Archives › Kurt Helin
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Kobe Bryant recruiting one time nemesis Raja Bell to join Lakers
Jul 13, 2010, 10:19 AM EDT
42 CommentsYou want to earn Kobe Bryant’s respect? Battle him. Get up for the task and challenge him. Go at him. Compete. Kobe will still win a lot of those battles — because he is Kobe — but he respects the effort. Raja Bell battled Kobe. In 2006 he taunted Kobe, was physical with him and…
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David Stern thinks LeBron might have handled all this better. Just like the rest of us.
Jul 13, 2010, 9:45 AM EDT
Here are the words of the man himself, speaking at a press conference after an owners meeting. Maverick Carter is really steamed somewhere after hearing this. Dan Gilbert was less steamed and more poor.
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Tiago Splitter is officially a Spur, and you don't realize how big this is
Jul 13, 2010, 9:35 AM EDT
You know what deal Western Conference executives have been raving about this week in Vegas? Tiago Splitter to the Spurs. A deal that became official now and at an incredible price of three years for $11 million. Splitter clearly wants to be here as a he took a paycut to leave Saski Baskonia, the team…
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Luke Ridnour nears four-year deal with Timberwolves to add to team's point guard collection
Jul 13, 2010, 8:47 AM EDT
The Minnesota Timberwolves brought in Kurt Rambis to run the triangle, but he had to partially abandon or alter many of those sets last year because he didn’t have the right personnel to do it. It was a team where the offense had to start with a slashing point guard, but the triangle is not…
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Shrek and donkey will be back for another go around. Nate Robinson is close to a deal that will keep the backup guard in green for another season, according to his agent Aaron Goodwin, talking to the Boston Herald. “Things are going well,” Goodwin said. “We’re just trying to get something worked out. But both…
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How did this guy fall to No. 5 again? One Summer League game is a meaninglessly small sample size. But it was big enough to make you realize this — DeMarcus Cousins could be a beast in the NBA. He is a big man in a world of big men, but he has touch and…
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Miami is closer to filling out its roster than you think — and you know these guys
Jul 12, 2010, 11:24 PM EDT
Mike Miller has now agreed to terms with the Miami Heat, according to our man Ira Winderman down in Miami. That brings the Heat roster up to six signed — Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem and now Miller. That’s the top six of a contender. But how do they fill…
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Would you trade Carlos Boozer for Al Jefferson? That’s what the Utah Jazz are close to doing, as they are close to a deal that would ship the Jefferson to Utah — and maybe send no players back to Minnesota, according to Marc Stein of ESPN. Utah has a $14 million trade exception from the…
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Pacers get $33 million to stay in. Would you stay in Indy for that?
Jul 12, 2010, 7:51 PM EDT
Does your city have an extra $33 million laying around? Indianapolis does, apparently. Monday the city and the Pacers announced a new deal where the city will pour $10 million a year to cover operations at the Canseco Field House, plus put in another $3 million in the next few years in upgrades and renovations…
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Derek Fisher was coming back to the Lakers. He flirted with Miami, but they could offer even less money than the Lakers. And more than money, it was about comfort. He fits well in the triangle. He could win titles in L.A. And Kobe Bryant wanted him back. It was going to happen. But for…
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For once, it wasn’t about the money. Udonis Haslem got much larger offers from the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets and is returning to the Miami Heat, according to our own Ira Winderman (writing for the South Florida Sun Sentinel.). Haslem had wanted to stay in Miami, but he wasn’t sure how much the Heat…
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UPDATE 3:23 pm: Just to add to the options for Haslem, the Denver Nuggets are also making a hard push for him. Denver also is offering the full mid-level exception, just like Dallas. And just like Dallas, they are looking for front line guys to match up against the Lakers. 9: 34 am: How badly…
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Hear the words from the man himself. And I will add this: He’s right about the fines, the accountability in the NBA. Mark Cuban and Steve Kerr got fined for tampering for innocent comments. Gilbert likely will not get fined for this. But what Gilbert did was a far bigger black eye for the…
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Summer League play — and the “defense” often played there” means guys get open, guys get breakaways in a way you don’t see in the regular season game. Washington’s JaVale McGee took full advantage of that. (He also had some nice connections with John Wall for dunks as well.)
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Dan Gilbert sounds more reasonable now, but he can't get the high ground back
Jul 12, 2010, 2:07 PM EDT
Dan Gilbert flew off the handle Thursday night and said some things he’d like to take back. We’ve all been there. We also know you can’t take them back. You live with it. Gilbert got personal in calling out LeBron James, gave up the high moral ground and lost any chance to be the sympathetic…
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Super-agent Ari Emanuel gave us LeBron James decision show, and he wants to see it again
Jul 12, 2010, 12:11 PM EDT
Backlash? Who cares? LeBron James’ “The Decision” got killer ratings and is a blueprint for the future if you ask Ari Emanuel. And if you don’t know who he is you don’t read the Hollywood trades — he is a super agent. William Morris Endeavor Entertainment. Watch Entourage? The Ari Gold character is partially based…
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Golden State down to two bidders for franchise, ownership change can't happen soon enough
Jul 12, 2010, 11:15 AM EDT
Anthony Morrow is being allowed to walk to New Jersey. Anthony Randolph will not be back next year, shipped out as part of a deal for the much more expensive David Lee (who had said he was excited by playing with Morrow, sorry man). It’s hard to understand exactly what the grand plan is of…
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Carlos Boozer: Gone. Kyle Korver: Gone. Deron Williams: Still in Utah. And he is “frustrated.” In a deep Western Conference, the Jazz have gotten worse this summer, he told the Desert News (via Slam). Although he tried to put a positive spin on it. “It was tough to see Booz (Carlos Boozer) and Kyle (Korver)…
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Mark Cuban may want one, but Cavaliers, Raptors not seeking investigation of Heat
Jul 12, 2010, 9:03 AM EDT
Did the Miami Heat cheat? Looks like we’ll never know, officially. Mark Cuban isn’t sold that how Miami ended up with the Superfriends — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh — didn’t involve some shady back-room deals that violate league policy. He wants the league to look into it. But it appears neither Cleveland…
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Free agency is almost over. LeBron is going to the Heat. Most of the top 25 are set, and the ones that aren’t will be soon. So here is a little wrap up, with a few loose ends out there. What follows is a list of the top 25 free agents on the market (by…
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Ben Wallace should retire a Piston. It just seems right. Now he will. According to Associated Press Ben Wallace has agreed a two-year deal to stay with the Pistons. He will make $1.9 million each year. “This is the place I want to retire,” Wallace said in a telephone interview with the AP. Wallace had…
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John Wall shows his world of potential, shows he is still 19 in first Summer League game
Jul 11, 2010, 11:34 PM EDT
John Wall is lightning quick. You think you know that watching his televised games while at Kentucky, but until you see him in person you don’t realize just how quick. It’s impressive, bordering on insane. He flashed that speed in his first ever Summer League game. Plus he showed his great length, good defensive instincts,…
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Video: Phil Jackson compares MJ and Kobe
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