ducks
07-08-2006, 09:14 AM
Banks quiet about status with Wolves
BY RICK ALONZO
Pioneer Press
LAS VEGAS — There was a Marcus Banks sighting Thursday at Cox Pavilion. Banks hasn't addressed his free-agent status since the end of the Timberwolves' season.
He was mum again this time about his future. Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale has been talking with Banks' agent — they were in touch again Thursday — but no contract agreement appears imminent.
That could be because the Wolves are pursuing Mike James and are waiting to see what develops with him first.
Banks was at Cox to watch the Wolves' summer league opener, a good sign for the team. He also sat in the stands at one point and talked with McHale.
Banks approved of the team's decision to acquire Villanova guard Randy Foye in the first round on draft night June 28.
Foye played well in his first summer league game, scoring a game-high 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting in Minnesota's 90-83 loss to Sacramento. He also had three steals and four rebounds.
"I'll tell you, he's extremely poised," Wolves summer league coach Rex Kalamian said. "I thought he handled the ball very well. He shot the ball from the perimeter better than I anticipated. You can tell how good he was compared to the other guys on the floor. I think he's a guy that could get to the free-throw line eight or 10 times a game just based on his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim."
Griffin responds: Wolves forward Eddie Griffin said Thursday a civil suit filed against him is filled with "false claims."
The owner of the damaged car, Jamal Hassuneh, and his brother, Lindsey, filed a suit against Griffin stemming from an incident March 30. Filed last week, the suit alleges Griffin hit a parked vehicle because he was drunk and masturbating as he watched pornography while driving. The suit seeks in excess of $50,000 in compensatory damages and could be amended to include punitive damages, their attorney, Mike Padden, said.
"It's been difficult because you've got the guy or his brother putting out false claims or whatever that I was masturbating and all that stuff," Griffin said during a brief interview. "It's been difficult. My mom got to read that stuff. My family got to read that. The bottom line that it comes down to is the guy's just trying to sue me for a ridiculous amount of money.
"It's a lot of false claims that they made, but I can't do nothing about it, just trying to fight it and get through it. I'm not even going to worry about it."
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/basketball/14983527.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
BY RICK ALONZO
Pioneer Press
LAS VEGAS — There was a Marcus Banks sighting Thursday at Cox Pavilion. Banks hasn't addressed his free-agent status since the end of the Timberwolves' season.
He was mum again this time about his future. Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale has been talking with Banks' agent — they were in touch again Thursday — but no contract agreement appears imminent.
That could be because the Wolves are pursuing Mike James and are waiting to see what develops with him first.
Banks was at Cox to watch the Wolves' summer league opener, a good sign for the team. He also sat in the stands at one point and talked with McHale.
Banks approved of the team's decision to acquire Villanova guard Randy Foye in the first round on draft night June 28.
Foye played well in his first summer league game, scoring a game-high 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting in Minnesota's 90-83 loss to Sacramento. He also had three steals and four rebounds.
"I'll tell you, he's extremely poised," Wolves summer league coach Rex Kalamian said. "I thought he handled the ball very well. He shot the ball from the perimeter better than I anticipated. You can tell how good he was compared to the other guys on the floor. I think he's a guy that could get to the free-throw line eight or 10 times a game just based on his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim."
Griffin responds: Wolves forward Eddie Griffin said Thursday a civil suit filed against him is filled with "false claims."
The owner of the damaged car, Jamal Hassuneh, and his brother, Lindsey, filed a suit against Griffin stemming from an incident March 30. Filed last week, the suit alleges Griffin hit a parked vehicle because he was drunk and masturbating as he watched pornography while driving. The suit seeks in excess of $50,000 in compensatory damages and could be amended to include punitive damages, their attorney, Mike Padden, said.
"It's been difficult because you've got the guy or his brother putting out false claims or whatever that I was masturbating and all that stuff," Griffin said during a brief interview. "It's been difficult. My mom got to read that stuff. My family got to read that. The bottom line that it comes down to is the guy's just trying to sue me for a ridiculous amount of money.
"It's a lot of false claims that they made, but I can't do nothing about it, just trying to fight it and get through it. I'm not even going to worry about it."
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/basketball/14983527.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp