The NBA Board of Governors approved a new participation policy mainly geared toward star players, in September. With new policies and penalties abound, the NBA has made it a rule that all healthy players should be on the court.  There is no argument from the players, who said they are not interested in sitting. Some players do not agree with load management any more than the fans who cannot understand why some of the world’s best athletes often need a night off. However, they need the NBA to understand that there are situations like Kawhi Leonard’s lone season in Toronto when they must listen to their bodies or their doctors. “I was coming from an injury and you have to know the details of the doctor,” Leonard, now with the Los Angeles Clippers, said Monday. “But if the league is seeing or trying to mock what I did with the Raptors, they should stop because I was injured the whole year. But other than that, if I’m able to play, I’ll play basketball. I’ll work out every day in the summertime to play the game, not to sit and watch people play. No league policy is helping me to play more games.” A few of Leonard’s absences in recent years are the type the league wants to eliminate with its Player Participation Policy that will take effect this season. Leonard missed 22 games in 2018-19, the Toronto Raptors were careful to avoid overuse after he came back from a thigh injury that limited him to nine games the previous season. The NBA believes that those scheduled nights, called load management have become too rampant and can be potentially bad for business if they drive away viewers. “I think the league is trying to figure out ways to make our game better, to help grow the game, understanding that fan engagement is important for all of us,” said New Orleans guard CJ McCollum, the president of the players’ association. “As a fan of sports, when you go to a game, you want the stars to play. You’re paying a premium on the ticket … or maybe it’s the cable package or whatever you have, you want to see the best players play.” The participation policy will prevent teams, without approval, from resting multiple key players  (read as anyone who was an All-NBA or All-Star selection in the prior three seasons) in the same match, or sitting healthy ones in national TV or in-season tournament games. The league vowed to investigate certain absences, with penalties that would surpass $1 million if a team has three violations. “Obviously the NBA is always trying to find a way to get the best players playing. And why? Well, because we want people to tune into their TVs and watch,” said Michael Malone, coach of the NBA champion Denver Nuggets. “And they’re going to watch when the best players show up every night and play.” That has happened far too infrequently in recent years. Even as the league has reduced back-to-back games from teams’ schedules and reduced and improved their travel, some top players rarely come close to 82 games. Players bear the brunt of the criticism from fans, even though Commissioner Adam Silver, well before the new policy was introduced in September, has said it’s often the teams deciding when they will be rested. “I think the league’s approach in trying to get players to player more, I think that’s great. I’m trying to play as many games as I possibly can,” Boston’s Jaylen Brown said. “It don’t always be the players. I know that’s the narrative, that it’s the players that decide not to play. I won’t go into detail, but that’s not always the case.” There is another new policy which addresses them more directly. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement requires players, in most cases, to play in 65 regular-season matches to qualify for awards like MVP or the All-NBA teams. “I think there are guys across the league that may sit out because they don’t want to play or they want to rest or whatever it may be. But I think playing a minimum of 65 games, I think that’s smart for the league, for the fans, for everybody,” Miami’s Tyler Herro said. “This is a business at the end of the day. A lot of people come to watch us play. I wouldn’t want to be a fan that came to see me play and I’m not playing because I don’t want to.” Marcus Smart won the Defensive Player of the Year award last season in Boston and certainly would want to disqualify himself this season by missing too many matches. But he understands that he will need to miss some, and like Leonard, will not be compelled by the NBA’s new participation policy. “I can care less what anybody says about that, because they’re not out there throwing their body around like I am,” said Smart, now in Memphis. “So I don’t see how you can tell me when I should and shouldn’t play. If I don’t feel like I can play, then I’m not playing. But if I’m available and I can play, best believe I’m going.”

Per reports by Shams Charania from The Athletic and Stadium, Kevin Knox has been re-signed by the Portland Trail Blazers.  Knox is coming off a year where played for the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers. The former Kentucky star was traded in the middle of the season from Pistons to Trail Blazers. He concluded the year while avergaing 6.6 points and 2.8 assists per contest while shooting 45.8% from the field and 34.9% from the three-point range in 63 regular season games. This summer, Knox became a free agent, and on Saturday, Charania reported that he would re-sign with Portland. After playing college basketball for one season with the Wildcats, Knox was the initially the ninth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. In addition to playing for the Knicks, Pistons and Trail Blazers, he has also been with the Atlanta Hawks. In the course of five seasons, the 24-year-old has a career averaging 7.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per contest while shooting 38.5% from the field and 34.2% from the three-point range in 275 regular season matches (he has been in three NBA playoff matches too). Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers are off a year where they were the 13th seed in the Western Conference with a 33-49 record. Portland has missed the postseason for two consecutive years. Related News: Gigi Datome, Ex Pistons and Celtics player retires.

