NBA schedule adds rest
ESPN reported Tuesday that the NBA sent amemo to teams this week that outlines how it hopes to reduce the stress of travel and give players a chance to get more rest this season than in the past.
The regular- season schedule is expected to be finalized this week, and portions of it are expected to be announced soon.
Among the improvements outlined in the memo are eliminating stretches of four games in five days; reducing the number of back- to-backs from an average of 16.3 per team last season to 14.9 per team this season; and reducing the number of single- game road trips by 17 percent.
The measures are aimed at player safety and to cut back on the number of games in which teams rest players.
The New York Knicks hired former President Barack Obama’s brother- inlaw to a front- office position.
Craig Robinson, the brother of former first lady Michelle Obama, was named vice president of player development in a series of restructuring moves in the wake of the promotion of Steve Mills to president and the hiring of Scott Perry as general manager.
Robinson spent last season as the Milwaukee Bucks’ vice president of player and organizational development after serving as the coach at Oregon State ( 2008- 14) and Brown ( 2006- 08).
The Memphis Grizzlies said guard Ben McLemore fractured his right foot in a pickup game and likely won’t be ready for the start of the regular season. The team said McLemore, who averaged 9.4 points last season, had surgery and will be out about 12 weeks.