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Adrian Wojnarowski

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Adrian Wojnarowski is the NBA columnist for Yahoo! Sports. His book "The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season with Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball's Most Improbable Dynasty"; was a New York Times best-seller. He is a 1991 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, where he considers Butler Gymnasium's rims to be the most giving in the game.

  • Dwight Howard joins Lakers, needs to leave clown act behind in Orlando

    LONDON – After a pre-trade deadline telephone call when Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant hung up believing they could never co-exist as teammates, months and months passed and, still, the two superstars never spoke again. Howard wanted Bryant to tell him what the Lakers could do to elevate his offensive stature, and Bryant wanted Howard to tell him he was determined to come with a defensive and rebounding mindset to make the Lakers champions again.

    Dwight Howard joins a star-filled Lakers lineup that includes Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash. (AP)The call ended poorly, and it wouldn't be long until Howard had turned toward a path of far less resistance with the Brooklyn Nets.

    As much as anything, Howard was determined to stop marching down the path of Shaquille O'Neal: From No. 1 overall pick to ring-less Orlando Magic center to self-proclaimed Superman, comedian and goofball musician, there was a part of Howard that resisted the inevitable power play to also make him a Laker.

    Nevertheless, Howard made a mess of an easy exit out of Orlando, obliterating his march into a

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  • Lakers acquire Dwight Howard in four-team trade

    The Los Angeles Lakers have completed their blockbuster four-team trade to acquire Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

    Dwight Howard will become a free agent at the end of this season. (AP)

    The teams finalized the trade on a call with NBA officials Friday afternoon.

    [Also: Team USA rises above above rivals' cheap shots]

    The Lakers will send All-Star center Andrew Bynum to the Philadelphia 76ers, who also will receive shooting guard Jason Richardson from the Magic. The Sixers will send guard Andre Iguodala to the Denver Nuggets. The Magic will receive Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, Nikola Vucevic, rookie swingman Moe Harkless, forward Josh McRoberts, forward Christian Eyenga, a first-round pick from either the Nuggets or the New York Knicks in 2014, a protected first-round pick from the Sixers, a protected first-round pick from the Lakers in 2017, a second-round pick from the Nuggets in 2013 and a conditional second-rounder from the Lakers in 2015. In addition to Howard, the Lakers will also receive Earl Clark

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  • Nigerian player Chamberlain Oguchi drawing interest from NBA teams

    Nigeria's Chamberlain Oguchi (9) (AP)Nigeria's Chamberlain Oguchi (9) (AP)LONDON – After leaving college basketball in 2009, Nigerian national team player Chamberlain Oguchi has been the ultimate basketball journeyman, bouncing from professional leagues in Lebanon, Venezuela, Mexico, and the Philippines. It seemed he would come and go out of these Olympic Games without much notice.

    [ Related: Batum hits Navarro in the groin ]

    That was before Oguchi scored 35 points in Nigeria's final preliminary round game, a 79-73 loss to France. Suddenly, several NBA teams are inviting him to training camp on nonguaranteed deals, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Several teams had front-office executives in London for the performance, where Oguchi made eight of his fourteen 3-point attempts. Most see value in the versatile 6-foot-6 swingman, who could be had on a rookie-scale contract.

    Oguchi, 26, played high school basketball in Houston before enrolling at Oregon and Illinois State. He played 31 games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Developmental League in

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  • Team USA delivers Olympic spirit in London – not tanking and groin shots


    LONDON – France's Nicolas Batum had watched these Spanish players tumbling over the most incidental of contact, arms and legs flailing, crashing to the court in mock agony. This bothered Batum a great deal, and it wouldn't be long until he had lost his mind in the Olympic Games. When Batum could've stopped the clock with a slap on the arm, he punched Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro in the groin.

    "I wanted to make sure he had good reason to flop," Batum said.

    Asked if he believed he had accomplished his goal, Batum told Yahoo! Sports with a smile, "I hope so."

    Batum was pleased with himself. In the wake of a 66-59 loss, he stood and declared publicly what France and several rivals had been privately saying: Spain let itself lose to Brazil in the preliminaries to spare themselves a meeting with the United States until the gold-medal game. Batum wouldn't have dared behaved this way in the NBA, but anything goes with FIBA. So much so, in fact, Batum rejected the idea that a punch to a

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  • Blazers' Nicolas Batum punches Juan Carlos Navarro in groin in France's loss to Spain

    LONDON – After France's Nicolas Batum delivered a vicious punch to the groin of Spain guard Juan Carlos Navarro, Batum left no confusion over his intentions.

    "I wanted to give him a good reason to flop," Batum said.

    Batum was angry with the Spanish guards for falling to the floor for what he believed was incidental contact throughout Spain's 66-59 quarterfinal victory over France at North Greenwich Arena.

    Asked by Yahoo! Sports if he believed his punch to the groin had given Navarro "good reason," Batum smiled and said, "I hope so."

    [ Photos: Team USA goes for Olympic gold ]

    France's coaches and several players believed Spain intentionally lost a final preliminary round game  Monday in which Spain blew a 12-point fourth quarter lead to Brazil. The loss allowed Spain to face France in the quarterfinals, and would potentially keep it away from the powerful United States until the gold-medal game.

