Where Are They Now, 2010; Part 5

I was going to write a separate post to describe ways that the Hornets can avoid the luxury tax without trading away David West or anyone important, but I've decided that I can't be bothered. Here's a shorthand version:

1) On trade deadline day, trade Hilton Armstrong and $1.1 million in cash ($922,748 to cover his remaining salary, the rest as an incentive) to the Clippers in exchange for changing the protection on their 2016 second rounder - already owed to the Hornets from the Rasual Butler deal - from top 55 to top 50. The Clippers gain a free player who may or may not see the court, whilst more importantly earning some cash for their troubles and giving up quite literally the least significant thing imaginable. Meanwhile, the Hornets dump the $2.8 million salary of a player that managed to lose an unloseable backup centre spot to Darius Songaila. That can't ever be a bad loss.

2) Also on trade deadline day, trade Ike Diogu and $400,000 to the Hawks for the rights to Alain Digbeu. $271,928 of that covers Diogu's remaining salary; the rest is the Hawks incentive to use an inactive list spot on a player that's out for the season. And all they lose is a 34 year old Frenchman. If not the Hawks, Diogu could also be sent to the Grizzlies, Kings, Pistons or Sixers. Whichever.

Trading two surplus players and $1.5 million will save them about $9 million, once tax payments are substituted and rebates added. And you can do so without moving one of your only good players or taking on future salary. If those two deals happen, or ones very similar to them, then expect misplaced bravado.

Failing that, someone competitive will think too much of James Posey, just like the Hornets once did themselves. Ask Dallas. Even if they won't give you Drew Gooden's unguaranteed deal, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot coming between a Shawne Williams and Kris Humphries package. The Lakers might want to know, too, at which point your foundation for a deal is Adam Morrison. Maybe San Antonio bites, using some of their expirings. Either way, you get the idea; the tax is highly dodgeable without giving away one of the only three good veterans to do it. Devin Brown's unnecessary trade kicker need not be a sticking point.

And now for some Where Are They Now action.


- Marko Banic

Banic is a Croatian big man playing in Spain. He scores really really ridiculously efficiently, has great touch around the basket, and can hit a jumpshot, yet is often out of shape, is a bad rebounder, is not physical and is a poor defensive player. But even though I just made him sound like it, Banic is not really like Eddy Curry. Curry is big, athletic and more awkward than your grandparent's sex life. Whereas Banic is short, grounded and smoother than a baby's arse.

Playing for Bilbao, Baby Arse is averaging 27.5 minutes, 17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 72% shooting in the Eurocup, and 26.0 minutes, 14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 67% shooting in the ACB. He doesn't just do it on layups, either.

So that's where he is now.



- Sean Banks

Banks spent last season in Turkey, signed with Darussafaka. He averaged 13.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists, which are good all-around numbers, but he also shot 21% from three point range. This wouldn't have been too bad had three pointers not accounted for a third of all his shot attempts.

This season, Banks has not played anywhere. He signed in Jordan a couple of weeks ago to play with a team called Zain, who seem to be pursuing lots of former NBA talents this year (more on that later). However, Banks was released soon afterwards as he needed another month to recover from an injury. I don't know what injury.

Nothing seems to have materialised about Banks' chances of playing for the British national team. Banks' father was born in England and still lives there, which entitles him to apply for a British passport, something which he expressed an interest in doing 18 months ago. However, as far as I can tell, he either still hasn't done it, or it didn't work out. It would be great if it did.



- Stanko Barac

Barac, whose rights are owned by the Pacers, is playing for Caja Laboral in Spain's ACB. They're the team that used to be known as Tau Ceramica. Barac tends to get a wriggle on in the ACB; in only 11.8 minutes a game, he averages 7.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 fouls per game, slowing to a more sedate 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 fousl in 14.8 minutes per game in the Euroleague. The number of minutes played isn't ideal, but when you've got Tiago Splitter in front of you, it makes sense.

Stanko Barac's nickaname should be Spanky. Stanko "Spanky" Barac. I like that. Admittedly I like Spanky as a nickname for pretty much everyone - Pau "Spanky" Gasol and Rajon "Spanky" Rondo in particular seem to work will - yet it works particularly well with Barac. In unrelated news, I feel this website is more desirable when it's a worldwide basketball news aggregator and a not a crap comedy vehicle.



