With the ACL injury to Jason Smith, the Sixers will be looking for someone to fill in as a back up center and power forward since his season is pretty much over before it starts. The Sixers can offer just a minimum contract and word is that former Sixer (and Celtic) Theo Ratliff is high on their list to contact. Ratliff played in only 2 games in his year with the Celtics and he and his expiring contract were sent to Minnesota in the deal that brought KG to the Celtics. The Wolves cut him and he finished the season with Detroit. The Sixers were also interested in Francisco Elson but apparently he is heading for Milwaukee.
A day after telling the Boston Globe he would consider a $50 million contract in Italy, Kobe told Yahoo Sports that he will not sign a contract extension with the Lakers before testing international waters. Bryant is signed through 2011 but can opt after next season. I really don't like Kobe Bryant and every season he gives me more not to like. First there was the rape charge. Then, last season there was the circus of him demanding out of LA. Now, he is going to try to hold them hostage again with a threat to play in Italy. All season he was talking about how his teammates were like brothers after he threw them all under the bus in the off season. Now, he is willing to leave them hanging if he gets enough money in Europe. Kobe has always been greedy. When the NBA voted to add the individual player maximums that came in with the 1999 collective bargaining agreement, Kobe was the only player who voted against it. Before then, teams could re-sign their own free agents to any amount under the "Larry Bird" exception. Afterward they were limited to a percentage of the salary cap. Many of the league's stars think about their teams and helping them to build a championship team. Look at Arenas. As much as I don't like him, he took less to help his team. Shaq did the same. Pierce stuck with a team that looked like it was going nowhere out of loyalty. Kobe has been all too willing to trash anyone in his way to accomplish his own agenda. Honestly, I hope he does go and then we won't have to see all those sappy bits trying to portray him as the perfect family man during every game.
Manu Ginobili and Argentina lost their opener in Olympic play 79-75 to Linas Kleiza and Lithuania. Spain with Pau and Marc Gasol and Rudy Fernandez beat Greece 81-66 in opening play. Dirk Nowitski had 23 points and Chris Kaman had 24 as they led Germany to a 95-66 victory over Angola. I don't understand Kaman playing for Germany. He is a US citizen but because Dirk was able to get him a German passport, he is playing for Germany. I always thought you had to have more ties to a country than a passport to play for them in the Olympics. He had never been to Germany before agreeing to play for their Olympic team. Talk about bringing in a ringer.
The USA women's team opened Olympic play with a 97-57 win over the Czech Republic. When I watched a part of the game, it looked like a layup drill for team USA. They also played pressure defense that would make Tom Thibodeau proud. President Bush was on hand to watch the US team win. Men tip off vs host team China at approximately 10:15 eastern time Sunday.
The New Orleans Hornets have reportedly reached an agreement with reserve forward Ryan Bowen for a one year contract to bring him back for the 2008-09 season. Bowen will back up David West at the power forward spot. The Hornets have made it clear that they aren't interested in bringing back Jannero Pargo for what he is currently asking, but they are still considering making an offer to Bonzi Wells, although they haven't yet made him an offer.
After making an offer to Josh Smith and losing out on him, the Grizzlies now have renounced their rights to free agents Casey Jacobsen and Andre Brown. Jacobsen is a 6-6 guard who has averaged 5.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in his career playing with Phoenix, New Orleans and Memphis. Brown is a 6-9 forward who averaged 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds over 2 seasons with the Grizzlies. A renounced player no longer counts toward team salary, so teams use renouncement to gain cap room. After renouncing a player, the team is still permitted to re-sign them, but the team must either have enough salary cap room to fit the salary or sign them to a minimum salary. A team can still trade a renounced player in a sign-and-trade agreement. I wonder if they are fixing to make an offer to either Ben Gordon or Andre Iguodala. There is speculation that they might look to take Zach Randolph off the Knicks' hands. Memphis has Marc Gasol and Darko, but neither are legit low-post scorers like Randolph can be when he is motivated. Keep an eye on Memphis because they are the only team with significant cap space and it appears they are preparing for a big move.
With European teams making advances toward the NBA's stars and offering obscene salaries that no NBA can match because they are hampered by a salary cap that European teams don't have to abide by, there have been questions whether the NBA will do away with the salary cap to allow teams to match these offers for their stars. David Stern says there is no way they will do away with the cap.
So what about eliminating the cap? The source said there was "no chance." "We're paying out 57 percent of gross revenue right now, over $2 billion [per] year in salaries and a majority of our teams are losing money," the source said. "There will always be a star player or two who can get picked off, but no other league in the world can even pay a fraction of the amount in total salaries."
