Knicks trying to win by getting older

Why do the Knicks want to get older? Well, because coach Mike Woodson said that older teams have more success in the playoffs than younger teams.  Just look at the Heat this year, with an average age of around 29, beating up on the Thunder who have an average age of 25.  And Boston has done well these past 5 seasons with old dudes.  In the Larry O'Brien Championship Series, aka "The Finals", the older team wins about 70% of the time.

* Note: Jason Kidd just crashed his car at 2:00 AM in the Hamptons and received a DWI.  Age = smarts.

So with their infinite wisdumb the Knicks (who must think they can compete for a Conference Championship) have taken a very strange route to getting older: by acquiring 3 of the 4 oldest players in the NBA in just a couple of days.  They signed Marcus Camby (39), Jason Kidd (39) and traded for Kurt Thomas (40).

Raymond Felton was the apple of the Knicks trade with Portland which netted Thomas.  Felton is 28 and could be their youngest starter.  A'mare likes Felton because Felton was able to run the show and present him as an MVP candidate (before A'mare got hurt) two seasons ago when they played together. Don't get me started on how fat Raymond Felton is and how much of a solid defender Jared Jefferies (who they traded for Felton) is.

The Knicks are passing on Lin, who's 23, because Carmelo said that the three year, $25 million dollar deal that Houston offered him was "ridiculous".  James Dolan, put down the sexy saxaphone. One thing you definitely want to do is to listen to Carmelo Anthony analyze the value of contracts.  Methinks that Carmelo is protecting his "points = $" ego with that statement.  'Melo did average just 16 points with Lin and 28 without.

The Knicks are totally messed up.  Dolan is probably still consulting Isiah Thomas on a daily basis which all bubbles together to create the best terrible reality show in The Association.  At least Knicks fans can defect and become Brooklyn Nets fans now.

And Jeremy Lin, quit being so hurt by the Knicks not matching the heavily backloaded Rockets offer sheet and having to play in Houston.  Sure, Houston isn't New York and doesn't compare to the NYC lifestyle but just know that your GM is one of the best in the league, your coach loves to let the PG do his thang and run the show (think: Kyle Lowry last season), the Chinese love Houston because of Yao Ming, and you may be throwing lobs to Dwight Howard come November.  Isn't the point of playing basketball to make as much money as you can and win a lot?  You can check both of those boxes in Houston.

Greg Monroe isn't happy with USA Basketball

Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe didn't expect to make the 2012 Olympic basketball team. At the very least he expected USA Basketball to pick him for the select team. You know, the team that practices against the national team. After taking a look at the roster and who's on the team, it left Monroe a little steamed that he wasn't selected by USA Basketball and will use that slight as motivation for the upcoming season.

The select team features the likes of the New Orleans Hornets Lance Thomas, Boston Celtics center Greg Stiemsma and San Antonio's DeJuan Blair. All players that Monroe sees himself better than.

"No disrespect to those guys, looking at the Select Team roster, I felt like I should've been on there," Monroe said. "That's just the confidence I have in myself."



"I am just a little bit disappointed," Monroe said. "I think, (although) some people don't think so, I should've at least been invited. All of those guys deserved it."


Monroe has played on a worse team than some of the players on the roster which overshadows his on court production. His career is trending upward and he is one of the building blocks on a young Pistons team. But the fact that he does play for the Pistons has clouded the selection process.

Monroe says he isn't bothered by the slight but says he won't forget this and plans to help improve his team.

"But I'm past that, I'm happy to be here with my teammates," Monroe said of the Pistons. "I'm not dwelling on it. We have things to do here (in Detroit)."



"Always," Monroe said. "It always will. I don't forget anything. Anything. I remember what people said in high school. It's always motivation."

Hopefully the Pistons can be the beneficiaries of Monroe's added motivation.

Thabeet and Thunder agree to two year deal

To say Hasheem Thabeet has had a disappointing start to his NBA career would be generous. He's been an absolute bust, but you don't give up on a seven foot three center who was once the number two pick in the NBA draft.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking a flyer on the former Big East defensive player of the year and have agreed to a two year deal with the University of Connecticut product.




The deal cannot officially be signed until the league's free agent moratorium period is lifted on July 11. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately known, but the contract, which will be fully guaranteed for both seasons, is believed to be a minimal salary, or roughly $880,000 in the first year of the contract.

