Yardbarker: National Basketball Association

Can Sonic fans switch allegiance?

Seattle SuperSonics — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:20:44 -0500

Steve Kelley from the Seattle Times wonders if Sonic fans will become Blazer fans after Clay Bennett took the team to Oklahoma.

Stephen A. Smith, why people dont like him, Video Evidence

Los Angeles Lakers — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:53:01 -0500

If Stephen A. Smith is wondering why people might not like him, He should watch these videos.

Celtic Banners [[Freebies]]

Boston Celtics — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:12:55 -0500

I made these. You can take whatever you like and use them for your desktop or whatever..lol Just copy and paste the links below. http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/victoryblend.gif ^^[parade banner]] http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/Rondo-Camera-View.gif ^^[[Rajon Rondo Movie Icon]] http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/rayallenblend.gif ^^[[Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett banner]] http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/rajonrondomovieicon5.gif ^^[[Rondo Movie Icon]] http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i252/bebecece/rajonrondomovieicon4.gif ^^[[Rondo Movie Icon]] i`ll make more...=]]

Domain Research: Will the New Oklahoma City NBA team be called the Outlaws?

Seattle SuperSonics — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:07:35 -0500

Soon the the new Oklahoma City NBA team will be releasing their new name. We decided here at SportsTechNow to do a little research on the most obvious domain names if the Oklahoma City team would be called the Outlaws. Here are the names we came up with:

No Elton Brand and No Josh Smith?

Philadelphia 76ers — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:44:26 -0500

Is anyone else getting nervous or annoyed that the Sixers seem to keep missing on the top free agents on their list. Philly.com is already reporting that less big names guys are already lined up for visits. Billy King could have done this crap!

LA if u want to win a ring get rid of LUKE WALTON

Los Angeles Lakers — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:32:53 -0500

he can not hoop at all.. every 1 good play he makes he makes 10 bad plays.i say cut him and try to get Posey or Maggette. i know they wont do it but just get rid of him.

A video about Celtics

Boston Celtics — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:36:28 -0500

A video about Celtics by lsht1230 http://imgcache.qq.com/qzone/client/photo/swf/vphoto.swf?uin=83601085&fid=12958

Cleveland Gearing Up For LeBron's Contract Year Too

Cleveland Cavaliers — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:25:50 -0500

While the national media continues to focus on the fact that Cleveland is undoubtedly going to lose LeBron James, we here in Cleveland continue to think otherwise. Maybe it is delusion. Maybe it is desperation. I don't know for sure. The fact is that nobody really knows for sure. And now, I have a new take on the whole LeBron situation. I haven't read anyone else who put this argument together, but I am sure I will hear about it in the next few days if someone already has. But before I get into my new take, just for the sake of completeness, here are the basic thoughts being tossed around already. First the camp that insists LeBron has to leave: * LeBron has to leave because he is friends with Jay-Z who owns an infinitesimal piece of the New Jersey Nets * The New Jersey Nets are moving to Brooklyn and LeBron has to go help kick off the new era of the franchise * The Nets traded Richard Jefferson, meaning they are readying themselves for LeBron * There are escalators in LeBron's Nike contract which pay him more if he is in a major market like NYC Then the other side is basically: * LeBron likes his hometown * Nobody can give LeBron a bigger NBA contract than Cleveland * LeBron reached the finals in Cleveland * Terry Pluto's brilliant argument that says you never know where the talent is going to be centered a year from now let alone two years from now * LeBron has stated that he wants to bring a parade to Cleveland because he knows we are suffering as sports fans (this interview answer is one that the national media NEVER mentions because it doesn't fit their pre-determined storyline that Cleveland doesn't deserve LeBron James) Well, I have a new take. Everyone was so quick to point out that the Richard Jefferson trade on draft night was definitely designed at getting LeBron to the Nets in two years. Well, you know which team is gearing up to have a ton of cap space when LeBron's contract year comes around? THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS As of this writing, the Cavaliers don't have a single player under contract for more than LeBron's two year deal. When next season starts the Cavs might have two players under contract for longer than LeBron and those will probably amount to somewhere in the $10-12 million dollar range COMBINED with Daniel Gibson and Delonte West. That's it. Maybe some draft picks will end up with deals that range longer than LeBron's two years remaining. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and his nearly $11 million comes off. Ben Wallace's almost $15 million comes off. In addition, LeBron's salary comes off. And guess what else. Because LeBron is such an influential guy, the market is going to be flooded with free agents. Dwyane Wade followed LeBron's lead and only signed a five year deal when he was up for his first free agent contract. Chris Bosh also followed LeBron's lead in that department. You will also remember that LeBron really did lead the charge on the 5-year deals at that time. This means that LeBron has influence. Who's to say that LeBron wouldn't be able to recruit some guys to come in and play with him in two years? Could you imagine Dwyane Wade and/or Chris Bosh playing alongside LeBron? The bottom line is that these types of situations can only occur where tons of cap space exists. As long as Cleveland doesn't screw this up and load up the roster with too much salary, the Cavs will have $40 million dropping off the cap in order to pull in top talent along with LeBron in his contract year. Think about what the Clippers just did to try and keep Elton Brand in LA. I am not guaranteeing that this will happen, but it is JUST as likely as all the presumed OBVIOUS scenarios that get bandied about by the national press when they are looking to pull the greatest sports figure in Cleveland history out of this town.

