NBA Offseason thread

[Clockwork Orange]

According to the inside source who's been posting on Nuggets message boards, Reggie Evans is close to re-signing and they're in continued discussions on other deals, though nothing is imminent right now.

That is all.

[Man-Goblin]

Originally Posted by Clockwork Orange

According to the inside source who's been posting on Nuggets message boards, Reggie Evans is close to re-signing and they're in continued discussions on other deals, though nothing is imminent right now.

That is all.

Good. They need The Claw back. Hopefully, they don't overpay. What are we looking at here, you think? 3-4 mil a year? That would be putting them reallllly close to that luxury tax.

[RhymesayersDU]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5807564

NBA merry-go-round, Part 2
Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com

With roughly 10 weeks to go before training camps convene, the merry-go-round is spinning a little faster. Here's the dope on the latest major deals:

Nazr Mohammed — Pistons

Can do: Battle for offensive rebounds. Come from the weak-side to block shots. Occasionally hit right-hand jump hooks and short jumpers. Play hard.

Can't do: Make any kind of shot (even layups) with consistency. Rotate with sufficient alacrity and anticipation on defense. Avoid foul trouble. Pass. Dribble. Hang on to passes, rebounds, and loose balls.

Must do: Undergo a surgical procedure that adds at least two fingers to each hand.

Prognosis: An excellent third-string center whose earnest hustle can make a difference for extremely short periods in dire emergencies. The more he plays, the more his flaws are revealed.

Tyson Chandler — Hornets

Can do: Run, jump, rebound, and block shots. Spin off post-defenders to catch lob passes and then dunk. Shoot a decent percentage on face-up jumpers up to 17-feet. In the low-post, shoot jumpers over either shoulder, but prefers to take left-handed jump hooks from right-box.

Can't do: Pass. Dribble. Avoid being suckered by pump fakes, the result being chronic foul trouble. Hold his own when getting pushed and bullied by every other big man in the league.

Must do: Understand that he'll never be a prime-time scorer. Camp out in the weight-room. Get tougher physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Prognosis: After five years in the league, he's still shy of his 24th birthday and remains a work in progress. Maybe this is the year for Chandler to grow up and become a dependable, defensive-oriented big man. But his lack of inner drive continues to make this a long shot. Still, his size, youth, and lively body add up to a risk worth taking.

P.J. Brown — Bulls

Can do: Play smart, aggressive post defense. Run the floor surprisingly well for a 37-year-old. Knock down mid-range face-up jumpers. Pass.

Can't do: Reverse his penchant for leaning so hard on the post-up player he's defending that he's susceptible to spin moves. Reverse the diminishment of his skills as he ages.

Must do: Be satisfied playing 15-20 useful minutes per game. Become a mentor to the Bulls' young bigs.

Prognosis: A willing sacrificer and teacher, Brown's contributions will be valuable both on and off the court.

Marquis Daniels — Pacers

Can do: Drive, slash, penetrate and pull. Rebound. Post smaller guards. Run and jump. Show active, quick hands on defense.

Can't do: Shoot with any consistency from long range. Pass and handle the ball with care. Play solid, non-gambling defense.

Must do: Slow down and find a comfort zone in half-court sets. Develop more court-awareness. Shoot at least a thousand jumpers every day in the off-season.

Prognosis: If the Pacers are seriously intent on drastically uptempoing their game plan, then Daniels will thrive. However, Daniels is young enough, athletic enough, and long enough to eventually become an excellent player in any system.

Austin Croshere — Mavericks

Can do: Play a strong, solid, hustling game. Bang with the bigs in the battle of the boards. Use head- and pump-fakes in the low post to set up a step-through move. From outside, hit treys. Utilize an excellent jab step and a quick first step to drive the middle. Play defense with enthusiasm.

Can't do: Show quick enough lateral movement to avoid chronic foul trouble. Hit his treys with consistency. Pass. Handle.

Must do: Keep doing what he's always done, but demonstrate more consistency in his long-range dialing.

Prognosis: Can be a key player off the bench. Certainly a major improvement over Keith Van Horn.

Derek Fisher — Jazz

Can do: Hit open jumpers, especially in the clutch. Hit pull-up jumpers, especially in the clutch. Play smart and tough. Make up for lack of foot-speed by playing excellent position defense, with a specialty in drawing charging fouls. Be a supportive and sensible teammate. Be totally coachable.