Gigi Datome who previously played for the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics, will be retiring from basketball.  On Saturday, Italy lost to Slovenia in the FIBA World Cup by a score of 89-85. This victory placed Slovenia in seventh place and Italy in eight place in the tournament. Datome who played for Italy, previously announced on Instagram that he would retire at the end of the World Cup. So, the game on Saturday marked the end of his 20-year career as a pro. He finished his last game with one point and two rebounds in ten minutes of playing time. During his time in the National Basketball Association, Gigi played two seasons in the NBA for the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics. With more than 37 matches with the Pistons, he averaged 2.5 points and 1.4 rebounds per contest while shooting 35.8% from the field. With the Celtics, he played 18 regular season matches and averaged 5.3 points and 1.4 rebounds per contest while shooting 49.4% from the field and 47.2% from the three-point range. He also competed in three NBA playoff games (the Celtics were swept in the first round by the Cleveland Cavliers in 2015). In addition to playing in the NBA and G League, Datome had an long overseas career Debatebly, Gigi Datome’s best season was in 2013 when he appeared in 29 games for Acea Roma and averaged 16.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals per contest while shooting 48.2% from the field and 41.9% from the three-point range in 33 minutes of playing time. His career averages are 8.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per contests while shooting 47.7% from the field and 42.9% from the three-point range in 565 games. Related News: Portland Trail Blazers reportedly sign former NBA 1st round pick.

The Los Angeles Lakers signed four new players on Thursday. Forward Vincent Valerio-Bodon and guards Damion Baugh, Bryce Hamilton and Scotty Pippen Jr.  Valerio-Bodon (6’9’’, 200) recently appeared in 30 matches (all starts) for Sopron KC of the Hungarian NBIA during the 2022-23 season, averaging 8.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 25.7 minutes per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from 3-point range and 87.9 percent from the free-throw line.  He previously played for DEAC of the Hungarian NBIA in 2021-22, appearing in 28 games (24 starts) and averaging 5.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 19.3 minutes per game. Valerio-Bodon participated in one game for the Boston Celtics at 2023 NBA 2K24 Summer League in Las Vegas, recording 13 points (4-8 FG, 2-4 3PT, 3-3 FT), six rebounds, three assists and one block in 25 minutes. Baugh (6’4’’, 194) began his professional career after spending the past four seasons at TCU (2021-23) and the University of Memphis (2019-21). Collegiately, the Tennesse native appeared in 117 career games (88 starts), registering averages of 7.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 26.8 minutes. In his last season as a Horned Frog, Baugh played in 29 matches (all starts) and averaged 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 35.0 minutes per game, earning him All-Big 12 Second Team honors. He ended the season ranked third in the conference in total assists (169) and 13th in the NCAA in assists per game (5.8). Hamilton (6’4’’, 205) showed in 29 regular season games (27 starts) as a rookie last season for the South Bay Lakes, averaging 14.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assista in 28.2 minutes per game. He played four collegiate seasons at UNLV (2018-22), appearing in 119 games (69 starts) and averaging 14.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 26.0 minutes per contest. His career-high 21.8 points per game average as a senior lead all conference players. Hamilton secured a spot on three successive All-Mountain West conference teams, plus two first team selections in 2019-20 and 2021-22. Pippen Jr. (6’1’’, 185) as as rookie in 2022-2, joined in 19 NBA G League regular season games (four starts) for South Bay, posting averages of 21.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.6 steals in 27.9 minutes per game. The 22-year-old was chosen to participate in the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend and was named NBA G League Player of the Week on December 19. In addition, he played in six games for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, averaging 2.3 points in 5.3 minutes. In three collegiate seasons (2019-22) at Vanderbilt University, he appeared in 90 games (89 starts) and averaged 17.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.6 minutes. Pippen Jr. earned all All-SEC First Team honors after his sophmore and junior campaings. More From The NBA: Stan ‘Whitey’ Von Nieda, oldest NBA alumnus, dies at 101.

