May 31
Memphis Commercial Appeal
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He is the president's choice. That doesn't exactly count for anything in professional basketball, but Tyreke Evans' name certainly resonates in high places as the NBA draft approaches. When President Barack Obama was recently invited to the Palms Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas -- operated by Sacramento Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof -- he told their brother, Phil, whom the Kings should take with the fourth overall pick. "(Obama) liked Blake Griffin, of course, (Hasheem) Thabeet from Connecticut, and he loved the kid from Memphis -- Tyreke Evans," Palms co-owner George Maloof told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Evans' reaction? "That's big," the former University of Memphis combo guard ..."
May 7
New Orleans Times-Picayune
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A source close to Hornets Coach Byron Scott said he will return next season to fulfill the final year of his two-year contract, but whether he is offered an extension will be based on evaluations by team executives that will occur throughout next season. Until Wednesday, Scott remained in limbo after Hornets owner George Shinn said he planned to meet with his brain trust to evaluate his coach's performance after the team's quick ouster in the playoffs. If the Hornets had fired Scott, they would've remained on the hook for his $5.5 million salary next season on top of paying a new coach. With the team facing the prospect of having to pay a luxury-tax penalty because player payroll is ..."