Can't do: Adequately defend jet-setters. Finish in a crowd. Penetrate. Run.

Must do: Everything that Jerry Sloan tells him — which will be no problem whatsoever.

Prognosis: The perfect point guard for Utah's slow-paced offense, especially with Andre Kirilenko behind him to erase many of his defensive failures.

Devin Brown — Warriors

Can do: Run, penetrate and pull, create his own shots. Show an increasing ability to bury three-balls. Play adequate defense.

Can't do: Pass efficiently. Run a team. Avoid careless turnovers. Must do - Become more of a pass-first point guard.

Prognosis: With the every-man-for-himself Warriors, Brown's lack of court-awareness will hardly be noticed. However, with Baron Davis totally monopolizing the ball, Brown won't get as many touches as he wants, and will yield to the temptation of forcing shots (and passes) whenever the ball does come his way.

Shammond Williams — Lakers

Can do: Bag spot-up shots from mid- and long-range. Hit his money shot — a step-back jumper going left — with regularity. Drive with good quickness both ways.

Can't do: Finish. Pass. Play sound defense.

Must do: Make open shots. Avoid egregious mistakes. Learn the triangle.

Prognosis: An okay back-up point who can do everything better than Smush Parker except make layups in a crowd.

Mike James — T-Wolves

Can do: Bury jumpers from everywhere, particularly from downtown. Drive and dish.

Can't do: Run a team. Play satisfactory defense.

Must do: Stop gambling for steals. Be willing to set up an offense and be open to making more than touchdown passes.

Prognosis: The T-Wolves will be James' sixth team in his six NBA seasons. There's still a lot of "street" in his personality and he consequently doesn't work and play well with others. Will he submit to being a second-option behind Garnett? If James can be domesticated, he could be a major factor in the T-Wolves' resurrection as a playoff team.

Jacque Vaughn — Spurs

Can do: Push the ball, drive and dish. Cross-over right-to-left, get to the hoop, and either finish or draw fouls. Execute an offense. Pressure the ball on defense. Can't do — Hit his jumpers consistently. Show good judgment on his drives (wants to take the ball all the way).

Must do: Run the offense, hit open shots, make good decisions with the ball.

Prognosis: While he's not the scorer that Van Exel was supposed to be (and used to be), Vaughn's talents and proclivities are a perfect fit behind Parker. At the very least, he's certainly miles better than Beno.

Greg Buckner — Mavericks

Can do: Hit perimeter jumpers. Drive hard right — when drives left, will spin back right. Rebound well for a wing-man. Use spin moves when posted on the left block. Play tough, active defense. Always compete.

Can't do: Handle. Pass. Match the foot-speed of the league's quicker wings. Must do - Keep up with the Mavs running game. Make his available shots. Be satisfied with erratic playing time and infrequent touches.

Prognosis: An excellent pickup. Will get Adrian Griffin's time, but is tougher and a half-step quicker. Can be an extremely valuable defensive stopper.

Francisco Elson — Spurs

Can do: Run the floor like a guard. Snatch quick-jumping rebounds. Hit face-up jumpers from up to 18-feet. Uses a right-hand jump hook or a turn-around jumper over his left shoulder when in the low-blocks. Block an occasional lazy shot.

Can't do: Out-muscle his peers. Pass. Handle. Play much straight-up defense.

Must do: Get stronger and tougher. Learn to make the kind of precise passes that the Spurs' offense requires.

Prognosis: A lightweight big man who's most comfortable on the high post. Another second-stringer as the Spurs still search for an ideal front-court mate for TD.

Jackie Butler — Spurs

Can do: Post-up with some success, and score with power moves with his right hand. Rebound adequately. Play hard. Take up space in the paint.

Can't do: Pass. Handle. Move quickly either vertically or horizontally. Defend.

Must do: Avoid making mistakes. Take fullest advantage of his post-up opportunities. Get in shape.

Prognosis: His interior game will be limited when he's paired with Duncan. Otherwise, he gives the Spurs their only other post-up presence. Another back-up big.

Flip Murray — Pistons

Can do: Create his own shots, especially pull-up jumpers going either way (although he prefers left). Play with only an average degree of athleticism. Score, score, and keep scoring.

