Training Camp is just around the corner and I thought it was time to take a close up look at the players who will be playing for the defending champs this season and preview the 2008-2009 season. We will start with a look at each of the players. First up is the Captain and Finals MVP: The Truth.
Paul Pierce was born and grew up in Inglewood, California and was the star of his Inglewood High School basketball team, having started all four years. Paul also participated in the 1995 McDonalds All American slam dunk competition along with fellow future NBA all-star Vince Carter.
After high school, Pierce went on to the University of Kansas and played there 3 seasons before becoming an early entry in the NBA Draft. Pierce averaged 16.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in his three seasons at the University of Kansas, and earned MVP honors in the Big 12 Conference Tournament in both 1997 and 1998. He majored in Crime and Delinquency Studies while at Kansas. In the draft, he inexplicably slid to the 10th pick where the Celtics very happily grabbed him.
Pierce got his nickname, "The Truth," from Shaquille O'Neal. After a Lakers' victory over Boston in March of 2001, O'Neal pulled a Boston reporter over and gestured toward his notepad. "Take this down," said O'Neal. "My name is Shaquille O'Neal and Paul Pierce is the (expletive) truth. Quote me on that and don't take nothing out. I knew he could play, but I didn't know he could play like this. Paul Pierce is the truth." And from that time on, Pierce has been called The Truth.
Pierce has been known for his toughness. He rarely misses a game or a practice. In September of 2000, just minutes after entering a Boston dance club in the early morning hours, he was jumped from behind by three men. He was sucker-punched, a bottle was broken over his right eye, a knife was plunged through the back of his leather jacket six inches into his body and he received 10 other stab wounds. He required lung surgery and was considered in critical condition. Three weeks after the attack, however, he was back at practice for the Celtics and played the entire 2000-2001 season, averaging 25.3 points.
In the 2002-03 season, in a game against the Blazers, Pierce hit the game winner. This in itself wasn't so amazing as he had done it many times before. But what made this game winner more noteworthy was the fact that the night before he had been fouled hard by Amare Stoudamire and lost several teeth. He spent 7 hours in the dentist's chair having them repaired and still started the game against the Blazers the following night and finished by hitting the game winner.
In the 2005-06 season, he had bursitis in his elbow. At times, his elbow was very swollen and he had to have it drained several times before games. But yet, he played through the pain and didn't miss games or practice because of it until Doc shut him down at the end of the year after the Celtics were definitely out of the playoffs.
In the 2006-07 season, Pierce missed the first significant time of his career when he was out for 35 games with a stress reaction in his foot. He could easily have stayed out the rest of the season, but he came back to finish the season as soon as he was possibly able to play, even though he wasn't in the top shape. He didn't care about stats, because obviously he wouldn't put up big numbers in limited minutes and not in top shape, but he cared about helping his teammates who were clearly struggling without him.
Pierce has not only played for the Celtics but has also represented the USA on several teams. He participated in the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival for the West Team that finished 1-3 and in fourth place, averaged 9.5 ppg., 4.0 rpg., and 2.0 apg. He was a member of the 1996 USA U21 World Championship Qualifying Team that also played an exhibition game against the 1996 USA Basketball Senior National Team and almost pulled off a monumental upset. The USA collegians led the NBA stars by as many 17 points, however the USA seniors rallied late to capture a narrow 96-90 decision.
The 1996 USA U21 World Championship Qualifying Team finished 5-0 that year and won the gold medal. Pierce averaged 9.4 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 1.2 apg. and 1.6 spg. He was Member of the 2002 USA World Championship Team that finished 6-3 and in sixth place, averaged 19.8 ppg., 4.6 rpg. and 3.9 apg. He very unfairly was made a scapegoat for this team's failure. He wanted to redeem himself and made it no secret that he wanted to be part of the team being put together with an eye toward the Beijing Olympics. On March 5, 2006, he was named to the the 2006-2008 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program. However he couldn't compete for a spot for the first two years due to the surgery on his elbow the first season and the recurrence of the elbow injury along with the foot injury the second season. And because he didn't participate in the previous two seasons, he wasn't eligible to play in the Olympics.
Pierce is also very active in the community and does much to help others. He was raised by his mother, Lorraine Hosey and every year at Thanksgiving, he puts on a big dinner for the single mothers in the area in her honor. The Truth Fund was founded by Paul Pierce in May of 2002. It was developed as a means for Paul to streamline all his charitable efforts and make an impact on the lives of disadvantaged youth in the Greater Boston area as well as in his hometown of Inglewood, CA.
