Caleb Cattivera
11/23/05, 04:26 PM
NBA Insider.Nov 23: Does Vince have passion; Adam Morrison; Rookie path; Chat; Scoop
Where's the passion, Vince?
Chris Broussard blog
This is what Nets fans have been dreading since the team traded for the league's most exciting player nearly a year ago. Monday night, in a 100-97 loss at Golden State, Vince Carter left with a strained back muscle late in the third quarter.
In his brief time with the Nets, Vince had killed his reputation as a soft, injury-prone player. Now that he's once again facing adversity, it'll be interesting to see what the future has in store for him.
Will he shake this off quickly and get back on the court? Will this hamper him for the better part of the first half of the season? Or, with the Nets off to a disappointing 5-5 start, will he be traded?
I was down on Half-Man/Half-Amazing at this time last season, when he seemed to be tanking it in Toronto. But when he got to New Jersey, I got to see him play on a regular basis for the first time ever.
I was amazed. He was flat-out tremendous. I knew he was a great slasher and a good shooter, but his passing ability stunned me. I began thinking Vince's name should be mentioned alongside Kobe's, LeBron's, D-Wade's and T-Mac's as the top swingmen in the league.
Here's why it's not: In my opinion, Vince Carter is about 70 percent of the player he should be.
From what I see, Vince plays almost completely off of natural ability. Has he added anything since he took the league by storm as a rookie?
I look at Vince's body and I see no additional muscle development. That tells me he's not getting after it in the weight room. Look at Kobe -- you can see he pumps the iron. Think of how MJ's body changed over the course of his career. That weight work is almost certainly one reason why Kobe's career isn't hampered by strains, sprains and pulls (and why MJ's wasn't).
This is purely speculation, because only Vince truly knows the answer to this, but I see him as a guy who likes the game but doesn't love the game. There are two types of players in the NBA: those who love ball and those who like it.
Those who merely like it break down into two categories: those who like hoop, but love the NBA lifestyle -- the fame, the fortune, the females; and those who like hoop and see this more as their job than their passion.
I see Vince as the latter. That is not necessarily meant to be a knock. There are people like that in all walks of life.
In journalism, for instance, there are folks who live and breathe their job, who are legitimately passionate about it and who are constantly looking to be the absolute best. Then there are those who are good, even great, at what they do, even as they see it simply as a way to feed their family and have a nice lifestyle. To me, that's Vince.
This is incredible considering he's such a great player. If he had the determination and drive of Kobe, Vince would be off the charts.
He'd probably be the best player in the league. And he probably wouldn't be on the sidelines in street clothes so much.
Morrison dominates Day 2 in Maui
Chad Ford blog
LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Adam Morrison looks more like Billy Crudup in the film "Almost Famous" than like a basketball player.
But Tuesday in Maui, when the ball was tipped and the game got under way, he quickly proved that it's going to be tough to find a better offensive player in college basketball this season. After going off for 25 points on the tournament's opening night, Morrison really turned it on in Gonzaga's win over Michigan State, dropping in an EA Sport Maui Invitational-record 43 points.
Morrison was, in a word, awesome. He scored from everywhere. One minute he was launching a 3. The next, he was taking his man off the dribble and weaving his way to the basket. Then he'd pull up for a sweet, 15-foot jumper. Then he'd drive and drop in a beautiful floater.
Morrison hit several clutch shots for the Zags in their triple-overtime victory and made all of his free throws down the stretch to seal the 109-106 victory. It was one of the best college games I've ever seen, and Morrison was a big reason why.
Afterwards, several NBA scouts and GMs were buzzing.
"At the end of the day, your team needs to score to win basketball games," one NBA executive told me. "He has the potential to be a 20-point-a-night scorer in the league. He's so versatile, defenses may be able to take away one or two scoring avenues, but not all of them."
Scouts uniformly love the intensity, swagger and, occasionally, downright nastiness with which Morrison plays the game. The 6-8 forward doesn't have the physical skills of some other top prospects, but few players have the feel for the game he has.
While most NBA scouts and GMs here believe he's a lock for the top 10 (many think top five) if he declares for the draft, not everyone feels that way.
Said one NBA executive, "Someone's going to take him real high because they're in love with the charisma with which he plays the game. But the truth is he's probably worthy of a mid-first-round pick based on how his skills will translate to the pros."
"He won't be able to guard his position in the pros," a different NBA GM told me. "He's not quick enough to guard threes and not strong enough to guard fours. Fans may love him, but I know a lot of head coaches who won't. You've got to be able to play defense in the NBA, and I don't think he can."
Morrison was repeatedly burned by Michigan State's Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager when Gonzaga switched to man-to-man defense. At one point, after Ager blew by him for a layup, Morrison actually turned to Gonzaga head coach Mark Few and made a signal to him to start playing zone.
However, both Brown and Ager possess exceptional quickness and project as two-guards in the pros.
Another GM defended Morrison's defensive ability.
"He'll struggle with super-quick small forwards," the GM told me, "but he'll be just fine with most of the guys in the league. He's long, he's not afraid to get physical and he has a motor that constantly keeps working. There are ways to hide any individual deficiencies that he has. The bottom line is that the positives outweigh the negatives with him."
What else were scouts saying?
Michigan State's Maurice Ager has made a major impression on scouts so far in Maui. The 6-5 shooting guard had a great opening night, scoring 23 points and shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
He followed that up Tuesday with a 36-point performance, including seven 3s. Three of those 3s were in the last minute of the second half, the final one at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime. As good as Morrison was on Tuesday, Ager was, for the most part, his equal.
Ager did miss 10 of his 17 3-point attempts, but he hit all the clutch ones when it mattered. Couple that with good athleticism and the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, and it looks like we have Ager rated way too low on our Top 100.
Several NBA scouts and executives in Maui are projecting Ager as a mid-to-late first-round pick if he continues playing at this level. It's clear that head coach Tom Izzo is giving him the green light to shoot away, meaning Ager could put up big numbers this year.
Michigan State's other two intriguing draft prospects, big man Paul Davis and combo guard Shannon Brown, were also good.
Davis, a 6-11 forward-center, has been projected as a top prospect since a breakout freshman season. But he never progressed the way scouts had hoped.
Davis has great size and good athleticism for a big man, but he's never been as assertive as his talent suggests he should be. That changed some during the NCAA tournament last spring, and it seems to be carrying over to this season. Davis had 16 points and 13 rebounds versus Chaminade in the opener and followed up with 26 points and 13 boards against Gonzaga. Davis was aggressive with the ball and had a number of dunks (and an impressive five offensive rebounds).
While he still projects as a second-round pick right now, this type of production will clearly move him up into the first round.
Brown is more of an enigma. He is built like a tank, plays good defense and is a phenomenal athlete, but he's undersized to play the two in the pros and doesn't possess real point-guard skills. He's averaging 18.5 ppg in the tournament, but he's shooting just 4-of-12 from 3-land. Right now he's a second rounder at best (and maybe undrafted).
I made a big deal out of Rudy Gay's dominant, 28-point performance against Arkansas on Monday. On Tuesday, the bizarro Rudy showed up instead. After posting the best game of his career on Monday, he was two late free throws away from posting the worst game of his career on Tuesday. He was tentative on both ends of the floor, his shot looked awful, he committed four costly turnovers, and he drew the ire of head coach Jim Calhoun repeatedly during the game.
What's going on? While it's clear that Gay has all the physical tools to be a great NBA player, the old concerns about him bubbled to the surface late Tuesday.
"Maybe we were all a little punch drunk after that performance on Monday," one NBA scout said. "As good as Rudy could be, he's not totally there yet. He still doesn't know how to play and sometimes it just looks like he doesn't have the drive to be a great player. Great players show up for every game. I didn't think he showed up tonight."
Scouts who were calling him the undisputed top prospect in the draft on Monday began hedging on Tuesday. They pointed out that he's reluctant to put the ball on the floor. His jump shot is inconsistent. He always hesitates when he passes. He doesn't move all that well without the ball. He seems to lose his confidence when he doesn't get it going early.
I can't wait to see him go head to head against Morrison in the Championship game on Wednesday.
A few random notes ...
Scouts all love the potential of Arizona freshman Marcus Williams, especially after he gave Gay problems on both ends of the floor.
UConn's Hilton Armstrong is long and athletic, and he had a breakout game against Arizona, scoring 14 points and grabbing eight boards. He's got a lot of talent, but his head is a big question mark.
Ronnie Brewer's shot may be ugly, but it's still going in. He was 3-of-6 from 3-point country against Kansas and played another very solid game, ending with 23 points and a victory for Arkansas.
Kansas freshman Brandon Rush had a very good game against Brewer, scoring 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Of the four super freshmen at KU, he plays with the most maturity right now.
Another bad shooting night by Arizona's Hassan Adams had one scout dub him the next "Greg Buckner." No, that wasn't a compliment.
NBA Rumor Central: Not now, Not ever
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Kevin Garnett
Timberwolves
Not now, Not ever
Nov 23 - The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, "The Timberwolves are not going to trade Kevin Garnett. Not this week, not this month, not this season. Not now and, if it were entirely up to Wolves owner Glen Taylor, not ever. 'I have no plans on trading him at least through this contact,' Taylor said in a phone interview Tuesday."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Michael Doleac
Heat
On the Doleac
Nov 23 - According to the Miami Herald, "The Heat has been trying to move Michael Doleac, but the team might also be looking to dangle Dorell Wright in trade offers. Pat Riley is still actively trying to make a move, and the latest thinking in the organization is the team could use another shooter. One who would appear available is former Heat guard Voshon Lenard, who has fallen out of favor in Denver."
Different paths as rookies for Iguodala, Billups
By Jim O'Brien
Red Auerbach once told me that he always had a talk with his rookies early in their time with him.
Generally, it went something like this: "Can you do 'this'? [This could be any facet of the game.] Don't lie to me! If you can, we expect you to do it! If you can't, we will teach you how to do it. If we can't teach you how, we will not expect you to do it." A very simple, very direct conversation about accountability.
The life of a first-year player in the NBA is challenging on a number of levels. The expectations are usually high, especially for first-round picks in general, and for lottery picks in particular. As jazz vocalist Sade sings, the NBA is "no place for beginners or sensitive hearts."
First, there is pressure that the rook puts on himself, along with pressure that comes from every front office official wanting his draft pick to prove sooner, rather than later, that their evaluation was accurate.
Also, there are social pressures. Most of the time, a player comes from being the star on his college or high school team to a situation in which he is the youngest guy in the group. Often, he is asked to make his way on a team that might have players 15 years older.
Andre Iguodala immediately made a name for himself in his rookie year, unseating a Big Dog in surprising fashion.It was always fun last year to watch Andre Iguodala when Allen Iverson or another veteran told the rookie that his job was to help carry the bags from the bus into the hotel. Or, when Iverson said that he didn't care what Iguodala was called at Arizona, because there is only one "A.I." on the Sixers, and he ain't a rookie.
There is also the heavy burden of trying to beat out vets for playing time. This can be a battle that is very, very intense and must be monitored carefully by the coaching staff.
In Pat Riley's book "The Winner Within," he makes it clear just how fierce this battle can become:
In 1991, New York acquired Xavier McDaniel before training camp. McDaniel -- known as "The X Man" -- was the Ron Artest of the early '90s, tough but unpredictable. Riley relates how his first drill of training camp was a noncontact rebounding drill that matched up McDaniel and first-year player Anthony Mason, an equally tough player who would make a career of not backing down from anyone.
In his first practice as coach of the Knicks, the noncontact drill turned, says Riley, into "a full-blown two-man riot. McDaniel pounded both sides of Mason's head. Mason was answering with furious, lunging blows. It was one of those traveling fights: they collided under the basket, fought their way over to the sideline, then ricocheted out to the middle of the court. It finally ended in a draw."
Definitely, not a career for "sensitive hearts."
Last season in Philadelphia, I had the opportunity to coach a rookie who understood right away what it took.
When we drafted Iguodala ninth in the 2004 draft, we were surprised to get a player whom our personnel people had rated much higher. Going into training camp I had Glenn Robinson penciled in as our starter at the small forward spot and Iguodala behind him by a large margin. Robinson, a career 20.8 ppg scorer, seemed hungry to get his career back on track and we thought he would win the job fairly easily. What transpired was not what we expected. Robinson had difficulty scoring on Iguodala throughout training camp, and so did the players the rookie guarded during the exhibition games. It became clear to our staff that it would be difficult for us to open the season without Iguodala starting. He was by the far the best perimeter defender on our team and he brought an energy and unselfishness to the floor that was a perfect complement for the senior A.I.
