LeBron’s decision: immediate thoughts

By Rick Morris

Just to give my background on the LeBron story before I break it down …

I am a lifelong Cleveland Cavs fan, wearing my old battered Mark Price T-shirt on the day that signifies the end of the team’s most successful era. I remember the old wine and gold from times my parents took me to the now-defunct Richfield Coliseum as a small child. So I’m not one of the bandwagon-jumpers who only got with the Cavs when they were deemed cool by the masses.

To me, LeBron James is the best player in the league, an unprecedented amalgam of skill sets and court vision the likes of which we have never seen before. Depending on the course he sets for himself – more on that below – he has an excellent chance to go down as the greatest player of all time.

Notwithstanding his Akron heritage, I have never looked at him as more than that. He’s the best player in the game, playing for my team, but I never got too invested in him off the court. I didn’t hate on him, I just didn’t idolize him personally. There are a lot of people who foolishly inflated him into more than what he is personally – local boy growing up to save us all – and they are the ones who are the most depressed about this, because it goes against their false worldview. He’s never been my favorite player, Boobie and Z were my favorites.

I never got on LeBron’s case for wearing a Yankees hat or any of the other idiocies people would give him garbage for doing (the one exception is that I did feel that he should set a good example for his fans and marry his baby mama since they were together anyway, but that’s more than a little more important than criticizing him for his team fandom). I thought the hate on him for the Game Five debacle against the Celtics was overblown and said so vociferously on Twitter that night, causing one friend piling on him to resent me to this day. But I saw him as somebody who was more injured than he was letting on and somebody who wasn’t dealing well with the frustration of the game flow and execution not working out, not as a quitter like so many in the “LeBron Messiah” crowd did when they bailed on him.

So I feel that, all in all, while I was never measured in my on-court opinion of him or my insane optimism about what he could deliver for my team, I was more measured than most in what I thought personally. And that is almost definitely helping me to deal with this better than most fellow Cavs fans.

Honestly, I was embarrassed by the banners on the highway overpasses and the “hometown” gaga that was being cited by so many to get him to stay in Northeast Ohio. As I said on our FDH LOUNGE show this past week (Wednesdays, 7-10 PM EDT on SportsTalkNetwork.com), I wanted LeBron to re-sign and bring Cleveland championships as badly as anyone, but the community needs to keep its dignity. The fact that LeBron was in position to sign a contract for nine digits is something that I am fairly philosophical about – it is what it is, as far as I’m concerned – but it’s not anything that we as a society should glorify. For people to be lining up to give this guy tongue baths to sign for that much money is something that really rubs me the wrong way.

I don’t feel that LeBron owes Northeast Ohio anything special just because he grew up here – and, notwithstanding his artificial distinctions between “Akron” and “Cleveland,” few in this area consider them completely separate and distinct and even fewer nationally look at it that way. But to cite another team as providing a better chance to win championships is a humungous slap in the face inasmuch as he has been the co-signer for every significant move since he got here in ’03.

[BTW, it’s also 20-20 hindsight to criticize the Cavs for catering to his every whim over these past seven years. He held a gun to their head and they would have had no chance to keep him, maybe not even the time he did re-sign back in 2006, had they not let him have his run of the place. You can hate the reality of modern big-time sports, but it’s displaced aggression to hate on the Cavs for doing what was necessary to even have a chance to keep him.]

If the team doesn’t have as great of a chance to win right now as Chicago or Miami – and I would dispute that premise, given the team’s underachievement in the playoffs and remaining chits that could be used for impactful trades – then LeBron must certainly share in that responsibility. To shrug that off completely is not a sign of great character.

Also, we are “Witnessing” changes throughout this process that led Cleveland Plain Dealer Brian Windhorst (who is, as I have said, the best beat writer in the country regardless of sport) to pronounce on Wednesday that “this LeBron” making these moves is not the guy he knew all these years. He has always struck me as fairly savvy, but I think we have seen erosion there in the form of the constant yes-man conduct from his inner circle. He did not have one person around him with the authority to tell him some obvious truths:

^ That kicking Cleveland (the pathetic mangy dog by the side of the road in the national image) in the nards with a steel-toed boot will damage his national reputation – to say nothing of the forum being chosen, an unprecedented hour of national television to rub additional salt in the wounds.

^ That nobody anywhere buys his artificial distinction between his loyalty to Greater Akron and Greater Cleveland (given that they are connected by highway and only separated by some national park areas) and that he’s digging the PR grave deeper by trying to get people to believe something so disingenuous.

^ That leaving Cleveland after he laid such an egg in the Boston series, coupled with going to a team where he will automatically be viewed as a co-Pippen to a megastar who’s already won a ring will damage his legacy – he should go ask Kobe what it was like dealing with criticism for the THREE rings he won when Shaq was the greatest star on his team, in a situation that pales in comparison to the “big game” questions many have already put on LeBron. And for what it is worth, I will now root against the other co-Pippen, Chris Bosh, very strenuously for providing probably the last nail in the coffin via his petulant refusal to even consider playing on America’s North Coast.

^ That because he is no longer graded on the curve of expectations relative to what was around him in Cleveland that he never wins another MVP award in Miami and will be deemed a failure if he doesn’t win at least four or five titles with that bunch – with one in his first year, of course (my personal prediction would be two titles for that nucleus, given the challenges that a lack of depth will bring and that getting good-to-great teammates to come in and take the league minimum would represent an unprecedented development in the league).

^ That this TV special is almost uniformly viewed as obnoxious by the public at large – with his “charitable efforts” serving as an insulting fig leaf for ego – and that it plays into a disturbing image with the “King James” Twitter account that was just opened.

^ That he transformed himself into an object of widespread derision by the number of teams he ostentatiously flirted with before coming to a decision that reeks to so many as taking the easier path in the end.

I realize that as an admitted lifelong Cavs fan that some of the above points may not seem completely objective, but I believe that they are and I stand by them. I am intellectually honest enough to say that my opinion of him, like that of Windhorst, did change as the process mutated. Had he returned, I would have been overjoyed at the implications for my favorite team, which would avoid the now-obvious need for a complete teardown/rebuild, but I would have been even more wary of him regardless.

[But I do not by any means condone the reactions of this area that I know will be coming, from seeking to burn down murals and billboards with his likeness to any threats that will come to him and his family. It’s a sad commentary on society when you consider the lengths people will go to in a futile attempt to exact “revenge” on “Black Modell.” Having said that, again just to recognize the world for what it is, he’s as naïve as can be if he thinks he’s going to be able to live during his summer and post-hoops career in suburban Akron.]

Speaking of that teardown/rebuild, I’m going to make it a point to go buy some Cavs merchandise very soon. This organization did EVERYTHING they could to be successful in all areas and did not deserve this outcome. If I’m going to criticize the Dolan regime that has run my favorite baseball team squarely into the ground, I have to be consistent and support good ownership when it has tried to do well for me. I can only hope that enough Cavalier fans agree with me on the need to stand by Dan Gilbert for what he has done. The fact that he owns the new casino coming to town and is thus anchored to the community gives me hope that he’s going to have the stomach for the inevitable rebuild.

