NBA Summer of 2010

figure i have this up and running before the beginning of free agency tonight at 12:01. so, any predictions on who will go where?

I'm looking for LeBron to go to Chicago.
Wade to stay in Miami and Bosh to go to NY.

We'll gladly take LeBron here in Chicago.

idk what to say...lets just hope i dont have a heart attack if this happens

http://store.nba.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4055669&cp=1421535.2806548.2804337

The link didn't work BAM, what was it about?

Former Pistons great Isiah Thomas said one of Detroit's most infamous sports moments should not have occurred.

Thomas told the Chicago Tribune he shouldn't have led the Pistons in their "walk-off" against the Chicago Bulls in the final seconds of the 1991 Eastern Conference finals.

The Bulls defeated the Pistons in four games and the Pistons eschewed the traditional postgame handshakes and words of congratulations.

"We basically passed the torch to Chicago the way the torch had been passed to us by Boston," Thomas told the Tribune. "Now, looking back on that ... we and I ... we should have shook hands. That was the sportsmanlike thing to do."

Thomas' Pistons were two-time defending NBA champions and on the verge of getting swept by Michael Jordan and the Bulls, after eliminating them three straight years in the postseason. In a rivalry marred with bad blood, the Pistons, led by Thomas and Bill Laimbeer, walked off the court and into The Palace tunnel with eight seconds remaining in the game. They walked past the Bulls bench, without an acknowledgement. It signaled the end of the Pistons' championship run and only Joe Dumars, Vinnie Johnson and John Salley remained to shake hands with the Bulls players.

"At that time, sportsmanship and all that wasn't a big thing in the NBA," Thomas said. "Not saying that we were right; I am definitely saying that we were wrong. The example that should have been set, and the example you want to send to your young kids and everything else is, you know, when you lose, shake the other guy's hand."

Thomas is now head coach at Florida International.

Well I'm sure we were all waiting for this news.

Minneapolis -- The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to terms on a four-year deal with former Pistons center Darko Milicic.

Milicic will be paid $20 million, ESPN reports, attributing the information to sources.

Milicic averaged 8.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 24 games with Minnesota last season.

figures lol. it showed a customize made jersey of what lebrons new jersey might be in chicago, and it was on there main page of the bulls for there store. anyways to simplify things somebody jumped the gun.

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/07/nba-store-selling-lebron-james-bulls-jerseys.html

at least they have cap room...unlike a certain team in detroit

Hey, we'll be back. The signing of Darko makes it more likely Jefferson will be moved. Perhaps we can get rid of Maxiell and Wilcox and Rip for Jefferson???

lol actually this means that the bulls could trade deng to minnesota, jefferson is traded to toronto, and bosh is traded to the bulls.

Keep him. Seriously.

As great as he is, I'm tired of the dog and pony show here in New York. Everyone in this city seems to be begging and fawning all over this kid, and we have ZERO chance of signing him. He's using the New York media to make his "brand" worth even more than it already is. Like he needs the money .

Amar’e Stoudemire and the New York Knicks are making progress in talks on a five-year maximum guaranteed contract and a deal could be completed as soon as Friday, league sources told Y! Sports.

The framework of a deal is in place and the two sides are expected to talk again soon, sources said.

Stoudemire’s departure from the Suns was all but clinched after the Phoenix Suns reached agreement with forward Hakim Warrick(notes) on a four-year, $18 million contract , league sources said.

The Suns moved forward with Warrick after negotiations with Stoudemire stalled. Stoudemire’s agent Happy Walters had a late-night conversation Thursday with Suns owner Robert Sarver, who insisted he couldn’t wait any longer on Stoudemire’s decision and would need to consider other options. Stoudemire was not ready to commit, sources said, because he wanted to see how the rest of the free-agent market played out and he believed he could get a better offer from the Knicks or another team.

a never knew there was a smart knicks fan but, yea i will wait till its official (july 8th) because who knows he may change his mind from chicago to cleveland or the other way around. i just hope that if lebron goes to another team it's now miami.

i have nothing else to say about this

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AmfS2L0geUu6hhJ6kFOSnhG8vLYF?slug=aw-wadelebronbulls072010

and for those wondering the bulls basically have boozer and lee 'locked up' for lebron. if the above happens then i have no idea about the pf position.

o yea and there is a trade rumor involving deng and james johnson.

man...chicago has guts!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Chicago-is-daring-LeBron-James-to-play-for-the-B?urn=nba,253378

The New Jersey Nets are interested in hiring Joe Dumars for the job of team president, a source close to the situation told the Free Press this morning.

In an e-mail, Dumars — the Pistons’ president of basketball operations — denied a report that he interviewed with the Nets over the weekend.

However, while there may not have been formal conversations, the source confirmed that the Nets are interested in Dumars, who took over the Pistons in 2000.

The Bergen (N.J.) Record, citing league sources, reported Sunday night that Dumars interviewed with the Nets on Saturday night to replace outgoing Nets president Rod Thorn.

The Record reported that Thorn, who has resigned effective July 15, and new coach Avery Johnson were in the meeting with Dumars.

Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti and New Orleans Hornets GM Jeff Bower are also candidates for the position, according to the Record.

Dumars, a Hall of Fame player for the Pistons (1985-99), led the franchise to the 2004 NBA title as team president.

But the Pistons' near future is suddenly uncertain. Owner Karen Davidson said June 24 that she expects the team to be sold by the start of next season.

Check back with Freep.com for more updates on this developing story.

smart move on his part

So apparently Stoudemire has officially agreed (verbally) to join the Knicks. Does this leave them enough money to get LeBron? If it does it is smart to get someone like him to prove they want good players around LeBron if he were to go to New York.

Does it? I mean Amar'e and that former coach of his from Phoenix, despite allegedly burying the hatchett, will go to blows very soon inevitably and Knicks will fire him quicker than dump him and his new albatross contract. Nevermind that whole organization is so degeneratively fucked on every level.

Thing is, this is all up to Lebron's ego. Is he willing to share title glory with Wade in Wade's town, choke some of his Nike-pushed self-importance?

Remember earlier this decade when after winning 3 titles in a row, 4 trips to NBA Finals in 5 years, Kobe Bryant's ego demanded that the Lakers to either side with him or Shaq? Same ego which also pissed off Phil Jackson enough to retire (again) and Lakers sided with him.

After a lackluster humiliating year in 04-05, Bryant publicly swallowed his pride and got Phil back. Even after Phil wrote that book which really shat on Kobe rather badly. Kobe had to accept that KOBE can't do it all, but he can be the spearpoint of an army of excellent players surrounding him. That meant having to share the spotlight with a Lamar Odom or that Gasol guy, get Derek Fisher back, or even acquire eggshell-walking headcase like Ron Artest.

Now they've now won the last 2 titles, been to the finals last 3 seasons, and probably will repeat again.

Unless Lebron's ego is willing to share. In Miami or Chicago.

Yes they still have enough money. They only had 5 players under contract. If LeBron doesn't go to NY now, Stoudemire is going to be under the microscope like never before.

the knicks got scared because they knew lebron wasn't going to that lackluster roster, and they believe that stoudmire makes this a better roster than chicago or new jersey? as of right now though its 50-50 on lebron staying in cleveland because of the 'guilt' trip. then again lebron might be forced into staying if wade/bosh decides chicago.

The money paid by the clubs is all pretty much the same, yes? Cleveland can pay LeBron slightly more but the other teams are more or less constricted by this max salary stuff. So I think part of NY's schtick was that being in the Big Apple would give Lebron more marketing/entertainment opportunities.

I'm not overly impressed with Bosh. I'm not sure he can be a difference maker.

Lebron has a press conference Thursday at 9EST.

Sounds like something Brett Favre would do. Ugh.

As far as titles go, Chicago is his best choice. They have a nice young core of guys and they would be an instant contender.

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will team up in Miami to form the core of a team that could contend for a title.

It has looked like things were leaning that way for several days, and now ESPN's Chris Broussard and Shelly Smith both are hearing the announcement will come later today (both getting it from separate sources).They are expected to announce their intentions today and can sign the deal as soon as tomorrow.

ill wait till its official, this is the same guy yesterday that said bosh was going to be traded to cleveland. if it is offical, then this may help the bulls chances because why would lebron stay with a lackluster team with boston,orlando,miami, and chicago becoming big.

Here’s a sampling of reaction from the Web world:

Frank Isola, New York Daily News: “James’ self-importance reached new levels of absurdity Tuesday night when ESPN confirmed that the NBA’s top free agent will announce his future plans in an hour-long special.”

Michael Ozanian, Forbes: “If this goes down it will confirm three things: There is no longer any difference between reality television programming and professional sports; ESPN has become a parody of itself; the game has become less relevant than its star players.”

Jim Litke, Associated Press: “This much attention for a guy who has yet to win a championship — let alone a game in the finals — is wrong on so many levels that it's hard to know where to begin.”

Kurt Helin, NBC Sports: “It seems impossible — and even more egomaniacal — to have Cleveland learn if its heart is broken on national television. Same with the other cities that will feel shunned if and when James turns his attention to whatever city he chooses. This all has the potential to be a public relations disaster for James.”

Tony Massarotti, Boston Globe: “Like Brett Favre, James effectively owns ESPN anyway. At least now we know there is a formal business agreement between the world’s most self-indulgent network and its most self-absorbed star.”

Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal Constitution: “ESPN the TV network is apparently putting LeBron James on its air without ESPN’s many and distinguished reporters knowing what he’ll say, which is really the only free-agency story worth breaking…. Apparently the Worldwide Leader is content to be his silent partner/enabler. And I say: Good grief.”

Associated Press
Oklahoma City -- Kevin Durant has reached a deal on a five-year contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Associated Press is reporting.

The team did not immediately confirm the deal. The reigning NBA scoring leader is signed with the Thunder through next season under his original rookie contract, which would pay him about $5 million next year.

Lebron will be hated in every city that wooed him, due to this ABSURD press conference.

Is this the brainchild of Team Lebron? You know, those guys who truly believe they're a success story because they all grew up together, and not because Lebron James can get the ball to go in the hoop?

Because if Lebron couldn't score, the closest they'd get to Quick Loans Arena would be, well, taking out payday loans themselves.

Bottom feeding hangers-on.

if lebron is not coming to chicago, then i hope he stays in cleveland or even new york/ney jersey. miami is going to be the most hated team in the nba with two biggest ego's (well three counting pat riley).

That was really cold but I still had to laugh..

before everything went down today i would had hated him for choosing new york or new jersey and i would understand if he would had stayed in cleveland.

after today i just hope that he doesn't go to the miami. other words meaning i dont care if he becomes a knick or net. if he becomes a bull great. if he stays at cleveland then he will have to bust his ass when he is up against boston, orlando, miami, and the bulls.

And I know how you feel about those payday loan companies!

Although those companies are nothing to laugh at. They'll ruin a life as fast as a shylock.

Take it for it's worth, Phoenix Suns forward Jared Dudley and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco bot posted on their Twitters that Lebron is signing with the Knicks. Also, Lebron is making the announcement tomorrow from Greenwich Connecticut, which is the home of the Knicks' training facility. We'll see.

This article from USA Today is exactly what I was thinking when I heard he's making the announcement in front of kids from Connecticut.


As the LeBron James guessing game continues, here's a wrinkle that might favor the New York Knicks as his next stop.

ESPN Radio confirmed to the New York Daily News that the network has booked the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Conn., from 7-10 p.m. ET Thursday night. That coincides neatly with the 9 p.m. scheduling of James' announcement about where he'll play next season.

Yes, anywhere in Connecticut isn't far from ESPN headquarters. But Greenwich also is fairly close to the Knicks' training facility in Greenburgh, N.Y.

We don't have a dog in this hunt, but it seems reasonable to guess that if LeBron is going to stay in Cleveland that he would have his one-hour show on ESPN somewhere in the state of Ohio, and play up the hero-stays-home story as much as possible.

Kids in Greenwich aren't exactly going to be programmed to cheer if they hear LeBron saying he's sticking with the Cavaliers, or going to the Heat or Bulls.

Also, for what it's worth:

Phoenix Suns forward Jared Dudley is tweeting that LeBron is on the way to the Knicks, writing:

"Breaking News!!! My sources tell me Lebron will announce that he will be goin to the NY KNICKS tomorrow on ESPN.. This is serious.. WOW!!!!

umm...guys i might have to burst your bubble here. lebron james has a wedding (his best friend carmelo anthony) to attend to in new york over the weekend.

also too the bulls just signed all star power forward carlos boozer

....And?

this means that knick fans should not buy lebron james jerseys just yet...it's still going to be the bulls,knicks,nets,cleveland, and sadly miami.

What does a wedding in NY this weekend have to do with where LeBron signs?

nothing lol i was saying that he is in ct because of the wedding, not because he is driving down to MSG after the announcement. do you understand what im trying to say or not yet?

also too i guess espn is reporting that lebron is going to miami...if he does this i will have no respect for him, and i hope the bulls,lakers,celtics,magic,and knicks kick there ass.

Who ever said he's driving to MSG after the announcement? It's quicker to fly to NY from Ohio than drive from CT. He's not in CT on Thursday because he has a wedding in NY on Saturday. More than likely, he's in CT because he doesn't have the balls to to break everyone's heart in Ohio from Akron. As for the Knicks, they're still probably not the favorite to get him. More than likely he's going to Miami, but a lot of people think that is a smokescreen.

i sure hope so...screw the heat

The local media is in such a speculation frenzy, that stock at MSG went up 6.9% yesterday. The papers are reporting that Dolan already pocketed at least 20-30 million from all the hype. Maybe he's the one fueling these rumors!

I was a big NBA fan, and a HUGE Knicks fan way back when. My brother and I used to go to 15 or 20 home games a year. But somewhere in the age of full body tattoos, baggy shorts and the all around thuggish image, I lost interest. That said, if Lebron were to sign here, it would definitely renew my interest in the game.

I know I rattle on and on about New York, but if you were here in June of '94, then you'd know that when it comes to showing appreciation for a winning basketball team, there is no place like New York. And we lost to the Rockets that year!

I still don't believe he's signing here, and if he doesn't, I'll root against him until the day he retires. But if he does, I'll gladly eat a little crow .

Besides, it would give Bam a heart attack, so there's always that .

hey at least i have the satisfaction of seeing the bulls winning 6 championships, and seeing the greatest basketball player perform.

the knicks...yea i have no idea what they have the bulls don't.

Easy, kid.

I'm old enough to remember both of the Knicks championships. Plus, I've seen the Mets win two, the Giants win 3, the Jets win 1, the Islanders win 4, the Rangers win 1, and the Yankees win countless championships. And I won't even count the Devils.

My point is that there's no place like winning it here. The parade downtown. The skyline. Every little thing.

So as for your quote: the knicks...yea i have no idea what they have the bulls don't.

They have New York City. And if you don't understand that, it's only because you've never been here .

LeBron has one of the biggest egos in sports history. It almost dictates he goes with the Knicks. If he chooses Chacago, he'll be in MJ's shadow. If he goes with Miami, he'll be back in a small basketball market and won't even be the most popular player on the team. NY is the only place I feel will satisfy his huge ego.

Great point, Lou. And if he goes to Miami, he has to share the spotlight. He'll go from King James to Prince James.

But I HATE that fucking King nickname .

Bullshit old man, you only quit when they quit winning. Or worse, overpaid stars not givig a shit about winning. OK I can't blame you for that last part. But Spike Lee is a better Knicks fan than you.



Yeah that same series which the Knicks choked.

And no, he won't go to New York. Why would he?

Or Cleveland, which doesn't take much to become King of Cleveland.

Besides, wouldn't he also have to share NYC with Derek Jeter and Mark Sanchez? Jeter has the rings and respect, and Sanchez making the Jets relevant is enough for a Hero Cult there.

Bill Simmons at ESPN.com posted something quite interesting:

"I think he should pick Chicago, and if not the Bulls, then New York. But I live in a dream world where NBA superstars only care about winning titles and/or playing in the biggest basketball cities with sophisticated fans and tons of history. The truth is, New York might not mean anything to LeBron, just like college football recruits don't care about Notre Dame any more. He isn't old enough to remember Frazier's Knicks, or Bernard's Knicks … hell, he's barely old enough to remember Ewing's Knicks. And he might be too egotistical to follow Jordan in Chicago, like it was the sloppy seconds of NBA cities or something. But what do I know?"

In the end, as we all await tonight, does Lebron want rings or does he want the money or the glory, what does he want?

Yeah, but I'm a better director .

Sal, go make your fucking pizzas.

The winner is...Miami Heat. No surprise there. Oh, if they can topple Kobe I'll be happy.

I'm glad I can go back to not giving a shit about basketball.

Just want to say...


Ah ha ha ha ha ha

Ah ha ha ha ha ha

Although Gilbert's response is funny reading and I agree with some of it, much like Tom Hagen with Woltz, I am a little taken aback that someone at the top is so personally invested in something that is just business. The proper response should have been a statement like

"Obviously we are disappointed and saddened at the choice Mr. James made. We think that Cleveland offers him the best chance for a championship as well as a unique bond with fans and ownership. However we wish him the best and will see him in the playoffs. We continue to maintain our dedication to building a championship team here in Cleveland".

This is business. If someone offered Gilbert five times what he paid for the team but wanted to move it to Nebraska, Gilbert wouldn't be talking about what the fans deserved, he'd be depositing the check in the bank. Teams regularly trade players like baseball cards and don't care about how loyal or nice a particular player has been. Business.
************************************************************
Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.
The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.
You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE"

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.
This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.
Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.
Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....
Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers

the bullseye is on miami's back now. i really want to root for cleveland to do this, but as a bulls fan i would love it if the bulls (michaels team) win a championship before jester james win it.

lebron is afraid of the challenge in new york and chicago, so with that i am glad he didn't pick the bulls. 4-5 months before the season starts.

o yea lilo you do know that now the bulls will win the central with either the bucks or pistons behind us.

How often before the start of the season do you think we're gonna hear Will Smith's song, "Welcome to Miami".

230 times...but i hope we can hear 'sweet home chicago' during the bulls championship parade in june.

Not so fast there, Chicago. I still have to believe that Joe D. has something up his sleeve. And contrary to his appearance it's not a jelly donut..

the bulls might have something up there sleeve as well lol. o yea i hope the bulls get a enforcer...would love to have the 'bad boys' in chicago.

You both win because, and let's be honest, the Cavs go right back into the abyss. Maybe proud and a little scrappy, like they were under Fratello in the '90s, but hardly contenders.

Re: "The Decision" -----I hope Lebron gets pubic lice the size of palmetto bus down there in the tropics. Also, wouldn't it just be a hoot if Wade and Bosh get caught in a seedy Little Havana motel room with a big bag of blow . . . and Lebron's mom?

With LeBron James off the board, the Knicks began refilling their roster Thursday night by completing a multiplayer trade built around David Lee.
Lee is going to the Golden State Warriors in a sign-and-trade deal, in exchange for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azubuike. Lee will receive a six-year, $80 million contract. Although the deal was not immediately announced, the parameters were confirmed by Lee’s agent, Mark Bartelstein.

The key is Randolph, a promising 6-foot-10 forward who was drafted 14th over all in 2008. Randolph turns 21 next week and has shown occasional flashes of greatness. Randolph is effective in the open court and an excellent finisher at the rim. But he is a poor shooter and is learning how to play under control. He missed most of last season because of ankle and back injuries.

Turiaf, a 6-10 center, is a solid interior defender and hustle player. Azubuike is a reliable 3-point shooter when healthy, but he missed most of last season because of a knee injury.

Knicks are fucked no matter by that screwy organization.

Then again, Yankees have triumphed in spite of The Boss's worst antics.

LeBron's actions last night made me ashamed to have ever rooted for him, even though he played for my hometown team. The dye was cast when he attempted that free throw left-handed in the playoffs. He did quit on his team in the Boston series, which is something Jordan, Magic, Bird, Kobe, Isaiah, Shaq, and Dr. J NEVER would have done. While James will probably win a title in Miami, what he has overlooked is that he ran from the challenge of being "the man." All of the aforementioned relished that challenge. Look at how Kobe struggled in the years after Shaq left the Lakers. Now Kobe is coming off of back-to-back world titles.

