Will Phil's new deal keep Kobe in LA?

Phil Jackson loves LA. He loves the short commute from his Playa Del Ray home to the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo. He presumably loves born and bred Los Angelian and owner’s daughter Jeanie Buss. He certainly loves the laid back California vibe. And now, he also apparently really loves the 2 year $24 million contract extension he got from the team.

But, while we’re happy for Phil and his 24 million new GWs, the first thought that came to mind when hearing this news, just like every other Laker-watcher we’re sure, was, "does this have any Kobe implications." Jackson himself was quick to address that question, telling a press room full of curious media on Thursday night, "The decision to return as coach and the decision to be asked to return as coach both had very little to do with Kobe Bryant and very little to do with the talent. It's about the situation here -- the proximity that I feel to this organization, the comfort I feel working for this organization and the progress I think we're making."

Ok, fair enough Phil. We understand that you can’t speak for Kobe. The proper messaging, for you folks in PR, was for Phil to address his own situation and not create unnecessary news by tieing it into anything related to Kobe, the trade demands and the summer of discontent. As always, nicely played Phil. Still, while $24 million is certainly plenty compelling, Jackson isn’t hurting for money or employment opportunities should he decide to leave Los Angeles. So, why then do you lock yourself in to 3 seasons with a team and an organization that seems to be teetering on the edge of chaos?

The Lakers squad as it is constituted today is nowhere near championship caliber. Young players like Jordan Farmar and Andrew Bynum, while showing some talent of late, is just as apt to induce a migraine headache with their still inconsistent play, as they are to garner praise. The GM is inept. They’re possibly one long losing streak, or Kobe outburst away from all hell breaking loose. The owner’s son doesn’t get along with the team’s superstar, and the superstar’s personality is bi-polar at best. So, unless Phil knows something that we don’t, as much as he loves LA and the $12 million per season, the extension just doesn’t add up.

Is the house that Jerry, Phil and Kobe built getting structural reconstruction behind the scenes? No-one on the outside looking in, from sports writers to fans, know the answer, but the circumstances, as they are, certainly make you wonder.

What we do know though is that Kobe seems happy – or happier. His much-maligned teammates are playing relatively well, he seems content with the role of facilitator and everyone is all smiles.

"I think it's great," Bryant said of the signing. "He's clearly, in my opinion, the greatest coach of all time. When you can lock him in, that's always a great sign."

Sign of what? That the Lakers are finally showing Kobe that they are serious about winning?

Where "really great basketball" happens!

The NBA marketing heads got it right, “amazing” really does happen in the L – or at least, it has so far this season. Seasons of recent memory barely register when taking into account what’s been happening so far in 2007. It seems that just about every team has players that we’re excited about watching, and several top ones that have talent that we’d easily pay good money to see. The rookies, from Durant to Belinelli, are fresh, exciting and fun to watch play. The stars are delivering like UPS, putting up crazy numbers. Scoring, in general, is up. Defense is solid. The games are fun again. Perhaps the only thing missing is a lot of last second shots. There were some, but more will come in due time.

The NBA, as it was in the early 80s and early 90s is in a state of bloom. While traditional powerhouses like San Antonio and Detroit continue to roll along like finely assembled Bentleys, new comers like the Orlando Magic and New Orleans Hornets are racing into prime position. It’s an exciting time to be a fan. Every night, there are individual match-ups and team rivalries that demand attention. Perhaps, it’s a good time to pony up for that NBA league pass. But, before we get ahead of ourselves, get too excited and start sounding like the aforementioned NBA marketing department let’s talk about what’s caught our attention during the young NBA season.

As the big time wins pile up, the Kobe trade talks simmer down

Understand that while we watch a lot of NBA basketball, the team that we follow the closest and watch the most is the Los Angeles Lakers, so we’ll start our trip around the NBA at Kobe’s house, Staples Center. Their mark of 6-3 and their current spot as the 8th best team in the Western Conference isn’t overly impressive, but the Lakers have probably been one of the top 3, or 4, most remarkable teams in the young season. Consider the teams they’ve played so far; Phoenix, Utah, New Orleans, Minnesota, Houston (twice), San Antonio, Detroit and Chicago. Take Chicago (2-7) and Minnesota (1-7) out of the equation, and the combined record of the Lakers’ remaining opponents is a whopping 50-24. And, all of those teams, barring serious injury or a miracle, will make the playoffs. That success is even more impressive when you consider that the roster’s average age at 23.8 (even with 33 year old Derek Fisher thrown in) is among the youngest in the league.

But while those numbers are well and good, does this Lakers team have the potential to make serious noise in the playoffs? Or, will it be a one and out yet again? The key to that answer is defense. In Kobe Bryant, LA has one of the most dominant scorers in the game, ever. So, offense shouldn’t be an issue. In fact, the Lakers are putting up 104 points per game this season, good for 5th highest in the league. Such was the case last year too, when they ranked 5th best in scoring, and the year before when they ranked 8th. The Lakers can score – Kobe and a team of trained monkeys could put up at least 100 points. The problem has been on the defensive end. While the Lakers are d-ing up now, can they keep up the intensity throughout the season and, most importantly, during the playoffs? If they can, and if they can also stay healthy, team Kobe has a legit shot at playing well into June. The key will be doing the little things on defense, pressuring the post passer, limiting penetration, being opportunistic with turnovers and just playing hard and smart on defense at all times. Good defense will keep Kobe in a Lakers uniform for a long time to come.

Smoke and mirrors behind Magic in Orlando

Another young team that has made its mark on the young season is the Orlando Magic. A record so far of 9-2 gives them a tie for the second best mark in the league with the New Orleans Hornets, along with a recent win against the best team, record wise, in the league, the new-look Boston Celtics. But, take a close look at the Magic roster and other than newly acquired Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard, and possibly point guard Jameer Nelson, the collection of names isn’t very impressive.

The Magic put up 102.8 points a game and more importantly yield 95.6 points on the defensive end, for a solid differential of 7.2 points per game. The Magic also shoot a ton of threes and a ton of free-throws – they’re 3rd in the league in 3 point attempts and 4th in the league in free-throw attempts. The Denver Nuggets are the only other team with that distinction of being in the top 5 in those 2 categories.

But, those are the only places that the Magic truly excel. Everywhere else, their stats are either pretty mediocre or not quite top 10. So, while the 9-2 record is impressive, other than the win against Boston, every other team that the Magic have beat so far this season, including Washington, Minnesota, Toronto, New York, Seattle, Cleveland and New Jersey, has a record of .500 or lower. While Orlando may not be as good as their gaudy record indicates, the team – with Lewis on the wing and Howard in the post – is probably talented enough to win a lot of games in a weak Eastern Conference. But, their lack of depth and overall talent level from 3-12 could be exposed during the playoffs.

The big 3

This just in, Boston is good! Not sure if Garnett had a little pre-season chat with Tom Brady, but the Celtics so far has been basketball’s version of the New England Patriots. KG, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and the rest is killing people, no prisoners. The numbers bear it out. Boston has the stingiest defense in the league, giving up a paltry 89.4 points per game. They are matching the stellar defense by scoring 102.7 per game for a differential of 13.2 points – by far the highest in the league (the Hornets and the Nuggets are tied for second in differential at 9.1 points per game).

The bottom line is that this revived version of the Celtics is legit and has the talent to get to the NBA finals. Some might argue that their early season schedule has been weak, but there’s no denying the supernova-like presence of the 3 All-Stars. Yes, in a seven game series, given the type of suffocating defense they play, the Cs have the ability to beat teams like the Spurs, Suns, Mavericks, et al.

One man show

Team achievements aside, individual players are also stepping up and impressing so far this season.

Among the rookies, Kevin Durant has possibly wrapped up the rookie of the year trophy earlier than any 1st year player in recent memory (perhaps because of the absense of one Mr. Oden, or perhaps not). Consider this, Durant is averaging close to 20 points per game (19.7 to be exact) and his closest competitor in that category is Yi “I live in Milwaukee, my neighbor is a cow…no really, a real cow” Jianlian. The Chinese sensation is averaging 10.3 points per game – no other rookie this year is even in double figures. You think David Stern isn’t already preparing his intro speech for Durant’s ROY trophy presentation?

But the rookies really only add to an NBA roster that is so incredibly talented right now. Sure you’ve got all-time names like Kobe, LeBron, Duncan, Wade, Nash, Garnett and Nowitzki, but then there is a second tier with amazingly talented guys like T-Mac, Carmelo, D-Howe, Ming, Pierce, Arenas and Iverson and a third tier with Vince Carter, Kevin Martin, Redd, Ginobili, Butler, Rashard, Jesus Shuttlesworth, Chris Paul, Durant and Marion and a fourth tier with Al Jeff, Aldridge, Deng, Barbosa, Gasol, Gerald Wallace -- there’s just so many players in the NBA today that can play, and are fun to watch. We haven’t had this much talent, top to bottom, in the league for a long, long time.

In 2007-2008, NBA action is fantastic! Oh wait, wrong adjective. It’s amazing!

Real estate brokers rejoice, a few millionaires may soon be house-hunting

You would assume that making millions of dollars and playing a game for a living would be more than enough to keep a man happy, but you’d of course be wrong. When we go to sleep later tonight, our dreams will be the life that NBA players live on a daily basis. Still, it’s not enough for them to remain content. For whatever reason – be it lack of success, perceived disrespect, communication breakdowns or general lack of drive – there are quite a few NBA players, some marquee names and others not so much, that could soon be on the next ship to tradesville.

Perennial All-Star Jermaine O’Neal has heard his name in trades for nearly two years, and neither he nor his boss Larry Bird make it a secret that a trade may be welcome. Earlier this year Bird essentially said that the Pacers will soon go young with Danny Granger and Shawne Williams as the franchise centerpieces, leaving current face of the franchise JO out of the conversation. Now O’Neal is saying, once again, that a trade out of Indiana might not be such as bad idea."If that situation presents itself, then that's what it is. I told those guys this summer that if you feel like you need a situation that you can better this team, I'm all for it because they've given me the opportunity to really achieve some of the things that I wanted to achieve and also establish my name,” O’Neal told the Boston Globe. The Pacers at 3-5 should make the move already and get more solid playing time for young players like the aforementioned Williams.

Next up is Smush Parker. It’s not as though Headbanded Marauder is eager to leave town, but management (ie. Pat Riley) has seen enough of this no game, pseudo NBAer. Parker never should have been a starting point guard in the NBA and really only got his shot at the league because the Lakers were desperate for a point man. Riley wants to trade Parker, but another GM would have to be pretty stupid to give up anything for his services. So, the Heat may have to release Parker outright. The Smush era in the NBA may thankfully be coming to an end.

Antoine Walker is felling lost and alone. Unloved, and like a stranger in a strange land. “What is this place they call Minne-sotta?” he may be apt to ask. Walker wants to leave the Timberwolves, so he can feel alive and cared for. "I don't know what I'm doing, I have no idea what my role is," Employee number eight told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "I wish somebody would come tell me. ... I don't know what I'm doing [in Minnesota]." The better question Antoine is what are you still doing in the NBA?

We told you about the whole Stephen Marbury saga, one which could very well end with Marbury and the Knicks winning the daytime Emmy in the best soap opera/drama category. Marbury returned and played, and even managed to score 13 points. But, the reality is that Steph is just going through the motions, the Knicks are calling around to other teams to find a good deal and this marriage is over.

Not sure whether it’s wishful thinking or actual recon evidence, but Detroit-based radio station 1270AM is reporting that if Kobe Bryant hadn’t used the no-trade clause in his contract and vetoed the deal he would be wearing a Pistons jersey and Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and a future first round draft pick would be wearing purple and gold. We tend to think that it’s all wishful thinking, but maybe, just maybe, 1270 AM has a really good recon team. Whatever the case, Kobe leaving Laker-land is still a very real possibility.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer seems to think that Eric Snow, once he returns from injury, will be packaged in a FedEx box and shipped out of town. With the emergence of Daniel Gibson, and the perpetually underachieving Larry Hughes available for spot point guard duty, the 86-year-old Snow has become expendable.

And now, some positive news. Golden State Warriors guard Baron Davis has the option of opting out of his current contract at the end of this season. But, while he is disappointed that the Warriors haven’t given him a new contract yet, he doesn’t think he’ll leave the Bay Area even if he becomes a free agent. "I don't think so," Davis told The Sacramento Bee. "I don't think [opting out] is going to be an issue. I've got two years. Opting out, I'll figure it out when the season's over, but I doubt it." Rejoice Warriors fans. Perhaps this bit of news will help you forget that your team is currently 0-6 and kind of suck…or not.

Tim Duncan gets it, Kobe Bryant not so much

The San Antonio Spurs announced that the team has extended the contract of Tim Duncan, ensuring that one of the best power forwards of all-time will remain a Spur until the end of the 2011-2012 NBA season. Duncan, who is 31 years old, will effectively retire as a Spur, given that he will be 36 years old when the contract expires.

But, it is not the length of the contract, but the total amount – which incidentally was revealed through the San Antonio Express-News – that caught our attention. According to the local paper, Duncan’s new deal will be worth about $40 million, and is structured in such a way that it will allow the Spurs to go after a big ticket free agent, or two, following the 2009-2010 season. In fact, Duncan, who was eligible for a max extension of $51 million under the collective bargaining agreement, chose to forego those approximately $11 million so that his team could bring in talented teammates, ensuring sustained excellence for the San Antonio Spurs.

In today’s NBA, where superstars asking for trades is a daily occurrence and team loyalty has gone the way of the buffalo, Duncan’s humility and clear understanding of the big picture – that winning is all that should really matter – is refreshing. Duncan clearly realizes that his individual legacy is closely tied to the team’s success, and he is willing to make the necessary sacrifices. This exact point is something that’s lost on players like Kobe Bryant, for example, who has held Lakers management hostage in his often schizophrenic bid to be traded out of Los Angeles.

Kobe seems to have a singular vision, to go down as the greatest player to ever suit up in the NBA. From his 81 point performance to his trade demands, everything Kobe does is predicated on being remembered as the guy who knocked Michael Jordan off the NBA throne. Like Duncan, Kobe also realizes that, despite the stellar individual resume, team success is the key to achieving that perch atop the NBA heap. Unfortunately, Kobe, unlike Duncan, is not willing to make the sacrifices, and hardly ever steps back to take a look at the big picture.

If their paths continue to diverge as they have over the last few seasons, when they finally retire, Duncan may be remembered as an all-time great champion in the mold of Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, and Jordan, while Kobe’s legacy may be nothing more than just another supreme talent that never learned to play nice with the other kids in the sandbox. Now, that fate would be devastating for Kobe’s massive ego.

While Kobe proves his commitment, former Laker Jerry West chimes in on the Bryant trade rumors

If you listened to the chatter around the Internet, popular opinion seemed to be that Kobe Bryant will put away all ill-will and bring it like a pro when the ball tips off. Of course, popular opinion doesn’t mean squat until Kobe plays his first regular season game. Coasting through the pre-season as he had done may be justifiable, but no one knew how much of a distraction Kobe would be until he stepped onto the court against the Houston Rockets on opening night. We were curiously watching Kobe’s body language, on the floor and on the bench. Did he seem engaged, or would the unbearable weight of a tumultuous summer and the awkward scenario that brings him into the season distract Kobe during the games that count?

For all Los Angeles fans watching the team lose a really close one to the Houston Rockets 95-93, one where Kobe controlled the game with 45 points, 8 boards and 4 steals, that question received a resoundingly positive answer. While Kobe seemed a little slow in chasing Tracy McGrady around picks and didn't shoot the ball particularly well, his game generally seemed to be in mid-season form. Kobe proved once again, that despite adversity, his on-court game will remain unaffected. He proved that he is indeed the consummate professional on the floor (off it, not so much). And of course, he still had to carry the Lakers squad on his shoulders offensively, but that's a conversation for another time.

The more central question still remains. And that is, whether Kobe Bryant will remain a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, and for how long. On this point, the opinion-makers are more fragmented. The “Kobe will go” camp seems to be just as vocal and strong in numbers as the “Kobe will stay” side. Of course, most of those opinions are rumors and innuendo, and don’t really mean a whole lot in the real world. But, in the sea of opinions there are a few worth listening to. One is when former Los Angeles Lakers guard and General Manager Jerry West chimes in on the Kobe Bryant saga.

Speaking to former ESPN-ite Dan Patrick on his new radio show West seemed to make it clear that he didn’t think Kobe Bryant would be traded any time soon. West said that the Lakers needed the star power of Kobe Bryant to fill the high-dollar seats at Staples Center -- Kobe being a chip that, when push comes to shove, owner Jerry Buss is probably not willing to give up. He also felt that other GMs around the league may themselves be hesitant in trading for Kobe Bryant, because of the mileage he has accumulated, having played 11 regular seasons in the league and participating in several long post-season runs. He questioned why another GM would trade their top young talent for the relatively old-at-29 Kobe Bryant.

When asked by Patrick, point blank, if he thought Kobe would be with the Lakers at the end of this year, West didn’t mince words in saying, “Yes, Kobe will be with the Los Angeles Lakers.” It’s still one man’s opinion of course, but when it’s the venerable Jerry West speaking we tend to listen.

2007-2008 NBA season predictions

Remember those high school yearbook predictions about which of your friends were “most likely to succeed”, or “most likely to be living in a van down by the river”? Remember those? Yeah, so do we. Reminiscing about the high-school days got us thinking, though. What if we looked at the upcoming 2007/2008 NBA season like it was one big high school cafeteria? You’ve got the popular kids like Iverson and LeBron. You’ve got your perfectionist loners like Kobe, entirely too focused to make any friends. Then you’ve got the foreign kids like Yao Ming and Manu Ginobili – still learning their place, but good at heart. And, of course, who can forget the nerds? See Tim Duncan, awkward, yet brilliant.

So, what would a season preview be like if we looked at the coming NBA campaign as if all of the NBA stars were enrolled in David Stern High School? Who (what team) would be the most likely to succeed (or win a championship)? Which student (read player) is most likely to become president (or league MVP)? Who is most likely to change (or improve)? All good questions, which demand good answers.

So without further adieu, we present our somewhat unconventional look at the 2007/2008 NBA season.

Let’s start with the team predictions.

“Most likely to succeed” – Phoenix Suns. Bad calls won’t stop the Suns from winning the championship this season. If Steve Nash and Grant Hill can stay healthy going into the playoffs, the Suns will overpower their opponents with their precision passing, unselfish play and lights-out shooting. We generally believe that defense wins championships, but no other team is good enough defensively themselves to slow down this Suns team. Phoenix will take home the championship this year.

“Most likely to fail” – Minnesota Timberwolves. Don’t get us wrong, for his age the kid can play. But when Al Jefferson is your best scoring option, your team has some serious issues. Kevin McHale wants to rebuild, but he’ll be starting from ground zero. George Mikan must be turning over in his grave. The T’Wolves will end up as the worst team in the league.

“Most likely to be a surprise success” – Portland Trailblazers. Too bad for them the Blazers are on the West Coast, because in the East, even without injured super rook Greg Oden, this squad could challenge for a playoff spot. Look for Brandon Roy, Martell Webster and Lamarcus Aldridge to form a formidable young trio, and watch the Blazers play with a lot of passion, hustle and heart. The Blazers will be the year’s biggest surprise.

“Most likely to go from the lottery to the playoffs” – New Orleans Hornets. Their three biggest stars, Peja Stojakovic, Chris Paul and David West each missed a good chunk of time at various points during the season last year, yet the Hornets finished only 3 games back of the final playoff spot. The rise of the Hornets will be complete in 2008, as coach Byron Scott has enough talent to lead this team into the playoffs.

“Most likely to get their coach fired” – New York Knicks. The Knicks have reloaded as only the Knicks can, bringing in even more headaches to an already migraine-inducing roster. Owner James Dolan was on the cusp of firing Coach Isiah Thomas last year, so even the smallest hiccup at MSG could see the end of “Zeke’s” tenure as a NBA coach.

Now on to the individual player predictions.

“Most likely to succeed” – LeBron James. With the status of consistent contributors Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic in limbo, LeBron James will be asked to do a lot more in order to keep the Cavaliers in top form. Expect LeBron to step up his game, lead the Cavs to the playoffs yet again, and take home his first season MVP trophy.

“Freshman of the year” – Kevin Durant. This one is a no-brainer. Durant is the most talented of the 2007/2008 rookie class, is in a perfect situation where he’ll be counted on to score a lot of points and is the ROY favorite going into the season. The odds are seriously stacked against other rookies like Al Horford and Mike Conley, Jr. Even if #1 pick Greg Oden didn’t get hurt, Durant would probably still take home the ROY hardware.

“Most likely to be a surprise success” – Danny Granger. The third season is usually the break-out year for most NBA youngsters, and Granger is in for the biggest break-out of all. The Pacers forward, who averaged 14 points and nearly 5 boards a game will take over as the legitimate second option behind Jermaine O’Neal. And with JO likely to miss his share of games, or possibly get traded, Granger is in line for some serious improvement in 2007/2008.

“Most defensive” – Emeka Okafor. If he can stay healthy, Okafor could easily lead the league in blocked shots. Wing players hardly ever win this award, so players like Gerald Wallace, Raja Bell and Bruce Bowen probably won’t get much consideration, and with Ben Wallace on the downside of his career Okafor is ready to step in and claim the best defensive player label.

“Most likely to move” – Jermaine O’Neal. While the Kobe Bryant trade rumors dominate the conversation and probably will do so until he is dealt at some point, the all-star most likely to be moved before the February trade deadline is the Pacers own Jermaine O’Neal. JO has a massive contract, nearing $20 million per season, and injury concerns, but team president Larry Bird is chomping at the bit to get the youth movement started asap – meaning Granger and Shawne Williams could soon take JO’s place as the face of the Indiana Pacers. Bird will likely find a suitor among one of the Eastern conference competitors looking to keep pace with the new-look Celtics.

Those are our capsule predictions of the upcoming NBA season. Now, let the games begin.

To trade Kobe, or not to trade Kobe

Will he go, or won’t he? Do a quick Google search and you’ll find hundreds of stories and nearly as many opinions on the fate of Kobe Bryant. The rumor of the day is that a Bryant trade could be imminent, with the Los Angeles Lakers having serious daily conversations with the Chicago Bulls, where Bryant and change could be traded for Loul Deng, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah.

