I have often asked myself this question: http://www.truehoop.com/free-agents-and-trades-32766-whats-wrong-with-jamaal-magloire.html
Oh boy…6’7” senior guard Bryson Krueger, Arizona State's second-leading scorer last season, has been kicked off the team following his arrest for possession of a gun and various drugs. Krueger, 22, was taken into custody early Wednesday after Tempe police said two Ecstasy pills, a Xanax painkiller pill, four grams of cocaine and an unregistered, loaded .40-caliber handgun were found in his car. Officers responded after receiving calls Tuesday night from a city resident who claimed Krueger and another person were threatening him over a $250 debt…
Trade Rumour: Philly sends CG Allen Iverson to the Rockets for SF Tracy McGrady…it’s bullshit, but it’s out there…
Finally…Chris Wilcox is apparently on the cusp of signing the 3-year $21 million tender being offered by the Sonics…this makes the Cavs happy as it will set a baseline for their continuing negotiations with Drew Gooden…as for the continuing Al Harrington to the Pacers saga, turns out it might get done this week…
Celtics PF Al Jefferson had yet another surgery on his ankle to remove bone chips (at 21 years old who has bone chips?) and when asked by a Boston Globe reporter how his rehab was going her said: “I can lay around on my bed or I can lay around on my couch. So I rotate.” I think the key word here is around, or maybe just round, which is what Al Jefferson will be very soon…dude has substantial fat potential, and laying around will help turn that potential into reality fast…
So…the USA team roster still needs to be trimmed from 14 to 12…but whom do you cut? Here’s the Roster:
PG Gilbert Arenas - maybe
PG Chris Paul - no
PG Kirk Heinrich - no
SG Dwyane Wade - no
SG Joe Johnson - maybe
SF Bruce Bowen - yes
SF LeBron James - no
SF Carmelo Anthony - no
SF Shane Battier - maybe
PF Elton Brand - no
PF Antawn Jamison - maybe
PF Chris Bosh - maybe
PF/C Dwight Howard - maybe
C Brad Miller - no
So if you cut Bowen, who is next? I think Joe Johnson stays because he can shoot the three and swing between three positions…I think Battier stays because he’s your best over all defender…I think Bosh stays because his size and quickness will allow him to match up with the traditional inside-outside Euro big man…so it’s either Arenas or Jamison…both shoot the three, Arenas is the better defender, but do you really need 3 PGs?
Tough call…I probably keep Arenas, he’s just more dangerous…
The Kings signed Loren Woods to a one-year, $1 million deal. Around draft time we said Sacramento needed someone to back up Brad Miller…I wonder if they realize he can no longer bend from the waist?
1) From Mike Kahn of Foxsports.com, his weekly 10 things column:
10 things we learned this week in the NBA
The 2006-07 rule changes were announced by the NBA this week. Nobody screamed Hallelujah! But close. At the top of the list was a change in the seeding playoff format, followed by roster size being expanded from 13 to 15 during the playoffs. If a team has two 60-second timeouts in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime, one will be shortened to 20 seconds. Instead of three, 60-second timeouts in overtime, they will be shortened to two 60-second timeouts and a 20.
1. Item: The three division winners and the team with the next best record in the conference will have the top four seeds in each conference — but the teams will be seeded in order of best regular season record. What this really means: For years, several writers — present company included — have been pining for this alteration to the seedings. Every year, the NBA office has ignored it, if only because it never came to fruition as obviously as it did this season when the San Antonio Spurs lost to the Dallas Mavericks in a fabulous series in the conference semifinals. It wasn't fair that the Phoenix Suns (who had a worse regular season record) got to match up with the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round as opposed to the Spurs. If they hadn't done it in the coming season, there would have clearly been an issue with the stacked Central Division with the Pistons, Cavs, Bulls and Pacers, as well as the possibility for a repeat with the Spurs and Mavericks in the Southwest Division. It's absurd that any team has ever been penalized for being a tough division, and unfortunately, it required sacrificing one of the great series in recent history one round too soon this year.
2. Item: The swelling of the New York Knicks roster continued Monday when the Washington Wizards elected not to match the five-year, $30 million offer sheet 6-11 forward Jared Jeffries signed last week. What this really means: The move will cost the Knicks an additional $5 million-plus in luxury tax and the number of players that play the swing position at guard/forward now includes rookies Renaldo Balkman, Mardy Collins, Quentin Richardson, Qyntel Woods and Jalen Rose (who plays both guard spots and small forward). Yes, they have plenty of versatility and explosiveness — the drafting of Balkman, Collins and signing of Jeffries shows president/coach Isiah Thomas is thinking defense going into this season. But he's got to lighten the roster. They badly need to make some two-for-one deals, and if they can unload either Stephon Marbury or Steve Francis, it would greatly enhance the chemistry — which has been deeply impacted by the selfishness of those two guards. But as extravagant as Jeffries may seem at this point, he is a step in the right direction, given that he is a team-oriented player who focuses on defense. And anything positive he can add to the attitude of the team is a step in the right direction following a 23-59 season.
3. Item: The U.S. Senior National Basketball team made an auspicious debut this week in Las Vegas, crushing Puerto Rico by 45 points, then heading over to China to open with a 119-73 victory. What this really means: This is a different deal this time around after the debacles that began at the World Championships in Indianapolis and lasted through the Olympics in Athens. There are no attitude problems from the players or the coaching staff for that matter — with Mike Krzyzewski as the perfect coach for this team, emphasizing their quickness, pressure defense and unselfishness. He started the first game with four of the top five picks in the 2003 draft — LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, with 2006 rookie of the year Chris Paul at point guard. Joe Johnson, Elton Brand and Kirk Hinrich were also exceptional contributors. But the bottom line is they all want the team to win and resurrect what now seems like the ancient memory of the original Dream Team. At the same time, they'd like to restore some pride to U.S. basketball, which ran off a 53-0 streak when the pros started playing, but has stumbled to a 21-6 mark since. Unquestionably the talent and commitment is there for this summer, and they will be heavily favored to win the World Championships in Japan at the end of the month so they can bypass next summer's qualifying tournament. Nonetheless, the team, for the most part is in place. The goal is simple — blow everybody out and restore dominance. The rest of the world has advanced much too far for it to be like it was, but winning consistently and decisively may very well prove to be in reach.
4. Item: NBA commissioner David Stern was in China for Sunday's exhibition game and talked about how business in China has gone up 30 percent this year and will be doubled by 2008 when Beijing plays host to the 2008 Olympics. What this really means: For all the talk about the NBA struggling to regain popularity in this country, internationally it is the most booming of American sports. There are three offices and a staff of 50 in China, and it's growing like that all over the world. Next season, it is expected that approximately 100 out of the 450 rosters players that will be of international origin — translating to almost 3.5 international players per team. The best news is the how popular the playoffs were, with the exceptional play of young stars like Wade and James generating interest, and the league overall appears to be on course for a revival among the masses. The caliber player and the manner in which this version of the U.S. Senior National Team will be part of Stern's grand scheme to regain popularity in this country. If it doesn't, the manner in which the NBA has spread worldwide is more than compensating for the concern over erratic attendance and the invariably inconsistent television ratings. In other words, the big picture is just fine.
5. Item: Atlanta Hawks free agent forward Al Harrington fired his agent Andy Miller and hired Arn Tellem after a sign-and-trade deal could not be completed with the Indiana Pacers. What this really means: It's hard to fathom why this deal isn't done yet. All indications are Harrington wants to return to the Pacers, his former team where best buddy Jermaine O'Neal is still the star and the city where his parents now live. Everything seemed fine regarding the contract of more than $56 million, beginning at $7.5 million a year. The problem appears to be the grounds for the sign-and-trade, between Hawks general manager Billy Knight and his former boss, Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh. The Hawks apparently want only draft choices and no contracts. The Pacers, at this point, should make the deal in the Hawks manner and look elsewhere to unload contracts if the luxury tax is such a concern. Get Harrington first, then worry about the luxury tax, otherwise, they are risking the possibility that another team might jump with a more attractive deal for Harrington and the Hawks. To think that Walsh and Knight can't get a deal completed at this late stage really seems preposterous.
6. Item: Free-agent guard DeShawn Stevenson signed a one-year deal with the Washington Wizards for just more than $932,000, the minimum for the six-year veteran. What this really means: Every year, somebody makes a grave mistake overvaluing his market in free agency. This year, it was Stevenson. With Rob Pelinka, Kobe Bryant's agent, providing him with counsel, Stevenson opted out of the final year of his contract that was to pay him $3 million. He then turned down the three-year, $10 million deal the Magic offered him to stay. Then, stunningly, there was nothing. Stevenson is a nice young player — still only 25 — and the 6-5, 210-pounder is a better than average outside shooter, plays solid defense and can handle the ball. He'll help the Wizards, but it's still a sad story. It isn't as crazy Latrell Sprewell claiming he couldn't feed his family with a three-year, $21 million deal or Anthony Carter's agent accidentally opting him out of a final year at $4.1 million in 2003, forcing him to sign for the minimum as well. So it's nothing new. It just goes to show it's not always wise to trust your agent.
7. Item: In a move that would have been surprising three months ago, but not as time passed, Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen announced he has removed the "For Sale" sign from the team and negotiations have begun with the Rose Garden over the lease. What this really means: Neither the Blazers nor Allen are going anyway. The splendid draft day action by general-manager-to-be Kevin Pritchard got Allen excited again, and with the inability to strike a deal with the Rose Garden officials, Allen couldn't get a reasonable sum of money for the Blazers. So he decided to keep them. Had Allen's management group had the ability to re-negotiate the mortgage for the Rose Garden when they owned it, everything would be fine today. He may not even have been in such dire financial straits with the team. Instead, they lost a lot of goodwill by filing bankruptcy and delaying paying local creditors. Now they must build it back up and if they re-purchase the Rose Garden themselves — it will merely extend and increase the unnecessarily exorbitant loss of money on the building and team for Allen.
8. Item: Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is sending eight black and Hispanic college students on an all expenses-paid, nine-day educational tour of Rome, Florence and Venice, Italy. What this really means: Bryant spent eight years of his childhood growing up in Italy as his father Joe Bryant was a popular pro basketball player in the Italian League. He still talks about it all the time and believes it helped make him a brighter and better informed youngster before moving back to suburban Philadelphia to finish high school. He has two scholarship funds and the administrators chose the college students to expand their horizons and potentially open up their future prospects internationally with new contacts.
There has been no indication if or how much Bryant will engage with this lucky group of eight, and perhaps it would have been even better to award a couple of international college scholarships as opposed to just a nine-day teaser. Nonetheless, Bryant has the right idea and we can only hope this is just the start of his desire to help direct teenagers educationally and internationally.
9. Item: It now appears inevitable that the Seattle SuperSonics restricted free agent Chris Wilcox will accept the $3.6 million qualifying offer from the Sonics and enter unrestricted free agency next summer. What this really means: There have been a variety of stories regarding the contract prospects of Wilcox, ranging from five years, $33 million to six years, $40 million and even three years, $24 million. There have been varying degrees of denials in all respects. And that's why the qualifying offer figured to be the best fit of all as Wilcox felt he deserved the same six-year, $60 million deal signed by Nene. Realistically, that was an insane request. Indeed, he averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in 29 games with the Sonics after coming from the Clippers for Vladimir Radmanovic. He had great flashes, but keep in mind during three previous NBA seasons, his previous best averages were 8.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game. That's not to say he isn't capable putting up those numbers consistently — but he's hardly proven it. This is precisely why he didn't get the type of contract numbers he wanted. In fact, like Radmanovic, he'll have the opportunity to prove his value on an entire season. Isn't that the way professional sports should be?