Can't do: Shoot three-pointers with any degree of consistency. Handle (except to create his own scoring opportunities). Pass. Defend.

Must do: Come off the bench and fill the hoop during the Pistons' increasingly frequent scoring droughts.

Prognosis: A strictly one-dimensional player, who must shoot at (or near) 50 percent to justify his defenseless playing time.

Marcus Banks — Suns

Can do: Run with anybody. Penetrate, pass, hit jumpers (including standstill 3s). Push the ball. Finish on the run. Play super-pressure defense.

Can't do: Get along with his coaches and his teammates. Play with consistency. Play off-the-ball defense with the same intensity as he does on-the-ball.

Must do: Play under control, and forgo his constant seeking to penetrate even in half-court sets. Smile, sacrifice, say "Please" and "Thank you."

Prognosis: This guy is one of the most talented point-guards in the league. He could be an All-Star, or he could destroy the Suns' harmony. A big gamble for Phoenix, but worth the risk.

Darius Songaila — Wizards

Can do: Make open shots (except for three-pointers). Play hard all the time. Defend with energy. Rebound.

Can't do: Play with neither razzle nor dazzle. Make complicated passes. Handle under pressure. Make clutch shots.

Must do: Avoid unnecessary fouls. Make all the little hustle plays that nobody else (except Jeffries) does.

Prognosis: Coaches love coaching Songaila because he makes so few mistakes, and players love playing with him because he doesn't need the ball to play well. With Arenas and Jamison taking all the clutch shots, Songaila will be an extremely productive player.

Othella Harrington — Bobcats

Can do: Shoot jumpers from mid-range. Move without the ball. Rebound. Block shots. Pass out of the low-post — where he'll score with lefty jump hook and turn-around jumpers over his right shoulder, also with pump fakes, and up-and-under moves. Bang and play with energy.

Can't do: Do anything threatening with his right hand. Move quickly.

Must do: Appreciate being an NBA roster at a rapidly aging 32 and in his 12th season. Not make any waves whatsoever in his reduced PT.

Prognosis: A veteran big man willing to throw his body into the action in limited minutes is always a plus for any team.

Kirk Snyder — Rockets

Can do: Score points in bunches. Exhibit NBA-level athleticism.

Can't do: Tell the difference between a good and a bad shot. Play a lick of defense. Play unselfishly. Shoot with any degree of consistency.

Must do: Turn his career, i.e., his attitude, around.

Prognosis: Has the potential to be an excellent sixth man, but he needs a stronger coach than Jeff Van Gundy to facilitate his development. That said, it's doubtful that Snyder will finish the season in Houston.

J. R. Smith — Nuggets

Can do: Be a deadly shooter in spurts. Make stand-still treys. Run, jump, and dunk with outstanding athleticism.

Can't do: Shoot anything but his mouth off with any consistency. Play hard all the time. Pass. Handle under pressure.

Must do: Grow up in a hurry or else wind up on George Karl's spit list — and on the bench.

Prognosis: This precocious almost-21-year-old represents the worst of the NBA. An obnoxious hoopling who hasn't done anything to justify his paycheck, who has an inflated sense of his abilities, and who has minimal respect for anybody who tells him to do anything that he doesn't want to do.

[RhymesayersDU]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5804624

Nuggets gain outside shooter in Smith
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) - J.R. Smith can almost envision superstardom.

Three years from now, Smith predicts he'll be a household name.

Let the clock start ticking.

"I'll be one of the premier guards in the league," Smith said Friday on his first day in Denver. "I'll definitely be one of the guys who has his own sneaker. I've always dreamt about stuff like that when I was a kid so why stop now?"

Smith, acquired from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard Howard Eisley and two second-round draft choices, arrives in Denver a humbled shooting guard.

Two years in the NBA has drained some of the confidence and swagger from the 20-year-old, who entered the league straight out of high school.

Now Smith is looking to get his game back on track. The 18th overall pick of New Orleans in 2004, he will be counted on by the Nuggets to provide a 3-point spark.

"We were 30th in the league - and you can't finish 31st in 3-point shooting," Denver director of player personnel Mark Warkentien said.

"We think we're getting a talented guy."

Smith has hit 31.6 percent from behind the 3-point line in his two-year career. However, he's 6-for-11 at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets wouldn't mind if he hit 55 percent for them.

"I hope so," said Smith, acquired by the Bulls on July 14 from New Orleans.

