NBA Offseason News and Moves

[Steviekick 0]

Philly's division includes Boston, NY, NJ and Toronto.  A hotly contested division, in which I currently favor the Knicks to come out on top of, pending what ends up happening with Payton.

I think that the Sixers will propably take their division. NJ is really going to miss Martin and with Kidd being out till December, Richard Jefferson isn't going to be able to carry the team. Boston doesn't have enough depth, NY is about to implode thanks to its huge assortment of uncomplementing talent, and Toronto is just a joke.

The Nets might miss Martin, but Martin will miss the Nets just the same. He's gonna find it's not as easy when he doesn't have the best PG in the league setting him up. I've always found Andre Miller to be a very underrated player, but he's no Jason Kidd. Martin's always been quite overrated, we'll find out this year if he meets up to the hype he gets with a lesser PG.

I think Martin's season has a strong case of going down the pooper. I'm glad the Jazz picked Boozer over him.

[alfdogg 0]

The Wolves are now pursuing Malone, apparently.

 

Link~

 

EDIT: Hall of Fame Class of 2004

[Steviekick 0]

The Wolves are now pursuing Malone, apparently.

 

Link~

 

EDIT: Hall of Fame Class of 2004

I read that at work, and I really think that if Karl wants to play, that would be his best bet. It's not like they really need him to suit up and play 30+ minutes a game. The team is still fairly young, and a strong veteran presence like him would be a plus.

 

It's not like he's going to try to steal the team away from Garnett and Cassell; he managed to fit in fine and dealing with Kobe and Shaq, and those two T-Wolves combined on their worst day must be easier than Kobe or Shaq.

 

If he signs with MN, I see him starting at the PF and Garnett getting the SF. Karl' propably get 20 mins a game. They can use Sprewell or Szcerbiak at the SF and Gary Trent at the PF, and we all know Garnett can play both.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Malone would then get his fucking championship.. I can see the T-Wolves going all the way this coming year.

[Cartman 0]

Boston 100-1

[Steviekick 0]

Malone would then get his fucking championship.. I can see the T-Wolves going all the way this coming year.

Me too. Last year with the Lakers I was semi confident that they could do it, but had a severe doubt thanks to the lack of depth they had this past season. And that was REALLY exposed in the Playoffs.

 

The TWolves have a lot of depth, and picking up Karl just adds to it. It would also make for a good compelling story, as the rising star Kevin Garnett and his idol who is at the twilight of his career, Karl Malone, try to go for the one thing that has so far alluded the both of them in their NBA careers...the NBA Championship.

[Guest LL Cool M]

Yeah, I think The Wolves can win the championship. Although I'm a Kings and a Memphis Fan(Memphis winning the championship in 2007), I think the wolves are the best team in the west. After the Wolves, Spurs, Kings, Memphis, and Lakers are the best top 5 teams in the west.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Wait a minute... You didn't just mention the fucking GRIZZLIES above the Lakers, did you? And what about the rising Jazz and Suns?

 

Sorry but Memphis has a way to go.

[alfdogg 0]

Memphis is better than the Jazz and Suns.

[Krankor 0]

Denver wasn't mentioned either. Memphis is a team on the verge, but they aren't top 5 material. They are about the same level of being dangerous as Dallas. That's not saying much either with how pathetic Dallas is looking with the 8 centers currently on their roster.

 

Time for some highly crucial NBA News

From Espn.com

 

The New York Knicks signed Center Bruno Sundov

The Philadelphia 76ers waived Guard Greg Buckner

The Golden State Warriors waived Christian Laettner

 

Amazing.

[Krankor 0]

Associated Press

HOUSTON -- Hoping to find the rugged low post presence they've been sorely lacking, the Houston Rockets acquired veteran center Dikembe Mutombo in a trade with the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

 

The Rockets sent reserve guards Adrian Griffin, Eric Piatkowski and Mike Wilks to the Bulls.

 

"With the addition of Dikembe, we have bolstered our interior defense and rebounding," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. "Dikembe has had a long distinguished career, but can still contribute on a nightly basis."

 

The rumor also is that the bulls are just going to waive Adrian Griffin because they got Houston to pay for his contract.

 

So basically Chicago traded away Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams for Othella Harrington, Frank Williams, Cezary Trybanski, Mike Wilks, Eric Piatkowski, and Adrian Griffin. They only two with a little bit of credibility comming off the bench is Harrington and Piatkowski. Hopefully they'll be sold role players.

[Steviekick 0]

Memphis is better than the Jazz and Suns.

This is how I would rank the west:

1. Minnesota

2. San Antonio

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

After that, I would say that the Mavs, Rockets, Kings, Jazz, Suns, Lakers, Nuggets, and Grizzlies all really can't be ranked right now, thanks to all the crazy roster changes most of them. It's really hard to tell what's going to happen.

 

Dallas has no real point guard and anyone to come off the bench to spark a run.

 

Rockets in theory will do well. But will they?

