NBA Capsules: Parker injures right ankle against Austria
PARIS — Spurs guard Tony Parker has a sprained ankle and injured thigh after colliding with an Austrian player during a recent basketball game.
Parker is unlikely to be available to play for France in Thursday's game in Paris against Hungary in Eurobasketball 2009, according to sports daily L'Equipe.
The Spurs' star hurt his right thigh and ankle in a collision with Stjepan Stazic in a game Friday. Parker issued a statement saying he was hit in his thigh and turned his ankle.
The statement also said tests on Saturday showed no sign of ligament tears or other serious complications, and that he could resume training later in the week.
AP source: Gooden says he's headed to Dallas
DALLAS — A source close to the negotiations tells The Associated Press that the Dallas Mavericks have reached an agreement with free agent big man Drew Gooden.
The source, who did not wish to be identified because a contract hasn't been signed yet, said Monday that the deal is "verbally done."
Gooden said on his Twitter page Monday that he had three deciding factors in his decision to join the Mavs: winning, playing time and money. He wrote: "Dallas is the team!"
Owner Mark Cuban did not return an email seeking confirmation of the deal, but did post "Welcome Drew" on his Twitter page.
Gooden, 27, played in 19 games for the San Antonio Spurs last year, averaging 9.8 points and 4.4 rebounds. The 6-foot-10 Gooden averages 12 points and 7.9 rebounds and will help a frontcourt that lost Brandon Bass to free agency.
The Mavs would behis seventh team.
Nash signs 2-year, $22 million extension with Suns
PHOENIX — Steve Nash thought about leaving the Phoenix Suns after this season.
But after mulling other options, Nash realized there were no guarantees of winning an NBA championship elsewhere.
So he agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract extension that will keep the two-time MVP point guard under contract with the Suns through the 2011-2012 season.
"I definitely was weighing all my options," Nash said Monday on a conference call with reporters, his first public comments since signing the new deal. "I definitely looked out there to see what possibilities there were — becoming a free agent next year, asking to be traded. But the truth is, I love the city, the organization. I really like my teammates and coach."
Nash said those considerations "greatly outweigh the opportunity to search for a title anywhere else. There's never any guarantees of that sort of thing anyway."
The 35-year-old Nash, entering his 13th NBA season, had one year left on a contract that will pay him $13 million next season.
Under the new agreement, $6 million of the final two years of the contract will be deferred, with $3 million being paid in each of the two years following the expiration of the contract, said Bill Duffy, Nash's agent.
"There's definitely a good chance that this is the last three years for me," Nash said. "It would obviously be a pleasure and a bonus to finish my career as a Sun."
When Phoenix retooled after failing to make the playoffs last spring, there was speculation that Nash would leave for a team with a better chance to win an NBA title. As tempting as that might have been, Nash said he decided to stick with what he knew.
"I didn't want to just chase something fleeting," Nash said. "I wanted to do the best I could for this franchise and these guys."
Nash, born in South Africa and raised in Victoria, British Columbia, was the Suns' first-round draft pick in 1996 and was traded to Dallas in 1998.
The Suns lured Nash back to Phoenix in 2004 in a celebrated effort that included a flight to Dallas by then-owner Jerry Colangelo and a host of representatives of the team. When Mavericks owner Mark Cuban balked at re-signing Nash, at age 30, at the amount he wanted, the point guard signed a five-year, $65 million contract with Phoenix.
In the last five years with Phoenix, Nash has averaged 17.1 points and 10.8 assists per game — higher than his career averages of 14.4 points and eight assists.
The New York Knicks had been mentioned as a possible destination for Nash because of his connection with coach Mike D'Antoni.
Nash had the best years of his career leading D'Antoni's high-octane offense in Phoenix. Nash was named the league's MVP in 2005 and 2006 and was a first-team all-NBA selection in 2005, 2006 and 2007. D'Antoni left for New York after the 2007-08 season.
Nash, who has an offseason residence in New York, said he thought about teaming up with D'Antoni again.