10. Item: The Phoenix Suns signed young swing guard Leandro Barbosa to a six-year, $33 million extension last week — just one week after signing point guard Marcus Banks to a five-year, $21 million deal. What this really means: Coach/general manager Mike D'Antoni is completely focused on both now and the future, despite the non-stop rumors regarding the trading of Shawn Marion or any other concepts of give or take. Sure, they may move Kurt Thomas with one of their high draft choices if the right deal appears, but they don't have to do anything now. They're the only team in the Western Conference to be in the conference finals the past two seasons, and after a one-year respite from microfracture knee surgery, Amare Stoudemire is expected to be at least 80 percent by training camp. But realistically, the Barbosa extension on the heels of signing Banks is a subtle announcement that they know two-time MVP Steve Nash turns 33 at the 2007 All-Star break. He is in extraordinary physical condition, but there are back issues and the amount of wear and tear the past two seasons has to have taken some toll on him. Barbosa, the 23-year-old Brazilian, didn't even speak English when he was a rookie, and has taken major strides in each of his first three seasons. Whether he will ever be a pure point guard, remains to be seen, but he is an exceptional talent at both ends of the floor with great speed, hands and touch.
2) Kelly Dwyer of Si.com thinks the Kings have made changes for the better:
Fresh air - Kings fans welcome change on bench and on floor
The next leg of our trip around the world of blogdom includes a back-and-forth with Tom Ziller, proprietor of the fantastic Sactown Royalty site. The Kings have a new coach in Eric Musselman, a fab new arena on the way and a whole year with Ron Artest to look forward to. Is this a good thing? Let's find out.
SI.com: How will the Eric Musselman Era differ from the Rick Adelman Era?
Ziller: We can only dream of how different the Muss era will be after eight years of Adelman. Everyone talks about defense and effort, but both the defense and effort were great post-Artest in 2005-06. I think on offense we can expect the Kings to run a tick faster, maybe to where they were in '01 and '02 (among the quickest paces in the league). The personnel allows for that -- everyone but Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kenny Thomas can handle the ball and everyone but Brad Miller can run in transition.
When the Kings are in the half-court, I expect Muss to allow Mike Bibby and Artest to create opportunities instead of relying on the same three-play sets involving a high pick every time down. Miller is still valuable as a shooter and a passer from out high, but Bibby has been held back by having to be the team's spot-up shooter since Peja Stojakovic decided to stop playing in '04. I think we Kings fans are expecting a slighter deeper rotation, too. The guard depth is great, but the frontcourt depth is lacking. How Muss copes with this can't be worse than what Adelman did.
SI.com: Miller obviously is a top-drawer pivotman, but he's broken down toward the end of each of his NBA campaigns save for a truncated rookie year. Also, his career playoff averages are down from his regular-season contributions. So how can a two-month run with the USA Basketball team be good for his health, and the Kings?
Ziller: Miller is the King most susceptible to lapses in confidence. He gets easily discouraged when missing a few shots or getting an undeserved foul. There's a flip side, though: One big shot or a great block will inspire this guy like no one else. That's why his Team USA participation is great; it will turn his motor back on. Listening to a guy like Mike Krzyzewski every day cannot be a bad thing, and watching the youngsters such as Dwight Howard and Amaré Stoudemire represent the nation will inspire the rather patriotic Miller.
If the Kings start off well, that motivation will stay with Miller longer than you'd think. The Kings have to find a way to mitigate the negative impacts -- extra mileage and less time in the garage -- during the season, though. GM Geoff Petrie needs to conjure up someone who can play 15 minutes a night at center without being an embarrassment, and Muss has to keep Miller to around 32-35 minutes a game for the first half of the season. Getting wins now is important, but saving up some Miller for crunch time is crucial.
SI.com: Ron Artest. How long ya got with him?
Ziller: I think Artest will be with the Kings until his contract expires. If the Kings disappoint this season -- a low seed in the playoffs or worse -- Petrie might try to find a buyer in the offseason. But no one is going to run him out of town before he turns a maniac, because the town is in love with him. Artest in Sacramento right now is a solid step above where Chris Webber in Sacramento was in the middle of the '01-02 season. I'm not exaggerating. There's not a better character to be playing in Sacramento than this dude.
SI.com: Musselman has an undeserved reputation for not playing the youngsters; he's more or less been vindicated for his rotation choices as coach of the Warriors. How do you see him finding time for prospects such as Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia and Quincy Douby?
Ziller: Martin will be a starter, and I think will get at least 30 minutes a game, unless he seriously regresses (sub-40-percent-shooting "regresses"). Garcia will be the backup swingman, and all indications so far say that the player Muss has connected with most strongly so far is Garcia. Douby is a tougher nut to crack. I don't think he'll get much playing time at the point this season, as I think John Salmons is really being groomed as the main ballhandler off the bench, even though Garcia might be the best ballhandler on the team. Douby, though, should be the person most likely to benefit from an injury to a backcourt guy in front of him.
And with the Kings, there will be injuries. If Bibby or Salmons goes down, Douby could get some minutes at the point. If Martin, Garcia or Artest goes down, there should be some time for Douby at the off-guard. Other than that, he might be playing for garbage time this season. I really hope he gets some court time, though. He's one of the more exciting rookies we've had in a while.
SI.com: The Kings are still a fun team to watch, they're a dynamic group that can play a couple of different styles, and they're probably better than last year's 44 wins would indicate. But are they a contender for the Western crown?
Ziller: I think the Kings are a player away from being a contender. Not a great player away -- just a good player away. That's why Kings fans were salivating over the possibility of getting Jamaal Magloire. A defensive-minded center is exactly what this team needs to seriously think about knocking off San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas. Also, judging by Kenny Thomas' lack of enthusiasm for coming off the bench, I'd say depth at power forward is also a concern. Otherwise, this team is incredibly versatile, which will help it match up with any team it faces.
Though Bonzi Wells is gone, this is still one of the stronger/tougher teams in the West and will be one of the quickest, as well. And Musselman really is a factor to consider. No one was listening to Adelman last season -- Artest was even calling timeouts! Musselman is a great basketball mind and apparently a master motivator. If Muss can corral those players and get them in sync, this team could contend for a crown. Ask me in January.
SI.com: Which King has to be at the top of his gig next year for them to make any noise?
Ziller: It's an oligarchy in Sactown, not in the sense that everyone is replaceable but that all the top players are equally irreplaceable. A Miller injury is death for the front line; you'd have to go tiny with Abdur-Rahim and Thomas or bring in the loved and feared Vitaly Potapenko. An Artest injury or (cough) suspension could rally the remaining to overachieve, but he's the only great defender on the roster -- assistant coach T.R. Dunn notwithstanding.
