, with purportedly a better business plan in place that isn't subsidized by the NBA, one that will pay its participants more money per month than the D-League currently does. But let's just talk up the conflict here in order to stay entertained during the NBA's offseason.)

Hip-hop mogul Steve Rifkind is the new ABL's headline-creator, partnering with ABL founder and longtime international basketball go-between Steve Haney. Here's Rifkand's background, taken from the league's website: The new American Basketball League is taking dead aim at the NBA

Not surprisingly, a lot of basketball fans would like to work in the NBA. For instance, when I somewhat jokingly offered to write recommendations for applicants as the NBA added jobs following the lockout, several people wanted me to do so despite the fact that no reputable franchise would ever hire me, let alone someone based on my opinion. Such is the draw of a job in professional basketball.

When those jobs become available, people want to know. So, on this day, we bring you good news. The Phoenix Suns are looking to hire a new employee for one of their most high-profile positions. Yes, they need a new man or woman to perform as their mascot, the Gorilla.


Read More: The Phoenix Suns are looking for a new Gorilla mascot | Ball Don't Lie - Yahoo! Sports

Madison Square Garden president Scott O'Neil, an influential executive with strong connections to the NBA and the powerful Creative Artists Agency, has resigned after four years with MSG. "We are grateful for Scott's years of service and his many contributions to the company, and wish him the very best of luck as he moves forward. We are fortunate to have a talented team in place at MSG Sports who will continue to build on the company's successes while we undertake a search for a new President of MSG Sports," Madison Square Garden Company said in a statement released Wednesday.

O'Neil does not have another job lined up yet, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on O'Neil's behalf. O'Neil sent a statement to USA TODAY Sports and other outlets.

"My time at The World's Most Famous Arena has been nothing short of incredible and I am proud of our results," O'Neil said in a statement. "I am thankful and extremely proud of what we accomplished at MSG Sports. There is nothing more rewarding than the opportunity to help build a world-class staff and seeing them perform beyond our loftiest expectations - people I consider not only the most talented in the business, but also true friends. To help lead and steward iconic brands like the Knicks and Rangers and sell the transformed Garden in a city like New York has been a true privilege. I could not be more excited about the process of discovering what lies ahead."


Read More: Madison Square Garden president Scott O'Neil resigns

For years, it was an underappreciated wrinkle in the historic deal that merged the established National Basketball Association and the upstart American Basketball Association in 1976. The owners of the Spirits of St. Louis agreed to be paid a small fraction of the N.B.A.’s television money to comfort them for being cut out of joining the older league. Their piece amounted to a sliver of the modest amount that CBS was paying the N.B.A. in those days. But if the share was small then, one particular term of the arrangement was attractive: the owners, Ozzie and Daniel Silna, would be paid the money every year in perpetuity, or as long as the N.B.A. existed.

The Spirits became a distant memory, even for people in St. Louis. But the N.B.A. has continued to exist quite nicely, meaning the Silnas’ haul has been substantial: $255 million and counting. But as sweet as the deal has been, the Silnas want more, and they have gone to court to get it.

In Manhattan federal court on Thursday, lawyers for the Silna brothers and the league argued over whether the men are owed money beyond what they get from the N.B.A.’s national broadcast and cable television contracts. They want to tap into the money the league gets from international broadcasts, NBA TV, the league’s cable network, and other lucrative deals that could not have been imagined in the three network television universe of 1976.

Read More: www-nytimes-com/2012/09/07/sports/basketball/former-aba-owners-ozzie-and-daniel-silna-earn-millions-from-nba-html?pagewanted=all

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Reggie Miller wasn't always the biggest name in his own family. On Friday night, he was the top star in the biggest basketball Hall of Fame class in half a century.

The former UCLA and Indiana Pacers star was inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, joining sister Cheryl as the first brother-sister pair in the Springfield shrine. Cheryl Miller, a two-time NCAA tournament MVP at Southern California and 1995 Hall inductee, was on stage to welcome him.

