Artest stays put; Baron Davis, Elton Brand opt out

Word from Sacramento is that Artest is not opting out:

Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest will honor the final year of his contract and play for the Kings in the 2008-2009 season.

In an email sent to News10's Bryan May, Artest confirmed he is not exercising the free agency option in the final year of his contract, meaning he will earn $7,450,000 the coming season.

Artest is entering his third year with the Sacramento franchise, having come over in a January 2006 trade for Peja Stojakovic to the Indiana Pacers.

I think it's the best situation for Artest. Expect the Kings to actively shop Artest right about...now.

In other news is the mildly shocking revelation that both Baron Davis and Elton Brand are opting out. There's only a few teams with available cap space and two of those teams happen to be the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors. Anyone else envisioning a swap here? The teams are in the same division but a trade could be worked out considering the teams would get the most value out of their players in such a trade.

Both players can still be re-signed by their respective teams and both teams have a substantial amount of cap space. Is there the possibility that one of these players will get re-signed for less money in order to make room for a big free agent? Hmmm... hehe, probably not.

I'll tell you what though, the outcome of this off season will be interesting.


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Steve Blake made it, why can't Drew Neitzel?

I'm not going to lie, I'm a casual college basketball fan and I can't say I'm anything close to being a good talent evaluator. However, I have seen a few Michigan St. games and I do know when someone deserves a chance.

With this in mind, I tell you, Drew Neitzel of Michigan State can play basketball. He won't bully his way through the lane, he won't give you lock-down defense, but he will give it 110% every time down the court.


Drew Neitzel averaged 13 ppg, shot 40% from the field, and close to 40% from 3-point land with the Spartans. Not astonishing numbers, but a relatively solid display. What I really like about him is that he has a high basketball IQ, good basketball awareness, and a quick release on his jump shot. Oh, and great three-point shooting. I mean, he can flat-out shoot. If you ask the average college basketball fan (and I did :D) Neitzel was arguably the best guard of his conference last season.

The knock on Neitzel is his lack of athletic abilities. He doesn't have the 'tools' to become a great defender or a great scorer. To those people I say this, I'd rather have a player who leaves it all on the court than a player with outstanding athletic ability who leaves it all in the locker room. It's a safe bet for an intelligent player like Neitzel to listen to everything the coach demands.

I don't mean to sound like some Drew Neitzel fan boy (and trust me, I'm not), I'm just trying to explain the real issue here is that the NBA should give more players like him a chance. I've kind of had a grudge against NBA scouts/Gm's/etc. for picking potential over talent. For example, Al Thornton is arguably the steal of the 2007 draft. His age and 'ceiling' were no doubt factors in his late lottery selection. If teams would only look past that, they would have much better drafts.

The NBA these days is so interested into finding the next steal in the NBA draft that they forget about solid talent with ability to contribute. Usually in the second round of the draft, solid players like Neitzel are dismissed by GM's and more than likely the most athletic knucklehead left is selected. This year was no different. Sure, there's a chance that a player could pan-out, but you must remember the gamble. For every 'potential star' there are dozens of Matt Carroll's out there.

UPDATE:
Today, the Minnesota Timberwolves invited Drew Neitzel to their summer league team. It's a good opportunity for him because Minnesota has a point guard spot up for grabs. He'll likely be competing for that backup guard spot, possibly with a few other undrafted guards. I wish him the best of luck.

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Pat Riley responds to Shaq dissing Kobe

Is Elton Brand really Pat Riley's main target?

The latest draft rumors from ESPN indicate that the Heat are more interested in acquiring a point guard than drafting Michael Beasley at the no.2 slot in the draft. Such rumors suggest that Pat Riley is interested in exploring his trade options.

It's always been obvious to me that Pat Riley isn't a big fan of the rebuilding process. He's implied to the public before that he'd like to start winning as quickly as possible. That strategy has been successful for him before (2006 Heat) and the one-year turnaround of the Boston Celtics has certainly given some inspiration.