- Steven Barber

Barber, who turns 30 in 10 days time (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!), is playing in Mexico. For the Libertadores de Queretaro (which translates as "the Liberators of Queretaro," I think), Barber averages 14.8 points and 2.7 assists. He takes nine three pointers a game and hits only 29% of them. Sounds like a bad idea.

The general rule is that we don't cover 30 year old 5'10 shoot-first journeyman point guards from the Southland Conference. But Steven Barber somehow appeared on the Knicks training camp roster of 2005. This has obligated me to follow him ever since. But it's a one-off thing.



- Omar Barlett

Barlett is signed in Cyprus with a team called Achilleas Kaimakliou. This means there are no statistics for him, because there aren't any from Cyprus that I can find. I also don't really know anything about Omar Barlett, which kind of craps on any possible trivia ideas. So here's his back story instead.

Barlett went to college at Jacksonville State, making him the only Jacksonville State player that you've ever heard of. He transferred there from junior college, and averaged 15/7 in his senior season. After graduating, he spent two years in Portugal, and three years in Poland, before inexplicably winding up on the Heat's 2008 training camp roster. Inevitably, Barlett did not make the team, and he went back to Poland, where last year he averaged only 5 points and 4 rebounds. So an NBA redux does not look likely.

How did a 28 year old 6'8 forward with no history of success of strength in his CV go from averaging 12/7 in the Polish league to being briefly on an NBA roster? I don't know. But, as both Barlett and Barber have shown, these things can happen. (It's particularly weird in Barlett's case, as he wasn't on any summer league roster, for the Heat nor anyone. Barber was, however, which explains his presence somewhat. Therein lies the advantage of summer league; even if no money is involved, a good performance can get a client to a training camp. And when you've got "NBA training camp" on your resumé, you're going to do better in your non-NBA career. Or, in the case of Omar Barlett, you're going to go to Cyprus.)

Here is Omar Barlett in a Polish three point shootout in an arena that didn't have any available ball racks.

- Jimmy Baron

Rhode Island product Baron took his one major skill - jumpshooting - and brought it to a Turkish audience. Baron is Mersin's designated American shooter this season, taking over from Chris Lofton. That's not an easy thing to do, because Lofton was awesome in that role last year, averaging 20.2 points per game and including both 47 and 61 point outings (shooting a combined 30-42 from three point range in those two games). However, Baron has been pretty damn good at it himself, averaging 18.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in the Turkish league. Baron is shooting 48% from three point range while taking ten and a half of them a game, and while he's had no massive Lofton-like explosions (with a season high of only 29), he has shot consistently well. He always does. He probably always will.



- Andre Barrett

Barrett was back in the NBA this autumn when he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers for training camp. He then lost the role of inactive list ballhandler to Coby Karl, and would have lost it to Russell Robinson as well, God willing. After being released from there, Barrett has not signed elsewhere. It was rumoured that he might go to Napoli in Italy, but.......well, that's not happening any more. More on that Napoli story later.

Does Americans call Autumn "the fall" because of the way "the" leaves "fall" from the trees? If so, oh.



- Earl Barron

Barron is in the D-League, waiting for an NBA call-up. He almost got one from the Blazers the other day, and will probably be heard from again at some point. For the Iowa Energy, Barron is averaging 15.1 points and 10.3 rebounds in only 32 minutes per game, with particularly good rebounding numbers for a man who's always been a bit average at that.

His rebounding numbers may be helped a bit by the Energy's lack of size, as, despite their team being pretty stacked, their second biggest player is perimeter orientated Cartier Martin. The starting point guard, Curtis Stinson, is second on the team in rebounds with 6.1 a game. Nevertheless, the Energy also have a rebounding differential of +3, so it's not a Biedrins-like situation. Barron is shooting only .434% from the field, and was suspended this week for hitting Jared Reiner in the face, but the NBA can probably overlook that second indiscretion.




- Jon Barry

Jon Barry retired after the 2006 season. He now works as a commentator for ESPN.