Notice that he didn't go to NY or Chicago. His fragile ego could never handle the justifiable scrutiny of the NY media and he knows that he'll never be able to escape the greatness of Jordan in the city of Chicago. So, he took the coward's way out and went to a place where his two buddies are and where the owner (Pat Riley) is waiting until February to swoop in and coach the team again.

No matter what he does on the court, LeBron the human being is a piece of dirt. That has become crystal clear since the Boston series and during the entire free agent process. Real men do not disrespect their employer of 7 years by not returning messages and then by telling them you are leaving two minutes ahead of the public announcement. And to not even thank the fans that supported him showed a total lack of class. LeBron's ego last night was on display for all to see. I have to say that even if he would have stayed in Cleveland, I would have seriously questioned the self-serving manner in which conducted himself over the past few months.

His actions last evening showed me that he was raised with practically no values. His mother has been a drunken mess at times and it came out during the playoffs that she was fooling around with Cavs player Delonte West. I'm wondering which Heat player she'll go after down in Miami.

I'm looking forward to reading about James' eventual downfall. I truly believe it began last night. He has surrounded himself with uneducated "yes" men who have given him a false sense of reality. LeBron even went so far as to say the reason for his ESPN "show" was based upon Tiger Woods sex scandal press conference. You remember - the one where Tiger was attacked by almost the entire media for the ridiculous format.

I'm hopeful that he'll start partying down in Florida and he will eventually get into legal trouble. There will be a lot of dirty laundry aired in the coming days that the Cavs chose to keep quiet. Now, the gloves are off and he'll get what he deserves.

I feel bad for my little boy, who is 4 and for others who truly looked up to LeBron. Thankfully, my boy is too young to understand much of what happened. But the 9 and 10 year olds were crushed by LeBron's total indifference last night. We all get that he wanted to leave, but the way in which he did it just showed the true lack of character, class, and humility of LeBron James.

Anyone on the board a Knicks fan? I'd like to hear your thoughts on the Knicks/Warriors trade.

Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cavs, owns Fathead too. Fathead is now selling all Lebron James decals for the reduced rate of $17.41 -- or the birth year of Benedict Arnold.

RR, this is is strictly business and this man is taking it very personal!!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebrondecision070910

Good article. Spot-on.

My view borrows from Tony Soprano: "He's (LeBron) dead to me now."

LBJ is being referred to locally as "The Quitness."

Goombah, has any one vandalized James' home yet? Well when the Heat plays the Cavs this year in Cleveland do you think he'll be a chicken and not show up?

I'm sure the game will be delayed for all the boo's he'll get when he comes on the court or they will have to pick up all of the James Cav's memorabilia they throw at him.

Reminds me of the time when Art Modell took the Browns to Baltimore. Is Modell still hated there?

I heard that James has extra security for his house. I hope nobody stoops that low.

Modell is the most hated person in Cleveland history. LeEgo is a close second now, but I think Modell will keep his dubious distinction.

I expect the Cavs and a few other teams to file tampering charges with the commissioner. It won't do any good, but it might make them feel a little better.

What LeBron did not consider is that he publicly dissed Dan Gilbert, who is a multi-millionaire. If the Nets billionaire owner also feels slighted, they will look to stick it to Miami and LeBron every chance they can.

Actually I actually think Modell gets a raw deal from Cleveland fans. The city gave almost everybody there a new facility except that city's supposed proud flagship franchise. That old stadium was a workarea hazard, and I can understand why he decided to say fuck it and move to a city willing to give him a new stadium and actually kissed his ass.

Sorry but what the hell did the Indians do in the previous 40 years to deserve a new joint before the Browns? Hell only time they won was MAJOR LEAGUE, which of course was total fiction.

Lebron though, fuck him. As that link points out, the signs were always there but brushed away. Wearing a Yank cap at Jacob's Field?

Lynn Henning
Dan Gilbert's hypocrisy emerges in destructive message

The Detroit News

Sifting through the rubble of Dan Gilbert's post-LeBron James remarks is not easy or pleasant, all because the destruction was so wanton.

But, piece by piece, Gilbert's hypocrisy that merged with uncontrolled rage Thursday night created some kind of mess after James announced he was signing a free-agent contract with the Miami Heat.

The ugly stuff that spewed from a Cavaliers owner's mouth late Thursday is only partially included here, but, if nothing else of value came from his tantrum, it sure looks as if Tom Izzo made the right decision to stick at Michigan State, and not only because the Cleveland Cavaliers no longer have James:

1. Gilbert says James "quit" on the Cavs in the second round of this spring's playoffs. That's interesting news. Not sure why it took three months for the Cavs owner to issue his indictment, but the timing is as savage as the charge, which is utterly baseless.

2. If James "quit" on his team, why is Gilbert so incensed James is moving on? The answer, of course, is as obvious as Gilbert's irrational charge. He only "quit" if he left a team Gilbert owned. He would have walked back into an owner's embrace had he stuck with the Cavs. He would have been hailed for his loyalty. And Gilbert is going to tell us otherwise?

3. James, said Gilbert, "has gotten a free pass." The owner had about 100 million more free passes, in dollars, had this supposedly treacherous, betraying, insubordinate superstar merely returned to Cleveland. Usually, hypocrisy is at least camouflaged. Give credit, as it were, for Gilbert being so overt with this outburst, which was more like self-immolation.

4. Let's reverse roles for a moment, which Gilbert can obviously do with aplomb. Had it been the Cavs who courted James from Miami, what would have been the owner's reaction Thursday night? What might the statement released to Cavs fans have said? And what would Gilbert's disposition have been toward Miami and to the Heat fans James had disappointed? I think we know the answer to that. Does Gilbert wish to tell us otherwise?

5. What did Gilbert expect Michigan State to say if Izzo had left East Lansing for the Cavs job, when Gilbert, who decries the money James accepted, was tempting Izzo with $30 million or more to leave behind a program of supreme quality and achievement at MSU? And does he think for a moment, for all the sadness it would have brought to East Lansing, that Michigan State officials would have expressed anything other than gratitude for Izzo's work and best wishes for his future?

We all have seen 4-year-olds throw at least acceptable fits when things haven't gone their way. We saw nothing as mature or forgivable from Gilbert with his scorched-earth assault Thursday.

It was tough to make James a sympathetic figure as this out-of-bounds, over-the-top free-agent soap opera crawled to an ugly finish Thursday night.

But one man showed it could be done. And that pretty much is the only thing Gilbert has succeeded in achieving with his NBA team the past few months.

lynn.henning@detnews.com

Same ol' footage, but cute...

Miami is courting Derek Fisher

http://www.tmz.com/2010/07/09/derek-fisher-courted-by-miami-heat-lebron-james-los-angeles-lakers/

As someone who lived here through the Browns move, let me give you some background. When Modell owned the team, the Indians were his tenants. In every sense of the word, he was a slum landlord. The Indians created concession revenue for Modell 81 times per season.

The city, on multiple occasions, offered to renovate or build a new Browns stadium. Each time Modell declined. He started running out of money and had to borrow $5 million just to pay free agent Andre Risen. When Jacobs Field opened in 1994, the Indians began playing well. That, coupled with the novelty of a new ballpark, brought much higher attendance. Suddenly, what had always been a football town, fell in love with its baseball team for the first time in 30+ years. That infuriated Modell and he then stuck out his hand and asked city officials "what about me?"

Modell has always been a poor businessman. He was the main reason for the Browns departure. He finally hired a smart football person in Ozzie Newsome, but the Browns never benefited from Newsome's skills - only Baltimore did.

I didn't know. Thanks for correcting me.

Man nobody wants to stay in Cleveland, do they?

Man, so if LeBron was that much of a parasite and shady character in Cleveland...or so Dan Gilbert wants to put out there...perhaps it's best that we can take him off your hands?

I really do feel for the people of Cleveland though, the whole way this thing played out made me feel a little uncomfortable ("The Decision") but then again...I guess I can't really care that much. Wishing ill will upon him personally and calling out the guy's mom though? C'mon, it's only basketball.

I can't say that I won't enjoy the parade(s) though.

They haven't won anything yet. And they still have to contend with Kobe in the Finals . Welcome back, Don A!

This is true, absolutely...but uh, I can't help but feel a little more optimistic.

All in fun, though

Since I was raised in Northeast Ohio I've been a Cleveland fan across the board. Hopefully in the near furure the curse on Cleveland will be lifted and we can bring home a championship. I don't care if it is SB or WS.

Is Modell still the owner of the ex Browns?

All that was said was to give the complete picture. You're not just getting LeBron. He comes with his mother, Maverick Carter and all the other uneducated hangers-on from his high school. His mom was arrested for DUI a few years ago - not the greatest sin. There were cameras at the arrest and she kicked at the cops windshield like Carlo when Clemenza was putting on a stranglehold.

It all goes to show what a classless individual Miami just got. Notice all of the "I" and "me" statements he makes. He said he'll be playing in South Beach, rather than saying he would give his all to the Miami Heat.

Take a reading nationally - not just through the euphoria in Miami. Nearly all outlets nit associated with ESPN are ripping James self-serving approach to the entire free agency process.

i really feel bad for you mig and goombah dealing for cleveland's lack luster sports hitory. lebron will look back on this as the worst choice he has ever made.

Thanks Bam. While it annoys me, this LeBron thing does not crush me. I've detached myself from sports over the past few years.

James is completely out of touch w/reality, as was evident on Thursday. I seriously doubt that he'll regret anything. It was all about feeding his insatiable ego, which in his world is always the most important choice.

Its funny but you have to give Lebron credit, he really is doing his best to mimic Jordan.

man if thats the case he totally fucked that up

Jordan was, no is, a legendary asshole. It's just he never left Chicago and well, winning cures everything so he nobody really could or would stand up to the guy. Kinda like Lebron in Cleveland before he left.

Its when he played GM, and fantastically flopped, that everybody's knives finally came out. consider that in picking Kwame Brown #1 in 2001, MJ and the Wizards missed out on guys like Tony Parker, Paul Gasol, and Joe Johnson.

