Well not really a new design, but I reverted back to one of my older designs that had a more “basketball” feel to it. I fixed it up quite a bit, and I will be adding new features to the site soon. If you’re reading this through a feed reader, hop on by and check it out.

Well it’s official, looks like Penny Hardaway is making a comeback into the National Basketball Association with the Miami Heat alongside his former teammate Shaquille O’Neal. I thought he was going to permanently retire after his brief stint with the New York Knicks which was plagued by continual knee problems. I’m none the less pretty excited about seeing him play this coming season having remember the days when he and Jordan used to go at each other.

The signing also seems to be approved by the Heat’s two big superstars:

O’Neal told the Heat that he approved of their plan to sign Hardaway before the agreement was finalized. Heat guard Dwyane Wade can also be counted among those also supporting the plan.

“What’s there to lose? It’s simple,” Wade said. “I think both sides win.”

Source

In the last 48 hours, Orlando has just spend $190 million dollars. First they signed Dwight Howard to a 5 year $80 million dollar deal (no brainer), and today Rashard Lewis to a 6 year $110 million dollar deal (??…). I know Rashard Lewis is a kickass player, and is was one of the top free agents this summer but is he really worth that much money? I dunno what the Magic’s game plan is, but it almost feels like the front office from New York has moved down to Florida. :S

A few minutes before Rashard Lewis was formally announced as the newest member of the Orlando Magic, the high-scoring forward donned his white-and-blue uniform and made his way through the team’s practice facility.

“Feeling good,” Lewis said, stopping to shake hands with well-wishers. “Feeling good.”

That’s no surprise, considering he’d just received a six-year contract worth more than $110 million with the Magic and an opportunity he coveted to play with All-Star center Dwight Howard on a team that Lewis believes could quickly become a major factor in the Eastern Conference.

Lewis formally joined the Magic on Wednesday, leaving the Seattle SuperSonics after nine seasons when the teams completed a sign-and-trade deal. The Magic sent Seattle a conditional second-round pick, while the SuperSonics earned a trade exception believed to be in the $9 million range.

Otis Smith, Rashard Lewis and Stan Van Gundy

“We set out at the start of free agency to get a big-time player, someone who could score the basketball,” Magic general manager Otis Smith said. “We targeted that guy and we got that guy.”

Lewis averaged a career-best 22.4 points last season for Seattle, where he spent his first nine years after jumping straight to the NBA from high school and going early in the second round of the 1998 draft. He’s averaged more than 20 points in each of the last three seasons, and is the SuperSonics’ career leader in 3-point field goals with 973.

Orlando, Fla (AP)
Source

[poll=3]

Well at least for the rest of the summer league. It looks like he will miss 2-3 weeks after the surgery which is expected to be done this Saturday, one day before the much anticipated Greg Oden / Kevin Durant that would have taken place Sunday. 19 points with 19 fouls, yup, that’s how Greg Oden’s first summer league experience has finished.

Top draft pick Greg Oden needs to have his tonsils removed and is expected to miss the rest of the Portland Trail Blazers’ summer league games.

After he tapes the ESPY awards in Los Angeles, he will undergo a tonsillectomy Saturday, at the Vancouver Clinic in nearby Vancouver, Wash., the team said.

Recovery time is expected to be two to three weeks.

“Greg felt that this was the right decision to make in the interests of his health, and we support that decision 100 percent,” Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said. “The sooner he gets the procedure done, the sooner he can get back on the court at full strength.”

Oden, a 7-foot center who played one season at Ohio State, was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

In his summer league debut, Oden scored six points and had two rebounds before leaving with 10 fouls, the maximum allowed in the summer league. The Blazers lost 74-66 to the Boston Celtics.

In his second game against Dallas, a fatigued Oden finished with 13 points, five rebounds and nine fouls. The Mavericks won 72-68.

Oden will miss Sunday’s matchup with Seattle that would have pitted him against No. 2 pick Kevin Durant.

Portland, Ore (AP)
Source

And so the Kobe Bryant drama continues. Kobe Bryant has reportedly apologized to Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak for his public announcements wanting a trade a few weeks ago. Of course this doesn’t mean him and the Lakers are best of friends again, theres still the likelihood that he won’t be wearing purple and gold in a few months time.

Although he didn’t rescind his trade request, Kobe Bryant softened his stance somewhat Thursday night, saying he had apologized to Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak in person for the way he handled his upset feelings five weeks ago.

“I just felt like as a man, it was important for me to tell him, ‘I’m sorry it came out that way’, Bryant said at a lightly attended news conference at Loyola Marymount, where he spoke mainly about his camp for youngsters at the school this week.

Bryant said that while he could have called Kupchak, it was important he speak with him face-to-face.

“I was frustrated, I was venting,” Bryant said.

When asked whether he still wanted out, Bryant replied: “I haven’t thought about that in a long, long time. I’ve kind of stepped away from that. I’ve concentrated on Team USA. What I say is what I say. We’ll just have to see where it goes.”

Los Angeles (AP)
Source