When the day comes that the Cavs do acquire a new superstar to lead the team back into serious contention, I can only hope that the landscape of the league has changed by then. For while I have anger and disappointment that stems equally from the content of the decision and the manner in which it is delivered, I realize that these issues go far beyond the character and maturity levels of a filthy rich 25 year-old. They stem from the system that has created and nurtured the mania that led him through this process that was degrading to so many. David Stern is obsessed with marketing over substance and thinks any water-cooler talk is inherently good for the league, even if it overshadows a seven-game Finals series between the league’s two most historic franchises. My hope is that one way or another, by the time my team is restored to success years down the road, that the game is not governed by a commissioner who is so determined to aid and abet the culture of self-aggrandizement that leads to moments like this. I hope – in vain, probably – that this moment causes such a backlash that it rolls back this destructive tide once and for all. Characteristically, if it does, it will be too late to help my hometown.

Also, this just in, Dan Gilbert absolutely destroyed LeBron. Good for him.

Pass The Bucks

By Tony Mazur

Good day to you, fellow FDH Lounge Blog readers. After a 2 1/2 month hiatus, I am back to posting my random thoughts here in this blog.

Anyways, today is Draft Day in the National Basketball Association. Just as we see every year in the NBA and NFL, the week leading up to the draft gets hectic for us sports talk show hosts because of trade rumors, mock drafts, etc.

Although I am supposed to be an unbiased sports talker, I will always be a Cleveland Cavaliers fan. I always have and always will support them, through thick and thin. I want what's best for them and the city of Cleveland.

While flipping through Cleveland area terrestrial radio stations, they're all proclaiming Ohio State's Kosta Koufos as the Cavaliers' first-round pick. Mind you, I am typing this at 4:00 p.m. EST on June 26th. Personally, I'm not bent of Koufos. If it were up to me, college basketball players must attend at least two years of school. That way, you can tell if a player is the real deal or just an aberration. Kosta Koufos did not impress me in his only year as a Buckeye. Now, maybe if he played a sophomore, we could see what he's really about. The same goes for the Lopez twins. Koufos joins a long list of freshman entering tonight's draft.

If I were Danny Ferry, I would go for a big. Specifically, Georgetown's Roy Hibbert. In his tenure with the Hoyas, Hibbert has shown great hustle and has grabbed some tough rebounds.

UPDATE 12:14 a.m.: The Cavs picked J.J. Hickson out of North Carolina State 19th overall. Let the insanity begin.

In related news, the Milwaukee Bucks will be sending Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Richard Jefferson.

How does this trade relate to the Cavaliers?

Two things.

With the Bucks acquiring Jefferson from New Jersey, will Michael Redd stay put in Milwaukee, or go elsewhere?

Conversely, with Jason Kidd long gone, Richard Jefferson in the Midwest, and the career of Vince Carter on the decline, does that mean the Nets are freeing up cap space for....LeBron James? Food for thought.

Best NBA Nicknames of All-Time

By Jason Jones



As I began to look into the upcoming NBA Finals, I was reminded of the players (and their nicknames) who dominated this series from the 1980's. Magic Johnson and Larry Legend helped to ascend the fan popularity to a new level. Too bad the nicknames of today's players are not as epic and creative as their predecessors.

	Player	Nickname
1	Dominique Wilkins	Human Highlight Reel
2	Larry Johnson	Grandmama
3	George Gervin	The Iceman
4	Ervin Johnson	Magic
5	Charles Barkley	Round Mound of Rebound
6	Larry Bird	Larry Legend
7	Vinny Johnson	The Microwave
8	Michael Jordan	Air Jordan
9	Earl Monroe	The Pearl/Black Jesus
10	Robert Parrish	The Chief
11	Karl Malone	The Mailman
12	Shawn Kemp	The Reignman
13	Stacey Augmon	Plastic Man
14	Sarunas Jasikevicius	Jazzy Cabbages
15	Lloyd Bernard Free	World B. Free
16	Antoine Walker	Employee #8
17	Darryl Dawkins	Chocolate Thunder
18	Kevin Garnett	The Big Ticket
19	David Robinson	The Admiral
20	Hakeem Olajuwon	The Dream
21	Pete Maravich	Pistol Pete
22	Julius Erving	Dr. J
23	David Thompson	The Skywalker
24	Lebron James	KingJames/TheChosenOne
25	Sam Cassell	E.T.
26	Oscar Robertson	The Big O
27	Joel Pryzbilla	The Vanilla Gorilla
28	Amare Stoudemire	The Man Child
29	Ron Artest	The Straight Jacket
30	Andrei Kirilenko	AK47
31	Gary Payton	The Glove
32	Tim Duncan	The Big Fundamental
33	Jerome Williams	The Junk Yard Dog
34	TJ Ford	The Little Engine
35	Lamar Odom	The Goods
36	Dennis Rodman	The Worm
37	Dwight Howard	The Daily Double
38	Tony Parker	Mr. Longoria
39	Tyronne Bogues	Mugsy
40	Ricky Davis	Grits 'N Gravy
41	Pau Gasol	The Meal Ticket
42	Adam Morrison	The Stache
43	Steve Nash	Hair Canada
44	Emeka Okafor	Blackula
45	Brian Scalabrine	The Ginger Ninja
46	Allen Iverson	The Answer
47	Kobe Bryant	Black Mamba
48	Paul Pierce	The Truth
49	Darrell Griffith	Dr. Dunkenstein
50	Olekskiy Pecherov	Stewie Griffin
51	Manu Ginolbi	Obi-Won Ginobli
52	Kevin Durant	TheSecondComing/Durantula
53	Wilt Chamberlain	Wilt the Stilt
54	Nate Archibald	Tiny
55	Jerry West	The Logo
56	Samuel Dalembert	The Haitian Sensation
57	Baron Davis	Boom Dizzle/Too Easy
58	Steve Francis	Stevie Franchise
59	Gilbert Arenas	Agent Zero/The Hibachi
60	Shaquille O'Neal	The Big Aristotle
61	Dwyane Wade	Flash
62	Leondro Barbosa	Brazilian Blur
63	Robert Horry	Cheap Shot Bob
64	Yi Jianlian	The Chairman
65	Kenyon Martin	K-Mart
66	Andre Miller	The Penguin
67	Andersen Varejao	Sideshow Bob
68	Bryant Reeves	Big Country
69	Clyde Drexler	Clyde the Glide
70	Scottie Pippen	The Condor
71	Chauncey Billups	Mr. Big Shot
72	Shawn Marion	The Matrix
73	Daniel Gibson	Boobie
74	Dan Majerle	Thunder Dan
75	Connie Hawkins	The Hawk
76	Corey Brewer	Drunken Dribbler
77	Caron Butler	Caronimo
78	Udonis Haslem	The Udominator
79	Linas Kleiza	The Menace
80	Charlie Villenueva	Skillanueva
81	Deron Williams	The Kingpin
82	Hakim Warrick	The Helicopter
83	Chris Paul	CP3
84	Vince Carter	Vincanity
85	Jason Williams	White Chocolate
86	Ray Allen	Jesus Shuttlesworth
87	JR Smith	The Prodigy
88	Martell Webster	The Definition
89	Kirk Hinrich	Captain Kirk
90	Channing Frye	Buffet of Goodness
91	James Worthy	Big Game James
92	Glen Davis	Big Baby
93	Brandon Roy	The Natural
94	Richard Hamilton	RIP
95	Chris Anderson	The Birdman
96	Anfernee Hardaway	Penny
97	Rafer Alston	Skip To My Lou
98	Tracy McGrady	T-Mac
99	Stephon Marbury	Starbury
100	Harold Minor	Baby Jordan

Points of Note:

#5- Sir Charles is probably more well known, but Round Mound of Rebound is just more funny.