This is why I believe the recent rumors is just a smokescreen by Riley to pull off some leverage in trade talks. If you look at the top picks in this draft, most of them are in need of a point guard. Most of those teams are also in dire need of a big man. I am highly doubtful that Riley's willing to skip on Michael Beasley because of his 'personality'. My theory is that he has a larger goal in mind...getting his hands on some Elton Brand.

The Los Angeles Clippers are in need of a point guard after suffering a harsh season with Smush Parker and Brevin Knight 'running' the show. Shaun Livingston could be the answer, but currently they're in a dilemma on whether they should sign him to a long-term contract because it is not known how he'll come back from this unfortunate injury. With Al Thornton's successful rookie year, the departure of Sam Cassell, and the aging of Cuttino Mobley, it may just be time to rebuild (once again) in Clipperville. Many mock drafts are speculating that the Clippers will select the best point guard available. It would make sense for Pat Riley to pull this smokescreen to frighten the Clippers and a couple of other teams in the hunt for OJ Mayo and Jerryd Bayless. Also notice how Riley brings both players into the mix...hmmmm...

Pat Riley has taken some gambles in the past, so my prediction is that he tries to acquire Elton Brand and perhaps take on Tim Thomas' contract by offering the no.2 pick with either Marion or Haslem as the core offer. Resigning either Ricky Davis or Jason Williams as an expiring contract would also be a possible incentive. Riley may also have some interest in taking a gamble on Shaun Livingston, the Clippers may want to get rid of Cuttino Mobley. The Heat also have the MLE which could be useful in luring in a point guard like Beno Udrih.

Don't be surprised to see Elton Brand in a Heat uniform next season.

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Compiling Evidence for Conspiracy Theorists

Disclaimer: Don't brand me a conspiracy theorist, because I am not. Rather this article is to give you an idea of a conspiracy theorist's perspective.

I've decided to pretend I am one of those conspiracy theorists that believe the NBA is rigged to the point where millions of fans have been fooled. The following is compiled in order to prove the dirty tricks that the league pulls off and David Stern's authoritarian tactics.


Draft History

From 1978-2007, exactly 15 Western Conference teams and 15 Eastern Conference teams have 'won' the 1st overall pick of the nba draft. This year, the Chicago Bulls, an Eastern Conference team, received the 1st overall pick.

By coincidence, 1978 was the year David Stern became the NBA's General Counsel.

A match made in heaven.

Media

This guy says it better than I can (From TrueHoop):

From a league perspective they have done a great job sweeping this scandal under the rug, and downplaying it.

I keep on reading how Donaghy "provided information" as though this was the crux of the scandal.

The guy fixed games. He didn't "provide information" he bet on games he was working, and made calls to insure he would win those bets. It's pretty basic stuff but the NBA has somehow turned the focus of the whole investigation away from this and instead focused on the "inside information" angle.

I understand what the league is trying to do, I think in this instance the truth doesn't jibe with the league's best interest. In that respect the League and the Commissioner have done a great job of downplaying the scandal.

Honestly, do you really think that if a similar scandal had happened in the NFL, ESPN wouldn't still be covering that story right now? The Donaghy scandal barely got any run.

Then all of a sudden the NBA was the most competitive league on the planet. All of a sudden is the resurgence of the Lakers/Celtics rivalry.

Why doesn't the media cover this story as much as say...Baseball's steroids scandal? It's ridiculous. You have to believe Stern has his hands on the media, one way or another.




Unwritten Rules Over Actual Rules

The problem with referees in the NBA is that they are not required to follow the rule book. Rather, calls are the outcome of a refs opinion and not based on actual rules . Often you hear that referees should allow more contact in the NBA playoffs, or that some calls shouldn't be called at the end of a game. Don't you think Stern welcomes these demands?

There's always going to be debate over 'Common Sense' vs 'Actual Rules' since calls are such a big part of the game, but my opinion is that the actual rule book should dominate.





The 'Real' NBA Rule Book

The Infamous Game 6 of the 2002 WCF

Some claim it is the worst-officiated game in the History of Western Civilization.

Check it out for yourself (Caution: grotesque in nature):

Game 6 Part 1
Game 6 Part 2
Game 6 Part 3

I am told you are automatically converted into a conspiracy theorist after watching these videos. Me, I prefer to stay a realist, so I'll just pretend I never saw them.