"I just so happened to live across the hall from absolutely, positively the greatest women's basketball player ever," Miller said as his sister stood by with tears in her eyes. "I'm proud to say I am not on this stage if it wasn't for you, Cheryl Deann. We rode your shoulders all the way here. So thank you for your help." It was a big night for UCLA, which also had Don Barksdale and Jamaal Wilkes in the 12-person class of 2012, and for the Indiana Pacers. Two-time ABA Most Valuable Player Mel Daniels also was inductedl, though illness presented him from attending the ceremony at Springfield Symphony Hall.

As the biggest name, Miller was the last to the stage -- fitting for a man considered one of the most clutch players in NBA history. He said that it was fitting that he was honored after Daniels, allowing the ABA's career rebounding leader to become the Pacers' first player in the Hall.

"They set the standard for what all great Pacers team have achieved," said Miller, who spent his entire 18-year career with Indiana.

Miller, who was introduced for induction by his sister along with Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, retired as the most prolific 3-point shooter in NBA history, making 2,560 in his career for a record that stood until Ray Allen surpassed it in 2011.

That's not counting the playoffs, when he built his reputation for performing under pressure.


Read More: Miller, Nelson, Nike's Knight among 12 basketball Hall of Fame inductees - NBA - CBSSports-com News, Scores, Stats, Fantasy Advice

Former Indiana Pacers superstar Reggie Miller and coaching great Don Nelson were among those inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday (Saturday, PHL time).

Miller, one of the greatest clutch scorers in NBA history, played his entire 17-season career with the Indiana Pacers and finished it with 25,279 points and 1,505 steals.

He ranks second on the NBA all-time list for three-pointers made, with 2,560, and his 320 playoff three-pointers are the most for any player in the post-season.

The five-time NBA All-Star thanked his teammates, Pacers executive Donnie Walsh and his basketball star sister Cheryl Miller for helping him hone his skills.

"Obviously basketball is a team game," he said. "Donnie [Walsh], thank you for taking a gamble on a skinny kid with big ears.

"People wish they could be in a house with the greatest of anything. I lived across the hall from the greatest women's player," Miller added of his sister.

Nelson, who was a finalist for the Hall of Fame for the fifth time, has more than 1,300 NBA victories and is one of only two coaches to be named NBA Coach of the Year three times.

He spent more than 40 years of his life as a player, coach and general manager, winning five titles as a player with the Boston Celtics. The teams he coached made 18 playoff appearances and amassed 75 playoff wins, but Nelson said he had left the game with no regrets.

"Hopefully this will be the last tuxedo that I'll be wearing," Nelson said. "I am going to Maui. There is life after basketball."

The class of 2012 also included Ralph Sampson, a three-time collegiate national player of the year, who later became known as one of the Houston Rockets' Twin Towers - along with Hakeem Olajuwon - during the club's success in the mid 1980s.



Read More: NBA: Miller, Nelson inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame | Sports | GMA News Online | The Go-To Site for Filipinos Everywhere

I. How they finished 2012: The Thunder's season ended with their first and only four-game skid of the year. And what an unfortunate time to have it.

After winning Game 1 over the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in fairly convincing fashion, Oklahoma City seemed to be in prime position to win a championship. They had homecourt advantage, they were playing a wounded Heat team and they were rolling with confidence.

But a miserable start to Game 2 really signaled the downfall of the Thunder in the Finals. OKC has a chance in the end of it and when a foul on LeBron James went uncalled late, the Heat had their split and a chance to win a title in Miami.

Which of course, they did. The Heat found big performances from unexpected places (Mario Chalmers, Shane Battier) while LeBron was his usual brilliant self. OKC came up short in Game 3, blew a big Game 4 lead and then got completely smoked in Game 5. The series never returned to Oklahoma City, and the Thunder watched an incredible opportunity slip through their fingers.

II. Needs entering the offseason: Essentially, nothing. The Thunder have been brilliantly built in a way that the only offseason move that really needs to be addressed is making sure the roster has at least 13 players on it.

Because the Thunder are mostly set. They've got Kevin Durant. They've got Russell Westbrook. James Harden, Serge Ibaka. They've got depth. They've got bit players. They've got talent, skill, size and speed. They've got pretty much it all.