 

Kings are just about ready to rebuild. I'm sure if they start out the first half in trouble, the

Maloof's will hit the panic button, and either Adelman will get canned or some trade will be done.

 

Jazz and Suns respectively added what they needed, front court and back court.

 

Nuggets added Martin, but his skills w/o a good PG seem to be lacking.

 

The Grizzlies are pretty much the same team they were last year that got them as far as the 8th seed.

 

The whole Western conference is filled with great teams and looks to be mighty competitive.

[MrRant 0]

Reports are that Ray Allen wants a 5 year $100 million contract from the Sonics...

[Guest Redhawk]

Reports are that he must be on crack.

[Brett Favre 0]

So basically Chicago traded away Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams for Othella Harrington, Frank Williams, Cezary Trybanski, Mike Wilks, Eric Piatkowski, and Adrian Griffin. They only two with a little bit of credibility comming off the bench is Harrington and Piatkowski. Hopefully they'll be sold role players.

Don't sleep on Frank Williams either. He's a good solid pass first point guard, just that Marbury was here in NY.

[Dangerous A 0]

Reports are that Ray Allen wants a 5 year $100 million contract from the Sonics...

While I don't think he's worth it, he is just making his demands based on his market value. He is a top 3-5 shooting guard in the league and those guys are making demands (and recieving) towards those figures.

 

Still, I'd be skeptical since he just came off major knee surgery last winter. If he can return to All Star form, I would consider it. He is one of the perimeter shooters in the league and that does stand for something in this day and age of hoops.

[Krankor 0]

Don't sleep on Frank Williams either. He's a good solid pass first point guard, just that Marbury was here in NY.

Frank Williams is a pretty good player.

 

I remember watching him play in college when he played for Illinois. The problem is the Bulls have a lot of people at PG for Chicago with Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Janero Pargo, Mike Wilks and Chris Duhon if the Bulls ever decide to sign him.

[alfdogg 0]

Here are the remaining free agents:

 

Atlanta: Obanna Ekezie

Boston: Dana Barros

Charlotte: Lonny Baxter, J.R. Bremer, Maurice Carter, Desmond Ferguson, Marcus Fizer

Chicago: Kendall Gill

Cleveland: Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje, Lee Nailon

Dallas: Travis Best, Scott Williams

Denver: Ryan Bowen, Mark Pope, Rodney White

Detroit: Tremaine Fowlkes

Golden State: Avery Johnson

Houston: Mark Jackson

Clippers: Matt Barnes, Doug Overton

Lakers: Horace Grant, Karl Malone, Bryon Russell

Memphis: Stromile Swift

Miami: Bimbo Coles, John Wallace

Minnesota: Darrick Martin, Oliver Miller, Gary Trent

New Jersey: Brandon Armstrong, Hubert Davis

New Orleans: Courtney Alexander, Shammond Williams

New York: Dermarr Johnson

Orlando: Derrick Dial, Britten Johnson, Sean Rooks

Phoenix: Keon Clark, Donnell Harvey

Sacramento: Jabari Smith

San Antonio: Kevin Willis

Seattle: Ansu Sesay, Leon Smith

Toronto: Robert Archibald, Corie Blount, Michael Curry, Dion Glover, Rod Strickland

Washington: Mitchell Butler, Chris Whitney

 

At least 50% of these guys will end up out of the league, I'd say. I don't have an honest clue as to how Sean Rooks keeps making teams.

 

I'm quite stunned Stromile Swift has yet to be given an offer sheet. I've said this on more than one occasion, he'd be a perfect replacement for K-Mart in Jersey. Teams seem more interested in Keon Clark, who only played two games all last season.

 

I hope James Jones pans out for us, Fred is pretty useless when he can't pull off a highlight dunk. I'd like to see us bring back Mark Jackson for one last run, see if he can help Tinsley out a bit.

[starvenger 0]

I don't think that this deserves it's own topic (since an NBA player getting arrested isn't exactly news) but the headline itself is unintentionally hilarious...

[Steviekick 0]

I don't think that this deserves it's own topic (since an NBA player getting arrested isn't exactly news) but the headline itself is unintentionally hilarious...

I enjoyed that one.

[Steviekick 0]

from the New York Post:

 

JAYSON Williams is looking to make an NBA comeback. The ex-Nets star was forced to retire in 1997 with a bad back, and he's 36 years old. But he was at Basketball City the other night with L.A. Clippers star Elton Brand and two other players, working hard and doing windsprints between scrimmages. Screenwriter Penny Marshall stopped by after watching a match at the U.S. Open to see them play. "He's trying to get back in shape for a comeback," said our source. Williams and Brand were back the next day to continue the workouts.

[MrRant 0]

Guess he needs money to pay the eventual civil suit...

[nogoodnick 0]

Dana Barros is still in the NBA?

[alfdogg 0]

Yeah, he played the last few games of the regular season for the Celtics...I think he was working with them as an assistant or something.

[Cuban Linx 0]

I don't think that this deserves it's own topic (since an NBA player getting arrested isn't exactly news) but the headline itself is unintentionally hilarious...