Stan ‘Whitey’ Von Nieda died Thursday at 101 years in Elizabethtown, PA. Von Nieda was not just the oldest living former NBA player, but he was also the only one to reach 100 years. He got a certificate verifying that on June 19, 2022, the date he reached age 100, from the National Basketball Retired Players Association. Stan, a 6-foot-1 swingman, broke into the NBA with the NBL Tri-Cities Blackhawks in 1947 and was a member of the NBL’s All-Rookie team.  After his second pro season, Von Nieda logged his one “official’’ NBA season, the NBAL and BAA merged in August 1949 with Tri-Cities and Baltimore. He averaged 5.3 points and 2.4 assists per game in 59 matches before an eye injury in January 1950 ended his basketball career. “I could play either (guard or forward),” Von Nieda was quoted in Lancaster (Pa.) Online’s obituary. “Sometimes I’d take my man down inside and hook it over him.” October 29, 1949, He scored 14 points in the inaugural post-merger NBA game pitting Tri-Cities vs. Denver. His coach with Tri-Cities? Red Auerbach. The Tri-Cities franchise has operated uninterrupted, relocating to become the Milwaukee, St.Louis and eventually became Atlanta Hawks. Interestingly, Von Nieda’s nickname was shared by his uncle, Harry Von Nieda. Why did the native of Ephrate, PA, become a 25-year-old rookie? After his freshman year at Penn State, Von Nieda enlisted in the Army and became a paratrooper during and after World War II. He parachuted behind German lines during the Battle of the Bulge. After his NBLA/NBA stint, He coached three seasons at Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County. He later had a career in advertising sales and worked as a bartender.  Stan and his first wife, the late Dorothy, raised six children. He reportedly continued to play basketball, semi-pro, and recreationally, into his 60s. Von Nieda’s widow, Arlene, told Lancaster Online that they were many social occasions where people would ask, “Is that Whitey Von Nieda? I saw him play years ago … he was great.” Related NBA News: Los Angeles Lakers sign four new players.

Fans in 20 countries and territories can enjoy the FIBA World Cup 2023 live in the NBA App and NBA.com with Courtside 1891’s FIBA World Cup Pass. See below for everything you need to know about how to purchase and watch the FIBA Basketball World Cup, starting Friday, August 25th. How Can I Watch The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023? Courtside 1891’s FIBA World Cup Pass will provide access to live and on-demand games, including replays, extended highlights, and top plays. Learn more. “For fans watching in the U.S., games are also available on ESPN platforms, including ESPN2 and ESPN+. Six games will air exclusively on ESPN2, including three in the First Round featuring Team USA. All other 86 games will be carried by ESPN+.” Who Can Purchase FIBA World Cup Pass? Fans in these countries and territories can purchase Courtside 1891’s FIBA World Cup Pass: Angola Argentina Cape Verde Cote D’Ivoire Czech Republic Dominican Republic Greece Indonesia Israel Latvia Lithuania Mexico Poland Puerto Rico Serbia Slovenia Spain Thailand Turkey United Kingdom. How Can I Purchase FIBA World Cup Pass? Courtside 1891’s FIBA World Cup Pass can be purchased NBA.com/WorldCup. Only fans residing in the countries or territories listed above will be able to buy it. Other fans will see the NBA League Pass package page, which is different from (and does not include) World Cup Pass. What Devices Are Compatible With World Cup Pass? Fans can watch the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 from their favourite devices after subscribing to the FIBA World Cup Pass at NBA.com/WorldCup. Here is the list of supported devices for the NBA App: Android TV. Supported Devices & Requirements. Android and Android Tablet. Amazon Kindle Support. Apple TV. Chromecast. Comcast Xfinity Flex Platform and XClass TV. Hisense. iPhone and iPad. Playstation. Roku. Xbox. Related News: Lakers to unveil Kobe Bryant statue in 2024.

