NBA News Wire
NBA roundup: Former Nets co-owner Katz dies in plane crash
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Former New Jersey Nets co-owner Lewis Katz died in a plane crash in Massachusetts on Sunday. He was 72.
Katz was also a former co-owner of the New Jersey Devils and minority owner of the New York Yankees.
In addition, Katz co-owned the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News newspapers and the Philly.com website. His involvement in the YankeeNets/Puck Holdings ownership group dated back to 2000.
That involvement ended in 2003 when the YankeeNets group dissolved with the Devils sell to Jeff Vanderbeek and the Nets to Bruce Ratner. The Devils and Nets have been sold again since then. The Nets also moved to Brooklyn.
“All of us at the NBA were extremely saddened to learn of the tragic, sudden death of former Nets owner Lewis Katz,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “Lewis was a trusted friend and valued member of the NBA family.”
—Minnesota Timberwolves president Flip Saunders said he expects All-Star forward Kevin Love to be with the team next season.
Love is rumored to be traded — perhaps by the June 26 draft — since news came out that he plans to be a free agent after next season.
Love can opt out of his contract after the 2014-15 season. He reportedly is not interested in a contract extension so he can test free agency and play for a contender. The Timberwolves have failed to make the playoffs since drafting Love in 2008.
—San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker has a sprained ankle but hopes to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, according to Yahoo Sports.
Parker is working to rehab the injury in time to play the first game of the series against the Miami Heat.
Parker sustained the injury during Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs won the series in six games on Saturday. He played with the injury Saturday but had to sit out the second half of the clincher.
