NBA notebook: Lakers take on Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers in opener

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Published: October 27, 2009

Lakers take on Griffin, Clippers in opener

First come the championship rings and the raising of their 15th championship banner, along with a few minutes of revelry reflecting on last season. Then it’s time for the Los Angeles Lakers to begin anew as defending NBA champions.

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They’ll open tonight against No. 1 draft pick Blake Griffin of Oklahoma and the Clippers after a preseason dogged by injuries to Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and Luke Walton.

Since winning the title against Orlando, the Lakers added free-agent Ron Artest, who signed a five-year deal worth about $33 million, switching places with Trevor Ariza, who left the Lakers to take Artest’s spot with the Houston Rockets.

Barkley wants role as general manager

Charles Barkley thinks he can do better than some of the general managers he criticizes on TV.

The Hall of Fame player and TNT analyst says he’d like his chance to run an NBA team, though he’s in no rush because he’d want the right job.

Barkley says some GMs have done a "bad job, plain and simple” in making draft picks. He adds that some executives worry only about keeping their jobs and some organizations aren’t concerned with winning.

Barkley spoke Monday at a luncheon, where he was joined by Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson, his partners on TNT’s studio show.

Around the league

→ Cavaliers: The wife of guard Delonte West filed a domestic violence report against her husband.

The report said Kimberly West met with authorities at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, where she had gone to fly to her father’s house in New Jersey. In the report, she says that Delonte West had accused her of cheating on him and that they had argument in which he grabbed her and took her wedding ring and purse.

Police said the case remains under investigation and that no charges have been filed. West has not appeared in any preseason games, and coach Mike Brown has not decided whether West will be active for the opener tonight against Boston.

→Bulls: Chicago exercised contract options on point guard Derrick Rose and forward Joakim Noah for the 2010-11 season.

The reigning Rookie of the Year and a Chicago native, Rose averaged 16.8 points and 6.3 assists last season while leading the Bulls to the playoffs after being taken with the No. 1 draft pick. An inflamed tendon behind his right ankle kept him out for most of the preseason, but he is expected to be ready for the season opener against San Antonio on Thursday.

Noah has averaged 6.7 points and 6.6 rebounds over two seasons.

→Heat: Tim Hardaway already has one banner celebrating his achievements with the Miami Heat. He’s about to get another.

The Heat will retire Hardaway’s No. 10 jersey before Wednesday night’s season-opener against the New York Knicks. He’ll be just the second player to receive that honor from the franchise. Alonzo Mourning’s No. 33 was hoisted last season.

Hardaway’s previous banner was one celebrating the 2000 Olympic gold medal he won while with the Heat.

→Hornets: New Orleans picked up swingman Julian Wright’s option for the 2010-11 season.

Wright, who is 6-feet-8, 225 pounds, is a former first-round draft choice entering his third NBA season and is expected to be in the starting lineup when the Hornets open the regular season at San Antonio on Wednesday night.

Picked 13th overall in 2007, the Kansas product averaged 4.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.3 minutes last season in 58 games, including 19 starts.

FROM WIRE REPORTS