Iguodala not only started the opener, he started all 82 games and averaged 33.4 mpg. Every night out, he would be matched against the opponent's best perimeter player. One night it could be Vince Carter, the next, Paul Pierce. He stayed constantly on an even keel. He added to his experience by starting against the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs.
The first day Iguodala came to Philadelphia after the draft, I had breakfast with his parents and his brother Frank, who was moving to town to live with him. In retrospect, it is clear that his family was a large reason that he kept his focus the entire year. His mother was very aware of the potential pitfalls that he had to sidestep. She assured me, in front of Andre, that her son was ready to get the job done, with an assist from his brother, a recent graduate and former player at the University of Dayton.
It was still surprising that Iguodala never got close to running into the proverbial "rookie wall." The mythical wall gets slammed into after the All-Star break. The thought is that first-year players are not used to playing 82 games in such a short period of time. The 48 minutes a game and constant travel are also contributors. In many cases, they hit the wall not only because of the demands on their bodies, but because of the challenge of staying mentally in the game over the long haul.
As a Celtics rookie in 1997, Chauncey Billups was sometimes taken aback by expectations.In 1997, when I was the associate coach to Rick Pitino, the Boston Celtics drafted point guard Chauncey Billups with the third pick in the first round. The Celtics had won only 15 games the previous year, but missed out on the chance to get Tim Duncan because the ping pong balls did not bounce our way. We also took Ron Mercer with the sixth pick.
One of the things Pitino wanted us to do was to stay on top of the young players to make sure they were adjusting well to life in the NBA. On one occasion, we were on the road and I took Billups out for lunch after practice. During lunch, I asked him what was the most challenging thing he had to deal with as a rookie starting at the point for the Celtics.
Thinking he would say something like keeping his turnovers down, or getting us in our offense against the best defenders in the world, or living up to the expectations of being the quarterback for the legendary C's, I remember being shocked by his answer. After much thought, he said, "Coach, it's got to be the game-day shootarounds." I almost laughed, but he continued and said, "Man, there is so much to remember."
It was a good lesson for me to learn. Mercer, who played for us at the University of Kentucky the previous two years, was used to intense preparation. Billups was not used to that type of focus that early in his career. Needless to say, with experience, that has changed and he is now one of the great floor generals in the league.
Irving Berlin is quoted as saying, "Talent is only a starting point in this business."
Obviously, Berlin was not talking about professional basketball, but the words definitely apply. You don't get drafted or make an NBA team unless you have a great deal of physical talent. But to be successful, NBA players have to bring a whole lot more to the game.
In particular, it is almost impossible to succeed without mental toughness. Before every draft, teams spend a tremendous amount of money and time trying to assess this area. There is no one definition for exactly what mental toughness is but we all know it when we see it in action. Every franchise recognizes that if they make a mistake in reading a prospect's mental toughness, it can be just as damaging as misreading his talent level.
When the Hornets selected Chris Paul with the No. 4 pick of the most recent NBA draft, despite his small stature, no doubt his mental fortitude was one reason. Skip Prosser, who coached Paul at Wake Forest, told me that when they recruit a player, they view mental toughness as though it is a physical trait. Is there any wonder why Paul, with a special combination of talent and toughness, is ranked in the NBA's Rookie Report as the top rookie performer to date?
Bob Knight makes this analogy regarding the importance of having a strong mind: "Mental toughness is to the physical, as four is to one." I believe few coaches in the NBA would disagree.
When I was the head coach at Boston, we drafted Joe Johnson with the 10th pick in 2001. At midseason, we traded him for Rodney Rogers, who gave us added strength on the inside and the ability to play small ball and space the court.
The trade helped us get to the Eastern Conference finals. But it turned out to be a mistake when our ownership chose not to sign Rogers because of salary cap issues.
Trading Johnson, in retrospect, for part of one year of Rogers, is still a difficult pill for the Celtics to swallow. Although he did not yet have the type of body that could take the banging that the NBA dished out night after night, he was developing. And now he has proven that he has both the physical ability and the mental toughness to be a very good player for many years.
The NBA season is often said to be a marathon. It will be very interesting to see which of this year's rookies have what it takes for the long haul.
ESPN.com's Intelligence Report: Nov. 23
Skiles: Thomas Is A Non-Issue
One area to watch is the relationship between coach Scott Skiles and newcomer Tim Thomas. When asked following Tuesday's practice if Thomas can help the Bulls this season, Skiles said, 'I don't know. I don't know the answer to that.' When pressed on the matter, Skiles said, 'You guys can write about Tim every day if you want to. To me, it's a non-issue.'" --- Chicago Sun-Times
Rehab Or Retirement For Christie
"Doug Christie's run with the Mavericks could be coming to an end in the next few days. Christie left the team last week to get a second opinion on a sore left ankle in Seattle. Mavs owner Mark Cuban acknowledged Tuesday night that Christie may elect not to return. 'His doctors say the ankle is OK, but not perfect,' Cuban said." --- Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Francis Still Hurting But Plans To Play
"Orlando Magic leading scorer Steve Francis hopes to play tonight after missing practice the past two days with a bruised chest and shoulder, an injury sustained in a single-car crash Saturday night. Francis, who originally said he bruised his chest during the game, had a precautionary magnetic resonance imaging test Tuesday that came back negative." --- Orlando Sentinel
Stoudamire: All Nash Does Is Talk, Talk, Talk
Damon Stoudamire says one of the best things about being out of Portland is not having to deal with GM John Nash, who he thought was a meddling force in practice and in the media. 'Man, I'm tired of picking up the paper and seeing him talking, talking, talking,' Stoudamire said. 'The man, you would think he is the best GM in the world. All the man does is talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. He's the only GM in the NBA who is quotable. The guy is acting like they have won 50 games a year or something. I'm sick of that,' Stoudamire said. 'It's like, why don't you just let your team play? Why don't you just go sit your butt in the background?'" --- The Oregonian
Odom Nears Point Blank
"The Lakers are back, at least some of their drama is, with Lamar Odom voicing his desire to score more often and Coach Phil Jackson, hesitant to fiddle with one of the few Lakers who will 'give the damn ball up,' saying not so fast. "I have to just put the ball up, just to put it up, try to get these defenses to stop focusing on [Bryant]," Odom said firmly. Jackson says, 'He just needs to play his game. He doesn't have to focus on anything more or anything less. I have no fault at all with how Lamar plays.'" --- Los Angeles Times
Oh, What Could Have Been
"Despite the team's 4-7 start, Shareef Abdur-Rahim insists he is perfectly content with the Kings, and the feeling is mutual. And to think how close it came to not happening at all. The Nets wanted him, however the front office decided a six-year, $38.5 million offer was too risky because of a suspect knee. He walked away from New Jersey and was swooped up by the Kings. Said Abdur-Rahim, 'It's all worked out for the best. I was really fortunate to be able to come to a team that wanted me.'" --- Sacramento Bee
Jaric Frustrated By His Play
"The Timberwolves gave Marko Jaric a $38 million contract this summer. So far, they don't seem in a big hurry to collect on their investment. Jaric said not playing for significant stretches of games has been difficult. He said he is not criticizing Casey's decisions about playing time and is frustrated with himself for not playing better. 'I just feel like my head is not clear on the court,' Jaric said." --- St. Paul Pioneer Press
Garnett Paved Way For High School Stars
"In 1995, Kevin Garnett, a 6-11, 220-pound power forward, became the first player since Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby in 1975 to go directly from high school to the NBA. Garnett's feat allowed studs like Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and LeBron James to become the household names they now are. 'If it weren't for KG, I don't think we could do it,' said Hornets guard J.R. Smith of making the jump from high school to the NBA." --- The Oklahoman
Lenard Talks With GM
"Since losing his starting job, Voshon Lenard has not taken George Karl up on his offer to talk things over, but he did meet with general manager Kiki Vandeweghe. Vandeweghe spoke with Lenard on Sunday and said the meeting went well. Lenard did not request a trade. 'Vo's a real professional,' Vandeweghe said. 'He's going to keep himself ready and you never know.'" --- Rocky Mountain News
Heat May Reunite With Walsh
"Swingman Matt Walsh cleared waivers, but the Heat told agent Jason Levien they could envision a reunion. Levien said Tuesday, 'They seem adamant they want to stay involved.' Walsh is expected to work out after Thanksgiving for the Utah Jazz and Seattle SuperSonics." --- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Jazz Not Adding Walsh
"The Jazz interviewed Matt Walsh before the June draft. But Walsh went undrafted, then briefly made the Miami Heat before being waived last week. A report in the Miami Herald on Tuesday suggested the Jazz had expressed interest in adding Walsh. But an NBA source said the Jazz are not in the running to acquire the rookie free agent." --- Salt Lake Tribune
Fizer Waiting For A Call
"Former Bulls forward Marcus Fizer is about to resurface in the NBA's developmental league when he joins the Austin Toros today. Fizer didn't participate in an NBA training camp this year and switched agents in mid-October to Mark Bartelstein. 'He should be in the league. He'll get called up. I know a lot of NBA teams are thinking about him right now, said Bartelstein." --- Arlington Heights Daily Herald
Ford Admires Iverson
A younger generation of NBA point guards is starting to make an impact, led by T.J. Ford and others, including Hornets rookie Chris Paul and Utah Jazz rookie Deron Williams. Ford admits he tries to learn what he can from watching Iverson. 'I think you take things from certain people's games, and you try to make it fit in your game, to the best of your ability,' Ford said. 'You know, everybody is an A.I. fan.'" --- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Blatche Continues To Work On Strength
The Wizards have no immediate plans to send rookie Andray Blatche to the Roanoke Dazzle, their NBDL affiliate. Blatche, who missed training camp and the preseason with wounds he suffered in a Sept. 25 shooting, has appeared in one game and continues to work on his conditioning and strength. 'You always want to play, but it's good for me to be out there practicing with these guys, too,' said Blatche." --- Washington Post
Mavs Need Terry To Shoot First, Pass Second
"Quickness on the perimeter is imperative in today's NBA. Jason Terry has that. Why do you think they call him the Jet? Avery Johnson wants Terry to use that quickness to attack. He wants the point guard to shoot first and pass second. Johnson wants Terry to fill the same role for the Mavericks that Chauncey Billups does for Detroit." --- Dallas Morning News
Popovich Not Happy With Spurs Defense
"While the Spurs allow an average of 89.6 points per game, the third-fewest in the league, Gregg Popovich traditionally has considered field-goal percentage defense a more accurate indicator of his team's success. Spurs' opponents have averaged 43.4 percent, a reflection, he said, that the team's defense is no better than very mediocre. "We definitely have not focused the way we need to,' Popovich said." --- San Antonio Express-News
Keady's Decision At Least A Week Away
"It will be more than a week before the Raptors find out if they'll have an addition to their coaching staff. Gene Keady, the iconic former head coach at Purdue, is on a Caribbean vacation and mulling over a chance to join Sam Mitchell's staff either as a consultant or a bench coach. Keady has told the Raptors he's not likely to make any decision until about Dec.6." --- Toronto Star
Babcock Hits The Road
"General manager Rob Babcock made the trip to Phoenix yesterday but leaves the team today to travel to a university game in Iowa followed by a six-day trip to Europe next week where he will check out the team's two 2005 second-round draft picks Roko Ukic, who is playing in Spain and Uros Slokar, who is playing in Italy. Babcock also plans to scout some players who are eligible for next year's draft. " --- Toronto Sun
Clippers Enjoying Marquee Status
"Vans with satellite dishes have become common at Clipper practices, and TV cameramen jockey for position daily around players and Coach Mike Dunleavy. Such is life for the Southland's hottest NBA team, adjusting to an unfamiliar spotlight. 'With winning comes all the accolades and all the attention, and that's what we're experiencing now,' forward Elton Brand said." --- Los Angeles Times
Transaction Update ...
Grizzlies Waive Thomas
"The Grizzlies waived John Thomas Tuesday in a move designed to prepare for Brian Cardinal's eventual return and develop younger players. Reached Tuesday afternoon, Thomas sounded a bit stunned, definitely appreciative and even more realistic about the situation. 'I didn't expect this. But that's the league. Expect the unexpected and pack light,' Thomas said." --- Memphis Commercial-Appeal
Injury News ...
Pacers Won't Rush Foster
"Jeff Foster, out with a left Achilles injury, said he hopes to play during the team's five-game West Coast trip, which starts Sunday at the Los Angeles Clippers. 'I would like to play, but it's the trainer's decision,' he said. The Pacers won't rush him back. They tried that last year, coach Rick Carlisle said." --- Indianapolis Star
Stackhouse Biding His Time
"Jerry Stackhouse suffered some swelling again in his right knee and is not expected to practice anytime soon. The slow-to-heal knee bruise is starting to frustrate Stackhouse. 'It's a little embarrassing walking out there to the crowd with a suit on every game,' he said." --- Dallas Morning News
Martin May Play Tonight
"After running the past three days, Kenyon Martin intends to return to action tonight if his ailing left knee is feeling good this morning. He has missed the past four games, including Tuesday, with tendinitis in his left knee." --- Denver Post
Diogu In, Pietrus Out
"Ike Diogu is back. The Warriors' No. 1 pick practiced Tuesday for the first time this season and has received medical clearance to play. If all goes according to plan, Diogu will make his NBA debut tonight. Diogu's return softens Tuesday's bad news: Mickael Pietrus is likely to miss up to four weeks after an MRI exam confirmed his sprained right MCL." --- San Francisco Chronicle
Allen May Practice Next Week
"The coaching staff was encouraged by the news that Tony Allen, recovering from right knee surgery, may not be as far away from action as previously thought. The second-year guard, based on a one-on-one workout against rookie Gerald Green Monday, may be ready to practice with the team as early as next week." --- Boston Herald
Chat with Chris Sheridan
Welcome to The Show! On Tuesday at 3 ET, ESPN.com's NBA reporter will log on to chat with you about all the action on the hardcourt ... and all the news and notes off of it. Chris came to ESPN from the Associated Press where he spent the last ten years as the lead NBA writer.
Sheridan's chat tips off at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, send in your questions now, join him right here for the answers.
Sheridan archives: Columns | Chats
Chris Sheridan: Greetings again from New York, where there was a Kevin Willis sighting on Sunday night at Allan Houston's retirement party. Kev is 43 now, but he still looks years younger than Knicks center Jackie Butler, who is 20 but could pass for 50. Allan stiffed me on an invite,but I heard the hors d'ouevers looked very, very, very expensive, and there was an open bar _ although I'm told the drinks were weaker than Allan's knee. Lots of feedback from the KG trade rumor story yesterday, and I'll try to follow up with those of you who have questions about it. Bring it on.
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Jamie, Minneapolis: C'mon Chris, unless he comes out and tells the world he wants to be traded, do you think the Wolves would actually consider dealing KG? He is the only reason people in Minnesota come to games and is the team's only hope for a good season this year or any years in the near future. Besides, could any team come up with a package sweet enought to compensate Minnesota for the loss of one the best ever to play the game? I doesn't make sense to me.
Chris Sheridan: Do you really expect KG to say such a thing publicly? His rail against McHale was one of the few times in his career he's ever gone negative in a public forum, and I don't see it happening twice in one season. A more likely scenario would be for Kevin and his people to pod the Wolves privately for a trade.
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Anthony (Levittown, NY): As a Knicks fan, your blog yesterday obviously got me excited. But it can't be that easy to get KG can it? A Penny/Davis trade seems like getting KG for free, even if we have to take Wally as well.
Chris Sheridan: The only way I see this happening is if KG pushes for NY and the Wolves believe opening $25 million in cap room is their best option for the long-term health of the franchise. The Knicks offer wouldn't be limited to Davis and Penny, but there wouldn't be much more in it. They might toss in Nate robinson or David Lee, but not both, and they love Frye. In their minds, the flexibility they'd be giving the Wolves is value enough.,
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Jon (Indianapolis, IN): Why would the Cavs trade Snow to the Knicks for Rose? That would leave them with only one PG. They already have enough big men with Z, Gooden, Marshall, and don't forget about Varejao.
Chris Sheridan: They could make do with Damon as the starter and Luke Jackson as the backup. The ball is in LeBron's hands so much there, it's not a traditional point guard role.
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Drew (FL): Chris, loved the articles on KG. Here's my question as a Bulls fan, hoping KG returns home. Wouldnt a Bulls offer of Deng, Chandler, Tim Thomas (expiring contract) and one of their #1 picks this yr (knicks or their own, most likely lottery) be a decent deal for Minnesota because it gives them some young guys to build around, some cap flexibility and another lottery pick???? Am I crazy or wouldnt this be a great deal for them, and then the Bulls could look towards signing Stojakovic and having Garnett, Sweetney, Stojakovic, Hinrich, Duhon as the starting 5 with Gordon, Nocioni off the bench.
Chris Sheridan: That's a lot of lumber, Drew, but I'm sure the Bulls are thinking similar thoughts to yours. This on certainly makes much more sense for the Wolves.
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Karl (Denver): I am not going to ask you Chris, I am going to tell you: Marcus Camby is the best center in the Western Conference.
Chris Sheridan: Why stop with the West?
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Andrew (Texas): Chris, will the Spurs look to trade Rasho? He might be the worst 7 footer this league has seen. What are your thoughts? Will they get a true center before the deadline?
Chris Sheridan: You must be a Dampier fan. It seems to me that Rasho is still bein showcased, but he's due to make $23.5 million over the next three years, which is scaring just about everybody off.
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mark, los angeles: Is it just me, or do the Spurs seem to once again be the model of consistancy? Frankly, I still don't see anyone beating them, especially if young Parker continues to improve and the Finley/VanExcel experiment gels into the team approach.
Chris Sheridan: Only nine more days until they measure themselves against the Mavericks again
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Henry (NY): Is Kobe really playing more team ball this year? He's still jacking up 30 shots a game and Odom hasn't come into his own yet.
Chris Sheridan: They've looked pitiful over the last 5-6 games, but let me ask you this? Who else would you rather have taking the shots? I can see where Odom needs a few more touches, but beyond him what else is there aside from a bunch of guys who look lost in the triangle?
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mark seattle wa: Rasho the worst 7-footer the league has seen? It seems that the legacy of Greg Ostertag has been lost on some.
Chris Sheridan: Worst 7-footer the league has seen is a veery,, very broad category, Mark. My vote goes to Alan Ogg, but if you're talking about current players, it's Peter John Ramos.
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Portland, OR: Any rumors about my beloved Blazers? Personally, I would love to see either Randolph, Miles, and definately Patterson to be traded. Any??
Chris Sheridan: The only players they;ve been looking to deal over the first three weeks has been Patterson, but thery're eventually going to have to reevaluate whether committing so much long-term money to Darius and Zach was a wise move. They were horrible Sunday afternoon at the Garden (with the exception of Telfair and Monia), and Nate sounded afterward like he was ready to trade anyone.
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Brandon, Detroit: I heard that there was a chance KG could be coming to the pistons for Darko and Sheed. Do you think the pistons would mess with success and go for it?
Chris Sheridan: If they could get him for Darko and Sheed, they'd do it in a second. I'm a big Sheed fan, but he's not going to be worth what he's making three years from now ($14.3).
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Ryan (Outside the Chi): I'm no an ESPN Insider but I keep seeing these teasers for artices relating to the rumor the Bulls are after Peja. Is that true?
Chris Sheridan: Scott Skiles has been a huge Peja fan since they were both working in Greece in the mid-'90s, and a couple sources around the league tell me there's nothing that will keep Stojakovic from going to Chicago when he's a free agent next summer. I'm not sure the Bulls will be willing to give Peja everythin his agent will ask for, but there's probably a middle ground that can easily be reached by both sides. If the Kings are convinced they're going to lose Peja, it makes sense for them to trade him bfore the deadline rather than get nothing in return a few months later.
JJ< Puerto Rico: No way Ramos is worst to Jake Tsakalidis and what about Seattle, Stiff.. sorry Swift.. but damn Ramos is our future national center.. will be a lot of crying times in the Island..
Chris Sheridan: I believe Jose Ortiz will hold onto the starting center spot on the PR national team for another five years. Saw he just signed another two-year deal down there. What is he, 42 now?
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Frank (Indiana): How does Kandi for Boozer make any sense? If you're talking about big guys who cant play, Kandi is up there.
Chris Sheridan: Kando is in the last year of his deal, while Boozer has been too injured to get a good reading on whether the Jazz were justified ion giving him $70 million. If Larry Miller believes it was a bad investment, he'll try to cut his losses. Speaking of Miller, what's with those commercials he runs for himself during Jazz games? He's not selling anything, he's just advertising himself. Strange.
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Mike (North Adams, MA): And let's not forget Isiah's prize, Jerome James. If Veal Chop Scalabrine was 7 ft tall he'd have even more competition. And Podkolzine in Dallas. How about Ha? Stiffs galore!!! I wish I was 7 ft tall then I'd have a million dollars!!
Chris Sheridan: Mike, some day we'll devote an entire chat to all-time 7-foot stiffs. We'll get Tom Copa to moderate.
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Mike (North Adams, MA): Chris, I have this hunch that growing up in New York you absolutely hated (and still clandestinely hate) the Boston Celtics. As far as your favorite people in the world go, rank Bill Simmons. Begin!
Chris Sheridan: I hated the Celtics in the early and mid-70s, but only because I was a Bucks fan. I've long since gotten over it. Simmons makes my top 1000.
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Steve (Freehold, NJ): As a nets fan who was very excited before this season, they have been dissapointing. What can they do at the trade deadline to improve?
Chris Sheridan: I think they'll make a move sooner rather than later, and I think Planinic is the bait. A lot of teams are taking a close look at the tall Croatian point guard, but is available in a deal for a big.
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Anthony (Cincinnati): Chris. Dwyane is the NBA's best player, right? If Odom was on his team, he'd get 19 a game from him.
Chris Sheridan: Wrong. The best player right now is LeBron James.
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Brent, Phoenix, AZ: What should we expect from Dalembert when he comes back and when is he coming back?
Chris Sheridan: The Sizers have handled things pretty well without Sammy anchoring the middle, which has surprised me. He should be back within two weeks.
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John (H-town, TX): The Rocket is very painful to watch this season. What are your solution?
Chris Sheridan: Fewer injuries for them, remedial English courses for you.
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T (Columbus): The nets need an enforcer. They are so soft. RJ for Artest?
Chris Sheridan: RJ can't be traded this year because of his base-year compensation status, but I don't think the Nets would make such a risky move character-wise _ even though from a basketball srtandpoint it might make a lot of sense.
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Tilman (Hamburg, Germany): Hey Chris, I have a collective bargaining question. Could the Wolves use Sprewell in a sign and trade although the season is under way? Or did they renounce their Bird-rights already? Or the other option: Is a sign and trade only a possibility in the offseason?
Chris Sheridan: They haven't renounced him, so they could still do a sign-and-trade. Those deals must be for a minimum of three years, however, and I don't see anyone lining up for a three year commitment.
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Weiss (arlington, VA): Who you say is a bigger bust at this point Olowakandi or Kwame Brown? I say they Kandi man can, your thoughts......
Chris Sheridan: A tie.
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Chris (Anaheim, CA): Donald Sterling called and said he is looking for a personal Nostradamus, and he found that person in you. He also said that Elgin Baylor's position is yours for the taking. It is nice to know that your prediction can change the course of the Clippers' future. ClipperLand welcomes you with open arms. I got a few questions. Remember, your answers dictate the Clips future, so be mindful please. 1.) How far do you see the Clips go in the playoffs? 2.) Do you see E.B. on the All-Stars roster or maybe NBA MVP? 3.) Is Clips a better team with Q. Ross starting and C-Mag coming off the bench? 4.) Hypothetical question: Would the Clips be a better team with Cat or B. Simmons?
Chris Sheridan: 1) Second round of playoffs is definitely a possibility, but please try to remember the season is 10 games old. If the Clips' depth is tested, the bandwagon will lose a few members. 2) All-star team for sure, MVP candidate is they win 55-60. 3) One of those situations where it seemed to work for them when they were using it, but Corey needs to get starter's minutes. 4) Check this year's record vs. last year's, and you'll see the answer is Cat.
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Jim Phoenix, AZ : Hey Chris, whats the latest scoop on the Olympic team, Colangelo mentioned that he already has 2 people who he is definitely inviting, any idea?? - And what players are waiting to jum in
Chris Sheridan: I've heard Kobe is in, and Colangelo is trying to lock up a commitment from KG. They're also going after role players this time, guys like Tayshaun and Michael Redd. I believe Jerry Colangelo wants to announce his first few players before the end of the year. We at ESPN.com will be doing a poll to find out which players Americans believe should be on the team. Look for it next month.
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JT (NY): Everyone is going crazy in NY about the KG rumors. Would he play with Stephon again? Would he only "demand" to be traded to NY if Isiah dealt Starbury? I'd also hate to see one of our three rookies go! Especially Frye!
Chris Sheridan: The Knicks' intention would be to acquire KG without giving up Marbury or Frye. No one would be more happy than Steph, who hasn't sniffed success since he exited Minneapolis.
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Tom (Chicago): If AI isn't on that team, I'm cheering for Argentina. Also, is it possible for a Kobe/Shaq reunion?
Chris Sheridan: If Bruce Bowen ain't on that team, who exactly is goijng to defend Manu in the next big Argentina-US tilt? I could see Iverson rejoining the national team, despite what happened in Athens. He took it a lot more seriously than a couple of his teammates on the '04 US team.
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Justin (Leominster, MA): As a 13-year old in 1995 with no favorite team or player, I immediately fell in love with the idea of a HS kid playing in the NBA. KG has been my favorite player since then and I'm still amazed by how amazing his all-around game is, plus, how strong his work ethic, heart, and maturity in a league where those values aren't found too often. I find myself torn, hoping he's not traded to the Knicks for the fact that would be a step down from Minneapolis, but also happy because a deal to the Pistons would give him an instant chance to win the ring I feel he deserves. Please tell me the Wolves would not entertain the idea of taking expiring contracts when they could land Rasheed and Darko, 2 big men for a small Minnesota team.
Chris Sheridan: Trading him for expiring contracts would be an almost impossible thing for the Wolves to sell to their fans. They could do better than Rasheed and Darko, but they probably won't find anyone else willing to give them two bigs.
Chris Sheridan: That's all the time I have today, folks. Everyone enjoy the turkey on Thursday and the Cavs-Pacers game afterward.
Chat with Scoop Jackson
Welcome to The Show! On Wednesday, Page 2 writer Scoop Jackson will drop by to take your questions and comments right here.
Write to him now and join him for the answers on Wednesday at noon ET.
Scoop Archive: Chats | Columns
The ShowGirl: Welcome to The Show! We're expecting Scoop shortly. Keep the patience and keep sending in those Qs.
The ShowGirl: Hey folks, sorry for the delay, Scoop must have had something come up. I saw our boy busy on Cold Pizza this morning. Somebody else probably grabbed his brain after that.
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Ben (Oakland): Does this mean we get to start the holiday off right, with a chat with The Showgirl?
The ShowGirl: I can try to entertain for a few.
The ShowGirl: Is there anyone out there or have you guys already checked out?
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Chris (CT): SG...Rudy Gay and the Huskies or Morrison, Stache and the Zags...who ya got?
The ShowGirl: You guys know the Huskies are my team ... but that 'stache is pretty solid. Props to Adam and his long curly locks, too.
The ShowGirl: Hey guys, good news, I think Scoop may make an appearance in here, afterall.
The ShowGirl: My fault for the kink, time zones are killer.
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Dan (MI): showgirl.. so very excellent to see you on this fine thanksgiving eve!
Scoop Jackson: Showgirl... I'm here. Times twisted. My bad. I was on Michael Irvin time. (smile) CPT. Honestly, the kids are out of school. Madness around the spot.
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Joe (NY): Nobody is here cause nobody likes Scoop
Scoop Jackson: that's nice to know...
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Rick (WA): What's gonna happen to TO? Isn't that ruling out today sometime?
Scoop Jackson: I think TO be back in a Philly uniform by next week.
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Jonas (Detroit): Scoop and ShowGirl. Do you guys get along behind the scenes. You guys tell it like it is, I bet you're buds in person.
Scoop Jackson: I've had a crush on Showgirl since Day 1. Been trying to hook up with her, but she's not falling for my verbal game. (smile)
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Ted (PA): LSU vs PSU. Who wins?
Scoop Jackson: Poppa Joe, baby!
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Steve (DC): Scoop, can the Mets really overpay for every single player on their roster?
Scoop Jackson: The knicks do... so why not?
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Brad (Albuquerque): Ppl like you Scoop..MANY of us just dont share your opinions..who's your college bball team this year?..Pls don't say Duke..that's too easy
Scoop Jackson: I feel that. And that's te way it should be b/c if everybody agreed with us, then something would be wrong. As far as college bball is concerned, I'm honestly feeling a team out of the BIG EAST this year. UConn is strong (we'll see tonite) but I really like Nova. Don't kknow why though. I just do,.
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paul (utah): how about a chat in english so us white folks can understand!
Scoop Jackson: Paul, move to Brooklyn.
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G (Chicago): Am I the only one who doesn't think TO is a villain? He tried to use his leverage to maximize his deal in a system that makes a few players rich, and a lot of owners very rich. When he didn't get what he wanted, he came back and dominated for the Eagles. Now he answers a few questions honestly, and not all that controversely when you look at the whole transcript, and he's demonized. Everyone needs a sports villain, so it's really easy to whip up some anti-TO hysteria. I'd take him on the Bears in a heartbeat, though I know it will never happen.
Scoop Jackson: He just used it in the wrong way and he and Drew's plan came back to bite them. But I do think now that McNabb is out, from a buisiness standpoint - not a football standpoint - Phily may want tyo keep TO around. At least with him there and no real pressure to win games, there will still be some public interest in the team. With TO and DMc gone, who's (ie: advertisers, media, national audiences, etc.) going to really care about the Eagles?
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Jon(NY): Scoop, Who's the better conference this year ACC or Big East? Why?
Scoop Jackson: it's too early to tell, i think. plus, that answer changes twice. Whatever happens during the regular season, whoever has the most amount of tteams in the top 25 alawys gets erased when the tournamnet starts and conferences stop representing. So to me that's always been a loaded question, b/c there is no true answer - at least not until late March.
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Paul (Portland, OR): Well Scoop, I would hope a true Iggles fan from the city who bleeds green and silver would still care about them!
Scoop Jackson: I hope so too. I just think in this situation the Eagle have become a national team, one of the elite teams in the NFL and it's going to be tough for managemnet at this point to make a business decision based on their core fans and finance. The Eagles are big time now, so that's the way they have to think.
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Jason (Rockaway): Scoop, If Michael Graham played more than one season at G'Town, is there anyway Nova beats them in '85? I can see him scaring the bejeezus out of Pickney that night.....
Scoop Jackson: I agree, but they still only took 10 shots in the second half of that game and 9 of them went in. So as scary and intimitating as MG was, I don't know if he would have been able to scare some of those shots from dropping.
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Sean (Charlottesville VA): Who you got in the Jermain Taylor v. Bernard Hopkins rematch on December 3rd?
Scoop Jackson: JT. In 9.
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Jeff (Cleveland): Scoop...Halle or Beyonce
Scoop Jackson: Beyonce.
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Dave (Flagstaff, AZ): Geez, lots of haters in this chat. Did you catch Reggie Bush's performance Sat.? Pete Carroll said he's a cross between Marshall Faulk and Gale Sayers. Do you see him as one of those incredibly rare players that only come once a generation or so?
Scoop Jackson: I do.I think Reggie is bananas! I've been trying to get a jersey to floss on PTI one day. (smile) I really do beieve that the Faulk and sayre's comparisons at this point are justified. But he stil has to go into the right system in the League to continue his greatness. Don't forget, Marshall got lost with the Colts when he first came in, then once he got to St.Loiuis...
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mike (alcatraz): hey scoop, what is your take on the colts possibly going undefeated this season??
Scoop Jackson: Slim. I think between Pitt (if BR plays) and Seattle, they'll get got. As far as winning the ring, I right now can't see anyone stopping them.
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Paul (Philly): britney, mariah, christina, or jessica?
Scoop Jackson: alba. Jessica Alba.
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Dave (Flagstaff, AZ): Saw you in the forum on Rome's show. How is that guy in person? Is he really the hardcore, cocky dude he conveys on TV?
Scoop Jackson: naw, Rome is a reallly cool dude. What you see on tv is part of his personality, but all of what he is doesn't come across. I like the guy alot and he';s astandup guy. If i didn't I won't do his show.
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Cayne (Federal Way, WA): Scoop... are you cooking yourself tomorrow or depending on moms?
Scoop Jackson: Nope. My unclle is a gourmet chef - which I'm studying under him - and he cooks Thanksgiving every year. Me and the fam will be there.
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Rick: Who's the NFC team playing in the Super Bowl?
Scoop Jackson: Tampa Bay. Then I'm sticking with Carolina. That loss to the Bears last week showed some problems, but i'm
still with them. After that, the Seahawks, then the Bears. that's my answer THIS WEEK. Next week it will change.
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Tony (Iowa): "Don't kknow why though. I just do" Thats the kind of reasoning we have come to love and expect from you Scoop. You fit in perfectly with most ESPN analysts.
Scoop Jackson: Soory foir the delay, i wanted to get back to this comment. See, I think this is an unfair statement. Any sports fan knows that sometimes you just "feel" certain things, that's the nature of sports and being a fan of games. Now, why do analysts have to no longer be fans? Most of the time, we're no different than most of you. We love the games, we are just fortunate to have to cover them for a living. So when someone like my ignorant behind says, "I don't know why" you all should know that - just like you do sometimes - it's just something we feel. Coaches do it in games, players do it in battles, bookies do it on bets, GM's do it on trades. So please don't come with the sarcastic-ness. If you know sports - like i think you do Tony - ease up. Or stop watching ESPN.
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Ricky (Santa Monica CA): Do you believe in the "West Coast Bias," when it comes to anything? To me, it just seems that whatever is put in front of your face, more likely then not, you're going to have some type of bias regardless. Know what I mean?
Scoop Jackson: I agree. and i do agree that ther tendds to be a bias in the media towards the East Coast. It's natural since most of the control of Amrerican media outlets establish themselves there. And the population is so concentrated. I just try to look past and through it.
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jeremy (tn): how far do the think the boys will get in the playoffs
Scoop Jackson: second round. I still need to see Julius Jones get busy. He needs to get at least 4 100 yard games in the next 6 to make me belive the Boys can go further than two games.
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Christine (fresno,ca): Texas v. USC who wins?
Scoop Jackson: I'm not sold altogether on USC, thery'd all year has given up to may points esp. early in games, but I think They knoiw how to win big, big games. Not that Texas doesn't, but USC has a way of playing to their comp. The bigger the game, the bigger they come up.
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J.J. (Johnstown): Does Bazanez getting the 1st team all big ten make anyone else mad. I think M Rob had it hands down.
Scoop Jackson: great point! I can't even respond because i really see both sides. But that's till a hellluvan arguement.
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William (Phoenix, AZ): Scoop, get the spell check goin on!
Scoop Jackson: i need one, right?!?
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thesportsvixen (nyc): Do you think the Knicks will quit breaking my heart anytime this season?
Scoop Jackson: I think the NYK's will be fine. it's a long season and LB is not the easiest coach to get adjusted to. Give them time. If they're still in the basment of the Atlantic by Christmas, then you can get mad.
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Widmer (Portland, OR): Just heard that TO lost and the Iggles can continue with their plans to not have him around. Agree or disagree?
Scoop Jackson: not to take the middle of the road here, but I UNDERSTAND. I wasn't one that was going to take a side on what i felt was right oor wrong in this case. I saw both sides for the get, so I put myself in position to understand any answer they came back with. Bottomline, TO played himself and put himself in position to have something like this happen to him. Does the punishment fit his crime? Maybe not. But he's the one that put himself out there to allow something like this to happen.
i tell high school and grammar school kids this all of the time whenever I go to a school to speak: Don't put yourself in a posiytion to have someone (ie: a judge) make a decision about your life. Not to get preachy (too late!), but TO did that. So agree or disagree, i UNDERSTAND the ruling.
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harry (LA): Scoop - What's the "scoop" on the kg trade rumours
Scoop Jackson: last one people.. gotta deal with the shorties.
I think the KG rumors are just that... rumors. KG isn't going anywhere during the seeason. In the off-season, he's gone. Outta there. But he's too deeply rooted into the franchsie for them to let him go and try to build everything else around another player w/o preperation. KG is that team's id. It may be a good basketball decision to deal him rigt now, but I don't think it would be a good business decision for Minnesota to even think about doing that right now.
thanks y'all. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. enjoy the chit'lins!!!!
peace.