The mission of the Truth Fund is to provide educational and life-enriching opportunities for disadvantaged youth. Paul's vision of the Fund is to ensure that opportunities are available for young people to recognize their dreams through mentoring programs, technology and other educational needs as well as fostering stable and safe environments for children.
Pierce along with Baron Davis has hosted "A Midsummer Night's Dream," a celebrity All-Star weekend of events raising funds for charity. This event was hosted by NBA legend Magic Johnson for 20 years and was handed over to Davis and Pierce when he retired from hosting it. The proceeds go to The Truth Fund, The Baron Davis Foundation and The Magic Johnson Foundation.
Pierce's attitude and style of play have won him praise from the Celtics' owners and even from Red Auerbach himself. "He's one of my favorite kids," said Auerbach, the patriarch of the Celtics. "Pierce is a typical Celtics kid. All he wants to do is win." Auerbach himself was on hand to present the first annual Red Auerbach Award to Paul Pierce in 2006. It is awarded to the player who best exemplifies what it means to be a Celtic.
Pierce was also recognized by Children's Hospital Boston as their 2006 Champion Award recipient. The Champion Award is an annual honor bestowed on the Boston athlete who exemplifies outstanding community contributions.
After the 2004-2005 season, many expected Pierce to be traded. He struggled much of the year with Doc River's system that focused less on his one on one play and more on team play. There were even times when Doc had to bench him because he wasn't running and wasn't following the game plan. It all came to a head in the playoffs when he lost his cool and was ejected in a game against the Pacers and then later showed up at the press conference with his jaw bandaged. However, he did a lot of soul searching over the off season and returned the following season a much happier player. He was a mentor to the younger players and seemed genuinely happy to be in Boston.
Trade rumors involving Paul Pierce have swirled ever since Danny Ainge was named the Executive Director of Basketball Operations in May of 2003. They seemed to be everwhere after his melt down in the playoffs against the Pacers. But after a stellar season on and off the court, Pierce said that he wanted to remain a Celtic. Ainge laid most of these rumors to rest in the 2006 offseason by signing Paul Pierce to a 3 year, $59 million contract extension.
Even last off-season going into the draft, there were rumors that Pierce might be traded and that the team would continue rebuilding with young players. After winning a title in Miami, Antoine Walker urged Pierce to leave Boston if he ever wanted to get a ring. Pierce has never demanded a trade or ever said anything other than that he wanted to stay a Celtic for life although at times he expressed frustration with the losing seasons. Last year, the draft day deal to bring in Ray Allen left no doubt that Pierce was the cornerstone of the franchise and that the team would do whatever it could to build around him. Bringing in one of the best players in the league in Kevin Garnett was icing on the cake for him. He entered last season with a chance to win a title in Boston and to cement his legacy as one of the Celtic greats.
Last season was a dream season for Pierce and the Celtics. Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen did everything together and presented a united front at every opportunity. In spite of being doubted the entire season, the Celtics finished with 66 wins and won the title for the first time in 22 years. Paul Pierce secured his legacy as a Celtic by out-playing LeBron James in the Conference Finals and then he out-played Kobe Bryant in the Finals to win the Finals MVP. It seemed that Pierce celebrated the whole summer but hopefully he was also working to get in shape for this coming season. If the Celtics repeat as champions, it will be certain that Pierce will once again be the heart of that effort, and that's the Truth.
The season preview magazines are going to be coming out. Athlon is already out and they are picking the Hornets to win the championship this season over the Celtics. Could be the James Posey effect. Well, the Celtics weren't picked by most of them to win last year, either. Even into the finals, they weren't given much chance and it looks like they will be fighting for respect again this season even though they are the defending champs.
More details are coming out about Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur and their troubles at the Rookie transition program. Apparently, a fire alarm went off in their hotel and they refused to leave the room. Security opened the room with their master key and they found at least 2 women in the room which smelled strongly of marijuana (could that be what set off the fire alarm?) and someone was in the bathroom repeatedly flushing the toilet. Sources say that David Stern was furious and had them kicked out of the program which they will have to repeat next season. By that time they should either be incorrigible or have learned their lesson.