The Los Angeles Lakers will pay tribute to Kobe Bryant by mounting a statue in front of the arena where he played for half of his career. They announced the plan on Thursday, to honor Bryant, the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history and beloved mainstay of the Lakers for 20 seasons, with a statute that will be unveiled on February 8th, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena. This announcement was made on August 24th dubbed as “Kobe Day’’ since the eight-month and 24th-day tie into his jersey numbers with the Lakers (Nos. 8, 24). Byrant’s wife, Vanessa talked about the statue being unveiled at Star Plaza outside the stadium before the Lakers’ game that evening against the Denver Nuggets (10 p.m. ET TNT). He is the sixth former Los Angeles player and seventh team employee to be immortalized with a statue at the arena, which has housed the franchise since 1999. “As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker,” Vanessa Bryant said in a video to fans posted at 8:24 this morning. “Since arriving in this city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here, playing in the City of Angels. On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that, right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as the house that Kobe built, we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever.” Bryant and his daughter, Gianna died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. The 2/8/24 date of the unveiling is a conspicuous one: Kobe wore No.8 and No.24 during each half of his Lakers career, while Gianna wore No.2 while playing youth basketball. They were flying together to a basketball competition with seven others when their helicopter crashed in fog in Calabasas, California. After his retirement, Kobe Bryant participated in the initial planning of the anticipated statue to be put at Star Plaza, the Lakers said. This is the first in a series of physical tributes to honor his legacy. Bryant joins the list of Lakers with statues outside the arena like Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Chick Hearn. Star Plaza also includes statues of the Los Angeles Kings Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Dustin Brown and announcer Bob Miller, alongside champion boxer Oscar De La Hoya. The statue was designed by renowned sculptor Julie Rotblatt Amrany of the Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt Amrany. “Kobe Bryant was one of the most extraordinary athletes of all time, and one of the most iconic individuals in the history of Los Angeles,” Jeanie Buss, Los Angeles Lakers governor, said in a statement Thursday. “There is no better place for Kobe to be honored with a statue than here, at the center of our city, where everyone can celebrate him and be inspired by his incredible achievements.” The February 8th ceremony will happen outside the arena. Details will be released in the coming months. “Kobe’s transcendent spirit is always and forever in our hearts — inspiring us every day,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement Thursday. “And now, with the unveiling of this powerful and beautiful statue, he will have a physical presence, too. A place on the hallowed ground Kobe created, where we can all gather and pay honor to a mighty and great man.” Kobe Bryant, an 18-time NBA All-Star, retired as the first player in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons with a single franchise. Renowned for this “Mamba Mentality’’ he guided the Lakers to win five NBA titles (2000,’01, ‘02, ‘09, ‘10) and earned Finals MVP honors twice (2009, ‘10). Voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2028, Bryant received All-NBA honors 15 times, including 11 First Team selections and was named to 12 All-Defensive Teams throughout his career, including All-Defensive First Team honors. The Hall-of-Famer and two-time Olympic gold medalist stands as the Lakers’ all-time leader in regular season games played (1,346), points (33,643), 3-pointers made (1,827), steals (1,944) and free throws made (8,378), while owning franchise playoff records for games played (220), points (5,640), 3-pointers made (292) and free throws made (1,320). Kobe, a two-time scoring champion, Bryant scored a career-high and franchise-best 81 points on January 22, 2006 vs. the Toronto Raptors. The Lakers retired his No.8 and No. 24 jerseys on December 18, 2017. More From The NBA: How to watch FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

The 2023 NBA Christmas Day schedule will be graced by the latest edition of the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, and a game between the last two champions; Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors. As usual, the will be five marquee games running through out the day. In the event, the Milwaukee Bucks will travel to Madison Square Garden to play against the New York Knicks, while the Philadelphia 76ers will face the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks will meet the Phoenix Suns. This will be seventh season in a row that Boston has played on Christmas, and the fifth time overall they’ve played the Lakers on the day. The most recent Christmas showdown between the age-long rivals was in 2008, when Los Angeles scored a 92-83 win behind 27 points, nine rebounds, and five assists from the late Kobe Byrant. online pharmacy buy stendra no prescription with best prices today in the USA The Celtics later had the last laugh of that season, when they went ahead to win the Finals over the Lakers in six games; they will hope to repeat this history. Denver and Golden State on the other hand, have both been staples on the Christmas schedule in recent years, this will be the 11th consecutive time they are participating, but they have never played each other on the day. They have had many thrilling matches since their respective cores have been together, and this has the makings of being the most exciting game of the day. The Milawukee Bucks trip to New York to play the Knicks, will be rematch of the 2018 Christmas game, which Giannis Antetokounmpo and his team easily won. Madison has favoured Antetokounmpo throughout his career; he mad his NBA debut there, jumped over Tim Hardaway Jr. for a dunk and shot the game-winner in 2017. It is curious that the 76ers and Heat are scheduled to play on the 2023 NBA Christmas Day especially since both clubs are presently in limbo about a few key players. online pharmacy buy rogaine no prescription with best prices today in the USA Philadelphia is figuring out what to do with James Harden, who has requestd a trade and wants to play for the Los Angeles Clippers. online pharmacy buy kamagra gold no prescription with best prices today in the USA While Miami is hoping for a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers to buy Damian Lillard. These two teams could look different by December. Fans can expect a great basketball day when Dallas and Phoenix get placed last. This will be a rematch of the teams’ intriguing 2022 second-round series, which the Mavericks won in seven games. It will also be the first time that they have ever played a match on Christmas. With Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal set to make an appearance, the game should be a high-scoring fixture. Related News: 2023 NBA opening night schedule features Lakers vs. Nuggets and Suns vs. Warriors.