Free Agent Rumors and Updates

Boston Celtics — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:48:43 -0500

This Corey Maggette thing is getting worse than a soap opera. The Globe announced that the Celtics had made offers to both Maggette and Posey on July 1. On July 3, the Herald reported that the Celtics denied making an offer to Maggette. Ok, maybe the Globe was mistaken and the Celtics didn't make an offer, but just contacted his agent and inquired about him. But, then, on July 4, the Globe had another article on how the Celtics made an offer to Maggette and Doc even called him to talk to him. An NBA source said the Celtics offered Magette the full midlevel exception, expected to be worth $5.8 million. The Celtics have made offers to their own forward, James Posey, and Maggette, but it's doubtful they can accommodate both. While there is no news regarding Posey, Maggette said he could be coming to Boston in the near future to visit with the Celtics. Free agents can't sign until Wednesday. "I don't want to hold the Celtics up or [general manager] Danny Ainge," said Maggette in a telephone interview. "I talked to Doc . . . I'm not going to hold them up. I know they are still looking at James Posey. But I'm still weighing my options." And then on July 5, the Herald reported once again that the Celtics didn't make an offer to Maggette. A Celtics source also continued to insist yesterday that the team has not made a formal offer to free agent Corey Maggette, and that the former Clipper is simply aware that the team has a $5.8 million mid-level exception available - the same amount the team has been unwilling to offer Posey. It's like dueling newspapers. The Herald continues to say that the Celtics didn't make an offer to Maggette and the Globe reports that they have made him an offer and even publish quotes from him about the offers. Enough already!! The offer to Posey is supposedly 12 million over 3 years. Reports are that he is also receiving interest and offers from the Lakers, Pistons, Sixers, Rockets, Cavs, Nets, and Hornets, most of which are willing to give him the long term contract he wants. Supposedly the offer to Maggette is for the MLE for 2 years. Danny is not willing to bog the team down with a big long term contract for Posey and if Posey isn't willing to settle for less, he will likely take one of the other offers from teams who are willing to tie up big money long term for him. On the day that the Herald printed this: The Celtics' offer reportedly has come up short of Posey's demands in both money and length. Though he doesn't discuss these matters, Danny Ainge reportedly was ready to cut his losses and avoid spending too much on a proven contributor to a championship, even before free agency began. The idea of paying the full mid-level exception to Posey reportedly made the Celtics director of basketball operations squeamish. The Globe adds this from the Heat's Dwayne Wade, Posey's former teammate. "I don't think Boston is letting Posey go," Wade said recently. "I was looking at Posey the whole playoff series and thinking, 'Man, he was good for us.' It's indescribable what he does. He's one of those guys that won't get the national attention, but he will get the locker room respect. That's probably more important, when you get the locker room respect. I miss him and miss what he does on the court, for sure. I'll be surprised [if he leaves Boston]." How can the Celtics not realize what this guy does for a team? I can see wanting to keep the payroll manageable, but they also need to see how important a player like Posey is to the team. Maggette is willing to sign for less if it means playing for a contender. But, that doesn't mean that it is a foregone conclusion that he would take the Celtics' offer. He also has offers from the Spurs, Magic, Sixers, Jazz, and the Warriors and there have been reports that he is leaning toward the Spurs and also that he would like to return to Orlando where he began his career. But, there are also reports that he is seriously considering the Celtics. He is very comfortable with Doc as they are old friends and former teammate Sam Cassell also told him that if he wants a ring he needs to come to Boston. More to come, I am sure. It is the Globe's turn to talk about the offer that Danny made that the Herald insists he didn't. Elsewhere, Chris Duhon is reportedly ready to sign a 2 year, 3.25 million a year, contract with New York, passing up on an offer from the Magic. The difference was a better chance to start in New York. The 2 year contract for Duhon still puts the Knicks in the running for the 2010 LeBron sweepstakes. This little tidbit on the Duhon signing comes from the NY Daily News; Also, Duhon's lifestyle concerned team officials, who felt that the 25-year-old enjoyed the nightlife too much. When Duhon played at Duke, he would often sleep at the house of coach Mike Krzyzewski to prevent him from staying out late. Manhattan is a long way from Durham, N.C., and privately the Knicks know they'll have to keep a close eye on their new point guard. With their offer for Duhon rejected, the Magic are expected to turn their attention to Maggette and Keyon Dooling. With real management and a real coach and now some good players being signed in New York, they are going to be a much improved team this season. The Celtics wrapped up their mini camp a day early as none of their rookies were involved. JR Giddens left when his agent advised against playing without a contract in place. Bill Walker attended the final two games to watch even though he had arthroscopic knee surgery on the first day of the camp. Gabe Pruitt and Big Baby benefited from the camp and the Herald reports that David Hawkins, a muscular swingman who played in Rome last season, caught Danny's attention during the camp. Patrick O'Bryant also worked out for the Celtics as did other big men Chris Andersen, and David Harrison. Here is the report on O'Bryant from the Globe: Patrick O'Bryant: The 7-foot center showed decent range and solid footwork taking feeds in the post. But when he hit the low post against Wisconsin's Brian Butch and Detroit Mercy's Ryvon Covile, who had each been practicing since 9 in the morning, O'Bryant was tugging at his shorts not even 15 minutes into the drill, struggling to muster enough strength to defend either. I am still pulling for Chris Andersen to be signed as the back up center. The same article tells us that Danny is shopping for a big man, a point guard and a wing in this free agent crop. Josh Smith, the Hawks' restricted free agent is in demand with the Sixers reportedly very interested as are the Golden State Warriors. The Sixers are reportedly offering a package around 66.7 million for 5 years. The Warriors could possibly offer more as with the loss of Baron Davis they have some cash to spend. The Hawks have the right to match any offer made for Smith. The Sixers are one of the few teams under the cap and with money to spend on free agents and should be able to lure someone decent there. It is reported that they are also speaking with Elton Brand. I am not sure what to make of Chris Kaman playing for the German National team. He has never been to Germany, doesn't speak a word of the language and just recently got a passport to go there. Yet, he will be playing with Dirk Nowitski on the German National team. Isn't that like bringing in a ringer? I kind of think this cheapens the Olympics somewhat. You should at least have visited the country you play for.