The last time I heard Jon Barry commentate was during the Hawks' blowout of the Bulls about a month ago. Barry tried to convince the audience that Lou Wolding had not realised his superstar potential, while simultaneously highlighting his inability to take anybody off the dribble. Apparently the dislogic between the two things did not hit home. He was also convinced that the reason for the Bulls struggles is a lack of post up offense, seemingly because someone told him this three years ago. "You'll never get anywhere as a jumpshooting team," says former jumpshooting specialist Jon Barry, as Joe Johnson stretches the lead to 32 with a three point jumpshot. Ho hum.

(For the record, you can get absolutely everywhere as a jumpshooting team. You just need to a) be good at jumpshooting, and b) play good defense. The Bulls are only point B intermittently, and they're woefully short on point A. So there's your real problems, Jon Barry.)



- Brent Barry

Brent, like Jon, is retired. Brent, like Jon, is now a media personality. Brent, unlike Jon, works for NBA TV. Brent, unlike Jon, is someone I can tolerate.



- Eddie Basden

Basden played last year in Turkey for Mersin. He didn't play especially well, however, averaging 8.1 points, 4.7 points, 2.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game. The all around numbers are pretty good, but Basden shot only 24% from three point range, taking three threes a game. He took 174 two pointers, 84 three pointers and 56 foul shots, and ended up totalling 244 points on 258 shots. That's not good.

This year, he waited until December before joining the D-League, acquired by the Austin Toros. The result have been much the sane, however; through three games, Basden has averaged 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals, but is shooting only 35% from the field, with 24 points on 26 shots. That's pretty much how he rolls. He has his uses defensively, but offensively, he doesn't have very many at all.

There's also an Eddie Basden playing for the Washington Madness in the Eastern Basketball Alliance. It's not the same one.



- Macy O'Baston

Baston's NBA redux over the last three years saw him not play a whole lot, but he did do quite well in the time that he did get. Last season was his worst season, yet even Baston's worst season was pretty good; he averaged 2.5 points and 2 rebounds in 8 minutes per game, and his PER was 12.3. His career PER is 14.4, too, which makes you wonder why he's only played 831 NBA minutes in three and a bit seasons.

Baston went to camp with the Pistons, but did not make the team. The Pistons decided they wanted both Chucky Atkins and an empty roster spot more than both him and Deron Washington, regardless of how many early season injuries they had. The Pistons are about $11 million short of the luxury tax, have a roster spot open, have had many injuries and need more depth, yet they won't actually sign anyone to help. They even waived Washington when keeping him cost them nothing until tomorrow. I just.......don't see the logic.

After being waived by the Pistons, Baston has not signed elsewhere, although there's rumours of a possible move to Aris in Greece.

The Macy O'Baston gag originated from Paul Shirley's book. Wish I'd thought of it. It's flexible, though; how about Mark O'Jaric, Mark O'Banic, Stank O'Barac, Fabrice E. O'Oberto and Jamari O'Davidson? Or,a s an extension of that, how about Mooch E. Norris, Anthony T. Olliver, Jerry D. Bayless, Mehmeto Kerr, and Peter E. Koponen?

I need better hobbies.



- Mengke Bateer

Finally, our first of many Chinese Basketball Association updates.

For the most part, the astronomical statistics put up in the CBA are by the import players, almost always American (and almost always black; of the 33 CBA imports this year, only one, Frans Steyn, is white.) The Chinese players don't really do much; most of them can't compete in the athletic and physical brand of NBA-style ball that the CBA is trying to recreate. Chinese players largely dominate the point guard spot, but when it comes to scoring and rebounding, they're almost all overmatched physically.

Bateer is one of the few exceptions; he ranks as one of the few native players that can compete with the import's statistical domination. Last year for Xinjiang, Bateer averaged 15.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists; this year, he's averaging 41.2 minutes, 9.8 points, 11.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Three pointers make up half the shots he takes, and he's not shooting them well so far this year (24%), but those passing numbers are pretty awesome. Just this very night, Bateer did a Kidd and totalled 7 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. And that's while weighing 300lbs. Bateer was never an NBA talent because he was so damn slow, but he was pretty cool.