Where's the passion, Vince?
Chris Broussard blog
This is what Nets fans have been dreading since the team traded for the league's most exciting player nearly a year ago. Monday night, in a 100-97 loss at Golden State, Vince Carter left with a strained back muscle late in the third quarter.
In his brief time with the Nets, Vince had killed his reputation as a soft, injury-prone player. Now that he's once again facing adversity, it'll be interesting to see what the future has in store for him.
Will he shake this off quickly and get back on the court? Will this hamper him for the better part of the first half of the season? Or, with the Nets off to a disappointing 5-5 start, will he be traded?
I was down on Half-Man/Half-Amazing at this time last season, when he seemed to be tanking it in Toronto. But when he got to New Jersey, I got to see him play on a regular basis for the first time ever.
I was amazed. He was flat-out tremendous. I knew he was a great slasher and a good shooter, but his passing ability stunned me. I began thinking Vince's name should be mentioned alongside Kobe's, LeBron's, D-Wade's and T-Mac's as the top swingmen in the league.
Here's why it's not: In my opinion, Vince Carter is about 70 percent of the player he should be.
From what I see, Vince plays almost completely off of natural ability. Has he added anything since he took the league by storm as a rookie?
I look at Vince's body and I see no additional muscle development. That tells me he's not getting after it in the weight room. Look at Kobe -- you can see he pumps the iron. Think of how MJ's body changed over the course of his career. That weight work is almost certainly one reason why Kobe's career isn't hampered by strains, sprains and pulls (and why MJ's wasn't).
This is purely speculation, because only Vince truly knows the answer to this, but I see him as a guy who likes the game but doesn't love the game. There are two types of players in the NBA: those who love ball and those who like it.
Those who merely like it break down into two categories: those who like hoop, but love the NBA lifestyle -- the fame, the fortune, the females; and those who like hoop and see this more as their job than their passion.
I see Vince as the latter. That is not necessarily meant to be a knock. There are people like that in all walks of life.
In journalism, for instance, there are folks who live and breathe their job, who are legitimately passionate about it and who are constantly looking to be the absolute best. Then there are those who are good, even great, at what they do, even as they see it simply as a way to feed their family and have a nice lifestyle. To me, that's Vince.
This is incredible considering he's such a great player. If he had the determination and drive of Kobe, Vince would be off the charts.
He'd probably be the best player in the league. And he probably wouldn't be on the sidelines in street clothes so much.
Morrison dominates Day 2 in Maui
Chad Ford blog
LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Adam Morrison looks more like Billy Crudup in the film "Almost Famous" than like a basketball player.
But Tuesday in Maui, when the ball was tipped and the game got under way, he quickly proved that it's going to be tough to find a better offensive player in college basketball this season. After going off for 25 points on the tournament's opening night, Morrison really turned it on in Gonzaga's win over Michigan State, dropping in an EA Sport Maui Invitational-record 43 points.
Morrison was, in a word, awesome. He scored from everywhere. One minute he was launching a 3. The next, he was taking his man off the dribble and weaving his way to the basket. Then he'd pull up for a sweet, 15-foot jumper. Then he'd drive and drop in a beautiful floater.
Morrison hit several clutch shots for the Zags in their triple-overtime victory and made all of his free throws down the stretch to seal the 109-106 victory. It was one of the best college games I've ever seen, and Morrison was a big reason why.
Afterwards, several NBA scouts and GMs were buzzing.
"At the end of the day, your team needs to score to win basketball games," one NBA executive told me. "He has the potential to be a 20-point-a-night scorer in the league. He's so versatile, defenses may be able to take away one or two scoring avenues, but not all of them."
Scouts uniformly love the intensity, swagger and, occasionally, downright nastiness with which Morrison plays the game. The 6-8 forward doesn't have the physical skills of some other top prospects, but few players have the feel for the game he has.
While most NBA scouts and GMs here believe he's a lock for the top 10 (many think top five) if he declares for the draft, not everyone feels that way.
Said one NBA executive, "Someone's going to take him real high because they're in love with the charisma with which he plays the game. But the truth is he's probably worthy of a mid-first-round pick based on how his skills will translate to the pros."
"He won't be able to guard his position in the pros," a different NBA GM told me. "He's not quick enough to guard threes and not strong enough to guard fours. Fans may love him, but I know a lot of head coaches who won't. You've got to be able to play defense in the NBA, and I don't think he can."
Morrison was repeatedly burned by Michigan State's Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager when Gonzaga switched to man-to-man defense. At one point, after Ager blew by him for a layup, Morrison actually turned to Gonzaga head coach Mark Few and made a signal to him to start playing zone.
However, both Brown and Ager possess exceptional quickness and project as two-guards in the pros.
Another GM defended Morrison's defensive ability.
"He'll struggle with super-quick small forwards," the GM told me, "but he'll be just fine with most of the guys in the league. He's long, he's not afraid to get physical and he has a motor that constantly keeps working. There are ways to hide any individual deficiencies that he has. The bottom line is that the positives outweigh the negatives with him."
What else were scouts saying?
Michigan State's Maurice Ager has made a major impression on scouts so far in Maui. The 6-5 shooting guard had a great opening night, scoring 23 points and shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
He followed that up Tuesday with a 36-point performance, including seven 3s. Three of those 3s were in the last minute of the second half, the final one at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime. As good as Morrison was on Tuesday, Ager was, for the most part, his equal.
Ager did miss 10 of his 17 3-point attempts, but he hit all the clutch ones when it mattered. Couple that with good athleticism and the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, and it looks like we have Ager rated way too low on our Top 100.
Several NBA scouts and executives in Maui are projecting Ager as a mid-to-late first-round pick if he continues playing at this level. It's clear that head coach Tom Izzo is giving him the green light to shoot away, meaning Ager could put up big numbers this year.
Michigan State's other two intriguing draft prospects, big man Paul Davis and combo guard Shannon Brown, were also good.
Davis, a 6-11 forward-center, has been projected as a top prospect since a breakout freshman season. But he never progressed the way scouts had hoped.
Davis has great size and good athleticism for a big man, but he's never been as assertive as his talent suggests he should be. That changed some during the NCAA tournament last spring, and it seems to be carrying over to this season. Davis had 16 points and 13 rebounds versus Chaminade in the opener and followed up with 26 points and 13 boards against Gonzaga. Davis was aggressive with the ball and had a number of dunks (and an impressive five offensive rebounds).
While he still projects as a second-round pick right now, this type of production will clearly move him up into the first round.
Brown is more of an enigma. He is built like a tank, plays good defense and is a phenomenal athlete, but he's undersized to play the two in the pros and doesn't possess real point-guard skills. He's averaging 18.5 ppg in the tournament, but he's shooting just 4-of-12 from 3-land. Right now he's a second rounder at best (and maybe undrafted).
I made a big deal out of Rudy Gay's dominant, 28-point performance against Arkansas on Monday. On Tuesday, the bizarro Rudy showed up instead. After posting the best game of his career on Monday, he was two late free throws away from posting the worst game of his career on Tuesday. He was tentative on both ends of the floor, his shot looked awful, he committed four costly turnovers, and he drew the ire of head coach Jim Calhoun repeatedly during the game.
What's going on? While it's clear that Gay has all the physical tools to be a great NBA player, the old concerns about him bubbled to the surface late Tuesday.
"Maybe we were all a little punch drunk after that performance on Monday," one NBA scout said. "As good as Rudy could be, he's not totally there yet. He still doesn't know how to play and sometimes it just looks like he doesn't have the drive to be a great player. Great players show up for every game. I didn't think he showed up tonight."
Scouts who were calling him the undisputed top prospect in the draft on Monday began hedging on Tuesday. They pointed out that he's reluctant to put the ball on the floor. His jump shot is inconsistent. He always hesitates when he passes. He doesn't move all that well without the ball. He seems to lose his confidence when he doesn't get it going early.
I can't wait to see him go head to head against Morrison in the Championship game on Wednesday.
A few random notes ...
Scouts all love the potential of Arizona freshman Marcus Williams, especially after he gave Gay problems on both ends of the floor.
UConn's Hilton Armstrong is long and athletic, and he had a breakout game against Arizona, scoring 14 points and grabbing eight boards. He's got a lot of talent, but his head is a big question mark.
Ronnie Brewer's shot may be ugly, but it's still going in. He was 3-of-6 from 3-point country against Kansas and played another very solid game, ending with 23 points and a victory for Arkansas.
Kansas freshman Brandon Rush had a very good game against Brewer, scoring 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Of the four super freshmen at KU, he plays with the most maturity right now.
Another bad shooting night by Arizona's Hassan Adams had one scout dub him the next "Greg Buckner." No, that wasn't a compliment.
NBA Rumor Central: Not now, Not ever
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Kevin Garnett
Timberwolves
Not now, Not ever
Nov 23 - The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, "The Timberwolves are not going to trade Kevin Garnett. Not this week, not this month, not this season. Not now and, if it were entirely up to Wolves owner Glen Taylor, not ever. 'I have no plans on trading him at least through this contact,' Taylor said in a phone interview Tuesday."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Michael Doleac
Heat
On the Doleac
Nov 23 - According to the Miami Herald, "The Heat has been trying to move Michael Doleac, but the team might also be looking to dangle Dorell Wright in trade offers. Pat Riley is still actively trying to make a move, and the latest thinking in the organization is the team could use another shooter. One who would appear available is former Heat guard Voshon Lenard, who has fallen out of favor in Denver."
Different paths as rookies for Iguodala, Billups
By Jim O'Brien
Red Auerbach once told me that he always had a talk with his rookies early in their time with him.
Generally, it went something like this: "Can you do 'this'? [This could be any facet of the game.] Don't lie to me! If you can, we expect you to do it! If you can't, we will teach you how to do it. If we can't teach you how, we will not expect you to do it." A very simple, very direct conversation about accountability.
The life of a first-year player in the NBA is challenging on a number of levels. The expectations are usually high, especially for first-round picks in general, and for lottery picks in particular. As jazz vocalist Sade sings, the NBA is "no place for beginners or sensitive hearts."
First, there is pressure that the rook puts on himself, along with pressure that comes from every front office official wanting his draft pick to prove sooner, rather than later, that their evaluation was accurate.
Also, there are social pressures. Most of the time, a player comes from being the star on his college or high school team to a situation in which he is the youngest guy in the group. Often, he is asked to make his way on a team that might have players 15 years older.
Andre Iguodala immediately made a name for himself in his rookie year, unseating a Big Dog in surprising fashion.It was always fun last year to watch Andre Iguodala when Allen Iverson or another veteran told the rookie that his job was to help carry the bags from the bus into the hotel. Or, when Iverson said that he didn't care what Iguodala was called at Arizona, because there is only one "A.I." on the Sixers, and he ain't a rookie.
There is also the heavy burden of trying to beat out vets for playing time. This can be a battle that is very, very intense and must be monitored carefully by the coaching staff.
In Pat Riley's book "The Winner Within," he makes it clear just how fierce this battle can become:
In 1991, New York acquired Xavier McDaniel before training camp. McDaniel -- known as "The X Man" -- was the Ron Artest of the early '90s, tough but unpredictable. Riley relates how his first drill of training camp was a noncontact rebounding drill that matched up McDaniel and first-year player Anthony Mason, an equally tough player who would make a career of not backing down from anyone.
In his first practice as coach of the Knicks, the noncontact drill turned, says Riley, into "a full-blown two-man riot. McDaniel pounded both sides of Mason's head. Mason was answering with furious, lunging blows. It was one of those traveling fights: they collided under the basket, fought their way over to the sideline, then ricocheted out to the middle of the court. It finally ended in a draw."
Definitely, not a career for "sensitive hearts."
Last season in Philadelphia, I had the opportunity to coach a rookie who understood right away what it took.
When we drafted Iguodala ninth in the 2004 draft, we were surprised to get a player whom our personnel people had rated much higher. Going into training camp I had Glenn Robinson penciled in as our starter at the small forward spot and Iguodala behind him by a large margin. Robinson, a career 20.8 ppg scorer, seemed hungry to get his career back on track and we thought he would win the job fairly easily. What transpired was not what we expected. Robinson had difficulty scoring on Iguodala throughout training camp, and so did the players the rookie guarded during the exhibition games. It became clear to our staff that it would be difficult for us to open the season without Iguodala starting. He was by the far the best perimeter defender on our team and he brought an energy and unselfishness to the floor that was a perfect complement for the senior A.I.