NBA Offseason: Clippers Climbing Up The Western Conference Ladder

Golden State Warriors — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:37:32 -0500

After several key acquisitions and releases, the Los Angeles Clippers seem to be turning things around in a positive direction. Here is how I view the new and improved Los Angeles Clippers: PG Baron Davis www.rawsportsblog.com

NBA Draft: What Impact Will It Have? (Part II)

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:01:38 -0500

The 2008 NBA Draft didn't see as many surprises as many expected, but that doesn't mean it didn't shift the balance of power in the fantasy world. Who was hurt by the draft? Who was helped? Screaming Sports' Serena Hays has those answers.

Area 51

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:05:55 -0500

For those that haven't been exposed, time to be so. Area 51 is the pseudonym a 5?8? basketballer who also runs by the name of 'Chand'. Chand has a 51 inch vertical leap… which of itself is pretty amazing. It also enables the rather diminutive player to make some absolutely amazing dunks. Best you see for yourself.

Seeking redemption with a ball

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:04:32 -0500

Redemption. That's the whole theme of the US Olympic basketball team, the entire program is called 'Road to Redemption'. And after the debacle at the last Olympics, it will be every bit as arduous as it sounds.

Keyon Dooling Back To Heat?

Orlando Magic — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 02:18:53 -0500

Sebastian Telfair, Tyronn Lue ,Jannero Pargo, Carlos Arroyo, Eddie House, Anthony Johnson and Anthony Carter are the other PG's Heat are heard to be talking about. For Me i would like either Arroyo or Dooling. The Miami Heat, continuing to search for point guard help, has ''expressed great interest'' in Orlando Magic unrestricted free agent and former Heat backup Keyon Dooling, agent Rob Pelinka said Thursday. Pelinka declined to say if Miami has made an offer but said the sides ``will continue to have a dialogue.'' The Heat hopes to acquire a point guard either through trade or with part of its midlevel exception, which is expected to be in the range of $5.8 million to $6 million. The Heat also has inquired about several other veteran free agent point guards, including Sebastian Telfair, Tyronn Lue and Jannero Pargo. Other veteran free agent point guards available include Carlos Arroyo, Eddie House, Anthony Johnson and Anthony Carter. Dooling, 28, averaged 8.1 points, 1.8 assists, 1.4 rebounds and 18.5 minutes for Orlando last season, and his .468 shooting percentage was higher than his .417 career average. He spent the 2004-05 season with the Heat, providing defense and energy off the bench and averaging 5.2 points and 1.8 assists in 74 games. He signed a three-year, $11 million deal with Orlando in the summer of 2005. A graduate of Fort Lauderdale Dillard High, Dooling has started 36 of 465 career games. At other positions, the Heat has had conversations about former University of Miami small forward James Jones and Memphis power forward/center Kwame Brown

Clyde Drexler Explains How He Developed His Jumping Ability

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:33:12 -0500

The April 2008 issue of Dime had an interesting quote from Clyde Drexler. This is what the "Glide" says about his legendary hops: "There was nothing natural about my jumping ability; it was 'natural' after I spent six hours a day working on it (laughs). I had so many exercises to improve the strength of my legs: sprinting, jump rope, squats, wearing ankle weights two or three days at a time and jumping rope with those ankle weights. I did all that for a 10-year period of time, and during that time I became a pretty good jumper." It is interesting that Drexler mentions that he put in a decade of work to become a great leaper, because--as I mentioned in a July 27, 2006 post titled Basketball, Chess and Boxing, Part II--there is a significant body of research that suggests that it takes 10 years of "effortful study" to become an elite performer in a wide range of fields, from chess to music to soccer. A lot of achievements that are assumed to be the result of "natural" talent are in fact the product of years of hard work that honed whatever "natural" ability that particular individual had in his given field. Hard work may not guarantee success--particularly at the elite level--but no one gets to the elite level without putting in a lot of hard work over a long period of time.

