San Antonio Spurs

Ranking Offseason Moves

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:02:05 +0000

In Chad Ford's latest at ESPN.com, he ranks all 30 NBA teams for summer moves including free agent signings, trades and the NBA Draft.

With the trade to get Richard Jefferson, and stealing DeJuan Blair in the second round of the draft, Ford picks the Spurs at #1.

The Spurs always seem to find a way to turn a little into a lot. They turned three aging players past their primes into Richard Jefferson -- an athletic forward at the peak of his game. And even without a first-round pick in this year's draft, they were still able to come away with some terrific players in the second round. Specifically, Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair, who was the best rebounder in college basketball and is a beast in the paint. If his knees stay sturdy, he'll go down as the steal of the draft.

Now it sounds like the Spurs also have the inside track on signing free agent Antonio McDyess. But even if they don't land him, they have dramatically improved their team and are, once again, serious contenders for an NBA title.

Read the full article at ESPN.com.

Summer League Profile: Ian Mahinmi

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:20:50 +0000

With the 2009 NBA Summer League beginning this weekend, and the Spurs playing their first game July 12, we here at Project Spurs will begin to profile some players on the team. We'll continue with Ian Mahinmi.

While Ian Mahinmi is not new to the Spurs, he has only played 23 minutes in two seasons for the silver & black.

After a lackluster summer league showing last Summer and a disappointing season recovering from an ankle injury, Ian will have to show up and dominate in summer league play next week if he wants to ensure his future with the Spurs.

Selected with the 28th pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, the little-known Mahinmi was labeled as a future prospect for the Spurs. He was 18-years-old when drafted and playing in his native France, but he was still very raw, while showing some potential and giving Spurs fans hope for the next big prospect from France.

In his games in France, he displayed athleticism and some shot-blocking ability, while also showing he was still very wet behind the years.

When the Spurs signed him two years ago, I immediately called it a mistake to bring the 6-11 Mahinmi overseas this early. But in preseason games, he was a pest in the paint, either blocking shots or altering shots with his defense and long arms.

But then came the foul trouble, the limited offensive game and a tendency to fall asleep on defense, which was even apparent in last year's summer league games.

With the Spurs lack of centers, Ian will be given an opportunity once again to show that he's capable of playing in the NBA, and if summer league is any reflection, he'll have to dominate to prove himself.

Here's Some Self-Promotion (Like Always)

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:43:03 -0800

I don't know if you know who I am but I'm kind of a small deal.

I recently started spewing my usual basketball nonsense over at one of the greatest basketball websites ever created -- Hardwood Paroxysm. I know what you're thinking, "What blackmail-type evidence do I have over Matt Moore?"

Wouldn't you like to know?!?

ANYWAY, I had my first article posted on the old HP on June 29th and Matt Moore gave me this introduction:

Zach Harper is the author of TalkHoops.net and Cowbell Kingdom. He has difficulty (as most people do) with how fast I speak in real life. He's a former male gymnast who won gold at the 1994 Bel-Air gymnastics tournament. That last part is a lie. He's our newest contributor to Hardwood Paroxysm. That part is not a lie. Revel in him. He opens with a discussion of hoops junkiehood, and the joys of young boys. Seriously.

Well, my second article was just posted this morning. It's about the return of Marcus Haislip, who just signed with the San Antonio Spurs. I attempted to explain he can redeem himself and in the process related him to Edmond Dantes.

Please enjoy and continue to Support the Habit. And leave comments on HP talking about how great/terrible I am. I could use the buzz.

McDyess rumored to be leaning towards Spurs

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:02:12 +0000

Yahoo! is reporting that the Spurs are the leaders of a three team race to sign free agent Antonio McDyess, the Spurs plan B after his former teammate Rasheed Wallace. The Spurs are rumored to have offered the full MLE for two years and are competing against the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers. While McDyess doesn't have the three point range that Wallace does, McDyess is a better rebounder and interior presence. Even at 34 he produced his best Total Rebounding Rate and shot over 50%. He would be a welcome addition alongside Tim Duncan in the starting line up. Keep checking out Project Spurs for more information and analysis.

Latest Cavs News Roundup

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:57:10 -0500

Could Channing Frye (middle) be the Cavs latest free agent target?

In what's been a wild and crazy past few days, here's the latest in what's going on in the Cavs world.

Cavs Assistant Moving On

After Avery Johnson and Joe Dumars could not come to terms on becoming the next Detroit Pistons head coach, Dumars turned to a familiar face and has picked Cavaliers assistant John Kuester as the next Pistons head coach.