He's not feeling the pressure to be the Nuggets' 3-point savior, though.

"Every team wants a 3-point shooter, every team needs a 3-point shooter," Smith said. "Why not me on this team?"

Yet Smith won't spend extra time in the gym over the summer, working on his long-range shot. He's going to continue to play his style - shooting from the outside when it's open and driving to the hoop when he can.

"This got me here," he said. "Why change it up now?"

The Nuggets are getting a young, athletic player. The San Antonio Spurs thought enough of Smith to try to pull off a deal last season right before the trade deadline. Smith was minutes away from being dealt for Brent Barry when the deal fell through.

He thought the Bulls might keep him around and was a little caught off guard when he was traded to Denver. But he's here and expects to earn a starting job.

Smith may be an unknown player to most fans, but he's attempting to fix that.

"Right now everybody is asking, 'Who's he?"' Smith said. "When they see me they'll grab hold."

Smith, the co-MVP of the 2004 McDonald's All-America game, had originally committed to play for North Carolina before bolting to the NBA.

"Guys who stayed in college four years are starting to know what I've known the last two years," Smith said. "I learned to make certain moves on the defense. I learned shot selection - when to shoot the ball and when not to shoot the ball."

Even more, he learned that basketball gives you second chances.

Smith had a feud with Hornets coach Byron Scott last season. He doesn't understand what started the rift or made it unsolvable.

"We didn't have any meetings," Smith said. "(I) tried to set up meetings; he wouldn't have it.

"I'm looking to go forward from there. It's a new beginning."

On Friday after his workout, Smith was invited to lunch with Denver coach George Karl. The two were going to talk about what transpired between Smith and Scott. Karl wanted to hear it from his player, not what the rumor mill had spun.

"In order to know what I've gone through, you have to know my side of the story," Smith said. "There's always two sides.

"From him telling me that he wants to hear my side, I already know that he's a player's coach and he's the coach I'm looking for."

Smith is a player that needs to be nurtured, not lectured.

"Certain players can take constructive criticism and it makes them play harder," Smith said. "I'm one of those types of players ..."

Smith stopped to analyze what he was saying and then continued in generalizations.

"If you beat on him so much, eventually they're going to fall," Smith said. "At some point you've got to take him under your wing."

Karl, who has a connection with Smith because he played at North Carolina, has a plan like that in mind.

"He's a young player who probably needs some control over him, and some motivation to learn the game quickly," Karl said.

Smith's ready for a fresh start in Denver.

"(The last two years) definitely humbled me and made me realize what I really have to do to get to work in this league," Smith said. "(This) is a very athletic team and likes to get up and down the court. They're looking for somebody to make the outside shot when they double down on Carmelo (Anthony).

"Hopefully I'm the guy they can use."

[RhymesayersDU]

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/wbc200...ory?id=2529354

Marion, Morrison, Ridnour left off national team
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS -- Shawn Marion, Adam Morrison and Luke Ridnour were left off the U.S. national team's roster Tuesday before its trip to Asia for the world championships next month.

Amare Stoudemire and Kirk Hinrich were the only moderately surprising inclusions on the 15-man roster, which will play five warmup games in Las Vegas, China and Korea before opening the world championships in Japan on Aug. 19.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff must trim the roster to 12 players before the world championships.

Marion, the Phoenix Suns' three-time NBA All-Star, apparently was left off the roster because of a minor knee injury. He was just one of five candidates remaining from the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, which won disappointing bronze medals.

Hinrich, the Chicago Bulls point guard, beat out Ridnour for the ostensible third-string spot behind Chris Paul and Gilbert Arenas. Hinrich was slowed by a hamstring injury during the team's weeklong training camp in Las Vegas, but apparently did enough to impress Krzyzewski.

Stoudemire earned a spot on the traveling team with a remarkable comeback from surgery on both knees during last season with the Suns, when he played in three NBA games. The 6-foot-10 forward looked strong and mobile during training camp despite struggling during summer-league play a few weeks ago.

The rest of the 15-man roster includes LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh, Bruce Bowen, Elton Brand, Dwight Howard, Antawn Jamison, Joe Johnson, Brad Miller, Arenas and Paul.