I'm so glad I left home before that fuckin' show did me in.

LeBron will not be able to keep up those crazy stats now and he managed to make himself look terrible for all sides and unless he wins 6 championships he will be considered a loser.

So is Cleveland

on the asshole meter, michael has to be around 6 and lebron is 100.

i doubt that he will even win one. d-wade has injury issues and he is 28. in three years he will 31, and like t-mac his talent will diminish.

I understand the frustration and hate for LeBron right now, but I don't think it's really necessary. I feel bad for the fans in Cleveland, but would he ever have won a championship there? From what I understand he would have made $30 million more if he stayed. I know he makes a ton from endorsements, but he went where he felt he had the best chance to win. How can you blame him for wanting that?

who says he is even going to win? but, yea i am mad that he (along with bosh and wade) had this decision before july 1st. they wasted 5 teams time and wade lied to chicago about playing for them.

i bet lebron is going to have a similar conversation with his 'people' with his legacy tarnished.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0waNRaz6wU

Blib

I in no way mean this disrespectfully to you. Doesn't it bother you as a fan that one of the best athletes in sports, at age 25, has thrown his hands up and said "I can't win by myself and am not up to the challenge?" Where is the competitiveness in James? Look in your own state at the Lakers. Kobe toiled with a few years of bad Laker teams after Shaq left. But Kobe aspired to be one of the game's greats and now has two titles as the unquestioned leader of the Lakers.

Go back to the 1992 Dream Team of MJ, Magic, Bird, Barkley, and Isaiah. Imagine if 3 of those guys conspired at the Olympics to sign on the same team in 1994? Doesn't that put into question of the sport's integrity?

Again, LeBron leaving was not the major offense. It was the charade of having 5 other organizations fawn over him, not telling his employer of 7 years of the decision until the public heard about it.

If he had just an ounce of class, LBJ could have said (on the day after the Finals concluded) "I'm not going to waste everyone's time. I have already decided to sign with Miami. I tried for 7 years in Cleve but it did not work." That would have avoided all the bullshit of the past few days, all of which LeBron authorized.

man this has to hurt lebron now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOsamobHeMc

It should hurt his ego, but MJ is right.

5 rings or 0 rings? That's not exactly a hard choice.

Besides, many things have been said about Kobe (prick, egomaniac, rapist) but has anyone ever called him a quitter?

Jesse Jackson Defends LeBron Against Cavs Owner

Jesse Jackson has come to the defense of LeBron James -- even though no one asked him to -- and compared Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert to a "slave master."

In a harshly-worded statement, Jackson took Gilbert to task for his open letter to Cavaliers fans which slammed LeBron's decision to sign with the Miami Heat. Jackson says, "He speaks as an owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave."

He goes on, "LeBron is not a child, nor is he bound to play on Gilbert’s plantation and be demeaned. He has been a model citizen and has inspired the children of Akron, Cleveland, the State of Ohio and the United States."

Not sure if Cleveland fans would rush to LeBron's defense right now.

he has no reason to get in the middle of this

Like that ever stopped him before.

Camera + Microphone = Jesse Jackson

I've never understood why you New York guineas have a problem with DO THE RIGHT THING. Well I do actually, I just consider it trivial. That or I just don't care.

Remember, it inspired KING OF THE HILL. And anything that inspires KING OF THE HILL is A-Okay in my book.

And an awesome Public Enemy music video too.

hey lilo rip hamilton might get traded to the bulls or the nets for a draft pick...hopefully the bulls wont do this trade.

I'm sad to hear that Anthony Morrow is no longer with the Warriors and signed with the Nets. He probably won't ever be an All Star, but Nets fans are going to love this guy. He's as pure a shooter as they come. As soon as he is invited to a three point competition he'll win. His shot is a beautiful thing.

I make a lot of fun of Joe but I'm nowhere near as harsh as local talk radio callers. It's a tough job. I don't know how much leeway he has given that the team is up for sale.

That aside, he's got to rebalance the team. Joe loves shooting guards, small forwards and jelly donuts too much. You combine those three things and nothing good can come of it.

Watching the NBA finals where Gasol, Bynum and Odom basically did tap drills on the offensive rebounding end was illuminating. We need bigger players-maybe not a traditional back to the basket center-although that would be nice but we need some guys that can bang down low and clog up the middle. That means lots of draft picks. I don't know how Joe gets back or once the team is sold if it's even his concern any longer...

the bulls should have got this guy, but there were too many shooters to get. at least golden state has a good power forward in lee.

whats with all the bad teams getting rich owners now?

i guess blib is jumping up and down about having the richest owner owning golden state.

http://bayarea.sbnation.com/2010/7/13/15...-warriors-owner

You almost gave me a heart attack. That's not official as far as I can tell, but yes I would be ecstatic to see Larry Ellison as the new owner! Not only is he rich but supposedly a huge Warriors fan being a Bay Area resident. I don't think there could be a better owner for the team because he's so passionate about them and wants them to win!

In the movie "The Blues Brothers" after Aretha Franklin has failed to convince her husband (guitarist Matt Murphy) to stay with her and not go on tour, there's a pitiful looking short order cook/saxophonist who's watching her sideways because he wants to leave too. Aretha's like "Go on!" and that guy bolts.

I imagine that must be what Cleveland fans are thinking about Big Z deciding to head on down to Miami. I always liked Z's game/persona. If Miami can find a few more complementary pieces, watch out...

Big Z heads South

By attacking James in a personal way, Gilbert ceded the high ground. If he'd limited his statement to the promise of celebrating a championship before Miami, Gilbert would have emerged as a sympathetic figure because James had very few supporters (apart from Miami fans, obviously) who liked his decision or the way he announced it. Not only did he not personally inform the Cavaliers or their fans that he was leaving -- apparently because he didn't want to ruin the suspense of his shameful TV show -- but he also was viewed as walking away from the challenge of leading a team to the championship (his hometown team at that) in order to take the easier way out (as Charles Barkley, Orlando general manager Otis Smith and others saw it) by teaming with Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.

A league insider who is African-American explained that Gilbert actually did James a favor by attacking him in a personal way.

"The players were all mad at LeBron," said this insider, a former player of enormous influence. "Nobody respects him for going after a championship like that. They want to beat him now more than ever.

"But when the owner acted the way he did, he was letting LeBron off the hook. Now the players feel like they have to come to LeBron's defense and back him up against Gilbert."

Sports Illustrated Column

No offense, Lilo, but playing the race card is fucking ridiculous. And in this case, quite offensive to the white fans, like myself, who plunk down hundreds of dollars for NBA tickets, year after year.

82% of the league is black, and that percentage will only increase with time. So if a white owner takes a shot at a player, there's an EIGHTY TWO PERCENT CHANCE that player will be black. Pretty good odds, wouldn't you say?

Yes, Gilbert did cede the high ground, and I agree with you, he should have handled it differently. But making this a racial issue is just fucking ridiculous. Why not just bring out "Reverend Al" or "Reverend" Jesse to remind us that the half a BILLION dollars that Lebron will likely make in his career is actually just a slave wage?

So to the "African American League Insider," Shame on you for being a race baiter .

PB, you do realize that this entire last post was an excerpt from the Ian Thomsen SI column? It's not my thoughts.
My take is that slave metaphors are not relevant in the situation and that both LeBron and Gilbert should have done things differently. But perceptions will always differ around race/class/etc.

There's actually a pretty heated ongoing discussion on Jackson/Lebron/Gilbert here at one of my favorite blogs:
Lebron doesn't need your help shut up

off topic here, but i believe that jessie jackson is a wanna be malcom x with all of the hate.

Jackson comes out of a completely different background/social network/political structure than Malcolm did. The two had relatively little in common politically. In any event arguing about Malcolm X would almost be like arguing about religion, especially since I was brought up in the Nation. We'd just have to agree to disagree.

The only thing Gilbert said that was not factually correct was that LeBron quit on his team for the last two postseasons. He did not quit last year, but he most certainly did this year. The Cavs excellent beat writer, Brian Windhorst, posted that LeBron hosted a huge party after the Game 4 loss in Boston that lasted until 6:00 a.m. That party preceded the worst game LeBron has ever played, his disastrous and completely disinterested performance in Game 5.

I have heard African-Americans on the radio here in Cleveland and one of my co-workers completely slam Jesse Jackson for his comments. It is quite insulting to compare a multi-millionaire to slaves. Whyisn't Jesse Jackson decrying racism for the arrest of Lawrence Taylor or when other black athletes get into trouble? How about because it doesn't always exist. Jackson has cried wolf far too many times to be taken seriously by middle America.

Dan Gilbert catered to nearly every whim of LeBron James in the past 5 years he owned the team. That was dumb on Gilbert's part because he enabled James and all of his handlers. So Gilbert's statement would have had more teeth if he would have enforced some discipline on James and showed stricter rules to James rather than granting free reign.

And lost in all of this, which is why I believe LeBron should be investigated for point shaving, is what happened to that mysterious "elbow injury" from the playoffs. I personally think he was full of shit and there was nothing wrong with LeBron physically. Rather, he mentally checked out of the Boston series after Game 3 and wanted to have an excuse as to why he wasn't playing up to his potential.

I'll tell Miami fans this. They'll be hyped and the glamour pick, but deep down you know Boston and L.A. are grinding their teeth waiting for the chance to play Miami. In 2004, the Lakers had the so-called "Dream Team" of Malone, Payton, Kobe, and Shaq. They couldn't put their egos aside and lost to a complete team - the Detroit Pistons. I hope that the same thing happens in Miami. I see the Heat much like the Tony Romo-era Cowboys. Every year the Cowboys are the "sexy" pick to win the Super Bowl and every year they fall apart in crucial playoff situations.

Of course, Lilo! I saw the web link. I'm not that dumb .

I apologize if the slave metaphor offended you in any way. But it wouldn't be the first time that Jackson or Sharpton used one.