Thabeet will be playing for his fourth team in four years. He was picked one spot ahead of current Thunder guard James Harden. It is a minimal investment for the Thunder and could turn out to be a bargain if Thabeet realizes his potential. If not, cut him loose and move on. What could work in Thabeet's favor is that he won't be looked upon as a savior and can just play basketball.

“Playing in that environment is positive,” said Thabeet's agent, Bill Duffy. “Sam Presti has done a great job of not only building a winning organization but a culture that's conditioned to developing and nurturing. So we think it's a really good fit. So now the onus is on Hasheem to buy into that and to develop and to reach his potential.”


It would seem to be the perfect landing spot for him, but I'll just wait and see.

Detroit Pistons to sign Ukranian big man Vyacheslav Kravtsov

Outside of Ben Wallace and Greg Monroe, the Detroit Pistons have been devoid of quality big men the past two seasons. Team president Joe Dumars is out to change that. The Pistons are stocked at the guard and small forward positions and want to improve their depth at the center and power forward positions.

While the moves haven't been major and the players are unproven Dumars is set on improving the depth along the front line. With Monroe already on the roster, the Pistons drafted University of Connecticut big man, Andre Drummond with the number 9 pick in the draft. Even though there were questions surrounding Drummond it could prove to be a solid pick. The Pistons were lucky to have what was considered a top five talent fall into their laps for the third straight year.

Looking to add more younger, cheaper talent the Pistons signed Ukranian seven footer Vyacheslav Kravtsov.

Kravtsov, an athletic seven-footer, averaged 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in 22 minutes per game last season for BC Donetsk in the Ukrainian league.


Kravtsov, 25, was undrafted in 2009 and played for the Celtics' summer-league team in 2010. He's known as a defensive presence, and the Pistons have been familiar with him for some time. Pistons assistant coach Brian Hill was an assistant on the Ukrainian national team last summer.

His Eurobasket.com scouting report lists him as a "phenomenal shot blocker who likes nothing more than contesting absolutely anything on its way up" and that he's "athletic, strong and can explode in and around the hoop on offense although he's still trying to find consistency with anything from range."

Word is that he did have some dominant games against Jonas Valanciunas and Enes Kanter, both of whom were top five lottery picks in 2011. Any basketball fan knows that doesn't mean a whole lot.

Hopefully this can turn out to be more Mehmet Okur than Darko Milicic.

Olshey shuns Clippers, takes Blazers GM job

After working without a contract this season and being left to twist in the wind by Donald Sterling, Los Angeles Clippers general manager Neil Olshey pulled a swerve on the Clippers and took the Portland Trail Blazers job.

Olshey wasn't guaranteed a contract by the Clippers and had an agreement in principle with the team until the Blazers came calling. Olshey built the team that went to the second round of the playoffs and had the best winning percentage (.606) in franchise history.

Olshey also interviewed for the Blazers job last year. To be honest I really can't blame him for leaving. I won't get into an anti-Sterling tirade but can you really trust him. I could see Sterling pulling the rug from under Olshey and instructing him to blow up the current edition of the team in a few years.

The Clippers have started a search for a general manager before the offseason kicks into full gear. As of now Coach Vinny Del Negro, director of player personnel Gary Sacks and team president Andy Roeser will handle all of team’s responsibilities in regard to basketball operations.

Jeremy Lin owns Linsanity

If Jeremy Lin can continue his meteoric rise in the NBA he'll get paid in more ways than one.

Lin now owns the rights to the term, phrase or whatever you want to call it, "Linsanity". The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registered the term for Lin after he filed for it in February.

It's obvious that someone close to Lin was on to something after Lin became the hottest name in the NBA after the New York Knicks put him in the starting lineup. Anyone wishing to use the "Linsanity" term will have to go through Lin or his representatives.a

If he can keep up his stellar play he stands to get paid.

Isiah Thomas wants another shot in college or the NBA

After his well documented failures in both college basketball and the NBA, Isiah Thomas wants to get another shot at coaching or being a general manager at either level.

Thomas was recently fired by Florida International after compiling a 26-65 record over three seasons. Thomas has also coached the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers and served as the general manager for the Knicks and Toronto Raptors. Thomas has a good friendship with Knicks owner James Dolan and has been connected to any opening in the Knicks organization.