The Suns are heading into the season with a new coach and a new mindset. Terry Porter wants to improve the defense and will make it the emphasis of their upcoming training camp. I expect many of the top teams to put more of an effort on the defensive end after seeing the Celtics' success by emphasizing defense. The Suns will still probably run and gun, but they will also try to get stops at the other end and that could make them a dangerous team.
There have been reports of teams working out ahead of training camp including the Wolves and Nets. Now, the SacBee is reporting that Brad Miller and Kevin Martin have been among the players training hard in Sacramento recently. Shareef Abdur-Rahim is in Africa with Basketball Without Boarders and it appears that his training is continuing his attempt at a comeback will continue into the Kings' training camp. The Kings have until Oct. 31 to offer Francisco Garcia an extension but it looks as though they will pass on the extension and let him become a restricted free agent next summer.
The Warriors have been linked to the Indiana Pacers in a deal involving Jamaal Tinsley, Al Harrington, among others. They are also interested in Marquis Daniels who Don Nelson knows and likes from his years in Dallas. The Pacers want to get rid of Tinsley and the Warriors want to get rid of Al Harrington and so it could happen. The Warriors are still investigating the injury to Monta Ellis and it seems pretty certain at this point that it happened other than playing basketball. The big question is, what will they do if they find out that it was a motorcycle accident or some such thing?
Along with dealing with their rookie Darrell Arthur's extracurricular activities, the Grizzlies have been rumored to be considering a couple of possible deals. One rumor involves sending Mike Conley to Portland in a deal that would send forward Travis Outlaw to Memphis. This trade was discussed prior to the draft and would unite Conley with his best friend, Greg Oden. The other deal that has been more widely circulated would bring forward Zach Randolph to Memphis in a deal that would send Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric to the Knicks. The deal is up to New York now as to whether they will take the Grizzlies up on it or not. Jaric's contract runs into the 2010 season which could hold them back on the deal since they, like several other teams, is trying to clear as much cap space as possible for the big name free agents expected to be on the market then.
The Cavs made it official and signed center Lorenzen Wright on Friday. The 12 year NBA veteran signed for the league minumum and will give the size, experience and front court depth. The Cavs are expected to announce a deal with their second-round draft pick Darnell Jackson from Kansas today. They are still not close to working out a deal with Delonte West. I think Delonte should take their qualifying offer and go for free agency next summer.
I have been thinking a lot about Pistol Pete Maravich lately. He's always been one of my favorite all time players and reading the book Pistol has been a fascinating look at how he and his dad helped to make the game of basketball what it is today. I've been spending some time on YouTube watching some of the videos of Pistol Pete and you just have to be amazed at how very good he was. After watching Pete play, you realize that he was truly one of a kind. Here are some of the best of them.
Here is Pete's 68 point game against the Knicks shot by shot in order. Amazing stuff.
Here are Pete's top ten rarely seen plays.
Here is a mix of Pete at LSU
Here is a mix of the Piston in the pros.
Finally, here are two of the greatest influences on the NBA as we know it today. Red on Roundball, featuring Pete Maravich.
Herald Dwight Howard visits Atlanta alma mater with gold medal New Hall class talk of town FL's Take: I won't be able to take the Hall of Fame seriously until they elect Dennis Johnson. It is a travesty that he has been left out. He should have been elected when Kevin McHale and Robert Parish were. He won championships with 2 different teams and he was described by Larry Bird as the best player he ever played with. The Hall of Fame is a joke until they right the wrong that has gone on way too long. Still a rookie, Greg Oden joins others for orientation FL's Take: I haven't seen any info on whether Giddens and Walker are there, but I would assume they are. Report: Former Kansas players booted from NBA rookie transition program FL's Take: This seems counter-productive. They are giving these kids classes on staying away from drugs and how to behave and then they kick them out for having drugs and behaving badly. I would think if anyone should be there it is these two. They obviously need what is being taught. GlobeA slam dunk Celtics championship trophy to visit Vermont FL's Take: I don't suppose the trophy will be taking a trip to the Florida Panhandle any time soon. Maybe for Spring Break. CelticsBlog Wondering What Season Five Will Bring For Big Al FL's Take: I miss Big Al. I loved last year's team and it was exciting to win the championship again finally, but I often wonder what would have happened if the