Hey guys for all the disbelievers and uncertain people out there, this post is to show yall that this really is me A.T (no full name for privacy purposes). Obviously you can see that I am into Bball and well these posts are not all my opinions only, but this site is mine A.T (again for privacy purpose only initial). Well Enjoy the site and dont forget to check out the Ad's and other stuff on my site too.
By the way i do suggest nobody mention oneself's or anybody elses real name on this site, again for privacy issues.
Enjoy
A.T
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Trading Andre Iguodala
Understand that I'm usually (if not, nearly always) pretty loathe to take on these sorts of posts, partially because I don't like reading them myself, partially because a lot of the time an NBA trade rarely works out solidly for both ends, and mostly because I'm more interested in the on-court action than off. Alas, I'm forging ahead, here.
If the reports are correct, and they likely aren't, Andre Iguodala and the Philadelphia 76ers are at a stalemate. The guard/forward (eh, "forward") is about to enter his fifth season, he's a restricted free agent, and reports indicate he's looking for a contract in the six-year, 75 million dollar range.
Now, this could be a plant from the Sixers, or someone's educated guess (75 million would seem in line with someone who wouldn't be signed as of the first week of August), or it could be spot on. The specifics hardly matter to me, because I barely think he's worth eight figures a year. AI's a fine player, but even with the addition of Elton Brand and the continued improvement of Louis Williams, he might not be what the 76ers need. His game is a little more "Corey Maggette" than it is "Paul Pierce." A lot more. The guy has issues creating shots.
So why not cut out now? Why not mix things up with a sign-and-trade? Why not follow the voice of every message board denizen? Actually, for this one, that might work.
Trading AI straight-up in a sign-and-trade for one of his Class of 2004 brethren (like, say, Ben Gordon) is too complicated due to Base-Year Compensation rules, and any sign-and-trade deal that Iggy gets dealt within would have to invoke that clause.
Because of the raise in his deal, the contracts that come back to the 76ers would have to match up with half of Iguodala's first year salary, plus whatever salary they'd add on with other players. So if Iguodala is signed to a deal that has him making 12 million quid in the first season, it would only be worth six million in a trade. Good news if the 76ers want to deal for Matt Harpring, bad news if they want to try and replicate Iguodala's still-solid (and still-rising, for years after this) production.
Initially, I went to look for deals involving Class of 2003 guys, because those with significant gifts would already be working on their post-rookie contracts, which would be worth the full amount in a trade due to their BYC status expiring after 2007-08. Kirk Hinrich? On the block, but the Bulls don't need another wing player. Jameer Nelson? Same, and same. T.J. Ford? Already dealt. LeBron James? Too good. Reece Gaines? Too pretty for Philly. Leandro Barbosa? The Suns probably won't play ball.
Josh Howard? Hmm.
This isn't a reaction to Howard's latest indiscretion. Not sure if you've heard, but Mark Cuban is a pretty sound businessman, and he's knows that a fan base disappointed in a few off-court misdeeds rarely translates into actual losses at the gate, though losing basketball will always translate into ticket-buying indifference. And Howard sells tickets, because he helps win games. Or, he used to. Until last year, at least.
Howard is 28. He's in his prime. This is it. 2008-09 has to be his best year, and if it isn't, then ... yikes. Is the atmosphere right for him to pull off that career year? Sure, Avery Johnson is gone, and those two had their moments, but is he long for this team and an owner that really digs Brandon Bass?
Meanwhile, the 76ers just signed Elton Brand. Andre Miller is running the point. Their window to win is right flippin' now, in spite of all the young talent. Iguodala, for all his gifts, was an absolute millstone during last spring's playoffs; and even if we excuse the play because of two words ("Tayshaun" and "Prince"), the team still needs someone who can create in a pinch when things break down in the post. And not by firing a Maggette-esque three-pointer.
