Timberwolves Fire Kurt Rambis

In what was a no-brainer to most, the Minnesota Timberwolves fired Kurt Rambis according to a report by Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski.  

Timberwolves general manager David Kahn won't announce the decision until after the draft. Kahn had been uncommitted to Rambis after the season leading to speculation whether he was going to come back. Rambis was 32-132 in his two years as head coach. He left Rambis twisting in the wind, holding draft workouts and probably knew he was going to 86 him anyway.

Minnesota Timberwolves general manager David Kahn has decided to fire coach Kurt Rambis, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.



Kahn isn’t expected to announce the decision until after Thursday’s NBA draft, but he’s already begun collecting information on prospective replacements for Rambis, sources said…


Rambis has two years left on his original four-year contract. With the Timberwolves in the midst of a major rebuilding project, he went 32-132 as their coach, including a league-worst 17-65 this season.


Kahn told reporters he’d made the unusual request of asking Rambis to file a written report to him on changes Rambis would make if he returned as coach. He also said Rambis won’t attend the Timberwolves’ draft on Thursday night.


Kahn had wanted Rambis to become a better communicator with players. He also wanted him to design an offense away from the triangle and toward the open-court talents of rookie point guard Ricky Rubio. Rambis’ relationship with key young players, especially Kevin Love, had been frayed, at best.

I know anyone who has ever coached has wanted to be at the helm of their own operation, but Rambis had to know what he was getting into when he signed up for this. I'm not saying this is all his fault because Kahn has proven to be inept as a general manager. Rambis should've bolted out the door when he drafted the "point guards of the future" in one draft. The triangle wasn't going to work in Minnesota. You have to have special and disciplined players for that offense. It's not for everyone. Rambis didn't get a fair shake, but this marriage was doomed to fail.
 
      

Steelers Lobbying For Burress

A long shot for Plaxico Burress' services might be the Pittsburgh Steelers. It might be highly unlikely but it seems that there have been some unnamed coaches lobbying for Burress' return to the Steel City. Of course they don't have final say on personnel nor do they cut the checks around there so wo knows if the Steelers front office will take a chance on Plax after the lockout.

In addition to the unnamed coaches that would like to have Plax back, Hines Ward would like him back as well and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger stopped short of saying he wants Plax at his youth football camp. 


"I've talked to Plax a number of times in the last couple of weeks," Roethlisberger said. "I told him, 'Hey, if you came back here that would be awesome, but I'm just happy to see you playing again' because he's a good guy."

Keep in mind that Big Ben and Plax were neighbors when they were teammates.

If the Steelers do happen to add Burresss that would likely mean the end of Antwan Randle-El. It would also cut down the playing time for promising youngsters Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders.

Vince Carter To Get Bought Out In Phoenix?

A blurb by the Arizona Republic's Paul Coro says that the Phoenix Suns are expected to buy out Vince Carter's contract  instead of trying to seek a trade for the veteran swingman. The buyout is would be around $4 million.

That would be a smart move by the Suns as Carter isn't even a shell of the high-flying showman he once was. To me he hasn't been the same since almost leading the Toronto Raptors to the Eastren Conference finlas. It would be hard for Phoenix to find a trade partner for Carter since his value has went down the toilet and couldn't be a consistent producer for the run and gun Suns and couldn't run the pick and roll in Orlando with Dwight Howard.

I do believe there will be suitors for Carter if he is bought out. Maybe a contender that could use some scoring off the bench (hello Chicago) would be a good fit for him as long as he doesn't still fashion himself as a starter. The last contending team he played for (Orlando) he disappeared in the playoffs.

I look for him to stay in the league on reputation alone and some team will hope that they can catch lightning in a bottle.     

Report Says Warriors Offered Monta Ellis For Dwight Howard

According to a report/tweet from Jonathan Givony from DraftExpress the Golden State Warriors mad a play for the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard, offereing up Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Andris Biendris. A pretty good package but not one that's going to land Howard.

If this is indeed true, teams thinking about lining up to trade for the big man will have to give up plenty in order to land him. So Laker fans don't get too enthusiastic about the big guy coming to Los Angeles.

Also, if the Warriors weren't going to trade Ellis, why were they alledgedly offering him in a package. it looks like Golden State is still intent on unloading Ellis no matter what their front office is saying.   

It's Time For Full Blown Rebuilding In Pistonland

Now thats it's been a few weeks since "Beverly Hills Billy", Tom Gores has taken over control of the Detroit Pistons , it's time for Joe Dumars and company to get down to business in rebuilding this team. Gores taking over was step one in trying to get the Pistons back to the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. The second step was firing coach John Kuester.

Kuester wasn't a bad guy or a bad coach, he just wasn't a good fit with this edition of Pistons. He inherited a losing situation and the veterans on the team (namely 2004 holdovers) weren't showing Kuester any respect.