Reminds me of that galling sports bio published a few years ago: "Curt Flood: A Well Paid Slave," which was of course written by a lilly white liberal college professor (Brad Snyder) .

the only reason i use malcom x is because that he wanted to fight the whites unlike martin luther who wanted peace. i probably should have compared jackson to who ever created the black panthers instead.

but, anyway lets get back to basketball. and pizzaboy be nice to lilo. he had a tough year with michigan football and all detroit teams

Lilo is my friend, Bam. He knows that. But thanks for your concern.

While Detroit Pistons prospects display their talents in the Las Vegas Summer League, there were rumors of a backroom move afoot to bring them, or another NBA franchise, to the Las Vegas Strip -- permanently.

According to a story in the Las Vegas Sun, an investment group headed by Chris Milam claims to have “an NBA team under contract,” but Milam refused to name the team.

With the Pistons being on the block, they, naturally, were a point of interest. But the focus now is shifting to the West Coast. A person with knowledge of the agreement says the Golden State Warriors have been sold for a record $450 million.

The person told the Associated Press today that Boston Celtics minority partner Joe Lacob and Mandalay Entertainment CEO Peter Guber won the bidding. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been formally announced. CNBC first reported the deal. Lacob and Guber beat out Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who had been considered the favorite to buy the team from Chris Cohan.
Vegas Team???

Why the fuck does anyone think a major pro sports team would fly in Vegas?

Why wouldn't it? I know one argument is that there shouldn't be a pro team in a city that revolves around gambling, which really doesn't make sense to me because if someone wanted to pay a player or official to fix a game they can do it no matter where the team is.

Do you think it wouldn't work because there might not be enough people to buy season tickets? I don't see that as being a problem because most of the seats will be owned by casinos who give the tickets to customers.

Those are the only two reasons I can think why it might fail in Vegas, but what do you know that I don't?

seattle should be ahead of vegas when it comes to future teams.

The gambling argument is indeed silly. What is nearby to NYC? A town called Atlantic City. Same state where we have the Nets and Devils. Pass.

I don't think Las Vegas will work because among other things, Las Vegas is such a tourist industry-bang/bust town, would visitors pluck down money to got to a game? Would they rather do that or gamble or attend those Las Vegas-unique shows/attractions? NBA you can get outside of Vegas. And mind you, assuming they would is based on the notion that the team is winning.

Nevermind that Las Vegas is in the middle of a desert. Yeah you know that already, but what else is there? Desert. Major pro sports teams depend upon dominating the TV/PR/advertizing/ticket-buying marketplace of an entire region. And basically buttplugged between southern California (which has many sports franchises) and Arizona (got them too, plus the Suns)...

I just don't see how a Vegas franchise would work. I remember alot of people used arguments for Columbus when that Ohio city got the Blue Jackets from the NHL. One of the biggest cities without a major franchise, untapped potential, yada yada....and its been a flop so far. Well no wonder, it was sandwiched between Cincinnati and Cleveland. Duh! Expect Jackets to move within 5 years.

Vegas surely perhaps would have a better chance than Columbus, and maybe I am being too cynical. Yet I have my reasons to be skeptical.

Also, there is a perception that Las Vegas the city isn't willing to play ball to get a franchise, you know what I mean? Hell the Triple A minor league baseball team there, they're playing in a stadium that is falling apart and the city has been unwilling to bank a new joint or renovations.

If they're unwilling to do that for a Triple A farm team, why would they for a NBA franchise?



I feel sorry about the SuperSonics. Fuck Oklahoma City, what the fuck those assholes ever do?

I agree with 90% of your post, Ronnie. However, I feel inclined to point out that sports betting is not legal in New Jersey; and sports betting is where the danger of collusion exists. Hell, there are table games in over 30 states now, what with the Indian reservations and all. But sports betting is still only legal in the state of Nevada.

Q&A with Joe D.

....
KL: I talked to Arnie Kander a couple of weeks ago and he said he’s been busier this summer than the past several because of the level of activity in and out of the practice facility, people either coming back into town or staying in Detroit for the off-season. We talked after the season about you delivering the message that the Pistons are going to be tougher and you said the message was well-received. Do you sense that this is a resolve that will carry over into the season?

JD: It’s been a really good start, that’s for sure, a really good start in guys taking the message and putting it into practice. You’ve come through quite a bit this summer and I think you’ve seen the guys in there this summer. The guy who has gotten my attention the most is Charlie Villaneuva, how consistently he’s come in there. He’s a guy we feel like we can get a lot more out of than we did last year. And I like the fact that the guys understand that we look at last year as an aberration.

That is not the culture and that’s not the Detroit Pistons we’re going to be. It’s unacceptable. And like I’ve said to you before, that message has been delivered, it’s been delivered extremely strong, to each one of the guys and to their agents. Because I didn’t want there to be any miscommunication of where we’re coming from, so I made sure. With some of the guys, I spoke to them along with their agents, either on the phone or in person. Or I called their agents after I spoke to the guys and said, listen, here’s what I just told your guy. So if there’s any hiccup, everybody kind of knows where we’re coming from. I think that’s part of why you’re seeing what you’ve seen this summer, because a very strong message has been delivered to these guys under no uncertain terms.
.....

http://www.freep.com/article/20100720/SPORTS06/100720051/

MIAMI — After 14 years, Pat Riley finally has Juwan Howard.

The Michigan alumnus joined the Miami Heat today, signing a deal that won’t raise the ire of NBA officials — unlike his first agreement with Riley. In July 1996, Howard signed a $100-million, seven-year contract with Miami that ultimately was voided by the league because the Heat had gone over the salary cap.

After all this time, Riley thinks Howard will fit his team again. And for a veteran’s minimum salary, the NBA won’t complain, either.

“We feel that Juwan's ability to play both the four and five spot will be complementary to what we have put together,” said Riley, the Heat president. “He also gives us incredible professionalism and is a perfect fit behind Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem.”

Howard becomes the 12th player under contract by the Heat for 2010-11, the sixth newcomer to join the rebuilt roster. Miami will be the ninth team for Howard, who will begin his 17th NBA season this fall. He appeared in 73 games with Portland last season and averaged 6.0 points, making 27 starts.

The Howard reunion with Miami is tinged in irony.

Riley originally signed Howard in what he thought was a blockbuster summer of 1996, seeing him as a huge chip to play alongside Alonzo Mourning — who landed a $112-million deal in that same off-season. Instead, Howard arrives during the blockbuster summer of 2010, with Mourning now an executive who helped the Heat land LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

What Howard doesn’t have is a championship ring, which is why he came to Miami.

For his career, Howard has averaged 14.3 points and 6.5 rebounds. Among active players, he ranks fourth in games (1,116), 15th in points (15,957) and 10th in rebounds (7,251). But his playoff career is largely nonexistent: Howard has appeared in just 29 playoff games (his teams are 9-20), and he has gotten out of the first round of the postseason only once.

Like Wade, Howard — who was part of Michigan’s “Fab Five” in the early 1990s — is a Chicago native. They work out at the gym owned by famed trainer Tim Grover in their hometown, though rarely together.

By the time Wade arrives most mornings, Howard is getting done with his daily regimen.

“I get there at 9, and think I’m there early, and he’s done with his workout,” Wade said. “That’s our veteran. That’s one of those veterans we respect so much because every time we walk in the gym, he’s been there before us. To be at the point where he is in his career, we just respect him so much. He’s a great guy; you want things to happen to good people.”

With Howard signed, the Heat now have an inside corps of him, Bosh, Haslem, Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and rookie Dexter Pittman. At guards and on the wing, Miami has Wade, James, Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers and James Jones.

Next up is likely the return of point guard Carlos Arroyo, a former Detroit Piston who started 35 games for the Heat last season. The Heat are still looking for at least one other veteran perimeter player, though any deal now almost certainly would have to be around a minimum-salary level because of cap rules.

This a pretty cool idea to replace the mural that the "Quitness" occupied. It's of Josh Cribbs, current Browns return phenom who also grew up in the Cleveland area. Unlike LeBron, Cribbs re-signed with his hometown team.

True to my word

And Cribbs was never heard from again.

Update:
A source told CBSSports.com that Paul has put into motion "an aggressive exit strategy" and has a clear intention to be traded before the start of the 2010-11 season.

Recommendation:
"He wants out," the source said. "He wants to play with another superstar." Paul's discontent with New Orleans has been simmering all offseason, but this latest report seems to indicate that everything could soon come bubbling to the surface. According to the source, Paul's preferred destinations are Orlando (to team with Dwight Howard), Los Angeles (to team with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol) or New York (to join Amar'e Stoudemire and likely try to woo Carmelo Anthony). Paul's agreement to sign with LeBron James' marketing company LRMR last month was considered the first step of his New Orleans exit strategy, and his next move will be to join the Creative Artists Agency, the group that exerted considerable sway over the free agent pool this summer and helped orchestrate the arrival of the Miami trio in South Beach. Like it or not, this is the new NBA world, and there seems to be a legitimate chance that Paul has played his last game with the Hornets.

Chris Paul Story

Magic is the latest legend to rebuke Lebron James.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_do...?urn=nba-257330

hey pizzaboy how do you feel about the rumors of chris paul wanting to be traded to the knicks?

Heat Build Supporting Cast

Adding LeBron James and Chris Bosh to the re-signed Dwyane Wade was supposed to be the easy part for the Heat, with filling out a roster on a limited budget due to cap restraints being incredibly difficult. Some thought the Heat would be unable to sign anyone better than the milk man, but Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, James Jones, Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire and eventually Juwan Howard have been amazingly cooperative.

While some people have been suspicious of whether or not the Heat might have been guilty of tampering with James or Bosh, the circumstances of how Haslem and Miller ended up signing with the team are more deserving of an inquisition. Haslem left approximately $14 million on the table versus what he could have made for the Nuggets or Mavericks and Miller took between $6 million and potential $11 million less than what he could have earned elsewhere.

Without being cynical or paranoid, Haslem's sacrifice feels too good to be true and I suspect there is an unstated debt to be repaid upon his retirement. Unless the violation is particularly egregious, I take a liberal viewpoint where we simply turn a blind eye to it. When Haslem becomes a Special Assistant to the Heat, is the NBA going to take down their championship banners like they are a college team?