The Detroit Pistons have agreed to terms with Cavaliers assistant coach John Kuester to be their new head coach, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told SI.com.
Another league source said the contract was for two seasons with a team option for a third year.

Kuester has been with the team since 2007, when he replaced Kenny Natt on Mike Brown's staff.

Kuester has been credited in revamping the team's lowly offense and turning it into a much improved unit. He served as the de facto "offensive coordinator" on Mike Brown's staff and handled a lot of the offensive duties last year.

LeBron Denies Commitment To Ariza

The 2010 circus continues to grow.

After Trevor Ariza claimed that LeBron told him he was staying past the 2010 season, LeBron's camp came out and denied that.

According to a source close to LeBron James, the current NBA Most Valuable Player did not tell free agent Trevor Ariza that he was for sure going to be with the Cavaliers past 2010.

So what's the real story here?

My best guess is that what Ariza said is probably true and LeBron's camp is trying to cover this up and act like nothing happened. Ariza has nothing to gain from putting this out in the press so why would he make this stuff up? It's not likely he did.

So why did LeBron's camp deny this if he's staying? This just seems like LeBron trying to keep things close to the vest and keep the media guessing, which he seems to love to do.

So even though the Cavs missed out on Ariza, more good news came from this than any other "loss" the Cavs have had this off-season.

(P.S. - the secret meeting in Los Angeles that Ferry and Brown went to, was supposedly to meet with Ariza to sway him to coming to the Cavs. Ariza supposedly considered signing with the Cavs, after agreeing with the Rockets, but decided to stay with Houston.)

Marion To Mavs, Not Cavs

The Cavs were supposedly interested in adding Shawn Marion but not it appears he'll be heading to Texas.

The Mavericks and Toronto Raptors, according to NBA front-office sources, are in advanced discussions on a sign-and-trade deal that would bring Marion to Dallas.

Shawn Marion and his agent, Dan Fegan, have been looking for a deal somewhere in the range of $10 million per year and they're not going to get that on the open market so the only way to get that money is through a sign-and-trade.

The most the Cavs could have offered for Marion was their full MLE (around $5.8 million). The Cavs weren't also likely to offer him long-term security, which could have been another sticking point.

While Marion could have added some much needed talent to the Cavs lineup, the fit would be questionable. Marion is best suited in an up-tempo offense where his size and shooting ability are disguised and his athletic ability is highlighted. Putting him in a half-court offense would highlight and disguise all the wrong things.

Ferry Is After Frye

With the "stretch" power forward market starting to thin out, the Cavs have started to set their sights on a long time Danny Ferry favorite in Channing Frye.

After making a free-agent scouting trip to Los Angeles on Sunday, Cavs GM Danny Ferry came home and hosted free-agent power forward Channing Frye on Monday at the team's practice facility in Independence. Frye is the type of "stretch" forward the Cavs are interested in during the free-agent period as they look to find big men who can hit jumpers when teams collapse on LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal.

While Frye may not be the name that most fans would want to see in connection with the Cavs, the PF options are starting to slim out and it's looking like if the Cavs want a decent, well-priced, stretch PF, then this is likely to be their best bet.

After having a breakout rookie season in New York, Frye was shipped off to Portland where he struggled to play and produce behind guys like LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla.

Frye is a guy that Ferry has been very high on for a long time, similarly too Delonte West, and could be a guy that the Cavs may ultimately end up with.

The Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns are also supposedly in the running, with the Suns being the rumored favorites to land Frye's services.

McDyess Would Be Nice

Another one of the Cavs top PF targets is former Detroit Piston, Antonio McDyess.

McDyess is reportedly waiting until the Pistons have a new head coach to make a decision on whether or not he wants to re-sign with the Pistons.

In addition to the Pistons being interested, the Cavs (supposedly have offered their full MLE over two years), Magic and Spurs have McDyess in their sights, with the Spurs being the favorites as of now.

Hey LeBron! Your Boy J-Kidd Even Rejected The Knicks!

Yep, LeBron's "boy", Jason Kidd, turned down the Mecca of Basketball and the best city in the whole wide world (sarcasm) to stay in Dallas, Texas.

The free agent point guard has agreed to sign a three-year contract for more than $25 million to remain with Dirk Nowitzki and the rest of the Mavericks. The New York Knicks were among Kidd's suitors.

The Knicks were supposedly offering Kidd a similar deal, which was seemingly in opposition of their plan to clear as much cap space for the 2010 off-season as possible. The Knicks probably saw this as an opportunity to get one of LeBron's friends in New York, so they could make it easier for him to leave Cleveland.

