On his thoughts about retiring before the 1999-2000 season: "I remember sitting down with the Rockets and saying, 'Yeah. I'm going to retire.' They said, 'Well, we'll give you $9 million.' And I said, 'You got a pen on you?'"
Let me preface this blog by stating that it’s not meant as a slant against Kurt and Forum Blue and Gold. I visit Kurt’s blog daily and he definitely knows his hoops.
2. Teams with two 1st team All-NBA defenders are incredibly successful. The Tim Duncan-Bruce Bowen Spurs have won three out of the last six NBA championships in large part because of the defensive efforts of those two players. The second 3-pete Bulls featured three All-NBA defenders. Bryant is an 8-time All-NBA defender. Artest and Bryant would allow Phil Jackson the defensive options he enjoyed with Jordan and Pippen. Those two — combined with a healthy Andrew Bynum defending the paint (2.1 blks) — would transform the Lakers into an elite team defensively.
3. He’s a winner. The 2003-2004 Pacers won a league best 61 games. Upon being traded to the Kings in 2005-2006, he guaranteed the Kings would make the playoffs. Sacramento went 26-14 to close the season and clinched the eighth seed. The counter argument to this is the Kings record over the last two seasons. But Sacramento’s slide has more to do with the departure of Rick Adelman, Mike Bibby, and Bonzi Wells than it does the play of Artest. Which brings me to my next reason…
4. The Lakers are coached by Phil Jackson. Artest has to be coached by a strong-willed coach that he respects. Up until the Malice at the Palace, Artest thrived under hard-nosed Rick Carlisle. He also excelled in his half season under Adelman. But the results under Eric Musselman and Reggie Theus have been mixed. Jackson has experience dealing with eccentric forwards. It was the Zen Master that reigned in Dennis Rodman — whose career was spiraling out of control before he landed in Chicago. It’s also worth noting how much Artest apparently respects Kobe. It’s not beyond reason to believe that Kobe could have the same affect on Artest, that Jordan had on Rodman.
5. Lamar Odom is not the answer at shooting forward. As a Lakers fan, I love Odom’s versatility. I was happy to see him find his niche after the Gasol trade. But he can’t defend opposing shooting forwards and many of his strengths (penetration, low-post scoring) will be null and void with the return of a healthy Andrew Bynum. The post-up opportunities will go to Gasol and Bynum and the lane will be occupied by those two. LO isn’t worth his salary either. If Odom becomes amenable to a large paycut and the role of 6th man, I’d like to see him retained. Otherwise, he becomes expendable with the acquisition of Artest or the development of Ariza.
Kurt cited Odom’s superior shooting and rebounding abilities as reason to retain Lamar rather than acquire Artest.
I agree with that to a certain extent. As Kurt alluded to, Odom’s rebounding is a big plus for the Lakers. He’s also very good at “grabbing the board and bringing the ball up himself” to start the fastbreak. But I think the starting unit is going to become increasingly half-court centric with two 7′0 footers in the lineup. Odom’s rebounding and point forward skills could be a positive for the second unit. But again, that’s dependent upon his willingness to accept a paycut and a role coming off the bench.
Artest isn’t a lights out shooter. But that’s not what the Lakers need. Scottie Pippen wasn’t a shooter. Neither was Rick Fox (especially in the playoffs). Devean George nailed the occasional 3-ball but he was far from reliable from long distance. Radmonovic is a good 3-point shooter, but he kills the Lakers defensively. And that’s where the Lakers need to become stronger. They need to become tougher. They need someone to guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player like Pippen did for MJ and the Bulls. Artest brings those facets in spades.
Artest carries a lot of baggage. But I think he’s one of the few players who is sincere about his desire to win a championship.
Given the Lakers roster and the man calling the shots on the sidelines, there isn’t a better location for him to win a title. Winning solves everything in professional sports. It might be enough to solve the enigma that has become Ron Artest.
On May 16, 1980 rookie point guard Magic Johnson filled in for the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center, and led the Lakers to a 123-107 Game 6 victory. Magic tallied 42 points, 15 rebounds, and dished out seven assists to win the first of his five NBA championships.
Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel: “Beasley-Rose will have to wait until Michael Beasley shrinks or Derrick Rose grows. For now, Monday’s summer-league Heat-Bulls game was more about where Beasley stands, especially after getting the opportunity to go against Chicago veterans Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah.”
Former NBA head coach Eric Musselman’s blog: “As coaches (and members of the world community), we can and should learn from other cultures. Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni has talked about how much his time in Italy influenced his teams’ style of play and coaching philosophy. [By the way, Mike has said that he read about a book a day during his first few years in Italy.] In Golden State, our staff spent time studying Argentina’s national team and its early offense. In fact, we used a version of it in our “Quick Strike” offense after free throws.”
Marc Stein of ESPN.com: “It suddenly appears that the biggest threat to the Los Angeles Clippers re-signing franchise forward Elton Brand can be found far east of Oakland. NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Monday night that the Philadelphia 76ers are again “actively involved” in the Brand hunt — and now a very serious threat to tempt him away from L.A. — after initially fearing that they couldn’t compete financially with the Clippers and Golden State Warriors.”
Nick Friedell of Ball Don’t Lie: “Will somebody please find Derrick Rose and tell him that his NBA career started on Monday. I almost felt bad watching him play yesterday because he looked so nervous. What was supposed to be a duel between Rose and Beasley, turned out to be a showcase for the Kansas State product, and one of his new teammates, Mario Chalmers.”
“Hall of Fame forward Rick Barry is the only player ever to lead the NCAA, NBA, and ABA in scoring. His name appears near the top of every all-time offensive list. He scored more than 25,000 points in his professional career and in four different seasons averaged more than 30 points. He was named to 12 All-Star teams, four All-NBA First Teams, and five All-ABA First Teams. Barry was a nearly unstoppable offensive juggernaut, a passionate competitor with an untempered desire to win. Occasionally his fiery competitiveness would grate on rivals — and teammates, too.
Mike Dunleavy, a teammate and friend of the tempestuous Barry, told the Chicago Tribune, “You could send him to the U.N., and he’d start World War III.”
“I was not an easy person to get along with,” Barry admitted in the same article. “I didn’t have a lot of tact.”
However, he did have remarkable talent. He led an otherwise ordinary Golden State club to the NBA Championship in 1975, captaining the team and averaging 30.6 points, second in the league.
When he left the game, Barry was sixth on the NBA-ABA all-time scoring list with 25,279 points. And although his defense was sometimes criticized for being less than intense, his 1,104 career steals ranked 10th. He was a deadly free-throw shooter, using an odd, outdated underhand style. At the time of his retirement, Barry’s .900 career free-throw percentage was the best in NBA history. In one season, 1978-79, he missed only 9 free-throw attempts.” [Read]
On April 20th, 1986 second-year pro Michael Jordan set the record for most points scored in a playoff game by dropping 63 on the eventual champion Boston Celtics.
Shortly after receiving a verbal committment from Baron Davis, the Los Angeles Clippers reportedly offered Elton Brand a five-year, $70 million dollar contract extension.
Instead of agreeing to the extension on the spot, Brand is contemplating an offer from the Golden State Warriors that is rumored to be $90 million over five-years.
According to Basketball-reference.com, Brand has made $81,543,136 over his nine-year career. At that point, what difference does an extra $20 million dollars make? How many homes and luxury vehicles does one person need?
Maybe Elton is having second thoughts about the Clippers roster. That’s understandable. When healthy, Davis is one of the NBA’s top five point guards. But is he any better than the point guard-shooting foward combination of Sam Cassell and Corey Maggette? Doubtful. Maggette and Cassell were the Clippers 2nd and 3rd leading scorers on a team that came within one game of advancing to the Western Conference Finals in 2006.
The addition of Davis all but sealed Maggette’s fate. He won’t be returning to La La Land.