The one thing they could use, mostly as a luxury, was a little extra versatility. Where the Thunder struggled most in the postseason were against skilled smallball lineups. OKC didn't have a good answer for stretch 4s, or LeBron (but who does?). Adding something that provided more options certainly wouldn't hurt. An stretch 4, a versatile forward that could allow Durant to remain at small forward while still maintaining good size and power.

III. The Draft: That aforementioned need? Boy, was it ever filled.

The Thunder drafted 28th, meaning they were at the mercy of most of the rest of the league. Mostly scraps is what they expected to be picking from and while, yes, worthwhile players have been picked in that spot, it's not exactly somewhere you can fill a need. The Thunder had three options: 1) draft and stash, 2) trade the pick or 3) hope to get lucky.

And as players came off the board, around the 23rd or 24th pick it kind of hit everyone: Holy crap, Perry Jones III is still available! The likely reason was that he was medically red-flagged right before the draft because of a meniscus issue in his knee. That, combined with fears over his motor and desire, had him free-falling.

All of those negatives were huge positives for the Thunder, though. Jones fell right into their lap at No. 28, and they walked away with not only a good player in the draft, but someone who has the chance to actually help them immediately.

Jones is a player of lottery skill level who dropped hard for various reasons, all of which didn't matter to the Thunder -- who, in turn, are an absolutely ideal fit for him. He gets to play and learn behind Durant, doesn't have nearly the same pressure of being a lottery pick on a rebuilding team, and very likely will find a valuable role on the floor for a contender. I'm sure he didn't love it as he sat uncomfortably waiting for his name to be called. But as he reflects, he's pretty fortunate with his position.

But in terms of fortunate, nobody more so than the Thunder.


Read More: NBA Offseason Report: Oklahoma City Thunder - CBSSports-com

The ABA has long struggled for a legitimate space in basketball's history. Sure, cutesy platitudes about how they "opened up the floor" and "made the game fun" are tossed about. The dunk contest and three-point line are courteously attributed to the league. The large afros, multi-colored ball and the time-traveling Marvin Barnes are fondly remembered, but when it came time for substantive acknowledgement, the crickets began to chirp. The stats, the awards, the accomplishments of the ABA are not kept in the same regard (or kept at all) by the NBA. In a move of Orwellian discourse, the NBA insists the Merger with the ABA was actually the absorption of 4 teams (Nuggets, Spurs, Pacers, and Nets), the liquidation of others and the dispersal of their dozens of players.

Well, let's get some substance on the issue.

After the Absorption-Merger, forty percent (27 of 68) of the NBA's All-Stars from 1977 to 1979 were alums of the ABA. Four of the seven NBA MVPs and scoring titles from 1977 to 1983 went to ABA alums. Five of the rebounding titles in that same span. Prior to the Liquidation-Unification, the two leagues played 155 exhibition games between 1971 and 1975 with the ABA winning 79 times to the NBA's 76 victories. And the best team in basketball from the 1970 to 1973 may not have been the NBA's New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers, but the ABA's Indiana Pacers.


Read More: Mel Daniels, Hall of Famer | Ball Don't Lie - Yahoo! Sports

After rocky start, Shoemaker happy with progress, initiatives

David Shoemaker's appointment as CEO of NBA China began amid tough times.

One month after he started the job, in July 2011, the NBA went into a lockout after a dispute between the league and its players over salaries could not be resolved. Later that month, Chinese basketball superstar Yao Ming announced his retirement, raising concerns about the league's growth in China.

Shoemaker can breathe easier now that those difficulties have been overcome. According to Shoemaker, the league's television ratings on CCTV 5 were up almost 20 percent during the abbreviated 2011-12 regular season, and the playoffs boasted a similar increase.

The NBA's social media followers on Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo amounted to about 52 million.

The Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat was watched by 5.3 million fans in China on Sina-com, which set a world record for live online viewership for a live event.

The NBA also launched its inaugural Chinese New Year celebration in January, presenting NBA basketball over an eight-day period on CCTV, and reached 96 million viewers through the league's television and digital platforms in China.

The upcoming NBA China Games 2012 between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers in Beijing and Shanghai, which will mark the first time a defending NBA championship team has participated in the event and will include three-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, are expected to raise the league's profile here even higher.


