Each weekday morning, BDL serves up a handful of NBA-related stories to digest with your watered-down cranberry juice and fervent jingoism.
K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune: "The Bulls and Joakim Noah(notes) have agreed to a 5-year contract extension, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. One source said an announcement could come "in the next couple of days." Asked about the state of negotiations following Sunday's morning practice, Noah smiled but declined to comment. The exact amount of the extension is unknown but believed to be in the $60 million range total. Incentives can take the deal higher, and a source said the inclusion of these incentives represented the breakthrough in negotiations."
Michael Cunningham, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Hawks guard Jamal Crawford(notes) has avoided publicly expressing his displeasure with the team's front office for not offering a contract extension now more than three months after he requested one. Yet Crawford, who has asked the Hawks to trade him if an agreement can't be reached, now sounds more urgent about his situation. "I would love to be here long term, no doubts about it," Crawford said after a recent Philips Arena practice. "I would love to lock that up before I become a free agent. I want to make it work here. But if that is not the plan, I guess I will go elsewhere."
Benjamin Hochman, Denver Post: "It is known that Anthony wants to be traded to a big market, in efforts to both win a title and maximize his marketability. Sources previously said he was interested in going to New Jersey, a franchise that will move to Brooklyn in a couple of years. Anthony, who has never gone public with his demands, was asked about his marketing prowess, and he said: "As far as marketing, it comes from winning. If I ain't winning, then nobody wants me to market their product."So he was asked: "Then why would you want to play for the team that won 12 games last season?" Anthony then said: "I never said I want to play for the Nets."
Ken Elliott, London Evening Standard: "[Kobe] Bryant did some rehab work in the weight room while the reigning NBA champion Lakers had a five-on-five practice game yesterday but the guard is determined not to disappoint a London crowd eager to see one of basketball's biggest stars. "You feel a sense of responsibility, which adds to you wanting to go out there and play," said Bryant, wearing large ice bags taped to both knees. "You have the opportunity to play in front of fans who have never seen you play in person." Bryant, who completed a full practice on Saturday, said his knee was constantly improving. "It feels real good," he said.
Mike Wells, Indianapolis Star: The vertigo-plagued [Tyler Hansbrough(notes)] did not take part in the daily five-on-five scrimmages. Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said Hansbrough falls further behind the longer he's held out of scrimmages. He hopes the second-year forward's limitations will be lifted this week. "He was behind coming in because he didn't have a training camp last year, then he missed most of the season, and the more times he misses five-on-five, the further behind he gets," O'Brien said. "There's no way of sugar-coating it. He'll start to catch up once he's able to go in every drill we do." A shin injury sidelined Hansbrough in training camp last year. He was limited to just 29 games last season because of vertigo.
Jeremy Inson, Associated Press: "NBA commissioner David Stern insisted Sunday he hasn't thought about the effects of a possible lockout next year, and gave new assurances that the league and players' union remain focused on reaching a new labor agreement. The sides are divided over the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement that expires June 30, raising fears of a possible lockout. "We are actually focusing our efforts so entirely on reaching a deal that we haven't gone into a risk assessment mode for a lockout, because we are trying as hard as we can to reach an agreement with our players," Stern said. "We have been talking for a long time. I think that the atmosphere is cordial and open. We have provided the players with as much access as have ever been given to financial records, which is complete audited reports (and) tax returns. Although I can't say we have made great progress, both sides are committed to meetings and talking."
Marc Berman's Twitter feed: "I reported today David Stern flew to Milan Saturday with Garden CEO Hank Ratner on Cablevision-leased jet. Not sure if favor or security."
Bob Finnan, Morning Journal: Whereas the Cavaliers desperately need [Antawn] Jamison's scoring prowess - he's a 19.8-point career scorer and has scored more than 20 points a game five times - he's not a natural 3."Offensively, it doesn't make a difference," Jamison said. "It's all about holding my own against ‘3s' on the defensive end. I've done it before." The 6-foot-9, 242-pounder is not a strong defender to begin with. Having him chase small forwards around the floor is a lot to ask from a player who is suffering from tendinitis in his left knee.
Bob Finnan, Morning Journal: "It's something I've been dealing with my whole career," [Antawn Jamison(notes)] said. "I've had 10 or 11 different coaches in 13 years. Every coach saw me as a different player. My first couple years they wanted me to play the ‘3.' After that, it's been a bit of both. It will be a task no matter if I'm playing ‘3' or ‘4.' (I'll have to) get those old bones down and move with some of the quicker ‘3s' in the league."
Jason Jones, Sacramento Bee: "For the first time since the end of his rookie season, Tyreke Evans(notes) was able to show off his improved jump shot. He did so at the Kings' open scrimmage Sunday in front of an announced crowd of 4,500 at Arco Arena. Evans made 7 of 16 shots in the scrimmage, doing a lot of his damage from the perimeter. He made just 1 of 5 three-point attempts, but Evans looked more confident taking shots from behind the arc than he did as a rookie. "I felt comfortable," Evans said. "I shoot the same way every time if I make or I miss. But when I release, nine times out of 10 I think it's going in."
Related: Antawn Jamison, Jamal Crawford, Joakim Noah, Tyreke Evans, Tyler Hansbrough, Suicide lines
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