#7- The Microwave may be one of the more genius results in a nickname

#14- My wife assures me that "Jazzy Cabbages" is the funniest name on this list

#16- Employee #8 is interesting seeing as opposes Antoine Walker's personality

#17- Chocolate Thunder is only one of great Darryl Dawkins names to pick from

#29- Ron Artest's "Straight Jacket" may be the most fitting name on the list

#42- The only thing Adam Morrison is know for these days...The Stache

#45- How great is "The Ginger Ninja"? South Park good

#52- Most young players get carried away, but I love "Durantula" for Kevin Durant

#59- Agent Zero was a great name, too bad it doesn't apply

#77- Caron Butler may not truly deserve a nickname, but Caronimo is creative

#99- Starbury is just stupid and lazy, and a far cry from the brilliance of Iceman and Chief

#100 Baby Jordan, the only nickname to end a career the second it was uttered

Washington Wiz: team & fans are losers

By Rick Morris

From time to time on this blog, I engage in the all-too-human practice of Schadenfreude. The goody-goodys of the world will disagree, but there's something profoundly satisfying about watching bad people get the short end of the stick.

So watching the pathetic jerks who cheer for, play and cover the Washington Wizards deal with the consequences of their shameful failure is particularly delicious.

Actually, henceforth in this column they shall be called what they really are, the Washington Generals. Three consecutive losses to the man who owns them, Lebron James, have exposed this sad spectacle for what it really is. Actually, as someone who cheered for Kevin Grevey, Elvin Hayes and the Bullets during their '77-78 title run as a small child, these poseurs are a disgrace to anyone who's ever worn the team uniform -- whether in Baltimore or D.C.

Having flamed out twice against the Cavs in the postseason already, the Generals decided to take the lead of their all-talk "Agent Zero" and attempt to trash-talk and thug their way to the second round of the playoffs. DeShawn Stevenson decided to stop being a menace to underage girls long enough to spout off about a man whose smelly used jock he is not fit to carry, namely Lebron James. Darius Songaila decided to gravy-train 15 minutes of fame at the expense of his superior when he cheap-shotted LBJ. And Brenda Haywood continued to snivel about, and play dirty against, the Cavs, no doubt still bitter about the fact that Cleveland didn't want him and he's stuck being a parasite off the efforts of far lesser players than Lebron.

Then there's the media ... wow ...

If ever there was a perfect match between a team's players, fanbase and media contingent, D.C. has it. They're all equally juvenile, all-talk, unoriginal and ultimately, when the final results come in ... completely and utterly hollow.

The overall bush-league tone of these weasels is even enough to cause something completely unprecedented: namely, for me to say anything less-than-complimentary about MVN, the world's first -- and greatest -- sports blog conglomerate. But this sophomoric drivel?

"In the end, I think this series could have gone either way. I’m not saying the Wizards would have won it, but the NBA’s disgusting display of overreaction and inconsistent officiating made this series a glaring example of the NBA’s incompetence. Their bias toward their stars has been talked about for decades and it’s no different now. Just watch this series and tell me different. Lebron James is a great, great player. I think he’s the second best player in the league behind Kobe, but his whining and crying about EVERY play takes away from his talent. These observations should be obvious to anyone not residing in Ohio."

Geez, man, pop a Midol before you write your column, will ya? I can honestly say that that writer is in no way emblematic of the excellence at MVN.

But the most vast stupidity of all in this complete waste of protoplasm known as the Wiz family is evidenced by an alleged sportswriter. Now, having toiled as a sportswriter on and off in my life, I know the suspicion that many athletes have in terms of scribes being nothing more than frustrated failed athletes who joined the profession as a means of jock-sniffing and living vicariously through their heroes. I can honestly say that I've never seen an example, in person or otherwise, of anyone who fits this particular bill.

Until now.

Tom Knott of the Washington Times is quite simply, the biggest syncofant, the biggest know-nothing homer this side of Hawk Harrelson and the biggest worthless sack the journalism profession has ever emitted. He mindlessly parroted the trash talk of his heroes during the series, and then decided that with enough alibis and conspiracy theories, you never have to admit you were wrong:

"Congratulations to the NBA.

It received the outcome it wanted in Tony Cheng's neighborhood last night.

With LeBron James receiving hugs and kisses from the NBA earlier in the day, if not a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates stamped with the Jerry West logo, the Cavaliers played with poise and confidence in defeating the Wizards 105-88 in Game 6.

This is one part of the marquee matchup the person behind the NBA curtain desperately wants: the Cavaliers vs. the Celtics in the second round.

This also set into motion what promises to be a long and possibly worrisome summer for the Wizards, what with the free agency of Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Roger Mason Jr.

The game started to get away from the Wizards in the second quarter, when the Cavaliers closed on a 21-7 scoring run to take a 56-48 lead at halftime. Their advantage swelled to 79-64 after 36 minutes.

The Wizards never were able to mount a run, and their season ended in quiet fashion, as league officials would have scripted it.

With the suspension of Darius Songaila, league officials might as well allow James to play in the Popemobile."

Yeah, because David Stern in his infinite wisdom deduced that removing some obscure Never Was/Never Will Be and his piddly point/rebound totals from the Generals' lineup would be the key to Lebron advancing in the playoffs. Nice take, brain surgeon.

And the beauty of it is that all these whiners and criers and conspiracy mongers call Lebron and Cavs babies! THAT is outstanding.

Papa John's was part and parcel of the D.C. crowd peddling lies about Lebron and now to appease angry Cavs fans, they are offering 23-cent pizzas this Thursday in the Cleveland area. Inasmuch as that's about 22 cents worth of ingredients more than they put into their horrible, all-burnt-Boboli crust-and-raw-chunky-sauce hot circles of garbage, I'll pass, thank you very much.

So Washington Generals players, fans and media, you know the routine by now because this is the third consecutive summer you've lived it. Pop a "foty," turn on the TV, kick back and watch your masters, the Cleveland Cavaliers, play deeper into the playoffs than you. And while you're at it, try not to feel too bitter.

Don't hate. Appreciate.

NBA All-Star Game recap

By Rick Morris

Even by the standards of recent NBA All-Star Games, tonight's affair was typified by rampant streetball elements abhorrent to those of us who grew up on a better brand of hoops than this. There's little to note substantively about the game except to report that the East won, 134-128. Lebron James won the MVP award for the second time in three years, a decision that made great sense as he filled the stat sheet with 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

FDH Senior Editor Jason Jones, who loves his hoops, did not agree with my take on the game and he found it a fun, refreshing break from the action seen during the regular season. That is his right, of course, and if he sees fit to post any further thoughts here on All-Star Weekend I'm sure they will be very well-reasoned from his point of view. As for me, I find the complete lack of defense (embodied by a pathetic sequence in which Jason Kidd didn't so much as raise an arm to stop a West player going by him in the lane), the run-and-gun junk with sloppy, inaccurate showboat passes, the obsession with dunks and the rampant ball-hogging to be completely disgraceful -- or in other words, completely equivalent to Charles Barkley's illiterate basketball and political takes.