Mengke Bateer fact: despite me calling him a native right there, Bateer kind of isn't. He's actually an ethnic Mongol, which is why his name doesn't play by the Chinese rules of naming. This is also why you'll sometimes see Sun Yue referred to as the first Chinese player to win a championship, even though Mengke was a member of the 2003 Spurs.

(Mongolia is a country. It rests atop China like a contented Spaniel. Although "contented" might be the wrong word there, considering. Maybe use "contentious.")

Another Mengke Bateer fact; Mengke Bateer has used his immense size to launch a second career in the film industry. The following Youtube clip is a trailer for a film called "Bodyguards and Assassins," a huge budget film starring many big time Chinese and Hong Kongish stars. In it, Bateer plays a bloody enormous monk.

And here he is in character.



Now that's a big frigging monk.



As always, if you want to keep tracks of the transaction of these players without having to wait until every January, use the transaction indexes for all three of the NBA, the D-League and the world at large. Every relevant transaction is in there. Even the Taiwanese ones.

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 4

- Malick Badiane was an exciting thing for Houston Rockets fans to care about for a few years. They could pretend that his underwhelming numbers in less than stellar European leagues were not as important as the idea of having a 7 foot young, athletic, defensive minded centre, who could grow into some weird yet perfect merger of Kevin Garnett and Dikembe Mutombo. But they slowly stopped caring after it emerged that Badiane wasn't getting anywhere. Badiane's rights were then meekly thrown into the unimportant Mike James/Bobby Jackson swap of last season (see here as to why this was), and from then on it was Memphis fans who had someone to not care about. Badiane then accepted Memphis' tender offer to come to training camp this summer - whether they wanted this or not is another matter - but unsurprisingly didn't make the team. He subsequently signed in China, but left before playing a game, and is now unemployed, probably boozing it up with Rafael Araujo or something. (I have this idea in my head that all currently unsigned basketball players constantly hang out together. It's not true, but it's a fun image anyway.)

- Dalibor Bagaric had reputedly signed a guaranteed contract with the Atlanta Hawks this summer, as Hawks GM Rick Sund once again pursued a player he nearly signed when Sund was with Seattle. But this didn't happen, as evidenced by the fact that it didn't happen. Instead, Bagaric went back to Fortitudo Bologna, where he averaged a mere 2 points and 2 rebounds in two games in October. Now, I can't speak Italian or Spanish, so I can't tell if he's still there and injured/out of favour, or if he left ages ago, but at the very least I can tell you that he is being pursued by CAI Zaragoza. As is Bruno Sundov. As is Ratko Varda. As is everybody, really.

- Kyle Bailey is back in Germany, where he's been since not making the San Antonio Spurs roster back in 2006. He averages 15.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists for Goettingen. Speaking of Kyle Bailey, can somebody please explain to me how he was able to spend 5 seasons at Santa Clara? Genuinely don't know how this works. I don't "do" college.

- It's all gone south for Vin Baker. After randomly spending part of November 2006 on the roster of the Minnesota Timberwolves - before being waived without playing a game - Baker has only been in the news for the wrong reasons. In June 2007, Baker was arrested for drink driving, a particularly bad situation to be in when you're a recovering alcoholic, as Vin is. (Baker pled guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving Then it emerged that his seafood restaurant had closed down, with apparent debts of $900,000, and the embarassing news that Baker's parents had invested $400,000 into the unsuccessful venture. Worse still, in June 2008, Baker's home was also foreclosed. And then last month, Baker tried a basketball comeback in China, but his trial with the Liaoning Panpan Hunters ended after two days due to Baker's poor conditioning. They say that no news is good news, and no news about Vin Baker would be good right now.

- Sean Banks was one of the better players in the D-League last season, and he currently averages 11.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists for Darussafaka Istanbul in Turkey. Aged only 23 still, Banks had the time and the talent to make the NBA again one day.

- Stanko Barac is in the second year of a five year contract with Tau Ceramica in Spain. Barac averages 3.4 points and 3.5 rebounds on a stacked team, but we'll grant him extenuating circumstances seeing as he was also recently elected as the first black President of the United States of America. It's nice to have a trade to fall back on, though.

