Wade, James work out together in Los Angeles — The last we heard from Dwyane Wade about the 2017-18 season were that he is prepared to start the season with the Chicago Bulls. How long he remains in Chicago after that remains to be seen as talk of a contract buyout has surrounded him all summer. Talk of a reunion with LeBron James in Cleveland has been bandied about this summer and a video James posted early this morning doesn’t do much to quiet that idea. Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com has more:
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade worked out together in Los Angeles Monday evening, with at least one member of the Cavaliers’ player development staff putting the two through drills.
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It’s worth noting, however, that Wade is interested in a buyout from his $23.8 million contract by the Bulls, and sources have told cleveland.com he would consider joining James on the Cavs.
James posted a video to his Instagram account of his session with Wade, and wrote “Always great when I can link back up on court and put some work in with my brother” Wade, “it just feels different.”
One more item on Wade and Cleveland. If he were to become a free agent soon, the Cavs would have to clear a roster spot to sign him, and the most money they could pay him is about $2.4 million.
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Allen: No ‘ill will’ toward former Celtics teammates — For six-plus minutes last season, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis discussed how they felt hurt by Ray Allen leaving Boston for the Miami Heat in free agency in the summer of 2012. Time, though, seems to be healing that wound and Allen, for his part, says he no longer holds ill feelings towards his former teammates. Via an interview with ESPN, CSNNE.com has some choice quotes from Allen about that situation:
“That’s a conversation that has to be had with Paul,” Allen explained. “Because if you remember I haven’t said anything negative about those guys. . . I don’t have any ill will. When I left, I was a free agent.”
Allen said that the situation that led to his departure is “tough for fans to understand” and there’s “so much that goes on behind the scenes.”
“You have your issues, you have your beefs that you have,” Allen said. “It’s up to a team to make sure they. . . in a free-agency period, make sure they take care of whatever issue you may have. If a team doesn’t do that, then you have to make sure you find the best situation that’s available.
“That was probably one of the hardest decisions that I had to make because I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to have to.”
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Pistons’ Jackson expected to be ready for season — Things are progressing as planned, it seems, for Detroit Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson. Last we heard about him, the team was hoping he’d be able to pick up his practicing more as he tries to bounce back from a season marred by left knee tendinitis. And that’s exactly what has happened, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press:
The Detroit Pistons start training camp in two weeks.
And Reggie Jackson, seeking a bounce-back season after struggling with left knee tendinitis, is on track to be on the floor when the team begins the earnest work of preparing to make the inaugural season at Little Caesars Arena a successful one.
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told the Free Press on Monday morning that after an examination last week, Jackson has increased basketball activity and will arrive at the practice facility later this week to join teammates.
“All good with the doctors and ramping up his basketball work,” Van Gundy wrote in a text.
“He’ll be ready.”
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The technical term for Jackson’s condition is tendinosis, which basically is chronic tendinitis.
He recently completed a 16-week protocol featuring leg strengthening exercises. His basketball activity had been regulated to light shooting and some jumping off one leg.
Although he should be ready, Van Gundy said last week Jackson would not practice twice on the days the Pistons have two sessions.
The tendinitis has bothered Jackson since at least when the Oklahoma City Thunder picked him in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft.