The Heat now have Bosh and James at $14.5 million for 10-11, Wade at $14.2 million, Miller at $5 million, Haslem at $3.5 million and Anthony at $3.3 million; this exactly the Celtics of the 1950s in terms of depth, but they have done better than expected.

With the highest price-tag, Miller is the most consequential addition to the Big 3. Ever since leaving Memphis after the 07-08 season, Miller hasn't been the same player as he's shelled up almost completely. But he is a 40.5% career shooter from distance and shot an unreal 48.0% on 171 attempts during the 09-10 season.

He is an excellent shooter with a hand in his face, but he simply does not miss shots when he's left open, which is an inevitability due to the double teams that James and Wade command. Even though Mario Chalmers is back to run the point guard position, I don't see how the Heat don't finish games with Wade at point guard, Miller at shooting guard, with James and Bosh at the forward positions.

The logic of choosing Miller over a big man is interesting because the Big 3 should never struggle to score efficiently, with or without a shooter who can stretch the floor as masterfully as him. The area where Miami is setup to be most vulnerable is at center, particularly against the two teams they will most likely face deep into the postseason (Magic, Lakers).

But understanding Miami's logic is easy when looking at the defensive bigs that were available at a comparable price, as well as what they can sign for minimums.

While Miller won't be able to guard Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum or Dwight Howard, there is no question he will make life infinitely easier on that Big 3.

Grade for Heat: A-

Miller is close with both James and was a college roommate with Haslem, so there is of course a built-in comfort in playing for the Heat. Plus, Miller has the opportunity to elevate how he is remembered from a journeyman gunner into the fourth best player on a team that wins multiple titles.

Grade for Miller: A

Haslem was easily Miami's best rebounder during the 09-10 season and should not see any meaningful decline throughout his contract. He is still a decent spot-up shooter and fairly agile, making him a good option for the pick-and-roll.

Defensively, he guards power forwards well, but he is far too small to contain true centers. It will be difficult for Haslem to be on the floor as the same time as Bosh unless the Heat are comfortable going very small since the latter can't really defend centers either.

The real value in Haslem comes in terms of creating some continuity between the old Heat and this new world version, as a very well-liked veteran and also as insurance for when Bosh is forced to miss a few games here and there due to injury.

Grade for Heat: B-

The financial sacrifice made by Haslem is almost impossible to fathom and is not something you or I would ever genuinely consider without some sort of unspoken understanding to make it back secretly over time in retirement.

Let's assume Haslem will not make a single cent from the Heat as soon as steps off the floor for the final time, he is accepting approximately 30% less than what he could have made for his entire career.

The amount of Haslem's contract with the Heat does feel appropriate with his true value and I'm not precisely sure why the Nuggets or Mavericks would feel so inclined to offer the amount of money they even did.

Grade for Haslem: D+

Ilgauskas departs Cleveland after logging 771 games in the wine and gold, but he does so with a clear conscious considering how apparently disappointed he was with the trade to the Wizards, even if it was an obvious charade.

Up until the 09-10 season, Ilgauskas was incredibly productive, but his production across the board dropped. He no longer can rebound or score at the rate we have seen him maintain into his 30s.

But Ilgauskas, like every big over seven feet, has six fouls to utilize.

Grade for Heat: A-

As much as Bosh hitched his wagon to James in the early-going, Ilgauskas was always the surest bet to follow him wherever he signed. Signing for the minimum made that decision a no-brainer for all sides.

Grade for Ilgauskas: A-

The Heat needed a defensive big and Anthony is one of the NBA's best shotblockers. He doesn't do much of anything offensively, but he does defend very well, even if he is undersized. He absolutely has some room to improve, but he is almost 28 already.

The pricetag of $3.3 million in 10-11 is reasonable, particularly in light of what else is out there at center.

Grade for Heat: B+

We never heard much about Anthony's market outside of Miami, but it is safe to assume he didn't exactly leave much money on the table considering how little he has made in his brief NBA career. Anthony has a chance to prove himself on the NBA's biggest stage while making $18 million over the next five seasons and he won't be asked to do anything offensively except watch the show.

Grade for Anthony: A

Superfriends get sidekicks

Heat Has Solid Backup Plan
By HOWARD BECK
When LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh formed their South Beach superfriends club, it left fans of jilted rivals only one resort: sneer at the rest of the lineup.

It was a natural reflex. Two weeks ago, the Miami Heat barely had a roster. And even superfriends need trusty sidekicks to win a title.


Miami had to gut its roster to make room for three mammoth salaries. The problem, if it could be called that, was a profound lack of payroll flexibility to fill the vacancies. The Heat, skeptics noted, would have to go shopping in the bargain bin.

To the great glee of Miami fans, and the probable dismay of everyone else, the task proved easier than expected.

The superfriends took pay cuts. Veterans started flocking to South Beach. The roster is now nearly complete, and it rates somewhere between not too shabby and darn solid.

The supporting cast features Mike Miller, one of the top 3-point shooters in the league; Udonis Haslem, a scrappy rebounder who helped Miami win the 2006 title; James Jones, a veteran shooter; center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, James’s longtime teammate in Cleveland; and the young point guard Mario Chalmers.

Miami also re-signed one veteran big man, Jamaal Magloire, picked up another, Juwan Howard and seems set to shore up the backcourt with a familiar face. Carlos Arroyo, who finished last season as the Heat’s starting point guard, plans to re-sign, according to The Sun-Sentinel.

The Heat’s starting lineup could look like this: Arroyo and Wade at guard, James and Bosh at forward, and Joel Anthony at center. The top five reserves would be Miller, Haslem, Ilgauskas, Chalmers and Howard.

It is not the sexiest, flashiest group around. But on a team with James, Wade and Bosh, efficient and effective should suffice. On balance, Miami’s bench compares favorably to those of its chief rivals, the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic. And it is much better than anyone envisioned two weeks ago.

Credit the three stars, who all took lower salaries to give the team more salary-cap room. That room turned into Miller and Haslem, who will form the core of the Heat’s bench. Everyone else came for minimum contracts, lured by the chance to win titles and play in Miami.

Miller has converted 40.5 percent of his 3-pointers in 10 seasons and has an overall shooting percentage of 46.4. He is a solid rebounder (5.1 per game) and playmaker (3.2 assists per game), and a selfless teammate. Coaches have faulted him for not shooting enough.

After a mostly anonymous career with lousy teams in Memphis, Minnesota and Washington, Miller could become a breakout star in Miami.

Haslem, who has played his entire seven-year career with Miami, is always good for 8-10 points, 8-10 rebounds and sturdy interior defense. A starter for most of his career, he now becomes one of the best backup power forwards in the league.

Ilgauskas was also a starter in Cleveland for nearly his entire career, until he was pushed to the bench by Shaquille O’Neal last season. In 2008-9, he started 65 games, averaging 12.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. He can play on the low block or step out and shoot, and at 7 feet 3 inches remains a defensive force in the paint.

Skeptics will downgrade the Heat at point guard: Arroyo and Chalmers are both better suited for the bench. But James and Wade will do most of the ball-handling, making a point guard nearly irrelevant. The Heat mostly needs Arroyo and Chalmers to defend and hit open jumpers.

There are understandable doubts at center, as well. Ilgauskas, 35, is a bit old and slow. Magloire, 32, has been coasting for at least five years. Anthony has no discernible skills. But Howard can also play the pivot in a pinch, as he showed last season in Portland.

The Heat will inevitably be known as LeBron, Dwyane, Bosh and “those other guys.” But the other guys may be good enough to help them lift the trophy next June.

I like him, so I hope it's true, but I won't be getting my hopes up (they are the Knicks after all ). Crazy as it sounds, his salary ($45 million for three years) is kinda cheap in this day and age, so if they can grab him without worrying about the cap, they should do it.

personally if the choice is between the knicks and magic, i would choose the knicks because i would love to see the bulls-knicks rivery heat up again. that, and if chris paul goes to orlando then they will be unstopable with him ally ooping to dwight howard.

Who would willingly choose to play for Dolan?

At least Magic, you have stable competent sane management.

Was that pun intended?

Haha, good catch! Took me a second to get it.

An interesting story about how LeBron James is acting like he's Paris Hilton these days rather than Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant.

ESPN story about LeBron in Vegas taken down from ESPN.com

An interesting take and commentary from Yahoo Sports

You mean Lebron made a homemade porno?

Man, people find anything to nit pick these days...who cares if he's partying it up? The guy's clearly content, let him be

The bigger James' head swells up, the better. I have to think that players who have actually won a ring (KG, Kobe, Gasol, and Rondo) all have to be quietly laughing to themselves. LeBron has been such a clown throughout this whole ordeal and is acting like it's a foregone conclusion he'll win. Until he proves it on the court, he still has as many rings as Karl Malone and Charles Barkley.

To quote the great meltdown by Denny Green "You wanna go on and crown their ass, then crown 'em."

Lebron and company has to go through the magic, celtics, bulls, hawks, and maybe knicks to get to the finals.

...Wade...

...and they have to come through Miami. Tough roads for all I suppose.

Shaq, A.I., Tracy McGrady want big pay without big play

The NBA is a league of stars, and while one set shines brightly, another quietly fades into the background. Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady were arguably the premier players in the NBA for the early part of the decade.

Not in 2010.

All three are looking for a job, and trying to cope with the fact they are no longer what they once were.

McGrady, the youngest scoring champion in history, worked out for the Bulls this week, but believes he's ready to be a starter on a championship-caliber team, as opposed to being a valuable contributor off the bench.

"I won't have a problem, but that's not what I'm really shooting for," McGrady, 31, told reporters after the workout. "I've worked extremely hard, trust me. It's up to me in training camp to prove I'm a starter."

He played only 30 games last season after microfracture surgery on his knee, and averaged 9.4 points and 3.9 assists.

O'Neal, who played relatively well for Cleveland last season, still considers himself a top-tier big man and prefers to be paid as such. Never mind the 38-year-old has made nearly $300 million since 1992 or that his 2009-10 averages of 12 points and six rebounds are half his career numbers.

O'Neal is balking at the midlevel exception, believing there's a team willing to pay him based on box-office sales and past glory.

Iverson's case is different, yet more concrete.