Celtics had stuck with youth and kept Big Al and Ryan Gomes and Delonte. Would they ever have developed together into a championship team? It just seemed different to win the championship with brand new players. Back in the day, the Celtics built mostly from the draft and developed the teams together. I kind of miss the good old days of players staying with the same team for most of their careers. LOY's Place Playing H-O-R-S-E Hoopsworld Injuries happen The Hall of Fame FL's Take: As I said before. The Hall of Fame is a joke and will be until they induct DJ. It should have come when he was alive to enjoy it, but it is wrong that needs to be righted. Evening scoop: Should West go West? FL's Take: I'd love to get Delonte back in Celtic green, but don't see it happening. Central also deep FL's Take: Almost every team in the league has improved this off season. Most of the improvements were with an eye on how to match up with and beat the Celtics. It is going to be a tough season. NBA.comStoudamire's Search SI.com LeBron gets S-M-O-K-E-D FL's Take: How embarrassing for LeBron but how exciting for the factory worker that beat him. I still say that playing in the Olympics has to take a lot out of these players. I salute them for representing their country, but still have the feeling that it will hurt their teams down the stretch. NY Daily News Stephon Marbury's cousin writes about NBA star Sports of Boston Celtics player review: Kevin Garnett The Salt Palace Could NBA players make in the NFL? FL's Take: I have a feeling that Big Baby would have no trouble in the NFL. Lex Nihil Novi Jabbar was a Celtics fan When the Bucks dealt Jabbar part 1 When the Bucks dealt Jabbar part 2 When the Bucks dealt Jabbar part 3 When the Bucks dealt Jabbar part 4 SLAMBig three rankings Friends of the West Town MuseumOperation Uplift salutes Maywood's Doc Rivers
After reading this article on SI.com about how LeBron James lost 2 consecutive games of H-O-R-S-E to a warehouse worker in California, I started thinking about the ultimate H-O-R-S-E player, Pistol Pete Maravich. Pete has always been one of my favorite players. I have been reading the book Pistol and it is an excellent read. It goes back to the very beginnings of the game and how it was shaped into what we watch today, and gives insight into what shaped Pistol Pete Maravich, arguably one of the best players in the game. Pete was so far ahead of his time that he was considered more of a novelty than a serious basketball player.
I was thrilled when he signed with the Celtics after being waived by Utah in 1980. With the Celtics that year, he was in unfamiliar territory as he played as a role player and not the headliner for the first time in his career. But, he averaged 11.5 points in 26 games for the Celtics and was still very capable of scoring in bunches when needed. In one game he scored the final 10 points to help the Celtics come from behind to beat the Washington Bullets. After that season, he gave in to the knee problems that had been plaguing him in his final few years and retired. Over the years, I have often thought of how ironic it was that the year after he retired from the Celtics, they won the title. Had he hung on one more season, he would have had that elusive ring he chased his entire career and it would have given his career the validity it deserved.
Even though he had been out of the game for years, his death in 1988 hit me really hard. He was one of my heroes and I felt the world lost something special that had never really been appreciated. He was a showman and he did things on a basketball court people had never seen before and have never seen since but he never got the recognition he deserved in my opinion. But there can be no doubt that Pete was the king of the trick shot. Here is a video of Pete playing H-O-R-S-E and I don't think anyone ever beat him at it. LeBron could take some lessons from Pete before venturing to play H-O-R-S-E again. Enjoy a master at work!
Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur are in big trouble with the NBA. They were thrown out of the rookie transition program after being caught in their hotel room with marijuana and women, which is against the rules. They were also fined $20,000 apiece and could start the regular season on the suspended list. They will also have to repeat the rookie transition program again next season. Sixty nine of the league's rookies are gathered in Rye Brook, N.Y. for the four-day seminar in which coaches, referees and former players speak to the rookies about adapting to the league. Looks like these two failed the class. I imagine that JR Giddens and Bill Walker are there for the orientation. One rookie who won't be there is Knicks' rookie, Patrick Ewing, Jr, who will be attending his father's induction into the Hall of Fame.
Bill Russell addressed the rookies on Wednesday, and during the question and answer session, Nets rookie, Brook Lopez asked him which of his 11 championship rings he wore. His answer was that he doesn't wear any of them. He wears a special ring given to him by commissioner David Stern which commemorates all of his 11 titles. I wonder if Tommy Heinsohn has one for all of his 10 titles.
