The Charlotte Bobcats. Highest ranking ever for a Gonzaga Bulldog at # 3 overall. Previous highest was John Stockton many years ago. Personally I was hoping along with many Portland fans, and Adam too it seemed, that he would go to the Trailblazers...but we will be watching ya Adam. Congratulations!

[ June 29, 2006, 05:34 AM: Message edited by: hockeyTom ]

h'tom, you may want to correct the thread title--Adam (best name in the whole wide world ) Morrison was picked third in the first round, not in the third round. By the way, I think Charlotte's a good spot for him--maybe he'll get some schooling from Michael Jordan.

~Adam

I like him, but I think he's a stretch at #3. He can't defend and I think that offensively he'll find things a lot tougher in the NBA.

Ammo to the Bobcats is a good deal for them since they are in the bottom half of the NBA in scoring; something Ammo can do in his sleep, but the BCats will probably need to run set plays (screens) to get him open. Their biggest problem is that they don't have anybody, except maybe for Okafor, who can create their own shot. For example, Primoz is a stiff of a center. And while Ammo won't be able to do that either (he can't jump over anybody and he's way too slow), he gives the BCats something they didn't have before; somebody who can knock down the open mid to long range jumper.

I still don' think we'll see the BCats in the playoffs any time soon. They are one of the smallest teams in the league, and not in a good way like the Suns either. The BCats are near the bottom of the league in rebounding and did nothing in this year's draft to address that problem. But this was a perfect place for Ammo, so I hope he doesn't screw it up. I've been to Charlotte, and while progressive, it emotes a classic Southern culture, drawl and all. I just hope Adam is able to fit in there.

I also think JJ Reddick got lucky in going to the Magic. He gets to play with D. Howard who is often double-teamed, and one of my favorite players, Grant Hill, so JJ will probably get more open looks in Orlando than Ammo will in Charlotte (there's no reason to double team Primoz). But they won't be in the playoffs any time soon either, because they are also near the bottom of the NBA in rebounding.

The teams that made out like bandits in the draft are the Bulls and Trail Blazers. The Bulls solidified an already stellar defense with the addition of the best athelete in the draft, Tyrus Thomas, then added Vic Khryapa (acquired in the down trade for Portland's #4 pick) and then swapped picks with Philly to get another defensive stopper in Thabo Sefolosha. They can't get any better defensively. I guess Skiles will explore the free agent market to find the shooting guard he claims the Bulls desperately need.

And Portland got a big man who can score and defend with the #2 pick, Aldridge, and a real b'baller, Brandon Roy at #6. They also paid the Suns money for their #27th pick, and got Spainard, Sergio Rodriguez, but I don't know anything about him. Portland went all out in this draft, and traded away everything but the kitchen sink. They are a real bad team right now, so I hope all these desperate moves pan out for them.

I still can't believe Toronto used their #1 pick on Bargnani. I don't understnad that pick. They're stacked with forwards, don't have enough guards, and still don't have any rebounding help for Bosch. I'll guarantee Toronto will be in negotiations with free agents in July. They should have plenty of cap room to sign Bargnani AND still get a guard and a physical rebounder, since they got neither with the addition of Bargnani.

[ June 28, 2006, 11:26 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Thanks for the correction Adam. You know what I meant. wink

Portland also got a British center who will stay in Europe for another year or so. And were able to maneuver 1 second round pick into 3 second round picks. That does not sound fabulous, but 2nd round picks help grease a deal.
The guard, Sergio Rodriguez, has a good crossover and a sweet shot. I saw some video. Probably needs seasoning but should be tasty in a bit.
Blazers also were able to deal a huge contract/disaffected player when Theo Ratliff went. Got a local fave back in Dickau although he will probably be a bench warmer. Got 2 lottery picks and 4 first rounders. Increased the chances that center Joel Przybilla, a free agent, will stay in town. Sorry to see Bassy go and Khryapa was a good back up with a high basketball IQ, I think the Bulls will really like him. But unless you are dealing with the Knicks you have to give quality to get quality.
BTW, Chad Ford called Stephen A Smith an idiot. With good reason.
I was kind of hoping the Blazers would draft Rudy Gay so I could get a red jersey with GAY across the back, but I am pretty happy with what we have.

I think the Blazers did just great. I can't fathom why Danny Ainge thought Telfair was better than the #7 pick, but then again he is Danny Ainge. (Ms. de Blazer -- is Ratliff's contract any worse than LaFrentz's?)

The Bulls made out well too, but I don't understand why they didn't keep Aldridge. They need an offensive center in the worst way. Heck, given Chandler's health issues, they need any type of center in the worst way. Tyrus Thomas has great potential, but I don't think the throw-in of Khrypapa was enough to give up Aldridge.

Isiah makes a baffling pick in his Rolando Blackman sound-alike. Isiah's one redeeming feature up until now has been his draft picks, but if you're going to be bad, you might as well be gloriously bad in every dimension.

Biggest surprise to me was that Marcus Williams was still available for the Nets at the 22nd pick. Thought he'd go earlier than that.

~Adam

Larry, I think Theo's contract is more than LaFrentz to start but LaFrentz has an extra year option. Regardless, Theo was PO'd about losing his job to Przybilla and groused publicly and in the locker room - although he was oft injured. Przy was as productive, cost a lot less and had a much better attitude. Basically, last year the Blazers started off not great but playing hard and then the heart came out of the team. It seems to be centered around 2 people. They will not be on the team next year.
Marcus Williams lost out big on the theft issue, I think. This was not a traffic violation where it could be written of as high spirits or "boys will be boys".
Loved that a-hole Stephen A Smith saying there must be something wrong with a player because Portland drafted him (what is wrong with Monia, Khyrapa, Jack, Webster, Roy, Aldride?) while going on and on about why hasn't someone taken Marcus Williams and talking about JJ Redick falling in the draft. I bet you anything if Portland had selected Williams Smith would have given some crap about Jail Blazer.