    Asked if he was convinced that Spain had taken a dive in the fourth quarter

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  • Russian and Lithuanian teams blast Stern's proposed Olympic rule change

    Vitaliy Fridzon and Matt Dellavedova during the Men's Basketball Preliminary Round (Getty Images)Vitaliy Fridzon and Matt Dellavedova during the preliminary round. (Getty Images)LONDON --- Before the emperor of basketball makes an entrance with his security detail and wing-tipped yes men into the arena here, David Stern should have taken a good long look at an old grudge quarterfinals game between Russia and Lithuania. As the NBA tries to play God on Olympic basketball, pushing FIBA to legislate change that will render this magnificent spectacle irrelevant, Stern should be forced to confront the collateral damage of his failing movement.

    “I would hope that the countries would be in an uproar about this,” Russia coach David Blatt told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday  “Who is one country to determine for everyone how international basketball should be played, and particularly how the Olympic Games should be managed? It’s not supposed to be like that. If it’s a global game, it’s a global game.”

    [ Photos: Team USA basketball goes for gold ]

    Stern has been met with an increasing level of resistance about his and the NBA owners’ desires to turn the Olympics into an

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  • Carmelo Anthony gets hit with low blow; Team USA crushes Argentina in second half

    Carmelo Anthony grimaces after being punched in the groin against Argentina. (Reuters)Carmelo Anthony grimaces after being punched in the groin against Argentina. (Reuters)

    LONDON – As Carmelo Anthony crumpled on the floor with his hands cupping his groin, mayhem unfolded on the United States' sideline. Tyson Chandler and Deron Williams screamed at Argentina players and threatened to meet them at midcourt. Mike Krzyzewski bellowed into an official's face. All around the Americans' bench, there were fingers wagging toward Argentina, threats hanging heavy in the air. Finally, Anthony staggered to his feet and screamed to Facundo Campazzo for jabbing him between the legs and running away.

    "Campazzo got hit in the [groin], too" Argentina's Luis Scola said. "That stuff happens."

    The United States had turned a tight game into a blowout, and restraint no longer resonated within the Argentina guard's mind when Anthony unleashed one more 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter. Searching for retribution, Campazzo found Anthony an easy target on the release of his statuesque jump shot.

    "Because before, Chris Paul punched me," Campazzo said.

    Anthony

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  • Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor promoted; team looking for replacement

    Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor, one of the NBA's most respected GMs, is moving into a top executive position with the franchise and San Antonio Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey is finalizing a deal to replace him, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

    O'Connor wants to move away from the day-to-day tasks of the GM job, but will still keep a strong hand in directing the organization, league sources said.

    Lindsey is meeting with the Jazz on Monday and is nearing an agreement, league sources told Y! Sports. Cleveland Cavaliers assistant GM David Griffin had talked to Utah, but is no longer under consideration, sources said.

    [Also: Kobe Bryant open to ending career in Europe]

    Oklahoma City Thunder vice president and assistant GM Troy Weaver had been the No. 1 target for the search, but has decided to stay in Oklahoma City, sources said. The Philadelphia 76ers have shown strong interest in Weaver, but league sources said he's made it clear he plans to stay with the

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  • Team USA routs Argentina; will face Australia in Olympic quarterfinals

    LONDON – The United States had stumbled, struggled, and appeared destined to go the distance with one more preliminary-round opponent on Monday night until Kevin Durant changed everything. The ball kept finding him in the third quarter, and he kept rising and rising with that sweet stroke, delivering 28 points for the Americans in a 126-97 victory over Argentina.

    After a physical and sometimes confrontational game against Argentina, Team USA moves to the quarterfinal round on Wednesday night, where it will meet Australia. The U.S. finished pool play unbeaten.

    After struggling to beat Lithuania on Saturday – holding on for a 99-94 victory – the Americans turned a 60-59 halftime lead over Argentina into a blowout in the third quarter.

    LeBron James scored 18 points for Team USA and Chris Paul had 17.

    [ Video: How Michael Phelps inspires Team USA men's hoops ]

    Team USA and Argentina could meet again in the semifinal round. Argentina plays Brazil in the quarterfinals.

    Manu

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  • Kobe Bryant's final playing days could stretch into a European adventure

    LONDON – The idea intrigues Kobe Bryant: A farewell season beyond the completion of his Los Angeles Lakers career, a victory lap in a European destination that bookends a blessed basketball life. NBA stars rise and fall in performance and popularity, but the loudest cheers, the biggest crowds, the most reverential treatment never changes for Bryant. 

    Kobe Bryant is a huge star in Europe (EFE)Kobe Bryant is a huge star in Europe (EFE)He's a transcendent icon overseas, borne of an unparalleled blend of life as a Laker and winner of five championships, two scoring titles, and an MVP award. What's more, Bryant is one of them. In his formative years, Europe was home. He speaks Italian and Spanish. He hangs around soccer stadiums. Bryant travels to Europe and it all comes so easily to him. As he chases his second gold medal with Team USA in these Olympic Games, his basketball future in Europe remains ripe with possibilities.

    Asked about the possibility of playing a season in Europe, Bryant told Yahoo! Sports: "It would be natural for me to go do it. It wouldn't be a

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