James Posey not feeling the love from Boston

Boston Celtics — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:20:14 -0500

After winning the NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics, James Posey was expecting some love in the form of a new contract. Unfortunately, Boston doesn't feel that he's worth more than the $5.8 that they have offered him. Posey, is a bit upset that the money is being flaunted at Clippers forward Corey Maggette instead of one of the key defenders on the championship team. Is Posey worth more than Maggette? Is Boston making a mistake by not pursuing him more heavily?

GRIZZ ON THE RIGHT PATH!

Memphis Grizzlies — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:51:53 -0500

Despite what many so-called experts have reported, the future of the Memphis Grizzlies looks like a bright one. Grizzly brass was routinely dragged through the mud regarding the trade they made to the Lakers because most feel they received "too little" for Gasol. I believe that Memphis believed Pau was basically "fools gold" because they didn't feel he was a player you can build a franchise around. He also lacked the toughness that the Memphis community could rally and get behind so the Grizz changed their path immediately with the trade . The pieces that Wallace and Co. have compiled since then may pay great dividends for the future of this young franchise. The Grizz received a budding talent in Javaris Crittenton, a young but experienced Marc Gasol, a great athlete in Darrell Arthur (28th pick from Lakers), cap room with the expiring of Kwame Brown's contract, and they still hold a first round pick they aquired from the Lakers in 2010. The Grizz front office made a gutsy move by trading Kevin Love for OJ Mayo. Many believe that the Timberwolves pulled the rug from under the Grizzlies once again because they had to include Mike Miller who is a gifted shooter and respected veteran as part of the deal. But, the Grizz have to believe they received a potential superstar in Mayo and they also got rid of Jason Collins a.k.a "human brick legs" and Brian Cardinal's "human bench warmer" contracts in one fail swoop. People say Memphis has a bad deal with Jaric's contract but I believe Memphis would rather overpay Jaric than overpay Cardinal who in contrast has played two games in 5 years. Memphis now has a young nucleus in Gay and Mayo they can build around and they also have several young pieces to evaluate for the future which looks like a bright one. This team could be one of the most exciting in the league and they just might do some winning along the way! Maybe the future was cloudy but it looks like Heisley and the Grizzlies are getting a little bit of sunshine as they begin their walk....Their walk down the right path!

who would you rather have?

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:39:02 -0500

if you was from oklahoma what team would you rather have? sonics or the hornets?

Where is the Money?