"I get stopped about 50 times a day on the street in New York: 'Are you coming to the Knicks? ' " Nash said.
Nash decided to stay put after watching general manager Steve Kerr's offseason moves.
Nash said the re-signing of forward Grant Hill was "extremely influential in my decision" to return. Nash also said he enjoys playing for coach Alvin Gentry, who replaced Terry Porter midway through last season and was retained.
"I don't have to know how good we're going to be," Nash said. "I think we can be good."
Suns management agrees, which is why the club decided to keep the aging guard instead of trading him or letting him walk away as a free agent.
"Steve is still one of the best point guards in the NBA, and his dedication to conditioning will keep him among the league's elite for several more seasons," Kerr said. "In many ways he embodies what our franchise is all about, and we're thrilled that he will be the leader of our team for the next three years."
The team faces an uncertain future after failing to make the playoffs for the first time since Nash rejoined the Suns.
Phoenix seemed to be in rebuilding mode when it traded center Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland in a financially motivated deal. There have also been numerous rumors that the team is looking to trade All-Star Amare Stoudemire, who has one year left on his contract and wants the maximum in any new deal, something the budget-conscious Suns may not be willing to do.
-- Andrew Bagnato
Heat's Wade pressed by multiple lawsuits
MIAMI — Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade is embroiled in a multimillion-dollar legal mess with former business partners that could prove costly for the NBA star.
A deal to open a restaurant chain — D. Wade's Place — which Wade and a friend, Marcus Andrews, hoped would go nationwide barely got off the ground. And now those former business associates claim Wade walked away from a binding contract.
"He's only hurting himself. It's become something it shouldn't have," said Richard von Houtman, one of Wade's ex-partners in the failed restaurant-and-memorabilia chain venture that once envisioned 40 locations. "It would have been phenomenal."
Wade, the NBA's leading scorer last season, is acutely aware of the impact his legal struggles could have on his future endorsement earnings.
"In my profession, your name and likeness is all people know about you. They don't know just the person," Wade said in a court deposition obtained by The Associated Press. "So, with that being said, with my name and likeness being dragged through everything ... there's already a hit on my brand and a hit to my name. That's not good."
Wade has also filed a $100 million libel lawsuit against von Houtman over e-mails his former partner sent to Heat president Pat Riley. Wade's brand, though, still seems to be strong: Earlier this month, he changed shoe companies, leaving Converse for Nike's Jumpman, the line made ultra-popular by Michael Jordan.
Dozens of people who signed up to work for the restaurant chain — some abandoning promising careers — were left out in the cold when it abruptly folded last year. Though Wade claims he is also a victim, many blame him.
"A lot of people got hurt. They believed in him," said Adam Mesmer, who was to be operations director and now runs a restaurant called Miami Prime Grill where a flagship D. Wade's Place had been poised to open. "We worked so hard to put something together."
All this comes as the 27-year-old Wade is going through a messy divorce from his wife, Siohvaughn, and an arbitration proceeding over claims that he improperly walked away from a Miami charter school for at-risk kids that was supposed to bear his name.
The grand restaurant venture began with T-shirts.
In 2007, von Houtman — a wealthy British expatriate who says he is a German baron — became acquainted with Wade's friend Andrews.
The original plan to market a line of T-shirts, according to von Houtman and court documents, quickly turned to talk of upscale, sports-themed restaurants that would sell all sorts of Wade memorabilia. Von Houtman brought in Mark Rodberg, who had experience in developing restaurants, and the two of them inked the D. Wade's Place deal with Wade and Andrews on Aug. 6, 2007.
Wade was to be paid $1 million as well as receive 10 percent ownership in the venture, with Andrews getting a 2 percent stake. The rest would go to von Houtman and Rodberg.
Wade's agent Henry Thomas — who had worked with Wade on his Heat contract and endorsements for T-Mobile, Gatorade, Converse and others — was not in on the deal.
"He was doing this in connection with Marcus and a group of friends that he had indicated to me that he wanted involved in his life to pursue different things," Thomas said in a court deposition.