The general reaction in Toronto has been very positive to the Raps draft picks last night. It had become fairly clear over the last few days that the Raps were selecting Bargnani with their first choice. Aside from his basketball skills from a marketing perspective the choice is perfect with Toronto's huge 400,000+ Italian population. When Bargnani's Italian team played an exhibition game in Toronto a couple of years ago at the ACC more than half the crowd was cheering for the Italian team!

With the recent trade for 7 ft. Nestorovic and the selection of very good rebounding forward Thomas with their second choice - to quote one of the 'experts' - Toronto suddenly has a loaded front court. The CNNSI Inside the NBA guy Marty Burns guy gives the Raptors picks an overall grade of A- tied for the best ranking with the Celtics and Bulls.

Things are certainly looking up for the Raps.

Nesterovic was a bust with San Antonio, so the front court is loaded only in terms of bodies. The only way Toronto can make this work is to move Bosh to center and play small, running ball like Phoenix. And unlike Phoenix, they don't have an undersized stud like Marion to rebound and defend. Still.... if anyone can make it work, it's Bryan Colangelo.

Speaking of Phoenix, I'm surprised they passed on Marcus Williams and then gave away Rajon Rondo for money. They so desperately need a backup to spell Nash at point guard -- he was worn down in the playoffs this year, and he's only going to be a year older next go-round.

Ms. de Blazer -- agreed, Smith is insufferable. I have never heard anyone have a good word for him, but maybe his obnoxiousness is good for TV ratings. I think the Blazers are really turning things around.

I really don't think you can underestimate the marketing reasons behind the Raptors first choice, although I'm sure the Raptors brass would argue otherwise. Toronto is a hockey town and the Raptors really were only popular for a couple of years here when Carter was playing well and not being a whining little child.

It is routine the last few years to have a ton of empty corporate boxes at Raptors games even though they had been paid for. Many of the Raptor season ticket holders only buy the Raptor seats because of some sort of tie in with Leaf season tickets. There were many nights this past season where the crowd would be announced at around 14,000 but there were fewer than 10,000 actually at the ACC. In the meantime even against lousy teams scalpers would be getting above face value for tickets to any Leaf game.

And sometimes the TV ratings have been miniscule. Some Raptor games would attract as few as 20,000 - 30,000 viewers early last season compared to Leaf viewership that on Saturday nights was routinely approaching 1.5 million. And remember the NBA is not a big sell here. It has to be the Raptors that generates the interest. TV ratings for the NBA finals for all of Canada were barely in the 200,000 range compared to over 5 million for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup.

Interest started to pick up a bit late last season after getting Coangelo and Bosh started to shine. Coverage of the pick last night has been about the most media exposure the Raps have had in years. Having the large Italian community get behind the team will be a huge boost for the Raptors ticket sales and TV ratings. I wouldn't be surprised to see them have some of their games broadcast in Italian on one of the multicultural radio stations, as they do in Chinese with some games now up here already.

At least it should get a bit intersting up here, for a while anyways. Unless of course Bargnani turns out to be a bust in which case it is back to the drawing board for Coangelo.

[ June 29, 2006, 04:02 PM: Message edited by: Travelpat ]

The deal between Portland and the Celtics would never have been approved by the NBA if the salaries did not closely match. Because of earlier shenanigans involving trades, they moved to protect the integrity of the trade process (to prevent opportunistic collusion) such that trades involving hugely mismatched salaries required special approval. As it turns out, Ratliff and Lafrents make about the same money. Ratliff has two years left on his contract ($11.7M/yr). Lafrents makes $11M/yr but has a player option and can use it next year to become a free agent if he so desires. So, Portland's trade of Theo Ratliff for Raef Lafrents is basically a financial wash, as you would have expected, and Portland had to move Ratliff because, as Ms de Blazer pointed out, he's been bitching about playing time.

Here's the problem. Theo could be worth $11.7M/yr if he were healthy, which he is not, but Raef Lafrents, as is, is not worth $11M/yr period. Why would a 7 footer not want to help rebound and defend? Lafrents is a 7 footer who has wet dreams about a knocking down three pointers. I don't think Portland will get much production from this guy unless he can be re-trained as a presence under the basket (to help Aldridge, who many people still think is too soft, with rebounding). The Lafrents pick could come back to bite the Blazers in the ass if he decides not to exercise his player option, because he can force the Blazers to keep paying his salary (reportedly, he will get $11M next year, $11.8M the year after, and $12.7M, the year after that). Guys, if you were Lafrents, would you opt out of such a contract? He's a very fat rat right now! I hope everything works out, or, he will end up another "salary cap albatoss", as Larry likes to say; and a financial nightmare for the Blazers. The only good thing to come out of this trading merry-go-round was Telfair; he's a stud.

Regarding the Knicks. Isiah Thomas and Dolan have the collective financial IQ of a door knob. Lucky for them, the league limits the amount of money rookies can get, so they can't sign their emotionally challenged draft pick to a ten year, multi-million dollar, guaranteed no-trade contract. But if I'm thinking correctly (and somebody will correct me if I'm wrong), I believe that all drafted players who sign with a team as a rookie have guaranteed contracts for a year or two, so the Knicks will have to pay this guy, even if he's no good.

Poor Isiah. Can't trade Marbury. Can't trade Francis. Can't trade James. All have a no-trade clauses written into their contracts. They are like $70M over the cap, with no hope of ever getting under the cap for the next twenty years. They are mired in luxury tax hell. They have nobody other than a couple of no-trade players to dangle as bait in a trade. They got no coach; sorry, but I didn't like what I saw from Isiah in Indiana. They were doing better before he took over. The owner has given Isiah just one year (one year, mind you) to turn around a franchise that won only twenty-plus games last year. How's that supposed to happen? And here's the real shocker. The Knicks foolishly traded away all of their first round draft picks for the next three or four years, I believe, so they can't even look to the draft to get better. Isiah and Dolan have done to the Knicks what Katrina and Rita did to New Orleans; completely ruined a once thriving and productive enterprise. What a friggin mess they've gotten themselves into!

Larry, I agree with you about the Raptors. The Raptors already had big bodies, but none that were strong rebounders. With their recent acquisitions of forwards, they will definitely have to move Bosh to center. But run and gun? With the current line-up? I don't think so. Can Bargnani play shooting guard? That might help make an up-tempo offense work a little better. Rght now, that Raptor offense is predictable and stagnant, with only one primary scorer and rebounder (Bosh). They don't have the personnel for the fun-and-gun, three guard offense, the Suns employ.

I almost forget. The Bulls have been looking o trade Chandler for months. So they probably won't start next season with as many forwards as you think. And Pax and Skiles have said all along that they will visit free agency for shooters and possibly a center. I can tell you this. From watching Tyrus Thomas play at LSU, there's nobody in the draft who can run the floor as fast, nobody that can jump as high, nobody more active on the boards, and nobody with more team spirit than Tyrus Thomas. But they are right about one thing, he doesn't shoot very well outisde 10 feet. If the Bulls truly want to run, Tyrus can run all day and pass up everybody on the floor. This I promise every Chicago Bulls fan.

Stephen A. Smith is indeed a loud-mouthed idiot, but a lot of fun. I love that guy! His whole schtick is to piss people off, so don't ake anything he says personally. He's like the little boy who pulls the girls hair on the playground at recess then runs away while being chased.

[ June 29, 2006, 05:03 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

I like your description of Stephen A. Smith. However, it makes we wonder what you were like on the playground, Thomas.

As for LaFrentz, his best days are behind him. Used to be, he could block 5 shots a game, but now all he can do is roam around outside and take open shots. I'm sure he'll exercise his 3rd year option -- not even Isiah would pay him $12m. on the open market.

First year players used to get a guaranteed 3 year deal -- I think it's down to 2 under the new collective bargaining agreement.

I was also wondering if Bargnani could play the 2 -- sort of like Toni Kukoc, who's also 6'11". But Bargnani probably can't guard that position.

I'm looking forward to off-season trades, which I think can start July 1. Will be interesting to see where Iverson ends up.

[ June 29, 2006, 08:58 PM: Message edited by: LarryC ]

Larry and Ms De Blazer, please, I dare you to name the starting Blazer line-up for next season! If you can do this, and do it correctly, I will personaly start a write-in campaign for you to replace Stephen A. Smith! With all the moves and trades they made over the last week, I'll bet ven their players are confused about their roles on the team. Please, go ahead and predict the Blazers Depth Chart for next season. I dare you! I double dare you!

And Larry, NO, I was not a good little boy. I got that way because of four older sisters, who I had to "walk" to the store most every evening for ice cream. I grew up in the red dirt of rural Missippippi, so the nearest store was like ten mile away. And, of course, my sisters were too lady-like to ride a horse like the guys (that old Southern adage, "a lady doesn't ride astride" is very real). So, I did what my Dad told me and friggin walked! So, yeah, I might have taken some revenge here and there. I pinched my sisters as often as I could, and every other girl I could find, and, pulled their hair, and then ran away because girls' fingernails hurt. You have no idea what it was like. Can you imagine sitting in a car in 95 degree heat for four hours waiting for your sisters to finish shopping (my dad made me go so I could protect them), when they had no friggin idea what they wanted in the first place? Ecxuse me, my bad, they did know. They were "window shopping". Huh? Nowadays, my sisters and I are very close.

[ June 30, 2006, 12:14 AM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

I'm not thrilled about LaFrentz' contract, but I think he only missed 4 games last year? Theo missed half the year and then kvetched about losing the starting job when he was there. And sometimes you have to bite the bullet; to get what they wanted they had to take him on. At least he can do something.

My take on Blazers startine line up and depth chart:

SF: Martell Webster/Travis Outlaw
PF: Zach Randolph/LaMarcus Aldridge/Raef LaFrentz
C: Joel Przybilla/Aldridge/Ha Seung-Jin
PG: Jarrett Jack/Steve Blake/Sergio Rodriguez
SG: Brandon Roy/Dan Dickau

Roy will go right into the starting lineup. Aldridge will get minutes backing up 2 positions, and may be the starter if Zach does not pan out. Dickau and Jack can play both guard positions, Jack a lot better IMO. I think Darius Miles will be gone and most probably Juan Dixon as well (like the guy, a good guy but not quite fitting team plans) and Brian Skinner will probably be packaged in some kind of deal. But they will give ZBo another year. He is a follower and the thinking is without the bad influences he may keep his head out of his a**. I think that the British center Joel Freeland will stay overseas for a year while they see if Ha can be taught to play basketball but Rodriguez will be here.

Thomas, I like your Mississippi mud story. It's practically Faulknerian. You didn't happen to have a sister named Caddie, by any chance?

As for the Blazer's starting lineup, one would first have to predict who will still be on the team. Serious rumors about the Spurs making a big offer to Pryzbilla, which could be awfully hard for him to turn down. Personally, I want to see Arvidas Sabonis come back for one last fling, now that all of the malefactors may soon be gone.