Miami Heat — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:56:23 -0500

These Boys are talking about Money! Go and get your Money boys. That is right, it is NBA Free Agency time, and we all know what that means! It's time to collect. Some major players in the NBA such as Corey Maggette, Baron Davis, Gilbert Arenas, and Elton Brand have decided to opt out of their contracts. They are ready to go and get some more cash, maybe with the same team or maybe with another. There is one big problem, THERE IS NO MONEY! Well there was no money. Every year players opt out to get money, and with the soft NBA cap, money always creates itself. This year the Warriors, Clippers, Grizz, Sixers, and maybe the Supersonics have cash. On top of cap space, the NBA also supplies each team with veteran exceptions and one mid level exception (which is the NBA average salary around 5.8 million). Baron Davis surprised everyone including the Warriors by leaving 17.8 million dollars while people like Shawn Marion and Ron Artest know that sticking around for one more year may make a bigger pay day next year. Maybe these guys aren't about money then, maybe they just want to win? Well lets talk about some major free agents and where they have gone, could go, or who is interested. Elton Brand and Baron Davis: There is alot of talk in the West now because Golden State and the LA Clippers could actually have money. With Maggette gone and Brand opting out, the Clipps signed Baron Davis first, then are trying to get Elton Brand locked up since he is a returning player and they could go over the cap to sign him. Both will be taking pay decreases in 08/09, but in the end would be making alot of money with raises each year. Brand will get attention until July 9th when he is allowed to sign from Philadelphia and Golden State who may not have enough money to pull Josh Smith from Atlanta. He could be that power post up player they are looking for. Brand could be using both teams to get a larger contract from the Clippers. Word is that Brand is close to being done with LA but the years seem to be the hold up. James Posey: The second most popular free agent? He may be, everyone wants a bench defender who can shoot. Posey may have made his case in the NBA finals this year by his stellar play and hustle. Is he a starter? Maybe, but not for the whole season, he is best played off the bench and in crunch time. Who is interested? Well the Lakers were a James Posey away from winning the championship. They only have a mid-level exception to offer though, will 3 years 20 million be enough? It may be a little larger than that. (Note that teams over the cap can use that mid-level and extend a long term deal using yearly increases that would be about a million dollar a year raise each year.) Posey's agent says that Boston and San Antonio are the finalists, but they both are in the same situation as the Lakers. Posey has to be ready to settle down, and stop moving around. Boston is where he wants to be, but they have to lock him up. Josh Smith: He is a restricted free agent, and the Atlanta Hawks have been saying that they will match anything that is thrown his way. The only teams that could take them out would be the 76ers and the Warriors, but they will not throw that much at him. Smith may not be big enough and is too little of a post player for them to give their whole cap allowance too. Andre Iguadola: He is in the same boat as Smith, he will not get a ton of money anywhere but Philly, but they will not overspend to sign him. Andre turned down a 5 year 60 million dollar deal last year with the Sixers and then under performed in the playoffs leading the Sixers to a first round exit. He did not bulk up his resume. Golden State is said to be cornering both Iguadola and Smith. Sixers could lose out on both or over pay on Andre due to the Warriors uping his price. Word around Philadelphia is very sour when his name is mentioned, but Andre can play. He works hard, does everything he can do to keep getting better, so he deserves a long term deal. The best bet for Andre may be a short deal, around the mid level, so he can promote himself for a larger future contract. Point Guards; Monta Ellis, Raymond Felton, and Shaun Livingston will all get good deals in some area of the MLE. Livingston is an unknown. He may be NBA ready or may not be, only a physical will tell. Ellis is a great talent, should go back to the Warriors unless a sign and trade is done. Mikael Pietrus and Matt Barnes: Both of these guys are available and are right in that mid-level exception area. They are both restricted, but will probably not be matched by Golden State. Pietrus may be a poor mans James Posey, teams who miss out on him will get Mikael. Kurt Thomas: He is available and should be a solid defensive addition to a team with front court need. He will get a 3 year around 9-12 million dollars and it will probably be late in the summer. Corey Maggette: He is restricted, but with the now signing of Baron Davis, he will be gone. The Magic are said to be the team that will sign him, but they do not have a dollar. Sign and trade? maybe, but they don't have the pieces to do it. Teams with money could court Maggette, but it just does not match up. Memphis, yes, if Corey is ready to be terrible. They have young pieces who play his position. Philadelphia? Yes, if the Sixers choose to let Iguodola go, and have to trade for a big man. Then they could use the extra cap room on Maggette. Golden State? They don't know what to do with their own free agents at this point. Maybe not your best move Corey, but thanks to you the Clippers are headed to the playoffs. The latest has Maggette going wherever posey does not, which means Boston or San Antonio. Maggette may have to settle for the MLE, but he will wait as long as possible to see if Golden State, Memphis, or Philadelphia will use their cap on him. LA Clippers: Are they trying to be this years Boston Celtics? They could be trying, but they only have two pieces. Kamen is a good big man but Mobley, Rookie Eric Gordon and the disapointing Tim Thomas just do not add up. They will be playoff bound, and that is huge for you Clipper fans. Miami Heat: Right now the heat are pretty happy with the draft. But they are a couple pieces short of a full team. Lacking real starters at center and point guard, the Heat are poised to go after Monta Ellis. They are also trying to add Diop, the former Maverick and Net. The Heat may have to ask the nets to sign and trade him, because he wants to go to Dallas. Ellis wants to play in Miami, and the Heat may try and get him for more than the Warriors can afford. Miami is trying to clear room for the 09/10 off season, so they can sign Chris Bosh then max out Wade while they already would have Michael Beasley and maybe Monta Ellis. Or they are trying to Get Boozer next offseason. Carlos is said to be interested in Miami, and the heat are interested too. They will have money next year at the rate they are going. While the Heat sit back and wait while players are being signed, one thing is for sure, they are doing more than nothing. Kirk Hinrich, Andre Miller, and Monta Ellis are all within the Heats reach with a trade of Udonis Haslem or Shawn Marion. The Heat could be in the works of remaking this team from top to bottom. For right now though, they may start Haslem, Marion, Beasley, Wade, and then with the signing of Ellis, him. They have a Marcus Banks who they want to send away, Mark Blount, who they will pay to get rid of, then promising young Dorell Wright and rookie guard Mario Chalmers who could turn into a big minute player off the bench. The Heat's goal is to not start Chalmers or Banks at the point. Chicago Bulls: Let's not forget about them. Duhon is free and a knick, but Hinrich (trade), Tyrus Thomas(trade), Ben Gordon who is restricted and Deng is also Restricted. Deng will stay. Hinrich will be traded. Duhon will go to the highest point guard bidder. Thomas is a wild card. But right now the most interesting rumor is Ben Gordon to the Spurs. This would change them dramatically, well not really, but he is sure better than Michael Finley. The Spurs could then try and sign a couple guys with Veteran minimums like Robert Horry. Going back to the Bulls, Nocioni is being talked about by New Jersey. They are looking to get him with a trade. That is in the Preliminary talks. Nets are also looking to sign and trade Nenad Kristic. The very under performing Kristic has been playing with pain. He once has so much potential, now is a big question. The Sixers are interested. The Returns to Sender: Jose Calderon of the Raptors, Gilbert Arenas and Antwan Jamison of the Wizards, Beno Udrih or the Kings, Eddie Jones with the Mavs, Ron Artest decided not to opt out with the Kings, and the Bobcats are hoping to keep Okafor and Dave Hollins and started by making qualifying offers. Contracts can not be signed until July 9th, but negotiations can take place between now and then. Well hoop fans, this is the best time of year so sit back enjoy, and here is to your team pulling a free agent prize.