In a surprise to no one, the Oklahoma City franchise will be henceforth known as the Thunder. Their colors are orange-red, blue and yellow. Six children joined players Desmond Mason and Damien Wilkins as they pulled down a curtain to reveal a large blue banner with the logo in the middle. They had the AC/DC song "Thunderstruck" blaring over the loudspeaker in the background. Thunder is an okay name, but I still prefer the old style of giving teams plural names.
Manu Ginobili had the surgery on his ankle on Wednesday to repair a ligament injury. He will be in a splint and on crutches for three weeks and then, his rehabilitation schedule will be determined after his ankle is re-evaluated. The Spurs had tried to discourage him from playing in the Olympics, but he decided to play anyway but missed the bronze medal game because he re-aggravated the injury. This could be cause for some tension this season as he will obviously have to miss some of the season while he rehabs his ankle.
There are more questions as to how Monta Ellis actually injured his ankle. It is now being reported that along with the high ankle sprain and torn deltoid ligament, there were also several cuts and abrasions on his leg that wouldn't be expected if the injury occurred during a workout as he said it did. ESPN reports that two experts in sports medicine that they contacted said that a torn deltoid ligament is rarely seen in basketball and that the injury of the deltoid suggests a more serious rotational injury than those commonly associated with the NBA. GM Chris Mullins said that Ellis told the Warriors that he got the injury playing pick up basketball but that still doesn't fit the extent of the injuries. I am sure there is more to come.
Leon Powe and the Celtics 2008 Championship Trophy will be at the Natick Mall this Saturday September 6, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you go there and sign up for the Celtics Championship license plate that benefits Children's Hospital Boston you will have the opportunity to pose for a picture with Leon and the Larry O'Brien Trophy. A bit far for me to go but anyone in the area, it's a good opportunity to see the trophy up close and get a picture with one of my favorite Celtics.
Reports out of Cleveland is that the Cavs are very close to reaching a deal with veteran big man Lorenzen Wright. The 6-foot-11 12 year NBA veteran can play both the forward and center positions and is a solid rebounder. On the other hand, the stalemate continues in contract talks with former Celtic Delonte West. The Cavs are believed to be offering West about $4 million per season which is similar to the deal Daniel Gibson signed earlier this summer. Delonte is believed to be looking for a deal starting closer to $5.5 million. He has until September 30 to take the Cavs up on their one-year qualifying offer of $2.76 million.
The Pacers are still set against buying out Jamaal Tinsley but they want to move him and will intensify their their efforts to trade him before training camp. Tinsley's knee is reportedly healthy and he's working out in Atlanta. It doesn't look as though they will get a deal done to extend Danny Granger before the October deadline. If they don't get an extension done this season, he will become a restricted free agent next season and the Pacers would be able to match any offers he received.
Three weeks before the start of training camp, the Miami Heat has begun to thin its roster by waiving forward Stephane Lasme. The 6-foot-8 forward had signed a 10-day contract with the Heat in March of last season and later was signed for the balance of the season because of the team's multiple injuries. He averaged 5.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.38 blocks in his 16 appearances with the Heat last season which included four starts. This move may have been triggered by the signing of Jamaal Magloire earlier this week.
The Nets have not only changed their roster significantly, they will also be changing their offense. The offense Lawrence Frank will run this year, which is best known as the dribble-drive-motion, was developed by a junior college coach named Vance Walberg. This system was used by John Calipari and Memphis on their way to the NCAA Finals last spring. It is a spread set, with four men stationed wide, and predicated on Princeton-type motion, drive-and-kick attacks and 3-point accuracy and it is now the rage, as NBA teams such as Denver and Boston have also adopted it. Since the Celtics are the reigning champs, and we can expect teams to try to imitate their offense and also concentrate on defense. Teams who saw the Celtics win with their defense last season will try to beat them at their own game this season.
The Ben Gordon saga may have just taken an unexpected turn. According to multiple sources, Gordon has been talking to CSKA Moscow about signing a one-year contract. Gordon has a 6.4 million qualifying offer with the Bulls to play this next season. If he takes that, he isn't exactly making chump change and then will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. There have been reports that the Bulls have offered $59 million over 6 years but Gordon wants $12 million a year. This may just be a ploy to try to force the Bulls' hand. Personally I don't think Gordon is worth $12 million a year and he may be shooting himself in the foot by refusing the 6 year offer that is on the table.
