Nets at work building toward Brooklyn
July 30, 2011
NEW YORK (AP)—From high above a Brooklyn street, the view is of cranes andtrucks maneuvering below, trains idling in the distance off to the left.
From that very spot, Mikhail Prokhorov will soon watch his basketball teamplay.
The New Jersey Nets are perhaps the busiest team in a league where work hasstopped, the banging and clanging at the team’s construction site some of theonly sounds being heard in the NBA’s mostly silent summer.
And the lockout won’t slow their momentum, because they’re selling Brooklynas much as basketball.
“People waited a long time not only for this venue, but also for sportsentertainment to return. What we’ve been selling for years is, Brooklyn isvolume and variety, and that the building’s bigger than basketball,” BarclaysCenter chief executive officer Brett Yormark said. “It’s not just one thing, acombination of all of them, so our story hasn’t changed.”
The $1 billion arena is set for a September 2012 opening, and the Netsbelieve it will provide them with the type of home-court environment they neverenjoyed in New Jersey, for long at the Meadowlands and now at their temporaryhome in the Prudential Center.
From the moment Bruce Ratner bought the team in 2004, he planned to get themout of there and to the borough where he first built a quarter century ago.Lawsuits and a recession delayed his plans until Prokhorov, a billionaire fromRussia, bought the majority of the team and a share of the development project,paving the way for a dream that seemed stalled.
“This is a sports town,” said Ratner, who is chairman and CEO of ForestCity Ratner Companies and developer of the arena while retaining a portion ofthe team. “This location, the subway location was extraordinary, and we feltthat the name Brooklyn resonated throughout the world as its own brand.”
The Nets have tumbled toward the bottom of the NBA since their run to twostraight NBA finals in 2002-03, finishing with one of the worst records inleague history two seasons ago when they went 12-70. But just as things hittheir lowest point on the court, their future started to pick up.
Work finally began in March 2010, though only on one side of the site whileremaining tenants lasted another two months on the other, causing part of thearena to be clearly ahead of the other. It has remained on schedule since,despite the challenges of building in the tight space of what would be thenation’s fourth-largest city if it were one.
Two streets had to be closed and utilities had to be moved. Long Island RailRoad trains that used to rest where the arena will sit when not in use are nowparked in the distance. As part of the project, a subway stop for nine lineswill be expanded, allowing travelers to stay underground until arriving at theBarclays Center’s plaza entrance.
“Urban projects are particularly difficult, because as Bruce has pointedout earlier, you’re shoehorning them into asymmetrical kinds of conditions,often immediately adjacent to transit hubs,” said Bob Sanna, in charge of theBarclays Center construction.
“In this particular case we’re surrounded by subways, so when you excavateadjacent to a subway, or to a railroad or to any tunnel, it introduces a levelof complexity. You can’t just go out there with a shovel and dig it. You have toplan how you’re going to support the dirt and those kinds of things.”
Ratner, an Ohio native who first worked for the city after coming to NewYork 44 years ago, said he was always “fascinated” by Brooklyn and used topitch businesses to relocate or remain there.
“I used to sell Brooklyn in 1986 by saying downtown Brooklyn is the bestdowntown in America,” Ratner said. “And companies would look at me and I’d sayhere’s why: best transportation system, beautiful parks, has more collegestudents than Cambridge, Mass; restaurants and diversity and brownstones, andpeople live in the downtown. I always thought it had tremendous opportunity foralmost anything.”
And it will have a large presence in the arena, with the facade being setjust this week allowing for open views of Atlantic Avenue. Pictures of the courtin the Barclays Center brochure show “Brooklyn Nets” lining both baselines—even though they will eventually need league approval to adopt that as theirname.
The Nets are eager to show off the arena’s progress, believing it can enticeplayers now that they’re ready to spend again thanks to Prokhorov’s deeppockets. The delays in getting it built may have cost the Nets in their pursuitof Carmelo Anthony(notes), who said players would always wonder about the Brooklyn movebecause they couldn’t see it—something Ratner understands.