NBA All-Star Game preview

By Rick Morris

I should admit my bias at the outset and note that I am one of these curmudgeons grumbling about the good old days of the '70s and '80s in regards to the NBA All-Star Game. I loathe the dumbed-down, streetball elements that have run amok in recent years, such that the deployment of any actual defense whatsoever is regarded as a discourteous and unwelcome interjection in what seems designed to be an endless and tiresome run of SportsCenter-brand alley-oops.

So, having said that, I don't have nearly the level of analysis to bring that our Senior Editor Jason Jones displayed in his show-stopper coverage of All-Star Weekend. Nonetheless, I do have a few predictions for tonight's event:

^ I agree with the conventional wisdom that the West's status as a better and deeper conference is reflected in the strength of the respective All-Star teams. KG's absence due to injury further drives this point home.

^ One element that the East might embrace to try to overcome the talent gap would be to steal an idea from Team Canada in international hockey. They utilized the Detroit Red Wing combo of Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey in place of more gifted players, using their capacity for teamwork and defense instead of trying to win solely on having the best players. Now, quite by coincidence, the East team has a few members of the Detroit Pistons (Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace) who are not at the freakishly-gifted level of teammates such as Lebron James and Dwight Howard. But maybe, just maybe, if these three get some significant minutes together, they can make the chemistry that has put them near the top of the East every year to use in neutralizing the better players on the other side. Look also at how USA Basketball keeps losing to "worse" teams every time out in international competition.

^ In the end, I see the West pulling away based on the fact that their combination of players can dominate at any style of play. I'll say 132-121 West, with the MVP going to Chris Paul on his own court inasmuch as the Marketing Mafia that controls the NBA loves success stories in the hometown and this emerging Hornets megastar is quarterbacking an incredible run for his team this year. Look for him to rack up something insane like 16 assists en route to the honors.

2008 Rookie Challenge, for those who had something better to do.

by Jason Jones

Most fans would claim that they couldn’t care less about most All-Star festivities. I, personally, am not one of those fans. The key is to go into it knowing full well what ‘it’ is. It is an All-Star event. With that being said, do not expect fundamentals. The fundamentals of the game got checked at the door with everyone’s coats and jackets. If you want fundamental basketball, watch college or pray for a Spurs vs. Pistons final. This is all in an effort to have fun and give the basketball fans with A.D.D. what they want, snappy passes (as risky as they may be), dunks, jacked up 3’s, and all in all reckless play. It’s fun, even if it technically cannot be categorized as basketball.

Starting Rosters:

All Rookie Team

PG-Mike Conley Jr.

SG-Jeff Green

SF-Luis Scola

PF-Al Horford

C-Kevin Durant

Notable Reserves:

Juan Carlos Navarro (MEM), Yi Jianlian (MIL), Sean Williams (NJN), Jamario Moon (TOR)

All Sophomore Team

PG-Rajon Rondo

SG-Brandon Roy

SF-Rudy Gay

PF-LaMarcus Aldridge

C-Andrea Bargnani

Notable Reserves:

Daniel “Boobie” Gibson (CLE), Jordan Farmar (LAL), Ronnie Brewer (UTA), Paul Milsap (UTA)

If it were up to me, and the bias therein, I would have chosen the starters in the following manner:

Rookies

Mike Conley Jr.

Jamario Moon

Yi Jianlian

Al Horford

Kevin Durant

Sophomores

Rajon Rondo

Brandon Roy

Rudy Gay

Paul Milsap

Andrea Bargnani

The interesting thing that goes along with the idea that this is not true basketball, is that the center position is merely a figurehead title. Both Bargnani and Durant are tall enough to play the 5 spot, but that is where it ends. Both of these players are Small Forwards at heart and by skill set. That's another reason why this game should be fun to watch, as long as you don’t internally combust after a certain number of silly/dumb mistakes.

1^st Half (only the fun stuff):

-Bargnani gets the ball on the right elbow and drives completely untouched for an unimpressive (and very white boy-ish) two-handed flush.

-B. Roy underhand lobs the outlet pass to Rondo in full stride who then lobs the ball so high it went off camera and fell into the gliding hands of a streaking R.Gay.

-After fending off a barrage of loose balls and sloppy ball handling, Conley somehow circles around and slaps a Magic Johnson-esque bounce pass through the congestion to a cutting Al Horford for two-handed dunk.

-Horford grabs an uncontested rebound and outlet to Durant in a wide open stride shades of Dr. J if he took off just outside the block as opposed of the free throw line.

-Rondo flips the ball to B. Roy, then once again lobbing the ball into the rafters which eventually fell into the gliding hands of R. Gay, catching it a mere three or four inches short of the top of the backboard bring it down two-handed.

-For those who may think Horford could play football, Durant bounce-passes to Horford as he bumbled and stumbled to drop in lay-up that looked a lot like a pinball game.

-Luis Scola rebounds and chest passes to a cutting Durant who then passes to an equally cutting Horford who then throws it down ala Charles Barkley. Question is, are we beginning to see some fundamentals? I wouldn’t get too excited if I were you.

-Here’s something funny, Lebron looks like Lebron while KG looks like the president of the Mr. Rodgers fan club.

-Navarro sends a bounce pass with “English” to Durant almost 30 feet to a cutting Durant for a reverse two handed dunk.

-Rondo lobs a pass from half court to a streaking B. Roy for a cocked two-handed dunk.

-Durant at the right elbow, shaking and baking, drives down the middle of the paint for an open layup just to be blocked by Bargnani from the weak side. Not to be outdone, Horford comes in from the opposing elbow flies in ala Michael Jordan flying in from outside the free throw line.

-Farmar circles the key and finds a wide open (to the point that he could be sitting in a lounge chair with a glass of tea open) for a three.

-Here’s a sneak peak to the underwhelming dunk contest…Navarro flips the ball up to J. Moon for a double clutched leaner dunk shades of Starks over Olajuwan…if Olajuwan wasn’t there.

-Farmar finds himself almost alone in the paint, then barely dunking by pushing the ball over the rim.

-Who knew that Sean Williams of the Nets had and dribbling skills? After a missed dunk Williams juggles the ball between himself and Durant and pushes the ball uncontested and as if he were T-Mac throws off the glass to himself and dunks it HARD one-handed.

-Once again, relatively alone, Boobie sets up and launches a 3 that slapped the back iron and shoots down with aggression. Cue Lebron jumping up with the “it's good” gesture.

-Farmar drops the ball off to the trailing Boobie (at the 3 point line) for yet another open 3.

-B. Roy apparently liked the previous Farmar pass. Roy drops to the trailing Boobie for another 3.

-Paul Milsap bounce passes to Boobie in an effort to just get rid of the ball, Boobie hits ANOTHER 3. Welcome to the Boobie Gibson Show.

-Boobie finally missed one.

-Farmar intercepts the outlet pass and instantly lobs it up to an unsuspecting Ronnie Brewer for an impromptu dunk.

-Paul Milsap has had enough of Durant and pins his lay-up attempt on the backboard.

-In a play that you might actually see in a regular season game, the Sophomores get good ball movement that ends with a 3 by who else? Boobie Gibson. Lebron is going to get tired of letting everyone know who Boobie plays with. With 2:45 left in the first, Boobie is one 3 away from tying the Rookie Challenge record for 3’s in a game.