"I definitely want to be in basketball again whether it be coaching or as a general manager," Thomas said by phone. "My gift is basketball. I would love working with the kids. If it's the right college program, I would consider it. If it's the right GM job or coaching job in the NBA, I would consider it. I love the game. I just want to be in the game."


"I have great friends in the organization," said Thomas, a two-time NBA champion and 12-time All-Star with the Detroit Pistons. "A lot of them I gave them their first job opportunities in the NBA. The owner and I have a very good relationship. It's an organization I will always root for and will always want them to do well because they're all personal friends of mine." 

Thomas says he would be willing to listen to all offers college or pro.

"I'm like everyone else, I keep my options open," Thomas said. "My mom always said don't burn any bridges. I followed her advice. It would have to be the right option and right place."


The question is would anyone be willing go all in on Thomas. When he played he was one of the best players of all time. He was a winner. Off the court is another story where he's had more than one failure. Namely running the Knicks into the ground.

Call me a homer since he did play for my hometown Detroit Pistons, but I think he should get another chance despite his track record, but it would have to be the right situation. He shouldn't be thrown into a rebuilding situation.

Report: Knicks on Odom's short list

No one knows where Lamar Odom will be playing basketball next season. After a tumultuous season with the Dallas Mavericks he'll more than likely wind up as a free agent since I don't think Odom could be traded for a bobsled at this particular moment. Odom is still under contract with the Mavericks and he could be traded or waived/bought out.

Despite his one bad season with the Mavericks, Odom will be a highly sought after free agent due to the versatility he can bring to the table. A source close to the situation says that the New York Knicks might be a team on Odom's short list.


A source with knowledge of Odom's thinking says the New York Knicks would be "on the top of his list" if the Queens native becomes a free agent.


"Lamar is big on being comfortable," the source said. "And New York is somewhere he can be comfortable."


"He wants to find a place where he can end his career, and New York is ideal," the source said. "He's won championships in the past and he wants to win another. And to do it there would be great."


He could go back to the Los Angeles Lakers where he had his best years or to the Miami Heat where he once played and could be sixth man supreme. I don't see him fitting in with the Knicks since all they do is acquire name players and implode. But a front line of  Odom, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler could be pretty good if Carmelo Anthony wants to shift to the two guard spot. So it's highly unlikely he'll wind up in New York.

Wherever he lands they'll probably get the Odom of years past and not the Dallas version which was a bad bill of goods.
 

Shaq to discuss GM job with Orlando Magic

In what would be the worse idea of all time, the Orlando Magic are reportedly willing to discuss the general manager job with Shaquille O'Neal. Orlando is looking to retain the services of Dwight Howard and think that maybe O'Neal could help keeping Howard in town.  

O'Neal stated his career in Orlando but has no front office experience whatsoever. It has worked out with some former players (Steve Kerr, Joe Dumars) but I just don't see it happening with O'Neal. I don't really think it's going to happen and figure the Magic is just trying to keep themselves in the news.

If they're trying to find someone to save the franchise from irrelevance hiring O'Neal would not be the way to do it.

Jerry Sloan interested in coaching again

After taking sometime off due to retirement, former Utah jazz coach Jerry Sloan is getting the urge to coach again. According to a Fox Sports Florida report Sloan has expressed interest in the Orlando Magic coaching job. If that wasn't enough of an itch, Sloan also wouldn't mind getting a crack at the Charlotte Bobcats job.

Of course there has to be interest in Sloan and he gets that but it's obvious that something has been missing in his life since he retired in 2011.



“Yes, I think so,’’ Sloan said from his farm in McLeansboro, Ill., about his interest. “It would be very intriguing. But they would have to be interested in me.’’


Sloan hasn't heard anything from the Magic or Bobcats. Orlando would be a better situation since Charlotte is in full rebuilding mode. But Sloan doesn't seem to mind the challenge.

“It’s not always about starting at the top,’’ Sloan, 70, said when asked if he really would interested in a rebuilding situation such as the one with Bobcats, whose 7-59 record resulted in the worst winning percentage in NBA history (.106). 


The Magic is a franchise in flux right now since no one knows the direction the team will go since center Dwight Howard reportedly wants out of Orlando.

Sloan would be a good hire for either team and he knows the game. With his old school ways I just don't know if he has the patience for the Bobcats rebuilding or Orlando possibly blowing their team up.

Kobe doesn't take charges

There has been a big deal about flopping recently and David Stern isn't happy about it. On the flipside of that subject Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant told reporters not to expect him to take any charges.

