The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Milwaukee Bucks are considering putting the names of season ticket holders on the court: “The Cavs have asked the league’s approval to place season-ticket holders’ names on the apron of the court, a league source confirmed, speaking on condition of anonymity because the idea has not yet been approved by the league. Sports Business Daily was the first to report the idea. The Milwaukee Bucks are also seeking approval to place names on the court, according to the report, but the Bucks’ idea is to put the names on the playing court. The Cavs’ names will be on the apron. Final details have not been determined, according to the report, including which ticket holders would be selected. Any changes to the court design must pass league approval. League executives are reviewing the proposal to ensure it won’t clutter the court or distort how the game is viewed on television, according to the report.”
Undrafted guard Khalif Wyatt signs with the Philadelphia 76ers: “Khalif Wyatt will become a 76er. The undrafted rookie free agent out of Temple agreed to terms Thursday night to play for his hometown team. He will sign a partially guaranteed, mutli-year contract on Friday. The guard will be on the team’s roster when it opens the season against the Miami Heat on Oct. 30. But there’s a chance Wyatt could spend a portion of this season with the Delaware 87ers, the Sixers NBA Development League affiliate. The Norristown native could fill a void on a Sixers squad in desperate need of a long-range shooter. The 6-foot-4, slimmed-down 205-pounder was a standout one the Sixers’ Orlando Pro Summer League team.”
A former Phoenix Suns radio analyst doesn’t buy into Michael Beasley’s comeback with Miami: “The Heat’s signing of Michael Beasley to a non-guaranteed deal was low risk. But the broadcaster who analyzed his work for the Phoenix Suns last season isn’t optimistic about Beasley’s future and wonders why the Heat would inject a “knucklehead” into a locker-room filled with serious, respected professionals. “If he stops smoking marijuana and stops ‘hanging out,’ the talent is there. But I don’t see it [happening] after all these chances,” Suns radio analyst and former NBA center Tim Kempton told us. “It’s difficult to believe he will change his stripes at this point.”
“People have gone out of their way to make Michael Beasley successful, but he hasn’t accepted it. He spent time in Los Angeles with [former Lakers guard] Norm Nixon. You would think that would have helped him. The Suns had a life coach that traveled with us the entire season. But he slipped three times when he was here”
George Karl is being sued by his longtime agent: “Adams filed suit in U.S. District Court in Columbus on Wednesday, claiming Karl has refused to pay him since January, allegedly breaching a contract between the two. The suit says the contract calls for Adams to receive $10,000 a month from Karl. He is asking for compensatory damages in excess of $75,000, attorney fees and other costs. Adams has represented Karl for nearly 20 years, making national headlines in 2001 when he negotiated the highest-paid professional coaching contract in sports at $7 million a year. The suit says Adams has negotiated more than $50 million for Karl in personal service contracts with the NBA’sMilwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets. Karl was fired by the Nuggets in June and has not landed another head coaching job. Adams’ suit indicates Karl is still drawing a salary from the Nuggets and says the payments to him were to continue regardless of the coach’s employment status.”
Legislature approves bill to build new arena for Sacramento Kings: “The California Senate voted 32-5 in favor of Senate Bill 743, written by Sacramento Democrat Darrell Steinberg. The bill seeks to speed the judicial process for handling environmental lawsuits, limit the courts’ ability to stop construction and change the way traffic impacts are measured in environmental reviews. It represents fewer changes to the California Environmental Quality Act than Steinberg originally hoped to achieve but would be sufficient, he said, to develop an arena that would keep the Kings in Sacramento. “The NBA has said… if we don’t meet this timeline, if we don’t get this project started in 2014, we’re at risk of losing it,” Steinberg said. “The opponents are still out there.” Steinberg and Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, showed team pride by wearing purple ties for the occasion.”
Speaking of the Sacramento Kings, here are 5 Things to Watch: “I wish I were more excited about the basketball moves that the Kings made over the offseason, but make no mistake about it; Sacramento had a better offseason than any other NBA city. It wasn’t easy. A lot of very smart people put a lot of time and energy (and funds) into keeping this team out of Seattle. From Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and his staff to multiple grassroots efforts from guys like Carmichael Dave, Mike Tavares and Crown Downtown, Blake Ellington and the “Here We Stay” movement (and many others), it took this perfect storm of support to keep the Kings in Sacramento. And of course, none of this would have been possible if it weren’t for the new Kings ownership group led by Vivek Ranadive and Mark Mastrov.”
Ben Baroff is a basketball journalist who blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
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