'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol:12

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=1734

The Indianapolis Star (Mike Wells) reports: Jamaal Tinsley remains on the roster, but the Pacers have taken steps to distance themselves from the point guard. They’ve removed Tinsley’s nameplate from the locker he used at Conseco Fieldhouse and he is not expected to be at the team’s media day Monday. Jim O’Brien said Tinsley’s situation will not be a distraction. “I don’t see how it’s a distraction,” he said. “I’m just worried about the guys that have uniforms.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: I think opening night for the Pacers at home, after introducing the players the team should place a giant Tinsley blow-up doll at halfcourt. Then, Larry Bird and the rest of the team’s front office staff can kick it. But seriously, I don’t get why the Pacers are handling Tinsley this way. Sure, he’s spent most of his time in Indiana getting injured, and making some mistakes. But when healthy he was pretty solid; worse than most starting point guards but certainly better than almost any PG who comes off a bench. Maybe he tried to rob Bird in the parking lot after a game or something.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10045

Extending Andre: The Philadelphia 76ers and point guard Andre Miller's new agent, Andy Miller, have agreed they should sit down and talk about the possibility of an extension at some point soon. Miller's contract expires after this season; he will be paid about $10.2 million for 2008-09.So what's the case for Andre? Should the Sixers commit a significant amount of dollars to keeping him long-term, after committing over $190 million in contracts this summer to players like Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala and Louis Williams?

First, the pros: He was seventh among starting point guards in scoring last season at 17.0 points a game. His 6.9 assists tied him for 11th in the league among guards. His 4.0 rebounds tied him for fourth among all starting point guards. He is also durable, giving missed just seven games in his 10-year career that began in Cleveland in 1999-00. Also, since being acquired from the Denver Nuggets halfway through the 2006-07 season, Miller has become a leader on the court. The Sixers were 18-12 in the final 30 games of the 06-07 season (Miller played 30 games of the Sixers) and after starting 2007-08 poorly rebounded to not only make the playoffs, but earn the seventh seed with a 40-42 record, taking the Detroit Pistons to a hard-fought six games before losing in the first round of the playoffs. And now, the cons: Miller is 32 years old and while his scoring average and overall shooting percentage was the best of his career in 07-08, this three-point shooting (8.8%!) was downright pathetic. His assists average was the lowest it had been in four years, but that may be overlooked with the increase in scoring (do those cancel out?).

Outside of three-point shooting there is nothing not to like about extending Miller, unless the deal is for more than three years. At his age even a three-year deal would make him 36 at the end of it, very nearly the end of the line for most point guards as starters. However, Miller's game has never been predicated on quickness and athleticism, instead he relies on court vision and b-ball smarts – and those don't get old. As long as an extension is for reasonable money, say no more than $10 million per year on average, perhaps even scaling downward as he gets older. Keeping Miller, one of the better point guards in the league, would ensure stability at the point. If he did leave via free agency next summer, the Sixers will not have cap space to sign another free agent point guard for more than the mid-level exception. Of course, it's also possible Louis Williams might be ready to fill the role, in which case perhaps it may not matter.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10045

Keeping Jordan: Washington Wizards head coach Eddie Jordan had his 2009-10 option year on his contract picked up by the team on Monday. He's the third-longest tenured coach in the NBA, behind only Utah's Jerry Sloan and San Antonio's Gregg Popovich.

The total value of his contract with the option year was three years and $12 million. He is entering his sixth season as the head coach of the Wizards and has posted a won-loss record of 196-214.

Jordan has also coached the Wizards to the playoffs in the past four seasons, reaching the second round once, and has a playoff won-loss record of 8-18. "Eddie has done an outstanding job and has been instrumental in making us a perennial playoff team," team president Ernie Grunfeld said. Of course it doesn't hurt to have a core of All-Stars like Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, either. Now, if they could only stay healthy…

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10045

We'll All Remember Reef: Steve Kyler did a good job encapsulating the essence of retiring Sacramento Kings forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim this morning, but I have to add to it. I was a fan of Abdur-Rahim's in college, when he played a season at California. Since I was attending another PAC-1- university, you can guess that was a little hard to reconcile, but his tenacious game around the hoop, ability to hit inside and out, and his demeanor on the floor were all things I respected. I even followed his career with the Grizzlies, once winning my fantasy league because I was the only one who knew Shareef was a 20 and 10 player. Heck, I even bought tickets when the Grizzlies came to town because of Shareef, probably one of the few people who did that.

