What's shaking in the world of hoops, summer 2008?

Las Vegas Summer League will be broadcast on NBA TV

i always get really excited for the summer league and then it never lives up to my expectations

baron to the clips! wow! brand hasnt resigned yet but he will. not too shabby!

this creates a compelling corey maggette situation. he was banking on the clips resigning or signing and trading him @ his current 7m salary or better. now theres no way theyll do that as it puts them over the luxury tax. memphis and philly are the only teams who can offer him more than the mid level. memphis is currently rebuilding on the cheap w/no need for a guy like him. so if phillys not interested looks like maggette will be going to a contender for the mid level. the celtics have already made an offer. maggette to the c's?!? OMG!

wiz and warriors have both offered arenas the max and sacramento is trying to get him too. i dont see him leaving dc really. tho obv arenas + warriors is some amazing nba wet dream type action.

brand hasnt resigned yet but he will

Yes. If I played for the Clippers I would have to resign myself to it, too.

aw

o i guess golden state has potential money over the mid level for maggette too

It's official: Sonics to OKC

Warriors offered Brand way more than the Clippers did, wonder which he'll choose.

Artest already regrets decision to stay with Kings

hahaha celtics are in talks with

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/nba/profiles/players/65x90/3598.jpg

(ILH rumor central)

ok i havent really paid much attention to the seattle/okc thing so i dont know any details, but why would anyone want to move from seattle to oklahoma city???

guy who bought the teams from ok city

According to this morning's newspaper, the team will have to rename itself and adopt new team colors. I suggest the 'Oklahoma Mules'. Their colors could be dark brown and light brown.

I mean, that's been the sick joke from the beginning--it makes pretty much no business sense to move a team from Seattle to OKC, which has about a third as many people. OKC probably does have a bunch of energy/oil companies for sponsorship and luxury-box buying, but I doubt they'd actually be better than Microsoft and pals.

oh so its a vanity thing? some oil dude bought up an NBA team to bring civilization to his frontier hometown? that sucks for seattle... getting dissed for oklahoma city..

i like the idea of the oklahoma mules

I really don't know anything about Oklahoma at all. The Sooners, the building getting blown up... and that's about it.

http://i.tsn.com/i/photos/20080626/91825.jpg

excellent celtics offseason conspiracy theories

--------

There are a lot of questions being asked about the Celtics free agent plans and draft night strategy and even some seemingly straight answers given, as in this report from Bill BurtThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it of the "Lawrence Eagle Tribune," as long ago as July 2nd.

The Celtics forward (Posey), who officially became a free agent yesterday, has basically been told, via his agent Mark Bartelstein, that the Celtics will not enter a bidding war. And I mean not even close to a bidding war.

The Celtics ownership group has told Danny Ainge & Co. that Posey's dream of twentysomething million isn't happening here....the Celtics would like to keep that mid-level exception open...some interesting veterans might want that slot (see Corey Maggette) and shot at a championship for one season.

That would mean Posey taking another deal in the $3.5 million vicinity, probably for one or at most two seasons. Celtics owners would have to be convinced, too. And I'm not sure if they would do that.

As has been noted, most answers, just lead me to more questions......

With a gaping hole at back up center, more glaring with Kedrick Perkins' (can we now say chronic?) shoulder problems why has the team drafted two wing players and made overtures (if not a "formal offer") to a free agent at the same position, which is theoretically manned here by two all-stars?

grassy_knoll.jpgDoes it take a "Grassy Knoll" freak to wonder about Paul Pierce's knee? There were several reports from "team sources" that he had indeed torn the cartilage which was why he refused to take an MRI during the playoffs. Could the interest in Maggette be linked to impending knee surgery on the captain?

Or, even more off the wall...I have another theory.....do you remember early to mid season reports that Ray Allen was not happy here? It wasn't about lack of shots in the offense or any on court situations, but word leaked out of the locker room that he really didn't like Kevin Garnette's demeanor and foul language or Paul Pierce's life style and would grin and bear it for the season, but had already asked to be traded once the campaign had been concluded.

