General Commotion

Posted on July 3, 2009 by stone86

Reports surfaced yesterday that Ron Artest is close to signing a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.  I guess that playoff friction between Kobe and Ron is a thing of the past.  Artest will likely take the starting spot vacated by Trevor Ariza, who is reportedly very close to becoming a Houston Rocket.  The Cavs will now have to look elsewhere to upgrade their backcourt size, as both Artest and Ariza were primary targets.  How this affects Lamar Odom is, as of yet, unclear; details of his negotiations have been sparse.  What is clear though, is that Lamar is seeking a contract in the $10 million a year range.  The Cavs could be looking in that direction, but Lamar’s salary would be more than what the Cavs would’ve likely paid either Artest or Ariza.mmmm grub

Hedo is no longer an option for the Cavs either.  Reports today claim that Hedo in Portland is a done deal. (Portland Dominos Pizza locations get ready.) Terms of the contract are unknown since the league has yet to announce the salary cap for the upcoming season.  Keep tabs on the situation in Portland, where rumors suggest Rudy Fernandez is unhappy with the possibility of diminished playing time.  The minutes were thin at the shooting guard and small forward positions last year, and that’s bound to be exacerbated by the addition of Turkoglu and return of Martell Webster.  Stay tuned.

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The Lakers lose an A only to get an A+

Posted on July 3, 2009 by Dino Gomez

10-year veteran Ron Artest is heading to the Los Angeles Lakers, and he will surely be paying some fees for his extra baggage. The move comes after Trevor Ariza, an important part of the Lakers championship run, turned down the team’s multi-year offer. In basically performing a trade without the trade, the two free agents will swap jerseys as Ariza has agreed in principle to a deal with Houston worth $5.8 million for next season, with long term talks on the table. So what does the Artest move mean for the defending champions, and which Artest will they be paying those millions to?

Coming to Hollywood with a shady and checkered past, Artest unfortunately will always be rememkobe_artest_400bered by his participation in the Auburn Hills brawl on November 19, 2004 when he played for the Indiana Pacers. However, I would like to argue that last year with the Rockets was a huge step forward in the maturation process of the forward, who meshed well with his teammates and showed leadership qualities as Houston pushed the Lakers to a game seven in the second round of the playoffs. The Lakers are not only getting the 2004 NBA Defensive Player of the Year who, for his career, has averaged 2.1 steals per game, they are getting the “I have learned from my past mistakes Artest”.

In an interview with ESPN, Artest was asked about why he decided to take less money and play for the Lakers. His response: “I am playing to win; I am not playing for the money anymore”. If you just had a Karl Malone and Gary Payton flashback, you are not alone. However the difference here is that Artest is only 29 and coming off a stellar season. The next big question is what will happen to Lamar Odom? In an ESPN interview, expert NBA Analyst Ric Bucher reported the chances of Odom signing with the Lakers is “good”, stating that the two sides can focus on the contract now that Ariza is out, and that there are limited suitors for Odom around the league. If Odom stays on board, I’m putting my money on the Lakers for a repeat.

An article by David Peterson- our most recent addition to our committee will be found under the writing name: Davepete starting tomorrow

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Old School Nike Basketball Commercial

Posted on July 3, 2009 by Dino Gomez

Do you remember this Nike commerical from about 6 years back? Its the one with a bunch of free style dribbling in it and features a bunch of different NBA players including Vince Carter, Rasheed Wallace, and Jason Williams. Anyways I remember loving that commercial when it first came out but I would have to say the spoof is even better. Heres to a good laugh on a good friday.

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Arizona sets a record with 31 draft picks since 1989

Posted on July 2, 2009 by Dino Gomez

When Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill were called into the NBA this year they made the 30th and 31st players from Arizona to be drafted into the league since 1989. You see in 1989 the NBA draft was shortened into 2 rounds and since then only a few elite programs can say they have had over 20 of their players selected in the NBA draft. Those programs would be: Duke with 29, UCLA with 28, North Carolina with 25, Connecticut with 23, ancatsd Kansas with 22.

Arizona also has the longest current consecutive streak with an invitation to the NCAA tournament with 25. North Carolina holds the record with 27 straight appearances which began in 1975 and ended in 2001. Only 3 more years to go for the Cats which should be easier now considering Arizona’s new coach, Sean Miller, did a remarkable job recruiting this offseason and has the program commanding the 12th best recruiting class of 2009.

While we are on the subject of records and or awards, Playboy came out with their 2008- 2009 College Party School of the year award where Arizona ranked 5th. No wonder Sean Miller had such an easy time signing recruits, it’s a fun place to go to school.

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Bron Bron and Artest?

Posted on July 2, 2009 by stone86

The Cavaliers are stoked.  Not only did they land the giant Saguaro Shaquille O’Neal, but now Lebron is working his star power in an attempt to convince Mr. Ron Artest to join them in Cleveland.  Signing a guy like Artest would be huge, making them the unequivocal favorites to win the east, even if the Celtics are healthy.  Also, it’s rumored Trevor Ariza’s representation is making him available to the rest of the league.  It sounds like talks with the Lakers are breaking down and the Cavaliers are possible suitors.  Ariza probably wouldn’t have the immediate impact that Artest would, but he is also much younger and his game has consistently improved since leaving UCLA for the NBA.  Ariza could be a great long-term fit but the Cavs appear unwilling to wait for a title.  In either scenario however, the Cavs will be in great shape.