So why not give Iggy his 12-million per year, ship him to Dallas with Willie Green, and take Howard on? The Mavs get a Richard Jefferson-esque oop partner for Jason Kidd, someone to run enough with to dupe media types into thinking that Dallas is a fast-break team (like Kidd and Jefferson did in New Jersey), backcourt depth in Green, and they cut ties with Howard for a player almost four years younger.
Philly gets a smoother shooter who can create, defend, and knows how to contribute when the looks aren't there, or the looks aren't falling. Better yet, at two more years for 20 million and then a team option for 11 more, the 76ers stay in contract control. Also, Willie Green stinks.
I think it works, I think both sides do well, and I think fans of both teams would be happy with the deal one, three, and five years from now - even with, five years from now, Iguodala in his prime and Howard long gone from Philadelphia. Something about a Thaddeus Young.
What do you think?
Related: Thaddeus Young, Louis Williams, Jameer Nelson, Andre Iguodala, Willie Green, Ben Gordon, Leandro Barbosa, Josh Howard, Kirk Hinrich, LeBron James, Elton Brand, Andre Miller, Jason Kidd, Philadelphia 76ers
If the reports are correct, and they likely aren't, Andre Iguodala and the Philadelphia 76ers are at a stalemate. The guard/forward (eh, "forward") is about to enter his fifth season, he's a restricted free agent, and reports indicate he's looking for a contract in the six-year, 75 million dollar range.
Now, this could be a plant from the Sixers, or someone's educated guess (75 million would seem in line with someone who wouldn't be signed as of the first week of August), or it could be spot on. The specifics hardly matter to me, because I barely think he's worth eight figures a year. AI's a fine player, but even with the addition of Elton Brand and the continued improvement of Louis Williams, he might not be what the 76ers need. His game is a little more "Corey Maggette" than it is "Paul Pierce." A lot more. The guy has issues creating shots.
So why not cut out now? Why not mix things up with a sign-and-trade? Why not follow the voice of every message board denizen? Actually, for this one, that might work.
Trading AI straight-up in a sign-and-trade for one of his Class of 2004 brethren (like, say, Ben Gordon) is too complicated due to Base-Year Compensation rules, and any sign-and-trade deal that Iggy gets dealt within would have to invoke that clause.
Because of the raise in his deal, the contracts that come back to the 76ers would have to match up with half of Iguodala's first year salary, plus whatever salary they'd add on with other players. So if Iguodala is signed to a deal that has him making 12 million quid in the first season, it would only be worth six million in a trade. Good news if the 76ers want to deal for Matt Harpring, bad news if they want to try and replicate Iguodala's still-solid (and still-rising, for years after this) production.
Initially, I went to look for deals involving Class of 2003 guys, because those with significant gifts would already be working on their post-rookie contracts, which would be worth the full amount in a trade due to their BYC status expiring after 2007-08. Kirk Hinrich? On the block, but the Bulls don't need another wing player. Jameer Nelson? Same, and same. T.J. Ford? Already dealt. LeBron James? Too good. Reece Gaines? Too pretty for Philly. Leandro Barbosa? The Suns probably won't play ball.
Josh Howard? Hmm.
This isn't a reaction to Howard's latest indiscretion. Not sure if you've heard, but Mark Cuban is a pretty sound businessman, and he's knows that a fan base disappointed in a few off-court misdeeds rarely translates into actual losses at the gate, though losing basketball will always translate into ticket-buying indifference. And Howard sells tickets, because he helps win games. Or, he used to. Until last year, at least.
Howard is 28. He's in his prime. This is it. 2008-09 has to be his best year, and if it isn't, then ... yikes. Is the atmosphere right for him to pull off that career year? Sure, Avery Johnson is gone, and those two had their moments, but is he long for this team and an owner that really digs Brandon Bass?
Meanwhile, the 76ers just signed Elton Brand. Andre Miller is running the point. Their window to win is right flippin' now, in spite of all the young talent. Iguodala, for all his gifts, was an absolute millstone during last spring's playoffs; and even if we excuse the play because of two words ("Tayshaun" and "Prince"), the team still needs someone who can create in a pinch when things break down in the post. And not by firing a Maggette-esque three-pointer.
