Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 24
January 31st, 2009

Richard Hendrix is in the D-League, after being waived by the Warriors earlier this season, despite signing a guaranteed contract in the summer. I don’t really understand why, considering that they waived him while preferring to keep Rob Kurz and DeMarcus Nelson, whom they then waived three weeks later to avoid guaranteeing his contract, but whatever. Hendrix is still there if the Warriors want him, and apparently they don’t. Hendrix averages 13.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.2 …

Posted by at 2:03 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 23
January 29th, 2009

Othella Harrington‘s option was not picked up by the Bobcats this year, which was about as surprising as finding vegetables in a bowl of vegetable soup. He remains unsigned, and maybe always will.

 

Junior Harrington, meanwhile is not unsigned, and is playing for Olimpija Ljubljana in Slovenia. Junior has only played four games with the team, three of which were in the Adriatic League, but in that time he has totalled 53 points, 12 rebounds …

Posted by at 10:40 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 22
January 28th, 2009

Many of the following people are called Hamilton. If you don’t want to know the result, look away now.

 

Brian Hamilton signed with the New Jersey Nets for training camp after playing for their summer league team, which guaranteed him a free trip around Europe. Hamilton didn’t make the team, though, and is currently unsigned. By the way, speaking of the Nets summer league team, look how stacked that bad boy was. They could have put together a …

Posted by at 10:13 PM

Apologies To The Denver Nuggets
January 28th, 2009

I hated the Marcus Camby trade. I hated it. I think everyone did, even Clippers fans. But I really hated it.

I think about trades a lot. I should really have better things to do, but I don’t. So I spend a lot of time thinking about trades that have happened, moves that have been made, who would fit on which team, players that certain teams needed, who’ll sign where and for what, etc. But at not point did I …

Posted by at 12:05 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 21
January 28th, 2009

– I was first alerted to the presence of Blake Griffin about 18 months ago, when an Oklahoman resident told me he was brilliant. Apparently this has become a widely-held opinion, as Griffin is the unanimous #1 pick on both of the draft websites that I look at. (I really ought to start following the draft more, you know. But it’s hard. I can’t watch the games. And that, to me, is an important part of knowing about someone. Oh …

Posted by at 12:38 AM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 20
January 24th, 2009

Joao Gomes averages 8.3 points and 4.4 rebounds for Leche Rio Breogan Lugo in the Spanish second division. You’re probably wondering who Joao Gomes is. So am I, honestly. In other, more important Gomes news, the Cincinnati Reds signed Jonny Gomes to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Good luck Jonny. Savage everything you see.

 

Jamon Gordon was suspended by his German team, the Koeln 99ers, for going to America without permission. I …

Posted by at 12:38 AM

More Liquorice Allsorts
January 24th, 2009

1: The following YouTube video has done the rounds recently, showing an impressive double alley’oop in a highly one-sided high school game.

That clip reminded me of this one, featuring the Los Angeles Clippers’ “overloaded with potential” era, specifically Darius Miles and Lamar Odom. (Also, is it Sean Rooks throwing that frontcourt pass? I think so.)

“The Lob, The Jam”

Since Kevin Calabro left us, Ralph Lawler has assumed the title of Best Announcer Of Any NBA Team. If …

Posted by at 12:35 AM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 19
January 24th, 2009

Pat Garrity retired this summer, and according to reports behind a paywalled article, he has since gone back to school. But I’m not paying for it to find out. This is my limit.

 

Mickael Gelabale is unsigned, and – presumably – still rehabbing his severe knee injury from last March.

 

Otis George is averaging 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in the Italian second vision with Umana Reyer Venezia, although he hasn’t played for a month …

Posted by at 12:02 AM

This is a plea for Allen Iverson to do the right thing
January 23rd, 2009

The 2003 NBA All-Star Game was an embarrassment. If you watched it, you cucked Michael Jordan. You are guilty by association. By watching it, I too cucked Michael Jordan. And I didn’t enjoy it one bit.