I'll give you another wrinkle here; a writer who covers the Clippers has stated that L.A. has long coveted Ray and is it too much of a stretch to consider that perhaps the confusion over the offer/non-offer to Maggette has to do with a possible sign and trade that is being contemplated? Think of a Clippers team with Elton Brand, Baron Davis and Ray Allen? Instant contenders?

If there is a sign and trade, of course there would have to be more than Maggette headed this way........is GM Elgin Baylor so pissed at Chris Kaman for going to play in the Olympics for Germany, a country he's never even visited, that he'd include him in such a deal....perhaps taking back Leon Powe?

Add in the surprising move by first round draftee J.R. Giddens (who is represented by the the same agency as Posey, by the way) to head home and miss the rookie and free agent camp, as noted by Mark Murphy in the Herald on July 3rd........

The issue, according to his agent, is complicated.

“There’s a lot of unusual circumstances with the Celtics and their salary structure, considering that they’re coming off the championship and things like that,” Mark Bartlestein said. “It’s really complicated. So much is going on, and they’re trying to figure out where they are with the luxury tax, things like that. So we’ll see how it goes.”

........and again in his column from this morning .....

Indeed, management’s deliberations are so complicated right now, impending rookie J.R. Giddens was advised to go home instead of participating in last week’s minicamp. The process of fitting his basic contract (a slotted $797,600 for the first year) into the overall Celtics scheme was too complex to complete right away.

So what is exactly going on here? Is it just the Celtics trying to emulate the Patriots and Red Sox? Those other local franchises let key players walk in the face of salary and length of contract issues and never looked back. Remember Adam Vinatieri,Lawyer Malloy, Pedro Martinez and Johny Damon?

Stay tuned....if nothing else it will be an entertaining summer.

http://www.celticsblog.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3554&Itemid=189

lol xp SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN DR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR AND BIGGIE SMALLS LIES THE SUPER-EPOCHAL NU-MAN MICHEAL BEASLEY

ok, wtf...

Bill Burt ... to view it of the "Lawrence Eagle Tribune," as long ago as July 2nd.

when i was kid i used to be a paperboy for the lawrence eagle tribune. i think it's just called the "eagle tribune" now to distance itself from one of the poorest communities in the commonwealth. and bill burt was well known among the female athletes of the merrimack valley conference as a totally sketchy older perv.

ha!

http://blogs.eagletribune.com/sports/about/

that's the dude. Bill has had a long association with several local charities including Lazarus House

i volunteered there when i was in high school.

what everyone's been waiting for...

the first day of summer league!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-beasleyrose&prov=ap&type=lgns

This much is already clear: With Beasley alongside Dwyane Wade, the Heat expect to be far removed from the 15-win wreck of a season they endured last year. The Bulls couldn’t stop him from scoring, and couldn’t even stop him from singing during stoppages of player, either. (Yes, they did ask.)

“I didn’t want to,” Beasley said. “I was happy, singing a happy song.”

oopsies. maybe we should have gotten beasley instead.

wait no no, yes yes rose still our guy

the timberwolves made a deal that i don't fully comprehend but it sounds like it was good for us?

Brand to the Sixers, Maggette to the Warriors, Pietrus to the Magic, Duhon to the Knicks.

Sixers are going to be tough next year.

oh man, poor baron!

LOL Clippers.

lol warriors, too. with philly getting brand, they were the only team that could offer maggette more than MLE, and they give him a 5 year 50 mil deal. coulda had him for 40 mil, prolly.

YEAH, well... takes one to know one!!! T_T

clippers are

http://www.peanuts.com/comics/peanuts/greatpumpkin/images/scene_3_large.gif

haha

nice knowing you Ronny.

Is Mullin trying to relive the summer when he gave those bad contracts to Dunleavy, Murphy, and Foyle?