I am happy to report that the Hornet's practice facility as well as their arena suffered no damage from Hurricane Gustav. The levees held and New Orleans was spared the flooding that forced the Hornets to be relocated to OKC 3 years ago. It would have been ironic if they did have to be relocated as Seattle has a great NBA base and an arena they would love to share. The Hornets' players are expected to come in this month for voluntary workouts before they are required to report for camp. It seems that a lot of teams are trying to get a jump on the season.
LeBron James is featured in a new documentary called More Than a Game that chronicles his rise to stardom and how he and four of his childhood friends overcame long odds to win a national championship in high school. More Than A Game focuses on how KeBron and his friends have their lives shaped by basketball.
Carmelo Anthony is back from his gold medal run with the Olympic team and is planning to get some rest before the season starts. It has to take its toll on these guys playing as hard as they have for the majority of the summer. I have a feeling that we will see the effects toward the end of the season when they begin to wear down. The team Melo came back to was much different than the team that he left before heading out to play for Team USA. Beginning with the trade of their center Marcus Camby, they have had a very busy summer. They let forward Eduardo Najera go via free agency and didn't resign Yakhouba Diawara. The Nuggets also signed forwards Chris Andersen, who had originally showed interest in the Celtics, along with Renaldo Balkman and guard Dahntay Jones.
Jamaal Magloire is excited to have another chance with the Heat and is ready to prove himself to them in training camp. He has to be an upgrade over Stone Hands Blount and should be able to beat him out for the starting center spot if he even gives half an effort. The only year Blount really tried was his contract year. The Heat are also close to re-signing restricted free agent point guard Chris Quinn, who was extended a $1 million qualifying offer this summer.
One of the centers Magloire beat out to land the Miami spot is DJ Mbenga. The Lakers are still interested in him and would likely give him a non guaranteed league minumum contract to bring him back. The Cavs are still in the market for a big man but are looking at Lorenzen Wright and are likely to sign a veteran rather than an unproven center. That leaves Mbenga with limited opportunities and will likely end up taking the minimum from the Lakers.
Today is the day that the Oklahoma City franchise unveils their colors, logo and team name. A big day for Oklahoma City as they take the next step toward moving the franchise from Seattle to their new haunts. It isn't much of a secret that the team will more than likely be called the Thunder as there have been leaks to that effect for weeks. This may not sit well with the Golden State Warriors whose official NBA mascot is named Thunder and their logo features Thunder holding a lightning bolt. It will be interesting to see if the Warriors file a complaint since the OKC team has in effect, stolen their Thunder.
KG has done a lot of commercials throughout his NBA career. I thought it would be fun to look at some of them during the dog days of the offseason when not much is going on.
I love this one with KG carrying the world on his shoulders.
Here is another good one with KG against the neighborhood and then Tim Duncan shows up.
In this one, KG shares the stage with Tim Duncan and Tracy McGrady.
This is a funny one with KG signing a guy's shoe and his friend's forehead.
Here is another funny one for ESPN magazine... tastefully done.
This is another one I don't remember on TV but it is interesting.
Finally, here is KG as the milkman in a Gatorade commercial. It took me the longest time watching this commercial until it finally hit me that it was KG delivering that Gatorade.
There are still questions about how Monta Ellis really injured his ankle, and one of the biggest is whether the Warriors are investigating it or not. First there was the report that the Warriors had sent their athletic trainer to investigate his injury. Then it was reported that said athletic trainer was actually with Basketball Without Borders and not even in the country. The Contra Costa Times quoted team sources that they were skeptical about Ellis' explanation about his injury but the Warriors aren't commenting beyond the fact that the athletic trainer was not sent to Mississippi to investigate. I am sure there is more on this to come.
In conjunction with the Monta Ellis discussion, Hoopsworld has a portion of the Collective Bargaining agreement that is pretty interesting. It tells what players can and can't do. Players can't gosky-diving, hang gliding, snow skiing, rock or mountain climbing, rappelling, and bungee jumping. They can't participate in any fighting, boxing, or wrestling, operating an aircraft, driving or riding on a motorcycle or moped or riding in or on any motorized vehicle in any kind of race. They also can't participate in any game or exhibition of basketball, football, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, or other team sport or competition without permission of their team. They can, however participate in golf, tennis, handball, swimming, hiking, softball, and volleyball as an amateur. I love the last paragraph, though:
The Player agrees: (i) to give his best services, as well as his loyalty, to the Team, and to play basketball only for the Team and its assignees; (ii) to be neatly and fully attired in public; (iii) to conduct himself on and off the court according to the highest standards of honesty, citizenship, and sportsmanship; and (iv) not to do anything that is materially detrimental or materially prejudicial to the best interests of the Team or the League.
