Archives › 2010 › July
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Rhino running in Los Angeles again, Craig Smith signs with Clippers
Jul 20, 2010, 10:59 AM EDT
Leave a commentCraig Smith is solid, reliable, a guy who is physical and will battle inside night in and night out. Consistency seemed like a novelty to Clippers fans last year, so they latched on to Rhino. He was a fan favorite late in the year, and now they get him back for another season. Craig Smith’s…
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David Lee is still the best citizen in the Knicks organization
Jul 20, 2010, 10:17 AM EDT
David Lee isn’t even a Knick anymore and he is still the best representative of that organization. Which says plenty. A story in the New York Times explains how Lee was the only Knick — or former Knick, in this case — to attend the funeral for Scott Jaffer, a longtime N.B.A. security official who…
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Brandon Bass just wants to play, whether or not that is in Orlando
Jul 20, 2010, 9:55 AM EDT
Brandon Bass has a lot of skills as a power forward. Just not ones that fit what Orlando wants to do. Bass is a banger inside, an in-the-paint guy. Orlando uses Dwight Howard for that. They need fours who can stretch the floor, like Rashard Lewis. So while Bass kept doing the things he does…
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UPDATE 9:17 am: Matt Barnes is not going anywhere. Yet. The deal announced by Barnes himself on Twitter is now dead, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo. The reason is a miscalculation by the teams on what could be spent. Nice. Somebody forgot to carry the one and look what happens. It puts Barnes back…
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Chicago now has its backup for Derrick Rose. The Bulls will acquire C.J. Watson in a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors. Watson will get three years, $10.2 million, and the Warriors will get a second round pick and a thinner bench. The Warriors had the right to match the offer but have chosen to…
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Lon Babby goes from agent to Phoenix Suns president, and it feels awkward
Jul 20, 2010, 8:41 AM EDT
It’s a move that is a little Ari Gold and feels a little awkward. Powerful agent Lon Babby is making a change to the other side of the table and will be announced today as the new president of basketball operations for the Phoenix Suns, replacing Steve Kerr. Babby’s clients — including Tim Duncan, Ray…
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My favorite? Get to about the 55 second mark and watch a little showboating with John Wall. Although the Raptors high flying show with DeRozan was sure fun.
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What did I like best about John Wall after watching and interviewing him at Summer League? He gets it. Sure, he was named outstanding player of the Summer League with good reason, but that’s not it. He gets basketball. Really gets it. There are plenty of talented players coming into the league that don’t get…
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According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Sacramento Kings have agreed to a sign-and-trade deal that will send second-year power forward Jon Brockman to the Bucks in exchange for Darnell Jackson and a future second-round pick. The 23-year old Brockman is only 6-7, but he was one of the best per-minute rebounders in basketball…
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The Milwaukee Bucks will have a ridiculous amount of turnover for a playoff team, as John Hammond has agreed to a deal with another rotation player. Keyon Dooling, who filled in at both guard spots off the bench for the Nets last season, will be on his way to Milwaukee on a two-year contract according…
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The last time Harvard had a player in the NBA, the Lakers were champions — the Minneapolis Lakers. With George Mikan. Dwight Eisenhower was president and children were just getting the first polio vaccines. Jeremy Lin could change that. Fans at Summer League in Las Vegas loved him — he won over a crowd that…
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Maloofs reportedly meet about moving team to Seattle, which won't happen but is just one option
Jul 19, 2010, 4:53 PM EDT
When asked about having spoken to a Las Vegas group trying to get an arena built last week, Joe Maloof said he didn’t know anything about it. Maybe not, but the Maloof brothers and owners of the Sacramento Kings are apparently keeping their options open about whether the team stays in Sacramento. The Maloofs met…
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“Jamaal Magloire has a role and that role is to beat the hell out of people.” A quote from Stan Van Gundy (via Orlando Pinstriped Post).That is just fine with Miami. Which is why the Heat signed him to a one-year deal, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. It’s a one-year, veteran’s minimum…
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JaVale McGee put on a show at Summer League. The Wizards coaches did not like it as much as the crowd did — they were constantly on McGee about his one-handed rebounds, his shot selection (he tried a running floater across the lane that when I asked Wizards coaches about later they rolled their eyes)…
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Welcome to the biggest media spotlight you’ve ever been in, Dwyane Wade. Wade’s comments comparing a Heat losing streak to the World Trade Center disaster were not nearly as offensive as had first been reported. And if this had been another player on another team, they may have slid under the radar. But as our…
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Winderman: Jordan would have called Magic and Bird — he wanted to win
Jul 19, 2010, 1:28 PM EDT
When did Michael Jordan become like our dads? When did he start with the, “Well, back in my day…” Because if he truly is going to thrive as a franchise owner with the Charlotte Bobcats, then perhaps there is a need to recognize he is not back in his day, and that the world…
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Rajon Rondo has never seemed all that interested in playing for Team USA. He kind of brushed off the initial invite to participate in this summer’s tryout (He apparently couldn’t be bothered to get back to Team USA czar Jerry Colangelo), and though he was officially added to the national team’s roster last week, he…
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Portland is apparently staying with the “guys who know how to build teams from the ground up” model. Rich Cho is the new Portland general manager, a text to media just confirmed. Blazers Edge (a very good and very well connected Portland blog) first broke the story. This would be a good hire for Portland,…
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It was understood going in that the 2008 Olympics would be Jason Kidd’s last hurrah as a member of Team USA, but it looks like he’ll remain a part of the program even if he forgoes the whole playing thing. According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, Kidd has been invited to act as an adviser…
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The Memphis Grizzlies threw $84 million at Rudy Gay this summer because he has potential to be a team leader. Because we’re sure that outside shot will come around. Right? But the team’s top draft pick Xavier Henry sat out summer league and remains unsigned in a battle over $336,700. This is why, as much…
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Jason and Jarron Collins are truly perplexing NBA players. They dig up roster spots, year after year, despite being essentially useless on a basketball court. They have no post game (they seem to have enough trouble just catching and finishing). They’re very poor rebounders. They don’t stand out defensively. They’re just two seven-footers and high-character…
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Fans everywhere keep asking about Tracy McGrady; GMs, not so much
Jul 19, 2010, 10:46 AM EDT
Tracy McGrady is going to have a workout with the Clippers this week. And that’s it. Officially he is not working out or doing anything else for teams. There are hints of interest — the Chicago Bulls may take a look at him as their third guard at the two spot, according to the Sun…
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Mario Chalmers, the Miami Heat point guard job is yours. Don't screw it up.
Jul 19, 2010, 9:41 AM EDT
Mario Chalmers is a nice backup point guard. Yes, his shooting regressed his second year in the league, and yes he turns the ball over more than you’d like. But he’s a nice player. And because he’s on a cheap rookie contract, he He’s your new Miami Heat starting point guard. When you hear people…
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DeMarcus Cousins named rookie of the month, despite late drop off
Jul 19, 2010, 8:57 AM EDT
To say DeMarcus Cousins was a revelation at Summer League is to say how far his stock had fallen. Anyone who watched him at Kentucky knew he could dominate, but the questions about his focus and mental readiness for the NBA had him slip down the draft board. But only to number five and the…