Brand will get to play for Mo Cheeks, for which privilege he should have been willing to take a pay cut. In my book, Cheeks is not just a good coach, but an absolutely first rate person. The Sixers look good to continue to rise next year.

aimless otm. I was at that game when Mo walked out to sing with that little girl who forgot the lyrics to the banner and it was an extraordinary moment.

meanwhile yes super good job giving maggette 10 mil/yr, golden state. That is super excellent work right there that will most certainly solve your team's problems.

the Duhon signing perplexes me, except for the two-year part. He's gonna be the starting point guard? Really?

Guess JSmoov and Okafor are the next dominoes to fall.

free agency is a mine field -- Philly will be very good next year if Brand gets back to form, but if the injury lingers? Yikes.

I hate you all.

andrew bogut gets an extension of 72.5 mil over 5 years. that might be a SLIGHT reach, milwaukee.

i'm still trying to figure this one out:

2009 first round draft pick from Utah
Utah's own 2009 1st round pick to Philadelphia (top 22 protected in the 2009 Draft, top 15 protected in 2010, top 17 protected in 2011, top 16 protected in 2012, and top 16 protected in the 2013 Draft). However, if: (i) Utah's own 2009 first round draft is not protected, and (ii) Utah is entitled to receive New York’s own 2009 first round draft pick, then Utah shall convey to Philadelphia the more favorable of its own 2009 first round draft pick and New York’s 2009 first round draft pick. Further, if: (x) Utah did not satisfy its obligations to Philadelphia in 2009 and (y) if Utah's own 2010 first round draft is not protected, and (z) if Utah is entitled to receive New York’s own 2010 first round draft pick, then Utah shall convey to Philadelphia the least favorable of its own 2010 first round draft pick and New York’s 2010 first round draft pick. If Philadelphia does not receive a first round draft pick from Utah pursuant to the foregoing in any of the Drafts from 2009 through 2013, then Utah’s obligation to send a first round draft pick to Philadelphia shall be extinguished and Utah shall instead convey to Philadelphia Utah’s own 2014 second round draft pick and pay to Philadelphia cash. [Philadelphia - Utah, 12/29/2007]

Them general managers, always thinking. Like, hard, y'know.

I like how, at this time of year, every young prospect that shows up for summer league and workouts is written up as a brilliant talent who could surprise a lot of people with their quickness / defense / passing game / shooting touch / athletic ability... even though there's only one spot left on the roster.

http://i26.tinypic.com/28lylub.jpg
:O

(czn posted that on another thread. probably not new, but still)

whos that white dude in the back? the not-phil-jackson one

Bill Walton.

I love that Belinelli is doing it again. He really should just play in the Summer league every year and leave it at that.

that was a fun game to watch.

Camby to Clips for practically nothin.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The NBA has filed for trademark rights to six nicknames for the league's new Oklahoma City franchise: Barons, Bison, Energy, Marshalls, Thunder and Wind.

barons ftw. kinda badass actually. hope they don't go with that wnba sounding shit. if they had the balls to go with BISONS i would buy a season ticket

1. Barons or Bison
3. Marshalls
6. Thunder, Wind, Energy (BORING)

Canada 65, United States of America 120

barons is the most appropriate obv!

altho will they be left in a situation similar to washington bullets leik oh no the mascot name encourages larceny?

artest + tmac + yao = second round?? watch mcgrady and yao find a way to both be injured by may

soooooo excited about this...

"I understand what Yao said, but I'm still ghetto," Artest said, according to the report.

just coming here to post that.

in fact, i still will.

"Hopefully, he's not fighting anymore and going after a guy in the stands," Yao said, according to the Chronicle.

When asked about those comments, Artest said Yao had bought into "all the propaganda" about him, according to The Sacramento Bee.

"I understand what Yao said, but I'm still ghetto," Artest said, according to the report. "That's not going to change.

please USA win what used to come so easily for you at the Olympics

john salley's 'i'm a vegetarian!' PETA ad wtf!?

Better or worse than his corny cameo in Bad Boys?

celtics signed darius miles. if he can be healthy i think that's a great signing.

