Warriors co-Owner Joe Lacob responded via e-mail to a report that he was interested in buying the A's, and wrote, "I have no idea who said that or why they said it. I am not discussing the A’s with their ownership. As I understand it, they are not for sale.” The S.F. CHRONICLE's Matier & Ross originally cited Oakland city officials as saying that "on (Warriors) parade day, Lacob was talking about trying to buy" the MLB team. A's co-Owner Lew Wolff said, "We have no thought or interest in selling" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/30).
AREA CODE GAMES: The TORONTO SUN notes yesterday was the "unveiling of the first Canadian-based D-League team," the Raptors 905. The team "will play out of the Hershey Centre in Mississauga beginning this fall." The Raptors 905 "become the 19th NBA D-league team and the ninth solely owned by an NBA team." NBA D-League President Malcolm Turner said that the Raptors "were one of a handful of NBA teams looking for its own D-League team this season but the only one that will be added to the league this season" (TORONTO SUN, 6/30). Raptors President of Basketball Operations & GM Masai Ujiri said that the Raptors 905's "proximity to the Air Canada Centre was central to the bid." In Toronto, Doug Smith notes the Raptors "toyed with the possibility of owning a franchise somewhere in upstate New York" (TORONTO STAR, 6/30).
ABOVE & BEYOND: New Hawks Owner Tony Ressler said that he "expects to spend over the NBA salary cap on player salaries." Ressler said that "one way ownership will show its commitment is by 'having a payroll that is between the cap and the (luxury) tax but never below the cap, having real payroll, having a commitment to keeping a quality team'” (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 6/30).
LOYAL TO A FAULT? In Chicago, David Haugh writes "loyalty, more than anything," explains why the White Sox continue to employ Robin Ventura as manager midway through his fourth season despite "compiling baseball's second-worst record" since '13. Ventura's tenure with the club from '89-98 "obviously still resonates" with team Chair Jerry Reinsdorf. When Reinsdorf discusses the future Exec VP Ken Williams or Senior VP & GM Rick Hahn, fans "suddenly wonder how capable he is of distinguishing between Ventura the manager and Ventura the person he has known and admired for 26 years" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/30).