But while the trade rumors in Los Angeles are as ubiquitous as the city’s omnipresent smog, the reality is that actually finalizing a deal involving Kobe Bryant is pretty complicated. Three different parties with 3 unique agendas – namely the Lakers, their trading partner (in this case the Bulls) and Kobe (who can veto any trades he doesn’t like) – all need to come to a serious consensus for any trade to happen. So, if Bulls GM John Paxon decides that Deng is too valuable to include in any trades – sorry, no deal. If the Lakers internally aren’t able to reach a consensus – with Jim Buss, Mitch Kup-cake and Jerry Buss on the “trade Kobe” side and Phil Jackson and Jeanie Buss on the “keep Kobe” end – it could be a very long wait for those hoping for a Kobe deal. If Kobe himself doesn’t like the management, city, roster, weather or highway system of a particular trade destination, then all the trade discussion in the world won’t get Kobe to approve the move.

The end result of course is that a Kobe deal, at this point at least, is probably highly unlikely. A lot of different pieces would need to fall into place, and that doesn’t quite seem to be happening. But what may happen, if the Kobe to the Bulls trade rumors persists and the names of the specific players involved in the rumored conversations solidify, more teams around the league will throw their hat into the fray. If you’re a NBA GM on the outside looking in and see that the Bulls are about to land the best player in the league with a package of Deng, Gordon, Thomas and Noah, you’re probably thinking “why not us.” You’re scrambling to pull together a package of your own, as you gain more insight into the Lakers possible threshold, in terms of the level of talent they’re seeking in return for Kobe Bryant.

The end result of all these “strong” rumors being out there is that the Lakers will inevitably get better offers, as competing GMs drive up the market price. Makes you wonder if the Bulls rumors aren’t being leaked by the Lakers themselves.

Kobe Bryant locker-gate 2007

It’s great to write for an independent blog, where we’re afforded perspective and the ability to watch stories happen and only dig into the ones that are actual news. Case in point: Kobe locker-gate 2007. Over the past several days, just about every sports writer spent a considerable amount of their professional time reporting on and writing about the sometimes inconsequential trials and tribulations of Kobe Bryant.

Did he clean out or clean up his locker? Did Mark Cuban stop dancing for a minute and call Mitch Kup-cake with a legitimate trade offer for Kobe's services? Are Phil Jackson and Jeanie Buss conspiring to drive a wedge between Jerry Buss and Bryant? Are any of the current Chicago Bulls’ players house-shopping in the So-cal area? The questions, over the past week, ranged in degree from mildly ridiculous to utterly inane.

We can’t fault the sports writers, of course. This is the nature of the overly sensational media, as it is today. Can’t you just envision a conversation like the following?

Editor at a daily newspaper: Did you hear Kobe cleaned out his locker and is sitting out of practices? He could be traded any minute and we’re not writing about this?

Sports writer at a daily newspaper: We’re not because it’s about as newsworthy as my dog switching to a new brand of pet food. Kobe cleaned up his locker, and a lot of veterans don’t practice in the pre-season. You want me to write a story every time a player removes his dirty shorts from the team’s locker room?

Editor: Kobe said that any trades are up to the front-office. Why is he being aloof? Is there some hidden meaning behind all this? What do we pay you for? Our readers want answers, now! Seriously, you don’t need to do much, just write the words Kobe, Phil, Buss and Lakers and connect them together with whatever other random words…and watch the readers roll in.

Sports writer: Are you serious? Ok, whatever. I’ll make some calls. Can’t believe I actually put up with this nonsense, it’s driving me…

Editor: Did you say something?

Sports writer: No, nothing.

And so it goes, in a pre-season that hasn’t produced a whole lot of significant news, the need to fill column space drives editors to demand and writers to write the most inconsequential stories, like those seen and read during Kobe locker-gate 2007. How about getting back to the issue of the basketball at hand?

In case you didn't know, the Lakers played in an exhibition game last night against the very young Seattle Sonics. Kobe scored 20 points in 18 minutes and looked fine, though naturally a bit distracted. Andrew Bynum, who has been rock-solid this preseason, scored 19 points and pulled down 10 boards, showing off his soft hands around the basket. Bynum’s back-to-the-basket game still needs a ton of work, but at least he seems to be more confident. Jordan Farmar also looked good, but, given his size, his place is best as a sparkplug off the bench. Speaking of sparkplugs, Ronnie Turiaf needs to hit the boards, or he won’t hang on to the starting power forward gig for too much longer. And, the Lakers defense still doesn't look too good, which could render any offensive improvement moot anyway.

Wow, we’re actually talking basketball. What a novel concept!

Lakers saga continues, owner Jerry Buss comments on Kobe's future

Wow, that didn’t take long. Mere days after we had posted about Kobe Bryant and the Lakers being all smiles on the first day of training camp, Lakers owner Jerry Buss interviews with the Los Angeles Times and proceeds to throw gasoline on what was becoming a relatively slow-burning flame. Buss confirmed that the Lakers did consider some available trade options involving Kobe Bryant this past summer, and when the player is able to opt out in 2 seasons, or even before then if the Lakers don’t have significant success, he could once again entertain similar trade discussions. Not that any of his revelations are particularly groundbreaking or newsworthy, but the timing of the interview did peak our curiosity.

"I would certainly listen," Buss said, when asked if he would consider trade offers for Kobe. "At any time, I think you have to do that with anybody. It's just part of the game, to listen to somebody who has a dissatisfied player that you think is going to fit. You can't keep too many loyalties. You've got to look at it as a business. He looks at it the same way I look at it."

"I tend not to think in basketball terms that many years down the road because things change so dramatically, but he could test the waters at that point," Buss continued. "If he still is in that frame of mind, then hopefully we can do a sign-and-trade and get some comparable talent. I would like to think that we win between now and then so that it doesn't come up."

There really are only two explanations on why Buss would even do this type of interview, only days removed from Bryant showing up at Lakers training camp with a seemingly renewed commitment. Either Jerry Buss, who is known for his partying, was seriously inebriated while speaking with Mike Bresnahan of the Times, or, as we had speculated, while Bryant is putting on the façade of a satisfied employee, his underlying ultimatum of “get better, or else” is still very much in play.

Buss, for his part, is simply setting the media table and crafting public perception in preparation for the day that Kobe may act up and ask out of the Lakers once again. He can then throw up his hands and say, “What? Me?” Can’t wait, it should be a very emotionally up and down, highly interesting season in Lakerland.

Kobe Bryant is all smiles at Lakers media day

At least for one day, it’s all sunshine and gummy bears in Los Angeles. Not only did Kobe Bryant show up to Los Angeles Lakers media day, but just as we had speculated, he was actually happy to be there – towing the company line like some middle management suck-up. Sure Bryant seems to be letting the inept Lakers management off the hook yet again, but, given his seemingly positive attitude on Monday, Lakers fans aren’t complaining.

When asked about his tumultous summer that was, Bryant gave Mitch Kup-cake and ownership a huge pass by saying that his May outburst and trade demands were out of line and came out of sheer frustration. He revealed, just as we had thought, that he and Lakers management had hammered out their differences behind the scenes and were ready to take on the 2007-2008 season with everyone on the same page.

"We purposely didn't say anything because we wanted to keep things to ourselves," Bryant said about his summer of silence. "There was just too much going on - things get misconstrued. We don't need that. We don't need any distractions for the season. There was never a doubt I was coming to camp. They knew that, I knew that. I know they tried [to make a major trade]. It wasn't a lack of effort. That means a lot to me."

"I'm ready to play. I'm in shape, guys look good. I'm ready to go. My job is to come out here on the floor, help us win ballgames." He continued. "I'm a soldier. It's not my decision to say whether or not we should fight the war. My focus and my mind has to be on this team. We have an uphill battle. I'm going to do all I can to help us win."

But, don’t let the love-fest fool you boys and girls, the issues that boiled over in May are far from resolved. Whether it’s midway through the season or at the start of next summer, we probably haven’t heard the last of the Kobe Bryant trade rumors.