"We got a couple guys that take charges, but for the most part, the one guy that took a charge is now playing in Oklahoma," Bryant told reporters after practice Tuesday, referring to Derek Fisher. "I don't take charges. Metta (World Peace) don't take charges. Steve (Blake) will take a charge every now and then, but most everybody else just stands up and plays." 


Standing up and playing didn't help them in Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder and they could've used some charges to help them out last night. Bryant says he doesn't take charges to preserve his health and credits it to his longevity in the NBA.


"I learned from my predecessors," Bryant said. "(Scottie) Pippen had a (messed) up back taking charges. (Larry) Bird had a (messed) up back taking charges. I said, 'I'm not taking charges.' I figured that ... out at an early age.



"I've seen Michael (Jordan) not take one ... charge, and he's healthy his whole career, and the same thing with Magic (Johnson). I might not be the smartest guy in the room, but I can figure that ... out."


I do agree with Bryant and he is a season vet and one day he'll take another one and it won't be by accident.  

Report: J.R. Smith is broke

Usually when a player is entering free agency the famous quote of "it's not about the money" is always thrown around. Because it's always about the money no matter what a player says. For New York Knicks free agent guard J.R. Smith it will be all about the money.

According to reports Smith chose to play with the Knicks instead of the Los Angeles Clippers because the Knicks offered $2.4 million to the Clippers' $1.4 million. The other part of why is because Smith was "financially broke".

Smith's father, Earl, is pushing for J.R. to stay in New York, I guess since it will be the place that will pay him the most money.


A source told ESPN New York that Smith’s father, Earl, is going to make a strong case for his son to stay in New York, but “it’s very clear that the money is the biggest factor with him.”


In fact, when Smith chose the Knicks over the Clippers in mid-February after coming back from China, a source said the Knicks’ higher offer ($2.443 million to the Clippers’ $1.4 million veteran’s minimum) was the deciding factor because he was financially broke. Therefore, Smith will likely opt out and ask for the 20 percent raise. At that point, the ball will be in the Knicks’ court to re-sign Smith, who’s already said publicly that he wants to return next season.


Smith has earned nearly $26 million in the eight years he's played plus another $3 million from playing in China. He'll probably go into denial about being broke. If he is it's pretty sad especially since he's still playing.

Frank Vogel fined for trying to get the refs on his side

Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel tried to take the Phil Jackson approach and plant a seed in the referees' heads before the Pacers' second round series against the Miami Heat. Vogel told reporters that he felt the Heat were the biggest floppers in the NBA and now he's $15,000 lighter for the comments.

“It’ll be very interesting to see how the referees officiate the series and how much flopping they reward. . . . Every drive to the basket they have guys not making a play on the ball, but sliding in front of drivers. Often times they’re falling down even before contact is even being made. It’ll be interesting to see how the series is officiated.”


He's hoping that he can get some favorable whistles going his way and not falling victim to any superstar calls that benefit the Heat. I see him working and I can understand why, but in the NBA you can't comment the officiating without getting fined.

Next time don't read the Phil Jackson playbook of coaching.

Derrick Rose might miss the start of the season

When Derrick Rose tore his ACL in Game 1 of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers the Chicago Bulls' championship hopes took a big hit. The final result was a six game series loss to the Sixers and an off-season wondering what if.

Today Rose underwent surgery to repair his ACL and will possibly miss the start of next season.

Of course this isn't what the Bulls had in mind when they locked up the best record and homecourt advantage for  the duration of the playoffs. The front office will have some work to do, namely trying to improve via trade or fee agency.

Hopefully Rose can come back stronger and have the same explosiveness he had before injuries took their toll this season.

Pacers say they're not the underdog against the Heat

With a date with the Miami Heat looming in the NBA playoffs, the Indiana Pacers aren't about to bow down to anyone. Coach Frank Vogel and some of the players don't see themselves as the underdog going into the second  round showdown with Miami.  

“I don’t know if it’s about respect,” Pacers forward Danny Granger said. “It’s about basketball. It’s about finding out who’s the better team. We’re a good team. They’re a good team. It’s going to be a battle.”


“I think we’re just embracing the challenge,” Vogel said. “I feel like we are one of the best teams in the league. We are not viewing this in any way, shape or form like a David-vs.-Goliath type of meeting. We are not the underdog here. This is two heavyweights going toe to toe.”