There have also been rumblings about the NBA expanding to Europe and sources say that the possibility of the NBA in Europe is becoming increasingly realistic. Count me as skeptical. Travel would be a nightmare. NBA players are exhausted after an 82 game schedule now, imagine how they will feel if they have to add a few transatlantic flights to their schedule. I don't see it.
Now that the Hawks have the Josh Smith contract saga completed with some help from the Grizzlies, they are looking to complete their roster. Two possibilities that have been mentioned are Jannero Pargo and Shaun Livingston. Livingston is a very intriguing player. He is still rehabbing from his knee injury and hasn't been cleared for any real basketball activities, but if he can play, he has the potential to be something special. One player they aren't interested in bringing back is Salim Stoudamire, who is considering options elsewhere. The Hawks were also interested in Francisco Elson, but as stated above, he is apparently headed for the Bucks.
Earl Boykins, the league's shortest player at 5'5" has signed a $3.5 million contract with Virtus Bologna of the Italian League. He will the highest-paid player in Italy next season. He is the highest player in Italy, that is, until Kobe gets there. It is reported that he also will participate in the sponsorship and marketing income of the team, options forbidden in the NBA by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. This is the option that may get the attention of the big stars like Kobe and LeBron who are considering the leap to Europe for the big bucks.
Ending on an upbeat Celtics' note. Celtics new center Patrick O'Bryant who was drafted ninth overall two years ago but has fallen well shy of expectations, has been spending a lot of time working out with assistant coach Clifford Ray at the team's Waltham practice facility. Dwight Howard gives credit to Ray for his game as did Celtics legend Robert Parish. If anyone can bring out this kid's potential, it is Clifford Ray.
The big news today is that the Memphis Grizzlies have given Hawks' restricted free agent, Josh Smith, an offer sheet worth $58 million over 5 years. The Grizzlies are the only team left with cap space now that both Philly and the Clippers have used theirs up and are the only team who could have given him an offer other than the Hawks or a sign and trade scenario. The Hawks had 7 days to match the offer or let him go but it didn't take them long to announce that they would match the Grizzlies' offer and keep Smith on the Hawks. It makes you wonder if the Griz will go after any of the other big free agents who are left like Ben Gordon or Andre Iguodala with their unused cap space.
After sitting pretty much dormant for the first part of the offseason and prompting rumors that they were in cost cutting mode and not planning to sign any free agents, the Grizzlies have come to life. First they gave Josh Smith an unexpected $58 million offer and there is also word that they have identified Iranian center Hamed Ehadadi as a player they are interested in and they and hope to sign the 7-2, 23-year-old next week. He'll play for the Iran national team in the Olympics. He recently scored 19 points and pulled down 16 rebounds in summer league action at Utah. He also scored 20 points with nine rebounds against Argentina and 20 points, 20 rebounds and six blocks against Serbia in Olympic tune-ups. He looks like a nice pick up for the Grizzlies.
Philadelphia 76ers are already having some bad luck and the season hasn't even started. Their center Jason Smith tore the ACL in his left knee during an NBA-approved camp in Las Vegas. Smith, a second-year player out of Colorado State, averaged 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds as a rookie. He averaged 18.6 points and 8.0 rebounds in five games in the Las Vegas summer league. The Celtics have several players who can give Smith some support and advice. We still have visions of Tony Allen writhing on the floor in pain after tearing his ACL in the 2006-07 season. They also have Leon Powe and Bill Walker who have both experienced an ACL tear and come back from it.
Speaking of Walker, the Celtics still haven't signed either of their draft picks. We had news early of Walker watching the mini camp after his surgery. Global Celtic over on Celtics Green wrote to Marc Spears asking him if there was any news about Walker's rehab or signing the assistant coaches and he got this response from Marc:
Walker has been working out at the Celtics training facility. Celtics working on new contracts for assistants.
I know it's not much news, but it says a lot about Walker that he is still in Waltham and working out with the Celtics coaches even without a contract. I really like this kid's attitude and look forward to seeing him get a chance with the Celtics this season.
Happy 80th Birthday to Bob Cousy. NBA-TV will be celebrating his birthday all day with special programming featuring Cousy and the Celtics. I love the story about how Cousy came to be a Celtic. It was expected that Red would take Cousy in the draft, but he didn't want to be forced to take the "local yokel from Holy Cross" and instead took Chuck Share, a 6-foot-11 center from Bowling Green as Red always believed that as the center position goes, so goes the team. This could have been one of Red's few mistakes if it wasn't for a twist of fate that brought Cousy to the Celtics anyway. Cousy went to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, which soon traded him to the Chicago Stags, but that franchise folded before the 1950-51 season started. The names of three Stags -- Cousy and two much sought-after players were tossed into a hat. Celtics owner, Walter Brown pulled Cousy's name and the rest is history. Share had a rather unremarkable career and Cousy became the heart and soul of a dynasty. Like I've always said, GM<'s have to be lucky along with being good.