Warriors can lose another starting guard?

Golden State Warriors — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:53:07 -0500

A person with knowledge of the situation said nine teams have made inquiries about Monta Ellis. The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have shown the most interest. The Knicks, who are searching for point guard help, are not one of those teams, but a second source said the Knicks have been monitoring the situation. Warriors executive vice president Chris Mullin has maintained he intends to sign Ellis. A person close to Ellis said the lightning-quick guard "would be very interested in the Knicks" and especially playing for Mike D'Antoni. Ellis' agent, Jeff Fried, would not comment on the interest in his client from other NBA teams and said talks with the Warriors are ongoing. "We are continuing discussions," Fried replied in an e-mail. -- Newsday

Doug and Jackie Christie's 13th Wedding is Sure to Make Seattle Forget All About Losing their NBA Team

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:02:28 -0500

Cheer up Seattle. It's not all gloom and doom. Some good news for the city arrived via a press release that crossed the wire late last night which stated that Former Laker/Laker nemesis Doug Christie and his wife Jackie have chosen Seattle's Space Needle as the location for their 13th wedding. Seattle may have just lost their NBA franchise and the 1,200 jobs the team supported but a Christie wedding only comes around once...every year, actually.

Would you stay or would you go

Seattle SuperSonics — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:09:11 -0500

i was thinking about the former sonics are relcating to OKC. I was wondering what you people out there thought about it.would you have stayed?what should be the new name/colors?let me know what you think about the decision. Dylan Kidd

To Seattle, Love, Your Portland Trail Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:19:59 -0500