By the time Reef was traded to Atlanta and then subsequently to Portland in the Rasheed Wallace trade I was covering the Trail Blazers, so getting time to talk with Reef was a treat. In this business you get preconceptions of a lot of players and usually they never bear out – either positively or negatively – when you finally get a chance to sit down and talk with someone, but Reef was a rare case where I had high expectations and he not only didn't let me down, he exceeded them. Relaxed and polite, Reef always was insightful into his position on the team and the state of the team in general. Given he was forced to play out of position at small forward in favor of Zach Randolph at the four – partly because Randolph can't play another position and partly because of the miles on Reef's legs in the post – that's quite the accomplishment. He always complimented Randolph's game and mentored the young player, even when he wanted those minutes.

It was sad to see Shareef leave Portland and end up in Sacramento (after being rejected by New Jersey), but the writing had been on the wall for awhile. He simply couldn't keep up; his heart and mind have been willing but his body says no. Abdur-Rahim finishes his career with averages of 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and a 47% shooting percentage. He was part of the Kings playoff team in 2006, played in the 2002 All-Star Game (nine points, six rebounds), and was an All-Rookie Team member in 1997. Abdur-Rahim will be remembered as a class act on all levels. His off-court charity work with his Future Foundation has touched many lives and will continue to do so, so check it out

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10049

The biggest story of the summer may have been the decision Josh Childress made to spurn the Atlanta Hawks' offer to head for the cooler climate of Greece. Olympiakos has already begun their season, and three games in fans in Greece are already asking the question that Hawks VP Dominique Wilkins said would be his biggest issue in Europe. "I think at his age it's a risky decision for Josh to make," said Wilkins. "Especially because his game isn't conditioned to the way they play over there. It's a jump-shooting league and a transition league, but the Greek league is very physical, too. Hopefully he can adjust and adapt to the style of play."

In his first game with Olympiakos Childress was given the game-winner . . .and missed it. It was a wide open jumper that Childress bricked, which won't surprise many Hawks fans. After all, shooting was never Childress' strong suit. "I played in Greece, I know the system and how things work," Wilkins continued in our interview. "They throw a lot of money at you, but if you don't play well or the team starts losing they start looking for ways to get rid of you and they don't pay you. The contract may say guaranteed, but it's not always guaranteed. I wish him luck because I love Josh Childress, but if it were me at his stage of life and career, I wouldn't make that kind of move."

It's still early, of course, but according to a Greek journalist I correspond with regularly fans are already beginning to question Childress. In his second game he managed just nine points and in his third he recorded 14 points and five rebounds. He's not exactly off to a thrilling start.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10049

Dragic In Place as a Sun:Let any speculation that Goran Dragic won't join the Phoenix Suns this season officially be put to rest. The point guard from TAU Ceramica officially signed with the Suns this afternoon, meaning the heir apparent to Steve Nash is in place. In case you've missed the couple of times we've talked about Dragic this summer, Suns GM Steve Kerr told HOOPSWORLD he not only expects Dragic to play and be a factor for Phoenix this season, he expects him to take on more and more of the point guard duties over the next two seasons as he prepares to be the starter once Nash retires.

Dragic comes in with the right attitude, having been a fan of Nash's for years, and is prepared to learn as much as he can from the master before becoming the next big thing himself. Dragic has established quite a name for himself in international circles, having won a gold medal at the FIBA Under-20 Championships in 2004, been named a Slovenian League All-Star in 2006, and winning a Slovenian League championship in 2008.