For Kobe Bryant it is deja-vu all over again

The Los Angeles Lakers 2006-2007 training camp began on October 3, 2006. Kobe Bryant was coming off a knee surgery. He missed, perhaps thankfully, the brutal Team USA World Championship run. He was clearly annoyed by the level of talent around him and essentially stopped playing in the second half of game seven against the Phoenix Suns, seemingly in protest. The inept Mitch Kup-cake, as he does every summer since his tenure began, made no signings of any real consequence, brining in journeymen Vladimir Radmanovich, Maurice Evans and Shammond Williams as the only key additions via free agency or trade. Despite all that, Kobe stayed positive and came into last season’s training camp ready to lead his rag-tag bunch of young ballers to the NBA promised land.

"We made some key additions with those guys," Bryant said then. "We turned some heads the way we performed last season. We were a very young team. We're still a young team. I think it will be exciting."

Of course, we all know that the following season didn’t turn out very exciting at all for the Lakers or their fans, as the team was ousted once again in the first round by the same Phoenix Suns. During the series, the young Lakers missed shots, committed turnovers and essentially frustrated Kobe, and Coach Phil Jackson, to no end.

Fast-forward to now...

So, here we are, with the Lakers 2007-2008 training camp about to get under way. This time around, Kobe isn’t talking anymore, his summer has been even more eventful, and surreal, than ever and Lakers fans are pulling their hair out, frustrated, yet again, by the lack of any significant player moves by the dysfunctional front-office and ownership. Is it really any wonder why Kobe Bryant seemed to have lost his mind earlier this summer? He has carried what is essentially an NBDL roster, or at best one of the least talented and athletic teams in the NBA, into the playoffs on his back for 2 straight seasons.

Of course, given the fact that Kobe is indeed showing up to camp, his 360 change of tactic from talk-radio regular to his monk-like vow of silence since, coupled with the barrage of “no comment” from Lakers management, seems to indicate that there has been some discussion behind the scenes with all parties involved in the soap opera. Unless Lakers management is even more inept than they seem, it’s fair to assume that Kobe, Phil, Jerry, Jim and Mitch, or some combination thereof, got on a conference call at some point late in the summer and agreed to disagree for the time being.

Really, the two sides are at an impasse – Kobe is bound to the Lakers by the 2 years left on his contract before he can opt out and Jerry Buss and ownership is bound to Kobe by mandate of the Lakers fans that pay so many thousands of dollars to sit courtside and watch #24 play. Given this scenario, as we had speculated earlier, it makes sense for both sides to resume business as usual, or as usual as possible given the circumstances.

Kobe, we’re sure, in collusion with Phil Jackson, has given the Lakers management an ultimatum. Whether that ultimatum runs out at the February trade deadline, next summer or in 2 years, we’re not sure. But, one thing we are sure of is that Lakers management, Kup-cake included, know that this is their last shot with Kobe. If the Lakers aren’t successful next year, or if management isn’t able to bring in solid, veteran talent soon to run with Kobe, “Black Mamba’s” days in a Lakers uniform is severely numbered.

Shawn Marion asks for a trade; May be headed to the Lakers

The Shawn Marion trade rumors have been percolating all summer, but today things came to a boil as the aptly nicknamed “Matrix” flatly asked for a trade out of Phoenix. Marion told the Arizona Republic that he is “tired of hearing” his name in trade rumors and that “it’s time to move on.” It’s the same old song and dance that’s become the MO for disgruntled superstars in the NBA. Marion, who has been unsuccessfully seeking a contract extension at a whopping $20 million per season from the Suns, feels that he has been disrespected and that the organization lied to him, blah, blah, blah. Marion said that he would report to training camp and take part in all mandatory training camp and pre-season activities, but for a team positioned for a serious run at the championship trophy this soap-opera could become a major distraction.

Perhaps to quell the issue before it becomes a full-blown national emergency, it seems that Phoenix is considering some trade scenarios. According to reports, some of which may be wishful thinking than actual intelligence, Marion has been mentioned in trades involving both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz. The key players going to Phoenix as part of these trades would be Lamar Odom from the Lakers, or the disgruntled Andrei Kirilenko from the Jazz. Marion, for his part, would welcome a chance to play with his good buddy Kobe Bryant in LA.

"You have a great organization, great ownership there with the Lakers. I don't see no problems with playing there," Marion told the Sportingnews.com today.

For Utah the trade makes some sense, as they’d be ridding themselves of a head-ache and getting a perennial All-Star in return. But, we’re not sure if Marion, who nixed a trade to Boston earlier this summer (before the Cs traded for Garnett straight up), would welcome a trade to the land of dinosaurs and Mormons. Marion, among other things, is unhappy with being the third option behind Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire on a loaded Phoenix squad, so we’re not sure if he’ll appreciate being the third option behind Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer in Utah.

As for the Lakers, given his comments we’re sure Marion would welcome the trade, but swapping small forward Odom with small forward Marion amounts to a horizontal move for Kobe’s crusaders. The Lakers would be wise to target a back-to-the-basket big man, like Jermaine O’neal for example, that can pass the ball out of the paint, and thrive within the triangle offense. Marion really only excels in the fast-break game, a concept which is almost alien to the current Lakers squad and their coach Phil Jackson.

Then there is the root issue of Marion’s demands for a contract extension with a yearly salary of $20 million-plus. The “Matrix” may be a solid player, but he must be living in an alternate reality if he thinks his game is worth that money – that’s Kevin Garnett, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant money. What advantage do the Lakers get by trading a small forward that fits somewhat within the triangle for one that will stick out like a sore thumb, and paying the new guy $7 million more per season?

The Sportingnews.com reports that the chances of the Lakers deal happening is about “50-50”. But, if the deal does go through, the chances of the Lakers suddenly becoming a championship contender with Shawn Marion on the roster, and Lamar Odom not, is probably 0 percent.

2008: The summer of all-stars

With Kobe Bryant going bi-polar, Tim Donaghy likely going away to jail for a long time and Kevin Garnett going “green”, the summer of 2007 was certainly eventful in the world of the NBA. But, if you thought the happenings of this summer were exciting or newsworthy, you might need to take a seat before reading the names of high-profile NBA players who could potentially become free agents when summer 2008 rolls around. The list reads like a who’s who of NBA all-stars, with Mr. points-per-minute Gilbert Arenas leading the pack.

Granted, some of the players listed below will likely re-sign with their respective teams (see Tim Duncan) and some, like Marion and O’Neal may be traded during the 2007 season, but all of the following players carry the dreaded ETO moniker next to their names. ETO, or early termination option, allows a player to opt out of the remaining years of his contract, meaning if they so chose each of these stars could become unrestricted free agents during the summer of 2008.

Point Guards: Allen Iverson, Baron Davis, Stephon Marbury, Gilbert Arenas
Shooting Guards: Corey Maggette
Small Forwards: Ron Artest, Antawn Jamison
Power Forwards: Elton Brand, Shawn Marion, Tim Duncan
Centers: Jermaine O’Neal

Other unrestricted free agents next summer include:

Sam Cassell, Kwame Brown, Maurice Evans, Stromile Swift, Jason Williams, Ricky Davis, Juwan Howard, Bruce Bowen

Oh, in case you were wondering, the self-labeled "Black Mamba" can’t opt out of his contract until the end of the 2008-2009 season. So, he’s stuck with the Lakers, whether he likes it or not, for at least 2 more seasons.

In The News: September 5, 2007

Calling Kobe Bryant confident is like saying Ferraris are fast – it goes without saying. The Los Angeles Lakers and recently minted Team USA star displayed some of that bravado during his current whirlwind, Nike-sponsored trip to Asia by announcing that he is confident that the US National team can win gold during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. Kobe said that this US Team will face a “much greater” challenge at the Olympics than what the 1992 Dream Team led by Magic, Jordan and Bird faced in Atlanta. "We're preparing for (the Olympics) like we were playing for the NBA finals,” Kobe said.

