Hooped Up

Rafer Alston’s future with the Miami Heat is in serious doubt.

The 11th-year point guard has been suspended by the team, which made the announcement about two hours after beating Atlanta on Saturday night. Alston was not at the arena for the game, with the Heat saying he was inactive for personal reasons and coach Erik Spoelstra only saying more details would likely be released Sunday.

“Rafer Alston, while having made contact with the team via text message, has made himself otherwise unavailable to the team. As a result he has been suspended indefinitely,” the team said in a release.

Alston could not be reached for comment. He did not immediately respond to an email message. Read More »

The Rafer Alston buyout is done and the Nets are finalizing their deal with the Heat to acquire point guard Chris Quinn. Alston, basically, agreed to knock $1 million off the $3.107 million he had remaining on his $5.25 million salary. Once he clears waivers, then he’ll join Miami.

The Heat, meanwhile, are sending the fourth-year PG Quinn – picking up the remainder of his $1.05 million salary in this his final contract year, about $640,000 – and a 2012 second rounder to the Nets.

New York Post

Orlando and New Jersey have agreed in principle in a deal that will bring Vince Carter to the Magic and send Tony Battie, Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee to the New Jersey, according to a league source.

The Magic have yet to confirm the deal, but the addition of a scorer in Carter, the trade would seem to end the Magic’s quest to bring back forward Hedo Turkoglu for a long term deal.

The deal also could include Nets’ forward Ryan Anderson. But there might still need to be some maneuvering done because the salaries are way off. Read More »

Rafer Alston of Orlando and Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers have each been suspended for the next game of their playoff series.

In the Magic’s 112-94 loss on Tuesday night, Boston’s Eddie House was celebrating as after making a shot when Alston reached out and slapped him in the back of the head. Each received a technical foul after standing face-to-face for a few seconds before referees intervened. Read More »

Last night Rafer Alston slapped Eddie House upside the head like he was actin’ a fool in public and they just got back to their car to go back home. My mom really enjoyed this highlight.

Magic PG Rafer Alston could join Dwight Howard as Orlando players to serve one-game suspensions during the playoffs after a third quarter incident Wednesday in which he admitted hitting Boston G Eddie House. House had just made a jumper and was celebrating as he started to run down the court when Alston reached out and slapped him in the back of the head. Both received technical fouls after standing nose-to-nose for a few seconds before referees intervened. As light as the slap was, Alston clearly took a swipe at House and could have been ejected on the spot. At minimum he will be hit with a fine from Stu Jackson and will likely face a suspension. 

It’s been my experience that playing better defence usually works better to stop an offensive player and slappin’ them upside the head  is counter productive. But my mom believes that will “learn Eddie House good” for the next time their in public, and mom knows best.

Via Orlando Sentinel Blog

Rafer Alston has been skipped over to the Orlando Magic, who desperately need help at the PG spot, after All-Star Jameer Nelson went down with an injured shoulder.

“The Rockets reached an agreement to trade point guard Rafer Alston to the Orlando Magic, an individual with knowledge of the deal said Thursday.

The Rockets will receive forward Brian Cook from Orlando and guard Kyle Lowry from the Memphis Grizzlies in the trade.

Rockets officials would not comment until the deal was approved by the NBA and made official.Memphis will receive Orlando’s first-round pick as part of the trade.”

I hear the Jambalaya is terrific in Florida Rafer!

Via Houston Chronicle

I’m not crazy about the NASA math-lottery project that is the NBA All-Star roster selection process and I really think the NBA should just pick the entire All-Star squad themselves and spare us the confusing leftover numbers of the “vote”. In most cases, the typical fan needs to be saved from themselves and in the end the NBA picks the team anyway.

I have no problem with the starters selected because an idiot couldn’t have messed that up, but here are some of the leftover numbers that really bug me! Read More »

Today the NBA handed down suspensions for the Rockets versus Suns brawl that happened a few nights ago and the punishment list reads as such according to the San Francisco Gate. Alston and Barnes two games without pay and one for Nash. The league also fined Shaquille O’Neal $35,000 and Tracy McGrady $25,000.

If you have a look at the video, Nash was about as violent as Mohandas K. Gandhi. Guess who wishes they got their money’s worth on this one?

Tip of the hat to Ben, on this one.

Jambalaya,Vodka, Cranberry juice and not having your nightly drink manifest handy has never been so much trouble. Rafer Alston was cleared of his DWI Friday but, was Rafer really in the bag?