In other news, Detroit has made the first big moves in the free agent market.  With their seemingly endless cap space they were able to pursue and sign both Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon.  The reported deals have Ben Gordon earning $55 million over 5 years and Villanueva raking in $40 million over 4 years.  Now all they need is a coach.

(Also it’s rumored Rudy Fernandez is pissed about the possible Hedo deal.  Watch it closely, he is reportedly considering heading back to Europe.)

You know that Heinekan commercial where a group of women scream with the sight of their friend’s new walk in closet only to over hear their husbands screaming louder with the sight of a walk in closet filled with beer? Well imagine that with Shaq and Artest joining in. Confused? Watch below.

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Jordan Hill gets off the ground fast but is down to earth

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Dino Gomez

When Jordan Hill showed up at the University of Arizona as a freshman, he was just tall. After 3 years in Tucson playing under 3 different coaches he is now tall and NBA caliber talented. As you may know,  Hill was drafted 8th overall in this recent 2009 NBA draft by the New York Knicks for his ability to be a beast on the court. This past season at Arizona he averaged exactly 18.3 points a game and 11 rebounds every contest even with his consistent foul trouble. What you may not know about him is that he is actually a gentle giant off the court. He is basically Sanka from Cool Runnings mon. Hill looks Jamican, acts Jamican, and may be Jamican? No but Hill is the first NBA player to join our Facebook page which is awesome. He is such a relaxed person that it is rumored that he would roll into McCale center at Arizona blasting Bob Marley from his ride as his choice of pre-game pump up music. You New York fans out there, how do you boo a player that jams to Marley? Anyways here is a great interview with th 6’10” power forward just days before he was drafted.

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The Power of Facebook and Twitter

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Dino Gomez

Facebook has indeed been around for a good while and Twitter has been blowing up as of the past year, but tkevin-love copy(1)hese two social media platforms can really do work for you if you so choose. About a month ago I was logged on to my Twitter account, Twitter.com/DinoGomez, and I was watching Around the Horn on ESPN. The discussion on the show turned towards Kevin Love’s Twitter page and his tweets regarding the NBA finals. The panel was arguing over whether Love’s tweets were insightful and they were discussing the whole idea of pro athletes on Twitter. After seeing this I decided to send a tweet directed at Kevin Love but that everybody could see on Twitter which said, “Hey the crew on Around the Horn was just discussing you and your tweets about the NBA finals. Good stuff.”

About twenty minutes later or so Kevin Love sent me a tweet back that was directed at Dino Gomez, one that everybody could see. ” What did they say about me.”

I didn’t get that tweet until a day or two later since I had logged off at the time, but it was great to see that Kevin Love responded directly to me . Of course I then recited to him what the panel on the show was saying about his Twitter account and the discussion between us ended. Now you may be thinking that because our conversation was so quick and consise that it was un-important. However that is why Twitter is so powerful, you can gain information so quickly and easily. I know Kevin Love went online to see exaclty what the panel on the show was saying about him as soon as I tweeted him because in a later tweet he referenced that he was a discusssion point on the show. In other words I was his first outlet to that information. The point I’m getting at is Facebook and Twitter will allow you to communicate with those individuals that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Therefore it is important that you use these platforms advantageously to speak with others and stay current on sporting news if you so choose.

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Blazers after the Turk

Posted on July 1, 2009 by stone86

At the 13 hour mark of the free-agent signing period fans are awaiting the first major deal.  Nonetheless, there are things to talk about.Turk + Trophy

It looks like the Portland Trailblazers, are in hot pursuit of Hedo Turkoglu.  Turkoglu would immediately improve the Blazers lineup, likely replacing Nicolas Batum in the starting rotation.  If the deal goes down minutes at the small forward spot might be thin for Blazer players, especially with the steady improvement of Travis Outlaw and the athletic youngster Batum.  Ignoring the issues of chemistry, the Blazer squad could look quite impressive, not to mention, HUGE. Although Brandon Roy isn’t taller than the prototypical two guard, he plays bigger than he is.  With: 6’10 Turkoglu at the three, the lanky 6’11 Lamarcus Aldridge at power forward and Joel “the vanilla gorilla” Pryzbilla inside, the Blazers would have the potential to create serious matchup problems.  If the deal goes down the Blazers will win the Northwest division.

Also, no big surprise here, it looks like Kobe will try to sign a contract extension with the Lakers instead of jumping ship.  The injury cursed Houston Rockets are rumored to be after backup Orlando Magic Center, Marcin Gortat, to replace Yao if his injury does prove to be season or career ending.  If, and this is a big if, the Rockets can sign Gortat or another decent center, retain Ron Artest and stay healthy they will still have a great squad.  One other note: it’s rumored Ben Gordon will end up a Piston.

Stay tuned as free agency continues to unfold, it’s bound to be fun.

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