So let's hope LeBron takes a page of his buddies book and does the same thing as J-Kidd: turn down NY to stay with his current team.

Wade 'I'll Stay If They Contend'

Looks like Dwyane Wade is taking a stand about his future in Miami.

"I'm going to listen. I owe the Miami Heat that much. I'm going to listen to what they have to say and I'm going to think about it," Wade told The Associated Press. "But right now, the way I feel, I want to make sure that we're on track to where I want us to be on track to before I sign back."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"I'm good with that," Wade said, "for one year."
Another season around .500, though, won't be as enticing.
"That's not enough for me," said Wade.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I've told Coach Riley this: All my life, all I've ever wanted to do is win and be put in a position where I can win and succeed," Wade said. "Build me a team. Put the pressure on me to win a championship. Give me a team and say, 'All right, you've got to go do it,' and I'll take that pressure. Give me guys that we feel can compete every year to win a championship. I don't want to go anywhere else."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"I want to make sure that we stay competitive and we have an opportunity to win championships, like I've done before," Wade said. "I don't want to be content with winning games. I don't want to win games. I want to win championships. That's what I'm all about."

Looks like Wade is a bit unhappy about being on a team that doesn't exactly have a championship caliber future.

So if Wade and LeBron have similar minds, does that mean LeBron is staying in Cleveland then?

Cavs In Contact With Linas Kleiza

One of the more interesting names mentioned this off-season in connection with the Cavs, could be forward Linas Kleiza.

Kleiza, a restricted free agent, has supposedly been in contact with the Cavs, as well as the Toronto Raptors throughout this free agency period.

Kleiza, a Lithuanian, is a very interesting player. He's a swing forward with good shooting ability. But his ability to put points on the board fast, along with this potential, is perhaps his best trait. He doesn't exactly fit into the defensive mold that Mike Brown likes but Kleiza has the potential to develop into a decent defender with the Cavs.

Kleiza is only 24 years old and has a lot of room left to grow. For the right price, he could be a nice piece to develop and have come off the bench to provide some bench scoring, something the Cavs sorely lacked last year.

Drew Gooden Wouldn't Mind The Cavs?

DrewGooden The teams I wouldn't mind going to, Spurs, Cav's, Magic, and Golden St! What do you guys think?

What do I think Drew? There aren't enough words in the dictionary to say how I would feel about you coming back. The shortest and nicest word in the dictionary: NO.

Sheed A Celtic

Yet another reason to hate the Celtics.

Sheed is going to Boston.

The Boston Globe reported Wallace will sign for two years at the midlevel exception.

This will be interesting to see how the rest of the Celtics off-season pans out. Leon Power (UFA) and Glen Davis (RFA) are both free agents and it doesn't look like either are expected to be back at this current point in time.

This move also let's us know what we already know: the Celtics championship window is closing and closing fast.

Even though Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins represent good, young talent on the Celtics, the rest of the core is aging fast. Garnett is 33. Allen is 33. Pierce is 31.

Looks like the Cavs won't have to be worrying about the Celtics for too many more years.

LeBron Gets A Special Invite

Looks like LeBron and Dan Gilbert are going to get some extra time to bond together....in Idaho.

LeBron James will be spending some time with friend Warren Buffett at the prestigious Allen & Company media industry conference in Sun Valley, Idaho.
But it wasn't Buffett who got James and LRMR Marketing CEO Maverick Carter the invite to the ultra-elite five-day conference that has been labeled as "summer camp for billionaires." It is a place for executives and movers and shakers in the media industry to share ideas and sometimes strike major deals.
According to a source, James got his extremely hard-to-secure invite with help from Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert, who will be attending the event for the seventh consecutive year. Gilbert has been pushing for James to be included for the last couple years.

James and Gilbert are among about 260 guests and their families on the guest list, which is expected to include Bill Gates, Rupert Murdoch, NBA Commissioner David Stern, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettmen.

That pretty much wraps up what has been a crazy free agency period to start and there's going to be a lot more of that still to come.

Updates

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:37:41 -0500

New York offers Grant Hill one-year deal.

Thibodeau rejects Pistons coaching position.

...Boston Celtics associate head coach Tom Thibodeau is the only other known candidate, but sources say Dumars was always planning to move quickly to Kuester if no deal with Johnson could be reached.

Rumors of McDyess heading to San Antonio heating up.

