Basketball writing, scouting reports and salary cap analysis from the archive.
- Chris Alexander re-emerged as an interesting prospect last season, despite being 28 years old, after a campaign that saw him average 11.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks a game in the D-League for the Sioux Falls Skyforce . He turned that into first a contract in…
1) As you may know, Houston traded Steve Francis , a 2009 second-round draft pick and cash to Memphis for a conditional 2011 second-round pick. Memphis's end of this is simple - they got their pick back for free. Houston gave them Francis, enough money to pay him…
If things had worked out slightly different, Bonzi Wells would be earning about $8 million this year from the Sacramento Kings . As it is, he'll be earning about $40,000 in China. Bonzi, pictured here playing an invisible trumpet, famously was reported to have turned down a five-year,…
Grizzlies sign Darius Miles Free agent forward Darius Miles arrived in Memphis early Saturday morning and signed a nonguaranteed contract with the Grizzlies following a physical examination. I'm hungry. Anybody in the position I'm in, and has been through what I've been through the past two years, if…
Upset as we are about the news of Rodney Rogers's accident and paralysis, there's only one way to tribute the man, and that's with a Rodney Rogers Highlight Montage. Unfortunately, I don't have one. But I do have this awesome clip, of Rodney Rogers scoring 9 points in…
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3744237 Former NBA and college basketball star Rodney Rogers is paralyzed as the result of an all-terrain vehicle accident, his college coach told the News & Observer of Raleigh-Durham, N.C. Dave Odom, who coached Rogers when he earned All-America honors at Wake Forest and was the 1993 ACC…
The Bulls are, quite possibly, the hardest team in the league to gauge right now. Every one of their significant players is a question mark. Other than predicting Larry Hughes will shoot a pull-up 18 footer on 85% of the fast breaks that he's involved in, there's nothing…
The Milwaukee Bucks and their new head coach Scott Skiles are an eclectic mix. Recent Skiles-free Bucks teams have been capable of repeated instances of really bad defence, whereas recent Skiles-led Bulls teams (last year excluded) have been one of the best defensive units in the NBA. Make…
I write this post while speaking from inside a pair of Portland Trail Blazers shorts. It's not the smartest choice of garb right now, given that it's essentially snowing outside. But I'm wearing them anyway, because I'm a maverick, who doesn't play by the rules, a Mad Max…
As an aspiring GM with no qualifications or career prospects to speak of, and whose sole outreach into the world of the NBA is this distinctly amateur and unattractive site full of mild slander, I enjoy certain advantages. One of those is the ability to do what I…
"Anybody wanna see second prize?" "Second prize is a set of steak knives." - Milwaukee signed Ron Howard , T.J. Cummings , Matt Freije and Kevin Kruger for camp. If you're wondering who Ron Howard and T.J. Cummings are...well, you have yourself a valid question, but both are…
I should have written this note before I did. But you're not the boss of me. Unless you are the boss of me. In which case, hey. Sorry I'm late. Traffic was bad. These are the camp battles that we are to watch with captivated interest. If you're…
Part 1!!!!!!!! Now part 2!!!!!!!! Minimum salary deals: Atlanta signed Randolph Morris for two seasons, giving themselves both the opportunity to develop a talented young centre and the opportunity to lose him to restricted free agency. They also signed Othello Hunter and Thomas Gardner for training camp.…
John Hollinger wrote a long old piece two weeks ago in which he opines upon pretty much every transaction made this summer. Well, if he can, I can. From the people you know about, to the insignificant ones you couldn't give a Keith Closs about. That's how I…
ESPN: Knicks suggest dealing Randolph to Memphis The Knicks have a trade proposal on the table with the Memphis Grizzlies that would see Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric dealt to New York in exchange for Zach Randolph. OK, I get it. I do. I really do. "Here, take…
There follows a list of the remaining unsigned NBA free agents, and what they're currently rumoured to be doing about their jobless selves. Most of these players are marginal, because we're over a month into free agency now. Yet this list may still serve as a useful resource…
Down one in the closing stages of a summer league game, new Washington Wizards guard Dee Brown fouls Uruguay's finest, the insatiable Gustavo Barrera, sending him to the line. Barrera hits both foul shots, putting Houston up by three. Rockets forward Joey Dorsey - watching the game from…
The Denver Nuggets traded former DPOY Marcus Camby to the L.A. Clippers yesterday, for, essentially, nothing. The Nuggets got no more than the right to swap second-round picks with L.A. in 2010, a year in which the Clippers will have the lower pick anyway, meaning that Denver won't…
Part 1 - Pick 16: The awesomely-named Marreese Speights goes to the Sixers . But I missed this pick, too, due to more connection difficulties. Hmmmmm. I should probably move to America if I'm going to take Stu Scott's job. This whole streaming thing isn't getting it done.…
I have a confession to make. I have an addiction. It took an intervention of sorts, but I am willing to admit it: I am addicted to the NBA. Even when it's boring. Even when it's corrupt. Even when my team sucks. Even though I'm in the wrong…
In the unlikely event that you hadn't noticed, defence wins championships. In the six games of this NBA Finals series, the Celtics ran about two perimeter isolation plays, not including ones at the end of quarters. They didn't need to run any. The offence took care of itself…
By unpopular demand, I won't talk about baseball. Instead, I'll talk about basketball. I shall retread the observations of the hundreds of other writers who are covering the subject, while adding no unique spin. It's how we roll around here. 1) There's no reason why Lamar Odom shouldn't…
After the completion of the Grizzlies's second consecutive poor season, Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro immediately returned to his native Spain. Immediately. And why wouldn't he? A free agent this offseason, Navarro has been roundly stiffed by Memphis, who have managed to mismanage his situation rather spectacularly, in…
The second in a new series of posts detailing teams financial outlooks for the upcoming free agency period, what cap room they have, what exceptions, what draft slots, etc. Should be fascinatingly fascinating, if you're easily pleased. No information is 100% guaranteed accurate, but unless you're privy to…
The first in a new series of posts detailing teams financial outlooks for the upcoming free agency period, what cap room they have, what exceptions, what draft slots, etc. Should be fascinatingly fascinating, if you're easily pleased. No information is 100% guaranteed accurate, but unless you're privy to…