I think Sabonis' flinging days are over.

Breaking news: the Blazers claimed Nikolas Tsitatishvili (I'm sure I am spelling that wrong) off waivers. Nikolas was drafted #5 by Phoenix but never quite achieved. He has been invited to play in the Blazers summer league team. Good move as it costs them essentially nothing aside what they pay for him to play in summer league (very little by NBA standards), and if Joel does leave he may be able to back up at the center position. If he's a bust, nothing has been invested.

The Skeeter (easier to spell that Tshkitishvili or whatever) was drafted #5 by the Nuggets, never played, bounced around, ended up with Phoenix, never played.... There's no harm inviting him to camp, but he'll go down in the record books for the proposition that not all tall Europeans who shoot 3 pointers can play in the NBA.

I'm sure you have better sources than I do, since you're closer to the team, but I still see some problems with your prospective depth chart:

1. Pryzbilla is a free agent and reportedly giving serious consideration to offers from both the Spurs and Bulls. As a five year free agent he can get as much as $9M/yr or 25% of the cap (about $12M/yr), whichever is greater. Of course, Pryz won't get that from any team (unless Isiah suddenly enters the bidding war, then the sky's the limit), but I'll bet he could get $6-7M/yr easily. I see that the Blazers payroll is around $60M/yr, so they are already over the cap, but I could be wrong because I don't know the specifics of the Derek Anderson situation ($9M/yr); e.g., what portion of his salary, if any, is counted against the cap?. But the Blazers shirts were able to do all that wheeling an dealing earlier in the draft by smartly out-maneuvering and hand-cuffing the Rockets and T-Wolves via multi-layered trades with the Bulls and Celtics. And except for the $3M they paid the Suns for the rights to "Spanish Chocolate", they did all this without any significant hit to their wallets. That can't happen with Pryzbilla, they have to pay him or they will lose him to the Bulls or Spurs. And, I'm guessing the only way they can afford Pryz is to move Darius Miles and his $7M/yr contract, and they will need to do that very quickly. By the way, I watched about 20 minutes of Sergio video on YouTube, and his behind-the-back, hesitation, and cross-over dribble moves to the basket, as well as those flashy assists, are very reminiscent of the wild and crazy Jason Williams we saw in Sacramneto.

If Pryz does move, that leaves Ha, Skinner, and Aldridge at center, as I do not believe for a second that they are going to complicate ZBo's already fragile basketball intellect (sorry if that sounds harsh, but the description comes from Portland's own sports analysts) by moving him from PF to center on a permanent basis, as this would be tantamount to asking him to learn a whole new set of offensive and defensive plays. He can't help a rookie like Aldridge adjust to the NBA if he, too, is confused. And Ha may be a good shot blocker for Portland, and a presence in the West, but he's skinny and most any center in the East can move him off the blocks.

I say ZBO stays at PF with Lafrentz as back up, if you want to call it that. I don't like Lafrentz at all. And why anyone in the NBA would want Nikoloz Tskitishvili is a mystery to me. Dude is useless. I agree with Larry. Sabonis, even if he is a center, is way better than Nikoloz will ever be. At least Sabonis could knock down the open jumper. He used to give Shaq fits in the old days of honest-to-God man-to-man defense (not this college-style zone stuff they're doing nowadays) by wandering to the top of the key and knocking down the open jumper.

You have no experienced and talented small forward. Sorry. I've seen the stats. With Darius gone, you're screwed. That means that Roy will have to play a combo SF/SG/PG on occassion; e.g. like Koby, D. Wade, S. Nash, Genobli, and A. Iverson.

You have no star-caliber point guard, so Roy will spend much of his time there as well. You traded away your best PG (Telfair) in my opinion; he would have been perfect for setting up Aldridge, Pryz, and ZBo.

So, here's my best guess at Portland's 2006-2007 depth chart.

SF: Webster/Roy
PF: Zach Randolf/Lafrentz/Aldridge
C: Aldridge/Ha
PG: Jack/Roy/Rodriguez (if he is indeed going to play next season, which I doubt).
SG: Roy/Dickau

In short, Roy, Aldridge, and ZBo are going to have to work their asses off next season. Two real superstars (Aldridge and ZBo) in the front court, and one superstar (Roy) in back. Might work. You think?

Larry: If you only knew the saintly status of Faulkner and Eudora Welty in this neck of the woods.

[ June 30, 2006, 09:30 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

[ June 30, 2006, 09:25 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Faulkner has godlike status here -- at least in my bookshelf and home office.

As for the Blazers, they obviously have a ways to go, but they're finally on the road there. Personally, I like Jarret Jack more than Telfair. And he has a great name too (although so does Sebastian).

I guess you guys heard by now that the Hornets have announced a mutually agreed upon five year, $60M upcoming deal with Peja Stojakovic. They have the cap room but I think that's a little high! They also are reporting that they are close to signing their free agent point guard, Speedy Claxton to a new multi-year contract. They also just drafted PF-C, H. Armstrong, and center, C. Simmons. All these moves spell bad news for their current center, P.J. Brown, as well as their current shooting guard, J.R. Smith, who stays hurt and couldn't hit the side of a barn when he wasn't. But current point guard and rookie of the year, Chris Paul, and PF David West, have been smiling for days. They like the moves the team made in the off-season and draft. The Hornets are expected to return to New Orleans for good in 2007. That's good news for us.

Peja is one of my favorite NBA players. I watched him for years with Sacramento. They have not been the same since he left. Like Drew Brees and Reggie Bush prompted huge pre-season ticket sales for Saints games, I'll bet Peja will do the same for the Hornets' ticket sales. I just hope Peja really has overcome all of his injury problems. What do oyu guys think of Peja in a hornets uniform?

I had no hope of seeing the Hornets in the playoffs next year, but do now. The Suns, Lakers, and Clippers will definitely get in from the Pacific. The Timberwolves and Nuggets should take the Northwest. And the Spurs, Mavs and Rockets will rule the Southwest. But I think the revamped Hornets and Blazers will give Houston and Denver a run for their money for those last two spots.

About the Blazers : For a team that ranks at the very bottom of the NBA in scoring and rebounding, I really can't complain about the huge shake-up in Portland. The only place they can go is up.

Larry: Good for you. These days, I don't read much serious lit. Although I work in academia, I prefer to savor my spare time by cranking up Lil John and The East Side Boys and watching nascar.

Did Darius Miles really star in a movie? If so, which one? Is it out on DVD?

[ July 01, 2006, 11:38 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Peja hasn't really been the same since Webber got traded from the Kings. I like him a lot too, but he can't create his own shot. And I was so hoping he'd end up with the Lakers (although they have only the mid-level exception to offer, so no chance), where he could thrive while Kobe was being triple-teamed. Peja on the Hornets? Well, maybe Chris Paul can create enough shots for him. The Hornets certainly don't have anyone who demands a double-team, so I don't know that it's the best fit for Peja. But the money sure is good.

Interesting trying to forecast who in the West makes the playoffs. I vote "no" on the Timberwolves -- Foye is not going to have that much of an instant impact, and it's still poor Kevin Garnett trying to carry the team by himself. The Blazers will definitely not be in contention -- they are still 2 or 3 years away, while all their talented young players mature.

I think Utah is a threat though. If they can keep Boozer (or whoever he's traded for, assuming equal value), Kirilenko and Okur healthy, they will be beasts up front. Houston depends on Tracy McGrady's back -- always a dicey proposition.

Larry, here's my take on your prediction that Utah will make the play-offs. NOPE! Size in the front court is a thing of value in the East, but speedy point guards and wingmen that play in a wide open offense are what rules the West. My prediction is that the slow, club-footed, over-sized Jazz frontline will have all kinds of trouble trying to stop the speedy runnners and gunners of the West; e.g., the Suns, Lakers, and Mavs. Yeah, they might out-man some slower half-court offenses like the Clippers, Rockets, Hornets, and Nuggets, but those teams do not pose the same serious NBA championship threat that the Suns, Mavs, Spurs, and Lakers do. And Utah can't run with any of those teams. I think the days of half-court b'ball in the West are long gone, and thank God for it.

[ July 02, 2006, 05:45 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Thomas, you really think the Lakers pose a championship threat? Boy, I sure wish I could believe that.

I agree that the Jazz backcourt could use help desperately, but Deron Williams was coming on strong at the end of last season. The Grizzlies seem to do OK every regular season by playing slow-down ball. Houston is slow too.

Yes, Larry. I do. Any team with Kobe on it is a serious threat to win a championship. Having said that, I'm not ecstatic over the recent acquisition of Vladimir Radmanovic. How's that going to help your cause? Yes, he'll get open looks as guys chase Koby around the court, but what makes Radmanovic think he'll actually get the ball when he's open? Kobe's not exactly team oriented. Plus, Radmanovic is soft and avoids contact. He couldn't get the Clippers into the West Division finals, so how's he going to do that on a team where he's going to get even fewer touches? I think the Clippers were wise to get rid of him and bring in Tim Thomas; not as good at shooting the rock, but a more physical player than Rads.

Looks like you were right. The Mavs did resign Terry, but for less money. He agreed to it, so I think he recognized that he no team was going to give him a better deal. I doubt his decision had anything to do with loyalty to the Mavs. Why? Because I'm jaded. I believe every player makes decisions based on the Money. Unless, they get James form Toronto, the Mavs stand pat. And, we know that "as is", the Mavs won't win an NBA championship.

Carmello Anthony signed a five year $80M contract with the Nuggets. They also signed Nene to a six year $60M contract. Nene? He's not worth it; he'll be hurt again before half time of his first game back. And what the hell are they going to do about Kenyon Martin? They can' trade him and he can't put aside his pride for sake of the team. So, I don't agree at all with the home town crowd about the Nuggets recent moves. I think their future is very much in doubt. Kenyon Martin, as likeable as he is (I like him and enjoy his antics), is the biggest fool in the NBA. But I love players with flair and style, even if they are a cancer for the team. TO is the same way and will eventually show his true colors to the Dallas fans, but he and Randy Moss are my favorite receivers in the NFL, precisely because they march to a different drummer. Kenyon is very similar to TO and Moss.

[ July 03, 2006, 07:46 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Thomas, I'm not crazy about the Radmonovic acquistion either. He's seems to lose focus a lot, so he's only sporadically effective. Sometimes he even rebounds (in addition to chucking in 3's), but then in some games he just disappears.

But the big news, of course, is Chicago's acquistion of Ben Wallace. Chicago could be a very very interesting team next year. But in the 3rd and 4th years of Ben's contract, they may regret spending all that money on a player who could (my guess) be in serious decline. Bet the Pistons wish they had kept Darko.

Well, you did get Farmer. From what I saw in the NCAA tourney, he should be good, if he can learn the trinagle offense and get along with the egotistical Koby.

As for the Pistons, they did try to keep Big Ben, but he fell out with them after they offered a paltry $48M. But Nazr Mohammed is a poor replacement for Ben Wallace. Count the Pistons out of the playoffs next season.

Back to the Bulls, I don't agree with you about Wallace's durability. Ben is a very durable player and a fierce rebounder. The Bulls are no longer looking toward the future. They are absolutely loaded for bear, and I think they want that champonship now. The Bulls have essentially doubled the quality of their team in the last few days and I think they are now the team to beat in the East, despite the Miami Heat and D. Wade. But the Bull-Hornets Tyson Chandler for J.R. Smith/P.J. Brown trade does nothing for either team.

Good thing the Hornets got Peja, because I don't think Chandler is going to do a damn thing for the Hornets. I don't understand that move. I like Chandler, but dude can't shoot at all. A poor man's Ben Wallace.

[ July 04, 2006, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

It was announced that Joel Przybilla is staying in Portland. Great rejoicing in P-Town. Joel said that he and his wife both loved the city, he was pleased with the direction the team was moving and he believes in loyalty. Two years ago when no one else wanted him Portland gave him a chance.

It is wrong to say the Blazers are "screwed" without Darius Miles. Frankly, the team was screwed with him. He has great talent but plays when he feels like it, cursed the coach, walked out of a game, sulked, griped openly to the media and alienated hard working players. This is a bad example for the young players and as I mentioned Zach Randolph, who is a follower, was also influenced. I still think ZBo will be OK without Miles.
It is true the Blazers have no all star experienced small forward or point guard. But they have quality young players at those positions. Who is to say they will not become all stars down the road? This is not a team looking to win a title next year. It is a team doing a major rebuilding. So far, they have re-signed their top priority, drafted 2 of the top 5 players in the draft plus adding 2 other first round draft picks. It appears Spanish Chocolate will be in uniform next year. And the team is not done dealing.
I am sorry to see Telfair & Khryapa go, but the team had 3 point guards. Telfair had the highest trade value but many think Jack is a steadier player. He won't have the highlights of Bassy but is overall more than solid.

Przybilla's staying is a wonderful omen for Portland. I'm surprised he didn't accept the Spurs' offer -- that must have been awfully hard to turn down no matter how much he likes the city of Portland (and, personally, I'd certainly take Portland over San Antonio, if we're talking cities).

I wonder what the Spurs are going to do now? They've lost both of their centers, and while neither Nesterovic nor Mohammed may have been that much of a "loss," they need someone .

Well, the basketball gods smiled on Portland if Pryzbilla is staying put. Word out of Portland is that Pryzbilla agreed to a five year, $30M contract; e.g., $6M/yr. That seems fair. but, I would sure be curious to know, Ms. De Blazer, how much the Spurs offered him. I will never believe that players make financial decisions based on love of the team and/or love of a city/town. I think it's always about the money. So, I'd like to know whether the Spurs offered him more or less than the Blazers did.

About your depth chart problem. It would seem to me that since Pryzbilla is staying, he will become the starting center and Aldridge/Ha will back him. ZBo stays at power forward, with LaFrentz as back-up? Yuck! Guess that leaves Brian Skinner without a position....trade bait...waiver in his future? I assume that Outlaw now becomes the starting small forward, since you dumped Khryapa and Miles, with Roy as back-up; at least whenever and wherever possible. You don't have to have a small forward. A third guard will do just fine if he's big enough to handle the defensive responsibilities. Blake/Jack retain the starting/back-up point guard positions. And Roy/Webster assume the shooting guard responsibilities.

My only real problem with Portland is that they need to find a way to get Aldridge into the game as a starter. Perhaps, he could split time with Pryzbilla at the center position. Aldridge has way too much talent to sit the bench.

Finally, because I don't believe any athelete makes decision based on good will, I suspect the Blazers promised Pryz either the starting center position and/or some unannounced perks and/or bonuses. And, if Pryz is to become the starting center, that limits ALdridge playing time. I think Aldridge is better than Pryzbilla without starting a single NBA game. Why not utilize Aldridge's diverse skills immediately?

And Larry, the Spurs don't really need a center. Any old stiff will do. They never involve the center anyway; they use them for rebounding and setting picks. They run most of their plays through Duncan, who is essentially a center anyway. Lack of a quality center did not cost them a spot in the NBA finals. The Mavs outplayed them. As long as they have Duncan, Genobli, and Parker, they will always contend for an NBA title. But, yes, with all the big bodies they lost, they certainly do need a tough aggressive rebounder, and, frankly, there aren't any good ones left in the free agent market. So, unless the make a trade move soon, they may sacrifice some of the size and physicality that worked so well for them against smaller teams in the West.

[ July 05, 2006, 04:57 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Nesterovic and Mohammed were any old stiffs!

They'll need someone to play defensive center, to spare Duncan the foul trouble. Particularly if they end up against the Heat in next year's Finals.

Here is a link to the Oregonian article on Przybilla:
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonia...ll=7&thispage=2

(No I can't get the links to work without posting the whole damn thing)

So Portland did offer a bit more, as they have "early Bird" rights.

As for Aldridge, I think he will back up at PF and C for now. That is assuming ZBo is still on the team. I do see him as a starter in the future; you don't pick a bench guy #2, hopefully. Webster is proposed as the starting small forward with Outlaw backing him.

In other news, Tsikatishvili (however it is spelled) was waived. Portland signed him to summer league to take a look at him, then he demanded a guaranteed contract. With Przybilla on board no way would the team do that.

Also, I am pretty sure the team is not done dealing by any means.

He was waived because no one wanted to have to try to spell his name all summer.

The Blazers did a funny commercial last year where all the players tried to spell Przybilla.

But really, what a jerk Nikolaz is. He is regarded as a bust. Released. No job. A chance to make a roster or at least be in a place where NBA coaches and scouts will be able to see him. Possibly make a good impression on someone. Now he is sitting at home.

Larry, I don't care much for Nesterovic and Mohammed either, but don't tell that to the Raptors and Pistons. They are apparently counting on them for significant contributions (they won't get much tho). And the Spurs now have nobody to help out with rebounding. I'm guessing that's why they went after Pryzbilla.

Ms de Blazer. Thanks for the link. That helps to rationalize what happened in my head. Pryzbilla got essentially the same offer from the Spurs as he did from the Blazers. I understand that the Larry Bird right allows the Blazers to exceed the salary cap to sign Pryzbilla, but I wouldn't start rejoicing until we are certain that the deal was not done as a prelude to a sign-and-trade deal with another team. Wait a minute! Can the Larry Bird exemption even be used to complete a sign-and-trade. Can you even use a sign-and-trade on free agents. Jeez, I'm dumb, but those rules are so confusing. Let me check the CBA and I'll get back to you, unless you already know the answers.

About the dude with the funny name (I'm sick of trying to spell it too). Maybe it's an English thing. Maybe dude wasn't clued in on his options. To bad for him. Some money is better than no money. Pride is a dangerous thing. Maybe Isiah will sign him. He'll get his ego massaged real good then, I'll bet. Isiah will hook him up; don't worry.

[ July 06, 2006, 05:58 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Thomas, teams can definitely do a sign and trade with free agents. The Pistons tried to work one at the last second with Wallace, but either he or the Bulls didn't cooperate. With sign and trades, free agents can often end up getting paid more than if they sign directly with another team.

The rules are fantastically confusing. David Stern singlehandedly keeps a fleet of lawyers and accountants employed.

Yeah, Larry. You're right. I checked that. A sign-and-trade is designed specifically for free agents. But like I said, I'm dumb. Damn the CBA! Too many rules to keep track of. What it boils down to is that if Pryzbilla is the victim of a sign-and-trade, the Blazers can indeed re-sign him but then must trade him within 48 hours or the deal is off.

But there's stil something that confuses me. Ms de Blazer seemed to hint that the Blazers were going to use Pryzbilla's Larry Bird rights to sign him. I assume that any team can utilize the Larry Bird rule to re-sign one of its own free agents if he meets the tenure requirement. I get that. But, could a team then execute a sign-and-trade contract on a player that they re-signed as a Larry Byrd exception? If this can be done, it doesn't seem fair to the player (he earned those rights), unless the guy agreed to the trade AND his Larry Bird rights are transferred to the new team too.

Also, I thought a team had to first be OVER the cap to use any form of salary cap exception, including the Larry Bird exemption. But that's a moot point, as I assume the Blazers are now over the cap. Surely the rookie salaries for their two draft picks kicked in the minute they were drafted, AND, Rafe LaFrentz outrageously high salary is a huge cap obligation. They have to be over the cap by now.

So I suppose we will have to wait until July 12th to see if the Pyrzbilla deal is real; e.g.; whether he stays with the Blazers or is traded? We ARE still in the Moratorium right now. Right? I mean, none of these reported verbal agreements actually become final until the contracts are signed July 12th. Right? Larry, Dude. This stuff is so confusing. My head is starting to hurt real bad. I'm done.

Edited: I found out that when a player is traded, his Larry Bird rights are also traded with him. That seems fair to me.

Also, I know Ms de Blazer said "Early Bird" rights, not "Larry Bird" rights, but that doesn't affect my question. I would be surprised if any player used the Early Bird exception when he could simply sign a one-year contract and then received his Larry Bird rights the year after.

[ July 06, 2006, 10:03 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Adam, got a nice little deal it seems. $3 mill, the first year, $3 mill, the second year, plus he signed a nice little deal with Addidas I believe.Multi-million dollar deal. Local boy makes good. We are proud of you Adam. The other good news is that in addition to getting the 1st and 2nd round NCAA Mens games in Spokane next year, we will be again, getting them for 2009. From what I read in an article this morning they appraoched Spokane. My little town has turned into quite the basketball heaven.

Just to clarify, Przy had only been with Portland 2 years so did not have full Bird rights, but the team did have "Early Bird" rights. The Early Bird exception allows for that player 175% of his previous year's salary OR the NBA average salary, whichever is greater. Przy was on a pretty small deal so I believe the average salary was greater in his case. But what it means concretely for Portland is that by signing him as an Early Bird they still have their mid level exemption to sign someone else, should they choose to do so.
I agree, the NBA Collective Bargaining AGreement is fantastically confusing. But hey, accountants need jobs too.

Thomas, I'm pretty sure you're right -- it's only if a team is (or would be) over the salary cap that the Bird and "early Bird" provisions come into effect. Otherwise, the team could just offer more in the regular course of negotiating, and not have a cap issue.

It's also true that no actual contracts can be signed until the 12th. Since teams can negotiate deals before then, I think it's generally assumed that what's orally agreed to will hold, when it comes time to sign. But there are always the Carlos Boozers of the world that could go back on their word.

I think the worse thing about the salary cap, is that it leads to trades that make no sense from the fan's perspective, because they don't compute in terms of how the players match up as basketball players. Those deals are done purely for salary cap purposes.

[ July 07, 2006, 10:01 AM: Message edited by: LarryC ]

Larry , as you know, I'm jaded. I think the CBA set about finding ways of getting round existing salary guidleines. They were able to do this through a series of complicated and self-serving exemptions and exceptions. I think the NBA suits agreed to all this if-then, except-for, mumbo jumbo because of the luxury tax benefit it received in return. I could be wrong though, since I don't actually know how the tax revenue is utilized. And, honestly, I'm not sure I care any more. Some of the language in the CBA needs simplification. And the lawyers who wrote it should be forced to see an exorcist. And, yes, I do remember Boozer. What a stiff! But dude was a wall under the basket....until Shaq showed up. So, all in all, he was a good player.