Tanguay: Davis' Boston Days Coming to an End

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:30:00 -0500

I reported that last night it looked liked San Antonio would be the destination for Glen Davis. I have recently learned through a league source that Orlando is stepping up as well. Conversations with both the Spurs and Magic have picked up speed. I think it is safe to say Big Baby has played his last days in Boston...my opinion -- Gary Tanguay

Well, as Jeff Clark said, Tanguay's opinion/gut feeling hasn't always been so trustworthy. But considering the amount of rumors out there right now, I'll have to agree with him on this one.

Glen Davis is claiming that he wouldn't get his desired amount of minutes in Boston with Wallace and possibly Grant Hill signing. I'm sure he's demanding too much money than the Celtics can hand out as well, along with other factors we haven't yet learned.

As for Grant Hill, I'm almost positive he'd improve our championship chances. Although Bill Walker is an intriguing candidate for Paul Pierce's backup, we need someone to rely on night in and night out. I'm not counting out Walker, but young guys like him can be inconsistent when they have their first real NBA experience, meaning that Walker's success is not exactly set in stone.

Although I'd like to have Davis for the long-term, our window right now isn't exactly long. Hill would be more vital to the team than Davis, as he would play more minutes and take on a more needed role as the second string SF.

Glen Davis a Spur?

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:02:20 -0500

As I said it looks Big Baby will be a Spur. He feels he will lose minutes with Rasheed now a Celtic and Grant Hill on the way. -- Gary Tanguay's Twitter

Looks like Sheed came with a price other than money.

Report: Wallace to sign with Celtics

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 01:34:16 +0000

According to a report on the Celtics Blog on Boston.com, Rasheed Wallace has committed to sign with the Celtics on July 8 for a two-year deal for the mid-level exception.

Celtics All-Star trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, owner Wyc Grousbeck, coach Doc Rivers and president Danny Ainge met with Wallace last week. Wallace turned down overtures from Orlando and San Antonio to commit to Boston.

With Wallace no longer an option, it's back to the drawing board. The Spurs will likely looking at signing one of the remaining free agent bigs including Antonio McDyess, Brandon Bass and Zaza Pachulia.

No Laker Fans, You're Not Champs Yet: 2009-10 Will Be Memorable

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:40:00 -0500

HEDO NOT A BLAZER!

Wallace will wait a week to accept/decline offer.

"Wow it's 7/02/09 and the Los Angeles Lakers have already been crowned champions!"

That was one of the first comments on Marc Stein's story two nights ago, breaking the Artest-to-LA news.

Unfortunately for the fanatics in Hollywood, that isn't the case. It isn't the case for the Celtics either if they are able to insert Rasheed Wallace into their already threatening frontcourt.

The Magic aren't favorites either, despite the recent addition of Vince Carter.

Nor Cleveland, even though they just patched up a hole in their game by acquiring Shaquille O'Neal.

San Antonio also will have to battle their way to the top, although they were the winners of last Thursday's NBA Draft, on top of trading for Richard Jefferson.

The Nuggets hope to build too. But that won't allow them to breeze through this season.

The fact is, the NBA is the best it's been in a while. While last season was certainly one to remember in itself, the league has already become, undoubtedly, more competitive. There are six teams, maybe more, that can hold their own against one another. Recent transactions have put them a notch above the rest of the Association, and although none of them amongst themselves are favorites, the six of them are the most likely to win a title as opposed to the other 24 teams in the NBA.

As if you hadn't guessed yet, the six are (in no particular order): the Lakers, Magic, Celtics, Cavaliers, Spurs, and Nuggets. The C's, Cavs, Magic, Nugs, and Spurs will in no way let the Lakers come out on top once again by setting their pace to cruise control. And I'm sure every team will feel that they have a chip on their shoulder. Bryant and the Lakers, to prove that they still could win a championship even if the Celtics, Spurs, and Magic were healthy. Garnett and the Celtics, to show that the Big Three and co. are not done yet. LeBron and the Cavs, to show that last season's league-leading record of 66-16 was no fluke. And so on, and so on.

But Laker fans, apparently, have not been made aware of that. Sure the acquisition of Ron Artest makes them a feared squad, but the fact is, the Lake-show's presence had already been registered by the brains of other teams in the NBA.

Of course, you can't expect much sense out of a hyped up Laker fanbase. After just winning the championship and now having the privilege to say their team is the defending champs, they're of course going to label the Lakers immortal.

Those who bleed purple and yellow will obviously make the Lakers up to be a team they simply cannot be. They will set a bar for the Lakers which they can't live up to.