Darius Miles is a high risk player that most of the league wouldn't touch. Just a month ago he failed a drug test. He's a manipulator and a liar who spreads discontent in the locker room.

Since the Celts already have a championship team of mostly veteran players, they might be able to afford that risk better than most teams. I'm pretty sure Pierce will see how full of shit he is. Ray Allen will become disgusted with him at some point early on. Garnett might buddy up with him, which would be quite risky.

For me the least likely scenario is that Miles turns over a new leaf and abandons the habits of a lifetime to become a responsible, respectable player with good work habits and clean slate.

saw darius miles in vancouver once

tall players are tall

That same rationale gave Shawn Bradley an NBA career.

Of course, whenever Darius decides he wants to play, he can be a first rate player. But playing to his potential is generally about 8th on his priority list at any time.

his potential to be a star is shot after the microfracture surgery, i'm sure they're just looking to get maybe 12-14 minutes off the bench from him. i'm sure doc, kg, and pierce won't let him be a distraction. he won't be long for boston if he is. that's if he even makes the team, ainge said he's coming in to compete for a roster spot which makes me wonder about just how healthy his knee is.

whoa:

Kevin Duckworth, a two-time NBA All-Star who spent the majority of his 12 NBA seasons as the Portland Trail Blazers' center, has died. He was 44.

Duckworth died Monday in Kernville, Ore., near the coastal town of Lincoln City. His death was confirmed by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. Duckworth was in town as part of a Trail Blazers group hosting a free kids basketball clinic, Fox 12 reported on its Web site.

The cause of his death was not released Tuesday morning.

The 7-foot Duckworth started at center when the Trail Blazers won Western Conference titles in 1990 and '92. He played in the NBA All-Star Game in 1989 and '91.

Remembering Duckworth

TrueHoop's Henry Abbott will always remember Kevin Duckworth for his starring role in the most exciting basketball game Abbott has seen in person. Blog

He spent 1986-93 with Portland and also played for Washington, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Duckworth's last season in the league, 1996-97, was spent with the Clippers. He played his college basketball at Eastern Illinois. A second-round draft pick of the San Antonio Spurs in 1986, Duckworth was named the NBA's Most Improved Player in his second year in the league.

The mysterious cause of death is weird.

not that weird, the dude was probably pushing 400 pounds.

classy headline
"Athletes join the Grim Reaper's all-star team"
http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/blogs/lastwrites/11044

wow, didn't see this until i read that link, this bastard was taking the franchise to st. louis until kraft wildly overpayed for a failing franchise:

Former Patriots owner Orthwein dies

ST. LOUIS (AP) — James Busch Orthwein, the former New England Patriots owner who played a role in the Rams move to St. Louis, has died. He was 84.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said Orthwein died Aug. 15 at his home in Huntleigh after a long battle with cancer.

Orthwein bought the Patriots in 1992 and sold them to Robert Kraft two years later.

“I didn’t know James Orthwein well, but I did share one of my life’s most memorable moments with him and my family back on January 21, 1994. That was the day that I purchased the New England Patriots from Mr. Orthwein,” Kraft said.

“I have a great black-and-white photo of the two of us sitting at a table that day with my entire family standing behind us. It is a day that I will never forget and a memory that I will always cherish. On behalf of my family, I would like to extend sympathies to the Orthwein family.”

Orthwein played an important role in the Rams’ move from Los Angeles to St. Louis by donating his 65-percent ownership share of the stadium rights to FANS Inc., the nonprofit group that persuaded the team to move.

“Jim was a private man who thrived as a fisherman, outdoorsman and painter,” family friend Walter Metcalfe said. “Yet he understood business and he had an enormous talent to see what was important and then connect his product, be it candy or cola or beer or the then-broken and ridiculed Patriot franchise, to the public.”

Orthwein’s mother, Clara Busch, was the granddaughter of Adolphus Busch, one of the founders of Anheuser-Busch. Orthwein was a longtime member of the brewery’s board.

Survivors include wife Loris, daughters Katherine Snowden and Romaine Orthwein and sons Percy and James Orthwein.