“Having skepticism by anybody is understandable and it’s like when youbuild a house. Until it really gets framed up, you don’t really believe it’shappening,” he said. “Now that they see it, they are amazed at how large atis. I think seeing it is believing.”
Sales of premium seats have already started, and Yormark has been pleasedwith the number purchased by Brooklyn residents, proving there’s money there tospend in the lounges and restaurants. Basketball is an obvious focus—thearena’s scoreboard and a practice court below will be visible from the lobbyentrance—but there will be concerts, the circus and boxing, with Yormarksaying 163 dates have already been booked.
“Brooklyn certainly deserves the best of entertainment there is to offer,”he said.
Ratner remembers when Brooklyn had it, when the beloved Dodgers played atEbbets Field and top musicians performed at the Paramount. He believes theBarclays Center will bring back what’s been missing.
“Sports and entertainment are such a part of our lives in this country.People who say, ‘Well, it’s just an arena,’ they’re really not right,” Ratnersaid. “It’s a physical structure. More than that, it’s a part of ourselves,it’s part of what entertainment is and everyone loves entertainment.”
Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
Pistons hire Frank as head coach
July 29, 2011
DETROIT (AP)—The Detroit Pistons have a new coach.
A person with knowledge of the situation said Friday that the Pistons haveagreed to a three-year deal with Lawrence Frank to be the new head coach. Theagreement includes a team option for a fourth year, according to the person whospoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’tannounced the move.
Frank, an assistant coach with Boston last season and a former head coach inNew Jersey, will be Detroit’s sixth coach in 11 seasons when the NBA lockoutends. The Pistons fired John Kuester in June after they missed the playoffs inboth of his two seasons.
A deliberate coaching search, which also included Mike Woodson, KelvinSampson, Bill Laimbeer and Patrick Ewing, ended with the franchise choosing togive Frank another chance at a head coaching job. Frank was 225-241 with theNets, who won two division titles, as many as 49 games in a season and advancedto the conference semifinals three times with him on the bench.
The 40-year-old native of Teaneck, N.J., spent four seasons as a studentmanager for Bob Knight at Indiana. He was an assistant at Marquette andTennessee before becoming an NBA assistant in Vancouver and New Jersey.
Frank will have a lot of work to do in the Motor City, which has a new ownerin Tom Gores and three straight seasons with a losing record. Detroit has twicemissed the playoffs after advancing to six consecutive Eastern Conference finalsand winning the 2004 NBA title.
Detroit won just 30 games last season with a dysfunctional roster on thecourt and one that was problematic off it for Kuester. Seven players missed atleast part of a team shootaround in Philadelphia last season and Kuester playedthe remaining six in a blowout loss to the 76ers.
When the league resumes play, free agent Tayshaun Prince(notes) may part ways withthe only NBA team he’s played for and free agent Ben Wallace(notes) might not be back.
Detroit drafted Kentucky guard Brandon Knight(notes) No. 8 overall, adding to itsperimeter logjam with Rodney Stuckey(notes), Richard Hamilton(notes) and Ben Gordon(notes). CenterGreg Monroe(notes) showed promising signs last season as a rookie and power forwardJonas Jerebko(notes), who didn’t play last season after tearing his right Achilles’tendon, will get an opportunity to bolster a thin frontcourt.
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
FIBA to allow NBA players overseas
July 29, 2011
GENEVA (AP)—Basketball’s world governing body said Friday it will clear NBAplayers under contract to play overseass during the lockout, as long as theyreturn once it’s over.
FIBA agreed with NBA and players’ association officials that players arefree to sign anywhere but do so at their own risk of injury.
“As the world governing body for basketball, we strongly hope that thelabor dispute will be resolved as soon as possible, and that the NBA season isable to begin as scheduled,” secretary general Patrick Baumann said in astatement.