Artest will clearly make LA's defense better. An offseason with him as a defensive anchor will immediately transform them into a defensive monster. Can you imagine the possibilities with Bryant and Ron-Ron as the lead voices? Never mind Bynum and Gasol, who have seemed to toughened up some after five games with Dwight Howard.

Their offense will be great. There is no way around it. Artest, contrary to common belief, is actually an unselfish guy. Like Josh said today in the first part of his series (you can read more about it in the opening paragraph of the link I provided), Artest is one guy who enjoys seeing his teammates score because of a pass he made, rather than scoring himself.

They will have as good a locker room as any team in the league (though not better). Bryant is a strong player who does not let team issues be. He addresses them in a firm manner. Artest, though being seen as an immature player in the past, has grown mentally as well as physically, and has learned to control his excessive energy and learned to use it positively at the right time.

I don't think I need to go into detail about Phil Jackson.

But the best? The easy pick for favorites? Far from it, in my mind.

In case Laker fans haven't noticed, the Spurs, Celtics, and Cavs are all top defensive teams as well. The Magic and the Nuggets are slowly but surely developing on the other side of the court.

Every team has their own style of offense, but equally powerful at that. They have explosive players, and conservative guys, both types able to contribute scoring-wise.

And leadership? Each clubhouse is strong and sturdy, not allowing problems to ruin their championship chances.

Not only that, the front offices will look to construct their teams a little bit more in order to have a better percentage of winning before the season takes off. The Celtics are reportedly the frontrunner for Rasheed Wallace, the fancied free agent who is currently weighing options before committing to a team. Along with Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, and possibly Glen Davis, Wallace would give the Celtics an unbelievable frontcourt.

Vince Carter gives the Magic a scorer. And a good one at that. They'll likely have one of the most dangerous offenses in the league, with a backcourt of Carter and Jameer Nelson. If Dwight Howard can work on his game this season down low, I wouldn't be surprised if the Magic have the most explosive offense.

Richard Jefferson fills a void that was long needed for the San Antonio Spurs -- a young, athletic small forward, with the strength to score down low and the shooting touch to launch the ball from the perimeter. They also got guys like DeJuan Blair and Jack McClinton late in the draft, two players who are capable of skyrocketing up the list of the best sleepers who entered in the 2009 draft.

The Cavs also got their hands on one of the game's best centers, Shaquille O'Neal, and didn't have to give much up at all (Sasha Pavlovic, Ben Wallace). The Cavs have needed a dominant big man for some time now, as they didn't really have a go-to guy on defense to defend the big bad seven footers in pro ball.

Denver hasn't had their name in the paper yet so far this offseason, but is expected to re-sign Chris Andersen and possibly offer a contract to other free agents available in the market.

So Laker fans, don't go rioting yet. The NBA season is still yet to come, and I'm sure your opinions will differ when we come to the midway point of NBA play.

After all, ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NBA Talk: Plans Change In Detroit With Villanueva and Gordon Added

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:25:16 +0000

We all remember the heartbreaking move for Detroit when they sent Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets while Detroit brought in Allen Iverson. It wasn't good for the Pistons as they got destroyed in the playoffs.

Then here they are with Iverson gone and Rasheed Wallace aging a bit. And Richard "Rip" Hamilton can't do everything by himself. How can Detroit survive? I'll tell you why.

With two standout adds of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, the Pistons look like a viperous team coming into the 2009-10 season as they look to strangle their opponents.

And another good thing is that they haven't reached 30 yet, as they are both in there mid-20s, which is acceptable for this offense.

Bringing in Gordon really helps out Rip and Rodney Stuckey being the "sixth man" of the group. Gordon makes a monumental difference towards the squad. It'll look like the "good ol' days" when it was Isaiah Thomas, Vinnie Johnson, and Joe Dumars.

Now we know how Gordon can help, how the heck will Villanueva end up? I'll tell you how.

Villanueva helps replace Rasheed Wallace, who reportedly has received some pretty big attraction from the Boston Celtics, and according to ESPN.com, some appeal from the San Antonio Spurs.

Although Villanueva is probably better shooter, there is absolutely no way he can reinstate the defensive intelligence of Sheed. But besides that, the Pistons were built to be a younger and stronger team.

Wallace, I know, is the heart and soul of the Detroit Pistons, but he has to go and it looks he will...to the C's.

Many people were also lingering for the trade of Kwame Brown and Jason Maxiell to the New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler and Julian Wright, but c'mon: Aren't Gordon and Villanueva better?

The Pistons look to be a powerhouse team and can be a threat in the Central Conference. But it's going to be a tougher division as the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks join the mix as both teams are dying for playoff-spot.

With Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Rip Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey, and Tayshaun Prince leading the Pistons, they can be that team they were: a furious one.

And Gordon and Villanueva are the first step in the progress.

Big NBA News: Feat. Josh Childress (Iverson Going for Memphis?)

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:42:35 +0000

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Big NBA News. We got some good stuff in for us today so let's go. These are some pretty big rumors and I really do think these are the ones you definitely don't want to miss!

Mike Bibby

Atlanta Hawks point guard was given some rumors that he may go to Philadelphia to play for the Sixers.

But Sixers fans, you might want to stop cheering and put your hands down. The Sixers aren't interested in Bibby, according to the Inquirer.

But heck, it would be real nice for Philly to get him. But as for right now, he's chilling in Atlanta.

He is also looking to bring the Hawks to the playoffs again and hopefully passing the second round and not getting killed by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

My bad, Atlanta. Sorry for bringing back bad memories.

Ricky Rubio

Jeez Ricky!

I really don't understand what's the point of him coming to the NBA after reading this about him going back to Spainto play proffessionaly for two more years!

But it won't matter because if he wants to return to the NBA, the Timberwolves still hold the rights to him. So Ricky, it really doesn't matter if you don't want to play for Minny, just try to make the best of it, okay?

Nah, he won't.

Hedo Turkoglu

Hedo Turkoglu, he recently opted out of his contract with the Orlando Magic, shouldn't be really happy right now.

The Toronto Raptors were about to give him a $60M contract but they decided not to, according to The Star.

We'll see what happens, maybe Toronto be decide to again. And teams going for a bid?

As of right now, not many. Sorry, Hedo. Want to go back to Orlando? Nah, I really think he doesn't. Let him wait, he'll get the deal and the team he wants.

New Orleans Hornets

The Times-Picayune reports that the New Orleans Hornets are deciding to acquire the following free agents:

Mikki Moore (right)
Maceo Boston
Jake Voskuhl

ESPN.com reports that the Hornets are also taking a look at former-Hornet, Brandon Bass.

Let's see who they pick because all of the players look interesting to me. Moore might fit well.

I don't know who to pick, it'll be a tough decision. But hey, why not , sign them all. But nah, it'll probably be a not-so-smart idea.

Josh Childress

The Journal Times reports that the Milwaukee Bucks are trying out Josh Childress, who the last NBA team he played with was the Atlanta Hawks after moving to the Olympioacos.

Childress has been called by many NBA teams, and he does look like he can fit nicely with the team after that trade that sent Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs.

Here is the biggest news of the day! Now that I have made a new website called MemphisBlueBears.com, a site about the Memphis Grizzlies (I am a bigger Indiana Pacers fan, though, of course), I know have to write some Grizzlies news.

Well, Allen Iverson announced that he wanted to play for the Memphis Grizzlies, ESPN reports. Here's what Iverson said on his Twitter:

"I'm a free agent, healthy again, and capable of signing with any team. My only preference will be [is] to play for a coach that knows what I bring to the table and that I am going to bring it every night! Someone who best knows how to utilize my skills to make our team the very best it can be. For those of you who thought I was done, think again."

Whew, A.I. had a lot to say there to all of his fans on Twitter (more than 16,000 to be exact, dang!). Let's see how everything turns out.

He looks good with the Grizzlies as a new "Big Three" may approach with him, Rudy Gay, and O.J. Mayo. Now that would be nice. We'll see how it turns out, as of right now, Iverson is probably chilling (and why wouldn't he?).

Swing and a Miss: Ariza > Artest According to Plaschke

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:49:52 -0500

This is the start of what I hope to be a series on Celtics 17. I will find stupid basketball columns and show them to you.

The first is a column by Bill Plaschke of the LA Times. You know, the guy with the egg-shaped head on "Around the Horn" who thinks the Dodgers are better without Manny Ramirez. This is his opinion on the Lakers' Ron Artest signing.

"Less than three weeks after the parade, the NBA champion Lakers have already met the biggest threat to their throne.

Themselves.

What are they thinking? What are they doing?"

Well, I'm just a blogger so what do I know? But from the looks of it I'd say that the Lakers are trying to improve.

"They just won a title that would not have been possible without the strong defense and stunning shooting of a 24-year-old kid with a limitless ceiling."

Plaschke is referring to Trevor Ariza, who was just signed by the Rockets. There are many good things to say about Ariza, but "limitless ceiling" is not one of them.

"Yet they send the kid packing for an aging nut whose greatest hits have occurred on the heads of fans."

