Basketball

Teams have plenty to ask about Ledo, who attended four different high schools and decided to leave Providence College after one season during which he was academically ineligible and never played a game.

Brook Lopez put up good numbers in Brooklyn during regular season, was selected to the All-Star game, played better in the playoffs and is now awaiting next week's announcement of the All-NBA teams. If he makes it, he will be the first Net to do so since Jason Kidd was selected to the first team in 2004. In an interview with Ben Couch, the Nets in-house beat writer, Lopez said the individual success this season was a real positive, but the next step is about team and winning. "I think the next level has to be team-oriented," Lopez says. "It's not really personal – there's not much left personally. It's just a matter of winning. That's the bottom line. I think that really separates the best of the best in the league from the rest." Billy King thinks that his All-Star center should keep the pain of losing Game 7 as a lasting memory of the first season in Brooklyn. "Getting to the playoffs allowed Brook Lopez to see what the playoffs are like, to see what a Game 7 is like," says King. "I told Brook, 'Now the season is ending for you, there's pain.' It's not just losing the last game of the regular season and going home. Now you are in the playoffs and you feel the pain of losing. So you want to make sure you do everything so you don't have that pain again." Brook Lopez's Game Grows in Brooklyn - Ben Couch - The Brooklyn Game

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump. The Celtics still don’t know whether Kevin Garnett will be playing basketball next season, but if he does, the veteran is obviously hoping offseason rest will solve the left foot and ankle problems that dogged him for a part of this past season. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge reports that Garnett will not go under the knife to deal with bone spurs and other issues. “I think there was some question whether he was going to have surgery on his foot,” said Ainge. “but the last I heard, which was a few days ago, is that he won’t need surgery.” Ainge reiterated yesterday, as the workout portion of the NBA combine concluded, that the Celts are giving Garnett time to weigh his career options. This follows the club’s own need for time to see what type of roster it may be able to put around the big man, who turns 37 tomorrow. Herald – Rest assured, no surgery for KG Great news. As for my take on KG’s future, I’m stumped. Last year I was convinced he would retire. His comments prior to the All-Star break generated more retirement speculation. The thing about Garnett is… he’s still extremely effective in spurts. Play him 20 minutes a game and he might win 6th man of the year. But is he willing to accept such a role on a team that isn’t guaranteed to compete for a championship? Despite Danny Ainge’s assertion that Doc Rivers would return to coach the Celtics next season, the Stephen A. Smith blowhole continues to spew nonsense: “According to my sources, Doc Rivers has intimated to people he’s close to that (leaving the Celtics) was something that he thought about, in terms of moving forward. As far as I’m concerned, he’s still thinking about it,” Smith said. “But he is under contract with Boston. Boston would have to let him out of his contract and give him permission to talk to somebody else, and I’m not sure he’s that willing. It would have to be a great, great opportunity.” “Danny Ainge’s words, in this matter, mean nothing to me. Absolutely nothing.” Let me rework that last line: Stephen A. Smith’s words, in this matter, mean nothing to me. Absolutely nothing. The rest of the links: Herald – Execs split on C’s chances | ESPN Boston – Satisfaction guaranteed | Brandon Bass report card

There are a LOT of interesting tidbits in The Bee's next-day story. I encourage you to read it all. One I found particularly interesting as we post-mortem this thing. The sweetened offer leaves the Sacramento purchase, on its face, $59 million short of Seattle's. But the true gap between Seattle's bid, and what the Maloofs will take away from selling to [Vivek] Ranadive, is just a few million dollars. Why? If the Seattle deal had been approved, the Maloofs would have put $25 million of their payout toward the relocation fee owed to the NBA, the source said. In addition, although the Seattle deal is dead, the Maloofs get to keep the $30 million nonrefundable deposit Hansen and Microsoft CEO Ballmer gave them in early February. That shaves the effective difference to about $5 million. So Vivek quickly agreed to up the valuation to $535 million, resulting in an extra $6.5 million to the Maloofs. That's the valuation that gets them $59 million away from what the Maloofs would have taken home on close of escrow if Seattle had been approved. But Hansen had already given $30 million and wasn't getting it back. And Hansen wanted $25 million from the Maloofs for relocation. So when the Maloofs agreed quickly to take Vivek's deal, they were only really giving up on the last $4 million in the gap. And one more time: Chris Hansen was a freaking brilliant spinmaster. A big deal was made of the $115 million relocation fee offer and the $625 million valuation. But $25 million of that was hocus pocus money: cash he'd pay the Maloofs for the team that'd be transferred to the relocation fee. Really brilliant accounting. So we can either drop the actual valuation by $38 million (since the $25 million to the Maloofs is in payout, not valuation) to $587 million or drop the relocation fee to $90 million. And that $30 million that had already been paid out: if we would have considered that a sunk cost, that drops the valuation by $46 million. So let's call this a $541 million valuation and $115 million relocation fee. Somewhat less impressive than what Hansen trotted out. Still impressive. But man, I really enjoy his math. No sarcasm: brilliant ploys all around.

