NBA News and Notes 11.05.07

Here's some news and notes from around the NBA with the season in its first full week of action.

Elton Brand and Greg Oden aren't the only stars forced to sit out for most of or all of the NBA season. Adam Morrison of the Charlotte Bobcats is now out for the season with an ACL tear in his left knee, probably one of the worst injuries someone can see in basketball or pro sports. Morrison will have surgery on the knee in about 5 days. Despite the injury, Seattle Times reports Morrison is trying to stay positive.

Players of the week for the first NBA week were Indiana Pacer Danny Granger and Houston Rocket Tracy McGrady. Both teams are off to 3-0 starts in their respective Conferences, and perhaps Indiana was the bigger surprise of the 2. Strong play from Granger indicates he may have a breakout season to lead this team, with J O'Neal struggling with injuries. T-Mac is more expected although he and teammmate Yao will need to also stay healthy this season to keep the Rockets contending.

Speaking of Yao, there was the highly-praised game of his fellow Chinese superstar, Yi Jianlian for the Milwaukee Bucks. Yi had 16 points and 8 rebounds in an early game, helping the Bucks record a win over the favored Chicago Bulls. According to reports from China, fans were flipping back and forth between the Houston Rockets game to see Yao and the Bucks game to watch Yi in action. This is definitely great for the NBA as it broadens its fanbase even more. Yao was already very popular there and jersey sales of other NBA stars are as well. Yi is also being heavily promoted amongst Chinese media sources. The question will be do both these guys get a ton of votes come All-star time?

And of course the NBA story everyone loves to hate is that of Kobe Bryant. Will he stay a Laker, or will he leave? It's always good to see a player stay his career for one team, but sometimes it is inevitable and things can't be worked out in their current situation. Kobe seems unhappy with the way the current Lakers team is and it may be justified as he's won in the past. So where will the star end up next? Marc Stein at ESPN.com has the "Take a spin on the Kobe Coaster" article in which he says don't rule out Chicago or Dallas at all. Stay tuned.

J. O'Neal a Laker or Pacer?

The latest back and forth word of mouth from Jermaine O'Neal on wanting to be a Laker and wanting to be a Pacer.

From Seattletimes.com:

"INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal has discounted Internet reports that he wants to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"My preference is to play here and win here," O'Neal said in a telephone interview after returning from Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, attempting to deflate a brewing controversy that had brought clarifying statements from Pacers president Larry Bird and O'Neal's agent, Arn Tellem.

O'Neal appeared at — but did not play in — a charity basketball game Sunday hosted by league players Baron Davis and Paul Pierce. He talked with reporters from the Sports Illustrated and ESPN Web sites.

Both accounts quoted O'Neal expressing a desire to be traded to the Lakers.

"It's time for me to move on," O'Neal was quoted as saying in the ESPN story. "And the Lakers are the team I want Indiana to trade me to."

O'Neal added that the Pacers are "obviously" in a rebuilding mode, and he did not want to "take in five years of losses and downtime." He added that he also would favor a trade to New Jersey.

Bird issued a statement, repeating his claim O'Neal would be traded only if he brings "fair market value."

Tellem, in an e-mail to The Associated Press, denied that O'Neal wants out of Indiana.

"He hasn't requested a trade to the Lakers," Tellem wrote. "Any reports to the contrary are inaccurate."

O'Neal, 28, said he believes the Pacers can reach the playoffs next season with their current roster."

This looks alot like what Kobe Bryant was doing in Los Angeles, except Kobe never really mentioned wanting to go to Indiana..The latter of the reports, with O'Neal wanting to remain a Pacer seem accurate, but also think of the whole KG situation "not going to Boston" and then "BAM!" KG's a Celtic...In closing, it's great that O'Neal thinks they can reach the playoffs, but then what? O'Neal might be a deja vu situation of KG, after several years of disappointing playoff runs..