Artest is 29, a year and three months younger than Kobe Bryant. As for being a nut, are people really still talking about an incident that occurred five years ago?

Come on. Michael Jordan hit Steve Kerr in practice. Randy Johnson hit a teammate to get out of Seattle. Unless you were hit by Artest, you need to get over it.

"They just won a title with a locker room bathed in the soothing light of unselfishness, teamwork and a quiet temerity."

And that's exactly how you could describe Artest with the Rockets. In fact, Artest might be better than Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming when you take his defense into account.

"Yet they cut the power and added the darkest of moods, a guy who has made a career out of hoarding the ball, the attention, and the anger."

Hoarding the ball? Artest is usually the guy who wants to assist the top scorer, the guy who wants to guard the other team's best player, and he does both of those very well. The only times he's angry seems to be when he's the main guy on a losing team, which won't be the case with the Lakers.

"Tell me again, why did they get rid of Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest?"

Because Artest is better and comes with a cheaper contract.

"Explain to me, please, why they wouldn't even negotiate further with Trevor Ariza before quickly agreeing to sign Ron Artest?"

They negotiated with Ariza and offered him the same contract as Artest, but Ariza wanted more. Why sign an inferior player for more money?

"Artest is a better player,"

Exactly.

"but that's not the point."

I'm not sure if there is a point in this article. There certainly hasn't been so far.

"Ariza was a better fit, and that's what wins championships."

What about two Finals ago when Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom were inconsistent and Bryant didn't have a secondary player to help him. Isn't that a bit more important than Ariza, who at best is the fifth best player on a championship team?

"Artest is a strong defender, but if the Lakers need someone to quietly hound a guy during a routine inbounds pass and be willing to make a small play to win a big game, that's Ariza."

Who's better at hounding a guy on an inbound pass than Artest?

"Artest is a good shooter, but if the Lakers need someone willing to stand in the shadows for three quarters and emerge to make a big three-pointer before disappearing again, that's Ariza."

I've never heard of "disappearing" as a good quality of a basketball player, but then again, that might be why I'm not paid to write.

"Artest will supposedly make the Lakers tougher, but what is tougher than showing up every day and playing hard every play and fighting your way to a championship?"

So does Ariza disappear or does he "play hard on every play?" First of, kudos on the word choice in that quote. Second of all, Artest might be the hardest working defender in basketball.

"Ariza has a ring, Artest does not, so the Lakers are giving up wins."

Robert Horry has seven championships. Michael Jordan has six. Adam Morrison has a ring. LeBron James has none. Horry > Jordan and Morrison > James.

"Ariza is young 24, Artest is an old 29, so the Lakers are giving up age."

Now you're just repeating the age argument, which is easily proven wrong. Unless of course, Bryant is now past his prime.

"Ariza shot 48% from the three-point line in the playoffs while Artest shot 28%, so the Lakers are giving up clutch."

The Lakers usually go to Bryant or Derek Fisher before relying on Ariza for a clutch shot. Ariza scores his points when Bryant is double-teamed. In fact, Bryant will be double-teamed less frequently with Artest, giving Bryant more opportunities for clutch shots.

"The one thing the Lakers are absolutely gaining here is money, which is exactly what you will be paying them in increasing increments next season."

Real professional. Now you're discouraging people from going to Lakers games.

"Artest will sign a three-year deal for about $18 million, roughly the same annual salary that the Houston Rockets gave Ariza.

But Ariza was given two more years by the Rockets, pushing his total closer to $33 million."

You've already admitted that Artest is a better player. Now you're saying that Ariza is more expensive. This isn't really helping your argument.

"Heaven forbid you would want to give a rising young star two more years, or spend some of your roughly $1 million-per-game playoff bounty to do it!"

Is there a dictionary nearby? Look up "star." Bryant is a star. Dwight Howard is a star. Gasol is not a star. This would lead most to beleive that Ariza will definitely never be a star.

"Jerry Buss should have opened the pockets a little wider. And Mitch Kupchak should have jogged the memory a little deeper."

The Lakers are currently on the top in payroll. And if any memory needs to be jogged, it's your's, Plaschke. Have you watched a single game with Ariza?

"Remember the last time the Lakers made a postseason acquisition of an aging star that appeared to give them an embarrassment of riches and render them unbeatable?

The year was 2004, and they signed two of them, Gary Payton and Karl Malone, and you know what happened next. By the end of the season, the fractured chemistry imploded in a Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons that was so awful, afterward seemingly half the team either quit or was traded."