Expect big things from this young man, particularly after he has a season of NBA basketball under his belt. The more of the load he can carry, the longer Steve Nash can be a productive starter for the Suns.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10052

In an ongoing story that's yielded nothing but the same news the last several weeks, we've finally got a little tidbit of something new—a source close to the Bulls has indicated that Ben Gordon is still unsigned not because the Bulls haven't given him a fair offer, and not because his agent has blown the negotiation process for him; it's because Gordon's ego might be getting in the way of his financial stability. Reportedly Gordon believes that since he's been the highest offensive producer on the team for three years now he deserves to be the highest-paid guy on the roster. The six years and $60 million Chicago allegedly has on the table is nowhere near the $71 million Luol Deng got earlier this summer, and in his own head he apparently believes he should making at least that, too. Never mind that Gordon is the team's sixth man, and at $10 million a season he'd be one of the highest paid bench players in the league. To him, that's just not enough bread. Now there's sentiment about some within the organization that he won't come to camp next week. Bulls brass is hopeful he'll show up to media day—they'll have his jersey cleaned and pressed and everything—but nobody's particularly optimistic.

This go'n get ugly. But don't blame the Bulls; they've had a fair offer on the table for him for weeks. You can't really blame the agent either; they can advise a player all they want but at the end of the day it's the player's decision to take a deal or leave it. No, this one's on Gordon himself, which should blow the mind of anyone with any common sense or knowledge of BG's market value and talent relative to his paycheck knows is an insane decision. He's not the first guy to do the holdout thing. Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao played this game last season and did nothing but lose money. Offers declined and games came and went without a paycheck. Bonzi Wells turned down a $40 million extension just a couple seasons ago, and now he's unemployed. And no one will ever forget Latrell Sprewell turning down $8 million a year because he had to "feed his family." Since then he's had his luxury yacht repossessed. Turning down big money is risky business. The teams have the leverage in these situations, and the Bulls do right now. Despite everything they want Gordon on the team and are even willing to overpay him to keep him there.

If he does finally give in and take the qualifying offer, it'll be for about $6.4 million, but every regular season game he misses is money off that amount—something to the tune of $78,000 a game. For a guy who seems to want a ton of money he seems to be making a significant mistake by currently being under contract for zero dollars in 2008-2009. Not only that, but the Bulls have already been in "pre-camp" for a couple weeks now without Gordon. If and when he does come back, he'll have no knowledge of a new offensive system under new coach Vinny Del Negro and "offensive coordinator" Bernie Bickerstaff. Historically Gordon starts seasons slowly, and that's with a full preseason and training camp to warm up. How will he perform when he does finally return? Some suggest that Gordon is expecting Chicago to start the season poorly on the offensive end, and of course there's always the chance of an injury to Derrick Rose or Kirk Hinrich, but what does he do if all those guys run on all cylinders? This is a gamble that has a strong chance of not working out for the high-scoring, undersized Bulls guard. How much longer will this young man hold out? How on earth will this headache negotiation come to an end? Maybe Sprewell can offer some helpful advice. If anyone can scare Gordon into taking the sixty mil, it'd be him.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10044

Marbury Buyout?: Reports from New York this morning continue to suggest the Knicks will be buying out and waiving guard Stephon Marbury before training camp opens next Monday. Whether or not this actually happens has a lot of moving parts, but in all seriousness, no one inside the Knicks organization will mirror these comments. It's inevitable that the Knicks part ways with Stephon, but where is the benefit to the Knicks? Steph is in the final year of his deal earning $21.9 million. There is a modern belief that you're guaranteed to pay Steph $21.9 million, the question becomes how much can you get him to knock off in order to be free of the Knicks? Would knocking $2 million off the deal be enough to get James Dolan to write off another deal? Is telling Cablevision shareholders that you saved $2 million enough? From a basketball side, Stephon is said to be in the best shape physically of his life, his ankle injury is said to be fully healed, and he's said to be killing the ball from outside. True, there is last year and the circus Stephon became, but it was that way with Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph too. Most of last year was because of Isiah Thomas, does that mean Steph has to go? It's easy to say cut the guy loose, but it's commonly believed that as soon as Steph clears waivers - which no one has the ability to pick up $21.9 million - he'll land in Miami or similar playoff caliber team in need of a point guard. With Steph in the best shape of his life, and playing for a contract it seems almost silly for the Knicks to not at least try him on in training camp. But if you listen to the reports, the ball may be in motion to sever ties and start fresh. If waiving Stephon is indeed the chosen course, and no one with the Knicks will admit that on or off the record, Stephon Marbury could be released before week's end. Just don't put money on it.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10044