Michigan takes monumental tumble

From being ranked number 5 to being clear out of the AP Top 25, the Michigan Wolverines took the largest tumble in the NCAA college football rankings since the poll expanded to 25 teams. The Maize and Blue lost this past weekend to former Division 1-AA school Appalachian State, marking what some are calling the biggest upset in the history of college football. If you think Michigan Wolverine fans were devastated by the loss to the lowly Mountaineers, imagine how Michigan football head coach Lloyd Carr must be feeling right about now. Carr, who was contemplating retirement after season’s end, might want to speed up those proceedings.

Don't sleep on Formula One

The Formula One season rolls into Monza, Italy this weekend for the aptly-named Italian Grand Prix. With only five races to go until season’s end, two drivers each from Ferrari and McLaren are locked in an incredibly close race for the coveted drivers’ championship. McLaren teammates Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, who have had a rather contentious relationship, are at the top of the standings, with Alonso only 5 points behind Hamilton. While, Ferrari teammates Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, who seem to be on better terms, having finished one-two at the recent Turkish Grand Prix, are third and fourth respectively in driver points. The remaining five races will be a literal sprint to the finish and should be a lot of fun to watch. The Italian Grand Prix will be shown on Speed TV on Sunday, September 9 at 3:00pm Eastern.

Beckham's former coach has serious beef

Soccer star David Beckham’s former coach, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, doesn’t think the former “Man U” star has what it takes to significantly increase the sport’s profile in the US.

"It is difficult with David going there. I don't know what kind of impact he can make," Ferguson said. "David Beckham himself can't change the whole country. In European soccer, and especially in British soccer, you can travel easily. If you are in Boston and need to go to Los Angeles, it's a six-hour flight. Supporters don't travel, so you are missing that rivalry between fans."

Soccer wasn’t specifically the only subject discussed, as Ferguson addressed an audience in Glasgow, Scotland. It seems that the Manchester United manager isn’t a big fan of Beckham’s high profile spouse, Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls, either.

"He was never a problem until he got married," Ferguson continued. "He was a fantastic young lad. Getting married into that entertainment scene was a difficult thing -- from that moment his life was never going to be the same. He is such a big celebrity, soccer is only a small part."

Apple drops iPhone price. Is a sleeker version planned at the original price point?

Only month's after its launch, Apple cut the price of its decidedly cool iPhone from the original $599 to a somewhat affordable $399. Historically, particularly with its line of iPods, Apple has been known to hold the launch price point well into the product's lifecyle, so the quick price-cut on the iPhone is a clear indication that the product may be falling behind the company's sales targets. So, while At&T network users are the still the only consumers that can buy and use an iPhone (unless you use this hack), the new $200 cheaper price point should help move a lot of the devices this fall. The price-cut though brings up an interesting question. Is Apple planning on bringing a newer, sleeker, cooler iPhone to market at the original $599 price point soon?

Team USA experience could be a turning point for Kobe Bryant

If this summer has taught us anything, it’s that Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has one of the most complex and intriguing personalities in sports. He is at the same time relentlessly loyal, extremely impulsive, and very competitive, easily influenced, sometimes hardheartedly emotional and stubborn to a fault.

Bryant entered his tumultuous summer with a bitter loss to the Phoenix Suns in the fist round of the NBA playoffs for the second straight season, flip-flopped more than former presidential candidate John Kerry on his desire, or lack thereof, to stay with the Lakers, threw a couple of his teammates, most notably Andrew Bynum, under a double-decker bus, proceeded to take a vow of silence without coming to any sort of resolution on his trade demands, and revived Michael Jordan’s original Dream Team role on this year’s Team USA squad by showcasing suffocating defensive play and, shockingly enough, mature leadership. Having begun the summer on a low note and ending it with a seemingly cathartic run in the FIBA Americas Tournament, which finished on Sunday with a triumphant drubbing of Argentina 118-81, Kobe’s roller coaster summer hit the end of the line this week.

Given the positive vibes of the Team USA experience, what is Kobe’s current mindset? Does he remain stubborn and stick to his principles that he holds so dear, and continues to demand a trade out of LA? Or, has the team-first environment and camaraderie of the FIBA experience kindled his other strong personality traits like loyalty to his team?

The second redemption of Kobe Bryant

The key is that Kobe seems to be in a positive state of mind going into Lakers training camp in October, and we believe that he’ll be there, ready to make another run. Not only will he play for the Lakers next season, but the team-first attitude that he put on display at the FIBA Americas Tournament will carry over into the regular season with his NBA squad.

"[Kobe] tried to lobby all of us (to come to L.A.)," Team USA teammate Michael Redd said recently. "We all have tried to lobby everybody to come to our teams. I told Carmelo, there's going to be no tolerance for our teams when we get back to camp."

Wondering why Kobe would be lobbying other NBA stars to come to LA, if he so wants to leave town himself?

In the coming season, expect Kobe Bryant to take yet another step forward in the evolution of his game on the court and his leadership off it. Expect Kobe to trust his teammates on the floor and be more forgiving of their deficiencies.

Unlike last season, he will no longer be alone in shouldering the pressure of the storied Lakers organization and fans. Expect Kobe to lean heavily on his long-time pal Derek Fisher both on and off the court, to relieve some of that burden. Expect Kobe Bryant, just like he did coming off the adulterous debacle in Colorado, to redeem himself and rebuild his image in the upcoming season. He alienated many of his fans with his actions earlier this summer; expect him to erase that bitterness with his play on the court and his candor off it. The Team USA experience seems to have yielded a kindler, gentler Kobe Bryant. Expect him to translate that positive experience into a productive 2007-2008 season with the Lakers.

Lakers will need to reward Kobe’s loyalty

Of course, all of this doesn’t take the Lakers front office off the hook in the least bit. Kobe will continue to demand for added help. The Lakers will surely need to make some moves, because Kobe will keep the pressure on high (hopefully, behind closed doors). Whether it’s using Kwame Brown’s large expiring contract to yield another front-line starter in return, or orchestrating a creative trade for a player like Jermaine O’Neal, owner Jerry Buss and GM Mitch Kupchak will need to improve the talent on the Lakers roster. They owe it to their uber-competitive superstar and they owe it to Laker fans everywhere.

In The News: August 31, 2007

Team USA coasted past what was supposed to be their toughest challenge of the FIBA Americas Tournament. Led by Kobe Bryant’s 27 points, the US squad beat Argentina 91-76. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix looks at four things we learned about Team USA coming out of last night’s game.

Louisville scored on all but one possession of the game, and Heisman hopeful Brian Brohm threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns, mostly by the start of the third quarter, as the Cardinals beat hopelessly overmatched Murray State 73-10. Despite the lopsided score the game was pretty fun to watch, as college football season kicked off last night. Here is the TV schedule for the remainder of this weekend’s college football games.

Speaking of college football, check out the 2007-2008 Maryland Terrapins football schedule.

The buzz around the Google phone continues to build. Will it live up to the hype? The image below is one of the many representations of what it might look like.

If you want one of the 60GB PlayStation 3s at $499, you better act now. Soon, all you’ll find are the new 80GB models at the usual and outrageous $599 price point.

Apparently, some Chinese Shaolin monks are a little peeved about an Internet rumor that they were once beaten in hand-to-hand combat by Japanese Ninjas. We didn’t know Shaolin monks actually surfed the Internet, what with the whole simplicity and zen of life thing. But if they are, what are they actually searching for? The world may never know. What do you think? Who would win in a fight, Ninja vs. Shaolin monk?