That leaves the Clippers with a starting lineup that will feature Davis, Cuttino Mobley, Al Thornton, Brand, and Chris Kaman. With Tim Thomas coming off the bench. LA will be good enough to compete for a playoff birth in the Western Conference. But they’re still far from championship contention.
There are plenty of All-Star point guard-power forward duos in the NBA. Deron Williams-Carlos Boozer, Chauncey Billups-Rasheed Wallace, Chris Paul-David West, Steve Nash-Amare Stoudemire. All of those teams are searching for that third piece. The Davis-Brand Clippers will be no different.
Triumvirates win NBA championships. Garnett-Pierce-Allen, Duncan-Ginobili-Parker, Jordan-Pippen-Rodman, Magic-Kareem-Worthy. There have been a few exceptions to that rule over the years. Shaq-Kobe, Olajuwon-Drexler, and the celebrated team work of Isiah Thomas and Chauncey Billups’ Pistons come to mind. Although I don’t think anyone would mistake Brand-Davis or the Clippers for those players or teams.
Still, Los Angeles — with Brand and Davis — would be 2/3 of the way there.
Don Nelson’s system puts butts in the seats. But it won’t win an NBA championship. It’s not a system that plays to Brand’s strengths either.
Either way, Brand’s career will end with him having made upwards of $150 million dollars to play a game he used to play for free.
When it’s all said and done, how much of that would Elton have traded for a chance to win a championship?
The Oklahoman: “Many of Oklahoma City’s new NBA team’s 125 employees will remain in Seattle through the end of the WNBA season, the Seattle Times is reporting. According to the Times, every employee will receive a bonus for staying with the team the past two years, and any employee who chooses not to move will receive severance pay. Anyone who chooses to relocate to Oklahoma also can negotiate a relocation package.”
Kurt of Forum Blue and Gold: “On this blog, in Lakers forums all over the Internet, on talk radio, seemingly everywhere there is a fascination among some Lakers fans with bringing Ron Artest to the LA. And I don’t get it. I understand being unsure how well Odom will do as the small forward, it’s a legitimate question and concern. But Ron Artest is not the answer.”
Marc J. Spears of The Boston Globe: “Once the Spurs were eliminated from the playoffs, many believed they needed to get younger. San Antonio’s roster averaged 31.6 years of age this past season, while the Celtics were at 28.8. The Spurs, however, laughed at the notion that they were too old, especially since Duncan (32), Ginobili (31 on July 28), and Parker (26) are still playing well when healthy, and are younger on average than the Celtics’ Allen (33 on July 20), Garnett (32), and Pierce (30).”
Blake Murphy of Hoops Addict: “What’s worse for free agents is that the teams with cap room to spend above the MLE are largely those at the bottom of the standings, meaning most higher profile free agents are facing the decision of competing for the playoffs (or a title) or taking a big pay day and hoping their new franchise can build a winner quickly. Sure, there are exceptions like Elton Brand and Baron Davis, who have both received offers from Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers (not respectively, as both have offers from both teams). But for every Elton Brand or Baron Davis, there is a Corey Maggette. Maggette faces the unique situation of being an extremely valuable asset to any team, but having very little demand for his services in the financial sense. Any competitive team will likely jump at the chance to sign Maggette at the Mid-Level amount (in fact, the Spurs and Celtics have reportedly tried to do so already), but Maggette’s value is probably closer to the $8-10M range, not the $5.5-6M Mid-Level Exception. So what’s a player to do?”
The New York Times: “Three national championships and more than 800 victories say Mike Krzyzewski is one of the greatest college basketball coaches. Anything less than an Olympic gold medal this summer would probably say something else about him. Krzyzewski fell short two years ago in his first shot with the professionals. If he cannot win in Beijing with the most talented team he has had, it may be time to wonder if Krzyzewski is little more than an elite college coach.”