Now they have to make a good hire at the coaching position. At this point they have listed Lawrence Frank, Kelvin Sampson, Mike Woodson, and Dwane Casey as favorites, even though Casey might be scratched off the list. Personally, I would like to see Woodson or Frank get the job, but that's not my decision to make. I say that because those are the only proven commodities I really know. If they hire an unproven coach they'll have to unload some veterans that aren't cut out for rebuilding. Dumars has shown impatience with coaches so he must be dead on with this hire. Which leads to this.

Get rid of the 2004 holdovers. It's over, gone and done with. It's time to get rid of Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince and the only reason I would let Ben Wallace come back is to be a mentor to the younger players. Prince is a free agent so I would let him walk. Unless I knew I could get something for him then I would do a sign and trade and Dumars is so loyal to Prince that he wants him back. I dont know what you can get for Hamilton at this point. He has a bad contract and is on the wrong side of 30 so you won't get much for him. Maybe Dumars can get the handgun and panty hose and pull off another robbery in trade. Probably won't happen, so Piston fans don't start those dream trade scenarios. It's not gonna happen.  

Draft a point guard. If the Pistons could be lucky enough to have Kemba Walker fall into their laps, take him. I don't think that'll happen, but they do need a floor general. The Pistons don't have a point guard and I'm tired of seeing Rodney Stuckey masquerade as one and Will Bynum come off the bench as a welfare version of Jason Terry. They likely won't find one in this draft since Kyrie Irving, Brandon Knight, and Walker will be off the board when it's their turn at pick number eight. If that is indeed the case go big. There's been talk of one of the Eurobigs ( Jan Vesely, Bismack Biyombo, or Jonas Valanciunas). All are boom or bust picks but you never know. Biyombo would give you defense and rebounding, something non existent with the current roster. Vesely looks to be the most proven and Valanciunas may have the most upside. If they go there I would also take Purdue's JaJuan Johnson in the second round if he's still on the board. Johnson does need to bulk up, but he played in the rugged Big Ten which scores points with me. Oakland's Keith Benson, Georgia's Trey Thompkins, and Jeremy Tyler could all be possibilities since the Pistons have two picks in the second round.

No more forays into free agency. The last free agent signings produced Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon. I still like the Gordon signing as I think he wasn't used properly and had a few injury problems. Villanueva on the other hand, I still don't like it. He's allergic to defense and rebounding. And that's why I named all the possibilties in the second round of next week's draft. If Charlie V. continues on like this, he'll find himself chained to the bench. The best hope for him is that he shows enough to be traded. This is far fetched but I'd call Golden State to see if they would take him for Andris Biendris. Won't happen, but one can dream can't they.                

Gores has said that Dumars has three years to right the ship, so this year's draft and coaching choice will be critical in seeing that the ball gets rolling in a positive direction.

Pennington To Recharge Himself

After his latest injury, a self inflicted injury playing pickup basketball, NFL quarterback Chad Pennington will be taking time off to work for Fox Sports.  Pennington will work with Fox's Sam Rosen as an NFL analyst, provided the the players and owners can come to an agreement to save the season.

Pennington last played for the Miami Dolphins and was rehabbing a shoulder injury that cost him last season. While he should've been taking time off and dedicating it to rehab, Pennington tore his ACL playing pickup basketball. I'm not calling the guy brittle but he's only played two full season's since coming into the league, 2006 and 2008. So this is a good decision to take the time off and re-evaluate himself.

"I'm actually going to take this year off, get healthy and do some work for Fox Sports," said Pennington, the NFL's only two-time Comeback Player of the Year.

"I'm going to evaluate things and see where I am physically."

No one knows if Pennington will attempt a comeback, but if he does I think he'll make a good mentor to a young quarterback.

Biyombo Has High Hopes

I don't know a lot about Bismack Biyombo. I do know that he's from the Congo, he's an NBA draft prospect that will get drafted in the first round, he's played less than a full 2010-11 season in Spain's ACB, regarded by many as the second-best league in the world, and he's not lacking for confidence.

I don't scoff at anyone that is confident in their abilities. It's just that when you're going to wind up playing against the best basketball players in the world and have nothing on your resume' except a few showings except America's top high schoolers and playing in Spain. But if you don't have confidence in yourself, who will.

In an interview with NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper, Biyombo believes he can lead the NBA in blocks and rebounds.   

“In the NBA, I’m sure that I can block a lot of shots, more than I do in the ACB. I can get a lot of rebounds than I do here in the ACB. Why? The reason is, in the NBA there is a lot of one-on-one. A lot of times I watch games, they’re trying to force stuff. They’re trying to go just one-on-one and get the basket. I can say for myself the best block shots are not with your man. It’s when you’re going to help someone.”



So, do you believe you will lead the NBA in blocks?


“I do.”


Will you lead the NBA in blocks?


“Yes.”

Can you lead the NBA in rebounding?


“Yes, I will.”

You will lead the NBA in rebounding?


“Yes. Of course. Hundred percent.”

Some mighty blod words for someone that hasn't played an NBA game and doesn't have a strong body of work. From what I hear he is offensively challenged, but is a strong defender and rebounder. If he can be a good role player and parlay  some of those rebounds into some easy buckets he might live up to his lofty standards.