-Farmar feed a cutting LaMarcus Aldridge for a nice long give-and-go (basically the length of the court) dunk.

-Horford gets an opportunity to clean up Durant's attempted garbage dunk with a sure handed dunk of his own.

-Clearly the Sophomores have decided feeding Boobie at the 3 point line is a higher percentage shot than pushing the fast break for a dunk/lay-up. Boobie has tied the Rookie Challenge 3-point mark before halftime.

-Using himself as a decoy, Boobie waits for the double-team on the outside and kicks it to a wide-open Farmar for 3. Boobie could have taken the 3 for the record before the half but defers to Farmar.

-Working for the final shot, Conley plays with his defender until he can position himself, then lobs the ball perfectly to Durant who catches the ball with his elbows at the rim leaving a mere 1.5 seconds in the half.

Just before the commercial, TNT's Craig Sager corals Boobie Gibson for an interview citing that he has tied the record for 3’s of the entire game in one half (more importantly only 10 minutes) of play. Instantly Lebron James comes over to “bogart” the interview. Lebron goes on to animatedly say how no one is ready for the 3-point shoot out tomorrow. When asked if Lebron thought Boobie gets enough shots in the regular season, Lebron responds with, “if he keeps this up he can take all the shots he wants."

Q: How does it feel to have the support of a guy like Lebron?

A: It’s great, you know he doesn’t have to do that. It's the kind of guy he is, he loves his teammates.

Q: We like to see records broken, so stay hot.

A: I will.

Start of the 2^nd Half with the Sophomores leading 66-52:

-After a myriad of terrible passes and missed shots, Conley decides to get the rookies on the board by taking the inbounds from the hashmark to the rack, care of the teeth of the non-defense for an open layup showing off his speed.

-Rudy Gay, on the other hand, doesn’t feel like putting that much energy into scoring early, so he spots up for a 25 foot 3 tickling the twine.

-After a turnover, turnover, turnover set of transitions, B. Roy sends a pass splitting the defense to a cutting Rondo for an open lay-up.

-Since this game has felt somewhat like a contest of Pong with the going back and forth with no scoring result for the most part, I have neglected to mention a few dunks that have come from sloppy play.

-Durant gets a steal (only in a literal manner of speaking, Gay bounced it off his foot) and serves it up to J. Green at the hash mark which Green then dunks after leaving from about 8 feet out.

-Bargnani hits a 3 from the corner with the defender running at him like a toddler defending his father in the driveway.

-Green remains hot taking the feed at the elbow to hit a nice 3 with a hand in his face (believe it or not).

-Green again getting a gimme dunk gliding from the left completely uncontested.

-While Rondo is demanding all of the attention with his DribbleFest ’08 in the middle of the paint, no one paid any attention to B. Roy just waiting to get the miss. Instead, Aldridge comes up with it and with one pump fake gives it to Roy who then goes for an up and under razzle dazzle reverse layup.

-After ANOTHER TURNOVER, Rondo receives the outlet pass and attempts something he’s been eyeing for a while. A double-clutch windmill dunk. I know, Rondo and dunk, crazy, huh? Then after corralling the rebound, LaMarcus Aldridge shows Rondo how its done.

-For those who believe white men can’t jump, you must not be considering 7 foot Euro’s. Rondo sends a bounce pass from 30 feet away to a cutting Bargnani for what looked to be an easy lay-up and turned into a 180 degree two handed facial for Luis Scola.

-Scola comes back with a wimpy scoop layup. “This isn’t real basketball, you should be penalized for a layup,” screams the 17 year old punk 3 rows back.

-Almost 9 minutes into the second half and no Boobie, what the hell! Speaking of Cavaliers, TNT keeps going to a shot of Bosh and Lebron separated by a nice looking young lady. According to Craig Sager, she is the same lady made famous for heckling Lebron in Toronto, thus rendering a phenomenal performance from Lebron. Apparently, they have since become decent casual friends since. If Spike Lee should’ve been at every Pacer game, then this young lady should be at every Cavaliers game. I am sure similar results would be rendered in either Lebron’s or Reggie Miller’s case. Only problem is, “would Lebron’s babies momma take issue with it?”

-Yi Jianlian quickly jab steps Aldridge from about 19 feet and puts up a dagger of a jump shot, to no one’s amazement. Almost as if everyone knew it was going in.

-Jamario Moon tells B. Roy “NO” as he sling the lay-up to a teammate, which somehow finds Durant who goes for a right hand—no left handed switcheroo dunk in the open court.

-Rudy Gay tries the old pass-the-ball-through-the-leg-of-your-opponent-to-receive-it-on-the -other-side. Luckily Yi was there to intercept, and give a facial expression that reads, “I may not be American, but I ain’t stupid either."

-Boobie Gibson checks back in, and consequently bricks his first record-breaking attempt.

-Clearly, the record is not the only thing on Boobie’s mind. During the halftime analysis, Kenny Smith claimed that Boobie needed to learn to play the point, considering his size (wow, did you come up with that on your own, or did an intern feed you that gem?). Boobie just sliced through defenders tossing up an oop pass from the 3 pt line to a streaking Rudy Gay.

-Boobie, after passing up another shot at the record, gets stuck defending Jamario Moon a couple of times. One of which had Moon dropping a 3 in Boobie’s face. Next time down, Boobie gets the ball and decides to toy with Moon before hitting the record-breaking 3. Almost as if to say, “I’ll be the one hitting 3’s tonight, thank you very much”.

-…And Boobie Gibson for number 9, number 9, and extends the record.

-Its seems that short of the reserves who haven’t had much time in the second half, no one is really trying anymore. John Navarro feeds Sean Williams for a big-man-sized tomahawk dunk.

-Farmar dribbles and spins his way to a nice scoop layup.

-Not to be outdone, Juan Carlos Navarro dribbles and jabs his way to a nice teardrop layup.

-Farmar casually takes the ball from the 3 point line and lobs it to Ronnie Brewer to throw it down getting back into the action.

-Karl Malone interviewed on the sideline by Craig Sager echoes what I have been saying over the last season and a half. “Seeing these young guys is really refreshing. They are doing it the right way on and off the court. I will be bringing my son to watch these guys often." We are witnessing a resurgence of the NBA. We as fans are always looking to see who will replace the Michael Jordans, Larry Birds, Karl Malones, and Jason Kidds. We are seeing now (even though the All-Star Rookie Challenge is not the idea venue) a large group of talent who will drastically reshape the current NBA. In the future we will not be looking for 3-5 players to transcend the game, but 10 or 20 that make the game better and more fun to watch. A couple are in this game and some are not. Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Andrew Bynum, and so on. You can say that the NBA is a shell of its former self, but I believe on the contrary. The NBA is on the upswing. We may never again see a Michael Jordan, but there should be plenty of Lebrons and Dwayne Wades to get used to in the future.

-Boobie came down the court pushing the break and threw up what looked to be an uncharacteristically bad shot hard off the backboard. It actually was just a really ugly pass off the backboard for LaMarcus Aldridge.

-Jamario Moon still trying to create some hype for the dunk contest, takes the ball in the left corner and cups it a la Vince Carter for a nasty one-handed dunk.

-49 seconds left and its time for the guys who didn’t do much to get involved. Farmar passes up a clean path to the basket to unload the ball to Ronnie Brewer for a nice cocked-windmill dunk.