Read More: NBA thriving in China now |Top News |chinadaily-com.cn

Now that the Seattle City Council has reached an agreement with investor Chris Hansen to finance a new basketball arena in the Sodo neighborhood, it’s time for Hansen to find an NBA team to bring to Seattle. The San Francisco multimillionaire grew up in Seattle and, he has said, has always wanted to own the SuperSonics. Four years after the Sonics left town for Oklahoma City, Hansen wants his favorite team back.

Getting the support of the City Council was one of Hansen’s biggest remaining hurdles. Armed with the city’s backing, Hansen must nail down an NBA franchise before shovels can break ground on a new arena south of Safeco Field.

“He has the commitment from the city he needs to go shopping,” City Council President Sally Clark said Tuesday at a news conference announcing their agreement.

The city of Seattle still retains the rights to the SuperSonics name, and Hansen has been rallying local basketball fans under the pretense that the city’s future team will be named the Sonics. But he needs to relocate a team here first.

Here are some of Hansen’s potential targets.

The next Seattle SuperSonics?

Chris Hansen has a ticket to shop. His list is short: Find an NBA franchise willing to sell and bring professional basketball back to Seattle.

Hansen, the investor trying to build a new arena, said Thursday that the league has been closely watching what’s taking place in the Pacific Northwest and a renegotiated memorandum of understanding between Hansen and the city council on the proposed arena goes a long way to easing the league’s concerns about Hansen’s plan.

“It means a lot to the NBA,” Hansen said. “They’ve been watching very close to what we’re doing. I think going in they were very skeptical we would get to this point given our history in Seattle.

“It’s a great win for the city with the league.”

Hansen spoke at a bar in Seattle’s Pioneer Square shortly before an event where he invited fans to come celebrate the agreement announced earlier this week and have their first beer on him.

While the green-and-gold celebration was just getting under way, a short distance away a council committee was voting to advance the renegotiated agreement to the full city council for a vote that is expected to happen Sept. 24. The agreement must receive full approval from the city council and the King County council.


Read More: NBA: New Seattle arena investor can now shop for team- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

When it comes to the NBA, every team has a key player that not a lot of people think about. Sure, the Heat are going to be really good because they have LeBron James. However, without Dwayne Wade, perhaps they would be a little easier to contend with.

Those are the players we're going to look at over the course of this article, the other key players for every NBA team. These are the players that will make or break either a team's championship hopes or maybe their chances of being a better team.

Along with a key player, I'll also analyze another player that I think will develop more going into this year, almost like a "watch out for this player" kind of thing.


Read More: Key Players for Every NBA Team This Upcoming Season | Bleacher Report

One of the most exciting times of the NBA season is All-Star Weekend, from the Slam Dunk Contest to the game itself. Over the past few years, we have grown accustomed to seeing certain players appear in the main event: Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and many others. Yet, All-Star Season 2013 is bound to be different from the others. While the elder statesmen will surely be represented, the upcoming season's All-Star festivities will carry a theme of ushering in the new and younger generation of stars.

Yes, some of these younger players may not have been in the league that long, but their talents are unquestionable. They continue to improve year in and year out and for those who are still just making their mark in the league, they too are destined to get better and better. Be they on contending teams or ones not quite there yet, making their first All-Star Team in 2013 will only be the beginning of the mark they leave on the history of the game itself.

That said, say what you want about the NBA All-Star Game being a glorified pickup game. The fact is that this year's festivities are going to usher in the new generation of talent and after we watch them play against their elder predecessors, tuning in to watch the All-Star Game will become a ritual just so that we can see them do what they do best on the court.

Starting this season, these select players will be the beginning of that trend.


More: 7 NBA Players Who Will Make Their First All-Star Game in 2013 | Bleacher Report

Although the NFL undoubtedly has its fair share of marketable stars, those key players don’t run their league anywhere near the level of the NBA elite.

In the battle for the top spot in American sports popularity, the NFL reigns supreme. It’s difficult to argue against NFL popularity, evidenced by the 2012 Super Bowl (between the New York Giants and New England Patriots), which set a record as the most-watched television show in U.S. history for the third consecutive year, according to David Bauder of the Huffington Post.