Rapper sues Canada, wants Kobe Bryant to testify

Earlier this year, a Detroit-based rapper filed a lawsuit against Canada – yes, the country – for $900 million. At the time, the self-professed hate rapper Jerome Almon, whose songs include such classics as “How Stella Got Her Backhand”, claimed that his right to entertain the throngs of Canadian hip-hop fans was being severely limited because of unusual harassment by pesky and devious Canadian customs officers. Almon alleges that during 117 of his 120 trips north of the border – a whopping 98 percent of the time – he was detained and questioned by Canadian officials.

"My complaint is rather simple. I'm alleging that Canada Customs and Immigration are barring me from entering Canada to conduct business because I'm a black rapper from Detroit," the 41-year old Almon said as he filed his suit. "Their claim is that I have not turned in a police clearance to enter Canada as required by Canada Immigration and that I have a criminal record. Everything stops when the customs people run my name in their computers. Next thing you know there are cops everywhere."

Almon’s hearing has been set for September 22, where he’ll attempt to convince a judge that Canadians as just as disgusted by rap music as they are with NHL teams moving to US cities. To strengthen his case during the hearing, Almon has asked the judge to subpoena an impressive list of his closest “friends” to testify. Jay-Z, Eminem, Condoleeza Rice, Snoop Dogg, Paris Hilton, two Taliban officials, Colin Powell, Martha Stewart, Mick Jagger, Spike Lee and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant were among the 37 celebrities listed by Almon as potential witnesses who can corroborate his wild claims. It remains to be seen how many of Almon’s powerful allies will actually show up to the hearing – or even has a clue that Almon exists – but it hasn’t stopped the ambitious hip-hopper from trying.

Some may believe that this is all a publicity stunt. And by reporting on the news we’re only propagating the hype. But, the circumstances are simply too bizarre to ignore and leave on the sidelines of the blogosphere.

All we can say is: what a Hoser!

The top ten players in the NBA, or David Stern is mad

David Stern is sitting in his pimped-out office at NBA headquarters on 645 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, mere blocks from Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center, contemplating the state of his beloved league. TV ratings for the NBA Finals are just about lower than reruns of the Tyra Banks Show, NBA referees were last seen buying helmets and shoulder-pads in preparation for the post-Donaghy era, one of his draft picks, Chinese sensation Yi Jianlian, seems to think that all Milwaukee residents ever do is milk cows and eat cheese and a rogue group of millionaires are intent on extraditing the Sonics franchise to Oklahoma City of all places. And, these problems only begin to scratch the surface of dilemmas on Stern’s, admittedly brilliant, mind.

Given this unyielding pressure, let’s assume that Stern finally snaps and calls a hasty press conference to announce that in order to add some much needed spice to the beleaguered league he is breaking up the NBA, declaring every player a free agent and instituting a draft, fantasy basketball-style, from a pool of all 490+ NBA players. The fantasy NBA draft, where the largest US markets by population will select in order, is set for Tuesday, August 28, 2007 (Stay with us people, this article is definitely going somewhere).

Who Would Isaiah Thomas Pick?

Following the announcement New York Knicks GM Isaiah Thomas throws the greatest party the world has ever seen – having in an instant rid himself of the horrible contracts, and equally appalling talent, that he’s so unskillfully amassed over the years. But, with the first pick of the NBA fantasy draft he then proceeds to pick oft-injured forward Chris Webber and immediately signs him to a 6 year contract worth a record $192 million.

“We were looking for versatility with our first pick and Chris Webber is THE most versatile power forward in the league today,” Thomas tells reporters. “I happened to see some game tape from when Chris played for the Golden State Warriors and I was completely sold! I ordered my assistant coaches to burn all of the subsequent footage of Chris’ games, because I had seen enough! As long as Chris can remember how many timeouts we have left, I feel we have the steal of the draft, at the first pick no-less.”

Simultaneously a massive splash is heard in the East River, as every single red-blooded New York Knicks fan jumps off the Brooklyn Bridge, incidentally setting a new Guiness World Record for the most people simultaneously jumping off bridges – the Los Angeles Lakers are on the clock.

The 2007 NBA Fantasy Draft

Given this scenario, as fanciful as the circumstances may sound, it got us thinking; If your franchise had a top ten pick in the 2007 NBA fantasy draft, where your owner could select any NBA player he chose, what would that draft look like? (Note: David Stern set the draft order based on the top ten US markets by population that also currently has an NBA franchise – so, no San Diego or San Jose).

Jerry Buss Drives Kobe Bryant Nuts

Stern walks out to the podium at Madison Square Garden. “With the 2nd pick the Los Angeles Lakers select Kobe Bryant.” After giving some thought to Dwayne Wade and LeBron James for about 2 seconds, the Lakers are more than content to bring their disgruntled superstar back into the fold. On both ends of the floor Kobe Bryant is a more skilled player than James or Wade – he’s a better shooter, better defender and a better clutch scorer. Yes, he’s older, but Kobe is still in his prime and the Lakers – the glamorous franchise that it is – wants to win now. Kobe Bryant, for his part, immediately goes on The Today Show, Larry King Live, Meet the Press, Inside the Actor’s Studio and American Idol, and asks to be traded. He even accepts a role in the next Will Farrell basketball-based movie where he ironically plays an NBA superstar asking to be traded.

With the 3rd pick the Chicago Bulls select LeBron James. Bulls GM John Paxon loves James’ unselfish play and his ability to physically overpower just about every other guard and most small forwards in the league. Besides, LeBron is certainly the leader in the clubhouse of over-exposed NBA superstars and fits right into that media-friendly role vacated by “his airness” Michael Jordan. After learning that Jordan’s number “23” is perpetually retired, LeBron successfully petitions the league to switch his jersey number to the roman numerals XXIII.

With the 4th pick the Houston Rockets select Tim Duncan. With Kobe Bryant and LeBron James off the board, the clear selection is the crazy bank-shooter from the Virgin Islands. Besides, Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey takes a little pleasure in snagging the four-time NBA champion from their cross-state rivals the San Antonio Spurs. Duncan, for his part, is devastated by the move for having to leave his long-time friend David Robinson back in San Antonio. He takes up writing Haiku and hiking to get over the seemingly devastating pain and a hopelessly broken heart.

With the 5th pick the Philadelphia 76ers select Dwayne Wade. It feels like deja-vu all over again for Wade, who was originally picked 5th overall by the Miami Heat in the real NBA draft. The Philadelphia franchise for its part is ecstatic to bring in a superstar guard that doesn’t believe he’s playing within a black hole and actually acknowledges the other four players on the floor with him, and values the importance of practice – a unique player indeed!

Hassellhoff and Nowitzki in the same frontcourt?

With the 6th pick the Phoenix Suns select Dirk Nowitzki. As tempting as it must have been to draft Steve Nash in this spot, and not break up the good vibes they have going in the valley of the sun, Nowitzki and his versatile game is entirely too much to pass up at this pick – particularly given Nash’s advanced age. Phoenix likes shooters at every position, so what better anchor to a shooting team than a 7-footer who can light it up from anywhere on the floor. Nowitzki could not be more excited, as he pops in his latest David Hassellhoff CD and jumps into his drop-top convertible for the long road-trip from Dallas to Phoenix. (He’s German, give him a break)

With the 7th pick the San Antonio Spurs select Amare Stoudemire. Having lost out on the Tim Duncan sweepstakes, Spurs GM R.C. Buford looks to fill the void left at Power Forward. The surgically repaired knees are a bit of a concern, but given Stoudemire’s youth, he was graded slightly higher on the Spurs’ draft board than players like Gilbert Arenas, Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Steve Nash. In the subsequent rounds – in a clear ploy to confuse Spurs fans and TV announcers everywhere -- Buford attempts to build the all-Stoudemire team by also drafting Damon Stoudamire and Salim Stoudamire to play alongside Amare.