ESPN: “Those who have been observing as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks, among others, maneuver to create salary cap space have already heard about “the Summer of LeBron.” That’s 2010, the year that LeBron James can opt out of his contract with the Cavs. But the offseason of 2010 is not just the Summer of LeBron: It’s also the Summer of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Ray Allen, Tyson Chandler, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Joe Johnson, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Redd, each of whom can become an unrestricted free agent in 2010. And in 2009, the list is illustrious, too: Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer, Allen Iverson, Ron Artest, Richard Hamilton, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Andre Miller, Lamar Odom and Rasheed Wallace can become unrestricted free agents next year.”
Mike Kahn of Foxsports: “Ever since the popularity of the NBA exploded during the 1980s, along with the exceptional growth of the soft salary cap, unrestrained free agency and guaranteed contracts, the only thing we knew for sure was when a player said it wasn’t about the money … it was about the money. There are indications that this offseason may be the exception.”
“Of all the thrilling baskets scored in NBA history, there have been few more fabled than the two Willis Reed hit in the first few minutes of Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. Although they counted for only four points on the scoreboard, they were worth a million buckets of inspiration in the hearts of the New York Knicks.
Prior to Game 7, on May 8, 1970, at 7:30 p.m., Reed, the captain and main force of a multitalented New York Knicks team, was apparently sidelined with an injury that threatened his team’s chances to win the NBA Championship. Fifteen minutes later he had become a legend, and the Knicks were on the way to their first NBA title.
In the first four games of the Finals against the formidable Los Angeles Lakers, Reed had scored 37, 29, 38 and 23 points, respectively, while averaging 15 rebounds. In the fourth quarter of Game 5 he sustained a deep thigh injury. The Knicks managed to survive that encounter but were demolished by the Lakers in Game 6.
The series was tied at three games apiece entering the decisive contest at Madison Square Garden. New York’s Bill Bradley recalled Game 7 in an article in The New York Times: “We left the locker room for the warm-ups not knowing if Willis was going to come out or not.”
At 7:34 p.m. Reed limped onto the court. The crowd went wild, and his teammates’ confidence returned with a vengeance. Reed somehow managed to outjump Wilt Chamberlain. on the opening tip, then scored the game’s first basket on a shot from the top of the key. He then scored the second New York basket from 20 feet out.
He did not score again, but he didn’t have to; he had already inspired the Knicks to seize the day. New York led by as many as 29 points in the first half and eventually won the contest, 113-99.” [Read]
On January 7, 2003 Kobe Bryant made 12 three-pointers to break the all-time NBA record for most threes in a game. Bryant made his first nine three-point attempts and finished 12-of-18 from behind the arc.
“That was perhaps the greatest streak shooting I’ve ever seen in my life.”- Phil Jackson
Chad Nielsen of ESPN the Magazine: “At 6′3″, Ricky Rubio is tall enough to stand out in Spain, but this spring morning, among the whitewashed walls of his hometown, he’s just another 17-year-old high school senior on his way to take final exams. That night, though, Rubio is in nearby Badalona, the home of DKV Joventut, Spain’s small-market hoops factory. On the floor, the third-year pro disrupts passing lanes and creates plays that don’t make the stat sheet. Several times he even outpositions 7′1″, 280-pound Marc Gasol for rebounds.”
Trevor Smith of Hoops Addict: “Jerry West is universally respected and widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball player ever. Experts and casual fans alike agree that the former Los Angeles Laker was one of the best talents to ever play the game. In the years since his retirement he has received numerous honours that stand as a testament to his talent and success, from being named to the NBA Top 50 Team to his 1980 enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Yet West’s career holds a paradoxical quality: while he is at once revered and celebrated as having a career of the very highest merit, it is still somehow reasonable and unembellished to suggest that he may too be one of the most underrated players in NBA history.”
Mike Kahn of Foxsports: “This just stinks, and it will continue to stink if only because so many people from Seattle to New York — by way of Oklahoma City — are permeated with a stench that comes only as a result of ugly politics and big money. Thank you, politicians of Washington state. Thank you, politicians of the NBA. And thank you, Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz. You all played equal parts selling the Seattle Sonics and their fans down the river twice in two years, in the process giving Clay Bennett and his Oklahoma carpetbaggers our NBA team.”