Bibby has better depth behind him than ever before, but he's your top scorer. Missing Martin off the bench squeezes the depth of the team significantly. Petrie has constructed the team to not rely on one player, but in doing that, he's relying on them all. And now, to answer your question: If Martin turns into the player serious Kings fans hope he will (which is a slashing-type Reggie Miller or Joe Dumars), these Kings can beat anyone.
3) Bomani Jones of ESPN.com’s Page 2 wonders why this is not a bigger story, and frankly so do I:
There was a time when Donald Sterling was a joke. His Los Angeles Clippers got all the laughs, but he got all the credit. Sterling was the absent mind behind the NBA's longest-running vaudeville revue, his stinginess serving as the fuel behind the rust standard for ineptitude. He was condemned with ridicule for coldly running a losing basketball team, a sin deemed unforgivable by most. Sterling was a skinflint, so despicable that you couldn't help but wonder if the man who makes most of his money from real estate was only concerned with building a dream home in the most famous tropical enclave of them all: hell. What Donald Sterling's doing now is no laughing matter.Now, Sterling signs free agents and signs his best players to extensions. Maybe he's OK after all? Or, maybe not. Sterling was sued by the Department of Justice on Monday for housing discrimination. Though Sterling has no problem paying black people millions of dollars to play basketball, the feds allege that he refused to rent apartments in Beverly Hills and Koreatown to black people and people with children. Talk about strange. A man notoriously concerned with profit maximization refuses to take money from those willing to shell it out to live in the most overrated, overpriced neighborhood in Southern California? That same man, who gives black men tens of millions of dollars every year, refuses to take a few thousand a month from folks who would like to crash in one of his buildings for a while? You gotta love racism, the only force in the world powerful enough to interfere with money-making. Sterling may have been a joke, but nothing about this is funny. In fact, it's frightening and disturbing that classic racism like this might still be in play. What's even more disturbing? Sterling was sued for housing discrimination by 19 plaintiffs in 2003, according to The Associated Press. In this case, Sterling was accused of trying to drive blacks and Latinos out of buildings he owned in Koreatown. In November, Sterling was ordered to pay a massive settlement in that case. Terms were not disclosed, but the presiding judge said this was "one of the largest" settlements ever in this sort of matter. The tip of the iceberg: Sterling had to play $5 million just for the plaintiffs' attorney fees. And the coup de grace? Neither that case, nor the more recent one, has qualified as big news. The tragedy of Maurice Clarett is big news. So are the legal adventures of the Cincinnati Bengals, Rhett Bomar's inability to recognize that not all money is good money, Floyd Landis' daily excuse, and teenager Michelle Wie's being too nervous to tell a grown man she would no longer pay him to carry her stuff around a golf course. But Donald Sterling's refusing to offer housing to blacks and Latinos? Must not have that sizzle. On the section of the Los Angeles Times Web site dedicated to the Clippers, the lawsuit against Sterling can be found only on the AP news wire. On ESPN.com, it takes a few clicks to find the story. And people think issues about race are lightning rods? Not quite. Nearly two decades ago, former Dodgers general manager Al Campanis lost his job after rambling on "Nightline" that blacks lacked "the necessities" required of a field or general manager. Nine months after Campanis' faux pas, Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder was fired from CBS's "The NFL Today" after his comments as an armchair geneticist. Though he had no Punnett squares to back his claims, Snyder shared with a reporter his theory that blacks' perceived athletic superiority was a byproduct of breeding experiments administered by slave owners. Both stories were huge news, and both Campanis and Snyder were fired for their statements. To this day, both gentlemen are held up as proof that racism and sports don't mix. If only that were true. The reality is that Campanis' firing fell in line with a larger axiom -- stupidity is a fireable offense. Snyder's dismissal proved something more complex. Coming on television visibly intoxicated is frowned upon, as are references to slavery, but neither is too severe. Do both at the same time, however, and you'll be looking for work. Campanis and Snyder were guilty of talking too much on national television. Each said something problematic, but neither said anything particularly evil. Black people are too stupid to manage a baseball team? Sounds like something one of my old math teachers would say. Football players are the progeny of uber-slaves? Sounds like what it was -- sauced-up banter. But black people aren't welcome on Donald Sterling's property? That's really jacked up. Discrimination in the housing market has been crippling to the attempts blacks and Latinos have made to empower themselves economically. The worst examples are in the sales market -- there's a wealth of urban economic evidence showing how the inability to buy homes has affected the black-white wealth gap -- but such behavior in the rental market is just as damaging. Consider that, frequently, moving to a fancy neighborhood like Beverly Hills provides the best chance a family has at placing its children in decent schools, something we all can agree is pretty important.
People tend to think of the more annoying manifestations of racism, like how hard it can be for non-white people to get cabs in New York. But in the grand scheme, stuff like that is trivial. What Sterling is accused of is as real as penitentiary steel. But for some reason, that hasn't qualified as big news in most places. Sterling deserves to be raked over the coals for this. Judgment should be reserved on the suit the Department of Justice filed until a verdict or settlement has been reached. But he's already paid millions in the face of similar allegations. It's not Sterling's job to bring attention to his ethical transgressions. That's the job of the media. And as it relates to Sterling, we have dropped the ball. In American sports, issues of race are unavoidable. But when we turn our attention to those issues, we tend to do so in discussion of sensational topics. And we do so with little more than passing interest. We're more concerned with people saying stupid things, transgressions that even undeniable racists could criticize. People from every walk of life are entitled to slam someone for talking too much. In Sterling's case, we're confronted with racism in its most problematic form. And up until now, we've said very little. Many of us lent thousands of words to lambaste the Vikings' stripper party last season, but we've been silent on this? That doesn't mean we should campaign for Sterling to lose his team. But we should wonder what David Stern thinks of there being an owner in his league who seems to have some disturbing views about most of his players. We should ask Sterling what he thinks of his players. More than just talking about racism and debating whether it exists in a few situations, we should attack it directly, especially when it's so destructive and glaring. It was fun to laugh at Donald Sterling when he was a joke. Now that we know what he's up to when he's being serious, he deserves a lot more attention.