The whole event was a prolonged Michael Jordan love-in. As it was to be Jordan’s last ever All-Star game, in his final season before his third and only retirement, we were treated to the sight of his balls being polished mercilessly by everyone in …

Posted by at 3:29 AM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 18
January 21st, 2009

Richie Frahm has not been signed since his performance with the Dallas Mavericks summer league team. I watched all of those Mavericks VSL games, and Frahm – a shooter – often chose not to shoot, which seemed wrong on a team clearly auditioning shooters. Other things that I learnt from these games: Reyshawn Terry’s a decent shooter, Shan Foster’s a very good one (the last update excluded), Keith McLeod remains deficient at all manner of shot-making, and Renaldas Seibutis

Posted by at 4:02 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 17
January 21st, 2009

Gerald Fitch was unsigned until very recently, as he joined the Turkish team Kepez BLD Antalya only last week. Antalya are currently second to last in the Turkish league, and Fitch arrives as the replacement for leading scorer and former Magic training camp invitee, Torell Martin, who retired to run a country pub in the southernmost corner of Wales. (OK, no he didn’t. But he did leave.) Fitch has not yet played a game for his new team, …

Posted by at 12:02 AM

Phoenix Suns: Good enough to be good, but not good enough to be good enough
January 20th, 2009

I hated the appointment of Steve Kerr as the Phoenix Suns General Manager. Hated it. I loved Steve Kerr as a player even if I did miss his best years, but I didn’t like his writing much, and he ruined my entire NBA Live 2006 experience with his insistence that Kirk Hinrich was in some way like Steve Nash. (They’re both white and keep their dribble alive when circling the baseline. Identical!) Why would a man whose take on …

Posted by at 4:53 AM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 16
January 19th, 2009

Semih Erden – recipient of the funniest NBA forum thread title that I’ve ever seen, “Semih Erden is finally in the NBA” – never left Turkey. In his fourth year with Fenerbache, Erden is averaging 9.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in Turkish league play, along with 6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in EuroLeague play. And yes, I’m fully aware that that thread title isn’t actually very funny, if at all. It’s funnier when you’re overtired and have just eaten …

Posted by at 8:32 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 15
January 18th, 2009

Bryant Dunston is in South Korea, averaging 17.6 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.9 blocks for a team called Mobis Phoebus. Dunston doesn’t have any great chance of making the NBA, but after watching the entire Lakers summer league – in which an extremely backcourt-heavy roster started Dunston at centre, with Sharrod Ford at power forward – I grew to like him. I seemed to like his unathletic yet reasonably smooth game featuring plenty of lefty baby hooks and defensive …

Posted by at 12:57 PM

Your Mission, Since I Chose To Accept It
January 16th, 2009

Hello droogs. A while ago, I wrote this:

[I]t’s time for a new rule – no more Chris Crawford updates on this website. Not unless there’s ever anything to actually report, like if he commits a murder or becomes King of Poland or something.

(from “Where Are They Now, 2009: part 11”)

My reason for writing this flippant disregard was simple and self-explanatory – there really is no new Chris Crawford news to report. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zip. Not a …

Posted by at 1:45 AM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 13
January 16th, 2009

Carlos Delfino is still with Khimki in Russia, despite the rumours of a return to the Raptors ramping up a bit after Toronto dumped Hassan Adams off to the Clippers a fortnight ago. However, while these rumours may not be unfounded, they sure are illogical. Let me tell you why the Raptors dumped Hassan Adams – they dumped Hassan Adams because Brian Colangelo gave Adams a guaranteed contract in July, before Adams showed up out of shape and unable …

Posted by at 12:38 AM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 12
January 15th, 2009

Michael Curry is now the Detroit Pistons head coach. You knew this already, but an obsessive-compulsive love of consistency made me say this anyway.

 

JamesOn Curry signed with Pau Orthez in France, but left before the season started. I don’t know why, but he hasn’t signed anywhere since, so it’s probably injury related. That is entirely speculative, though.

