The Michigan Daily -Thursday, September 15, 2005 -11A New faces innew NBA plceWs Associated Press After a busier-than-average summer, the past couple of weeks have been rela- tively calm. Among the few free agents still unsigned are Chicago's Eddy Curry and Minnesota's Latrell Sprewell, and among those looking to quell rumors is Boston boss Danny Ainge, who insists he is not trading Paul Pierce. "He'll be with us when training camp opens," Ainge said. But until that annual rite of autumn returns Oct. 4 - this time including the reunion of Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles - the most pressing con- cern for the NBA is finding a place for the Hornets to spend the upcoming season. The New Orleans Arena escaped serious damage from Hurricane Katrina, but the Hornets were told it could take up to six months before the city is ready to accom- modate their return. League officials spent yesterday touring facilities in Baton Rouge, La., after checking out Oklahoma City last week, and NBA spokesman Tim Frank said a decision on the Hornets' tem- porary home is expected toward the end of next week. After that, the focus will move to the individuals - rather than teams - who spent the summer changing addresses. Michael Finley will be joining the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, Larry Brown will take over as coach of the New York Knicks, Ron Artest will be wel- comed back to the Indiana Pacers and Sha- quille O'Neal will get a firsthand look at the changes made to two-fifths of Miami's starting lineup. Sprewell, after turning down a three- year, $21 million extension last season from Minnesota, is still looking to find a team able to pay him a salary above $5 million. His agent, Robert Gist, said he is hying to facilitate a sign-and-trade deal that would bring the Timberwolves a small forward in return. "This is not about anyone doing Latrell a favor," Gist said. "It's about the Timberwolves finding a way to get a player they need." Wolves vice president Kevin McHale did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Curry, a restricted free agent whose future has been clouded by heart prob- lems, has received a one-year qualifying offer from the Bulls which expires Oct. 1. Chicago has the right to match any offer the 22-year-old receives for the upcoming season, but the four-year veteran would become an unrestricted free agent next summer if he accepts the qualifying offer. There were rumors last week that the Celt- ics and Denver Nuggets had discussed a swap of Pierce for Andre Miller and Nene, but Ainge said the report was unfounded. "I have no plans to trade Paul Pierce," Ainge said in a telephone interview. Speculation surrounding Pierce's future comes after a summer in which nearly all of last season's 16 playoff teams made sig- nificant moves aimed at improving in the short term. "I think (the summer) has been pro- tracted, but I don't think it's been all that much different from other summers that have had extensive player movement," said Spurs general manager R.C. Buford. The Spurs bolstered their bench by adding veteran guard Nick Van Exel and Argentine center Fabricio Oberto, an Olympic teammate of Manu Ginobili's. But their biggest coup of the offseason was beating out the Suns, Heat and Pis- tons for Finley. Dallas waived the 10-year veteran under a one-time amnesty provision under the new six-year collective bargaining agree- ment agreed to in July. The move will bring Mavericks owner Mark Cuban approximately $90 million in cash savings over the next three years. "The template for success in the NBA changed from the Portland model of 1999-2000, when I got to the league, to the Detroit, San Antonio, Miami model," Cuban wrote earlier this summer in his blog. "Although we have succeeded on the court to the point of five straight 50-plus win seasons, we certainly didn't do it 'the best way.' We did it the most expensive way. It cost us flexibility and created lots of bad habits. That was my mistake, and it ended up costing us Mike (Finley)." The Detroit Pistons, coming off their Game 7 loss to San Antonio in the NBA Finals, hired Flip Saunders to replace Brown and added Dale Davis to an estab- lished veteran front line. Miami lost starters Eddie Jones and Damon Jones but added Antoine Walker, Jason Williams and James Posey. Heat coach Stan Van Gundy will open camp with some uncertainty surrounding him, a slow start to the regular season likely to speed up speculation over Pat Riley's pos- sible return to the sidelines. Phoenix, coming off a season in which it made an NBA record 796 3-pointers, trad- ed away two players - Quentin Richard- son and Joe Johnson - who combined to make 403 of them. So while the Suns will still have the reigning MVP in Steve Nash and one of the game's most dominant big men in Amare Stoudemire, they'll have a much different look than the rubber-legged group that raced off to an NBA-high 62 victories last season. AP PHOTO Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson won three NBA titles together before Jackson left after the 2003 season. Injured McNabb wantsto play PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Dono- van McNabb didn't practice yester- day because of a bruised chest, but the five-time Pro Bowl quarterback said he'll play in Philadelphia's home opener against San Francisco on Sunday. "Nothing will stop me from being on that field," said McNabb, who was injured in the first quarter of the Eagles' 14-10 season-opening loss at Atlanta on Monday night. If McNabb can't play - he's listed as questionable - longtime backup Koy Detmer isn't a lock to get the start. Detmer shared reps with third-string quarterback Mike McMahon in prac- tice, and coach Andy Reid wouldn't select a potential starter. "We'll see as the week goes on," Reid said. "I'll evaluate it and see what we want to do with it. I know both do a nice job." Detmer has started eight games in his nine seasons with the Eagles. He led Philadelphia to a 38-17 victory in San Francisco in a Monday night game three years ago, one week after McNabb broke his ankle. Detmer threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers before injuring his elbow and missing the rest of the season. McMahon started seven games in four seasons with Detroit before signing with the Eagles in the offsea- son. He isn't as familiar with Phila- delphia's version of the West Coast offense, but he outperformed Detmer in the preseason. "We're going to take the reps the way they want us to and see how it shakes out," said Detmer, who prob- ably has maintained his status as the backup because he's the holder for Pro Bowl kicker David Akers. - Detmer epects to be on the sideline: watching McNabb. "He's a warrior," Detmer said. "We've seen him play through all kinds of things, broken ankles, everything. If he can walk, he can go. He will be out there." McMahon said he's comfortable with the Eagles' complex offense. "It's nothing too difficult," he said. "You just have to prepare and go out and help the offense move the ball. Don't do anything too fancy and move the chains." McNabb didn't miss any plays after a crushing hit from Chad Lavalais sent him wincing to the sideline, but he struggled the rest of the game against the Falcons. Coming off the best season of his career, McNabb threw one inter- ception, lost two fumbles and often 'missed his target with erratic passes. He finished 24-of-45 for 257 yards and one touchdown. Donovan McNabb hopes to play In Philadelphia's home-opener this weekend against San Francisco despite his bruised chest. .:.... . : ..:.::::::: y ..yxw Y; ..as: :.}, } : ::$: '. r .<:kn.y y, x " F }. ,