Iguodala not only started the opener, he started all 82 games and averaged 33.4 mpg. Every night out, he would be matched against the opponent's best perimeter player. One night it could be Vince Carter, the next, Paul Pierce. He stayed constantly on an even keel. He added to his experience by starting against the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs.
The first day Iguodala came to Philadelphia after the draft, I had breakfast with his parents and his brother Frank, who was moving to town to live with him. In retrospect, it is clear that his family was a large reason that he kept his focus the entire year. His mother was very aware of the potential pitfalls that he had to sidestep. She assured me, in front of Andre, that her son was ready to get the job done, with an assist from his brother, a recent graduate and former player at the University of Dayton.
It was still surprising that Iguodala never got close to running into the proverbial "rookie wall." The mythical wall gets slammed into after the All-Star break. The thought is that first-year players are not used to playing 82 games in such a short period of time. The 48 minutes a game and constant travel are also contributors. In many cases, they hit the wall not only because of the demands on their bodies, but because of the challenge of staying mentally in the game over the long haul.
As a Celtics rookie in 1997, Chauncey Billups was sometimes taken aback by expectations.In 1997, when I was the associate coach to Rick Pitino, the Boston Celtics drafted point guard Chauncey Billups with the third pick in the first round. The Celtics had won only 15 games the previous year, but missed out on the chance to get Tim Duncan because the ping pong balls did not bounce our way. We also took Ron Mercer with the sixth pick.
One of the things Pitino wanted us to do was to stay on top of the young players to make sure they were adjusting well to life in the NBA. On one occasion, we were on the road and I took Billups out for lunch after practice. During lunch, I asked him what was the most challenging thing he had to deal with as a rookie starting at the point for the Celtics.
Thinking he would say something like keeping his turnovers down, or getting us in our offense against the best defenders in the world, or living up to the expectations of being the quarterback for the legendary C's, I remember being shocked by his answer. After much thought, he said, "Coach, it's got to be the game-day shootarounds." I almost laughed, but he continued and said, "Man, there is so much to remember."
It was a good lesson for me to learn. Mercer, who played for us at the University of Kentucky the previous two years, was used to intense preparation. Billups was not used to that type of focus that early in his career. Needless to say, with experience, that has changed and he is now one of the great floor generals in the league.
Irving Berlin is quoted as saying, "Talent is only a starting point in this business."
Obviously, Berlin was not talking about professional basketball, but the words definitely apply. You don't get drafted or make an NBA team unless you have a great deal of physical talent. But to be successful, NBA players have to bring a whole lot more to the game.
In particular, it is almost impossible to succeed without mental toughness. Before every draft, teams spend a tremendous amount of money and time trying to assess this area. There is no one definition for exactly what mental toughness is but we all know it when we see it in action. Every franchise recognizes that if they make a mistake in reading a prospect's mental toughness, it can be just as damaging as misreading his talent level.
When the Hornets selected Chris Paul with the No. 4 pick of the most recent NBA draft, despite his small stature, no doubt his mental fortitude was one reason. Skip Prosser, who coached Paul at Wake Forest, told me that when they recruit a player, they view mental toughness as though it is a physical trait. Is there any wonder why Paul, with a special combination of talent and toughness, is ranked in the NBA's Rookie Report as the top rookie performer to date?
Bob Knight makes this analogy regarding the importance of having a strong mind: "Mental toughness is to the physical, as four is to one." I believe few coaches in the NBA would disagree.
When I was the head coach at Boston, we drafted Joe Johnson with the 10th pick in 2001. At midseason, we traded him for Rodney Rogers, who gave us added strength on the inside and the ability to play small ball and space the court.
The trade helped us get to the Eastern Conference finals. But it turned out to be a mistake when our ownership chose not to sign Rogers because of salary cap issues.
Trading Johnson, in retrospect, for part of one year of Rogers, is still a difficult pill for the Celtics to swallow. Although he did not yet have the type of body that could take the banging that the NBA dished out night after night, he was developing. And now he has proven that he has both the physical ability and the mental toughness to be a very good player for many years.
The NBA season is often said to be a marathon. It will be very interesting to see which of this year's rookies have what it takes for the long haul.
ESPN.com's Intelligence Report: Nov. 23
Skiles: Thomas Is A Non-Issue
One area to watch is the relationship between coach Scott Skiles and newcomer Tim Thomas. When asked following Tuesday's practice if Thomas can help the Bulls this season, Skiles said, 'I don't know. I don't know the answer to that.' When pressed on the matter, Skiles said, 'You guys can write about Tim every day if you want to. To me, it's a non-issue.'" --- Chicago Sun-Times
Rehab Or Retirement For Christie
"Doug Christie's run with the Mavericks could be coming to an end in the next few days. Christie left the team last week to get a second opinion on a sore left ankle in Seattle. Mavs owner Mark Cuban acknowledged Tuesday night that Christie may elect not to return. 'His doctors say the ankle is OK, but not perfect,' Cuban said." --- Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Francis Still Hurting But Plans To Play
"Orlando Magic leading scorer Steve Francis hopes to play tonight after missing practice the past two days with a bruised chest and shoulder, an injury sustained in a single-car crash Saturday night. Francis, who originally said he bruised his chest during the game, had a precautionary magnetic resonance imaging test Tuesday that came back negative." --- Orlando Sentinel
Stoudamire: All Nash Does Is Talk, Talk, Talk
Damon Stoudamire says one of the best things about being out of Portland is not having to deal with GM John Nash, who he thought was a meddling force in practice and in the media. 'Man, I'm tired of picking up the paper and seeing him talking, talking, talking,' Stoudamire said. 'The man, you would think he is the best GM in the world. All the man does is talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. He's the only GM in the NBA who is quotable. The guy is acting like they have won 50 games a year or something. I'm sick of that,' Stoudamire said. 'It's like, why don't you just let your team play? Why don't you just go sit your butt in the background?'" --- The Oregonian
Odom Nears Point Blank
"The Lakers are back, at least some of their drama is, with Lamar Odom voicing his desire to score more often and Coach Phil Jackson, hesitant to fiddle with one of the few Lakers who will 'give the damn ball up,' saying not so fast. "I have to just put the ball up, just to put it up, try to get these defenses to stop focusing on [Bryant]," Odom said firmly. Jackson says, 'He just needs to play his game. He doesn't have to focus on anything more or anything less. I have no fault at all with how Lamar plays.'" --- Los Angeles Times
Oh, What Could Have Been
"Despite the team's 4-7 start, Shareef Abdur-Rahim insists he is perfectly content with the Kings, and the feeling is mutual. And to think how close it came to not happening at all. The Nets wanted him, however the front office decided a six-year, $38.5 million offer was too risky because of a suspect knee. He walked away from New Jersey and was swooped up by the Kings. Said Abdur-Rahim, 'It's all worked out for the best. I was really fortunate to be able to come to a team that wanted me.'" --- Sacramento Bee
Jaric Frustrated By His Play
"The Timberwolves gave Marko Jaric a $38 million contract this summer. So far, they don't seem in a big hurry to collect on their investment. Jaric said not playing for significant stretches of games has been difficult. He said he is not criticizing Casey's decisions about playing time and is frustrated with himself for not playing better. 'I just feel like my head is not clear on the court,' Jaric said." --- St. Paul Pioneer Press
Garnett Paved Way For High School Stars
"In 1995, Kevin Garnett, a 6-11, 220-pound power forward, became the first player since Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby in 1975 to go directly from high school to the NBA. Garnett's feat allowed studs like Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and LeBron James to become the household names they now are. 'If it weren't for KG, I don't think we could do it,' said Hornets guard J.R. Smith of making the jump from high school to the NBA." --- The Oklahoman
Lenard Talks With GM
"Since losing his starting job, Voshon Lenard has not taken George Karl up on his offer to talk things over, but he did meet with general manager Kiki Vandeweghe. Vandeweghe spoke with Lenard on Sunday and said the meeting went well. Lenard did not request a trade. 'Vo's a real professional,' Vandeweghe said. 'He's going to keep himself ready and you never know.'" --- Rocky Mountain News
Heat May Reunite With Walsh
"Swingman Matt Walsh cleared waivers, but the Heat told agent Jason Levien they could envision a reunion. Levien said Tuesday, 'They seem adamant they want to stay involved.' Walsh is expected to work out after Thanksgiving for the Utah Jazz and Seattle SuperSonics." --- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Jazz Not Adding Walsh
"The Jazz interviewed Matt Walsh before the June draft. But Walsh went undrafted, then briefly made the Miami Heat before being waived last week. A report in the Miami Herald on Tuesday suggested the Jazz had expressed interest in adding Walsh. But an NBA source said the Jazz are not in the running to acquire the rookie free agent." --- Salt Lake Tribune
Fizer Waiting For A Call
"Former Bulls forward Marcus Fizer is about to resurface in the NBA's developmental league when he joins the Austin Toros today. Fizer didn't participate in an NBA training camp this year and switched agents in mid-October to Mark Bartelstein. 'He should be in the league. He'll get called up. I know a lot of NBA teams are thinking about him right now, said Bartelstein." --- Arlington Heights Daily Herald
Ford Admires Iverson
A younger generation of NBA point guards is starting to make an impact, led by T.J. Ford and others, including Hornets rookie Chris Paul and Utah Jazz rookie Deron Williams. Ford admits he tries to learn what he can from watching Iverson. 'I think you take things from certain people's games, and you try to make it fit in your game, to the best of your ability,' Ford said. 'You know, everybody is an A.I. fan.'" --- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Blatche Continues To Work On Strength
The Wizards have no immediate plans to send rookie Andray Blatche to the Roanoke Dazzle, their NBDL affiliate. Blatche, who missed training camp and the preseason with wounds he suffered in a Sept. 25 shooting, has appeared in one game and continues to work on his conditioning and strength. 'You always want to play, but it's good for me to be out there practicing with these guys, too,' said Blatche." --- Washington Post
Mavs Need Terry To Shoot First, Pass Second
"Quickness on the perimeter is imperative in today's NBA. Jason Terry has that. Why do you think they call him the Jet? Avery Johnson wants Terry to use that quickness to attack. He wants the point guard to shoot first and pass second. Johnson wants Terry to fill the same role for the Mavericks that Chauncey Billups does for Detroit." --- Dallas Morning News
Popovich Not Happy With Spurs Defense
"While the Spurs allow an average of 89.6 points per game, the third-fewest in the league, Gregg Popovich traditionally has considered field-goal percentage defense a more accurate indicator of his team's success. Spurs' opponents have averaged 43.4 percent, a reflection, he said, that the team's defense is no better than very mediocre. "We definitely have not focused the way we need to,' Popovich said." --- San Antonio Express-News
Keady's Decision At Least A Week Away
"It will be more than a week before the Raptors find out if they'll have an addition to their coaching staff. Gene Keady, the iconic former head coach at Purdue, is on a Caribbean vacation and mulling over a chance to join Sam Mitchell's staff either as a consultant or a bench coach. Keady has told the Raptors he's not likely to make any decision until about Dec.6." --- Toronto Star
Babcock Hits The Road
"General manager Rob Babcock made the trip to Phoenix yesterday but leaves the team today to travel to a university game in Iowa followed by a six-day trip to Europe next week where he will check out the team's two 2005 second-round draft picks Roko Ukic, who is playing in Spain and Uros Slokar, who is playing in Italy. Babcock also plans to scout some players who are eligible for next year's draft. " --- Toronto Sun
Clippers Enjoying Marquee Status
"Vans with satellite dishes have become common at Clipper practices, and TV cameramen jockey for position daily around players and Coach Mike Dunleavy. Such is life for the Southland's hottest NBA team, adjusting to an unfamiliar spotlight. 'With winning comes all the accolades and all the attention, and that's what we're experiencing now,' forward Elton Brand said." --- Los Angeles Times
Transaction Update ...
Grizzlies Waive Thomas
"The Grizzlies waived John Thomas Tuesday in a move designed to prepare for Brian Cardinal's eventual return and develop younger players. Reached Tuesday afternoon, Thomas sounded a bit stunned, definitely appreciative and even more realistic about the situation. 'I didn't expect this. But that's the league. Expect the unexpected and pack light,' Thomas said." --- Memphis Commercial-Appeal
Injury News ...
Pacers Won't Rush Foster
"Jeff Foster, out with a left Achilles injury, said he hopes to play during the team's five-game West Coast trip, which starts Sunday at the Los Angeles Clippers. 'I would like to play, but it's the trainer's decision,' he said. The Pacers won't rush him back. They tried that last year, coach Rick Carlisle said." --- Indianapolis Star
Stackhouse Biding His Time
"Jerry Stackhouse suffered some swelling again in his right knee and is not expected to practice anytime soon. The slow-to-heal knee bruise is starting to frustrate Stackhouse. 'It's a little embarrassing walking out there to the crowd with a suit on every game,' he said." --- Dallas Morning News
Martin May Play Tonight
"After running the past three days, Kenyon Martin intends to return to action tonight if his ailing left knee is feeling good this morning. He has missed the past four games, including Tuesday, with tendinitis in his left knee." --- Denver Post
Diogu In, Pietrus Out
"Ike Diogu is back. The Warriors' No. 1 pick practiced Tuesday for the first time this season and has received medical clearance to play. If all goes according to plan, Diogu will make his NBA debut tonight. Diogu's return softens Tuesday's bad news: Mickael Pietrus is likely to miss up to four weeks after an MRI exam confirmed his sprained right MCL." --- San Francisco Chronicle
Allen May Practice Next Week
"The coaching staff was encouraged by the news that Tony Allen, recovering from right knee surgery, may not be as far away from action as previously thought. The second-year guard, based on a one-on-one workout against rookie Gerald Green Monday, may be ready to practice with the team as early as next week." --- Boston Herald
Chat with Chris Sheridan
Welcome to The Show! On Tuesday at 3 ET, ESPN.com's NBA reporter will log on to chat with you about all the action on the hardcourt ... and all the news and notes off of it. Chris came to ESPN from the Associated Press where he spent the last ten years as the lead NBA writer.
Sheridan's chat tips off at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, send in your questions now, join him right here for the answers.
Sheridan archives: Columns | Chats
Chris Sheridan: Greetings again from New York, where there was a Kevin Willis sighting on Sunday night at Allan Houston's retirement party. Kev is 43 now, but he still looks years younger than Knicks center Jackie Butler, who is 20 but could pass for 50. Allan stiffed me on an invite,but I heard the hors d'ouevers looked very, very, very expensive, and there was an open bar _ although I'm told the drinks were weaker than Allan's knee. Lots of feedback from the KG trade rumor story yesterday, and I'll try to follow up with those of you who have questions about it. Bring it on.
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Jamie, Minneapolis: C'mon Chris, unless he comes out and tells the world he wants to be traded, do you think the Wolves would actually consider dealing KG? He is the only reason people in Minnesota come to games and is the team's only hope for a good season this year or any years in the near future. Besides, could any team come up with a package sweet enought to compensate Minnesota for the loss of one the best ever to play the game? I doesn't make sense to me.
Chris Sheridan: Do you really expect KG to say such a thing publicly? His rail against McHale was one of the few times in his career he's ever gone negative in a public forum, and I don't see it happening twice in one season. A more likely scenario would be for Kevin and his people to pod the Wolves privately for a trade.
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Anthony (Levittown, NY): As a Knicks fan, your blog yesterday obviously got me excited. But it can't be that easy to get KG can it? A Penny/Davis trade seems like getting KG for free, even if we have to take Wally as well.
Chris Sheridan: The only way I see this happening is if KG pushes for NY and the Wolves believe opening $25 million in cap room is their best option for the long-term health of the franchise. The Knicks offer wouldn't be limited to Davis and Penny, but there wouldn't be much more in it. They might toss in Nate robinson or David Lee, but not both, and they love Frye. In their minds, the flexibility they'd be giving the Wolves is value enough.,
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Jon (Indianapolis, IN): Why would the Cavs trade Snow to the Knicks for Rose? That would leave them with only one PG. They already have enough big men with Z, Gooden, Marshall, and don't forget about Varejao.
Chris Sheridan: They could make do with Damon as the starter and Luke Jackson as the backup. The ball is in LeBron's hands so much there, it's not a traditional point guard role.
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Drew (FL): Chris, loved the articles on KG. Here's my question as a Bulls fan, hoping KG returns home. Wouldnt a Bulls offer of Deng, Chandler, Tim Thomas (expiring contract) and one of their #1 picks this yr (knicks or their own, most likely lottery) be a decent deal for Minnesota because it gives them some young guys to build around, some cap flexibility and another lottery pick???? Am I crazy or wouldnt this be a great deal for them, and then the Bulls could look towards signing Stojakovic and having Garnett, Sweetney, Stojakovic, Hinrich, Duhon as the starting 5 with Gordon, Nocioni off the bench.
Chris Sheridan: That's a lot of lumber, Drew, but I'm sure the Bulls are thinking similar thoughts to yours. This on certainly makes much more sense for the Wolves.
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Karl (Denver): I am not going to ask you Chris, I am going to tell you: Marcus Camby is the best center in the Western Conference.
Chris Sheridan: Why stop with the West?
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Andrew (Texas): Chris, will the Spurs look to trade Rasho? He might be the worst 7 footer this league has seen. What are your thoughts? Will they get a true center before the deadline?
Chris Sheridan: You must be a Dampier fan. It seems to me that Rasho is still bein showcased, but he's due to make $23.5 million over the next three years, which is scaring just about everybody off.
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mark, los angeles: Is it just me, or do the Spurs seem to once again be the model of consistancy? Frankly, I still don't see anyone beating them, especially if young Parker continues to improve and the Finley/VanExcel experiment gels into the team approach.
Chris Sheridan: Only nine more days until they measure themselves against the Mavericks again
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Henry (NY): Is Kobe really playing more team ball this year? He's still jacking up 30 shots a game and Odom hasn't come into his own yet.
Chris Sheridan: They've looked pitiful over the last 5-6 games, but let me ask you this? Who else would you rather have taking the shots? I can see where Odom needs a few more touches, but beyond him what else is there aside from a bunch of guys who look lost in the triangle?
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mark seattle wa: Rasho the worst 7-footer the league has seen? It seems that the legacy of Greg Ostertag has been lost on some.
Chris Sheridan: Worst 7-footer the league has seen is a veery,, very broad category, Mark. My vote goes to Alan Ogg, but if you're talking about current players, it's Peter John Ramos.
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Portland, OR: Any rumors about my beloved Blazers? Personally, I would love to see either Randolph, Miles, and definately Patterson to be traded. Any??
Chris Sheridan: The only players they;ve been looking to deal over the first three weeks has been Patterson, but thery're eventually going to have to reevaluate whether committing so much long-term money to Darius and Zach was a wise move. They were horrible Sunday afternoon at the Garden (with the exception of Telfair and Monia), and Nate sounded afterward like he was ready to trade anyone.
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Brandon, Detroit: I heard that there was a chance KG could be coming to the pistons for Darko and Sheed. Do you think the pistons would mess with success and go for it?
Chris Sheridan: If they could get him for Darko and Sheed, they'd do it in a second. I'm a big Sheed fan, but he's not going to be worth what he's making three years from now ($14.3).
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Ryan (Outside the Chi): I'm no an ESPN Insider but I keep seeing these teasers for artices relating to the rumor the Bulls are after Peja. Is that true?
Chris Sheridan: Scott Skiles has been a huge Peja fan since they were both working in Greece in the mid-'90s, and a couple sources around the league tell me there's nothing that will keep Stojakovic from going to Chicago when he's a free agent next summer. I'm not sure the Bulls will be willing to give Peja everythin his agent will ask for, but there's probably a middle ground that can easily be reached by both sides. If the Kings are convinced they're going to lose Peja, it makes sense for them to trade him bfore the deadline rather than get nothing in return a few months later.
JJ< Puerto Rico: No way Ramos is worst to Jake Tsakalidis and what about Seattle, Stiff.. sorry Swift.. but damn Ramos is our future national center.. will be a lot of crying times in the Island..
Chris Sheridan: I believe Jose Ortiz will hold onto the starting center spot on the PR national team for another five years. Saw he just signed another two-year deal down there. What is he, 42 now?
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Frank (Indiana): How does Kandi for Boozer make any sense? If you're talking about big guys who cant play, Kandi is up there.
Chris Sheridan: Kando is in the last year of his deal, while Boozer has been too injured to get a good reading on whether the Jazz were justified ion giving him $70 million. If Larry Miller believes it was a bad investment, he'll try to cut his losses. Speaking of Miller, what's with those commercials he runs for himself during Jazz games? He's not selling anything, he's just advertising himself. Strange.
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Mike (North Adams, MA): And let's not forget Isiah's prize, Jerome James. If Veal Chop Scalabrine was 7 ft tall he'd have even more competition. And Podkolzine in Dallas. How about Ha? Stiffs galore!!! I wish I was 7 ft tall then I'd have a million dollars!!
Chris Sheridan: Mike, some day we'll devote an entire chat to all-time 7-foot stiffs. We'll get Tom Copa to moderate.
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Mike (North Adams, MA): Chris, I have this hunch that growing up in New York you absolutely hated (and still clandestinely hate) the Boston Celtics. As far as your favorite people in the world go, rank Bill Simmons. Begin!
Chris Sheridan: I hated the Celtics in the early and mid-70s, but only because I was a Bucks fan. I've long since gotten over it. Simmons makes my top 1000.
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Steve (Freehold, NJ): As a nets fan who was very excited before this season, they have been dissapointing. What can they do at the trade deadline to improve?
Chris Sheridan: I think they'll make a move sooner rather than later, and I think Planinic is the bait. A lot of teams are taking a close look at the tall Croatian point guard, but is available in a deal for a big.
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Anthony (Cincinnati): Chris. Dwyane is the NBA's best player, right? If Odom was on his team, he'd get 19 a game from him.
Chris Sheridan: Wrong. The best player right now is LeBron James.
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Brent, Phoenix, AZ: What should we expect from Dalembert when he comes back and when is he coming back?
Chris Sheridan: The Sizers have handled things pretty well without Sammy anchoring the middle, which has surprised me. He should be back within two weeks.
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John (H-town, TX): The Rocket is very painful to watch this season. What are your solution?
Chris Sheridan: Fewer injuries for them, remedial English courses for you.
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T (Columbus): The nets need an enforcer. They are so soft. RJ for Artest?
Chris Sheridan: RJ can't be traded this year because of his base-year compensation status, but I don't think the Nets would make such a risky move character-wise _ even though from a basketball srtandpoint it might make a lot of sense.
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Tilman (Hamburg, Germany): Hey Chris, I have a collective bargaining question. Could the Wolves use Sprewell in a sign and trade although the season is under way? Or did they renounce their Bird-rights already? Or the other option: Is a sign and trade only a possibility in the offseason?
Chris Sheridan: They haven't renounced him, so they could still do a sign-and-trade. Those deals must be for a minimum of three years, however, and I don't see anyone lining up for a three year commitment.
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Weiss (arlington, VA): Who you say is a bigger bust at this point Olowakandi or Kwame Brown? I say they Kandi man can, your thoughts......
Chris Sheridan: A tie.
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Chris (Anaheim, CA): Donald Sterling called and said he is looking for a personal Nostradamus, and he found that person in you. He also said that Elgin Baylor's position is yours for the taking. It is nice to know that your prediction can change the course of the Clippers' future. ClipperLand welcomes you with open arms. I got a few questions. Remember, your answers dictate the Clips future, so be mindful please. 1.) How far do you see the Clips go in the playoffs? 2.) Do you see E.B. on the All-Stars roster or maybe NBA MVP? 3.) Is Clips a better team with Q. Ross starting and C-Mag coming off the bench? 4.) Hypothetical question: Would the Clips be a better team with Cat or B. Simmons?
Chris Sheridan: 1) Second round of playoffs is definitely a possibility, but please try to remember the season is 10 games old. If the Clips' depth is tested, the bandwagon will lose a few members. 2) All-star team for sure, MVP candidate is they win 55-60. 3) One of those situations where it seemed to work for them when they were using it, but Corey needs to get starter's minutes. 4) Check this year's record vs. last year's, and you'll see the answer is Cat.
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Jim Phoenix, AZ : Hey Chris, whats the latest scoop on the Olympic team, Colangelo mentioned that he already has 2 people who he is definitely inviting, any idea?? - And what players are waiting to jum in
Chris Sheridan: I've heard Kobe is in, and Colangelo is trying to lock up a commitment from KG. They're also going after role players this time, guys like Tayshaun and Michael Redd. I believe Jerry Colangelo wants to announce his first few players before the end of the year. We at ESPN.com will be doing a poll to find out which players Americans believe should be on the team. Look for it next month.