At least we know the Pacers won't be in awe of Miami's big three which is good because everyone expects the Pacers to lose.

The Pacers have a good team and Vogel and Granger know it. The rest of Ameica will find out how good when the second round begins. They won't win the series but they will give the Heat a good fight.

“I don’t think we’re underdogs by any means,” he said. “Miami has more recognition, honestly, with their big three guys, but I think we’re a good team as well.”


“We know it’s a great opportunity,” David West said. “We’re going to try to maximize this opportunity that we have ahead of us. You may not get this opportunity again.”


The Pacers have been under the radar throughout the season and Miami has the stars, but we know this is the playoffs and anything can happen. This could be one of the best series of the second round.

Don Nelson finally getting his degree

After a long career in the NBA as a player and coach, Don Nelson is finally getting his college degree. For Nelson it's better late than never since it took 50 years for Nelson to finally achieve his goal of getting a degree. Nelson will get his Bachelor's in physical education this Saturday from the University of Iowa.

Nelson, who is the NBA's all time winningest coach, needed to complete his foreign language requirements to complete his long awaited degree that had been put on hold since 1962.


"The reason I coached all these years was that I enjoyed so much being around young, talented people," Nelson told the Des Moines Register. "This will be like coaching my teams, really. I love talented, young kids."


"It means a lot to me personally," Nelson said. "When I went to college, I was the first male in my family with a chance to go. One thing that was important to me was to get a degree. I was in the pros for so long that I had to postpone it until now. But it was a goal of mine, and I've achieved it."       

The somewhat funny part of it is that Nelson cited Shaquille O'Neal as a source of inspiration.

"He went back and got his degree (from LSU), and now he's (gone) back to get a doctorate," Nelson said. "He's been an inspiration to me. I don't believe he knows that. I never told him." 

Congratulations to Coach Nelson for finally going back to school and finishing what he started.

Celtics' Avery Bradley injures shoulder

Avery Bradley has been a solid contributor for the Boston Celtics this season filling in well for an ailing Ray Allen and providing quality minutes at the shooting guard position. The Celtics have been hit by a myriad of injuries this season and the playoffs are no different. Allen returned from an ankle injury but is playing limited minutes. He probably will return to his role as a starter because Bradley injured a shoulder in Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks and re-injured it again in Boston's Game 3 win last night.

Bradley has fought a shoulder injury all season but it just hasn't worked out for him in the playoffs. He left last night's game in the third quarter and never returned after it was believed that he would return.

"It's really sore," Bradley told CSNNE.com after the game. "Every time I go to extend my arm, and it gets hit, it comes in and out."     


"He's had that problem all year," said C's coach Doc Rivers. "Usually they're able to, like a leg, snap it back in. It wouldn't go back in."


As of now Bradley expects to be back for Game 4, but expect Celtics officials to hold him out.  

Scottie Pippen writes the Bulls a motivational letter

It was around this time last year that former NBA and Chicago Bulls great Scottie Pippen called out Carlos Boozer and the rest of the team for their lack of toughness. This year Pippen has taken on the role of motivator after the Bulls lost point guard Derrick Rose for the rest of the playoffs.

Pippen wrote an open letter to the team on Bulls.com to rally the troops and circle the wagons in the wake of Rose's injury.

An open letter to the 2011-12 Chicago Bulls:


With what happened to Derrick in Game 1, it would be easy to hang your heads right now. You could lose sight of the ultimate goal and give up before the rest of the games have even been played. But I know that’s not even a consideration for this group. And that’s exactly why you’ll make me, Derrick, the organization, and the city of Chicago so proud.


To a man, it’s time for each of you to take a look in the mirror. Decide who you really are and what you represent as a basketball player. Reflect on what you have brought to the table for your team all season long and why you’re a valuable member of the Bulls. Because all of you have contributed to this team’s incredible success. Ask yourself what you can do for the team moving forward. Whether it’s through your verbal leadership or diving on the floor after a loose ball, it’s going to be all about grinding it out moving forward. If there is one piece of advice I can offer you, it’s to put every last ounce of effort you have out there to make everyone proud—Derrick, the fans, and first and foremost, yourself.