After insisting he would do whatever it took for the sake of "team" in Detroit, Memphis and Philadelphia, his ego made his promises null and void. There's no doubt Iverson still can help, if he agrees to come off the bench.

Those three are painful reminders careers are not only fragile but finite, and the twilights of great careers often don't bring happy endings.

Particularly if the player doesn't know his star has long since faded.

Door closing on Paul
NBA officials sent out a memo to teams warning about player tampering, particularly in the case of Hornets guard Chris Paul.

League officials threatened teams and agents with fines of up to $5 million if backdoor deals are being worked on.

Paul reportedly has been unhappy about the direction of the Hornets after a disappointing offseason. His alliance with close friend LeBron James has sparked rumors about Leon Rose , the agent for Paul and James, shopping to find Paul a new home.

Too bad the league didn't try this hard line before James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade turned free agency into a circus.

By the numbers
1 -- Times Tracy McGrady has played more than 70 games in a season since 2005

5 -- Former all-stars on the free-agent market

7 -- Non all-stars with top-15 salaries in 2010-11

Best of the best
The Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2010 will be inducted in August. Here are the headliners:

Inductee Notable
Karl Malone Second-leading scorer in NBA history (36,928 points); two-time Olympic gold medalist
Scottie Pippen Seven-time all-star, six-time champion; two-time Olympic gold medalist
Jerry Buss Lakers owner, winner of 10 NBA titles
Dennis Johnson* Three-time champion; Finals MVP (1979); 6-time all-defense
*died in 2007

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100729/OPINION03/7290339#ixzz0v9psiUVu

It remains to be seen how they will mesh on the court, how the coach will work out and what happens when one of the Big Three get injured but this team is looking very nice on paper.

Eddie House has agreed to a two-year contract with the Miami Heat, agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed Thursday.

House will receive about $2.8 million over two seasons, which is the veterans' exception. There is a player option in the second season.

``It's just a great fit,'' Bartelstein said. ``This guy had a great relationship with the Heat before. And he's still one of the most dynamic guys coming off the bench at hitting big shots in big moments. He's the best in the league at what he does.

Read more: http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/6.../#ixzz0vBfSoK8A

Lebron takes out ad.

He forgot to thank the city of Cleveland - Jerk

The Boston Celtics are making progress on a deal that would bring Shaquille O'Neal to the defending Eastern Conference champions, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told the Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet final. Earlier Tuesday, the four-time NBA champion said he will be in the league next season and would rather retire than play internationally. O'Neal, 38, spent last season with Cleveland. He won three NBA titles with the L.A. Lakers and another with the Miami Heat. ...

http://www.freep.com/article/20100804/SP...Shaquille-ONeal

Greg Kelser said he believes Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars and his staff are plotting a way to make the team's front line better before training camp starts.

Kelser spoke while spending part of Monday morning at Detroit Communication & Media Arts High School for a building makeover celebration.

"I think they will make a move before the start of training camp," said Kelser, the Pistons' TV color analyst. "There is still some strengthening on the front line that needs to occur, in my opinion. I think the backcourt is pretty strong. ... but the front line is where they were sorely lacking last year, especially with rebounding and scoring, low-post scoring.

"I think those are areas that still need to be attended to even though they did get a big fellow in the draft (Greg Monroe). He's a rookie and you never know what you can count on from rookies. I think he's going to be OK, but I think there's still some work to be done."

The addition of Monroe makes the group of Ben Wallace, Jason Maxiell, Jonas Jerebko, Austin Daye and Charlie Villanueva better, but the crew certainly doesn't strike fear into Orlando, Miami or Chicago.

In the backcourt, Kelser agreed that the Pistons still don't have a lead guard, but the talent available should suffice.

"I think everybody agrees with the consensus that a solid, true point guard would be helpful with all these scorers and shooters," Kelser said. "Will Bynum, when he comes in, he has the ability to distribute and get other people involved. ... He's a combo guard. Rodney (Stuckey) is a combo guard. I'm not too worried about it if that's where they find themselves in October, because I think all those guys can handle the point guard spot if called upon."

http://www.freep.com/article/20100803/SP...e#ixzz0vvV9Ajqy

Un-fucking-believable. No wonder no one wants to play basketball in this town. I hope some nut climbs a bell tower and takes a shot at Dolan .

Hey Lilo, do us a favor, and take this piece of trash back to Detroit where people seem to understand him .

Even now, New York Knicks owner James Dolan and Isiah Thomas deserve each other

Mike Lupica, NY Daily News

Here is what happened the last time Isiah Thomas was an employee of Madison Square Garden: A jury decided he sexually harassed Anucha Browne Sanders in the workplace and that when Browne Sanders complained, James Dolan - owner of the Knicks and the Garden - fired her.

Thomas and Dolan still blame that on everybody except themselves. BP is more accountable than they are.

Now Thomas, the worst sports executive in Garden history, is back on the payroll as a "consultant." In a time of runaway unemployment, Thomas not only gets to keep his job as basketball coach at Florida International - where he was 7-25 last season - but gets to draw a check from his old boss as well.

So after everything he did to the Knicks, Thomas gets to come back.

The small-timers at the Garden make this announcement on a summer Friday, trying to somehow soften the blow with Saturday papers. As if people really wouldn't notice.

When NBA Commissioner David Stern, who must be awfully proud to have Thomas back in the league, forced Dolan to pay Anucha Browne Sanders her $11.6 million, Dolan sounded as if his leg were caught in some kind of trap, making the whole thing sound like some tragic miscarriage of justice.

But then he has never accepted any blame for what he did to Sanders. Neither has Thomas.

Ever since that famous smile of Thomas' didn't work with the jury - "I guess I was a pretty good basketball player," he said in an aw-shucks way - Thomas has told anybody who cares to listen that it wasn't the merits of the case that produced the most shameful day the Garden has ever had, it was newspapers, the Daily News in particular, that did him in.

Now he has somehow convinced Dolan he is some sort of invaluable "recruiter" of young basketball talent. Dolan even forced Donnie Walsh, who has spent two years trying to clean up the truly Gulf-like mess Thomas left him, to thank Thomas for helping the Knicks sign Amar'e Stoudemire.

Good grief.

Here's what enabled the Knicks to sign Stoudemire: More money and more years than anybody else in their sport was going to offer this guy.

They gave him $100 million when nobody else was going to and he took it. The idea that Thomas was some sort of central figure in this is just one more lie, as if all of them at the Garden now just lie to stay in practice.

The difference with the suit about sexual harassment that Anucha Browne Sanders brought against them was that they got called out on that in open court.

Despite all of that, despite that Thomas' creepy behavior cost Dolan $11.6 million on top of the fortune Thomas had already wasted on bad basketball players, Dolan treats him like some sort of genius, one who apparently will have a job for life on 33rd St.

Through it all, these incredible lumps wonder why the Knicks have become something worse than a punching bag, become one of the great punchlines in the sport. At least the Knicks are still great at something.

When it was announced yesterday that the Knicks had brought back Thomas as a consultant and recruiter, I called Kevin Mintzer. He was one of the lawyers representing Anucha Browne Sanders, which means one of the lawyers who did to the Garden's lawyers, and their case, what other NBA teams always did to Thomas' Knicks.

Mintzer laughed at the whole idea of Thomas getting any kind of job back at the Garden. He doesn't have to take Thomas seriously anymore, even though Knicks fans do.

"It's like they're still clinging to this notion that it didn't happen [with Browne Sanders] the way the jury clearly decided that it had," Mintzer said. "That it was the media's fault, and not their conduct. It's kind of amazing, actually."

Even after Dolan had to pay for what Thomas had done, they acted like a couple of weasels. They deserved each other then, and they still deserve each other.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basket...l#ixzz0vvsU6ZPD

He may be an incompetent GM/basketball exec but he's OUR incompetent GM/basketball exec... only wait..he's not.

Seriously he was supposed to have the job that Dumars has now but something happened. Nobody every really found out what. One rumor was that Old Man Davidson didn't care for the links that Thomas had to local criminals via high stakes gambling. But the story I heard was simply that Thomas had prematurely been telling people that the GM job was his and that Davidson didn't care for that one bit. Whatever the story was only Davidson and Thomas knew for sure and Thomas isn't talking.

The fellow's got bad knees and a bad attitude. I hope this is just talk. He doesn't address our biggest need ,which is a center or power forward-someone to rebound, throw a few elbows and score out of the low post.

Pistons in serious talks with seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady
Vincent Goodwill / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Former All-Star Tracy McGrady could become a Detroit Piston very soon.

McGrady, a former scoring champion who has been plagued with injuries in recent years, sparked Detroit's interest in the past day or so, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Detroit News. If he signs, it would be to the veterans' minimum, which is around $1.2 million. As of now, nothing is imminent but the sides are having serious discussions.

The Pistons have been silent on the trade market and in free agency this summer, so giving McGrady, 31, a shot to revitalize his once-promising career would be a jolt.

McGrady played six games in Houston last season before getting traded to New York after a rift over playing time. He averaged 9.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 24 games for the Knicks. McGrady worked out for the Bulls last week, but comments of wanting to be a starter seemed to turn off Bulls management away.

The Pistons, on the other hand, have nothing to lose. They won just 27 games last season and seem open to anything, especially bringing aboard a player as talented as McGrady, who plays shooting guard and small forward and can play point guard on occasion.

Since leading the league in scoring in 2003 and '04, he's played in 70 games or more only twice. He played 35 games in 2009, averaging 15.6 points before shutting it down due to knee surgery.

The Pistons have taken on former stars with injury problems before. Antonio McDyess had the same type of knee issues before signing with Detroit after the 2004 season and revitalized his career with the Pistons as a valuable reserve. In his first four seasons with the Pistons, McDyess missed only nine games.