As the deal progressed, Wade said in his deposition there was talk among the partners of the "Shaq component," bringing in another high-profile NBA star such as Shaquille O'Neal, who along with Wade had led the Heat to the 2006 NBA championship.
"They just wanted to get him involved, and wanted me to talk to him about getting him involved," Wade said in his deposition.
There was an incentive: Andrews gave Wade a suitcase from von Houtman with $100,000 in cash as a bonus for O'Neal. Wade said von Houtman also promised him another $100,000, so when O'Neal rejected the restaurant overture Wade kept the cash "like a sign-on bonus," Wade testified.
O'Neal's agent did not respond to email inquiries from the AP about this incident.
Two D. Wade's restaurants opened in early 2008 in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, and remodeling work was proceeding on the largest location in North Miami Beach.
Soon however, the lawsuits against Wade claim he balked at making required appearances. Then, court papers say Wade and Andrews demanded their share in the restaurants be increased to 30 percent. The demands included Andrews seeking a salary of $75,000 per location and Wade's father, also named Dwyane, getting a job paying $50,000 a year.
With trouble brewing in the venture, Wade's agent Thomas said in court documents that Riley called him concerned about Wade. Thomas also recalled his own discussions with former Kentucky Gov. John Y. Brown — who once ran Kentucky Fried Chicken and previously owned the NBA's Boston Celtics and the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA — about Brown possibly taking a role in D. Wade's Place.
Thomas said Riley told him he had talked with the Browns at the 2008 Kentucky Derby.
In a telephone interview from Kentucky, Brown acknowledged interest in the D. Wade's Place concept but said it never went very far.
"I wasn't directly involved. I had an option to get involved," Brown told the AP. "Dwyane Wade is a fine young man, that's all I can say."
Not long after Thomas wrote to Wade's partners in July 2008 that he wanted nothing more to do with them, the lawsuits began flying.
There are two main lawsuits pending against Wade and Andrews. One claiming breach of contract seeks about $25 million in damages is scheduled to go to trial in January 2010. The other, claiming federal antitrust violations over the proposed Wade merchandise sales, demands about $90 million and is currently set to go to trial in September.
The antitrust case was filed by an entity controlled by Lauren Hollander, the sister of original Wade restaurant partner Rodberg. As relations between Wade and his partners soured, Rodberg and von Houtman in April 2008 transferred their 88 percent interest in D. Wade's Place to Hollander's firm.
Wade has filed a counterclaim seeking up to $50 million against his ex-partners as well as the libel lawsuit against von Houtman. Von Houtman has filed a counterclaim to the libel case, and his lawyer Bruce Fein contends it was Heat officials suggested that von Houtman bring concerns about Wade to Riley.
-- Curt Anderson
Thunder, Wolves swap veterans
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Minnesota Timberwolves picked up point guard Chucky Atkins from Oklahoma City on Monday in exchange for veteran center Etan Thomas and two second-round draft picks next year.
Minnesota also got Oklahoma City guard Damien Wilkins in the deal. Timberwolves president of basketball operations David Kahn, who has been busy reshaping the roster he inherited from Kevin McHale, said the swap gives the team flexibility when it comes to the roster.
"We may have some other moves to make and it's still too early to tell," Kahn said. "I thought this move provided some additional flexibility and thought we should go after it now."
Thomas spent less than a month with the Timberwolves. The Tulsa native came over from Washington in the trade that eventually landed unsigned No. 5 overall draft pick Ricky Rubio in Minnesota. The Wolves also drafted another point guard, Jonny Flynn, with the sixth pick.
Since then, Kahn has shipped Sebastian Telfair — the only remaining veteran point guard on the roster — to the Clippers along with Mark Madsen and Craig Smith to get Quentin Richardson in a deal based almost solely on finances.