Oh boy…6’7” senior guard Bryson Krueger, Arizona State's second-leading scorer last season, has been kicked off the team following his arrest for possession of a gun and various drugs. Krueger, 22, was taken into custody early Wednesday after Tempe police said two Ecstasy pills, a Xanax painkiller pill, four grams of cocaine and an unregistered, loaded .40-caliber handgun were found in his car. Officers responded after receiving calls Tuesday night from a city resident who claimed Krueger and another person were threatening him over a $250 debt…
Trade Rumour: Philly sends CG Allen Iverson to the Rockets for SF Tracy McGrady…it’s bullshit, but it’s out there…
Finally…Chris Wilcox is apparently on the cusp of signing the 3-year $21 million tender being offered by the Sonics…this makes the Cavs happy as it will set a baseline for their continuing negotiations with Drew Gooden…as for the continuing Al Harrington to the Pacers saga, turns out it might get done this week…
Celtics PF Al Jefferson had yet another surgery on his ankle to remove bone chips (at 21 years old who has bone chips?) and when asked by a Boston Globe reporter how his rehab was going her said: “I can lay around on my bed or I can lay around on my couch. So I rotate.” I think the key word here is around, or maybe just round, which is what Al Jefferson will be very soon…dude has substantial fat potential, and laying around will help turn that potential into reality fast…
So…the USA team roster still needs to be trimmed from 14 to 12…but whom do you cut? Here’s the Roster:
PG Gilbert Arenas - maybe
PG Chris Paul - no
PG Kirk Heinrich - no
SG Dwyane Wade - no
SG Joe Johnson - maybe
SF Bruce Bowen - yes
SF LeBron James - no
SF Carmelo Anthony - no
SF Shane Battier - maybe
PF Elton Brand - no
PF Antawn Jamison - maybe
PF Chris Bosh - maybe
PF/C Dwight Howard - maybe
C Brad Miller - no
So if you cut Bowen, who is next? I think Joe Johnson stays because he can shoot the three and swing between three positions…I think Battier stays because he’s your best over all defender…I think Bosh stays because his size and quickness will allow him to match up with the traditional inside-outside Euro big man…so it’s either Arenas or Jamison…both shoot the three, Arenas is the better defender, but do you really need 3 PGs?
Tough call…I probably keep Arenas, he’s just more dangerous…
The Kings signed Loren Woods to a one-year, $1 million deal. Around draft time we said Sacramento needed someone to back up Brad Miller…I wonder if they realize he can no longer bend from the waist?
1) From Mike Kahn of Foxsports.com, his weekly 10 things column:
10 things we learned this week in the NBA
The 2006-07 rule changes were announced by the NBA this week. Nobody screamed Hallelujah! But close. At the top of the list was a change in the seeding playoff format, followed by roster size being expanded from 13 to 15 during the playoffs. If a team has two 60-second timeouts in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime, one will be shortened to 20 seconds. Instead of three, 60-second timeouts in overtime, they will be shortened to two 60-second timeouts and a 20.
1. Item: The three division winners and the team with the next best record in the conference will have the top four seeds in each conference — but the teams will be seeded in order of best regular season record. What this really means: For years, several writers — present company included — have been pining for this alteration to the seedings. Every year, the NBA office has ignored it, if only because it never came to fruition as obviously as it did this season when the San Antonio Spurs lost to the Dallas Mavericks in a fabulous series in the conference semifinals. It wasn't fair that the Phoenix Suns (who had a worse regular season record) got to match up with the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round as opposed to the Spurs. If they hadn't done it in the coming season, there would have clearly been an issue with the stacked Central Division with the Pistons, Cavs, Bulls and Pacers, as well as the possibility for a repeat with the Spurs and Mavericks in the Southwest Division. It's absurd that any team has ever been penalized for being a tough division, and unfortunately, it required sacrificing one of the great series in recent history one round too soon this year.
2. Item: The swelling of the New York Knicks roster continued Monday when the Washington Wizards elected not to match the five-year, $30 million offer sheet 6-11 forward Jared Jeffries signed last week. What this really means: The move will cost the Knicks an additional $5 million-plus in luxury tax and the number of players that play the swing position at guard/forward now includes rookies Renaldo Balkman, Mardy Collins, Quentin Richardson, Qyntel Woods and Jalen Rose (who plays both guard spots and small forward). Yes, they have plenty of versatility and explosiveness — the drafting of Balkman, Collins and signing of Jeffries shows president/coach Isiah Thomas is thinking defense going into this season. But he's got to lighten the roster. They badly need to make some two-for-one deals, and if they can unload either Stephon Marbury or Steve Francis, it would greatly enhance the chemistry — which has been deeply impacted by the selfishness of those two guards. But as extravagant as Jeffries may seem at this point, he is a step in the right direction, given that he is a team-oriented player who focuses on defense. And anything positive he can add to the attitude of the team is a step in the right direction following a 23-59 season.
3. Item: The U.S. Senior National Basketball team made an auspicious debut this week in Las Vegas, crushing Puerto Rico by 45 points, then heading over to China to open with a 119-73 victory. What this really means: This is a different deal this time around after the debacles that began at the World Championships in Indianapolis and lasted through the Olympics in Athens. There are no attitude problems from the players or the coaching staff for that matter — with Mike Krzyzewski as the perfect coach for this team, emphasizing their quickness, pressure defense and unselfishness. He started the first game with four of the top five picks in the 2003 draft — LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, with 2006 rookie of the year Chris Paul at point guard. Joe Johnson, Elton Brand and Kirk Hinrich were also exceptional contributors. But the bottom line is they all want the team to win and resurrect what now seems like the ancient memory of the original Dream Team. At the same time, they'd like to restore some pride to U.S. basketball, which ran off a 53-0 streak when the pros started playing, but has stumbled to a 21-6 mark since. Unquestionably the talent and commitment is there for this summer, and they will be heavily favored to win the World Championships in Japan at the end of the month so they can bypass next summer's qualifying tournament. Nonetheless, the team, for the most part is in place. The goal is simple — blow everybody out and restore dominance. The rest of the world has advanced much too far for it to be like it was, but winning consistently and decisively may very well prove to be in reach.