The Ben Gordon Update: After a lengthy conversation with several league sources yesterday there is absolutely no movement on Ben Gordon and the Chicago Bulls. All the bluffing from Ben's camp has not yielded a change in Chicago's position. The Bull's have their very best and final offer on the table, and there do not appear to be any sign-and-trade offers that Chicago would consider. The choice is now on Ben Gordon. Do you wait out the Bulls, like Anderson Varejao did with the Cavs? It did not yield any more money; in fact, it cost Andy money. Do you take the six-year, $60 million offer reportedly still on the table? In a surprise move the Bulls seem to be open to keeping that offer out at least through the end of the week. The deal would be a solid contract for Ben, considering that beyond the hype Ben's camp is creating, Ben is a sixth man and $60 million for the sixth man says a lot about how the Bulls view Ben. There is no scenario in which Chicago is not in the driver's seat on this issue, so it does seem that the ball is absolutely in Ben Gordon's court, though there does not seem to be any movement coming. The Bull's open training camp on Monday and there will be a Ben Gordon jersey ready. Whether or not he's there to wear it is something else.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10044

Shareef Hangs Them Up: Sacramento forward Shareef-Abdur Rahim decided to retire yesterday. Citing a badly arthritic knee, Shareef had been struggling to get healthy for the past year and half. Shareef has always been a solid guy in the league, always taking time for fans and the media. Do a Google search; you find a lot of fan photos featuring Shareef on Facebook and MySpace. He was a true team guy supporting his team, even while it was clear he'd likely played his last game. My favorite Shareef moment was in 2006 after having his jaw broken and wired shut, Shareef gave interviews to the press mumbling through his clenched teeth. That's the kind of guy Shareef is, always trying to make it work out. The Kings issued a statement yesterday saying they were looking at ways to keep Shareef involved with the team. There was talk that he may join the coaching staff or the front office in a player development role. So while Shareef won't be lacing them up this season, the league has not seen the last of the third overall pick in the 1996 draft class – a class that featured Allen Iverson (1), Marcus Camby (2), Stephon Marbury (4), Ray Allen (5), Antoine Walker (6), Kobe Bryant (13), Peja Stojakovic (14), Steve Nash (15), Jermaine O'Neal (17), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (20) and Derek Fisher (24)

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10043

Nate McMillan can't help but be excited about having Rudy Fernandez finally in Portland. Can you blame him? "For me, Rudy plays the game the right way," the Portland Trail Blazers head coach said Monday afternoon with Fernandez at his side during a press conference announcing the Spanish imports arrival in the Rose City. "He plays hard on both ends. He plays with his heart. You rarely see that in the NBA. You might have guys that give that effort on one end of the floor. Well, Rudy does it on both ends of the floor and that was the one thing that I got excited about."Fernandez arrived in Portland earlier that morning and was instantly welcomed by roughly 150 Blazers' die-hards at the Portland airport. Kids skipped school, banners floated about and applause and cheers filled the terminal. Apparently McMillan isn't the only one stoked about the idea of the shooting guard and former Spanish league MVP donning the red, white and black alongside the likes of Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and fellow rookie Greg Oden this season. "I can't believe it," Fernandez said when asked to describe the grand welcome in Portland. "When I arrived at the airport and saw hundreds of people chanting "Rudy, Rudy", it's incredible. I was surprised, but it's a good surprise."

For Fernandez, the Blazers organization and faithful following, it has been a long time coming. Portland acquired the 6-5 Fernandez from the Phoenix Suns in a trade, after the Suns drafted him 24th overall in 2007. A summer later, the Blazers and Fernandez reached and agreement, but the wait of Rudy's arrival continued. Life has been nothing but hectic for Rudy the past few months. His former Spanish team - Joventut Badalona - ended their season late, and then he went right into the Olympics. Bringing Fernandez to Portland early didn't seem like the right decision, according to Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard. The decision was to give him the rest and relaxation he needed before arriving and settling into a new country, a new city and a new team. "We're going to get him acclimated," Pritchard told the media when asked what the next 24-48 hours olds for Fernandez. "And I know this for a fact – Brandon (Roy), LaMarcus (Aldridge) and Greg (Oden), they'll make him feel at home." Somewhere among the familiarity with his new surroundings, the Blazers will have to carve out a niche for the versatile Fernandez – who believes he is a complete player – during camp and the fast approaching preseason. Chances are that role will involve coming off the bench, a role Rudy is more than comfortable with. "I want to help the team. It doesn't matter," Fernandez admitted. "The decision is for the coach (Nate McMillan). My objective is to play in the NBA. My dream is to play with the best players in the world. Now that I'm in Portland, they give me the opportunity to play in the NBA."