If Atkins sticks around, the 10-year veteran could replace Telfair as a much-needed mentor to the young point guards. He could also provide depth if Rubio, who has an enormous buyout clause in his contract with DKV Joventut, is forced to remain in Spain instead of playing for the Timberwolves this season.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti has spent the last two weeks shedding veterans who played diminishing minutes late last season. He waived veteran point guard Earl Watson earlier this month and now Thomas, 31, replaces the 34-year-old Atkins as the Thunder's oldest player.
The moves combine to give Oklahoma City more balance on their roster, which had been guard heavy.
"We see this as an opportunity to add some defensive mentality and some experience to our frontcourt, and we're excited to have Etan as part of our roster moving forward," Presti said.
Presti has also stockpiled five picks in next year's draft. This trade brought over Minnesota's second-round pick and whichever of the Timberwolves' other three second-round picks ends up last. The Thunder also have two first-round picks and their own second-round selection.
Thomas, who played at Booker T. Washington High School, will have a chance to play in his hometown Oct. 14 when the Thunder play Miami in a preseason game at Tulsa's BOK Center.
Wilkins, meanwhile, will be making a belated move to Minnesota four years after nearly joining the Timberwolves. Wilkins signed an offer sheet with the Timberwolves in 2005, but the SuperSonics — who later moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder — matched the offer for the restricted free agent and kept him.
The way Kahn is wheeling and dealing this summer, there's no telling how long Wilkins will be on the roster. Like Thomas, Wilkins and Atkins have expiring contracts.
"I think we will have other things to occur this summer and maybe even this week," Kahn said. "For now, the kinds of moves we've made have been for flexibility and for roster balance."
Kahn also is continuing his search for a head coach. The process was delayed by a trip to Spain last week to meet with Joventut officials about Rubio's buyout, a trip Kahn called "productive."
But Kahn said Monday that he is in the midst of the second and final round of interviews for the position. He declined to talk specifically about the field, but ESPN analyst Mark Jackson, Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis and Houston assistant Elston Turner have all been previously interviewed.
Kahn said he should have a decision by the start of August.
-- Jeff Latzke
AP Source: Bobcats, Hornets closing in on trade
The Charlotte Bobcats are finalizing a trade that would send Emeka Okafor to the New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler, two people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.
The swap of 26-year-old centers wasn't expected to be completed until Tuesday and was unlikely to include other players, the people said on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.
The deal would be another roster shake up for the Bobcats since Larry Brown took over as coach last season, and is a gamble because Chandler has been plagued by a left toe injury and recently underwent surgery.
Okafor was the No. 2 overall pick — after Orlando took Dwight Howard — in the 2004 draft. Okafor was the first pick in franchise history and the Bobcats re-signed him to a six-year, $72 million deal before last season.
The 6-foot-10 Okafor averaged 13.2 points and 10.1 rebounds for Charlotte last season. But Brown questioned his passion at the end of the season.
"I tease him that he's got an A in stretching and pilates and yoga. I want him to have an A in basketball," Brown said two days after Charlotte finished 35-47. "It makes older people feel great, but he's got to work on his game. ... There's no better guy than him, I just want him to have a passion to play the sport because it ends so quickly."
Chandler is taller, at 7-1, but averaged only 8.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in an unsettling season that saw him traded to Oklahoma City, then returned to New Orleans. The deal was rescinded because the Thunder had concerns about a left toe injury.
Chandler later had a left ankle injury that kept him out of the Hornets' final playoff game. He underwent surgery on his toe and ankle in May, but Hornets officials said he would be ready for training camp.
The Hornets don't figure to have injury concerns with Okafor, who has played all 82 games in each of the past two seasons. While he is a solid rebounder, he has struggled offensively and is a poor free-throw shooter.
While Okafor has a longer contract, the players make about the same each year, making it an easier deal to fit under the salary cap. Chandler is slated to make $11.8 million in 2009-10, with a player's option worth $12.7 million in 2010-11.
Okafor is scheduled to earn $10.5 million next season, meaning the Hornets could lower 2009-2010 payroll by $1.3 million. If the Hornets have to pay the league's dollar-for-dollar luxury tax next season, the savings effectively could be double.