Michael Finley still hasn't signed with a team. The Spurs are believed to have offered him a contract worth more than the veteran minimum of $1.3 million to keep him in San Antonio. Word is that the Mavs have also contacted him with an offer. The Spurs are also said to have offered the remainder of their MLE, roughly $2 million, to Hornets' free agent Jannero Pargo.
All the teams clearing cap space for the 2010 free agent market may be very surprised to have a lot of money and no one to spend it on. First, LeBron said he would seriously consider going to Russia for a $50 million contract. Then Kobe said that he would love to play in Italy for the same kind of deal. Now, Dwyane Wade reports that he would seriously consider an offer from Greece when his contract is up with the Heat. This is becoming a very disturbing trend. Ben Gordon on the other hand is still looking for a contract in the NBA and would prefer not to go to Eupope. The Bulls are offering Gordon a deal in the range of $59 million over six years and do not want to go any higher to avoid the luxury tax. If Gordon is looking for more, he will have to find a team willing to pay him more in a sign and trade or accept the Bulls $6.4 million qualifying offer and hope for more as an unrestricted free agent next season, assuming he plays well this season.
Chris Bosh may be a Raptor, but I love this kid. His has such a great sense of humor. First there was the video lobbying for All Star votes. Now he has one showing his training for the Olympic team and it is hilarious. Too funny!
Back from a few much needed days off. The schedule was released and the Celtics will raise banner #17 to the rafters along with getting their rings on October 28 with LeBron James looking on. Talk about giving LeBron incentive. He has to stand there and watch the Celtics getting their rings while he knows that with a little help he could be getting a ring as well. The Cavs have until 2010 to improve and give LeBron that shot at a ring or he could be going elsewhere. We all have watched with interest the teams such as the Knicks and Nets clearing cap space for the summer of 2010 to make a run at the LeBron sweepstakes. The Cavs have let it be known that they won't let him go without a fight as well. Now, it may all be for nothing as a couple of European teams have contacted James with possible offers of $50 million a year or more. And, LeBron has said that he would consider going to Europe for that kind of money. He could play a year or two and then come back to the US and sign with a contender since money won't be an issue any longer. Something interesting to watch, for sure. Whatever LeBron decides to do, there will be several teams with a lot of cap room to make a splash on the free agent market.
Not only is LeBron talking Europe but now, Kobe Bryant has said that he would probably leave the NBA to play in Italy if they offered him in the area of $50 million a year. Kobe spent a large part of his childhood growing up in Italy while his father played professional basketball there and speaks fluent Italian. In 1999, he also acquired a 50 percent ownership of the Olimpia Milano of the Italian Professional Basketball League. Does that mean that he could offer himself a contract? Anyway, he would love to play in Italy and no NBA team could match that kind of money. Kobe has the rings and so it may be about the money and a new challenge at that point. He proved last off season that he doesn't have much loyalty to the Lakers organization so if he gets an offer from an Italian team he may just go. Besides the basketball, there is a whole new country of women for him to go after who may not have heard about his sordid past in the US.
The signings have slowed down, but the Clippers are still at it as they acquired Steve Novak, a forward who will give them some perimeter scoring, in a deal with the Houston Rockets. In return, the Rockets will have the option to exchange second-round picks with the Clippers in the 2011 NBA draft. Don't you love all these teams getting players for next to nothing? Must be nice to have all that cap space. The Clippers also signed free agent point guard Jason Williams on Thursday. He joins former Heat teammate, Ricky Davis, on the team. There had been some rumors that the Celtics were looking at Williams before House was re-signed. The Clippers had been looking to re-sign Shaun Livingston but the Williams signing closes the door on that. Livingston is an intriguing point guard at 6'7" but still hasn't been cleared for basketball after the knee injury he suffered last season. This gives the Clippers 10 new players for the upcoming season and 14 total under contract. The Celtics started last season with 9 new players and they didn't have any chemistry problems, but then again, they had Kevin Garnett and just the right mix of players. The question for the Clippers may be which Ricky Davis shows up. You also have to question how much 2 players from a roster that produced 15 wins will help.
At a time where head coaches often don't last more than one season, it is simply amazing that Jerry Sloan is about to celebrate 20 years as head coach of the Utah Jazz. The Dec. 9 anniversary game for the longest-tenured coach in American pro sport will be played against the Timberwolves in Minnesota. Sloan will begin the season with 995 victories as the Jazz head coach. No coach in NBA history has won 1,000 games with one team and Sloan can make history as he will definitely eclipse that mark early in this season.
