\n" ); document.write( "NBA Roundup
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Houston makes moves to try to join the \n" ); document.write( "elite as Artest joins T-Mac and Yao.
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document.write( " Seattle SuperSonics deserved to be saved by NBA, for \n" );
document.write( " fans \n" ); document.write( " Oregon Daily Emerald \n" ); document.write( " Such is the evidence of the NBA's most recent \n" ); document.write( " screw-up. On July 3, the city of Seattle agreed to a financial \n" ); document.write( " settlement with Sonics principal owner Clay ... \n" );
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document.write( " Stern hopes USA wins gold but knows Games can boost \n" );
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document.write( " Josh Howard deserves severe discipline for drag \n" );
document.write( " racing! | \n" );
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Three years ago, the \n" );
document.write( "Houston Rockets teamed up \n" );
document.write( "superstars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, with nary a single series win to show for \n" );
document.write( "it so far. Apparently brass has decided that they need a third superstar to make \n" );
document.write( "the next step to join the elite teams, enter Ron Artest.
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document.write( "Houston has reached a deal with the Kings for the moody forward, sending Donte \n" );
document.write( "Greene, Bobby Jackson and a first-round draft choice to Sacramento. The trade \n" );
document.write( "can't be official until August 14th due to a league rule the prevents players \n" );
document.write( "from being traded within 30 days of signing a contract (which Greene did \n" );
document.write( "mid-July), but Houston fans are already abuzz at Artest's impending arrival.
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document.write( "The former all-star and Defensive Player of the Year is one of the most \n" );
document.write( "captivating two-way stars in the NBA. He can guard three different positions, \n" );
document.write( "and has developed into a solid offensive threat. Joining a team that already \n" );
document.write( "includes stout defenders in T-Mac, Yao and Shane Battier, the Rockets figure to \n" );
document.write( "be one of the toughest clubs to score on next season. They might just become of \n" );
document.write( "the toughest clubs, period. That's another element Artest brings that Houston \n" );
document.write( "had previously lacked: a physical resoluteness that few players can match. This \n" );
document.write( "and other eccentricities, of course, are also connected to Artest's downside, \n" );
document.write( "making the deal a definite gamble.
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document.write( "If he can keep a low profile, Houston may have assembled one of the league's \n" );
document.write( "truly elite teams. If he can't, all heck could break loose at any moment. Either \n" );
document.write( "way, the Rockets have become a team to watch in 2008-09
\n" ); document.write( "Quick Hits:
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document.write( "Atlanta Hawks
\n" );
document.write( "Atlanta is looking to replace Josh Childress with veteran swingman Maurice \n" );
document.write( "Evans, who they signed on Tuesday (terms were not announced). He plans to suit \n" );
document.write( "up in Childress' old No. 1 jersey, and will come off the bench in a similar \n" );
document.write( "role. Evans should be able to provide defense and experience for the young team. \n" );
document.write( "On Wednesday, the team signed center Randolph Morris, formerly of the Knicks, to \n" );
document.write( "a minimum deal. With the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting that Al Horford \n" );
document.write( "will try and play power forward next year, Morris may be able to compete for the \n" );
document.write( "team's starting center spot with Zaza Pachulia, though all of that depends on \n" );
document.write( "whether or not Josh Smith is coming back.
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document.write( "Charlotte Bobcats
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document.write( "The top free-agent center is finally off the \n" );
document.write( "market, as Charlotte re-signed Emeka Okafor for six years and $72 million. He \n" );
document.write( "should continue to be one of the game's best shot-blockers and defenders in the \n" );
document.write( "paint, but will he be able to live up to the contract by staying healthy and \n" );
document.write( "improving his offensive repertoire? Backup center Ryan Hollins also agreed to a \n" );
document.write( "one-year qualifying offer with the team.
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document.write( "Chicago Bulls
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document.write( "Chicago finally got one of their important restricted free agents to sign on the \n" );
document.write( "dotted line, finalizing a mammoth six-year, $71 million contract with Luol Deng \n" );
document.write( "on Wednesday. The forward gambled when he turned down a five-year extension \n" );
document.write( "offer last off-season, but it paid off in the end. The Bulls still plan to \n" );
document.write( "retain Ben Gordon despite little progress in negotiations, and Andres Nocioni \n" );
document.write( "could be the odd man out of the team's new rotation. The Chicago Tribune reports \n" );
document.write( "the club has been trying to deal him to the Nets, though talks stalled when \n" );
document.write( "Nenad Krstic bolted for Europe. Chicago has also released guard JamesOn Curry, \n" );
document.write( "who will start the year under suspension if he lands elsewhere.
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document.write( "Detroit Pistons
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document.write( "Kwame Brown is heading to the Motor City, signing a two-year $8 million contract \n" );
document.write( "with Detroit, wherein the second year is a player option. Could this really be \n" );
document.write( "Detroit's big summer move? Joe Dumars seems to be getting calmer as the \n" );
document.write( "off-season progresses, and Chauncey Billups told the Boston Herald on Monday \n" );
document.write( "that he'd like to keep the core together and see what they can do with new coach \n" );
document.write( "Michael Curry. In a shot at former boss Flip Saunders, Billups suggested that "I \n" );
document.write( "think Michael will hold guys more accountable to their assignments, playing the \n" );
document.write( "right way."
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document.write( "Golden State Warriors
\n" );
document.write( "Golden State has ponied up the cash for Andris Biedrins, rather than risk losing \n" );
document.write( "the center to the Euroleague. He was signed Monday to a six year, $63 million \n" );
document.write( "deal, with a chance to opt-out after five. Between him and Monta Ellis, Golden \n" );
document.write( "State now have two future pieces set. Making this kind of money, Biedrins can \n" );
document.write( "probably expect a hefty increase in playing time after averaging 27 minutes a \n" );
document.write( "game last year.
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document.write( "LA Clippers
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document.write( "The Clippers have made their big moves for the summer and are now concentrating \n" );
document.write( "more on depth. To wit, they've reportedly inked swingman Ricky Davis to a \n" );
document.write( "two-year deal worth $4.7 million, and followed that up by adding veteran \n" );
document.write( "forward/center Brian Skinner on Thursday. To make room for the new additions, \n" );
document.write( "Josh Powell has been waived.
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document.write( "New Jersey Nets
\n" );
document.write( "Add Nenad Krstic to the list of former-NBA players headed overseas. The Serbian \n" );
document.write( "native signed a two-year deal with Triumph Moscow, believed to be worth $9 \n" );
document.write( "million. Krstic seemed headed for a big payday after a good 2006-07 campaign, \n" );
document.write( "but was derailed by knee problems last season. New Jersey will likely insert Yi \n" );
document.write( "Jianlian into the starting lineup to fill the new void.
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document.write( "Philadelphia 76ers
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document.write( "Philadelphia has stacking up on guards all week. Royal Ivey was signed on Monday \n" );
document.write( "to a multi-year deal, and should be the backup point guard after he serves a \n" );
document.write( "three-game suspension to open the season. They then added veteran Kareem Rush on \n" );
document.write( "Tuesday, and retained Louis Williams with a five-year agreement reached \n" );
document.write( "Thursday. Williams is perhaps the most interesting of the lot, and emerges as a \n" );
document.write( "sleeper candidate next year after registering 11.5 points a game last season. Of \n" );
document.write( "course, the guard everyone in Philly is truly watching for, Andre Iguodala, \n" );
document.write( "remains unsigned, with the Philadelphia Inquirer quoting a source as saying the \n" );
document.write( "sides are still "in a dialogue to reach a deal."
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document.write( "Sacramento Kings
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document.write( "Sacramento is rebuilding, but that doesn't mean 35-year old guard Bobby Jackson \n" );
document.write( "(acquired in the Artest deal) won't be welcomed back with open arms. Jackson is \n" );
document.write( "older and slower than when he last thrilled Kings' fans, but will still provide \n" );
document.write( "a spark off the bench next season, especially when he plays at home. Plus, team \n" );
document.write( "chemistry wise he's the anti-Ron Artest: one of the best liked "glue guys" in \n" );
document.write( "the NBA. Sacramento also quietly added a young guard late last week who could be \n" );
document.write( "worth watching: unsigned free agent Bobby Brown. He tore up the summer league on \n" );
document.write( "the Hornets' team, and was reportedly pursued by several Euroleague teams and \n" );
document.write( "Don Nelson before settling with Sac-Town.
\n" ); document.write( "Selected Archives
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document.write( "NBA in Seattle is over for now, OKC fans happy, \n" );
document.write( "Seattle fans... not so much.
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document.write( "Can We Trust The NBA Anymore?
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document.write( "Tim Donaghy, former NBA referee, pleads guilty to felony charges
\n" ); document.write( "Complete\n" ); document.write( "NBA Roundup Archives
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Information \n" ); document.write( "provided in NBA Roundup has been gathered from A.P. reports, ESPN.com, \n" ); document.write( "Sportsline.com, NBA.com and numerous other e-sources.
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