We get a change to interview Myck Kabongo on the second day. He even is willing to answer some of your questions from twitter.

New 76ers president of basketball operations and general manager Sam Hinkie might not look the part, with his small, unathletic frame covered in tan pants, a button-down dress shirt and a blue sport jacket.

When he was asked to name the NBA teams he felt were the best fit for him, Otto Porter Jr. never hesitated in mentioning the Cavaliers. In fact, it was the first team out of his mouth. Yet he won't be meeting with General Manager Chris Grant or anyone from the team's traveling party during this week's NBA combine.

Most mock drafts have the Cavs, prior to Tuesday's draft lottery, picking Georgetown small forward Porter if their first pick stays at No. 3. Cavs also have the 19th pick in the first round.

Looks like it’s going to be a nice day in these parts for the long weekend, hope it is wherever you’re going to be. Here’s some stuff to get you started, there’s a bit more for tomorrow (you can still get in on the fun if you want) and I’ll have some time after Mighty Navy Tigers practice and a couple of NBA West preview things get written to putter around so feel free to send some more. - Q: I was reading a Raps article that had various clips of turning points in the season...While watching the Bobcat's clip from early in the season I was struck, not by the non-called foul, but how quickly Bargnani's star has fallen. I mean here he was, early in the season, the go to guy for the last second shot. Last season he averaged something crazy like 26 points a game before getting injured. He had plays called for him every time down the floor. I'm wondering at which point in the last two seasons did Bargnani's stock start to fall... was it after his injury last year? This year? After his second injury this year? I know BC has said he has value, and I'm not getting into the Amnesty debate.... but there has been an obvious drop from Star and game closer to "Boo'ed at home/non-option on offense" Any thoughts on when this declined started and why his star fell so quickly? Jeff A: Well, he got hurt and came back to pretty much a different team with his role changed and it took some getting used to. And when he did – or at least did a bit – he got hurt again and then Rudy Gay arrived and things changed all over again. It was a different team and he was asked to do different things; not sure “star has fallen” is the right phrase, “things changed” might be more apt. - Q: Hi Doug...Why do so many fans spend ridiculous sums to wear the uniform of some conglomerate's team? Wouldn't a cheap hat do the trick? How about a small pin with the team logo? Remember Bill, the spaceman, Lee's theory about the great snow ball? 100,000 years from now ( or maybe 10) when the earth is a great snowball hurtling through space, who gives a rats' tail about all those "little things" that we presently consider so important. ( Like the Leafs latest loss) Carpe Diem Bob E, Kanata A: I can honestly say I don't believe I have ever purchased a jersey of any player or team in any sport for myself so I don't get it myself. I'd go for hats, though. And I seldom sweat the small stuff, hardly worth it. - Q: Hi Doug, I've been thinking about Ed Davis. Given what you know of him, do you think he's happy to be a bit player on a team doing so well? Or do you think he just wishes he got more playing time? It's been a shame to hear that he's riding the pine in Memphis -- that's got to slow his development. At the same time, it's got to feel good to be doing so well in the playoffs. And another thing: it sure seems like the Grizzlies are better off without Rudy Gay. Were they just using him wrong? Do you think the Raptors will be able to plug him into their system a little better and reap the benefits? Thanks, and keep up the hard work! Tim A: I'm sure he'd want to be playing more, if he didn't he wouldn't be normal. But at some point when he gets a playoff cheque he'll feel all right. I guess you could say they're better off because of where they are but if Russell Westbrook doesn't get hurt and the Thunder knock off the Grizzlies, we're not having this conversation, are we? - Q: Hello Doug! Well, it's that time of year again - no, not a certain someone's Birth Month. And seriously, it requires an entire month to celebrate you??? I'll bet once upon a time it was a single day. And, I remember when it was a week. Now, an entire month is required to glorify Our Favourite Beat Grunt? Wow. Soon you'll be demanding an extension to a full year and then it'll jus

Serbian police say Predrag Danilovic, who played for the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks, is seriously injured after being stabbed in a fight.