Remember Yuta Tabuse? I didn't think so. Tabuse is the only Japanese player to play in the NBA. He played in 4 games for the Suns in the 2004-05 season. Tabuse started out playing for the Dallas Mavericks in the Los Angeles Summer League and but ended up in camp with the Denver Nuggets. He also spent time with several teams in the D-League and this summer he played with the New Jersey Nets in the Orlando Summer League. He hasn't gotten any offers from NBA teams and he announced on Sunday that he signed a 2 year contract with Japan Basketball League's expansion Link Tochigi Brex. His dream is still to one day play in the NBA, however.
The "experts" at ESPN are at it again as they decide the season's awards. It seems that they have a 4 way race for MVP between LeBron, Chris Paul, Kobe and Dwyane Wade with LeBron coming out on top. Doesn't leading your team to a championship count for anything? Not even one vote for KG or Paul Pierce. The top 3 for Rookie of the Year are Michael Beasley, Greg Oden, OJ Mayo. If Dwyane Wade gets his way, Beasley will get plenty of playing time so he may have a chance. Best Newcomer is Elton Brand with Ron Artest coming in second. I agree with the Elton Brand choice. He is going to make the Sixers tough to beat this season. I can't help but feel that Ron will somehow self destruct and take his team with him as he has with every other team he has been with. The funny thing is that if you look at their choices for the worst newcomer, Artest comes in third on that list with Baron Davis coming out first and Jermaine O'Neal coming in second.
Sources are reporting that the Sixers are close to signing Donyell Marshall to a veteran's minimun contract. Marshall, a 15 year NBA veteran, approached the Sixers as he wanted to go back to his home town to finish his career. He starred at Reading high before going on to the NBA. The Sixers have had interest in Marshall for weeks, but waited for Oklahoma City to waive him in order to sign him as a free agent. This brings the Sixers to 14 contracts with Jason Smith expected to miss the season due to injury.
There is still no movement in Ben Gordon's situation. Reports are that the Bulls have offered Gordon a six-year deal worth around $59 million but Gordon is asking for more like $12 million a year. He feels that being the team's leading scorer for the past 3 seasons should entitle him to that much. If in fact the Bulls are offering close to $10 million a year, Gordon should grab that. There is no guaranteeing he will get more next season as a free agent. It is possible that teams will find out that Gordon was their leading scorer not because he is so good, but because the other players around him were worse. There has been no indication that any teams are interested in a sign and trade for Gordon and if he isn't careful, he will have bypassed his chance at a very good contract. 6 years offers him security and $10 million a year isn't something to sneeze at. We have seen several players turn down decent money thinking they were worth more and then have to settle for way less. I think Gordon may be headed in that direction.
The Heat are expected to officially sign Jamaal Magloire today. They had considered Lorenzen Wright and DJ Mbenga before settling on Magloire. This gives the Heat 4 centers under contract with Alonzo Mourning not expected back until at least December. Of course with Mark Blount as your starting center, you need all the help you can get. Mbenga has an offer from the Lakers but he was looking for a more lucrative deal elsewhere and hoped the Heat would give him one. Instead, they settled on Magloire. The Cavaliers are now considering Wright to shore up their bench.