As the week progresses, Rudy will ease into the Blazers practice facility and get more familiar with his teammates who are busily scrimmaging with training camp set to open September 30. And while McMillan claims the city of Portland will come to respect Fernandez's game, one particular NBA superstar already does. "I remember watching Rudy during one of the first games at the Olympics," McMillan explained. ""The coaching staff went over to scout the game and Kobe (Bryant) went with us. He was the only player who went over to watch that game, and I remember Rudy had a good game and Kobe looked at me and said, "This is your kid, huh? He's pretty good." McMillan, of course, had to agree. Now that Fernandez is safely in Portland and will be in-the-mix for years to come, the anticipation of the Blazers' season ahead and playoff dreams is enough to get anyone amped, including Rudy's new head coach. "There is going to be a learning curve. We have to be patient. We have to allow him to come out here and play and figure out this game. And once he does, he's going to be a special player," McMillan said. "You can't help but get excited about having players like that."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=12634

Stephon Marbury's disappointing stint with the New York Knicks could end as early as this week. The Knicks plan to part ways with the mercurial point guard in a matter of days, Newsday reported on Tuesday. Citing several sources with knowledge of the situation, Newsday reported that the Knicks likely will place Marbury on waivers before negotiating a buyout of a contract that will pay him $21.9 million this season. It has been a relatively quiet offseason for Marbury, who underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle this past April. Marbury's future in New York has been in doubt ever since the Knicks overhauled their front office by hiring new president Donnie Walsh and new head coach Mike D'Antoni. Marbury, 31, played in only 24 games during a tumultuous and unproductive 2007-08 season that included a November walkout and a year-long feud with former coach and president Isiah Thomas. Marbury's season ended on January 18 due to the ankle injury. The 11-year veteran's status with the Knicks remained a constant uncertainty since he unceremoniously left the team on November 13 upon learning that he had been demoted from the starting lineup.

After missing a game against the Phoenix Suns that night, he returned to the Knicks two days later and came off the bench in their next three contests. Marbury also took three leaves of absence since his father passed away on December 2. At the time, he was angered with the way Thomas handled the news of his father's death. Marbury's feud with Thomas helped undermine the Knicks' season, as New York finished 23-59, matching a team record for losses. Marbury has endured a difficult four-year stretch with the Knicks, who acquired the talented but troubled guard in an eight-player deal with the Suns on January 5, 2004. A Brooklyn native and a lifelong Knicks fan, Marbury has been one of the central figures for a franchise which has become one of the biggest laughingstocks in American professional sports.Marbury testified in court this past summer when former Knicks executive Anucha Browne Sanders filed an $11.6 million sexual harassment lawsuit against Thomas and Madison Square Garden. During his testimony, Marbury admitted to making derogatory comments about Sanders while revealing that he had sex with an MSG intern in a truck outside a strip club in 2005.

The Knicks, who have not finished with a winning record since the 2000-01 season, have gone through four different coaches while traditionally owning the league's highest payroll since Marbury joined the team. New York reached the postseason in Marbury's first season with the team but suffered a four-game series sweep at the hands of the New Jersey Nets in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Widely considered a selfish player, Marbury has failed to mesh with numerous star teammates throughout his career, including Kevin Garnett, Shawn Marion, Keith Van Horn, Eddy Curry, Allan Houston and Steve Francis. Marbury also has clashed with his coaches and made headlines for his public gripes with then-Knicks coach Larry Brown during the 2005-06 campaign. Despite his problems both on and off the court, Marbury has been one of the NBA's top point guards during his career. The two-time All-Star has averaged 19.7 points and 7.8 assists in 823 career games with the Knicks, Suns, Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=12635

Murray State junior forward Marvin Williams has decided to quit the team. Coach Billy Kennedy made the announcement Tuesday.