Adam Lauridsen of the San Jose Mercury News: “Regardless of whether the Warriors end up with Elton Brand, the post-BD counterstrike has certainly made for an entertaining and suspenseful week. Accomplishing what would essentially be a Davis for Brand swap would be nothing short of a masterpiece. Even if the move fails, driving up Brand’s price to kill any remaining cap space the Clips might have is a nice way to ensure they spend the next five years slowly sinking under the weight of two players’ contracts.”
David Friedman of 20 second timeout: “Bottom line: if you are not on one of the three All-NBA Teams–or a player who deserved to be there but clearly got snubbed–then you are not an elite player. An All-Star is not an elite player; every year there are 24 All-Stars plus another 5-10 players who could just as easily have made the cut. An elite player must be no worse than one of the top five players at his position and one of the top 15 players in the NBA. Even when fully healthy, Davis and Arenas operate at the fringes of elite territory: Arenas made the All-NBA Second Team in 2007 and the All-NBA Third Team in 2005 and 2006, while Davis made the All-NBA Third Team in 2004.”
“After a Hall of Fame career as one of the great playmakers in basketball history, Lenny Wilkens turned to coaching and led his teams to more wins than any other coach in NBA history.
Wilkens coached the Dream Team to the gold medal for the United States at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and was an assistant to Chuck Daly with the original Dream Team at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
As a player, Wilkens was diminutive in stature, but his list of accomplishments made him one of the giants of the game. His reserved demeanor belies his achievements while his self-effacing manner is reflected in his coaching style: a game plan based on unselfish offensive and defensive play that creates powerhouse teamwork.
“I’ve always believed you need balance,” he explained to the Boston Globe. “It’s not that I don’t want a star–I’ll always take a star–but even if you have a star, it’s important to surround him with the right kind of complementary players.”
During Wilkens’ 15 years as a player in the NBA, he scored 17,772 points for an average of 16.5 ppg and handed out 7,211 assists. He ranks among the all-time leaders in assists, games played, minutes played and free throws made. The nine-time All-Star was also the MVP of the 1971 midseason classic in San Diego.” [Read]
From 1993 — to 1998 — the Seattle Supersonics averaged 60 wins per season. But from 1998 to the present day, the Sonics averaged just 37 wins per year.
Here is a season-by-season cross-reference of the Sonics regular season win totals, key transactions, and their year-by-year valuation as estimated by Forbes.com:
Owner: Howard Schultz
President: Wally Walker
General Manager: Rick Sund
Key transactions:
Named Bob Weiss coach
Draft Johan Petro, Mickael Gelabale, and Lawrence Roberts
Trade Reggie Evans to the Denver Nuggets and Center Vitaly Potapenko to the Sacramento Kings for guard Earl Watson, forward Byron Russell, a 2008 second-round pick and cash from the Denver Nuggets
Trade Ronald Murray to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Mike Wilks
“When Bob Pettit came out of college in 1954, no one thought he was talented enough to make it as a professional basketball player. Although he had been a prolific scorer at Louisiana State University, the tall, thin forward was deemed too slight at 200 pounds to survive the pounding of an NBA season. However, the scouts failed to factor in Pettit’s willingness to work harder than anyone else on the court in order to succeed.
And succeed he did. After 11 years with the Milwaukee and St. Louis Hawks, he retired having become the first player in the league to top 20,000 points. The greatest forward of his era, Pettit was an All-Star in each of his 11 seasons, an All-NBA First Team selection 10 times, and an All-NBA Second Team pick once. He never finished below seventh in the NBA scoring race, and he left the sport with two Most Valuable Player Awards and an NBA championship ring.
After Pettit’s playing days had ended, rival Bill Russell offered this tribute: “Bob made ’second effort’ a part of the sport’s vocabulary. He kept coming at you more than any man in the game. He was always battling for position, fighting you off the boards.” [Read]
Due to a revision in the NBA’s 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement, players must be at least 19 years of age during the calendar year of the NBA draft and at least one year removed from high school in order to be eligible for the NBA.