Also check out my earlier post on Game 6.

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Examining Payrolls of Championship Teams

I have listed the payrolls of championship teams of the last ten years, along with other supportive salary cap information.

'98-'99 Spurs $39,606,000
Set Salary Cap: $ 30,000,000
[ $ 9,606,00 above the salary cap ]

'99-'00 Lakers $56,141,180
Set Salary Cap: $ 34,000,000
[ $ 22,141,180 above the salary cap ]

'00-'01 Lakers $58,698,213
Set Salary Cap: $ 35,500,000
[ $ 23,198,213 above the salary cap ]

'01-'02 Lakers $64,262,017
Set Salary Cap: $ 42,500,000
[ $ 21,762,017 above the salary cap ]

'02-'03 Spurs $53,804,581
Set Salary Cap: $ 40,300,000
[ $ 13,504,581 above the salary cap ]

'03-'04 Pistons $71,209,997
Set Salary Cap: $ 43,800,000
[ $ 27,409,997 above the salary cap ]

'04-'05 Spurs $65,632,919
Set Salary Cap: $ 43,900,000
[ $ 21,732,919 above the salary cap ]

'05-'06 Heat $60,732,452
Set Salary Cap: $ 49,500,000
[ $ 11,232,452 above the salary cap ]

'06-'07 Spurs $65,654,320
Set Salary Cap: $ 53,100,000
[ $ 12,554,320 above the salary cap ]

'07-'08 Celtics $81,133,740
Set Salary Cap: $ 55,600,000
[ $ 25,533,740 above the salary cap ]

Conclusions:

- The Average payroll of the last ten seasons is $61,687,542. In the last five seasons, the average salary is $68,872,686 which is about 13 mil above the most recent set salary cap ($55.63 million for the 2007-2008 season).

- Considering the salary cap in 05-06 was so much higher than the 98-99 season, I would conclude the 05-06 Heat was the cheapest championship team of the last ten seasons.

- The Celtics won the trophy this season with the highest payroll of the last ten seasons.

- The 03-04 Pistons have the largest gap between their salaries and the set salary cap.This a surprise considering their leading scorer was Rip Hamilton at 17 ppg and Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups were making a measly 5 million each.

- Make your own conclusions!



Sources:
Basketball Reference
NBA Salary Cap

Top 5 Free Agents Most Likely to Change Teams

Some of the most notable 'free agents' this summer are restricted free agents. This group consists of players such as Atlanta's athletic phenom Josh Smith and the Chicago Bulls' Luol Deng. The reason these free agents are 'restricted' is because the players could receive offers from whatever team, but the original team has the right to match the offer. Very often, the offers are matched and the players stay put. This is why I exclude these players from my breakdown.



( 5 ) Corey Maggette - Corey hasn't exactly had a great relationship with Coach Mike Dunleavy during his tenure with the Clips. Rumors indicate that he will opt out for free agency, but you never know what Donald Sterling has in mind.

( 4 ) Grant Hill - This talented veteran is anxious to get to the big stage. After the Suns' unsuccessful run this post season, Grant Hill will be exploring his options. I wouldn't be surprised to see him head back East.

( 3 ) James Posey - Most recently described as the 'new Robert Horry', James Posey could mimic Robert Horry's ring-chasing ways. His play in the finals against the Lakers showed that Posey is a definite winner. Posey could possibly be receiving a raise soon. Some teams that may be interested are the Lakers, the Suns, and the Jazz.

( 2 ) Ricky Davis/Jason Williams - Either (or both) of these players could sign a new deal this summer, perhaps even net an MLE deal. Despite the Heat's struggles, both players provide assets that teams are searching for. Either/both players could also be subjects of a sign-and-trade deal, especially with Pat Riley exploring trade opportunities. I guarantee that at least one of these players will not be with the Miami Heat next season.


( 1 ) Kwame Brown - After the Gasol-to-LA deal was completed, the Grizzlies let it be known that they were only interested in Kwame's expiring contract. There is no doubt he will not be around with the Grizzlies next season.