Dear Seattle, I really do feel bad for out neighboring fans up north for having the PooperSonics oops I mean SuperSonics stolen from you. So I am going to take it upon myself to introduce you to your NEW Northwest franchise "The Portland Trail Blazers". Now don't worry these guys are easy to love. But I do have a few things you need to be prepared for before you come over to the scarlet and black side. To start things off comfortably I want to remind you of a few familiar faces you should all know of. (These guys really are great not only have they lived in your beloved city, but they also saw the light was a lot brighter when you drive south down I-5/I-205.) Paul Allen- Owner/Multi-Billionaire. Paul is one of the best owners in the league. He attends over half of the games during the season and once he sees a contender window opening he is not afraid to open up that pocket book. He loves athleticism and up tempo basketball. Nate McMillan-Head Coach/Mr. Sonic As you all know Nate is one of the best coaches in the league. A former Sonic himself which also had his number 10 retired in the rafters. Now don't think that we can just retire #10 now that your Sonics are extinct. Besides thats Joel "Tha Thrilla" Przybilla's number. But if we can get a title or two maybe we can do something for him. Maurice Lucas-Ass.Coach/Frmr Sonic "The Enforcer" is better known as a Trail Blazer. But I do want to recognize that he wore a Sonic uniform to. Luc plays an important role in developing the bigs. Brandon Roy-SG/All Star/UW Husky Here is a Seattle born boy you all will be proud of. I don't need to speak much of him because you all should already know. But in our eyes he is our next "Clyde the Glyde". In a few years we should see "The Natural" on the Olympic team and maybe a Wheaties box. Martell Webster-SF/SeattlePrep Another Seattle product. Martell is a great young talent. A fan favorite, and he has the smoothest jump shot this side of the State of Massachusetts. Hard to believe he is only 21. Huge future for this cat. Although you will still need to be patient with him. He has improved his game both offensively and defensively every season. I live near the practice facility and I see his slick silver Chrysler 300 with the big shiny wheels all of the time which means he is a hard worker. So OK, how about that. We have a few Seattle natives in our organization. I hope I made you feel a little more welcome. Now before I introduce you to the rest of the guys we do have a few catchy phrases you will need to know. So next I will list a few of our broadcasters new and old along with where they came from etc.... Rip City!- Very popular phrase around town. Bill Schonley our legendary broadcaster of 30 years coined that phrase in the 70's. It can be used in many different ways. For example, if Greg Oden is doubled down low then kicks it outside to Martell Webster who then drains a three. You can scream out an emphatic RIP CITY!. Or if you want to sound a little more like "The Schonz" you can then follow up the "Rip City" with a "Yes Sir". OK now say it with me, "Rrrrip City,Yes Sir". Very nice. You may also use this any time the Blazers make a great play. Other Famous Bill Shonley phrases... Holy Backboard Lickedy brindle up the middle He took a hop, skip and a jump. Good evening basketball fans where ever you may be. Just so you don't get confused our current radio commentator is Brian Wheeler. Most of the new school fans only recognize the man known as "Wheels". He's a great radio personality and also has a few coined phrases of his own. (I will list them below.) He has been on board with the Blazers for about I believe 7 plus seasons. He probably will not reach the legendary status of Bill Shonley (Especially if every contract year we hear rumors of him talking with the Lakers.) but we are very lucky to have such a knowledgeable and dedicated broadcaster. He also has his own afternoon radio show on 95.5 The Game (www.955thegame.com) called Wheels After Work. You get little insider local trail blazer info and he always has great guests year round. I would recomend tuning in ASAP just so you can get familier with him. So like I mentioned before here are Wheels coined phrases you will need to get familiar with.... Wheels Phrases, Boom Shaka Laka! OOOOH That was nasty! Sloan looks Mystified, mortified, etc... Their are more but you will have to listen this season on 95.5 or online @ www.955thegame.com to get the full experience. We play all of our home games at the Rose Garden, I have linked Map quest directions for you from Seattle right here. (http://www.mapquest.com/mq/4-2gwxg5d8) It seems to be a three hour drive. But remember at the Rose Garden you need to plan to be early and stay late! Just so you are prepared Portland is a very knowledgeable basketball town. You may be able to get away with wearing a Seattle shirt for one season and we will be forgiving. But year two you better have saved the cash to purchase the scarlet and black. Keeping that in mind we don't want some fairwheater fan either. Seeing as we are going to be hanging some banners shortley you better educate yourself and be a loyal fan. How about now I introduce you to the rest of the guys. I really think we will have this roster together for a while so I think it will be safe for you to open yourself up to these guys. C) Greg Oden We don't know much about Greg yet. But from what we have scene is they don't make 7 footers like him. He will be a fast defensive minded shot blocking, rebounding machine. His offense should improve as he gets more experience. Having him ready this season is going to be fun to watch. PF) Lamarcus Aldridge LA or Stretch is a Texan with game similar to Rasheed Wallace and maybe a little Tim Duncan. He is not to their level yet. But last year in his first full season he averaged 18 and 7. He will be a great compliment to Oden on the defensive end next season. (Welcome to the block party.) He is also a great charicter guy. On another note it would be good to see him bulk up, just a tiny bit. And get a little more nastiness to his game. SF) Travis Outlaw T-Law or TrOut is a long freak of an athlete. This country boy from Mississippi can touch the top of the backboard. Not quite a Shawn Kemp. But he has improved his game every season in the league since he came out of high school. He has an improving jumper that extends out to the three. Very good fourth quarter producer with the ball in his hands. Defensively he is not that great one on one but off the ball he wreaks havoc. Still improving. SG) Rudy Fernendez "The Spanish Fly" is going to be a rookie this season. He has won many olympic medals and MVP awards overseas. He appears to have a nice step back jumper and can get to the rim. He is very thin so we will have to see how he holds up through the entire season. PG) Steve Blake Won an NCAA championship at the U of Maryland. Blake is just a solid point. Probably better suited as a backup. But he shoots a good percent, makes good desitions and is an underrated defender. C) Joel Przybilla Tha Thrilla is a great rebounder/shotblocker. Offensively you will hold your breat unless he dunks it. He is a great team player and can probably kick Shaq's butt. (His hobbies include Kickboxing) Has had a handful of 5 plus block games. Also 15 plus rebound games. Will be the best backup in the league once Oden is ready. PF) Channing Frye Channing is Mr. Happy Go Lucky. He is happy to be here. But will also be happy play more somewhere else. He is a very nice piece off our bench with his range, but could be one of the expendable guys also. He is a great interview if you ever get to hear him. PG) Sergio Rodriguez Spanish Chocolate was a spark plug his rookie year, but fell off the map last year. He easily could become your favorite with his Nash style, but he has shown he shoots terrible and cannot play D. Serg has a lot of improving to do to get into the rotation. He also has become a mental head case with a few comments he has made this offseason. PF) Ike Diagu Don't know much yet. We just got him from the Pacers. From what I do know is he is an undersized 4 that was an exceptional scorer/rebounder in college. Ike was a lottery pick, but has had injury troubles the past season. PG) Jerryd Bayless He is our prized rookie from Arizona. Slotted as a top 5 pick he fell to us at 11. He has a lot of developing to do but should prove to be a above average point in two seasons. Shoots well and can get to the rim, but needs to work on playmaking passing skills. Trade Bait, I mean PF/C) Raef LaFrentz I am not gonna waste time with his skill set because I don't know. He has not played hardely since he has been here. His huge 12 million dollar expiring contract will be dangled untill the deadline. But only if we need a certain peice. Well, thats the group. I do have some homework for you. The blazers have a handful of Euros overseas. Please research them and then you can post an anilazation of their games on yardbarker. Lets see have I missed anything... Oh yeah you must follow these simple 5 rules below. #1) Hate the Lakers #2) Any time Kobe touches the ball you must boo. #3) *Practice "In KP We Trust"* #4) Be a confident Blazer fan, not cocky #5) Thank Paul Allen for KP *Definition for #3* In KP we trust, means no matter how many trades or if it seems like a roster move does not make any sence at all. Always remember who turned Ratliff/Telfair/Khryapa and some draft pick swapping into BRoy and LA. The man who ridded Portland of the wanna be thugs, and drug addicts. The man who changed the Jail Blazers back into the Trail Blazers. We have to trust the man with the given name Kevin Pritchard. And always remeber to thank Paul Allen for finaly buying in to him as well. From, Your New Fellow Trail Blazer Fans! Please purchase your merchandise here http://www.nba.com/blazers/index_main.html