Brandon Jennings signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Arizona, but is contemplating a professional career in Europe if he falls short of the necessary SAT score. Opting for a pro career overseas would fly in the face of conventional wisdom. But wisdom has nothing to do with the NBA’s age limit that prohibited Brandon from entering the 2008 draft.
A few months ago, I wrote an article for RealGM that broke down the success rate of players drafted into the NBA straight out of high school. From 1975 to 2005, 41 high school players were drafted into the NBA. Of the 41 players drafted out of high school, only 10 of those players failed to make it in the league. A large number of those players went on to become superstars. Four-fifths of this year’s All-NBA 1st team was drafted straight out of high school.
No, the NBA’s age limit has nothing to do with the welfare of the young men who dream of playing in the NBA. It has everything to do with the NBA and NCAA’s best interests.
So why shouldn’t Jennings do what’s best for him?
A one-year professional contract in Europe will net him a six-figure salary. As the first high school player to make the jump from the States to the Euroleague, his every move will be documented. Companies will line up to sign him to endorsements. The competition will be greater and the fundamentals focused Euro game will help Jennings fine-tune his skills before declaring for the 2009 draft.
In 1975, Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby became the NBA’s first two high school draft picks. Dawkins was drafted 5th by the Philadelphia 76ers. Willoughby was the first pick of the second round (19th overall). Both players enjoyed long NBA careers.
Despite their success, it would be another thirty years before another high school player was drafted. That kid’s name was Kevin Garnett. From 1995 to 2005, thirty-eight players followed KG’s path.
How many players will follow Jennings if he opts for one-year contract in Europe?
Whether Jennings chooses to play in Europe or not, it’s only a matter of time before players begin to sidestep the NBA’s age limit rule. Jennings’ situation reminds me of a blog that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wrote in 2006 titled ‘Making Money in Basketball….‘. Cuban wrote on the subject of minor league basketball in the United States and how a new league could flourish if they “copied the player development and contractual relationships of foreign leagues.”
That means signing teenaged phenoms to professional contracts with the intent of developing them and collecting on their buyouts when the NBA or Euroleague comes calling. The Euroleague has thrived upon this business model for years. Tony Parker (2007 Finals MVP) and Dirk Nowitzki (2007 regular season MVP) were professional players long before they turned 18.
I don’t think a minor league (like the one Cuban suggested) that creates the majority of their revenue through ticket sales can thrive in the United States. And I don’t think a minor league is the best option to truly develop young players. The NBA’s development league, the NBADL has been moderately successful, but it’s little more than a testing ground for the NBA. The CBA folded seven years ago.
But I like Cuban’s idea of a system that signs players to professional contracts before they turn 18 and develops them as players AND people. If built properly, the system would pay dividends to the angel investors and/or venture capitalist who choose to fund the program while succeeding in preparing young men for the rigors of a life in and out ofprofessional basketball.
Like Cuban wrote, the key would be signing players at a young age and providing them with year round basketball, scholastic education, and life skills training. In recent years, basketball ‘purists’ have decried the lack of fundamentals in today’s game. Players have become bigger, stonger, and faster. But fundamentals like shooting, passing, and dribbling have declined. Teaching the fundamentals and shielding players from the me-first mentality that has permeated professional sports would be priority number one.
Developing the infrastructure would be complicated but could be shortcut if combined with an established company like Better Basketball. Correspondence schools or personal tutors could be contracted to ensure that players receive an education that is equal to, or greater than that of a public or private school’s high school diploma.
Unsavory characters like free agent “runners” and duplicitous AAU coaches could be kept at an arm’s length.
Players and their families would be taken care of until the moment they sign with their first professional franchise. The amount of investment would vary. And the investment would carry risk. But what investment doesn’t? Repayment — with interest — would come when/if a player signs their first professional contract. Repayment could also be negotiated through a percentage of the money made throughout a player’s career.
David Stern felt that an age limit was in the NBA’s best interests. Brandon Jennings is going to do what’s best for him. My proposal would benefit everyone.
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