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JT (NY): Everyone is going crazy in NY about the KG rumors. Would he play with Stephon again? Would he only "demand" to be traded to NY if Isiah dealt Starbury? I'd also hate to see one of our three rookies go! Especially Frye!
Chris Sheridan: The Knicks' intention would be to acquire KG without giving up Marbury or Frye. No one would be more happy than Steph, who hasn't sniffed success since he exited Minneapolis.
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Tom (Chicago): If AI isn't on that team, I'm cheering for Argentina. Also, is it possible for a Kobe/Shaq reunion?
Chris Sheridan: If Bruce Bowen ain't on that team, who exactly is goijng to defend Manu in the next big Argentina-US tilt? I could see Iverson rejoining the national team, despite what happened in Athens. He took it a lot more seriously than a couple of his teammates on the '04 US team.
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Justin (Leominster, MA): As a 13-year old in 1995 with no favorite team or player, I immediately fell in love with the idea of a HS kid playing in the NBA. KG has been my favorite player since then and I'm still amazed by how amazing his all-around game is, plus, how strong his work ethic, heart, and maturity in a league where those values aren't found too often. I find myself torn, hoping he's not traded to the Knicks for the fact that would be a step down from Minneapolis, but also happy because a deal to the Pistons would give him an instant chance to win the ring I feel he deserves. Please tell me the Wolves would not entertain the idea of taking expiring contracts when they could land Rasheed and Darko, 2 big men for a small Minnesota team.
Chris Sheridan: Trading him for expiring contracts would be an almost impossible thing for the Wolves to sell to their fans. They could do better than Rasheed and Darko, but they probably won't find anyone else willing to give them two bigs.
Chris Sheridan: That's all the time I have today, folks. Everyone enjoy the turkey on Thursday and the Cavs-Pacers game afterward.
Chat with Scoop Jackson
Welcome to The Show! On Wednesday, Page 2 writer Scoop Jackson will drop by to take your questions and comments right here.
Write to him now and join him for the answers on Wednesday at noon ET.
Scoop Archive: Chats | Columns
The ShowGirl: Welcome to The Show! We're expecting Scoop shortly. Keep the patience and keep sending in those Qs.
The ShowGirl: Hey folks, sorry for the delay, Scoop must have had something come up. I saw our boy busy on Cold Pizza this morning. Somebody else probably grabbed his brain after that.
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Ben (Oakland): Does this mean we get to start the holiday off right, with a chat with The Showgirl?
The ShowGirl: I can try to entertain for a few.
The ShowGirl: Is there anyone out there or have you guys already checked out?
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Chris (CT): SG...Rudy Gay and the Huskies or Morrison, Stache and the Zags...who ya got?
The ShowGirl: You guys know the Huskies are my team ... but that 'stache is pretty solid. Props to Adam and his long curly locks, too.
The ShowGirl: Hey guys, good news, I think Scoop may make an appearance in here, afterall.
The ShowGirl: My fault for the kink, time zones are killer.
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Dan (MI): showgirl.. so very excellent to see you on this fine thanksgiving eve!
Scoop Jackson: Showgirl... I'm here. Times twisted. My bad. I was on Michael Irvin time. (smile) CPT. Honestly, the kids are out of school. Madness around the spot.
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Joe (NY): Nobody is here cause nobody likes Scoop
Scoop Jackson: that's nice to know...
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Rick (WA): What's gonna happen to TO? Isn't that ruling out today sometime?
Scoop Jackson: I think TO be back in a Philly uniform by next week.
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Jonas (Detroit): Scoop and ShowGirl. Do you guys get along behind the scenes. You guys tell it like it is, I bet you're buds in person.
Scoop Jackson: I've had a crush on Showgirl since Day 1. Been trying to hook up with her, but she's not falling for my verbal game. (smile)
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Ted (PA): LSU vs PSU. Who wins?
Scoop Jackson: Poppa Joe, baby!
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Steve (DC): Scoop, can the Mets really overpay for every single player on their roster?
Scoop Jackson: The knicks do... so why not?
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Brad (Albuquerque): Ppl like you Scoop..MANY of us just dont share your opinions..who's your college bball team this year?..Pls don't say Duke..that's too easy
Scoop Jackson: I feel that. And that's te way it should be b/c if everybody agreed with us, then something would be wrong. As far as college bball is concerned, I'm honestly feeling a team out of the BIG EAST this year. UConn is strong (we'll see tonite) but I really like Nova. Don't kknow why though. I just do,.
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paul (utah): how about a chat in english so us white folks can understand!
Scoop Jackson: Paul, move to Brooklyn.
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G (Chicago): Am I the only one who doesn't think TO is a villain? He tried to use his leverage to maximize his deal in a system that makes a few players rich, and a lot of owners very rich. When he didn't get what he wanted, he came back and dominated for the Eagles. Now he answers a few questions honestly, and not all that controversely when you look at the whole transcript, and he's demonized. Everyone needs a sports villain, so it's really easy to whip up some anti-TO hysteria. I'd take him on the Bears in a heartbeat, though I know it will never happen.
Scoop Jackson: He just used it in the wrong way and he and Drew's plan came back to bite them. But I do think now that McNabb is out, from a buisiness standpoint - not a football standpoint - Phily may want tyo keep TO around. At least with him there and no real pressure to win games, there will still be some public interest in the team. With TO and DMc gone, who's (ie: advertisers, media, national audiences, etc.) going to really care about the Eagles?
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Jon(NY): Scoop, Who's the better conference this year ACC or Big East? Why?
Scoop Jackson: it's too early to tell, i think. plus, that answer changes twice. Whatever happens during the regular season, whoever has the most amount of tteams in the top 25 alawys gets erased when the tournamnet starts and conferences stop representing. So to me that's always been a loaded question, b/c there is no true answer - at least not until late March.
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Paul (Portland, OR): Well Scoop, I would hope a true Iggles fan from the city who bleeds green and silver would still care about them!
Scoop Jackson: I hope so too. I just think in this situation the Eagle have become a national team, one of the elite teams in the NFL and it's going to be tough for managemnet at this point to make a business decision based on their core fans and finance. The Eagles are big time now, so that's the way they have to think.
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Jason (Rockaway): Scoop, If Michael Graham played more than one season at G'Town, is there anyway Nova beats them in '85? I can see him scaring the bejeezus out of Pickney that night.....
Scoop Jackson: I agree, but they still only took 10 shots in the second half of that game and 9 of them went in. So as scary and intimitating as MG was, I don't know if he would have been able to scare some of those shots from dropping.
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Sean (Charlottesville VA): Who you got in the Jermain Taylor v. Bernard Hopkins rematch on December 3rd?
Scoop Jackson: JT. In 9.
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Jeff (Cleveland): Scoop...Halle or Beyonce
Scoop Jackson: Beyonce.
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Dave (Flagstaff, AZ): Geez, lots of haters in this chat. Did you catch Reggie Bush's performance Sat.? Pete Carroll said he's a cross between Marshall Faulk and Gale Sayers. Do you see him as one of those incredibly rare players that only come once a generation or so?
Scoop Jackson: I do.I think Reggie is bananas! I've been trying to get a jersey to floss on PTI one day. (smile) I really do beieve that the Faulk and sayre's comparisons at this point are justified. But he stil has to go into the right system in the League to continue his greatness. Don't forget, Marshall got lost with the Colts when he first came in, then once he got to St.Loiuis...
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mike (alcatraz): hey scoop, what is your take on the colts possibly going undefeated this season??
Scoop Jackson: Slim. I think between Pitt (if BR plays) and Seattle, they'll get got. As far as winning the ring, I right now can't see anyone stopping them.
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Paul (Philly): britney, mariah, christina, or jessica?
Scoop Jackson: alba. Jessica Alba.
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Dave (Flagstaff, AZ): Saw you in the forum on Rome's show. How is that guy in person? Is he really the hardcore, cocky dude he conveys on TV?
Scoop Jackson: naw, Rome is a reallly cool dude. What you see on tv is part of his personality, but all of what he is doesn't come across. I like the guy alot and he';s astandup guy. If i didn't I won't do his show.
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Cayne (Federal Way, WA): Scoop... are you cooking yourself tomorrow or depending on moms?
Scoop Jackson: Nope. My unclle is a gourmet chef - which I'm studying under him - and he cooks Thanksgiving every year. Me and the fam will be there.
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Rick: Who's the NFC team playing in the Super Bowl?
Scoop Jackson: Tampa Bay. Then I'm sticking with Carolina. That loss to the Bears last week showed some problems, but i'm
still with them. After that, the Seahawks, then the Bears. that's my answer THIS WEEK. Next week it will change.
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Tony (Iowa): "Don't kknow why though. I just do" Thats the kind of reasoning we have come to love and expect from you Scoop. You fit in perfectly with most ESPN analysts.
Scoop Jackson: Soory foir the delay, i wanted to get back to this comment. See, I think this is an unfair statement. Any sports fan knows that sometimes you just "feel" certain things, that's the nature of sports and being a fan of games. Now, why do analysts have to no longer be fans? Most of the time, we're no different than most of you. We love the games, we are just fortunate to have to cover them for a living. So when someone like my ignorant behind says, "I don't know why" you all should know that - just like you do sometimes - it's just something we feel. Coaches do it in games, players do it in battles, bookies do it on bets, GM's do it on trades. So please don't come with the sarcastic-ness. If you know sports - like i think you do Tony - ease up. Or stop watching ESPN.
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Ricky (Santa Monica CA): Do you believe in the "West Coast Bias," when it comes to anything? To me, it just seems that whatever is put in front of your face, more likely then not, you're going to have some type of bias regardless. Know what I mean?
Scoop Jackson: I agree. and i do agree that ther tendds to be a bias in the media towards the East Coast. It's natural since most of the control of Amrerican media outlets establish themselves there. And the population is so concentrated. I just try to look past and through it.
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jeremy (tn): how far do the think the boys will get in the playoffs
Scoop Jackson: second round. I still need to see Julius Jones get busy. He needs to get at least 4 100 yard games in the next 6 to make me belive the Boys can go further than two games.
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Christine (fresno,ca): Texas v. USC who wins?
Scoop Jackson: I'm not sold altogether on USC, thery'd all year has given up to may points esp. early in games, but I think They knoiw how to win big, big games. Not that Texas doesn't, but USC has a way of playing to their comp. The bigger the game, the bigger they come up.
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J.J. (Johnstown): Does Bazanez getting the 1st team all big ten make anyone else mad. I think M Rob had it hands down.
Scoop Jackson: great point! I can't even respond because i really see both sides. But that's till a hellluvan arguement.
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William (Phoenix, AZ): Scoop, get the spell check goin on!
Scoop Jackson: i need one, right?!?
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thesportsvixen (nyc): Do you think the Knicks will quit breaking my heart anytime this season?
Scoop Jackson: I think the NYK's will be fine. it's a long season and LB is not the easiest coach to get adjusted to. Give them time. If they're still in the basment of the Atlantic by Christmas, then you can get mad.
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Widmer (Portland, OR): Just heard that TO lost and the Iggles can continue with their plans to not have him around. Agree or disagree?
Scoop Jackson: not to take the middle of the road here, but I UNDERSTAND. I wasn't one that was going to take a side on what i felt was right oor wrong in this case. I saw both sides for the get, so I put myself in position to understand any answer they came back with. Bottomline, TO played himself and put himself in position to have something like this happen to him. Does the punishment fit his crime? Maybe not. But he's the one that put himself out there to allow something like this to happen.
i tell high school and grammar school kids this all of the time whenever I go to a school to speak: Don't put yourself in a posiytion to have someone (ie: a judge) make a decision about your life. Not to get preachy (too late!), but TO did that. So agree or disagree, i UNDERSTAND the ruling.
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harry (LA): Scoop - What's the "scoop" on the kg trade rumours
Scoop Jackson: last one people.. gotta deal with the shorties.
I think the KG rumors are just that... rumors. KG isn't going anywhere during the seeason. In the off-season, he's gone. Outta there. But he's too deeply rooted into the franchsie for them to let him go and try to build everything else around another player w/o preperation. KG is that team's id. It may be a good basketball decision to deal him rigt now, but I don't think it would be a good business decision for Minnesota to even think about doing that right now.
thanks y'all. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. enjoy the chit'lins!!!!
peace.