Your team has come a long way in terms of what it has been able to achieve this season. And that was done collectively, as a group. It has never been about any one individual. Yes, Derrick was the reigning NBA MVP, but he epitomizes the team concept and you all followed his lead. So it’s been the effort of the group, as well as a tremendous job by the coaching staff, which has gotten us to this point. And it’s exactly why I feel good about this team right now. You’re a group that remains together. You’ve repeatedly lifted each other up when a teammate has fallen. Now, it comes down to continuing to give your best effort every time you step on to the basketball court. It’s easy to say you’re doing that, but are you really dedicating yourself to another two months of basketball? As a player, that’s what I always wanted out of my teammates. Just make sure you arrive on gameday focused and full of energy. If guys want to just show up and take on the 76ers or whoever, well, that might not be enough to get the job done. It takes locking in on the task at hand and honing in on what you need to do in order to be successful in the NBA postseason.


While I dealt with my share of injuries throughout my career, I was fortunate to have been healthy for the majority of our run in the 1990’s. The same can be said about Michael Jordan. But, when Michael retired for the first time to play baseball in 1993, we were faced with a similar challenge to what you’re up against—playing without your best player and leader. Granted, Michael chose to step away from the game and Derrick is sidelined because of his injury, but it comes down to the players who are still out there coming together to collectively rise up as a group and win games. We exceeded a lot of expectations in the regular season, finishing 55-27. But as we entered the postseason, a lot of people had written us off and said we didn’t have a chance without Michael. There was a lot of talk about how we wouldn’t make it out of the first round and might even get swept. But we didn’t listen to any of that. We believed in ourselves and we went out to play the type of basketball that we knew we were capable of playing. We swept Cleveland in the first round and it was a great feeling. Even though we ultimately fell short and lost to New York in a second round Game 7, we all believed we could have—and should have—done better. My point is that there was never a moment where we felt sorry for ourselves or let anyone push us into any self-doubt. We stayed positive and believed that if we stuck together and played good, hard defense, we could beat any team out there. That’s what I believe you can do as well.


You lost a very important piece to the puzzle, there is no denying that. But having dealt with Derrick’s injuries during the regular season, as well as those as some of the others, gave members of the bench an opportunity to step forward as you did all season long. And every single individual on this roster has shown that they can make positive contributions to winning. Obviously the other starters in Richard, Luol, Carlos and Joakim—all All-Star caliber players in their own right—need to raise their level of game across the board to compensate for missing Derrick. But it’s the bench too that will be as important as ever in answering the call. And as we’ve seen these last two seasons, the Bench Mob is up for that challenge. You all believe in yourselves and the coaching staff believes in you too. You’ve already demonstrated you can have success without Derrick in the lineup. Now it’s time to do it when it matters the most.


As you all know, this is when it pays extra dividends to have a coach like Thibs. To me, his preparation is what separates him as one of the league’s very best coaches. It’s got to be his greatest strength. Having watched him coach night in and night out these last two seasons, this team comes ready to play, whether it’s a back-to-back or three games in four nights. He’s always ready and the job that you as players do reflects that. It’s an underrated asset to have a group that truly knows its personnel and the intricate schemes of a gameplan. Thibodeau has you ready to go every night and battle and that’s because of his attention to detail. He’s also kept you focused and prevented you from looking ahead. That’s the mentality you need as the playoffs continue—one game at a time. Execute. Play good, hard defense. Protect the ball. Even without a great player like Derrick, you are still capable of doing those things.


For the fans who don’t know, Derrick was at practice on Monday and I got a chance to catch up with him as well. Just being able to see him with our own eyes, it lifted everyone’s spirits. I could see that in each and every one of you. I could see that it was reassuring to you to know that your teammate is going to be OK, first and foremost. You become so close to a teammate like that and when you’re hearing all sorts of things through the media, it’s discomforting. But I’m glad Derrick made it to Berto and showed everyone he is hanging in there. As we look ahead to Game 2 and beyond, though, now you can realize exactly what you have to play for. With or without Derrick, the ship has to continue to sail. And as he told many of you, it’s time to re-dedicate yourselves to staying on track. I know none of you are ready to stop working and you want more than anything to win for Derrick. That’s the best tribute you could make for him. And in a way, it would very much make him a part of it. He’ll be with you the rest of the way whether he’s in the gym or not, watching and supporting. While you hate to see what happened happen, adversity often brings a team together even more than they were before. It’s all about how you react to that adversity.