4. Item: NBA commissioner David Stern was in China for Sunday's exhibition game and talked about how business in China has gone up 30 percent this year and will be doubled by 2008 when Beijing plays host to the 2008 Olympics. What this really means: For all the talk about the NBA struggling to regain popularity in this country, internationally it is the most booming of American sports. There are three offices and a staff of 50 in China, and it's growing like that all over the world. Next season, it is expected that approximately 100 out of the 450 rosters players that will be of international origin — translating to almost 3.5 international players per team. The best news is the how popular the playoffs were, with the exceptional play of young stars like Wade and James generating interest, and the league overall appears to be on course for a revival among the masses. The caliber player and the manner in which this version of the U.S. Senior National Team will be part of Stern's grand scheme to regain popularity in this country. If it doesn't, the manner in which the NBA has spread worldwide is more than compensating for the concern over erratic attendance and the invariably inconsistent television ratings. In other words, the big picture is just fine.
5. Item: Atlanta Hawks free agent forward Al Harrington fired his agent Andy Miller and hired Arn Tellem after a sign-and-trade deal could not be completed with the Indiana Pacers. What this really means: It's hard to fathom why this deal isn't done yet. All indications are Harrington wants to return to the Pacers, his former team where best buddy Jermaine O'Neal is still the star and the city where his parents now live. Everything seemed fine regarding the contract of more than $56 million, beginning at $7.5 million a year. The problem appears to be the grounds for the sign-and-trade, between Hawks general manager Billy Knight and his former boss, Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh. The Hawks apparently want only draft choices and no contracts. The Pacers, at this point, should make the deal in the Hawks manner and look elsewhere to unload contracts if the luxury tax is such a concern. Get Harrington first, then worry about the luxury tax, otherwise, they are risking the possibility that another team might jump with a more attractive deal for Harrington and the Hawks. To think that Walsh and Knight can't get a deal completed at this late stage really seems preposterous.
6. Item: Free-agent guard DeShawn Stevenson signed a one-year deal with the Washington Wizards for just more than $932,000, the minimum for the six-year veteran. What this really means: Every year, somebody makes a grave mistake overvaluing his market in free agency. This year, it was Stevenson. With Rob Pelinka, Kobe Bryant's agent, providing him with counsel, Stevenson opted out of the final year of his contract that was to pay him $3 million. He then turned down the three-year, $10 million deal the Magic offered him to stay. Then, stunningly, there was nothing. Stevenson is a nice young player — still only 25 — and the 6-5, 210-pounder is a better than average outside shooter, plays solid defense and can handle the ball. He'll help the Wizards, but it's still a sad story. It isn't as crazy Latrell Sprewell claiming he couldn't feed his family with a three-year, $21 million deal or Anthony Carter's agent accidentally opting him out of a final year at $4.1 million in 2003, forcing him to sign for the minimum as well. So it's nothing new. It just goes to show it's not always wise to trust your agent.
7. Item: In a move that would have been surprising three months ago, but not as time passed, Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen announced he has removed the "For Sale" sign from the team and negotiations have begun with the Rose Garden over the lease. What this really means: Neither the Blazers nor Allen are going anyway. The splendid draft day action by general-manager-to-be Kevin Pritchard got Allen excited again, and with the inability to strike a deal with the Rose Garden officials, Allen couldn't get a reasonable sum of money for the Blazers. So he decided to keep them. Had Allen's management group had the ability to re-negotiate the mortgage for the Rose Garden when they owned it, everything would be fine today. He may not even have been in such dire financial straits with the team. Instead, they lost a lot of goodwill by filing bankruptcy and delaying paying local creditors. Now they must build it back up and if they re-purchase the Rose Garden themselves — it will merely extend and increase the unnecessarily exorbitant loss of money on the building and team for Allen.
8. Item: Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is sending eight black and Hispanic college students on an all expenses-paid, nine-day educational tour of Rome, Florence and Venice, Italy. What this really means: Bryant spent eight years of his childhood growing up in Italy as his father Joe Bryant was a popular pro basketball player in the Italian League. He still talks about it all the time and believes it helped make him a brighter and better informed youngster before moving back to suburban Philadelphia to finish high school. He has two scholarship funds and the administrators chose the college students to expand their horizons and potentially open up their future prospects internationally with new contacts.
There has been no indication if or how much Bryant will engage with this lucky group of eight, and perhaps it would have been even better to award a couple of international college scholarships as opposed to just a nine-day teaser. Nonetheless, Bryant has the right idea and we can only hope this is just the start of his desire to help direct teenagers educationally and internationally.
9. Item: It now appears inevitable that the Seattle SuperSonics restricted free agent Chris Wilcox will accept the $3.6 million qualifying offer from the Sonics and enter unrestricted free agency next summer. What this really means: There have been a variety of stories regarding the contract prospects of Wilcox, ranging from five years, $33 million to six years, $40 million and even three years, $24 million. There have been varying degrees of denials in all respects. And that's why the qualifying offer figured to be the best fit of all as Wilcox felt he deserved the same six-year, $60 million deal signed by Nene. Realistically, that was an insane request. Indeed, he averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in 29 games with the Sonics after coming from the Clippers for Vladimir Radmanovic. He had great flashes, but keep in mind during three previous NBA seasons, his previous best averages were 8.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game. That's not to say he isn't capable putting up those numbers consistently — but he's hardly proven it. This is precisely why he didn't get the type of contract numbers he wanted. In fact, like Radmanovic, he'll have the opportunity to prove his value on an entire season. Isn't that the way professional sports should be?
