Category: In the News

Parker says he saw Hill as his ‘little brother’

By Jeff McDonald and Tim Griffin
jmcdonald@express-news.net

Speaking to a French website Monday, point guard Tony Parker said he would miss backup George Hill, who was traded to Indiana on draft night for a package that included Kawhi Leonard.

“I have confidence in (the front office’s) ability to make good choices,” Parker told 20minutes.fr. “It was still very difficult to separate from George Hill, because everyone loved him. Personally, I considered him my little brother. But the NBA is a business.”

In the same interview, Parker reiterated his desire to join the French national team for the ?EuroBasket tournament in Lithuania in August, but says he will not play if a lockout prevents him from obtaining insurances against injury.

“If there’s no insurance, I won’t play, because the Spurs are No. 1 on my list,” Parker said. “But if I’m insured, I’ll definitely play.”

Earlier this month, Parker said in San Antonio that he was looking forward to playing for the French national team for the first time in his professional career.

“Playing with the national team is always something I wanted to do,” Parker said. “I’ve never been to an Olympics. In talking to Manu (Ginobili), I know it’s a great experience.”

Mavs guard DeShawn Stevenson arrested for public intoxication Tuesday night

The Dallas Morning News reports that Irving police officers responded around 10:30 p.m. to at 6201 Love Drive.

Police said they found Stevenson alone and unable to determine where he was. He does not live at the apartment complex.

After field sobriety tests, officers took Stevenson into .

“Due to being intoxicated, he was a danger to himself and others, and therefore he was placed under arrest,” Irving police spokesman John Argumaniz told the News.

Stevenson was released from the Irving Jail on Wednesday morning , ESPN.com Dallas reported.

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle turned around the NBA Finals before Game 4 when he removed Stevenson from the starting lineup and replaced him with guard J.J. Barea. But Stevenson did not pout and earned much notice for after the series ended.

Earlier, Stevenson took a shot at the Heat only moments after the Mavericks claimed their first NBA title.

“It makes me feel good, man, to beat him, to beat that Miami team,” Stevenson told reporters . “The way they act, the way they treated Dirk [Nowitzki], all the things that they said were very classless. To win on their court the way we did it, it was wonderful.”

And it was at Stevenson’s party before the season in Orlando where teammate Jason Terry on his right bicep.

For someone on the fringes of the Mavericks’ victory, Stevenson appears to have been involved in a lot of the memorable moments of their championship season. 

Could Knicks pry Nash away from Phoenix? Don’t bet on it

The New York Knicks apparently have stepped up their pursuit in trying to acquire two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns.

The New York Post reports that Knicks coach Mike D’Antoniin the Big Apple. Nash has an apartment in New York City where he spends most of his summers. The Knicks are said to be offering Chauncey Billups in return.

Phoenix owner Robert Sarver has made his share of bad deals since taking over ownership of the team, but I can’t see any way the Phoenix fanbase would ever allow him to trade Nash, who is simply the Suns’ most popular player now and ever.

Both Billups and Nash have expiring contracts. Nash turned 37 in February. Billups will turn 35 in September.

Even though the Knicks might want Nash, they in reality have very little than even a rebuilding club like Phoenix would be interested in adding to their roster. Maybe Landry Fields and perhaps Shawne Williams, but not much else.

The Knicks gave up too much to acquire Carmelo Anthony from Denver. And their lack of available talent for trade will keep them from making too many more deals to surround Anthony with much new additional talent.