Gilbert Arenas reveals the true origins of "Hibachi" during his Adidas Philippine Tour 2008

Washington Wizards — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:37:15 -0500

The Washington Wizards new $111 million dollar man to be Gilbert Arenas, Jr. arrived in Manila, Philippines yesterday. His lone itinerary for the evening--meeting with the Philippine press and answering some great questions fielded in by Philippine sports columnist, NBA.com blog squad blogger, and broadcaster, Mr. Joaquin M. Henson. Here are some of the highlights: The Hibachi Grill to be honest: Gilbert Arenas, Jr. sheds some light as to the origins of his catchphrase, "Hibachi." "Actually, it started with Brendan Haywood. You know, We got beat really bad and Kirk Hinrich…was, he scored about 30 something on us and Brendan Haywood was like, "Man he bring out the Hibachi Grill tonight!"" "So I was like, well, usually, I usually score 30 points. So I'm the Hibachi. And so from there I just took it." I guess this means we can owe a debt of gratitude to Big Brendan and Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich's hot shooting night for Hibachi! Gilbert also had some advice to young college players who are aspiring to make it big in the field of professional basketball: "My junior high coach told me. You know, I stick to it to this day... You know believe in yourself. You know when all things fail, its just you, its just you and your dream... And you got to always believe" Gilbert Arenas is visiting Manila from July 5-7, 2008 as part of his Adidas Asian Tour promoting his new line of footwear.

One & Done's; some helped, some didn't

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:58:21 -0500

As the NBA Draft drifts farther and farther away from us and our minds, I have to say that today I wondered a bit about Donte Greene and all the other "One & Done's". I thought about most of them and what they did for their respective universities and if in the end this mega class of frosh was worth it for the individual establishments that had them.

POSEY OR MEGGETTE?

Boston Celtics — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:09:55 -0500

A free for all NBA fans. Posey is a proven clutch-time winner and leader. We all saw a bench player really help decide key playoff games/moments during Boston's playoff grind towards something special. Posey has some special glue along with his game that helps a team's chemistry. Enough said. Meggette is more of a true blue chip talent who has languished on a terrible FO Clippers team. Corey had a real solid season. He can play defense, rebound, pass. I still don't know if CM has Posey-like intangibles is the wild card. This C's fan wants both, in a perfect world.

If Michael Jordan's basketball stats were converted into BASEBALL stats, they would read as follows:

Chicago Bulls — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 14:07:30 -0500

185 games played, .302 batting average, 29 home runs, 91 RBI's, 115 runs scored, 26 steals, 32 strikeouts. Don't believe me? Check out this card (Only the back is shown below, click on the link to view the front and read the full article).

Oregonians 4 Blazer Games, petition against Comcast

Portland Trail Blazers — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:57:18 -0500

We are signing this petition to voice our concern over the issue that most Oregonians cannot view our Portland TrailBlazer games. We wish that Comcast and the Satellite dealers would please settle whatever differences they have so us Oregonians could view our beloved team play. Please click the link and sign the petition. www.petitiononline/blazer22/ Thanks,

Free Agent Surprises

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:57:39 -0500

ESPN's John Hollinger discusses some free agent surprises that might happen this summer.

U.S. Olympic Team

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 06:55:33 -0500

Before Athens in 2004 anything short of Olympic gold is seen as a failure. When Team USA returned from Athens in 2004 with the bronze medal, the program was changed. In 2005, USA Basketball put the responsibility in the hands of Colangelo, the former chairman of the Phoenix Suns. He demanded three-year commitments from everyone involved with the team. "We needed commitments from coaches and players alike," said Jerry Colangelo, managing director of the USA national team program USA Basketball announced the 12 players who will represent the United States this summer in Beijing: Denver's Carmelo Anthony, Utah's Carlos Boozer, Toronto's Chris Bosh, the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Orlando's Dwight Howard, Cleveland's LeBron James, Dallas's Jason Kidd, New Orleans's Chris Paul, Detroit's Tayshaun Prince, Milwaukee's Michael Redd, Miami's Dwyane Wade and Utah's Deron Williams. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, chose not to make such a commitment. There are some questions about 12-man squad: *Its lack of balance, with only one true center in Howard, after Stoudemire withdrew his name last week. *Two power forwards: Boozer and Bosh. *Also three point guards, including Kidd, who is 35. "I think ball handling and defending the point, that's where it all starts," Krzyzewski said. "In the past, We didn't have the strength, at the point guard position" *Problem could be the team's ability to shoot from the outside. But Redd is chosen specifically to fill that role. Anthony, Boozer, James, and Wade played in Athens four years ago when the United States lost to Argentina. That team, widely regarded as too inexperienced . Two years later, at the 2006 world championship, the United States had not yet improved, although the outcome was not as surprising as its sixth-place finish in 2002. The team meat in Las Vegas for a two-day training camp Before it starts daily training July 21-24. Then they are scheduled to play nine friendly games, trying to build chemistry. The U.S. team play Aug. 10, in a preliminary-round against China. Coaching DVDs at Championship Productions