I'm just glad that for once it's not a Portland Trailblazer on the wrong side of the law.

[Cuban Linx 0]

Portland continue their quest to field a team of nothing but guards, with talk of sending Abdur-Rahim to the Nets for Jason Kidd.

[Steviekick 0]

It's total craziness with whats going on with the Nets. You'd think the new ownership would want to make money with the team. I know that attendance is poor, but their merch sells well.

[razazteca 0]

The Nets owner must be taking advise from Donald Sterling on ways to make profits without a competitive team.

[CanadianChris 0]

Jewellers all over Los Angeles are salivating...

 

Panicked Lakers star admitted other affairs

 

DENVER -- In his interview with police the night after he was accused of rape, NBA star Kobe Bryant insisted the sex was consensual, that he stopped when she said "no" and wondered if she would accept money to recant a claim that could damage his reputation.

 

A transcript of the interview was published Thursday by the Vail Daily, which said it obtained the printout and an audio recording from someone who mailed it anonymously from Denver. A source close to the prosecution told The Associated Press the transcript appeared accurate.

 

John Clune, an attorney for the accuser, declined comment on the transcript but criticized the leak, which follows several mistakes by courthouse staff that publicly revealed the woman's name.

 

"The continued evidence of the lack of integrity of the criminal case reaffirms our client's decision to not proceed in that court," Clune said.

 

Defense attorney Pamela Mackey did not return a call. At Mackey's request, a judge has issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting any public release of records or evidence from the case.

 

The interview was taped by Eagle County sheriff's investigator Dan Loya as he and fellow investigator Doug Winters talked to Bryant for about 75 minutes in the parking lot of the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera and in his room last summer.

 

The transcript contains profanity and some graphic descriptions from Bryant, who also admits he has had frequent similar encounters with another woman named "Michelle" who could testify that he held her from behind. Bryant, who had been married for two years and had a 5-month-old daughter, said his wife did not know about the other woman.

 

He told Winters and Loya he was concerned about damage to his marriage, his career and his image if word of the rape allegation got out.

 

"Is there any way I can settle this, whatever it is?" Bryant asked.

 

"Well, what do you mean by settle?" Winters replied.

 

"If my wife, if my wife found out that anybody made any type of allegations against me she would be infuriated," Bryant said.

 

At the time, his 19-year-old accuser had already had a hospital examination and had been interviewed by Winters. The felony sexual assault charge that could have landed the Los Angeles Lakers star in jail for life was dismissed at her request earlier this month because she no longer wanted to testify. Her civil lawsuit against Bryant is pending in federal court.

 

During the interview, Bryant at first denied having sex with the woman. But after investigators said they had physical evidence indicating the two had sex, he told them she initiated it.

 

"It was totally consensual," he said.

 

"What makes you believe it was consensual?" Loya asked.

 

"'Cause she started kissing me, (inaudible) then she bent over and (inaudible)," Bryant said.

 

Later, Bryant said "We were still only this close, and she gets up and she gives me a kiss, so I kiss her back, and then you know, I started caressing her or whatever, and then she puts her hand on my, you know, my thing or whatever, and it kinda goes from there."

 

Bryant told investigators he was willing to take a lie-detector test. He also denied asking her not to tell anyone about their encounter, though Winters testified that she told investigators that Bryant made that request.

 

Bryant said the woman offered to show him a tattoo of musical instruments and notes on her back, and she lowered a strap on her dress so he could see it. After that, he said, she kissed him and he kissed back. They caressed each other and she performed oral sex.

 

Bryant said he held her by the neck from behind while she lifted her dress and bent over a chair, and then they had sex. He said he stopped after she refused to let him do something he wanted to do. The newspaper said it edited the transcript to remove profanity and graphic sexual descriptions; a full copy was not immediately made available to the AP.

 

During a hearing last fall, Winters said Bryant grabbed the woman by the neck hard enough to leave a small bruise on her jaw, bent her over a chair, and pulled down her underwear before sex began.

 

"It was consensual, there was nothing weird, you know what I mean," Bryant said during the interview.

 

"Did she say anything to (you) to provoke any of this to happen?" Winters asked.

 

"She said she wanted to, you know, she hoped that I would (edited out) her," Bryant said.

 

When Loya told Bryant the woman had experienced some bleeding, he said he was surprised because he hadn't noticed any blood. The shirt he was wearing, which he gave to the investigators, was later found to be stained with the woman's blood.

 

Asked what happened while she was leaving Bryant's room, he told investigators she never cried. She put on her clothes, asked for his autograph and gave him a kiss, he said.

 

Winters has said the woman cried during the act and said "no" at least twice. He also said Bryant told her to go into his bathroom to clean herself up before she left, and that bellman Bobby Pietrack told investigators she seemed upset and her clothes and hair were disheveled when she left work that night.

[Guest Vitamin X]

ENOUGH about the fucking Kobe case. It's over, it's done with, and we all know what his image is like now. This doesn't change a damn thing.