10. Item: The Phoenix Suns signed young swing guard Leandro Barbosa to a six-year, $33 million extension last week — just one week after signing point guard Marcus Banks to a five-year, $21 million deal. What this really means: Coach/general manager Mike D'Antoni is completely focused on both now and the future, despite the non-stop rumors regarding the trading of Shawn Marion or any other concepts of give or take. Sure, they may move Kurt Thomas with one of their high draft choices if the right deal appears, but they don't have to do anything now. They're the only team in the Western Conference to be in the conference finals the past two seasons, and after a one-year respite from microfracture knee surgery, Amare Stoudemire is expected to be at least 80 percent by training camp. But realistically, the Barbosa extension on the heels of signing Banks is a subtle announcement that they know two-time MVP Steve Nash turns 33 at the 2007 All-Star break. He is in extraordinary physical condition, but there are back issues and the amount of wear and tear the past two seasons has to have taken some toll on him. Barbosa, the 23-year-old Brazilian, didn't even speak English when he was a rookie, and has taken major strides in each of his first three seasons. Whether he will ever be a pure point guard, remains to be seen, but he is an exceptional talent at both ends of the floor with great speed, hands and touch.
2) Kelly Dwyer of Si.com thinks the Kings have made changes for the better:
Fresh air - Kings fans welcome change on bench and on floor
The next leg of our trip around the world of blogdom includes a back-and-forth with Tom Ziller, proprietor of the fantastic Sactown Royalty site. The Kings have a new coach in Eric Musselman, a fab new arena on the way and a whole year with Ron Artest to look forward to. Is this a good thing? Let's find out.
SI.com: How will the Eric Musselman Era differ from the Rick Adelman Era?
Ziller: We can only dream of how different the Muss era will be after eight years of Adelman. Everyone talks about defense and effort, but both the defense and effort were great post-Artest in 2005-06. I think on offense we can expect the Kings to run a tick faster, maybe to where they were in '01 and '02 (among the quickest paces in the league). The personnel allows for that -- everyone but Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kenny Thomas can handle the ball and everyone but Brad Miller can run in transition.
When the Kings are in the half-court, I expect Muss to allow Mike Bibby and Artest to create opportunities instead of relying on the same three-play sets involving a high pick every time down. Miller is still valuable as a shooter and a passer from out high, but Bibby has been held back by having to be the team's spot-up shooter since Peja Stojakovic decided to stop playing in '04. I think we Kings fans are expecting a slighter deeper rotation, too. The guard depth is great, but the frontcourt depth is lacking. How Muss copes with this can't be worse than what Adelman did.
SI.com: Miller obviously is a top-drawer pivotman, but he's broken down toward the end of each of his NBA campaigns save for a truncated rookie year. Also, his career playoff averages are down from his regular-season contributions. So how can a two-month run with the USA Basketball team be good for his health, and the Kings?
Ziller: Miller is the King most susceptible to lapses in confidence. He gets easily discouraged when missing a few shots or getting an undeserved foul. There's a flip side, though: One big shot or a great block will inspire this guy like no one else. That's why his Team USA participation is great; it will turn his motor back on. Listening to a guy like Mike Krzyzewski every day cannot be a bad thing, and watching the youngsters such as Dwight Howard and Amaré Stoudemire represent the nation will inspire the rather patriotic Miller.
If the Kings start off well, that motivation will stay with Miller longer than you'd think. The Kings have to find a way to mitigate the negative impacts -- extra mileage and less time in the garage -- during the season, though. GM Geoff Petrie needs to conjure up someone who can play 15 minutes a night at center without being an embarrassment, and Muss has to keep Miller to around 32-35 minutes a game for the first half of the season. Getting wins now is important, but saving up some Miller for crunch time is crucial.
SI.com: Ron Artest. How long ya got with him?
Ziller: I think Artest will be with the Kings until his contract expires. If the Kings disappoint this season -- a low seed in the playoffs or worse -- Petrie might try to find a buyer in the offseason. But no one is going to run him out of town before he turns a maniac, because the town is in love with him. Artest in Sacramento right now is a solid step above where Chris Webber in Sacramento was in the middle of the '01-02 season. I'm not exaggerating. There's not a better character to be playing in Sacramento than this dude.
SI.com: Musselman has an undeserved reputation for not playing the youngsters; he's more or less been vindicated for his rotation choices as coach of the Warriors. How do you see him finding time for prospects such as Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia and Quincy Douby?
Ziller: Martin will be a starter, and I think will get at least 30 minutes a game, unless he seriously regresses (sub-40-percent-shooting "regresses"). Garcia will be the backup swingman, and all indications so far say that the player Muss has connected with most strongly so far is Garcia. Douby is a tougher nut to crack. I don't think he'll get much playing time at the point this season, as I think John Salmons is really being groomed as the main ballhandler off the bench, even though Garcia might be the best ballhandler on the team. Douby, though, should be the person most likely to benefit from an injury to a backcourt guy in front of him.
And with the Kings, there will be injuries. If Bibby or Salmons goes down, Douby could get some minutes at the point. If Martin, Garcia or Artest goes down, there should be some time for Douby at the off-guard. Other than that, he might be playing for garbage time this season. I really hope he gets some court time, though. He's one of the more exciting rookies we've had in a while.
SI.com: The Kings are still a fun team to watch, they're a dynamic group that can play a couple of different styles, and they're probably better than last year's 44 wins would indicate. But are they a contender for the Western crown?
Ziller: I think the Kings are a player away from being a contender. Not a great player away -- just a good player away. That's why Kings fans were salivating over the possibility of getting Jamaal Magloire. A defensive-minded center is exactly what this team needs to seriously think about knocking off San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas. Also, judging by Kenny Thomas' lack of enthusiasm for coming off the bench, I'd say depth at power forward is also a concern. Otherwise, this team is incredibly versatile, which will help it match up with any team it faces.
Though Bonzi Wells is gone, this is still one of the stronger/tougher teams in the West and will be one of the quickest, as well. And Musselman really is a factor to consider. No one was listening to Adelman last season -- Artest was even calling timeouts! Musselman is a great basketball mind and apparently a master motivator. If Muss can corral those players and get them in sync, this team could contend for a crown. Ask me in January.
SI.com: Which King has to be at the top of his gig next year for them to make any noise?
Ziller: It's an oligarchy in Sactown, not in the sense that everyone is replaceable but that all the top players are equally irreplaceable. A Miller injury is death for the front line; you'd have to go tiny with Abdur-Rahim and Thomas or bring in the loved and feared Vitaly Potapenko. An Artest injury or (cough) suspension could rally the remaining to overachieve, but he's the only great defender on the roster -- assistant coach T.R. Dunn notwithstanding.