"I wish him the best," Kennedy said. "I hope he will continue his education."

The 6-6 Williams averaged 5.6 points and 5.0 rebounds as a sophomore. He was third on the team with 155 rebounds

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp?id=12636

Juan Dixon is back with the Washington Wizards. The Wizards on Tuesday signed the free agent guard, adding to its backcourt depth in the wake of losing three-time All-Star Gilbert Arenas for at least the first part of the upcoming season due to a third operation on his left knee. Terms of Dixon's contract were not disclosed.

The 6-3, 165-pound Dixon was originally selected by Washington with the 17th overall pick in the 2002 draft. During his first tenure with the Wizards, the Baltimore native averaged 8.2 points and 1.6 assists in 176 games over three seasons. "I'm excited to return to the area and to resume my career with the Wizards," Dixon said. "I'm looking forward to the start of training camp and I'm ready to step in and contribute wherever Coach (Eddie) Jordan and the team sees fit."

A six-year veteran, Dixon has also seen action with Portland, Toronto and Detroit, averaging 8.9 points and 1.7 assists. Last season, Dixon averaged 5.0 points and 1.8 assists in 53 games between Detroit and Toronto. "Juan is a proven NBA player, and we like what he brings to our team," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said. "He is a tough, hard-nosed competitor who can score and his familiarity with our system is an added plus."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_11961

Exactly three months after Goran Dragic came to Phoenix on the sly for a workout, he is finally a signed Sun. The finances of Dragic's buyout from Tau Ceramica were completed and the league gave clearance for the Suns to sign Dragic to the previously negotiated four-year contract this afternoon.

Dragic will still need to return to his home country, Slovenia, once his work visa is approved. Regardless, Dragic is expected to join the Suns on the bus to training camp in Tucson in one week. Dragic is expected to play in the team's voluntary scrimmages Tuesday.

The Suns are planning on the 22-year-old point guard to immediately slip into the rotation as Steve Nash's backup. He has been in Phoenix for about a month after his buyout negotiations were completed but was limited to working out rather than playing because he did not have a contract.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_11961

When Rudy Fernandez did arrive Monday afternoon at Portland International Airport, more than 100 fans armed with signs, banners, Blazers jerseys greeted him at baggage claim. They chanted "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!" and slapped high fives. "I can't believe when I arrived to airport," Fernandez said. "What (was there) 200 people ... saying 'Rudy, Rudy, Rudy', and 'Welcome to Portland'. It's incredible. Surprised. A good surprise."

The welcome was so invigorating that Fernandez said he was ready to immediately leave the airport and head to a practice.

Pritchard, who was the first to greet Fernandez at the airport, said he was impressed by the fans' turnout. "This town is energized - it is so energized," Pritchard said. "You see the enthusiasm by everybody and it makes you tingle a little bit. I have never seen anything like this ... I mean, I don't know how many people were here - what was it 150, 250? - but it wasn't so much the quantity, it was the quality. I mean, Rudy walked through that and he was like 'Oh my gosh'. He knows that in English."

[nasty daddy]

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2008/09/23/nba- ... ups-no-15/

Ask nine out of 10 basketball fans for an image of Chauncey Billups, and they'll drop a Mr. Big Shot moment. Fair enough. Billups has hit his share of humongous buckets. But the vision of Billups' career -- his excellent, excellent career -- might instead be seen as the most controlling, efficient, mistake-free point guard of our era. If Steve Nash is the flashy maestro and Jason Kidd is the crafty roughneck, Billups exist as a dominant prison guard, forcing his opponents to the ground and his teammates into position to win. I love Nash, and you might notice his number hasn't been called yet on this list. But Nash hands off three turnovers a game to the opposition for all his clever passes and drives. Billups slashes to the rim nearly as much (he draws 6 FTAs/game) and gives up only two turnovers a night. How?

