Hooped Up

Basketball operations went unscathed, but the rest of the Charlotte Bobcats organization went through a significant work-force reduction Friday. Bobcats management declined to specify how many employees were laid off, but a source with close ties to the team pegged the number at roughly 35. Team president Fred Whitfield said the team hired a consultant to compare the Bobcats’ work force with those from NBA teams in comparable markets, such as Indianapolis, Memphis and Milwaukee. These cuts were in part a result of that study. “We looked at every piece of our business operation,” Whitfield said Friday afternoon. Whitfield said the team provided severance packages and is in contact with NASCAR and Fox Sports Net, looking to help displaced employees find other positions. The Bobcats took these steps as they approach their fifth season in a tepid market and a weak economy. Whitfield said in a prepared statement Friday morning that “we must become more efficient as a business in this economic climate.”

Charlotte Observer

The Raptors have signed free-agent forward Jamal Sampson, a cousin of Ralph Sampson who is expected to give Toronto frontcourt depth after the loss of Nathan Jawai.

The Raptors announced Monday that Jawai will be held out of practice because of concerns from a routine cardiac screening. The first indigenous player from Australia to be drafted by an NBA team, Jawai was the 41st overall pick in June.

Toronto opened training camp Tuesday and has 14 players on its roster.

Sampson, a five-year veteran, has played for Charlotte, Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee and Sacramento. He has averaged 2.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 72 career games. He was a second-round pick by Utah in 2002.

Ralph Sampson was a four-time all-star and the 1983-84 NBA rookie of the year.

Canadian Press

If you are fighting for the starting point guard job in Miami, the pressure just got cranked up.  

“Dwyane Wade led the NBA in turnovers last season. He might already be on pace this season to lead the way in patience with a group of untested point guards. Wade said it would take longer than a month of training camp to develop trust with any of theHeat’s contenders to start alongside him in the backcourt. Barring a trade, Wade is faced with correcting turnovers while trying to develop chemistry with rookie point guard Mario Chalmers, third-year backup Chris Quinn and career reserve Marcus Banks. Wade had spent the past three seasons playing alongside established veteran point guards Jason Williams and Gary Payton.”

Miami Herald

The official birth of the OKC Thunder and the death of the Seattle Supersonics is now officia,l with the unveiling of the new Thunder threads.

At least Starbucks is safe…for now.

For the last two seasons, Ben Gordon has turned down a lot of money hoping to earning more with no success.  Now it looks like he will except a one-year deal with the Bulls, attend training camp and try again next summer.

“There had been speculation that Gordon might not show up Monday for media day or for the first of five days of double practice sessions beginning Tuesday because of dissatisfaction over his negotiations. But Gordon, a restricted free agent, told confidants that rocking the boat wasn’t his style and he had to remain professional.

Along those lines, Gordon is expected to sign the one-year tender offer of $6.4 million by Wednesday’s deadline and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. No serious sign-and-trade options have developed.”

Chicago Tribune

Beno Udrih, Francisco Garcia, and Jason Thompson were  at the Arden Fair Mall to unveil the new Kings uniforms and they look tight!

Tony Parker And Eva Longoria hosted the EA Sports launch of NBA LIVE 09 at Beso owned by Eva Longoria in Hollywood, California.

via Gossip Girls

Alonzo Mourning, the Miami Heat center who received a kidney transplant in 2003, is turning his attention to raising awareness of organ transplantation. On Thursday, he signed on as spokesman for the Miami Transplant Institute at Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. ‘I’m a living testimony that transplants save lives,’ he said. Since its founding in 1979, the Miami Transplant Institute has conducted 3,000 liver transplants and 7,000 kidney transplants.

Miami Herald

New Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi touched down at Memphis Internatioanl Airport early Friday afternoon, ending speculation that the Iranian’s entrance into the United States would be delayed due to immigration issues.

Haddadi was greeted at the airport by Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace, Director of Player Personnel Tony Barone, Sr., and Director of Scouting Tony Barone, Jr., as well as members of the Memphis Iranian community.

My Eyewitness News

Saskia Howard-Clarke is a glamour model from London, England.

More Saskia Howard-Clarke after the jump.

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