Bibby has better depth behind him than ever before, but he's your top scorer. Missing Martin off the bench squeezes the depth of the team significantly. Petrie has constructed the team to not rely on one player, but in doing that, he's relying on them all. And now, to answer your question: If Martin turns into the player serious Kings fans hope he will (which is a slashing-type Reggie Miller or Joe Dumars), these Kings can beat anyone.
3) Bomani Jones of ESPN.com’s Page 2 wonders why this is not a bigger story, and frankly so do I:
There was a time when Donald Sterling was a joke. His Los Angeles Clippers got all the laughs, but he got all the credit. Sterling was the absent mind behind the NBA's longest-running vaudeville revue, his stinginess serving as the fuel behind the rust standard for ineptitude. He was condemned with ridicule for coldly running a losing basketball team, a sin deemed unforgivable by most. Sterling was a skinflint, so despicable that you couldn't help but wonder if the man who makes most of his money from real estate was only concerned with building a dream home in the most famous tropical enclave of them all: hell. What Donald Sterling's doing now is no laughing matter.Now, Sterling signs free agents and signs his best players to extensions. Maybe he's OK after all? Or, maybe not. Sterling was sued by the Department of Justice on Monday for housing discrimination. Though Sterling has no problem paying black people millions of dollars to play basketball, the feds allege that he refused to rent apartments in Beverly Hills and Koreatown to black people and people with children. Talk about strange. A man notoriously concerned with profit maximization refuses to take money from those willing to shell it out to live in the most overrated, overpriced neighborhood in Southern California? That same man, who gives black men tens of millions of dollars every year, refuses to take a few thousand a month from folks who would like to crash in one of his buildings for a while? You gotta love racism, the only force in the world powerful enough to interfere with money-making. Sterling may have been a joke, but nothing about this is funny. In fact, it's frightening and disturbing that classic racism like this might still be in play. What's even more disturbing? Sterling was sued for housing discrimination by 19 plaintiffs in 2003, according to The Associated Press. In this case, Sterling was accused of trying to drive blacks and Latinos out of buildings he owned in Koreatown. In November, Sterling was ordered to pay a massive settlement in that case. Terms were not disclosed, but the presiding judge said this was "one of the largest" settlements ever in this sort of matter. The tip of the iceberg: Sterling had to play $5 million just for the plaintiffs' attorney fees. And the coup de grace? Neither that case, nor the more recent one, has qualified as big news. The tragedy of Maurice Clarett is big news. So are the legal adventures of the Cincinnati Bengals, Rhett Bomar's inability to recognize that not all money is good money, Floyd Landis' daily excuse, and teenager Michelle Wie's being too nervous to tell a grown man she would no longer pay him to carry her stuff around a golf course. But Donald Sterling's refusing to offer housing to blacks and Latinos? Must not have that sizzle. On the section of the Los Angeles Times Web site dedicated to the Clippers, the lawsuit against Sterling can be found only on the AP news wire. On ESPN.com, it takes a few clicks to find the story. And people think issues about race are lightning rods? Not quite. Nearly two decades ago, former Dodgers general manager Al Campanis lost his job after rambling on "Nightline" that blacks lacked "the necessities" required of a field or general manager. Nine months after Campanis' faux pas, Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder was fired from CBS's "The NFL Today" after his comments as an armchair geneticist. Though he had no Punnett squares to back his claims, Snyder shared with a reporter his theory that blacks' perceived athletic superiority was a byproduct of breeding experiments administered by slave owners. Both stories were huge news, and both Campanis and Snyder were fired for their statements. To this day, both gentlemen are held up as proof that racism and sports don't mix. If only that were true. The reality is that Campanis' firing fell in line with a larger axiom -- stupidity is a fireable offense. Snyder's dismissal proved something more complex. Coming on television visibly intoxicated is frowned upon, as are references to slavery, but neither is too severe. Do both at the same time, however, and you'll be looking for work. Campanis and Snyder were guilty of talking too much on national television. Each said something problematic, but neither said anything particularly evil. Black people are too stupid to manage a baseball team? Sounds like something one of my old math teachers would say. Football players are the progeny of uber-slaves? Sounds like what it was -- sauced-up banter. But black people aren't welcome on Donald Sterling's property? That's really jacked up. Discrimination in the housing market has been crippling to the attempts blacks and Latinos have made to empower themselves economically. The worst examples are in the sales market -- there's a wealth of urban economic evidence showing how the inability to buy homes has affected the black-white wealth gap -- but such behavior in the rental market is just as damaging. Consider that, frequently, moving to a fancy neighborhood like Beverly Hills provides the best chance a family has at placing its children in decent schools, something we all can agree is pretty important.
People tend to think of the more annoying manifestations of racism, like how hard it can be for non-white people to get cabs in New York. But in the grand scheme, stuff like that is trivial. What Sterling is accused of is as real as penitentiary steel. But for some reason, that hasn't qualified as big news in most places. Sterling deserves to be raked over the coals for this. Judgment should be reserved on the suit the Department of Justice filed until a verdict or settlement has been reached. But he's already paid millions in the face of similar allegations. It's not Sterling's job to bring attention to his ethical transgressions. That's the job of the media. And as it relates to Sterling, we have dropped the ball. In American sports, issues of race are unavoidable. But when we turn our attention to those issues, we tend to do so in discussion of sensational topics. And we do so with little more than passing interest. We're more concerned with people saying stupid things, transgressions that even undeniable racists could criticize. People from every walk of life are entitled to slam someone for talking too much. In Sterling's case, we're confronted with racism in its most problematic form. And up until now, we've said very little. Many of us lent thousands of words to lambaste the Vikings' stripper party last season, but we've been silent on this? That doesn't mean we should campaign for Sterling to lose his team. But we should wonder what David Stern thinks of there being an owner in his league who seems to have some disturbing views about most of his players. We should ask Sterling what he thinks of his players. More than just talking about racism and debating whether it exists in a few situations, we should attack it directly, especially when it's so destructive and glaring. It was fun to laugh at Donald Sterling when he was a joke. Now that we know what he's up to when he's being serious, he deserves a lot more attention.
posted by Cornback at
9:42 a.m.
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