- Steven Barber was out of basketball all of last year, before last month making a dynamic return to the CBA with the Albany Patroons. I have no idea what his averages are. I don't really care, either.

- Omar Barlett signed two days ago with Anwil Wloclawek in Poland. I bring thee only the best, most important news.

- Andre Barrett landed a gig with Barcelona this season, which is no mean feat. Backing up Juan Carlos Navarro, Barrett averages 3.4 points and 1.1 assists, which is slightly less of a no mean feat. If that makes sense.

- Earl Barron signed with Fortitudo Bologna (Dalibor's team) to start the season, but was quickly injured and released. He's currently unsigned, and no doubt attending weekly salsa dancing classes with Araujo and Badiane.

- Jon Barry is now a crappy ESPN analyst. You knew that already, though, so instead I shall take this opportunity to list all the players that appeared (however briefly) on the 2005/06 Houston Rockets roster.

PG - Rafer Alston, Luther Head, Moochie Norris, Rick Brunson, John Lucas
SG - David Wesley, Keith Bogans, Derek Anderson, Richie Frahm, Jon Barry
SF - Tracy McGrady, Ryan Bowen, Stephen Graham
PF - Juwan Howard, Stromile Swift, Lonny Baxter, Maciej Lampe, Josh Davis
C - Yao Ming, Dikembe Mutombo, Chuck Hayes

How crap is that lineup? That lineup is crap. That's how crap that lineup is. Of that list, only McGrady, Yao, Head, Graham, Bogans, Alston, Mutombo, Swift and Bowen remain in the NBA, and only five of them ever get off the bench. The previous season, saw similar retreads such as Clarence Weatherspoon, Tyronn Lue, Scott Padgett, Vin Baker, Charlie Ward, Maurice Taylor, Mike James, Bob Sura, Jim Jackson and Rod freakin' Strickland take the stand, of whom only James and Lue still remain. Two prime years of young superduperstars were wasted with a roster of little but pap. Back when they needed it, when they had the two stars necessary to make title pushes, they had nothing but a backcourt of OAP's and a frontcourt of shite to do it with. Now they have a balanced team, with youth and experience, offense and defense, athleticism and skill, but they only have a paralysed version of Tracy McGrady left to support, creating problems of a different sort. Did Carroll Dawson waste the Rockets best title window? Yes, I think he did.

(Note - that '06 roster was mainly undermined by the lengthy injuries to both McGrady and Yao. But let's be honest - it wasn't going anywhere anyway. I mean, just look at it.)

- Eddie Basden is playing for Mersin in Turkey, where he averages 8.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 steals a game. He is also a surprisingly potent source of hate mail for me, so I'd like to take this opportunity to set the record straight, and announce that anyone who perceives there to be any flaw in the delectably flawless basketball player that is Eddie Basden is, frankly, an idiot, and that any weaknesses or vague derogatory statements towards his basketball skillset are in the eye of the beholder only. Such statements are not to be valued as credible or reliable by anyone, and the makers of such damning slants are to be ridiculued mercilessly and to have their email accounts bombarded with anonymous insults. This includes anything that I may ever have written about him, and I have learnt my lesson - Eddie Basden is perfect, and you are to TOTALLY remind me of this at all times.

- Finally, Mengke Bateer buggered off back to China, where he averages 15.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game for the Xinjiang Gyang Hui Flying Tigers. A further rambling on the subject of the Chinese Basketball Association's comically lopsided statistical averages will follow shortly.

Summer signings, round 29

- The Nets figured out that they could use a point guard, given that they only have two right now, one of whom is a shooting guard. So they brought in their former player Eddie Gill, as well as GM Kiki Vanderweghe's former mistake, Julius Hodge. They also signed another old boy, Awvee Storey, as well as some fella called Brian Hamilton. Those two can now battle valiantly for two weeks for the spot of 7th small forward on the roster, before both being waived anyway. Tough life.

- Jiri Hubalek's replacement at Phoenix's training camp is a man known by the slightly superb name of Coleman Collins, who played for the Raptors in summer league. Also turning out for the Suns' camp are Robert Hite, a highly capable three point shooter, and Trey Johnson, whose name suggests that he should be.