So why not give Iggy his 12-million per year, ship him to Dallas with Willie Green, and take Howard on? The Mavs get a Richard Jefferson-esque oop partner for Jason Kidd, someone to run enough with to dupe media types into thinking that Dallas is a fast-break team (like Kidd and Jefferson did in New Jersey), backcourt depth in Green, and they cut ties with Howard for a player almost four years younger.
Philly gets a smoother shooter who can create, defend, and knows how to contribute when the looks aren't there, or the looks aren't falling. Better yet, at two more years for 20 million and then a team option for 11 more, the 76ers stay in contract control. Also, Willie Green stinks.
I think it works, I think both sides do well, and I think fans of both teams would be happy with the deal one, three, and five years from now - even with, five years from now, Iguodala in his prime and Howard long gone from Philadelphia. Something about a Thaddeus Young.
What do you think?
Related: Thaddeus Young, Louis Williams, Jameer Nelson, Andre Iguodala, Willie Green, Ben Gordon, Leandro Barbosa, Josh Howard, Kirk Hinrich, LeBron James, Elton Brand, Andre Miller, Jason Kidd, Philadelphia 76ers
Bobcats keep Okafor with $72M deal
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The Charlotte Bobcats ended a year of uncertainty with top rebounder and shot blocker Emeka Okafor on Tuesday by coming to terms on a six-year, $72 million deal with the restricted free agent.
The move comes a year after Okafor turned down a contract for similar money and assures new coach Larry Brown will have the team's top inside presence when he begins his record ninth NBA coaching job in the fall.
"It was very important for us to get a deal done," general manager Rod Higgins said. "He creates a sense of security around the basket for us. He's a guy that I think his skills are still developing in a lot of ways. Having Larry as our head coach now, Emeka will benefit having a great coach to teach him."
Higgins said Okafor should sign the deal in the next few days.
Okafor was the second overall pick in 2004 and the expansion Bobcats' first draft pick. He turned down Charlotte's offer of $12 million a year last year, but settled on the same figure a year later.
Few other teams have enough salary-cap space to offer restricted free agents big money. Many, including Andre Iguodala of Philadelphia, Josh Smith of Atlanta and Luol Deng of Chicago, remain unsigned.
The move comes a year after Okafor turned down a contract for similar money and assures new coach Larry Brown will have the team's top inside presence when he begins his record ninth NBA coaching job in the fall.
"It was very important for us to get a deal done," general manager Rod Higgins said. "He creates a sense of security around the basket for us. He's a guy that I think his skills are still developing in a lot of ways. Having Larry as our head coach now, Emeka will benefit having a great coach to teach him."
Higgins said Okafor should sign the deal in the next few days.
Okafor was the second overall pick in 2004 and the expansion Bobcats' first draft pick. He turned down Charlotte's offer of $12 million a year last year, but settled on the same figure a year later.
Few other teams have enough salary-cap space to offer restricted free agents big money. Many, including Andre Iguodala of Philadelphia, Josh Smith of Atlanta and Luol Deng of Chicago, remain unsigned.
Team USA looks committed to winning gold
While the provocation for America's current basketball redemption movement was strangling the off-Strip regions of Las Vegas, Team USA '08 made its first dress rehearsal in another part of town.So with three high-school-level AAU tournaments busy postponing the vital skill development of potential, future Team USA hotshots (more on that later), the current avengers were smiting Canada by 55 points.
What crucial lessons can be gleaned from this pasting? Well, it seems fairly simple to declare that this version of Team Canada — which failed to qualify for the Olympics — is not a powerhouse. We also can rest assured that Coach Mike Krzyzewski's roster is deep, quick, rangy and motivated to the historically divined task of making hoop things right.
And the millionaires still seem to be getting along fabulously.