Billups has great size for a point guard. When we say that, we usually mean the fellow's tall -- Shaun Livingston at 6'7, for instance. But a better use of size at the position is strength, provided the protagonist has matching quickness. (Billups does.) The strength doesn't just help in posting up a la Gary Payton. Its most effective use is in driving the lane, keeping control of the body and ball as defenders attack. Not every foul gets called in the NBA, obviously. With today's rules, you could probably call contact on every guard penetration play. Regular slashers have to be able to succeed when the whistle stays silent. That means keeping a handle when you get bumped or hacked, and it means finishing at the rim with the mammoths of the paint hanging over you. As we've established, few slashers keep their handle as tidy as Billups. Chauncey had a strong 56.6% shooting percentage around the basket. His strength allows him to succeed at the rim. But, of course, as we mentioned in the first sentence: he can hit the bomb. He takes a ton of threes (he's top 25 all-time in total makes and attempts) and he's at 38.5% for his career, good for #55 all-time. It's the perfect diversified offense for a guard: get lots of free throws, take most of your two-pointers around the rim, make a lot of threes. You avoid lower-percentage, lower-reward long twos which kill most teams while getting efficient production. (Speaking of efficient: Billups' True Shooting percentage has been 59% or higher in each of the past four seasons ... that's 50 points higher than that of the average NBA player.)

And of course, he's a point guard on one of the winningest teams of the decade. His assist numbers won't lead the league, but adjust for minutes and pace and he's up there with the finest distributors. His steal numbers are decent, but that's an insult to his excellent overall defensive skills. His strength's an asset here, too: he can corral opposing speedsters into the trap Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince create in the paint and cause problems for impending screen-rolls. Billups' minutes seem to be declining as Detroit looks for a way to fix its recent postseason failures. New coach Michael Curry adores Rodney Stuckey (a fine position to take), so we might see even more playing time erosion for Billups. But rest easy that when Billups hits the floor, he will dominate.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/ ... oakland-u/

As usual, the Pistons will be kicking off training camp with a free scrimmage at Oakland University:

The Detroit Pistons will host an open practice inside the Oakland University Athletic Center Arena (The O’Rena) on Thursday, October 2 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Admission is free for all fans and Oakland University students and doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to park in the Oakland University Athletic Center Arena parking structure or at the Vandeberg Hall parking area.

“The open practice is a great event where our fans can come out and get a preview of this year’s team,” said Joe Dumars, Pistons President of Basketball Operations. “Having the practice free to the public is a great way to kick-off training camp and get the community excited about the upcoming season.”

[nasty daddy]

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As previously mentioned, my FanHouse colleague Tom Ziller is ranking the top 50 players in the NBA. Today, Chauncey Billups comes in at No. 15:

As we’ve established, few slashers keep their handle as tidy as Billups. Chauncey had a strong 56.6% shooting percentage around the basket. His strength allows him to succeed at the rim. But, of course, as we mentioned in the first sentence: he can hit the bomb. He takes a ton of threes (he’s top 25 all-time in total makes and attempts) and he’s at 38.5% for his career, good for #55 all-time. It’s the perfect diversified offense for a guard: get lots of free throws, take most of your two-pointers around the rim, make a lot of threes. You avoid lower-percentage, lower-reward long twos which kill most teams while getting efficient production. (Speaking of efficient: Billups’ True Shooting percentage has been 59% or higher in each of the past four seasons … that’s 50 points higher than that of the average NBA player.)

And of course, he’s a point guard on one of the winningest teams of the decade. His assist numbers won’t lead the league, but adjust for minutes and pace and he’s up there with the finest distributors. His steal numbers are decent, but that’s an insult to his excellent overall defensive skills. His strength’s an asset here, too: he can corral opposing speedsters into the trap Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince create in the paint and cause problems for impending screen-rolls.

[nasty daddy]

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Several Eastern Conference teams gave themselves significant makeovers during the summer -- Philadelphia, Toronto, Milwaukee, Indiana, New Jersey and Miami in particular. And why wouldn't they? None had a winning record and only Toronto managed to break even, 41-41.The question is, did any of those teams do enough to upset the balance of power in the East? "Boston is the defending champs and everybody in this conference knows they still have to go through them," Pistons coach Michael Curry said. "I think teams made changes to try and dethrone them. But, really, I think the teams that were there last year will be the teams to beat again this year."

That's the consensus among the preseason prognostications, as well. Boston, Detroit, Cleveland and Orlando -- teams that did very little roster juggling in the offseason -- are still considered the conference's fearsome foursome.

With training camps set to open across the league next week, here are my preseason rankings along with key questions facing each team.