-Boobie gets the ball with time running out in the attempt to take the last shot, while Lebron James is up on the court screaming to take the deep 3. Boobie shoots it but misses from about 30 feet.

-With the final stats in, Boobie has the largest point total by +10 with 33. He also shattered the previous 3 point record by +4, and as Kenny Smith said, “the only shots he missed were the shots he should’ve missed”. Again, this is an All-Star Game festivity. You should never expect a good shooting percentage, but Boobie delivered. Not to over-extend my own personal bias, but if Boobie Gibson does not get game MVP (even though it really doesn’t mean anything) I will be FUMING PISSED.

Daniel “Boobie” Gibson is your All-Star Rookie Challenge Game MVP.

Q: Do you have anything left for the second half of the regular season?

A: As long as we have Lebron on the team, I think I will manage a few open looks.

Q: You hit 11 three’s, that’s a record. You were one point off the record for most points scored in this game (A. Stoudamire 34) and tied with you teammate Lebron James for second (L. James 33).

A: That’s a big accomplishment, I mean I never imagined I would make it this far and make it so quick. I’m just counting my blessing and I’m very thankful. Thankful for everything.

Q: What does it mean to play in the NBA?

A: It means the world. Its everything, this all I know since I was kid. I am thankful for this opportunity and I’m gonna cherish every moment of it.

Poor grammar aside and with the Houston Astros logo shaved into his head, Boobie Gibson is your MVP and very gracious to be so. Joining four other Cavalier All-Star winners:

-2008 Boobie Gibson Rookie Game MVP

-2006 Lebron James All-Star Game MVP

-1998 Zydrunas Ilgauskas Rookie Game MVP

-1994 Mark Price 3 PT Shootout Champion

-1993 Mark Price 3 PT Shootout Champion

Lebron joins the TNT Post Game show.

Q: So, Lebron you had to love what you saw from Daniel Gibson there in the Rookie Challenge?

A: I told him, I hope he saved something for tomorrow with the 3 PT Challenge.

Q: …You’ve seen him up close, you know what he can do.

A: His shooting ability is pretty good. He showcased his shooting ability tonight and showed what he can do. It was electrifying tonight.

Q: He doesn’t really have a traditional shooters stroke.

A: I’ve been watching him since before he was playing, back before Mike Brown let him in the game. And as Kenny and Chuck know, if you can shoot, you deserve to play.

Q: First off, you need to be playing at a faster tempo, but why hasn’t he progressed enough as a player. Why isn’t he starting?

A: Well, I don’t know if he’s comfortable coming off the bench or if he would be comfortable (clearly, Lebron is not comfortable answering this question) as the starter. He’s still a young guy, even with the playoff experience and getting to the Finals. We don’t know if he’s ready to step in and be the starting point guard for this team yet. The way he is progressing, he will be the starting point guard of this team soon.

Q: If it ended today, you are a four seed going into the playoffs, but with all of the talk surrounding the Celtics and the Pistons…convince me of how you are going to return to the NBA Finals.

A: It's gonna be tough, we know that. To see how Boston reloaded, a team that didn’t make the postseason last year. And Detroit is always going to be ready. Orlando is another good team, but it's going to be tough for us. We know how to get to the playoffs and we know how to win playoff games, we’ve been in that situation.

Q: Do you need to make a deal, you’ve kind of thrown it out there?

A: I do think we need to get better…and it starts with hopefully making a deal before the trade deadline. If that doesn’t happen, the guys we have are going to be ready for the last 30 games of the season and then get ready for the post season.

Q: How frustrating has it been, you’ve seen Gasol going here, you see Shaq going here, you guys have been trying to get Jason Kidd, it has to be somewhat frustrating for you

A: As a competitor in anything you do, you want to get better. As being the ultimate competitor in my sport along with Kobe Bryant, I want to get better. Let's get on paper first, and then hit the gym and make it happen. You can see how…(he might want this one back)…Kobe Bryant spoke up about the situation going on in L.A. and now he got Pau Gasol and when they get Andrew Bynum back, they are the team to beat.

Q: Taking the East out of it, looking just at the West, as Ernie pointed out we could have a 50-win team not make the playoffs. When you look at all of the deals, who’s the one you look at and say, wow I can’t believe they got this guy?

A: Gasol. Just for the simple fact of what they gave up. They didn’t give up much to get a guy who has averaged 20 and 10 his whole career, shot over 50% his whole career, and has been a good player…hasn’t had many injuries at all. And then he goes to a team that has the most dominant player in our league, Kobe Bryant, the best closer in our league. When I saw the Lakers and the Grizzlies make that deal, I was like WOW, just like everybody else.

Q: I’ve been saying, I can’t believe you said that but, I’ve been saying Lebron’s game is approaching Kobe’s and I think someone’s tuggin’ on Superman’s cape. I can’t believe you would say someone is a better closer than yourself.

A: I believe it, I think Kobe Bryant is the best closer in our game and the best player in our game.

Q: (directed at Charles Barkley) Knowing you are one of the best 50 and clearly Lebron will be one of the best 50, would you have said Michael Jordan was a better closer than yourself?

A: Yes, I told Michael---

Q: While you were playing?

A: Oh, while I was playing…I never would’ve admitted that!

Q: He’s a young guy (Lebron). I do believe he is tuggin’ on Kobe’s cape. You know we are talking MVP, the MVP is up for grabs, I do agree with Doug Collins…I would vote for Lebron James because he has to do more than any other player in this league for his team to win. You’ve had a great deal of success winning games coming back from being down in the 4^th quarter. How much longer can you do that?

A: We don’t like going into the 4^th quarter being down. We’ve done a great job, I’ve done a great job of getting victories. We have had 4 of our top 7 guys out, there is no team that can gather from that. First we have to get healthy before this stretch run leading to the playoffs, so we’ll see.

…much later in the post game show, Karl Malone crashed the party demanding that Charles Barkley apologize for giving Malone a hard time about the suit he wore on Draft Day, then insinuating that Charles has no business talking trash about Draft Day suits when Charles wore a brick red one.

The Voice of the (so-called) Fan

By Tony Mazur

My grandfather was a huge Browns fan. I'm not quite sure if he followed the Cleveland Rams from 1936-1945, but I do know he was a Browns fan from the beginning. When he wasn't patrolling the rough, pre-Civil Rights Movement Cleveland streets, he was listening to those championship teams on the radio. My father can recall my grandpa sulking all day after a Browns loss. In his later years, the Browns made it to three AFC Championship games, only to fall to John Elway and the Denver Broncos. He passed away on June 29th, 1990, leaving behind a devoted wife and four successful children. He cared about his family. But he certainly loved his Browns. To this day, I wonder how he would have reacted to the news on November 6th, 1995 that the Browns were relocating to Baltimore.

Eddie Mazur was a true fan. He supported the teams no matter how well (mid-'40s to mid-'60s) or how poorly (mid-'60s to early '80s) the Browns were performing. I know my grandfather wasn't the only Clevelander crazy about his football team. I'm sure each family has their share of stories, whether they be about heading down to Cleveland Municipal Stadium on those frigid November/December days by Lake Erie, or listening to the radio after attending Sunday mass. Fans nowadays cannot relate.

I really do have a problem with sports fans in this day in age. Unlike the "old days", if their team isn't performing well on the field or court, they'll pretend they don't exist. In some cases, folks will completely boycott the organization via petition or blog.