As for Derrick, I truly believe he will come out of this better and stronger. If anything, it will be an eye opening experience for him. Remember, he’s still a very young player in this league. Now he knows that injuries are a part of the game. As a young player, I always thought I was doing everything I could. But the longer you play, the more you learn, and the better you’re prepared for what this game throws at you.


Just go out there and play hard. Play your best. Leave everything you’ve got on the floor. Yes, you lost one of your brothers—a warrior in every sense of the word—but I know and you know you’ve still got a lot of fight left. You’re still the best team in the NBA until an opponent proves otherwise. So go out there and play like it. You’ve earned that much with Derrick along the way, but you also won a lot of games without him. It’s time to meet the challenge.


Wishing you all the best of luck on a long postseason run.  

Just like I said last year Pippen might be the last one to talk about rallying the troops. Remember he sat out the last play in a playoff win against the Knicks in 1994 because the last play wasn't called for him. It's noble that he wants to see his former team do well but when it comes to some subjects Pippen might want to keep his mouth shut.

For the right price you can have Tyreke Evans

Tyreke Evans was once thought to be the a major cornerstone of the Sacramento Kings' rebuilding efforts. He was the rookie of the year and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him. His star has now dimmed and now is rumored to be on the trading block.

Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee touches upon why Evans could be had for the right price.


Kings executives will entertain trade offers for Tyreke Evans this summer, and they should.
Evans remains a major asset. His team remains in a major funk. When a franchise finishes near the conference cellar for six consecutive seasons, the general manager needs to make significant personnel changes, or the franchise needs to change its general manager.


But that's an organizational decision.


Evans, who has a year remaining on his contract, has his own decision to make. He has to figure out what he wants and how badly he wants it. He has to determine what kind of player he wants to be and proceed accordingly, essentially controlling what he can control.


Evans has one year left on his rookie contract and is at a crossroads in his young career. There's no doubt that he's talented but which position do you play him at? He had a good rookie year as the point guard although he was miscast in that role. But when you look at him in college Memphis' season didn't take off until John Calipari put the ball in Evans' hands and let him go.  

I'm not saying that's what the Kings must do, but Evans operates best when he dominates the ball. Kings consultant Pete Carril says Evans needs to learn how to play without the ball.

“I don’t think it’s any big secret,” Princeton legend and longtime Kings consultant Pete Carril said the other night. “Tyreke’s got to learn to play without the ball. It’s all there. I see some games, and he looks very good. Other games … he just has to work harder. I’d love to see him develop a mid-range game.” 

If I were in the Kings' front office I'd wait to pull the trigger on an Evans trade. They need to watch film and see what works best for him. On the flip side Evans also needs to watch film, get in the gym and develop a jump shot and work more on his game. Evans should be a natural at shooting guard, but right now he looks like a man without a position.

Evan Turner says Bulls are a better matchup for the Sixers

The NBA playoffs are right around the corner and we've already had our first brush with controversy. Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner basically admitted that the Sixers are trying to dodge the Miami Heat so that they'll get a first round matchup with the Chicago Bulls because Turner says Miami is the tougher team. Turner feels that if they get Chicago in the first round they have a better chance of winning.



In a story that appeared in the Delaware County Daily Times, Chicago native and Sixers’ guard Evan Turner thinks the Sixers would rather play the Bulls because, “It means we’re dodging the tougher team. That’s what I think." The better team, of course, being the Heat?


“We will be able to compete well against Chicago and have an opportunity to win the series,” he said.


“We probably match up better against them even though they are, by far, the best team in the East,” Turner said. “We match up better with them with our personnel, so you never know.”


The Bulls didn't seem to bite at the comments but Kyle Korver did call the comments "flammatory".


“Well, all right,” he said. “I’m not going to get into a war of words with Evan Turner.


“Come play us. Our goal’s to win a championship. We don’t care who we play—first round, second round, third round—we want to go through everybody. That’s our mindset. We don’t want to go around anybody. We’ve got the one seed and we’re ready for whoever’s eighth.”


Center Joakim Noah didn't put much stock in Turner's comments.


"That's cool," Joakim Noah told reporters in Indianapolis.


“Why doesn't it bother me? At the end of the day you've got to go out there and play the game, so we're only worried about us right now and we'll worry about Evan Turner when we need to worry about Evan Turner, if ... God willing.”

The way the Sixers played after their quick start (20-8), they shouldn't be worrying about seeing who they match up with better. They should concentrate on playing better basketball to be in a position to beat the Bulls.