McGrady has a dubious history with the Pistons. With the Magic in 2003, he led them to a 3-1 series lead, then proclaimed after Game 4 he was happy to be in the second round. He never made it that far as the Pistons stormed back, blowing the eighth-seeded Magic out the final three games. McGrady never has made it out the first round of the playoffs, despite playing for better-than-average teams

If McGrady checks out health-wise and can play near his usual skill level -- he's averaged 21.5 points for his 13-year career -- it would be easier for the Pistons to make a trade at the crowded shooting guard and small forward spots. While it wouldn't necessarily be a precursor for Tayshaun Prince's or Richard Hamilton's departure, it could make things easier on management if they wanted to pull the trigger.

http://detnews.com/article/20100807/SPORTS0102/8070409#ixzz0w40hghjj

Guards
Rodney Stuckey-Really a shooting guard trying to play point and failing. Not his fault per se. You can't ask a wolf to be a sheep.
Richard Hamilton-shooting guard who can not create his own shot and has somehow never learned how to dribble the basketball.
Will Bynum-a default point guard because he's short but really more a combo guard. But he's a better point guard than Stuckey.
Ben Gordon-an undersized shoot first two guard
Austin Daye-a small forward with center height who likes to play two guard
Terrico White-who knows?

Forwards
Jonas Jerebko-a tweener forward who's a good glue guy and had a nice rookie season but is not strong enough to bang with the larger forwards or quick enough to stay with the smaller ones. Likely the most tradeable asset but really the only veteran I wouldn't trade. Will need to see if last year was just a fluke or we have the beginnings of a David Lee here.

Charlie Villanueva-It's tough having both alopecia and narcolepsy but you still need to play hard when you are awake. He was stealing money last year. Also slotted to play at power forward but really more of a small forward. Probably the most disappointing Piston last year or as they say in the corporate world , "has the most opportunity for growth".

Tayshaun Prince-nice guy but has been living on past glories for at least three years. Tends to disappear down the stretch. Had a run on injuries for the first time last year so will be interesting to see how he bounces back. Has been either Pierce's or Lebron's hand puppet in the playoffs for the past three years.
Jayson Maxiell-overpaid and undersized. He's a center by nature but is too short for that position and increasingly for the power forward position.
Dajuan Summers-see Jason Maxiell.

Centers
Greg Monroe-Liked what I saw in college but really more of a power forward I think. Can he play NBA center? Dunno.
Ben Wallace-Still an intimidating defender with amazing work ethic. Body cut from solid rock but undersized, old and couldn't score with a fistful of dollars in a women's prison.
Kwame Brown, Chris Wilcox- If you distilled them to their essences and combined the best of them into one player, that player would still be an all time SCRUB. If either of them touch the ball a turnover is imminent.

As currently constructed I see this roster winning about 30-34 games.

Detroit -- The Ilitch family may be about to reshape where and how people watch sports and are entertained in Metro Detroit.

By issuing a statement Monday that he is interested in adding the Detroit Pistons to his family's empire, Mike Ilitch may have set in motion a process that keeps the team in southeastern Michigan and provides considerable leverage for a new sports arena in Detroit.

"When I read in the paper there was the chance that this great sports town could lose one of its professional sports franchises, I just didn't see how we could let that happen," said Ilitch, who presides over a domain that includes Little Caesars Pizza, the Detroit Red Wings, the Detroit Tigers and Olympia Entertainment.

A new facility is a high priority for the Red Wings, given the age and sparse amenities of Joe Louis Arena.

If the Ilitches complete the deal, they would be among the few owners of three major sports franchises in the same market. H. Wayne Huizenga owned the Dolphins, Panthers and Marlins in Miami simultaneously, and Time-Warner owned the Braves, Hawks and Thrashers in Atlanta.

"This is great news for Detroit," said Dan Gilbert, a Detroit native who owns the Cleveland Cavaliers and is relocating 1,700 employees of his company, Quicken Loans, to downtown Detroit. "Major sports teams belong in the heart of urban cores, where they thrive the most and add to the vitality and connection to other important downtown businesses and attractions."

The sale of the Pistons -- and the Palace Sports & Entertainment Group -- remains a long-term enterprise, and there are likely to be competitors in the bidding. But there would be considerable synergies for the Ilitches.

The purchase of the Pistons might come at a reasonably low price, given the halting economic recovery and especially the longer-term decline in Michigan, according to experts on the sale of major sport franchises.
...

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100810/...s#ixzz0wBtVajwz

Joe Donut actually went ahead and signed Tracy McGrady.


I don't see how this helps Detroit. Maybe this is some three-dimensional chess move but having another shooting guard/small forward on a roster full of them doesn't make sense unless some trade is imminent. And especially not an injury prone prima donna like McGrady.

Considering he signed what effectively is a bargain basement contract, I suppose it won't hurt.

Or help for that matter.

i love this signing...the bulls won't sign this has been.

If Tracy McGrady and Arnie Kander aren't familiar with each other already, they will get to know each other very well in the coming weeks before training camp.

Before agreeing to the one-year, $1.35-million deal that was reported Tuesday, the Pistons insisted McGrady spend a lot of time with Kander, the team's strength-and-conditioning coach, getting his body ready for training camp.

The Pistons truly believe that they have an edge with strength-and-conditioning coach Kander, who has been with the team since the spring of 1992. They think his methods are great at preventing injuries (last season notwithstanding) and helping players overcome previous injuries.

Take Antonio McDyess in 2004. He came to the Pistons at a time when there were questions about whether the one-time jumping jack would ever recover from serious leg injuries. He spent five relatively healthy seasons with the Pistons before signing a two-year deal with the Spurs before last season. He played fewer than 70 games only one time since joining the Pistons -- he played 62 games in 2008-09 when he missed a month because of league rules after being traded to the Nuggets, waived and returned to the Pistons.

Take Ben Wallace last season. He returned the franchise where he made his name after an injury-plagued season with the Cavs. He exceeded expectations by being the team's best big man last season.

So the Pistons think it's worth $1.35 million to see whether McGrady, 31, can even come close to returning to the guy who was once one of the top players in the league. He has been plagued by back problems for much of his career, and he had knee surgery during the 2008-09 season when he played for the Houston Rockets.

He averaged 8.2 points per game last season, his lowest output since he was a rookie with the Raptors.

His role remains to be seen. There is an obvious glut of perimeter players with the Pistons and the glaring need for a center could be solved by parting with Rip Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince.
http://www.freep.com/article/20100811/SPORTS03/8110362/#ixzz0wI8Bn7Y9

Rasheed Wallace retired.

one wallace gone, when is big ben retiring?

Ben Wallace can't retire. As of now he's the only proven center (undersized and old though he may be) that Joe Donut has under contract. He also has a two year deal. I don't know if Greg Monroe will be an NBA center or not but to be fair I didn't see him play a lot.

"The best thing about the reunion of Michael Jordan and Kwame Brown with the Charlotte Bobcats is that both men are in completely different places right now. Jordan isn't trying to scratch a final itch while proving to his boss that he has what it takes to be both a spectacular player and executive. Brown isn't a teenager weighed down from expectations to deliver as a franchise savior.

Jordan no longer has to worry about his boss, because he is the boss. Brown doesn't have to worry about expectations because he has been, for lack of a better word, a bust."

Kwame Brown signs with Charlotte

Lilo, will you care inform the peanut gallery all the great players Jordan passed up that year when he drafted Brown #1?

Pau Gasol
Joe Johnson
Tyson Chandler
Mehmet Okur
Tony Parker
Gilbert Arenas
Shane Battier
Richard Jefferson

and more...

it still pisses me off that the bulls had two chances to get gasol.

Typical Cubs fan...bitter & resentful to the end!

Kwame Brown sucks .

Boston signed Delonte "No comment on Lebron's mom" West...

Bulls forward Carlos Boozer, one of Chicago's top offseason acquisitions, broke his right hand in a fall at his home Saturday and could be out for two months, the Bulls announced Sunday.

Boozer, who will need surgery, spent the previous six years with Utah. A two-time All-Star, he joined the Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal.

Crain's Detroit Business reports that Karen Davidson, owner of the NBA's Detroit Pistons, has opened negotiations to sell the team to Mike Ilitch, pizza magnate and current owner of two other Detroit sports teams. If successful, he would become the only person to own teams in three of the four major sports leagues.

The deal would include the purchase of Palace Sports & Entertainment, a venue management company with properties that include the basketball team's home arena, the Palace of Auburn Hills. However, if Ilitch were to take control of the team, he would look to move them to downtown Detroit, where they could occupy a new arena alongside the NHL's Red Wings.

This was our Johnny-on-the-spot but he also had skills. Behind Big Ben he was the guy with the most hustle on the team but he also had some offensive skills.

Auburn Hills — The Pistons already-thin frontcourt suffered a major loss when second-year forward Jonas Jerebko suffered a torn Achilles tendon Tuesday night in Miami.

Jerebko, who averaged 9.3 points and six rebounds last year, will undergo surgery Friday and is expected to miss at least five months. He landed awkwardly on a drive in the first quarter.

Pistons coach John Kuester sat with Jerebko, 23, on the ride home, trying to keep his spirits up. It’s no question Jerebko’s willingness to improve made him one of Kuester’s favorites.

“He’s a competitor, but he’ll attack his rehab the way he does everything else: the right way,” Kuester said.

Jerebko, a 6-foot-9 power forward, was successful playing next to Ben Wallace because of his boundless energy, which made up for his NBA inexperience (he played professionally overseas) and was one of the team’s best offensive rebounders. Jerebko’s not a natural scorer, but being consistently active helped him be in the right place at the right time.

.....
Jonas Jerebko out five months

There are some players who do go out of their way to express themselves or jaw at refs. It's no accident that Kobe is the one pictured here. But I think refs know the difference between someone who shakes their head or waves his hand dismissively while running back down the court and someone who decides to give his opinion on the eyesight of the referee or the intimate habits of the referee's mother.

NBA Crackdown


In a recent preseason game against the Nets, Boston’s Paul Pierce punched the air in frustration after being whistled for a foul. He then looked around in curiosity after hearing the whistle again. In a circumstance that could repeat itself all season, the official, Steve Javie, had assessed Pierce with a technical foul for his demonstrativeness.

“He was like, ‘Sorry, but that’s the new rule,’ ” Pierce said Javie told him.

The new rule that Javie referred to is an attempt by the N.B.A. to cut down on the whining and muttering, the arm-waving and air-punching, the drawn-out contentiousness that is often generated by foul calls players disagree with. If players cannot keep a lid on the complaining, they will receive a technical...