I can recall going to a relative's house back in 2001, a year to forget for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"Hey, the Cavs game is on."

"The Cavs?! They're terrible. I don't want to waste my time." (instead, we watched Everybody Loves Raymond, a show that I still cannot get into)

Five years later, he's one of the biggest Cavs fans around.

Fair-weather fans do not just exist in Cleveland. They're everywhere. From 1995-1998, the newly-relocated St. Louis Rams weren't drawing well. Then came "The Greatest Show on Turf". Fans packed the Edward Jones Dome for the next few years following their Super Bowl XXXIV victory over the Tennessee Titans. After the downfall of Marshall Faulk and the departures of Kurt Warner and many other players, the Rams have been bottom dwellers for the past couple seasons. As a matter of fact, during the 2007 season, a couple of Rams games were blacked out locally, due to the lack of sell-out crowds.

2007 brought a lot of success to the Cleveland/Ohio sports teams. The Ohio State Buckeyes football team started off the year playing in the BCS National Championship Game, only to lose to the Florida Gators. Fast forward a couple of months to April as we see another Ohio State team fall to another Florida Gator team, this time in basketball. The Cleveland Cavaliers made their first NBA Finals appearance in team history, only to get swept by the San Antonio Spurs in four games. The Indians lost to the Boston Red Sox in seven games of the ALCS. And finally, the Browns had their best season since 1994.

For the first time in a Blue Moon, fans showed up to the playing facilities. While I was downtown working for another radio station, I saw so many people with LeBron James jerseys (most likely the kind you see hanging at JC Penny's) during the Cavs' run to the Finals. I saw more Grady Sizemore and Brady Quinn T-shirts than I can count. I saw through the phoniness. I was able to pick between the bandwagon fans and the true fans. The true fans had "Hot Rod" Williams jerseys and Cory Snyder garb.

What's going to happen to these "fans" if 2008 doesn't work out? What if the Indians' mediocre team blows its chance to reclaim another Central Division title? What if injuries hold down the Cavaliers? What if the Browns lose 11 games (which I think they will)? They won't show up. They don't care. They only want to root for a winner. And you call yourselves fans. Ha!

However, there are fans who do stick with their team. Some follow the team and cheer for the good times, but critique the bad times. Others will praise the good times and blatantly ignore the bad times. When a questionable move is made, these fans will justify the said move and attempt to turn it into a positive. These are the fans that will slam you if you say ANYTHING remotely negative towards their team (see DiaTribe Blog).

In the Cleveland area, we have some untouchable personnel. When I say untouchable, expect to get your behind reamed if you decide to critique ANY decision making. Here are Cleveland's Untouchables:

Grady Sizemore, Indians' center fielder: Grady is a terrific athlete. He can hit 30+ home runs, steal 50 bases, and make incredible catches in center field. But that's all anyone looks at. Sure he won a Rawlings Gold Glove Award in '07, but I watched him the entire season. On many occasions, Grady took bad routes to the ball. Balls that he should catch were overrun or misplayed. But that doesn't come up in the box score. What does is his low batting average and high amount of strikeouts. Don't get me wrong. I like Grady. However, his strikeout numbers and poor reads on the baseball have got to go. But we all love Grady Sizemore because he's so damn cute!

Mark Shapiro, Indians' GM: Former Indians GM John Hart took home six Central Division titles in seven years, and made two World Series trips. How did he accomplish that feat? He went out and spent money on veterans (Orel Hershiser, Dennis Martinez, Paul Sorrento), picked up top prospects (Kenny Lofton, Omar Vizquel, Carlos Baerga, Sandy Alomar, Jr.) and drafted pure hitters and sluggers (Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez) to help lead his team to victory. After the 2001, season, he handed his job over to his assistant, Mark Shapiro. Since '01, the Indians got rid of every player mentioned above in favor of younger (and cheaper) talent. Since '01, the Indians have been to the postseason ONE TIME. After the Red Sox celebrated their World Series victory, Mark Shapiro has refused to make moves. Instead, he has resigned the guys who blew the 3-1 ALCS lead. Why do you have to rip on Shapiro? They won 96 games! I'm sick of hearing that line.

Jim Tressel, Ohio State football coach: Jim won a BCS National Championship Game in 2003. He was blessed to have a talented quarterback (Troy Smith) lead him to many wins. But if you think about it, Jim Tressel has not won a National Championship with HIS RECRUITS. They lost two straight National Championship Games to SEC teams. Tressel loves to recruit within the state of Ohio, which is fine if other schools weren't importing recruits from other areas. If the game plan fails and the Buckeyes lose, it's not Tressel's fault. His assistant coaches should be fired for not doing their jobs.

In the three major professional sports, fans have the opportunity to vote for the starting lineups in their respected All-Star Games. Name recognition is huge when it comes to the voting process. Detroit Tigers' catcher Ivan Rodriguez started in the 2007 MLB All-Star Game. Not only should he have not started, but he shouldn't have been in the game. There were four to five better catchers than I-Rod last season, but since everyone knows "Pudge", we'll put him in the game. The same goes for Penny Hardaway. His best years were behind him, but fans STILL voted for him, based on his history with the Orlando Magic and his nickname.

No matter how you put it, fans annoy me. If you're going to support your team, go ahead. Don't make excuses as to why they may not be performing well, but also don't ignore or boycott them if their season is in the crapper.

Meanwhile, I cannot wait to see all of the die-hard Tribe fans come out to Progressive Field to cheer on their team....in April. 10,000 people and 32,000 ass-less green seats.

Addressing the Jason Kidd Trade Rumors...

by Jason Jones



Speaking of the trade talks, I would love to see Kidd in Cleveland as much as Lebron would, but what could the Cavs possibly give for him? The only hope is that Kidd's team will be looking to set up for the Brooklyn Nets days. The move to Brooklyn is expected to happen between the '09-'10 and '10-'11 season. Larry Hughes' contract expires at the end of the '09-'10 season. Others expiring in that season are Ilgauskus, Varejao and Sasha. As for expiring contracts before that, it's Snow, Gooden, Marshall and D. Jones. Earlier expiring contracts that are a lot less likely to be moved are Newble, D. Brown, S. Brown, Dw. Jones and D. Gibson. Clearly, if New Jersey or any other team for that matter wants Ira Newble, Dwayne Jones, Damon Jones, Eric Snow, and Donyell Marshall, they can have with little to no hesitation. No one in their right mind would give away Jason Kidd for any collection of what we are willing to lose. I would be willing to move more than most.

Off Limits List...

1. Lebron-14.75x3 yrs

2. Boobie-.687x1 yr

Kidd and Lebron Can't Do It Themselves List...

1. Ilgauskus-10.6x3 yrs

2. Andy-5.6x3 yrs

3. Sasha-4.6x3 yrs

4. Drew-6.75x2 yrs

Upside, Rather Not Deal Them List...

1. Shannon-1x1 yr

2. Cedric-2.4x4 yrs

3. Devin B-1.1x1 yr

Too Expensive, Not Worth The Headache List...

1. Larry-12.8x3 yrs

2. Donyell-5.7x2 yrs

3. Eric S-7x2 yrs

4. Damon J-4.25x2 yrs

5. Ira-3.4x1 yr

Throw Away Players List...