Malone and Payton didn't hurt the Lakers. The Lakers missed the Finals in the previous year and got their the next year. Without Malone and Payton, they're eliminated by the Spurs again, and this time in the second round.

"Like Malone and Payton, Artest is a great acquisition in a fantasy league. But this is reality, and nothing in NBA history has ever been quite like Artest's reality."

So what makes him worse than Ariza? All I see in here is that Ariza can do some sort of disappearing act that helps the Lakers.

"Everyone knows how, as an Indiana Pacer, he was suspended for 73 regular-season games and the postseason after going into the stands to confront fans and later punching one on the floor.

A long time ago, huh? Yeah, all of five years."

A real long time ago. Back when the Suns, Pistons, and Heat were great. When the Hornets sucked and the Cavaliers were irrelevant. When Steve Nash was MVP and Emeka Okafor was the next big thing.

"Did you know that he has also once shown up for practice in a bathrobe, asked to take a month off because he was tired, and been jailed for 10 days for domestic assault?"

What does this have to do with basketball?

"Everyone said he was a changed man when he was traded from the Pacers to the Sacramento Kings, but he was suspended for a playoff game in 2006 for a flagrant elbow, and the Kings lost that series to the San Antonio Spurs in six games."

This was the same year that Artest took a team that wasn't expected to make the playoffs to the sixth game as the eight seed. Bryant was also suspended from a playoff game and he's a year older than the aging Artest. What good is he? All he did was lead the Lakers to a championship?

"Everyone said he changed again when he joined the Rockets, but in this spring's playoff series against the Lakers, he was thrown out of two games while finishing the series hitting 17 of 61 shots in the last four games."

He also kept the Rockets in that series with the help of really only Shane Battier.

"And Trevor Ariza has done what, exactly? Agree to come off the bench? Agree to guard the team's best shooter? Agree to take that shot when Bryant couldn't?"

Artest won't need to come off the bench, he has always guarded the team's best shooter, and it's not like he'll decline to take shots.

"Ariza's only NBA mistake occurred this week, when he followed the lead of his misguided agent, David Lee. By joining the Rockets as a miscast free-agent star, the kid now faces the possibility of a career filled with disillusionment and mediocrity, not to mention anonymity."

Artest joins the Rockets and they're championship contendors. Ariza joins the Rockets and he's destined for mediocrity. I thought this guy had "limitless potential."

"Ariza was more valuable to the Lakers than to anyone else. This was his home, his comfort zone, the perfect spot for a supporting actor to shine from the wings."

So he's a role player, rather than Artest who could play a major role if Bryant is injured or if Gasol isn't reliable.

"Why didn't Ariza realize this? And why couldn't the Lakers have given him more time to realize this? This agreement occurred within two days of the start of the free-agent period.

Couldn't the Lakers have given him a chance to come to his senses?

Couldn't they have met somewhere in the middle?"

Yes and they could have spent more on a player destined for mediocrity rather than on a player who will make them better.

"But, no, a flashy guy in a funky haircut beckoned, and the Lakers bit, trading heart for Hollywood, quiet strength for false bravado, a rock for a hard place."

As I said earlier, Artest is happiest when he's out of the spotlight, like with the Rockets. And that's exactly what he is with the Lakers. He's not flashy at all. Artest is a scrappy, hard-working player. Are we really using haircuts to judge players?

"While Lakers fans are now faced with an unsettled title defense, there is a shining word of certainty for every other fan who recently watched the NBA's next dynasty while shouting "Break up the Lakers."

Done."

I would have suggested a different approach to this article. I would have written more than two lines about why Ariza is better than Artest. But maybe that's just not possible.

Gortat verbally commits to Mavericks

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:46:07 +0000

Marc Stein of ESPN is reporting that Orlando Magic center Marcin Gortat has verbally committed to sign an offer sheet with the Dallas Mavericks. The Spurs were interested in the 6'11'' Polish center who made a name for himself last season as Dwight Howard's backup. However, they are more interested in Rasheed Wallace or Antonio McDyess. It does hurt some to see a division rival pick up a big, young center.

Spurscast Special: Interview with Alex of NBA Tipoff

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:53:19 +0000

A few weeks ago, before the draft, Jeff Garcia had the pleasure of interviewing Alex Curtis-Slep of the NBA Tipoff.

Jeff and Alex discuss everything from favorites going into next season, the Lakers and Fabricio Oberto. It's a quick listen, but be sure to listen all the way through as this is not likely the last time you hear Alex's name and be sure to checkout NBA Tipoff for some great NBA coverage.