Ms de Blazer , thanks for the explanation about Pryzbilla. But what is the identity of the player who will receive the mid-level exception for the Blazers? Is the mid-level exception for that team's current qualified players only, or, could Portland also use it to sign a qualified player from a different team?

HockeyTom : That's great news for AMMO. He's a little weird, but a really good guy and a phenomenal shooter. He deserves all the good things that are happening to him right now. You may want to ask Larry or Ms De Blazer, but those numbers sure sound like the standard rookie contract figures to me. Didn't AMMO even get a signing bonus or anything?

[ July 07, 2006, 07:04 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Thomas:

The luxury tax is redistributed to the teams that don't incur it, but it's possible the league keeps a cut (probably to pay all the lawyers and accountants administering it!). That is one of the ways that Donald Sterling has always made a killing even though he's (until the past 2 years) fielded garbage teams.

The mid-level exception is for a team that otherwise is up against the salary cap -- they can still sign a new player for the mid-level exception (currently a bit more than $5m/year. They can also sign a player at the veteran exception level (not sure that's the right nomenclature) -- about $1.5m But it's purely optional, and a lot of teams don't use it.

Finally, you are right -- rookies (at least first round picks) are paid per a fixed fee scale for 2 years. So Adam Morrison got his "signing bonus" from Nike.

As bad as all the cap and tax rules are, they generally do have the desired effect. Except for the Knicks, who pour hundreds of millions down the drain, the rules really do constrain the way teams spend, and force them to make hard choices about who to sign and who to let go.

Thomas, I don't know who, if anyone, the Blazers will use their Mid Level Exemption (or is it Exception?) on. They may not use it at all; there is no requirement it be used in any given year. But by having Early Bird rights for Przybilla, they can, if they chose, use the MLE to sign someone else. And yes, it can be any free agent. Right now the Blazer roster is at the max but no doubt some trades, including possible 2 for 1 or even 3 for 1, will reduce the numbers. There is one guy on the summer league team who looks pretty decent.

Thanks, guys. I have just two more questions regarding this.

1. Why is Nike paying AMMO a bonus? Seems to me, a bonus is a bonus is a bonus, and ought to count against the cap. Or, were you just being clever again, Larry? AMMO signed a contract with Nike, yes, but the Nike contract is in no way linked to any basketball rookie contract he signed with Charlotte. Right? They are not connected in any way. Right? They can't be. If they are, then Nike and the NBA would be business partners.

2. What are the trade guidelines regarding rookies? I know that they can't be traded for one or two years after being drafted, but can they be waived during their first or second year? Some waivers, in fact, most waivers, don't end in trades. I'll bet they can be waived, but even if they clear waivers, their salaries are still protected. Either the waiving team must rescind the waiver if he clears and stay the original contract, or, his new team must assume the original contract obligations. Am I close?

[ July 08, 2006, 09:03 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Thomas, I was joking about Nike paying Morrison's bonus.

As for the rookie waiver question, you're really pushing the edges of my knowledge (and those are pretty narrow edges). Typically, if a player has years left on his contract (and first rounders get a 2 year guarantee), and their team doesn't want them, the team has to negotiate a buy-out of the rest of the contract. If the player doesn't have a guaranteed contract, he can be waived, and any team can pick him up. But you're right -- there's a wrinkle in there where first dibs is for the team that's willing to assume the player's contract. When Mourning whined and moaned his way out of both New Jersey and Toronto, any team willing to assume his huge contract could have had him (and probably have stopped the Heat from winning the championship). Once they passed, Mourning was free to sign with Miami, for a pittance (since he was still getting so much extortion money from NJ/Toronto).

By the way, I'm not aware of any prohibition on trading rookies. Lots of teams were trying to pry Channing Frye away from the Knicks during last season.

[ July 09, 2006, 03:49 PM: Message edited by: LarryC ]

Larry, I undestand that first-round picks have guaranteed contracts, meaning they must be paid. I was just wondering if it mattered who paid them; e.g., the drafting team or a different team? It would seem logical that if a first round draft choice has signed a contract and the team no longer wants him, then that team must find someone to assume the guaranteed contract (e.g.; the buy-out). My question is: in those cases where the new team demands more from the old team than just the rookie and his contract; e.g. one or more players to grease the buy-out deal. Could the old team throw in that one or two players to work the buy-out deal? I don't see why they couldn't do this since nothing in the deal affects the rookie's salary in any way. And the deal can't be called a trade because the the new team did not surrender any players to the old team. Plus, the rookie gets paid either way.

I didn't mean to tax your brain. I'm really intersted in these things. Thanks.

[ July 09, 2006, 07:36 PM: Message edited by: Thomas ]

In any trade (whether it involves a rookie or not), that salaries have to match (there's a little bit of leeway, they can be off by some small amount -- 20%?). So, purely hypothetically, if Isiah wants to trade for Eric Dampier and his $70m. contract, Isiah can package together Channing Frye, Jackie Butler, Nate Robinson and throw in many many others (to match salaries). He couldn't simply "unload" them on another team without taking back comparable salary.

If Isiah really wants to get rid of them, he could buy them out directly; i.e., agree he'll pay them, in one lump sum, 60% of the salary they're owed over the life of their contracts. After he does that, then they are all free to sign up with a new team, at whatever terms they and the new team agree. The new team wouldn't owe anything to the Knicks.

I believe salaries have to match within 15 %. Assuming both teams are over cap, and nearly every team is. Players can be traded in their rookie contracts. If a team gives up on a player in his rookie contract he has to be bought out. There are no restrictions on what any player can earn in endorsements (not the case in WNBA, by the way). A player who is traded can be re-traded within 48 hours, after that time he cannot be re-traded for 60 days (I think that is correct).