 

Stephen Curry is a draft prospect, who is single-handedly taking Davidson from being a decent to good …

Posted by at 7:34 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 11
January 14th, 2009

– I have no idea where Keon Clark is, specifically.

 

Milone Clark averages 4.8 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. I openly admit to knowing basically nothing about Milone Clark, but, as a player who has never put up good numbers at any stage of his career (he even only scored 15 ppg in the Ecuadorian league) yet who somehow landed a training camp spot with the Knicks in 2006……well, perhaps Milone Clark is …

Posted by at 4:08 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 9
January 13th, 2009

Zarko Cabarkapa has not been signed since being let go by the Golden State Warriors about 18 months ago, at the end of the 2006/07 season. Zarko had not played that whole season, either, meaning that his last professional basketball game came nearly three years ago in April 2006. The reason for this is injury, as Cabarkapa has battled chronic back complaints for all this time, if not from before then. However, there’s a light at the end of …

Posted by at 12:38 AM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 10
January 13th, 2009

Maurice Carter’s last sighting was back in 2005, when he averaged 14.5 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Indiana Pacers’ summer league team. He was only 28 at that time, having played in the NBA only the season before, and yet it seems he hasn’t played anywhere since. I don’t know why this is. If you do, let me know. Carter also apparently owns a piece of the Mississippi Hardhats WBA franchise, a team whose website sorely needs updating, …

Posted by at 12:02 AM

Sorry, Darius Miles
January 9th, 2009

Sports Illustrated: Blazers threaten to sue anyone who signs Darius Miles.

“Team Presidents and General Managers,

“The Portland Trail Blazers are aware that certain teams may be contemplating signing Darius Miles to a contract for the purpose of adversely impacting the Portland Trail Blazers Salary Cap and tax positions. Such conduct from a team would violate its fiduciary duty as an NBA joint venturer. In addition, persons or entities involved in such conduct may be individually liable to the Portland

Posted by at 5:51 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 7
January 8th, 2009

Cedric Bozeman is playing for the Anaheim Arsenal in the D-League, where he averages 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists, where he plays the off-guard to Tierre Brown’s point. (Brown averages 14.4 points and 4.6 assists.) But the best Cedric Bozeman news of all is that he is 22-51 from behind the three-point line, for a 43% average. This isn’t exactly a massive sample size to be working off, and it does come from the man who shot …

Posted by at 1:29 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 8
January 8th, 2009

A lot of people are called Brown, I’ve noticed. How fascinating.

 

Dee Brown started the year with the Wizards, but was then waived when it emerged that he wasn’t the answer to Washington’s pretty severe outside shooting problems. He then went to a Suns mini-camp, where he beat out Eddie Gill, Damon Stoudamire, Darrell Armstrong, Walker Russell and Troy Hudson to win Phoenix’s mandatory 13th roster spot. He’s since been waived again this week, …

Posted by at 12:38 AM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 6
January 6th, 2009

Joseph Blair is averaging 8.2 points and 8.0 rebounds for Spartak St Petersburg, while also shooting 43% from the free throw line. So maybe Blair’s scouting report on himself on his website wasn’t too off-message. Joseph also wrote a New Year’s message, for us, his fans. You can read it here. (Note: even though Joseph himself says that he’s not in St Petersburg, he is. Someone should tell him.)

 

Will Blalock averages 5.6 points, …

Posted by at 1:26 PM

Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 5
January 5th, 2009

Esteban Batista was recently released by Maccabi Tel-Aviv by mutual consent, after barely playing for their new coach, Pini Gershon. His playing time was so sparse that he wasn’t even travelling with the team towards the end of his stay. Batista quickly became Nenad Krstic’s targeted replacement for Triumph in Russia, but never signed with the team (despite reports that he did) due to his dislike of the cold Russian weather. (Actually.) For Maccabi, Batista averaged 3.6 points and …

Posted by at 12:38 AM