The NFL remains as popular as ever in spite of a bounty scandal, the ever-present issue of concussions and the league low-balling their referees (and bringing in questionable replacements) despite making billions of dollars each year.

Even though the NFL is widely popular, the best players under David Stern’s regime are far more valuable to the NBA than the best football players are to Roger Goodell and the NFL.

In addition to veteran leaders who appear bound for the NBA Hall of Fame such as Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and LeBron James, the National Basketball Association has a slew of powerful young talent.


Read More: Why NBA Stars Are More Valuable Than NFL Stars | Bleacher Report

By season's end, chances are good that Kevin Garnett will have passed Hakeem Olajuwon and Wes Unseld to become the 10th-leading rebounder in NBA history.

That will put him at just about 10,000 rebounds away from catching first-place Wilt Chamberlain, a pretty amazing disparity especially when you consider that KG has already played 210 more games than Wilt ever played.

When you average 22.9 rebounds a game, it's hard for anyone to catch up—even rebounding prodigies like Kevin Love, who has never averaged more than 15.2 boards in a season. The NBA has changed just a bit since the 1960s, and some achievements appear to be nothing short of insurmountable at this point.

Indeed, some records just aren't meant to be broken—but others are.

Here's a look at five records we could very well see broken this season.


Read More: NBA Records That Will Fall in 2012-13 | Bleacher Report

Jeremy Lin is finally getting his own bed.

The 6-foot-3 point guard, who became an international phenomenon during one dazzling month with the Knicks last season, went through his first workout with the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.

Naturally, he drew a horde of media to the Toyota Center, evidence that Linsanity has plenty of life left in it.

"I don't know if I'm the face of the franchise just yet," Lin said. "I think we're a young team and we're all going to buy in. The thing about us is it's not going to be any one person that's going to carry us to where we want to go, it's going to be everybody.

"I think it's so early on, I'm just trying to get to know the guys."

Lin was waived by the Rockets last December, then picked up by the Knicks. He was hesitant to buy a home and slept on teammate Landry Fields' couch the night before his breakout game against New Jersey on Feb. 4.

Lin signed a three-year, $25 million contract with Houston over the summer.

He arrived on Monday — but first asked teammate Chandler Parsons if he could "crash" on his couch until he bought furniture.

He finally feels secure enough to settle down.

"I've got to get that bed in there, so I can sleep well tonight," Lin said.

The Rockets acquired Lin over the summer by outmaneuvering the Knicks in free agency.


Read More: NBA sensation Lin bedded down in Houston

Even though the NBA was going through a lockout this time last year, things are back on track, and it looks like the 2012/13 season will be one to remember. Here are the top five players in the NBA right now:


1. LeBron James

Without a doubt, LeBron is the best player in the NBA, and he'll probably end up dominating the league for years to come. Not only is LeBron a scoring machine, he's arguably the best non-point guard in the NBA at getting his teammates involved. At only 27 years-old, LeBron has already earned three MVP awards (He was also the 2012 Finals MVP). And with a career average of 27.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game, I'm sure they'll be many more accolades in his future.

2. Kobe Bryant

My biases might be affecting my judgment here, but I still think Kobe is better than everyone in the NBA except LeBron. Kobe is slowly approaching the end of his career, but he's still as dangerous as he ever was. With Dwight Howard and Steve Nash there to help him carry the Los Angeles Lakers, I expect Kobe to stay healthy during the 2012/13 NBA season, and I'm sure he'll put up impressive numbers.

3. Kevin Durant

At only 23 years-old, with a career average of 28.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game; it's probably only a matter of time before Durant secures an NBA title. Things didn't go well for Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2012 NBA finals, but that should give him extra motivation for the upcoming season.

4. Dwight Howard

Howard has been hampered a bit by injuries recently, but he's still the best center in the NBA. His scoring continues to improve, and we already know how good the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year is when it comes to grabbing rebounds and blocking shots.

5. Kevin Love

Love is one of the most promising young players in the NBA right now, and he's arguably the second best power forward in the league. He averaged 26 points and 13.3 rebounds per game last season, and at only 24 years-old, I'm sure he still has a lot more of that left in his tank.



Top Five Players in the NBA Right Now: Fan's Take - Yahoo! Sports