The 2023 NBA opening night schedule for the 2023-24 season has been released, and it will feature four of the best teams in the Western Conference on October 24th. The defending champions Denver Nuggets will host the Los Angeles Lakers in a Western Conference Finals rematch, while the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors face off, per report by Shams Charania. Additionally, No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama is ready for his official debut for the San Antonio Spurs on October 25th against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, according to Marc Stein. Nikola Jokic missed being MVP last season, but he got a reward when he led the Nuggets to their first title in franchise history, and was named Finals MVP. On opening night, he will get his first ring, and witness the banner raised to the rafters of Ball Arena with all his teammates. Then he will play to defeat the Lakers again after booting them off the playoffs last season. Although, Jokic will not care much for all the glamour of ring night, it will still be a special moment for him, the team, and Denver. The Nuggets have existed since 1967, and have never had someone like Jokic or won a championship before last season. This will provide an opportunity for them to celebrate this accomplishment again before beginning their title defense. The other match, will largely center around veteran point guard Chris Paul. After three season at Phoenix, Paul was traded to the Washington Wizards this summer in the Bradley Beal blockbuster, then later joined the Warriors in exchange for Jordan Poole. This matchup will be both a debut with the Warriors and a first shot at revenge on the Suns. No matter, the 2023 NBA opening night will be a chance for both teams to indicate where they stand in the West after shorter playoff runs than they may have hoped and big offseason changes. Can Phoenix hmake the perimeter-heavy trio of Kevin Dutant, Devin Booker and Beal with limited depth? And how will the Warrios, intergrate Paul as they wish to cling to contender status. Another interest thing about the 2023 NBA opening night is that no Eastern Conference team will be featured. The defending champion is always in action, but the league usually splits the event up with one marquee game for every conference.  Maybe the uncertainity following the defending East champions, the Miami Heat, is responsible for this. If they had gotten Damian Lillard, then they’ll surely they’ll be shown, but this has not happened yet, and the NBA does not seem excited about how the whole thing is playing out. Howver, it is still strange that no East team will be making an appearance. Related News: 2023 NBA Christmas Day schedule: Celtics vs. Lakers rivalry renewed; Nuggets to host Warriors.

Daryl Morey the Philadelphia 76ers general manager disclosed to ‘97.5 The Fanatic’ that James Harden would “rather be somewhere else’’, but said the team would only exchange him for a big-time player who would keep the Sixers as title contenders. Harden chose to execute his 35.6 million dollar contract for the 2023-24 season before free agency, with the intention of being traded.  See – 12 prospective free agents to target in 2024. His demand, according to NBA sources, is to play for the Los Angeles Clippers, where he will form a brutal ‘Big Three’ squad with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Morey who was James Harden’s general manager for eight seasons at the Houston Rockets, said he is “trying to accommodate’’ Harden’s request, but only for the right price. “If we don’t get a very good player or someone we can turn into a very good player, then we just won’t do it,’’ he told The Fanatic. “If James were to change his mind, we’d all be happy for him to stay. We’ve all heard his teammate Joel Embiid’s comments on that. But at this point, he’d prefer to be traded, and we’re trying to accommodate him,” is the official line. Embiid also wants to leave the Sixers Morey made his statements a day after a video of Embiid saying he wants to win a championship “whether it’s in Philadelphia or anywhere else’’ went viral. Philadelphia’s general manager highlighted the importance of ensuring the team stays competitive next season, no matter what happens. “We need to make sure Joel Embiid, who is one of the best players in the land, has a top teammate,” He said. “We know we need more talent, whether it’s with James continuing or what we turn James into.” Daryl also discussed a postseason where the 76ers lost three rotation players Jalen McDaniels, Shake Milton, and Georges Niang, stating the team wants to maintain flexibility moving forward. Embiid and PJ Tucker are the only players with sure money in Philadelphia’s budget for the 2024-25 season. “What we’re trying to do is have the best team possible this year, but also have the ability to be in an optimal situation next season, to be the team with the most amount of space under the salary cap,” Morey said.