CelticsBlog Unsure about the Nash rest plan Red's Army Here's $49... Sign here please FL's Take: I think this is a terrible trend. Athletes make enough that they don't need to charge for autographs so I suspect that it is the companies sponsoring the signings that are doing the charging. When I followed the Celtics' bus back to their hotel in Miami back in 1991, all of the Celtics gladly signed autographs and posed for pictures. They were so classy and gracious to their fans. I know they were tired after the game and probably anxious to get something to eat and unwind but Parish, McHale, DJ and all stood in the lobby of the hotel talking to fans, signing, and posing for over an hour. The fans are the reason they are paid what they are and it would be a very bad thing to alienate the fans by charging for autographs. Seacoast OnlineMemorabilia collectors have plenty of options Pensacola News JournalAt age 59, it's not too late to sport new tatoos FL's Take: This is what happens when there is absolutely no real news. Writers start talking about their tattoos. DimeCav's idea of helping LeBron, Monta Ellis may not be in trouble, NBA's Silliest tattoo FL's Take: I think JR's tattoo is pretty cool. It shows how excited he is to be a Celtic. So what if he is traded to another team. His heart will always be with the team that drafted him and gave him a chance. Wages of Wins Journal The setting Suns Fox SportsSpurs are in tough spot with Ginobili FL's Take: It seems to me that things may be a bit strained this season since the Spurs were against Ginobili participating in the Olympics and now he is out for the beginning of the season because of the surgery. PCP SportsOffseason rankings v 3.0 FL's Take: No way the Lakers should be ranked above the Celtics. Hornets BeatHornets officials monitoring storm, no contingency plan yet FL's Take: My prayers are with those in the storm's path. Thankfully it wasn't as strong as they had at first predicted. I am praying that the levees hold and there is no damage. If the Hornets do have to relocate for some reason, Seattle has an available arena. That would be irony. Lex Nihil NoviDoc's at it again FL's Take: As long as the Celtics stress defense and make that their primary focus, they will remain on top. Other teams are seeing how effective the Celtics' defense was last season and are looking to sign players with a reputation for defense. The Celtics have Tom Thibodeau though and that puts them at the head of the pack. Ernie D ends comeback bid LA Times Gene Conley put in double time in big league baseball and basketball Bleacher ReportAll time NBA team: Bench and alternates NBA Celtics BlogDec 18, 1955: Red and Bob Cousy at MSG to watch Tom Heinsohn Dec 30 1955: Celtics beat Nationals in Bangor, ME
Wow! It sure is quiet around the NBA. The biggest news I found today is that Celtic Hall of Famer, Robert Parish, turns 55 today. Parish still works with the Celtics behind the scenes and works with Clifford Ray summers in their big man camp in Florida. With Clifford Ray and Robert Parish working with new Celtic Patrick O'Bryant on a regular basis, you have to wonder if maybe another center traded to the Celtics from the Warriors may surprise people. When the Celtics got Parish from the Warriors he was considered an underachiever and a trouble maker. While O'Bryant was never a trouble maker, he certainly has been an underachiever. I'd love to get some of that old Robert Parish magic in the Celtics newest center.
Shaun Livingston is getting a lot of attention. He's a very intriguing prospect. If he is healthy, he could be one of the top point guards in the league with his size and ability. But the question is going to be if he can bounce back from that devastating injury. Chris Mullen visited one of his workouts last week. Now there is word that the Heat are interested in the 22 year old point guard to back up Marcus Banks and rookie Mario Chalmers. If healthy, Livingston could beat both out for the starting job. But, Dwyane Wade has been very impressed with Chalmers and is pushing for him to start.
The Cavs are still in the market for a big man after trading Joe Smith to Milwaukee and are considering Lorenzen Wright. Wright had also worked out for the Heat but lost that job to Jamaal Magloire. In his career, he has averaged 8.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. They are also considering Juwan Howard Juwan Howard, who played only 7.1 minutes per game for the Mavericks last season.
Word out of New York is that Marbury has dropped to 200 lbs. I don't think I ever heard that weight was an issure with him but he is doing his best to insure the Knicks that he is serious about playing. His future with the Knicks is still very much in doubt. I have a feeling that Donnie Walsh is trying to exorcise as many remembrances of Isiah that he possibly can and Marbury and Isiah will forever be linked. There had been some pretty good rumors that the Celtics were interested in reuniting Marbury and KG in Boston but with 15 on the roster right now and Danny expecting big things from Pruitt this season and Eddie House back in the fold, I just don't see it.
There are lots of questions surrounding Monta Ellis' injury. There was a report on Saturday that they had sent their trainer, Tom Abdenour, to Mississippi to check out the injury. In fact, Abdenour is in Johannesburg, South Africa getting ready for the Basketball without Borders camp that begins Wednesday. The Warriors are questioning the injury because it was so severe and they may have sent someone to check on it, but it wasn't Abdenour.
See #22 there on the right in that photo. That's the new Republican VP candidate, Sarah Palin. I don't like to get into politics on a basketball blog but this is all about basketball. Sarah Palin was the point guard on her high school team and led them to the state championship. She was nicknamed "Sarah Barracuda" for her tenacious defense and play. I heard that she even played in the championship game with a stress fracture in her foot. All politics aside, I had never heard of her before Friday, but the more I hear about her, the more I like her. She is quite a woman!