1. Dwayne J-.770x1 yr

2. D.Nicols-$90,000x1 yr

The interesting angle is to move one or two of the players from list 2, and any number of players from the remaining lists with the exception of list 3 literally. It is not a deal breaker to take any of them (Shannon Brown, Devin Brown and Cedric Simmons), I would just like to see how they would perform with 2 of the best passers at their respective positions.

The need that is most important to address in any contemporary trade discussion is coming within the 25% of contract dollars. If Jason Kidd is the only player traded from New Jersey, that number is somewhere between 14–15 million dollars on the low side.

Anything that can be proposed…it will be perceived that we would be trying trade a collection of garbage (or cap-friendly players, i.e. players coming off the books soon) for an elite and eventual Hall of Famer.

For instance, Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall = 18.5 mil compared to 19.7 from Jason Kidd -- that's crappy for New Jersey. Z, Eric Snow, and Damon Jones = 21.25 to Kidd’s 19.7, still a crappy deal for New Jersey. Unless, you look at it like I think New Jersey has to, for them to make some cap moves to help them make a punch toward the Brooklyn move. The biggest issue they have now is to deal with the financial impact of said move. Ticket, merchandise sales are down big due to the fact that Jersey fans know their team will not be their team for long. Any move they make is not one to win today, but to build to the Brooklyn days. Even though I do not necessarily believe that Kidd WILL come to Cleveland, don’t be surprised if he is traded to a team for expiring contracts. Case in point, the Lakers WERE the biggest candidate for Kidd. After this season to date, there is no way in HELL they will trade Bynum. There will always be teams like Dallas and Phoenix that will be in the mix because they have great depth of talent. I just don’t see it happening. Recently there has been rumors of a 3-way deal. All of those things aside, look at the free agent class in ’09-’10 and ’10-’11.

Top 20 Free Agent Rankings ’09-‘10

1. Jason Kidd
2. Allen Iverson
3. Elton Brand
4. Shawn Marion
5. Mike Bibby
6. Baron Davis
7. Ron Artest
8. Josh Smith
9. Andre Iguodala
10. Stephon Marbury
11. Corey Maggette
12. Ben Gordon
13. Lamar Odom
14. Luol Deng
15. Emeka Okafor
16. Devin Harris
17. Steve Francis
18. Rasheed Wallace
19. Chris Wilcox
20. Chucky Atkins

Top 20 Free Agent Rankings ’10-‘11

1. Steve Nash
2. Chris Paul
3. Tracy McGrady
4. Carlos Boozer
5. Ray Allen
6. Jermaine O’Neal
7. Joe Johnson
8. Richard Hamilton
9. Deron Williams
10. Manu Ginobli
11. Marcus Camby
12. Shaquille O’Neal
13. Ben Wallace
14. Al Harrington
15. Stephen Jackson
16. Brad Miller
17. Bruce Bowen
18. Mehmet Okur
19. Cuttino Mobley
20. Andrew Bogut

In this age of NBA basketball, there is a perceived blueprint to success. The idea is one of two approaches. 1. One or two elite players + a group of role players, or 2. 5-7 solid basketball players playing under the team-first aspect. The San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons subscribe to the latter of the two. It seems, at least for this season, that the Trailblazers may also be filed under this category. Some other teams that have success under the first idea, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and so on. If the Nets want to look to be a real contender once they move to Brooklyn, either pathway will suffice. All it takes is setting themselves up to be under the cap enough to get 2 of the top prospects or 5 of the lesser prospects. Kidd’s contract expires within these parameters. By moving him for a group of lesser players allows them to be even more than 19 million less when it does expire. We may be talking 2-5 less, but still less. If the salary cap does not increase (which it will), that number would be 53 million. Assuming it does, the number could be higher.

Based on contracts that extend past the 2010 season, this is what they would look like.

V. Carter-17.3

R. Jefferson-15.0

S. Williams-2.5

M. Willimas-3.0

J. Boone-2.9

It is possible to see that the remaining 12 players would not be on the roster in ’10. Naturally, they could not go without filling in the roster along the way. Assume that, if they are smart, the majority of the remainder of the roster would be filled out by players that average 1.18 mil (as they do now, minus Jason Kidd). That is an additional 16 mil. That equals 56.7 million total. As the team makes offseason acquisitions, they should make moves that lessen that number. Take players like Jason Collins and Jamaal Magloire, who make 10 mil combined and pick up guys in the 1-2 mil range. If they do that enough times along the way, they could potentially be 10-15 mil under the cap when it's all said and done. Then, by keeping Carter and Jefferson and adding players like Deron Williams, Elton Brand, and Marcus Camby, the team would be an instant contender.

Here’s to hoping theory does not translate perfectly. The point is, let’s hope the Nets front office thinks this way now and doesn’t have it come to fruition. Make the move to trade Kidd for lesser pieces parts whose contracts come off the books at the right time and are unable to make the kind of moves that would make them contenders.

On another tangent, these are also names fans of the Cavaliers, Heat, and Raptors can look forward to. Lebron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh all signed contract extensions that end in 2009-2010 with player options for 2010-2011 season. Imagine if even one joins another. Replace Larry Hughes with Dwayne Wade. Replace Shaq with Chris Bosh. I am not claiming that this was their respective motivations, but the potential is there. Take the Cavaliers as they stand now. Before the 2009 season starts, 24.7 million will come off the books (Snow, Gooden, Marshall, Damon Jones). Before the 2010 season, 38.8 million (Hughes, Ilgauskas, Varejao, Pavlovic, Simmons). We can do this all day. Point is, if a team is willing to not literally pursue short-term winning for the sake of the future, a dynastic team can be created. For the new Brooklyn Nets:

PG-Deron Williams

SG-Vince Carter

SF-Richard Jefferson

PF-Elton Brand

C-Marcus Camby

Or Maybe…(what if they traded Carter in a similar fashion)

PG-Chris Paul

SG- Richard Hamilton

SF-Richard Jefferson

PF-Carlos Boozer

C-Brad Miller

The only way the Nets trade Jason Kidd for what can be considered a bag of garbage, is to do the aforementioned plan. Otherwise, let it go. This idea began as a Cavalier-centric thought. To bring it back around, the only way it happens is if they believe that they could get Varejao, Hughes, and Pavlovic, whose contracts all add up to almost 24 million. That’s the other end of the 25% spectrum. That means they trade 19 million for 24 million, all of which comes off the books at the same time. Yeah, they take on more contract money now, but eventually lose more contract money. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY. The NBA is not a nice gated community. The Nets are not going to trade Kidd to the Cavaliers because they are good neighbors and it’s the nice thing to do. It has to work for both sides. If that weren't the case, the Cavaliers could lose Larry Hughes (a guy can dream), as well as the big hairy crybaby Andy V and Sasha. What that tells me is the team would look something like this…

PG-Jason Kidd

SG-Daniel “Boobie” Gibson

SF-Lebron James

PF-Drew Gooden

C-Zydrunas Ilgauskas

To all of the Cavalier fans, “can you live with that”? Not much in the way of a bench, is that the answer? I don’t know that it is, at least not immediately. With the need to address the bench, maybe in 2-3 years, maybe. And here’s the beauty of it all. If that all happened and they were able to address the depth over the next 2-3 years, that is one year away from the end of Lebron James’ current contract. Just some food for thought.