Bonus: Jannero Pargo - During the Hornets' big rise, general managers have had a glance at what Pargo can provide off the bench. If the Hornets decide to go Mike James direction, Pargo could be seeking a new home.

Also Smush Parker, Devean George, Matt Barnes, and Mickael Pietrus.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Free agents least likely to switch teams:

Gilbert Arenas - Many fans freaked out a few months ago when Gilbert Arenas stated he would opt out of his deal this summer. Most writers thought otherwise, concluding it was nothing more than a smart business move. I agree with my fellow brethren, that Arenas will stay a Wizard for years to come.

Lindsey Hunter - Unless someone offers him a big chunk of change (think double his salary), Hunter will not be leaving the Pistons. Hunter seems to be comfortable with the organization, and will likely stick around after his retirement.

Jermaine O'Neal - Jermaine O'Neal's injury-plagued season (and career?) has hurt his chances at opting out for big dough this summer. He'll be making superstar money, which he wouldn't get out in free agency. In fact, I bet the Pacers would be delighted if he opted out.

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A Day in the Life of Eddy Curry

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Should Faking Injuries Be Considered Flopping?

The blogging world has always been pretty harsh on floppers. Callin'em cheaters. Callin'em disgraces. Callin'em European. Me, I'm the kind of guy that roots for the little guy. The underdog. The victim.

Most recently, the horrible and intolerable injury to Paul Pierce in Game 1 of the NBA Finals led me to the discovery that faking injuries has become a growing trend in the NBA. When the 'knee injury' occurred, he was carried off the court and onto a wheelchair, to my dismay. I thought that dude was in serious, deadly pain. Yet, 5 minutes later, he came out the tunnel to the tune of the roaring crowd, without a visible limp. I could have sworn I saw him do a back flip over Pau Gasol.

I mean, he could have fooled an electrocardiogram.

Yesterday, yet again, we see a similar occurrence with Ray Allen. A Laker gives him a little tap on the face and suddenly the dude's eye is about to pop. In fact, this isn't the first time a basketball player with 'Ray Allen' in his name has flopped his way to a win.

Such an act would make Bill Belichick proud.

Photo via Deadspin

Aha! Mr. Belichick in attendance! No matter what he says, Garden (TD banknorth whatever the f it's called) security, that is not a cellphone! (Unless it takes pretty decent quality video)

Now let us go back to this exchange from the 2007 Western Conference Semis. I was surprised the NBA took absolutely no action against this incident. If you slide over to the 0:43 mark you can clearly see that Steve Nash drove his shoulder right at Robert Horry's forearm. Are you kidding me? Horry was amiable enough to walk right back to his bench and try to seek help for Nash from the team physician. But NO, those darn Phoenix Suns had to put a halt to that tremendous act of grace. Selfish bastards.

Still don't believe me? Take a look at the 0:48 mark. Horry gives Raja Bell a pretty decent shoulder massage, using nothing but his forearm (!!), and Bell reacts by violently pushing away Horry's arm. That's disgusting.

If you ask me, that sort of behavior should not be tolerated by the NBA.

The league should seriously consider penalizing players for committing these 'injury flops'. Not only does it hurt the reputation of the innocent victims at the other end of the flop, but the image of the NBA. It's time to take action or it will not be long before the number of championships will be dictated by the number of injuries you fake.

Celtics oust Lakers, Win NBA Championship

You've got to give that team credit. Everything they did, the Lakers did not do. Being a die-hard Laker fan, it'll probably take a few Kobe martinis to forget this one. Then I'll head to the sack, hoping I don't wake up with a wet bed the next day.

Seriously though, this was a fun yet disappointing series. The Celtics gave it their all, the Lakers took it all, rolled it up, and shoved it straight up their bums...

Until next season, all the Lakers can do is contemplate what do next. Scuba diving? Mexican cruise? A couple of pairs of limited edition Gucci swim trunks? Who knows. One thing that is for sure , is that the Lakers are not done yet. This learning experience is just another step on the latter... and next year, a seven-foot 20 year old center is about to climb up.

In midst of Donaghy's accusations

This is what the Lakers think of Game 6 of the 2002 WCF...






Youtube version (worser quality)