The NBA’s Web site all but confirmed Thunder would be the nickname of Oklahoma City’s NBA team when they released the schedule on Wednesday morning. At first, NBA.com linked to a page that listed the “Oklahoma City Thunder schedule” but by Wednesday afternoon, all mentions of Thunder were removed. Now that the cat's out of the bag, it's about time they make the announcement and make it official.
Allan Houston is planning to make another comeback attempt and it is possible that he could get a second try with the Knicks. The 37-year-old Houston told Newsday Tuesday that his agent has been in touch with a few teams and is in preliminary discussions about a training camp tryout. Houston tried to make a comeback last pre-season when he showed at Knicks training camp, but lasted only a week. Houston played 6 minutes of garbage time in a preseason game against the Celtics but put an end to his comeback shortly thereafter.
The Heat signed Denver Nuggets' free agent Yakhouba Diawara. He will give them some experience and scoring from the wing. The Cavs have signed former Grizzlies' guard Terrance Kinsey to give them backcourt depth. They still haven't come to terms with Delonte West. It may come down to Delonte accepting the qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent next year. I'd really love to have him back with the Celtics for both his toughness and play and his sense of humor. Who can forget the Wire Hanger or the Valentine's Day bits? I miss Delonte.
The Lakers and Chinese point guard Sun Yue have agreed to terms on a two-season contract, the team confirmed Thursday. Sun is known as the Chinese Magic Johnson because of his eye-catching playmaking ability and will face his future teammate Kobe Bryant when China plays the United States on Sunday in Team USA's opening game. Sun will compete with starting point guard Derek Fisher and backup PG Jordan Farmar for playing time and can also play some shooting guard.
Reports are that the Bucks have reached a verbal agreement with former Spurs and Sonics' free agent center, Francisco Elson. If they do sign him, he will give the Bucks good depth behind Andrew Bogut at the center position. Some early reports had him headed for Boston, but you wonder how that would work out after Elson called KG gay when he was a rookie with the Nuggets.
Word is that the Spurs are one of three teams believed to have offered Pargo a deal that would start at $2 million next season. The other teams in the Pargo sweepstakes remain unclear, though it is presumed the Denver Nuggets might be one of them. The Hornets appear willing to let him go and aren't reported to be in the mix for Pargo's services. He is instant offense off the bench and a very good 3 point shooter and would replace what they lost in Brent Barry when he went to the Rockets.
I would say that the Heat desperately need help at the point guard spot since after Jason Williams signed with the Clippers, Marcus Banks is their only PG. The Suns thought that he would be the answer to back up Steve Nash and passed on Rajon Rondo because of it. They soon found out that his speed isn't everything. If he would ever get the right attitude, he would be a decent point guard, but so far, he still hasn't gotten his head straight. With Williams gone and Banks as the only PG, it could open the door for a return by restricted free agent Chris Quinn, who finished last season as the Heat's starting point guard.
Of course, much of the buzz these next couple of weeks will be about the Olympics as Team USA finally has the chance to redeem themselves and bring home the gold. Games start on Sunday when they face China. The game will be televised at 10:15 am on NBC tv. The women tip off on Saturday as they face the Czech republic. Go USA!!!
The schedule for the upcoming season has been released. Here are a few of the highlights.
The Celtics will play 8 pre-season games starting on October 8 and ending up on October 21 against the Sixers, Cavs (twice), Rockets, Nets (twice) and Knicks (twice).
The Celtics will open the season at home on Tuesday October 28 against LeBron James and his band of Cavaliers. This will be broadcast on TNT.
As has been leaked, the Celtics will play the Lakers in LA on Christmas day in a 5:00 PM game. Just like the good old days, the Celtics and Lakers on National TV on Christmas day. I remember back to when the Celtics played every year on Christmas. The Celtics will meet the Lakers again on February 5.
The Celtics will also play on Super Bowl Sunday, February 1, at 12 noon with their opponent being the Minnesota Timberwolves, however it isn't on the national TV schedule. Their first matchup with the Wolves will be on November 21.
In October and November, the Celtics will play 10 home games and 8 on the road. Their first Western road trip will begin on Christmas day and include 4 games in 5 days including the Lakers, Warriors, Kings and Blazers. They also have a 6 game Western road stretch broken up by the All Star Game in February. Unlike last season, they will face the 3 Texas teams in 3 separate road trips. 5 of their last 7 games in April will be at home.
The Celtics will appear on national TV a whopping 25 times including 9 on TNT, 10 on ESPN, and 6 on ABC. This doesn't even include games to be shown on NBA-TV who won't release their 96 game schedule until later. What a far cry from the 5 nationally televised games from two years ago with ABC shutting them out completely.