It also should be noted that a few tactical clues emerged while Coach K and the boys were tuning up:
Saturday, August 2, 2008
basketball
Kobe Bryant and Americans send message in victory
Team from Lithuania finds out this is a different U.S. squad.
MACAO -- Now for the grown-up portion of our program.
After putting the kids from Canada and Turkey to bed in its first two exhibitions, the U.S. men's basketball team took on someone closer to its size Friday night, or at least that was how it was billed.
One night after struggling, however briefly, against Turkey, the U.S. walked all over highly regarded Lithuania, romping to a 120-84 laugher.After putting the kids from Canada and Turkey to bed in its first two exhibitions, the U.S. men's basketball team took on someone closer to its size Friday night, or at least that was how it was billed.
Well, it was a laugher for the Americans, anyway.
"As you guys saw, we lost the game," said guard Rimantas Kaukenas, drawing titters in the interview room. "But being serious, actually, it's not that funny for us."
After eight years of bronze medals (Olympics, 2004; world championship, 2006) or no medals (world championship, 2002), you might think the U.S. no longer scares anyone.
Think again.
"We lost the game," said Lithuania Coach Ramunas Butautas. "We played very bad but don't forget against who we played. We played against the best team in the world, against the best players, against the best coach."
Appearances notwithstanding, this was no patsy. Lithuania finished third in the EuroBasket tournament last summer and has been giving the U.S. fits for years.
At Sydney in 2000, with the U.S. 22-0 in three Olympics with NBA pros, Lithuania's sharpshooting point guard, Sarunas Jasikevicius, had a chance to shock the world with a three-pointer at the buzzer but missed.
Four years later at the Athens Olympics, Jasikevicius got another shot, or shots, and didn't miss much of anything, scoring 28 points with seven threes as the U.S. toppled, 94-90.
Of course, after the Americans' sixth-place finish in the 2002 world championships and their opening-game loss in Athens, it was no longer such a novelty.
Said Jasikevicius after bagging the elephant in Athens: "We beat the States. So what? We came here not to beat the States or any other team, we just came here to fight for the medal."
In fact, Lithuania didn't medal in Athens.
Also, the elephant didn't forget.
Friday U.S. Coach Mike Krzyzewski put his defensive stopper, Kobe Bryant, on Jasikevicius and Bryant did another of his Leandro Barbosa numbers.
Barbosa, the Phoenix Suns' roadrunner, was leading last summer's Tournament of the Americas at 27 points a game going into Brazil's game against the U.S. when Bryant and his teammates held him to four.
This time Bryant and Co. held Jasikevicius to nine points, and they must have been the hardest nine points he has ever scored. Jasikevicius got off eight shots, missed six and turned the ball over at least five times, although he was charitably charged with only three of Lithuania's 23 turnovers.
"He had some good games against the USA and was real brash about it, trash talked, things of that nature," said Bryant. "So it's my responsibility to bring it to him. . . .
"This is what I do. They [U.S. coaches] reminded me of it so, sic the Doberman on him."
This was supposed to be a test of the athletic U.S. players against the bigger Lithuanians, who went 6-11, 6-11, 6-6 along their front line.
Athleticism won, although as tests go, it was an open book exam. With Bryant hounding Jasikevicius, Lithuania got off only six shots in its first 11 possessions, missing four, and turned the ball over five times.
By then, the U.S. was up, 18-5, and just getting started.
If Bryant thinks Jasikevicius ran his mouth about the U.S., it could be noted the Americans' attitude at the time didn't endear them to a lot of international players.
Now Jasikevicius thinks this is an entirely different team with an entirely new attitude, or lack thereof.
"I believe they're the favorite," Jasikevicius said of the U.S. before the game. "I think they have the best players in the world. They're hungry right now.
"I think that they know that they just can't show up and they're going to win. I definitely think they're favorites. And they have a lot of people who have been proven winners, starting from the bench onto the court so I definitely think they're favorites."
Of course, the U.S. was always the favorite, even when the Americans were getting their heads handed to them, but this is different, so far.
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