“In view of our role to promote basketball worldwide, we support any playerwishing to play the game, wherever and whenever. We do so while obviously takingthe interests, rights and obligations of all parties into account.”
Playing overseas has emerged as an option for NBA players during a workstoppage that threatens to last months and could even wipe out the entireseason. Nets All-Star Deron Williams(notes) has a deal with Turkish club Besiktas—which is also courting Kobe Bryant(notes)—and most top players said they wouldconsider playing.
Union executive director Billy Hunter has endorsed the idea, with playersbelieving it will pressure owners at the bargaining table if they see theirplayers have options elsewhere.
If a player under NBA contract agrees to a deal in a FIBA-affiliated league,he first must be cleared to go by the NBA. The league will allow partialclearance, meaning it must be guaranteed the player returns to his NBA team oncea new collective bargaining agreement is reached. FIBA will then give itsapproval once the player has signed a declaration stating he will do so.
There is still plenty of doubt that top players will head to Europe or Asia.Big stars may not find enough money to make it worthwhile, and numerous playerswho have signed overseas have stories of missed or late payments from theirteams there. Also, their NBA teams could void their contracts if they aresignificantly injured playing in another league.
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
Jay Vincent jailed ahead of sentencing
July 29, 2011
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP)—Former NBA player and Michigan State star JayVincent has been sent to jail, five weeks before he gets his sentence in afederal fraud case.
Vincent’s bond was revoked Thursday in Grand Rapids. He’s accused ofwriting, or causing others to write, bad checks in a scheme to recruit playersto a basketball league.
The government says Vincent is a threat to the public while he awaitssentencing on Sept. 2. Vincent pleaded guilty last year after authoritiesaccused him of defrauding 20,000 people by charging them to become certifiedhome inspectors.
A message seeking comment was left Friday with defense attorney Tom Clement.
Vincent and Magic Johnson played on the 1979 Michigan State nationalchampionship team. Vincent also played for six NBA teams.
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
Vigil held for slain Lorenzen Wright
July 29, 2011
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)—Fans, friends and relatives of Lorenzen Wright(notes) haveattended a candlelight vigil to remember the slain former NBA player, a yearafter his body was found in a field in southeast Memphis.
About 125 people attended the vigil Thursday night at the Outdoor Plaza ofFedExForum, home of the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.
The vigil was a more intimate event than the memorial service held insidethe FedEx Forum after Wright’s body was found one year ago Thursday. He had beenshot several times. Thousands of people, including NBA players and politicians,attended last year’s service.
Wright played for the Grizzlies and four other NBA teams as a forward andcenter, averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds over 13 seasons before retiring in2009.
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
Durant ‘about 50-50′ on playing overseas
July 29, 2011
TULSA, Okla. (AP)—Kevin Durant(notes) says he is “about 50-50” on playingoverseas if the NBA lockout lasts.
The league scoring champion from the Oklahoma City Thunder hopes the workstoppage is settled in time for a full season, but says he’ll “have to thinkabout” playing elsewhere if that doesn’t happen.
Durant says he has been working on his game during his time off, but took abreak from that to attend the WNBA game between Tulsa and Chicago on Thursdaynight. Speaking at halftime, he called himself a “basketball fanatic” whoenjoys watching the women’s game.
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
Vigil for slain Lorenzen Wright
July 28, 2011
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)—Fans, friends and relatives of Lorenzen Wright(notes) areexpected to attend a candlelight vigil Thursday night to remember the slainformer NBA player, a year after his body was found in a field in southeastMemphis.
The free vigil will be held at the Outdoor Plaza of FedExForum, home of theNBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.
The vigil is expected to be a more intimate event than the memorial serviceheld inside the FedEx Forum after Wright’s body was found one year ago Thursday.Thousands of people, including NBA players and politicians, attended last year’sservice.