In all, 25 players have committed to be members of the U.S. national team for the next three years, through the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

[GonzoLays]

Originally Posted by JR Smith

Three years from now, Smith predicts he'll be a household name.
"I'll be one of the premier guards in the league," Smith said Friday on his first day in Denver. "I'll definitely be one of the guys who has his own sneaker. I've always dreamt about stuff like that when I was a kid so why stop now?"

Oh, you can tell this kid has his priorities straight. 1) Get the shoe deal 2) Do it by any means neccessary.

This kid just sceams of uncoachable. He is probably quite the baller, but he has zero concept of "team." He b****ed out Byron Scott because he benched him; who cares that he was shooting 36% from the field at the time. How is JR Smith gonna get his shoe deal from the bench? No matter how terrible he is playing, or what his shooting percentage is, this kid really believes in his heart that he plays second fiddle to no one. He should be the center of the offense.

[RhymesayersDU]

Originally Posted by GonzoLays

Oh, you can tell this kid has his priorities straight. 1) Get the shoe deal 2) Do it by any means neccessary.

This kid just sceams of uncoachable. He is probably quite the baller, but he has zero concept of "team." He b****ed out Byron Scott because he benched him; who cares that he was shooting 36% from the field at the time. How is JR Smith gonna get his shoe deal from the bench? No matter how terrible he is playing, or what his shooting percentage is, this kid really believes in his heart that he plays second fiddle to no one. He should be the center of the offense.

I think you're right, to a point. The interview I posted has a lot of red flags. I personally didn't like the "why should I improve my game" part. But, I do cut him some slack because he came right out of high school and is immature, and I also think the Nuggets still got him for cheap, he's on a rookie contract, and he's better than the people we had... So we'll see how it works out.

[Odysseus]

I have not kept up on Nuggets to be honest. What else is happening generally with the team? Is this a good move? I heard rumor that Carmelo was actually doing a good job in the All Stars.

Any more Nuggest updates?

[KipCorrington25]

It's a great move, they gave up nothing for a guy with huge upside...

[GonzoLays]

Originally Posted by RhymesayersDU

I think you're right, to a point. The interview I posted has a lot of red flags. I personally didn't like the "why should I improve my game" part. But, I do cut him some slack because he came right out of high school and is immature, and I also think the Nuggets still got him for cheap, he's on a rookie contract, and he's better than the people we had... So we'll see how it works out.

Yep

Originally Posted by JR Smith

Yet Smith won't spend extra time in the gym over the summer, working on his long-range shot. He's going to continue to play his style - shooting from the outside when it's open and driving to the hoop when he can.

"This got me here," he said. "Why change it up now?"

Why change it? You are one of the rare cases of a 1st round draft pick getting traded TWICE for a bag of chips in less than a month. And he is only in his second season!

What is quite obvious from this kid is that he doesn't see himself as the problem.

But still it's a good gamble on the Nuggs part. They got him for nothing. Who knows how he is going to turn out.

[usedupbraids]

A bad move for the nuggest J.R Smith is a good player dont get me wrong but the nuggest need a center or a better PF. But smith will fit great in golden state

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by RhymesayersDU

I think you're right, to a point. The interview I posted has a lot of red flags. I personally didn't like the "why should I improve my game" part. But, I do cut him some slack because he came right out of high school and is immature, and I also think the Nuggets still got him for cheap, he's on a rookie contract, and he's better than the people we had... So we'll see how it works out.

This kid is an outstanding athlete, and someone I had hoped that Dallas would make a move for before the trade deadline last season because he poses little financial risk and Avery Johnson was in house to regulate the situation if need be. I dont think that Dallas ever considered him though because he has the anti-championship attitude.

I know that Karl can be pretty obtuse with players like him, so it will be interesting to see if someone on the squad can corral him and make him focus on committing to NBA team basketball. I am almost convinced that he will end up playing And-1 mixtape basketball in the end though. The Nuggets surely dont need a goofball kid like that influencing Carmelo Anthony. Maybe Anthony can get him focused. On the other hand, the triumvirate of Smith, KMart, and Ruben Patterson could destroy any championship focus that that team might have. The Nuggets look like the new Trailblazers. Hopefully Karl can change the mentality for this season.

[Nuggets4]

Originally Posted by usedupbraids

A bad move for the nuggest J.R Smith is a good player dont get me wrong but the nuggest need a center or a better PF. But smith will fit great in golden state

Um, huh? We have too many centers and power forwards. And GS has two very good SG's already, they don't need a project like Smith.