- The Clippers added Curtis Sumpter amongst their list of camp signings, and just as I was about to write about how they still made this move after barely playing him in their summer league campaign, I then realised that it wasn't Curtis Sumpter who played for the Clippers in summer league, but Curtis Stinson! Haha! God! I bet Sumpter gets that, like, ALL the time!

- In other Clippers news, Jason Williams retired not long after signing with the team. Bugger! I was really hoping for a J-Dub Redux, so much so that I have mentioned it like 80 times. And now we won't have one. Damn shame.

- Chicago made easily the best training camp signings out of everyone, because they're the best franchise in the sport. Genius comes naturally to them, and these signings reflect that. But enough of this overused hubris - they did actually make two good signings with Elton Brown and Darius Washington, fringe NBA players who can bring something that the team otherwise lacks, were they to make the roster. Roger Powell has far less chance of doing anything, but at least they get "hometown boy makes hometown team" stories out of it.

- Orlando made three signings of their own, with forward Jeremy Richardson, center Dwayne Jones, and point guard Mike Wilks. Three of my favourite fringe NBA players, they are. But I bet only Wilks sticks. Shame.

- Francisco Garcia somehow got a 5 year, $30 million extension from the Kings, which is basically MLE money. This after one decent year. Based on last year's play, and last year's play only, is Garcia worthy of the MLE? No, not really. He learnt how to shoot, but only to the direct detriment of his defense. Yet somehow, the Kings think that this one semi-decent season from a soon to be 27 year old backup is worth giving him a 5 year novelty oversized extension. Okay. Have fun paying him $7 million when he's 32. (Note: if Garcia tunes his game to the point where he plays the average defense that he used to play, yet keeps his fancy new jumpshot as well, then this will be fine.)

- Sammy Mejia, former draft pick of the Pistons, has signed for a Greek team named AEL 1964 Larissa, whose name derives from a joyous union of some opticians, the seminal Beatles smash "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and a 6'4 black transexual hooker. Sounds like a good night in.

- Philadelphia fully committed to this training camp idea, bringing in four players, seemingly stuck on the "R" page of their available players directory. Maureece Rice is a short fat guard who can't play point guard and who just came off a pretty damn poor senior year, Antywane Robinson is a training camp veteran small forward with an affection for his unspectacular jumpshot, Jared Reiner is a legend, and Justin Reed is trying to get back into the league after being one of the better players in the D-League last year. Those last two have a chance, depending on how deep the Sixers want to go. The Sixers also signed veteran Andre Emmett, but he has far less of a chance.

- Miami signed Eddie Basden as a energetic defensive guard with no offensive talent, and Matt Walsh as a perimeter shooter. But, considering that the Heat have already signed Koobs Diawara and James Earl Jones for those two roles, both of whoom have considerably more guaranteed money coming to them, you can probably go ahead and say with some confidence that there ain't no way in hell they're making the team. The Heat also signed Omar Barlett and Tre Kelley for camp, the kind of signings that training camp is about - a 28 year old forward so obscure that I had to translate the Polish calendar to figure out when his birthdate is, and a small guard who goes by an alias unbefitting of his style of play. Good times. I love training camp, me.



This will be the last of the summer signings posts, by the way. This is partly because news has pretty much dried up, and that most news now is just training camp signings, which will be fully documented in another post. But mainly, it's because it's not summer any more.

We'll go out with a bang. Two bangs, in fact. You're getting banged from all angles. Giggidy.

- Former Atlanta Hawks forward Hanno Mottola retired from the game last week, while in theory still at his "peak". That's bang number one.

- Bang number two; the mighty Shawn Kemp comeback, mentioned before here, is over after precisely 0 games. Kemp showed up in reasonable shape, but then stopped showing up at all. After flying home briefly to the USA - ostensibly to check that his property was fine after recent hurricanes - Kemp never came back, and the team ended the experiment, on seemingly courteous terms. To replace Kemp, the team have signed former NBA brick shithouse Brandon Hunter.

That is all. Summer officially just ended. So sayeth the Lord.