Wright played for the Grizzlies and four other NBA teams as a forward andcenter, averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds over 13 seasons before retiring in2009. Wright—whose nickname was “Ren”—also played high school and collegeball in Memphis, where he was a fan favorite because of his charity work withyouth and his father’s involvement as a coach in summer leagues.
Wright’s body was found in a field near a wooded area on July 28, 2010. Hewas shot several times.
The father of six children was missing for 10 days before his decomposingbody was discovered. Police have not made an arrest, and Memphis Police DirectorToney Armstrong has acknowledged that detectives are not close to solving thecrime.
Police have been blamed for making mistakes early in the investigation.Wright’s parents have filed a $2 million lawsuit, accusing two suburban policedepartments of mishandling an emergency call and a missing person’s report.Officials in the two municipalities have declined comment.
A $6,000 reward is available for anyone who can provide information leadingto an arrest. Armstrong, who took over as police chief in April, has said heplans to ask city officials to increase the reward.
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
Rose speeds shortly after DWI sentencing
July 28, 2011
CLAWSON, Mich. (AP)—Shortly after being sentenced to nearly three weeks injail for drunken driving, Jalen Rose was stopped for speeding in a Detroitsuburb.
Clawson Police Chief Harry Anderson says Rose was clocked going 46 miles perhour in a 25 mile-per-hour zone Wednesday night. He was given a citation at 8:47p.m. for going 10 miles per hour over the limit.
Rose, an ESPN analyst and former NBA player, was sentenced earlier Wednesdayto 20 days in jail for a March drunken-driving crash near Detroit. He pleadedguilty to driving while intoxicated in May and apologized in a brief statement.
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
Bogut to be assistant coach for Aussies
July 28, 2011
BRISBANE, Australia (AP)—Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut(notes) will spendhis time during the NBA lockout as assistant coach of the Australian nationalteam that will face New Zealand in an Olympic qualifying series.
Bogut hoped to play for Australia in the best-of-three series, the winner ofwhich will qualify for the 2012 London games. But Basketball Australia wasunable to insure his multimillion dollar contract, and instead the former No. 1NBA draft pick will assist coach Brett Brown on the bench.
Brown joked Thursday “he’ll be my richest assistant coach. He’s fantasticabout wanting to play, but with injury and insurance issues with the NBAlockout, he’ll play his role from the bench next to me.”
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
Owners, players set to continue talks
July 28, 2011
NEW YORK (AP)—NBA owners and players will resume talks toward a newcollective bargaining agreement Monday, a month after the lockout started,people with knowledge of the plans said Wednesday.
Though representatives from the sides have been talking and met on multipleoccasions since July 1, this will be the first meeting to include CommissionerDavid Stern, union executive director Billy Hunter and president Derek Fisher(notes) ofthe Lakers, and owners, the people told The Associated Press. They spoke oncondition of anonymity because the talks are supposed to be confidential.
The sides were still far apart on numerous economic issues when owners votedto lock out the players when the old collective bargaining agreement expired atthe end of the day June 30.
The first full meeting after the lockout in the summer of 1998 also came inearly August, and the NBA went on to lose games to a work stoppage for the onlytime.
That possibility looms again, with owners seeking significant changes to thedivision of revenues, salary cap and other financial areas. The league says itlost about $300 million last season and has no chance to make a profit under theold system, which guaranteed the players 57 percent of basketball-relatedincome.
Players offered to reduce that to 54.3 percent, but say the owners’ lastproposal for a new CBA would cut their guarantee to around 40 percent.
The NBA has released its 2011-12 schedule, which would begin on Nov. 1, butthat would be jeopardized if the sides can’t start chipping away at theirdifferences soon. Hunter indicated after the last talks that perhaps they couldstart with something besides the finances when talks resumed, since they couldnever get past that hurdle and onto other things previously.
Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney
Lockout off. Trash Talking On. Sign up for Fantasy Football 11 today!