With the 8th pick the Dallas Mavericks select Kevin Garnett. The choice for Mark Cuban came down to Garnett or young power forward stud Chris Bosh. Sure Bosh has the age thing going for him, but Cuban wants to win now. Garnett probably couldn’t lead a gaggle of ducks to water, but the seeming lack of leadership skills are perfectly counterbalanced by his unearthly rebounding and defense, heart and hustle. Besides, Mark Cuban has never heard of Chris Bosh, but he did see Garnett in that Adidas commercial where the NBA star freakishly appeared from inside some type of plant.

Spontaneous combustion and the all-NBA legend team

With the 9th pick the Detroit Pistons select Chris Bosh. Just missing out on Garnett, and with Steve Nash still sitting in the green room, the Pistons take one of the most exciting and talented young players in the NBA today. Bosh’s workmanlike game and team-first attitude is a perfect fit for the “motor city” and its clever GM Joe Dumars. Everyone is happy and all seems well, but as Bosh sits down to calculate the amount of actual tax dollars he’ll save in the US, as opposed to his last Canada-based team, his head spontaneously combusts and explodes into a thousand pieces. The Pistons are back on the clock.

With the 9th and a half pick the Detroit Pistons select Yao Ming. The Chinese population in Troy, Michigan couldn’t be more excited, and Yao Ming is thrilled right along with them. (How can you not like Yao Ming?)

With the 10th pick of the 2007 NBA fantasy draft the Indianapolis Pacers select Dwight Howard. With Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash, Gilbert Arenas and Tracey McGrady still on the board, the Pacers go for a power forward, following the mantra that unless there’s a player at guard that is truly head-and-shoulders above the rest always select a big man. Overcome with excitement, Dwight Howard takes a running jump, reaches the top of Conseco Field House and puts a large life-size sticker of his smiling mug on the arena roof. Pacers GM Larry Bird announces that his team will no longer participate in the rest of the fantasy NBA draft, but will instead field a team with himself, and pals Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwan, Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Kevin McHale, Patrick Ewing, Robert Parish, James Worthy and Dominic Wilkins around his young star.

Whether it’s age in the case of Steve Nash, health in the case of Tracy McGrady, poor shot selection in the case of Gilbert Arenas or the unusual personality and the lack of defense in the case of Carmelo Anthony, those four players were left out of the top ten in David Stern’s fantasy NBA draft. Teams went for size for sure, but outside of Chris Webber of course, we believe the players drafted would probably go in the same order if this type of draft were to happen in real life.

Disagree? (or agree). Post your comments now by clicking below.

In The News: August 27, 2007

Team USA finished the preliminary round of the FIBA Americas Tournament with a perfect, never in doubt, 4-0 record. Led by 21 points each from Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James and 20 points, and what is now becoming his trademark suffocating defense, from Kobe Bryant, Team USA beat the Brazilian National Team by a final score of 113-76. In reality, the game wasn’t nearly that close, as the US Senior National Team pulled away in the late second and third quarters. Extensive fourth quarter garbage-time against the Team USA second team produced the final relatively respectable tally. We could go on here and discuss the talent laden Brazilian team and the fact that they will likely pose the greatest challenge to Team USA during the FIBA tournament, but that in-depth discussion isn't really necessary. This version of Team USA looks good, really good. They’re starting to develop the type of swagger where Brazil could be replaced with any number of teams, from Germany to Argentina, and it wouldn’t really matter – the result would likely be the same. Team USA hasn’t had that type of sway since the original 1992 Dream Team, or 1996 Olympic team.

Leave My Sister Out of This!

If you follow soccer, or perhaps even if you don’t, you’ll likely remember French legend Zinedine Zidane treating Marco Materazzi of the Italian National team like a soccer ball at the World Cup last year with the infamous head-butt. At the time, both Zidane and Materazzi refused to discuss the exchange of words leading up to the surreal incident. But, with a new book on the episode coming out soon, Materazzi went into full publicity mode to let the world know exactly what he said to his French counterpart. We’re still not sure if Zidane should have resorted to an ejection inducing head-butt particularly during such an important game for his team, but you can certainly understand his anger. Materazzi’s lewd comments were entirely too harsh, as retaliation to the relatively tame trash-talk by Zidane that preceded the remarks.

Denilson Adds MLS Paycheck to Social Security Earnings

FC Dallas announced late last week that it had signed former Brazillian midfielder Denilson to a contract. Terms of the agreement were not announced, and the team said that Denilson would play as soon as he is able to secure a Visa. Denilson is a significant name in the world of soccer, having won the World Cup in 2002 following an illustrious career with the Brazilian national team and league teams like San Paolo FC and Flamenco, but he is also well past his prime. Not surprisingly, Denilson’s signing with the MLS produced barely a blip in the American sports landscape. Once again this goes to show that although David Bekham’s signing and subsequent games with the Los Angeles Galaxy has and continue to receive considerable attention, the cat-like curiosity toward Bekham, and his Spice Girl wife Victoria, is almost entirely celebrity driven. We don’t expect the same type of attention even if the MLS were to sign other legendary, yet past their prime, players like former Brazilian star Ronaldo or the aforementioned Zidane. For soccer to really take off in America, the MLS will need to spend the millions, which it incidentally doesn’t have at this point, to sign a few of the current stars like Ronaldinho, Christian Ronaldo, Messi, John Terry, Kaka and others -- not has-beens looking to make a few extra millions before riding off into the sunset.

myPhone, yourPhone, Everyone Gets a iPhone

A 17-year old kid in New Jersey, named George Hotz, has figured out a way to “unlock” the iPhone. It’s a relatively complicated process for sure, but Hotz, having worked with other “hackers” in the US and in Russia, was able to unlock his own iPhone and use it on the T-Mobile network, instead of the requisite AT&T service. Apple and AT&T haven’t commented yet on the developments, but we’re sure T-Mobile is already planning the company-wide happy hour in celebration. You can read more on Hotz’s blog. Hotz, incidentally, recently sold the first-ever “unlocked” iPhone for enough money to buy himself a Nissan 350Z and 3 new iPhones for his online partners who helped with the project.

Team USA looks golden against Venezuela

As we reported previously, the FIBA Tournament of the Americas kicked off on Wednesday, August 23 with a handful of games. Team USA, with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in tow, beat…check that demolished Venezuela 112-69 during the final game of the evening at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV. Despite the fact that ESPN did its best to hide the game from potential TV viewers by showing it live on ESPN Classic at 11pm Eastern Time, we were able to track down the broadcast and watch the entire game.

The FIBA tournament has generally been a cakewalk in recent years for the US Senior National Team, but the final score in last night’s game is no indication of the kind of dominance shown by the US squad – they looked pretty damn good! Carmelo Anthony and Michael Redd each led the team with 17 points as part of a balanced scoring attack, but it was the defensive intensity, passion and hustle from this group of NBA superstars that was truly unbelievable. In the opening quarter in particular, we actually felt sorry for the Venezuelan point guard, as Kobe got up in his face from the opening tip, relentlessly harassed the ball and came away with a couple of steals. Kobe generally rattled his man to the point where the Venezuelan player was more content to pass the ball away than even think about making a dribble move or taking a shot. Kobe definitely set the tone, and Carmelo agreed.

"We just wanted to be aggressive from the jump," Anthony said. "Kobe Bryant really set the tone on the defensive end pushing up on guys and getting a couple of steals. We fed off that."

Despite shooters like Redd and Mike Miller on the team, we don’t think Team USA will win this FIBA tournament or the Olympic gold by out-shooting their opponents. International players, European players in particular, are simply better shooters from the shorter International 3-point line. So, it will be defense that wins the gold. And judging from last night, this Team USA is ready to play some serious clamp down, rattle your opponent, in-your-face pressure defense.