[usedupbraids]

all there center are trash yea yall have a good power forward in martin but his not going to get any better ill tarde Smith in Martin down to timberwolfs for K.G

[Nuggets4]

Originally Posted by usedupbraids

all there center are trash yea yall have a good power forward in martin but his not going to get any better ill tarde Smith in Martin down to timberwolfs for K.G

[ludo21]

We all know this is the Suns year anyway, why bother trading for srubs??

[usedupbraids]

Go Lakers And Broncos #1

[KipCorrington25]

Originally Posted by usedupbraids

A bad move for the nuggest J.R Smith is a good player dont get me wrong but the nuggest need a center or a better PF. But smith will fit great in golden state

Bad move? I think you have to judge the move on what was received and what was given. 2 seconds and Howard Eisley for JR Smith is a great move.

[RhymesayersDU]

Originally Posted by usedupbraids

A bad move for the nuggest J.R Smith is a good player dont get me wrong but the nuggest need a center or a better PF. But smith will fit great in golden state

hahhahahahahah @ better center or PF... Dude, what are you smoking? We haven't had a 2-guard in like 5 years.

[RMT]

I like this move. The Nugs gain an athletic 2-guard. His shooting percentage will improve in Denver as much as the Nugs like to run. With Carmelo on the floor, JR won't have to be the "lights out" shooter most teams need from the 2 spot. He'll be fine.

[usedupbraids]

nuggets stink anyway they will lose the 1st round of the playoffs they should just move the team to new mexcio

[orange 4 life]

its a GOOD move, but a GREAT move wouldve been nicer.
hey, we cant have it all right?

to me, the better news is that carmelo is working hard in the offseason, and reportedly looks substantially stronger and more focussed.

everyone else aside, its melo that will make or break this team.

jake

ps- ANOTHER guy who can shoot (maybe a 2/3 guy instead of a straight 2) would be nice.
while this move is an upgrade, its not the answer (no reference to AI intended).
remember, while this kid did shoot okay from outside the arc, it was also not his forte. we'll have to see.

[watermock]

Jake will be our quarterback for several more years."

Ted Sundquist on our present and future quarterback

If "several" meant two I might take that comment seriously Jake. I swear, I have never seen someone homer for a QB that basically was thrown to the curb for Kurt Warner and others. It's comical honestly. I suppose we drafted Cutler to prime him for free agency in 5 years? I'm quite surprised Sundquist made that statement. Maybe Cutler will get upset about that comment and hold out in 2007 if he isn't handed the #1. If the GM thinks we are set for "several years", why was Cutler drafted in the first place? So we could groom Jay for a job at another site?
Anyway, that sig line is quite amusing and I don't recall Sundquist making that comment but I'll take your word for it.

As far as a shooting guard goes, people have been crying for years. Something is better than nothing, and it might take some pressure off Melo. Honestly, I don't follow the Nuggets too closely, but it seems they are not pathetic anymore.

[RhymesayersDU]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2529347

Majerus turned down job as Nuggets assistant
Associated Press

DENVER -- Former Utah coach Rick Majerus has turned down an offer to become an assistant to Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, the team said Tuesday.

"[Karl] offered me the job a month ago," Majerus told the Rocky Mountain News in Tuesday's editions. "But I can't move [to Denver] right now."

Majerus, 58, coached the Utes from 1989 until January 2004, when he stepped down for health reasons. He was 323-95 at Utah and led the team to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances.

He now lives in Milwaukee, works as an ESPN college analyst and cares for his mother, Alyce.

The Nuggets are seeking a replacement for assistant coach Scott Brooks, who left last month for Sacramento. Nuggets spokesman Tim Gelt said the team has no timetable to fill the position.

Majerus is a longtime friend of Karl's and plans to be in Denver from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to help him with training camp, which begins Oct. 3.

[Clockwork Orange]

Sixers take Iverson off the trade block.

I think everyone saw this coming. If you look past the spin that King is trying to put on it, the reason this is happening is because he obviously went into the market thinking he was either going to get a bounty of youngsters/draft picks or another All-Star back for Iverson and no one was offering either. As good as Iverson is, he's 31, has a history of injuries and a fat contract. No one is going to sell the farm for him and obviously that's what King was banking on someone doing.