As of Monday, with Chandler still on the books, the Hornets' payroll was about $78 million, close to $8 million above the NBA's luxury tax threshold of $69.9 million for next season.
Still, a trade for Okafor would lock New Orleans into a longer financial commitment.
Chandler's shorter contract could help the Bobcats get long-term salary-cap relief and lower payroll for owner Bob Johnson, who is looking to sell the team after deep financial losses.
Once completed, it would mark the fourth major trade for the Bobcats since Brown took his NBA record ninth head coaching job. The team, which will begin its sixth season in the fall, is still looking for its first playoff berth.
-- Mike Cranston
Deng not gambling on fitness despite Olympic dream
LONDON — However desperate Luol Deng is to play at the Olympics, the Chicago Bulls forward won't jeopardize his fitness to help Britain ensure it clinches a spot at London 2012.
The rehabilitation from a right-leg stress fracture that has kept Deng off the court since February is taking longer than expected.
While hopeful about returning for the Bulls' fall training camp and the preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 6 in London, Deng is not risking playing for Britain before then.
"It's a very tough decision not being able to play but it was just a tough year last year with my injury," Deng said in a conference call Monday. "The fracture of my leg was such a serious injury that I need all summer in order to go full speed and I'm not full speed yet, but I'm almost there.
"Right now it's the right decision, hopefully it will come out as a small sacrifice for my future with the Bulls and my future playing with Britain."
It is the 24-year-old Deng's first major injury.
"You learn a lot about your body, you learn a lot about work ethic and how much you have to push yourself," he said. "You want to get healthy but you also want to prove to people that you can get back to the level you were at or even better so this injury drives me to become a better player and that's really what I want to get out of this injury."
Deng, who grew up in London after his family fled conflict-torn Sudan, insists the Bulls did not influence his decision not to represent Britain in the next two months.
Britain is hosting a four-nation tournament in London featuring Israel, Poland and Turkey next month ahead of the European Championships in Poland in September.
"If I was healthy I would definitely be playing and I'm sure the Bulls wouldn't mind it," Deng said. "But because of my injury, it changed a lot of things."
Former Bulls teammate Ben Gordon will also be missing from the British roster as the shooting guard spends the summer getting acquainted with the Detroit Pistons.
"Ben is still very interested in playing for GB," Deng said. "I think Ben thought he would be staying with the Bulls so it would have been an easier summer knowing he was coming back to the same team, the same city, the same house, but now his plans have all changed around.
"He has signed for Detroit so he has to commit to them and move up there and go and work out and get to know his new teammates."
That leaves Toronto Raptors swingman Pops Mensah-Bonsu as the only NBA player on the British team.
Playing in EuroBasket is a key part of the targets Britain was set by world governing body FIBA to prove the country is worthy of taking up the place for hosts at the Olympics, which start exactly three years from Monday.
"I don't usually like to get too excited too early because I think it ruins the fun, I just look forward to what's next," Deng said. "But I would be lying if I said I didn't think about 2012 a lot."
Deng is also thinking about Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympics ahead of the Oct. 2 vote.
"It would just be amazing, the fact that it's in London, and would then be in Chicago," he said. "I spoke to many people and I said I would love to help as much as I can because I know how much this city wants it to be here. I really believe that it would be a great place for it."
-- Rob Harris
Teen arrested in shooting of former NBA player
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police say a 16-year-old boy has been charged in the shooting of former NBA and University of Memphis player Antonio Burks.
Memphis police said Monday the teen is charged with accessory after the fact in the June 20 shooting.
Deputy Chief Joe Scott said in a news release that "closure in the case is at hand." The arrest was the first in the case.
The 29-year-old Burks was shot between his abdomen and upper leg in the backyard of a vacant house during a robbery by three men. He has been upgraded from critical to serious condition at the Regional Medical Center.
Burks was a reserve for the Memphis Grizzlies for two seasons. In 2003-2004 he was Conference USA Player of the Year, capping his career with the University of Memphis.
